Recommendations for U of R

The next 18 months will see a raft of changes at the University of Regina as it works to implement 26 recommendations made by the provincial auditor.

In charge of that process is Dave Malloy, acting vicepresident of research.

He has lofty goals for the institution, telling the Leader-Post on Wednesday that by the time he’s done, the U of R will be Canada’s “poster child” for research policy and administration.

“These are really about tightening up the way we do business,” he said.

While some of those changes will be simple, Malloy said he’ll have to take a “go-slow” approach with some of the other more challenging transitions.

“There are some cultural changes we need to begin, but I think once I explain the importance of making those changes, there will be buy-in

“THERE ARE SOME CULTURAL

CHANGES WE NEED TO BEGIN.”

DAVE MALLOY

by staff because it really will make the university a more attractive institution,” he said.

Provincial auditor Bonnie Lysyk looked into the university’s research arm partly as a result of media scrutiny surrounding U of R spending and questions about a carbon capture agency that formerly fell under its direction.

The objective was to assess whether the U of R had effective processes in place to protect its financial and ownership interests, as well as its reputation.

Malloy said that reputation has taken a bit of a beating recently, but is confident his work will “absolutely” help repair the damage.

“We have the report, but we also have two experts coming to the university in September … who know the system inside out,” he said.

“I think between that, these recommendations and our own good judgment and prudence, we will come out of this.”

Lysyk broke the recommendations for the university down into several categories: oversight, updating policies and procedures, evaluating risks and benefits of research initiatives and monitoring compliance.

They include preparing action plans for review by the board of governors to support the university’s strategic research direction, centrally maintaining complete and up-to-date information about all of its research initiatives and intellectual property, and regularly evaluating external directorships held by staff.

“This is really a teachable moment,” Malloy said.

“We welcome these recommendations and we’re looking forward to applying them.”