New Dean says it’s about students
 Mr. Errol Simms officially succeeds Dr Hamid Ghany as Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences for a three-year term from August 1, 2012. Mr Simms is a Senior Lecturer in Marketing and International Business in the Department of Management Studies, The UWI, St. Augustine. Prior to academia, he worked in the private sector in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago in senior managerial and marketing positions.
UWI Today: In your career, what would you say was the one area that you are particularly passionate about?
If I am to choose one area, it would be student development. We are operating in a globally competitive space and increasingly, our performance is being judged by the quality of our graduates. The Faculty therefore needs to continue to focus its efforts on the practice of student centeredness and ensuring that each student reaches their full potential.
UWI Today: In your personal space, that passion is for?
My voluntary service to the community and the church. By strengthening both our community connection, and moral foundations, we will be better prepared to face the current and future challenges in our region.
UWI Today: What do you view as the overarching mission of the Faculty you are now going to lead?
The overarching mission of the Faulty is to provide quality education to our students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and to proactively engage in research aimed at finding solutions to the many pressing socio-economic needs of the country and the region.
UWI Today: What are your immediate plans for it? Will there be any major changes, or even minor?
One of my immediate plans is to get staff buy-in for the strategic imperatives laid out in the University’s Strategic Plan, particularly in relation to Teaching, Learning and Student Development; Research and Innovation; and National and Regional Engagement. In order to achieve these strategic objectives, some change will be inevitable.
For instance, some reorganization will be required at both the Departmental and Faculty level, in order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our teaching and education process by way of staff redeployment and Departmental restructuring. Urgent consideration will also have to be given to revamping the Assessment and Promotion procedure for staff so as to achieve greater alignment with the objectives of the University’s Strategic Plan. In essence the Assessment and Promotion procedure needs to be more inclusive, and with appropriate weighting for research and publication, teaching, student development, community outreach, public service, etc.
UWI Today: Social Sciences attract the most students, why do you think this is so?
Over the years, The Faculty of Social Sciences has been very innovative in its approach to curriculum and course offerings. Indeed it has developed a reputation for being very proactive in responding to the human development needs of both the public and private sectors in Trinidad and Tobago and the wider region. It is my intention to continue with this innovative practice of curriculum reform and enhancement to satisfy the emerging national and regional needs. |
