Davis, Alan
President, Empire State College
Dr. Davis has devoted his career to higher education. Since 2006, Dr. Davis has served as vice president of education at VCC where he managed nine direct reports who oversaw the work of 440 full-time and 250 part-time faculty. Dr. Davis played a key role in all aspects of planning and development of distributed learning and part-time studies, in degree development, and in building capacity in the support of scholarship in teaching/learning and applied research.
He led the writing of the VCC Campus 2020 submission and the College’s response to “Thinking Ahead,” the provincial government’s review of postsecondary education. He also led the development of a major Aboriginal Service Plan proposal for 10 postsecondary and Aboriginal partners, which received more than $1 million in funding.
From 2003 to 2006, Dr. Davis served as vice president of academic learner services at Niagara College in Ontario. In this capacity he was responsible for all academic programming, learning enterprises, academic governance processes and issues, and all student services, including but not limited to library, registrar, athletics, residences, and recruitment. He managed 350 full-time and at least as many part-time staff and was responsible for a $52 million budget.
During his service, Dr. Davis renewed the academic climate at Niagara College through the re-organization of divisions and the establishment of a center for teaching and learning. He also implemented polices for program approval and review, as well as for faculty evaluation and development. During Dr. Davis’ term, applied research developed substantially, he led the establishment of a research office, and he developed plans for the future of e-learning at the college.
Previously, Dr. Davis served as vice president- academic at Athabasca University, Alberta which is Canada’s leading distance learning and on-line university and shares a similar mission to that of Empire State College.
Before that position, he held numerous positions at BC Open University, Burnaby, including: director for science and humanities, director of administrative and applied studies, acting vice-president, acting principal (1989 – 1996); institutional evaluation officer, Centre for Curriculum and Professional Development, Victoria (1988-89); Elected Chair of Natural Sciences, University College of the Fraser Valley (1987-1989).
A chemist by training, Dr. Davis earned a Ph.D. and M.Sc in Chemistry from Simon Fraser University, and a B.Sc. (Honors) in Chemistry from the University of London.
Dr. Davis' own scholarship includes a focus on Prior Learning and Assessment—a process to assess and accredit the learning adults obtain through work and other life experiences, an important mechanism to enable adult learners to access higher education and to acquire advanced standing for what they already know at the university level.
He has also published and presented on services to immigrants, blended learning, issues related to degree recognition across Canada, and in professional and organizational development in higher education.
In addition to Dr. Davis' extensive academic publications and presentations, he is a published playwright.
Dr. Davis was born in Reading, England, and came to North America in 1972. He is married, and father to four children: 3 adult daughters who live in BC, and a son who is completing high school in Ontario.
- President's Panel: Change as Opportunity
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 8:30 am - 10:30 am
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