‘Lots of things are changing, but we know our purpose’
Leaders are often called on to sail in unpredictable conditions. Since dropping anchor at the University of Victoria (UVic), Rhonda N. McEwen seems unfazed when asked about leading while political tides roil both here and abroad.
“I love leading in times of uncertainty. I know it’s wild to say, but that’s the part that drew me to my past career in management consulting. Each client presents new problems and new opportunities, and you learn from each one. I bring this mindset to academia,” she explains.
In the mere weeks since McEwen started at UVic, there have been sweeping changes in the municipal landscape and BC Legislature, as well as the United States Congress and Senate—let alone ongoing geopolitical tensions and stock-market fluctuations affecting the day-to-day lives of Canadians.
Academia may not be as nimble as the consulting world, but McEwen sees that as a benefit. A friend once likened universities to big barges: while they might need a wide berth to change directions, they are large enough to carry smaller vessels that can be deployed when the need arises.
“As a leader, I can think about the long through line, the slow processes that must unfold over decades. In the meantime, I’m figuring out my speedboats: what things can I put in the water right now that we already have humming?” she says.
“The work we do right now will make a difference for the societies that we serve: our local communities, the province and Canada. What does sovereignty mean for those of us on the West Coast? We have responsibilities to the land and to the Coast Salish Peoples who have stewarded these lands, and what are our responsibilities for Canada’s future? How can UVic step up?”
Local scope with federal impact
As reported in the new President Updates series, McEwen has already travelled to Ottawa to discuss UVic’s contributions to the country, from oceans research and aerospace innovations to community health partnerships and work-integrated learning.
“UVic has demonstrated the ability to renew programming and provide the skilled professionals the economy needs,” she says. “The world can swirl, things come and go, the headlines will change, but universities are here for the long run. Our students come with a fire, and our job is to help stoke the fire—to prepare them, to support them. Lots of things are changing, but we know our purpose.”
When the winds of change begin to howl, McEwen says she reminds herself to take a breath and remember the institution’s collective capacity and competence.
“It’s about relationships. We are a large community: students, faculty, librarians, staff and alumni. As a group, we need to make our relationships as strong as we can to buffer against all the turbulence around us,” she says.
Large networks, a topic McEwen studied as a PhD student, can be a source of support, but McEwen recognizes that post-secondary communities aren’t always aligned. That can put strain on the network, which should be able to engage in hard conversations together.
“I often say the university is meant to be the biggest tent. In that tent, we should have all these different things happening: people interested in the arts, performance, technology, political science, languages. In that big tent, we should also be equipped to deal with differing views,” she says.
We are not immune from the pains of the bigger society around us, but our hope is that we can provide a space where people feel comfortable to be a little uncomfortable in the spirit of learning.”
—Rhonda N. McEwen, UVic president and vice-chancellor
‘We’re in the mind-opening business’
The result could be a polarized debate, and there may not be full agreement once the discussion is done. McEwen muses whether consensus can ever be fully achieved when it can be elusive, even in families. Maybe diversity of ideas is like a buffet: enjoy the variety, instead of filling up on one flavour.
“I like tapas: my favourite kind of meal is a board with a bunch of cheeses, fruit, wine, nuts, all these delicious things you get to try that are different, versus eating the same rice, veg and meat every day. It opens the palate, it opens you to experiences and opens your mind,” she says. “That’s the business we’re in. We’re in the mind-opening business.”
Leadership expert and author John C. Maxwell has argued leaders must know the way, go the way and show the way. For McEwen, she sees an important element missing: creating brand-new paths for the group to travel together. Variety and diversity are important elements. “In normal leadership when things are a little more steady, then ‘know, go and show’ sound great. Sometimes leaders have to make the way—you actually have to create a path—and you cannot do it alone,” she says. “You make the way with the people around you who are engaged in the same vision. What a joy it is to work with an excellent team, and that’s what we have here at UVic—an excellent team interested in making new pathways.”
Courage, confidence and connection
McEwen will be installed as UVic’s ninth president and vice-chancellor during the fall convocation ceremony scheduled for Nov. 9, beginning her term as the newest UVic alumni enter an ever-changing world.
“I am so excited for our students right now. I hope they look back at this time and think, ‘Wow, I had no idea what would come, but I went with courage,’” she says. “They will encounter a workplace that will require them to reinvent themselves many times over, and I hope they hold on to that feeling of confidence, that what they have learned at UVic brings together the best of their skills, interests, passions and knowledge.
“In addition to that courage and confidence, I hope they stay connected. I just met up with some alumni in Ottawa, and some were entering their 80s and others were in their 20s, and they all loved their time at UVic for different reasons—which tells you the tent is big.
“Our alumni are key and will always be part of this community. When things are turbulent, they should remember they still have an anchor here. They can lock arms with us for support.”
