UNews - Kelly Williams-Whitt

Dhillon School of Business introduces DSB Edge student cohort for first-year management students

trevor.kenney — Thu, 13 May 2021 16:31:12 +0000

The Dhillon School of Business at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is introducing a cohort concept for incoming Bachelor of Management students designed to give them an edge as they begin their academic careers — the DSB Edge.

DSB Edge allows students to be part of a tight-knit student community right from the start of their education.

Following a year of online learning and responding to the expressed needs of its students, DSB Edge, an in-person experience for first-year students entering the 40-course Bachelor of Management program, will debut.

“The first year of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is very exciting and can also be a bit overwhelming for students with new classmates, new teachers and new expectations,” says Dr. Kelly Williams-Whitt, associate dean for the Dhillon School of Business. “With DSB Edge we want to create an environment where students feel supported and as though they’re part of a team from the very beginning.”

DSB Edge allows students to be part of a tight-knit student community right from the start of their education. Students are automatically registered for core business courses together and assigned to the same residence if they choose to live on campus. They receive exclusive access to a special DSB Edge student orientation, leadership development opportunities, networking events and other student activities. The initial cohort is limited to 60 seats.

“Research has shown that student cohorts like DSB Edge support academic success,” says Williams-Whitt, adding DSB Edge was created to give first-year students a leg up by building a community of students with similar goals and interests.

“Cohorts such as these allow students to engage in course material immediately since they have common experiences and get to know each other quickly. Cohorts also allow space for students to share their concerns and challenges which cultivates a more motivational, supportive and interactive experience.”

DSB Edge is currently available on the U of L’s Lethbridge campus for the Fall 2021 semester. The deadline to apply is May 18 for students who want to live in residence and June 30 for those who have off-campus living arrangements.

For more information on DSB Edge, visit ulethbridge.ca/future-student/dsb-edge-student-cohort.

Dhillon School of Business welcomes Hak as adjunct associate professor

trevor.kenney — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 16:03:07 +0000

The Dhillon School of Business is pleased to announce Barrister and Solicitor Jonathan W. Hak Q.C. as adjunct associate professor at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ oif Lethbridge Calgary campus. Hak has been teaching as a sessional lecturer with the Dhillon school since 2002 and will continue teaching in the area of business law.

Jonathan W. Hak has been teaching as a sessional lecturer with the Dhillon school since 2002.

Hak earned his Master of Law from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Cambridge in 1988, was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2006 and is currently a PhD candidate with Leiden ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Faculty of Law.

Associate Dean for the Dhillon School of Business, Kelly Williams-Whitt, says Hak’s knowledge and experience make his classes especially interesting and that he has a knack for explaining difficult concepts in ways students can understand and remember.

“Jonathan has been teaching our business law class on the Calgary campus for many years and is a student favourite,” says Williams-Whitt. “Although he is already very highly accomplished, Jonathan is a lifelong learner and is pursuing a doctoral degree while he manages travel between his homes in Calgary and The Hague, Netherlands. We are extremely fortunate to have such a dedicated and talented colleague and congratulate him on his appointment.”

Hak previously worked as a crown prosecutor in Calgary for over 30 years, prosecuting major crimes and providing investigational advice to the Homicide Unit of the Calgary Police Service. He has over 30 years of experience teaching law at the post-secondary level including developing and teaching a course on courtroom testimony for expert witnesses that he delivers primarily to federal, provincial/state and local authorities. In 2000, Hak initiated a legal training program for forensic video analysis in North America with Law Enforcement and Emergency Services Video Association International Inc (LEVA), and continues to teach multinationally in this area of the law.

Dhillon School of Business Names Inaugural Director of Business Development and Experiential Learning Initiative

trevor.kenney — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 22:17:23 +0000

The Dhillon School of Business is pleased to announce Dr. Matt Rahimi as the inaugural Director of DSB Link, effective immediately. Rahimi has been a sessional faculty member with the Dhillon School of Business at the Calgary Campus since 2012 and holds a BSc in Petroleum Engineering from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Tehran, and an MBA and PhD in Operations and Strategic Management from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary.

Rahimi’s position was created to oversee DSB Link, a new business development and experiential learning initiative that will be housed within the Dhillon School of Business. DSB Link will act as a hub where all stakeholders including students, faculty, alumni and community partners can meet, explore and develop new ways of working together. Most importantly, it will build on the school’s foundation of community engagement and learning through experience to support innovation in post-secondary learning.

“When we put out the call for the Director of DSB Link we were looking for someone with an entrepreneurial mindset and industry experience who also understands the world of teaching and research,” says Dhillon School of Business Associate Dean, Kelly Williams-Whitt. “We found all of that in Matt and are very excited to have him on board as well as looking forward to implementing some exciting new initiatives.”

Rahimi is enthused to note the DSB Link position fits perfectly with his teaching and industry experience.

"Working with students on their applied projects, on co-operative education opportunities and through experiential learning have been part of my teaching approach throughout my academic career,” he says.

Rahimi’s areas of academic research and teaching include strategic management, operations management and technology, and innovation management. He also has industry experience working in the energy sector and with multi-stakeholder groups in the areas of technology development, assessment, verification and commercialization.

Dhillon School of Business receives accreditation for Human Resources Management and Labour Relations program

trevor.kenney — Tue, 12 Jun 2018 15:50:35 +0000

The Dhillon School of Business has just received Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) accreditation for the Bachelor of Management in Human Resources Management and Labour Relations program. The CPHR designation is the only designation recognized by nine provinces across Canada and is aligned with the United States’ Society for Human Resource Management – the largest HR organization in the world.

The CPHR designation is the only designation recognized by nine provinces across Canada.

Human Resources Management and Labour Relations Area Chair Dr. Kelly Williams-Whitt says their graduates have always been sought by employers because of the quality of education they receive at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. Adding a CPHR designation after graduation is another step towards a successful career.

“The CPHR designation is recognized across Canada,” she says. “It assures employers that our students’ knowledge and experience in Human Resources Management and Labour Relations aligns with industry expectations, and that they are committed to the highest standards of professional practice.”

Dhillon students who graduate after September 2018 with a Human Resources Management and Labour Relations major from the U of L can now also apply to waive the CPHR National Knowledge Exam (NKE), a requirement for individual CPHR designations. Students also only require three years of professional human resources experience to receive the full designation, whereas those who do not graduate with a degree from an accredited institution require eight years of experience.

Dean of the Dhillon School of Business, Dr. Robert Boudreau, says the recent CPHR accreditation provides Dhillon graduates with yet another real advantage in a competitive job market.

“This new accreditation from CPHR for our Human Resources Management and Labour Relations program shows once again that the Dhillon School of Business is committed to the highest quality of education for our students – an education that will be transformational and set them apart from their peers.”

This most recent accreditation comes on the heels of the school’s accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International. AACSB is the largest and most recognized accreditation for business and management schools worldwide.

Kanewischer recognized as 2016 Calgary Campus Instructor of the Year

trevor.kenney — Mon, 03 Oct 2016 16:05:53 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Calgary Campus is excited to announce the recipient of the 2016 Instructor of the Year - Blake Kanewischer (BMgt ’06).

Kanewischer has been an instructor on the Calgary Campus since 2011, teaching Information Systems Management, but that’s not where his U of L story begins. In 2001, Kanewischer, a working, mature student, attended the Calgary Campus and earned his bachelor of management in 2006.

Blake Kanewischer has been an instructor on the Calgary Campus since 2011, teaching Information Systems Management.

“I attended the U of L Calgary Campus because I could work and attend school. The instructors were good, Lorne Williams, Kelly Williams-Whitt, YJ Bao, Terry Prociuk, and so many more knocked it out of the park when it came to teaching.”

In addition to his BMgt degree, Kanewischer also holds a computer science diploma from Medicine Hat College, an applied technology degree from NAIT, a general studies degree from Athabasca ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and an MBA from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary. He has many certifications as well, including: Project Management Professional, Information Systems Professional and Information Technology Certified Professional, to name a few.

His entry into becoming an instructor would come in the final semester of his MBA program where Kanewischer thought he’d be a great mentor on the Calgary Campus.

“I went down to Lorne Williams’s office, the Calgary Campus director at the time, and said, I’m here, I can be a mentor. However, Lorne saw more in me and asked if I had ever thought about teaching. So, I sent in my resume and that following Monday and I was asked to teach in the fall. I didn’t know what I was getting into, but I survived, and I learned a thing or two along the way. Before I knew it, Lorne asked if I could come back to teach again in January.”

Williams had taught Kanewischer in three of his classes and saw his capabilities.

“Blake distinguished himself in his undergrad program,” says Williams, now the assistant dean, northern campuses. “In the first classroom we shared, he submitted a paper that drew the attention of faculty members on the main campus and academic colleagues from the United States. There was obviously a lot of potential there.”

Now, beginning his fifth year with the Calgary Campus as a sessional instructor, Kanewischer is flipping the classroom.

“I worked for 17 years as a systems analyst for the City of Calgary and the private sector. Now I can take that experience and add value to the classroom and add real life to the textbook,” he says. “I know what it’s like to be a mature student and working. By the start of class at 6 p.m., most students have already worked a long day. Who wants to listen to me talk for three hours? I don’t! That’s why I experiment in my teaching by pre-recording lectures, having blogs and emphasizing collaborative learning.”

Collaborative learning is key in Kanewischer’s classroom.

“In information systems, students can’t see that there’s this big iceberg chunk under the water. We only see the little bit of the iceberg that’s above the water. My job is to help show what’s beneath the surface. But the info systems industry changes so constantly that even students bring new things to the table that I can learn from. They learn from each other, they learn from me, we learn together.”

Book Awards handed out Mar. 19

trevor.kenney — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 21:48:46 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ will celebrate the 2012 Book Awards on Monday, Mar. 19 from 4 to 6 p.m. in Andy's Place (AH100).

This is your opportunity to celebrate the achievements of your colleagues. A wine and appetizer reception will follow the formal portion of the event.

Following is a list of Book Award recipients. Congratulations on your achievement.

Book Awards: Book Listing

Dr. Carly Adams – Queens of the Ice

Dr. Reginald W. Bibby – Beyond the Gods & Back: Religion's Rise and Demise and Why it Matters

Dr. Glenda Tibe Bonifacio – Gender, Religion, and Migration: Pathways of Integration

Dr. Bryson Brown (Editor) – Philosophy of Ecology Handbook of the Philosophy of Science Volume 11

Dr. Christopher Burton (Editor) – Soviet Medicine: Culture, Practice, and Science

Dr. Craig A. Coburn (Editor) – Proceedings, 30th Canadian Symposium on Remote Sensing

Dr. Mary Dyck – Coaching Volleyball Champions: Principles and Practices

Leanne Elias (Book Designer) – Science Fiction Science Fair

Dr. Trevor W. Harrison (Editor) – Against Orthodoxy: Studies in Nationalism

Dr. Harold J. Jansen (Editor) – Money, Politics & Democracy: Canada's Party Finance Reforms

Dr. Bryan Kolb – An Introduction to Brain and Behavior

Dr. Christopher J. Kukucha (Editor) – Readings in Canadian Foreign Policy: Classic Debates and New Ideas

Norman Leach – Passchendaele: Canada's Triumph and Tragedy on the Fields of Flanders

Norman Leach – Broken Arrow: America's First Lost Nuclear Weapon

Norman Leach – Canadian Battles: Canada's Role in Major World Conflicts

Emily Luce (Book Designer) – Science Fiction Science Fair

Dr. Jennifer A. Mather – Octopus: the Ocean's Intelligent Invertebrate

Dr. Kevin M. McGeough (Editor) – World History Encyclopedia v. 3 & 4: Era 2: Early Civilizations, 4000-1000 BCE v. 5 & 6: Era 3: Classical Traditions, 1000 BCE – 300CE

Dr. Kevin M. McGeough – Ugaritic Economic Tablets: Text, Translations and Notes Ancient Near Eastern Studies Supplement 32

Dr. Sheila McManus – Choice & Chances: a History of Women in the U.S. West

Dr. Kent A. Peacock (Editor) – Philosophy of Ecology Handbook of the Philosophy of Science Volume 11

Dr. Derek R. Peddle (Editor) – Proceedings, 30th Canadian Symposium on Remote Sensing

Dr. Adriana Predoi-Cross (Editor) – 20th International Conference on Spectral Line Shapes

Dr. Thomas A. Robinson – Out of the Mouths of Babes: Girl Evangelists in the Flapper Era

Dr. Hillary P. Rodrigues (Editor) – Studying Hinduism in Practice

Dr. Steven Urquhart (Translator) – Not for Every Eye

Dr. Ian Q. Whishaw – An Introduction to Brain and Behavior, Third Edition

Dr. Kelly Williams-Whitt (Editor) – Perspectives in Disability and Accommodation

Dr. Patrick C. Wilson – Federaciones Indígenas, ONG y el Estado: El Desarrollo y la Politizacíon de la Cultura en la Amazonía Ecuatoriana

Walter Wymer – Connected Causes: Online Marketing Strategies for Nonprofit Organizations

Dr. Ying Zheng – Chemistry for the Life Sciences I

Arbitrating for change

trevor.kenney — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:51:51 +0000

Dr. Kelly Williams-Whitt, associate professor at the Calgary campus of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, says a decade spent in the private sector started her on the path to obtaining her PhD in labour relations.

The one-time nurse developed an interest in law after witnessing how difficult the relationship between employers and employees can be. She researched the requirements for a law degree and an MBA and eventually found that labour relations pulled both of her interests together.

"Labour relations wasn't a draw for me initially – I had no idea until I started my MBA," says Williams-Whitt. "But from a human resources perspective, labour relations has a natural link to law."

Dr. Kelly Williams-Whitt researches disability accommodation in the workplace.

She has now found herself heavily involved in law by virtue of her research and expertise. She has been appointed by the federal government to act as an adjudicator for labour disputes that occur under Part III of the Canada Labour Code. She regularly hears cases alleging unjust dismissal, wage disputes and other employment matters.

As a labour arbitrator, Kelly's decisions are legally binding, and she works to ensure that the needs of both employer and employee are equitably addressed. This requires that she maintain current knowledge of labour legislation and case precedent, which also benefits management students who have the opportunity to discuss these "real life" challenges in the classroom.

"There's something about the legal side of labour relations that's appealing to me. Most

labour law cases are stories of misfortune that have escalated to the point that someone has lost their job," she says.

Williams-Whitt adds there are a variety of reasons for job loss besides performance, and they include suffering an injury or illness. When an employer doesn't recognize that illness is a contributing factor, this can sometimes result in poor or hasty decisions.

Williams-Whitt has therefore focused her research in the area of disability accommodation in the workplace, although she says she hates the term "disability".

"Cancer, depression and heart attack are all things that can change a person's ability to work or result in job loss. But these illnesses are not what we think about when we hear the term disability, so we don't think the concept applies to us. Illness and injury, and therefore disability, are likely to impact most people at some point in their working lives."

Employees are important stakeholders in all organizations and Williams-Whitt feels universities have an obligation to teach students about the dual responsibilities they will have as management decision-makers and as employees themselves.

"I think we haven't done a good job of talking about this in the past."

She adds students have historically been taught that corporations exist solely to create profit for shareholders, but she believes they also exist to serve, nurture and invest in social capital.

"Corporations and society have taken notice that some things have not been done well, and that we need to rethink how we approach business."

Today's students are more conscious of social responsibility through a variety of efforts, including the education system.

"Instead of erasing it from people's minds, we're highlighting it. But I think that when we don't take social responsibility seriously enough, everybody pays, whether it be socially or environmentally."

Williams-Whitt teaches labour arbitration, collective bargaining, corporate social responsibility and workplace diversity. She has conducted the majority of her research in the area of disability accommodation, speaks frequently at conferences and has authored a number of peer-reviewed journal articles on this subject. She is currently conducting research on the behaviours of employees returning to work after a health incident.

For more on the Faculty of Management, visit their website by clicking on this link.

UNews - Kelly Williams-Whitt

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Arbitrating for change

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