Congratulating UTM's CAO
To the UTM community,
I write to share some bittersweet news: Saher Fazilat, our Chief Administrative Officer, is leaving U of T Mississauga to become the Vice-President, Operations & Finance, at McMaster University. On a personal level, I am delighted that Saher has earned and accepted such a wonderful opportunity. But institutionally, I know that UTM will sorely miss her expertise.
Saher joined UTM in August 2018 and, as our senior non-academic executive, has advised the campus’ leadership team and overseen the campus’ comprehensive administration, including key operational functions: from business services to capital construction, from sustainability to health and safety, from conference services to parking and emergency planning.
Under Saher’s leadership as CAO, UTM celebrated the official opening of Maanjiwe nendamowinan, and began construction of the new Science Building. We launched the Campus Master Plan process, and laid the groundwork for the new Arts, Culture & Technology building. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, closing much of the campus and requiring unprecedented changes in activity, Saher led the way, implementing necessary technological and operational adjustments with speed, efficiency and grace. With my office, she worked tirelessly and generously to help launch the THP UTM vaccine clinic at the RAWC, an initiative that has now delivered over 215,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in our community.
In 2018, Saher was recognized as one of Canada’s Top 75 Immigrants by the RBC Canadian Immigrant Awards. A recognized expert in construction and engineering, Saher has earned the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for design and construction, and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Community Sustainability Award.
Please join me in wishing Saher well before her final day at UTM on July 20. With capacious knowledge and unfailing good sense, Saher has made UTM a better, smarter, more efficient place—and I feel supremely grateful to have worked as her colleague.
Alexandra Gillespie
Vice-President and Principal
University of Toronto Mississauga