It’s a double homecoming, of sorts, for new Social Science Dean Bob Andersen. He is returning to the Forest City, where he was born and raised. Actually, he never left, as he has commuted to his last job as Distinguished Professor of Social Science and chair of the Department of Sociology at the University of Toronto. Andersen is also a three-time Western graduate having completed his BA in Political Science in 1991; an honours diploma in Sociology in 1992; and an MA in Sociology in 1994. He also has a PhD from McMaster.
In July, Andersen was appointed to a five-year term as dean of Social Science, replacing Brian Timney, who served as dean since July 2002.
Prior to joining Toronto in 2007, Andersen held various academic and administrative appointments at Brock, Oxford, Western (assistant professor, 2002-03) and McMaster universities.
With teaching and research interests in political sociology, social stratification and applied statistics, Andersen’s current research explores the consequences of income inequality for a wide array of attitudes and behaviours considered important to the health of liberal democracy. He is also a social statistician with expertise in survey research methods.
Western News reporter Paul Mayne sat down with Andersen to discuss the future plans for Western’s largest faculty, one boasting 244 faculty members, more than 6,600 undergraduates, 550 graduate students and more than 70,000 alumni around the world.
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Western News: Instead of saying ‘welcome to Western,’ I suppose it should be more welcome back. With three degrees from the university, and being a London native, is that a plus?
Bob Andersen: I probably don’t know as much about the place as you would imagine. I know about it as a student, and that is quite different than an administrative role. I was here for a year as a faculty member in 2002. It was one year, so, I really didn’t get to know my way around. It’s more that I’m a Londoner, born and raised, so I’m back home in that respect.
I do have a soft spot for Western. I did my undergraduate and masters here, so I know it on that kind of level. I know it like other alumni. I know of the Department of Sociology and some of the other departments in Social Science through reputation, but not really from what’s going on inside. In that sense, I’m probably more of an outsider than it looks like.
WN: Why make this move to Western? Was there something that sold you?
BA: I think career wise I could have gone several different paths, and they all would have been good moves. This wasn’t a ‘I had to do this’ one. For me, it was home. I’m at this stage in my life, not necessarily in my career, where I thought this was a good move. I have four kids and I actually live in London. I had been commuting to Toronto.
It’s not like I ever had aspirations to – although I have lately – to get into administration. I’m the kind of guy who is happy wherever he goes. It seemed like a challenge. The challenge is just as important. The world of universities has changed; it is different than it used to be. There are some things, maybe, hopefully, I can kind of convince people to change.
WN: You’re taking over Western’s largest faculty, ranging from Accounting and a flight school to the Brain and Mind Institute. Where do you start to understand its unique make-up?
BA: I’m really looking forward to that. I’ve already started talking to the chairs, touring the place and get my bearings, figure out where things are. The – can I use the word ‘pure’? – the pure social sciences I have a really firm grasp on. I know that stuff very well. In fact, I consider myself a social scientist – not in a discipline. I am very multidisciplinary in my approach. I’ve already learned some new things here and I like that. I like to learn. It’s going to be fun. There are a lot of things I want to accomplish and I’m already starting to do it, or at least work toward it. I’m starting to see what it takes to get things done around here.
WN: What tops that list?
BA: We need a little bit more PR. My goal is to increase the profile. You don’t want to jeopardize the student experience, which I know is great, and that’s where I have that soft spot. I don’t want to jeopardize that and I don’t think we have to.
There are things we can do to increase our research profile in the academic community. There are a lot of really good people here and the way the world is going, and they way universities are going, you need collaboration. Maybe we can have a bit more of that here. We need to reach out to other faculty; departments have to reach out to each other within the faculty.
That’s going to be a tough job, but there are folks who want to be involved. It’s about thinking bigger. I’ll say this, I have no idea where we’re going to go, but we’re sure as heck going to try and get somewhere. Let’s try. I want to increase our research profile, both by increasing the number of grants and increasing collaboration, and see us publicize it a bit more.
WN: You are taking over for Brian Timney, who was Western’s longest running dean. Any concerns with comparisons that will inevitably happen?
BA: I’m quite different; everyone knows that. I think he (Timney) and his team did a great job, but there are things I see I’d like to do. I have goals where we can go and they may be different than his goals. It’s about getting people to come along with you. You have to find what works.
WN: You mentioned the increased competition for funding. How does your faculty ensure money continues to flow?
BA: I’d like to see people come together in a way that maybe they haven’t done. Every university has to go this way in my view. Tri-Council funding is now more and more about big grants. You need a lot of people for these grants. And we need real ideas, they can’t just be names on proposals. I have to figure out a way, in talking with people, to see if we can come up with ideas, not just me. How can we bring out our best together?
It’s more and more competitive; that’s the problem. The game has changed, funding has changed, whether we like it or not. I’d like to connect more with the city. I’d like to get our research more involved with the community. I don’t know exactly how yet, but that’s going to be important to us.
WN: You have a five-year term as dean. Are you able to look that far ahead?
BA: I hope what’s already a good place is even better. I’d like to have things in place where people are collaborating, perhaps an institute. That is the exciting part, if I knew where we were going. It’s like watching a hockey game where you already know the score. Why play the game? There are some good chairs and the staff are good. This feels pretty good and I know there are challenges, but I’m up for them and I find that exciting.