University of Western Ontario - Administration

Administration

The governance of the university is conducted through the Board of Governors and the Senate. The Senate was the university's first governing body, created in the university's founding document, An Act to Incorporate the Western University of London, Ontario, 1878. The Board of Governors was later established in An Act to amend the Act to incorporate the Western University of London, Ontario, 1892. The Board is responsible for the for the overall management of the university, including financial matters. Ex officio governors of the Board include the university's chancellor, president, the mayor of London, the warden of Middlesex County and the secretary of the Board of Governors. The Board also consists of 26 other governors, either appointed or elected by the various members of the university's community and the surrounding community, including elected representatives from the student body.

The Senate is responsible for the university's academic policies. The Senate consists of 20 ex officio positions in the Senate granted to the chancellor, the president, the vice-presidents of the university, the senior dean of each faculty, the university librarian and the secretary of the senate. The secretary of the senate is a non-voting ex officio member. The Senate also consists of 46 elected members from the university's faculty, 18 members from the student population, and 9 members from the Western's affiliated colleges, including their principals. The Senate also consists of 9 other members from around the university community. In total, there are 103 members of the Senate, 102 of which may vote and 10–13 official observers of the Senate.

The president and vice-chancellor acts as the chief executive officer of the university who is accountable to the Board of Governors and the Senate, and supervises and directs the academic and administrative work of the university and of its teaching and non-teaching staff. Amit Chakma is the tenth president of the university, serving in the post since 1 July 2009. The chancellor of the university acts as the honorary and symbolic head of the university. The position of chancellor is a four year, non-renewable term. The current chancellor of the university is John Thompson, who held the position since 2008.

Programs at the university is divided amongst 12 faculties and schools, including Althouse College of Education, Don Wright Faculty of Music, Richard Ivey School of Business, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and Western Law School. The university also is affiliated with three university colleges, Brescia University College, Huron University College and King's University College.