Linda Koechli appointed interim dean, G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Linda Koechli as interim dean, G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education (The Chang School), effective April 2, 2024. Linda will serve until the search for the new dean is complete. Gary Hepburn will be leaving Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) to pursue a new opportunity at Yorkville University’s New Brunswick campus. I would like to thank Linda for accepting this interim role and for her continued dedication to The Chang School.

Linda assumed the role of acting dean of The Chang School in February 2024, bringing to the position nearly two decades of dedicated service in the TMU community. Throughout her tenure, she has worked to advance innovative, career-relevant and accessible programming for continuous learners.

In various leadership capacities at The Chang School, Linda has overseen the complete lifecycle of certificate program development, delivery and assessment. As assistant dean, programs, she played a pivotal role in shaping and implementing bold and forward-thinking strategies to meet the evolving needs of today’s continuous learners. This included the introduction of competency-based microcredentials and forthcoming postgraduate certificates. 

Linda was also instrumental in establishing The Chang School’s inaugural full-time international certificate program, which welcomed its first cohort of international continuous learners in fall 2022.

Prior to her appointment as assistant dean, programs in 2022, Linda led the development of cutting-edge certificate programs and courses in collaboration with faculty and industry experts as program director of the business portfolio. With experience on TMU’s Academic Standards Committee and two terms as The Chang School’s teaching chair, Linda is deeply committed to upholding academic excellence and fostering student success. She has a particular interest in leveraging digital technologies to provide accessible education to diverse learners.

Linda holds a PhD and a master of arts from the University of Waterloo and a bachelor of Arts from Wilfrid Laurier University. She also earned the Professional Continuing and Online Leader Certification from the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA).

I would like to thank The Chang School for their feedback during the consultation process and support for the appointment of Linda in this interim role.

I look forward to sharing more information on the composition of the search committee in the coming weeks.

Roberta Iannacito-Provenzano 
Provost and Vice-President, Academic