University of Guelph’s Associate Vice-President to lead AVP Planning, Data and Budget
Dr. Bradley Minaker has been named the University of Guelph’s new associate vice-president (planning, data and budget) to lead the Office of Institutional Research and Planning. The announcement was made today by Dr. Gwen Chapman, provost and vice-president, academic.
Brad Minaker smiles for the camera
Brad Minaker
“Brad has five years of progressive experience within institutional research and planning here at U of G,” said Chapman. “He has played a key leadership role in a number of University-wide initiatives, including enrolment planning, performance metrics analysis, and increasing accessibility to key data for university leadership to use in planning and decision-making.”
Minaker has served as the interim AVP in the unit since March 2022. He succeeds Karen Menard, who had been in the role since 2016 before leaving U of G earlier in 2022.
“Brad picked up the additional responsibilities of this interim role very quickly,” said Chapman. “He has been a valued member of the provost’s team and is a pleasure to work with.”
Chapman said Minaker has been a leader in budget and resource planning for U of G, helping to advance enrolment planning and other strategic initiatives for the provost’s office.
“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to continue at U of G in this new role,” said Minaker. “Evidence-based decision making will continue to be crucial in achieving the goals in U of G’s strategic plan, and it is my pleasure to work with such a capable and dedicated team in the Office of Institutional Research and Planning.”
Before his interim AVP role, Minaker was director of research, analytics and planning. He joined U of G in 2017 and holds PhD and master’s degrees in economics from McMaster University as well as a bachelor of mathematics from the University of Waterloo.
The Office of Institutional Research and Planning supports academic activities and sound decision-making processes with timely and accurate budget information as well as the collection, analysis, dissemination and interpretation of data.
“With his experience, skills and background, Brad was the clear leader in our national search,” said Chapman who also thanked the search committee members for their service and time commitment.