New role for David Porter at Humber in 2020

Following three years as CEO of eCampusOntario, David Porter announces that he has accepted a position at The Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, commonly known as Humber College, as Dean of Innovative Learning and Senior Special Advisor for Flexible Learning, starting February 2020. Continue reading for David’s announcement letter to the Board, in which he reflects on his leadership career in higher education and his time at eCampusOntario.

November 25, 2019

Dear eCampusOntario Community:

It has been a distinct honor to lead the development of eCampusOntario as it has evolved from a system concept towards becoming the primary face of online learning innovation across the Ontario post-secondary sector. In 2016, I was asked how long it might take to establish a signature presence for the organization in the Ontario higher education sector. I said, “I’m willing to boldly push the idea forward and demonstrate value for our colleges and universities within a two- to three-year timespan.”

I now think we are there.

The organization that I led in September 2016 had three employees, and has grown to 16 full-time employees, as well as secondees from post-secondary institutions, student interns, and contractors, totaling 22 staff. They are an amazing young team of enthusiastic high achievers for whom no initiative is too difficult to conceive or implement.

I am so proud of the eCampusOntario team. It pains me to inform you of my decision to move on.

At my honorary doctorate ceremony on October 9, 2019, at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, I noted that I had served in 14 positions since my undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto, and I felt I had one more appointment left in me, to achieve a capstone for my career.

I am preparing to depart the CEO position to lead the flexible education portfolio at Humber College. As Dean of Innovative Learning and Senior Special Advisor for Flexible Learning, I believe I have found a position with license to boldly implement the concepts we have tested at eCampusOntario. It is a role I have been searching for within a post-secondary institution and am pleased to have found it within Ontario. It is my plan to assume the new role at Humber College in February 2020, mindful that my work at eCampusOntario is not yet complete.

My commitment to the community and to our team is that I will continue to lead the program and budget development process for 2020-2021 as a signal to the Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU) that eCampusOntario is indeed critical infrastructure for the future. We are an organization that the Ministry can count upon to demonstrate where educational priorities for Ontarians need to be. By implementing an innovative and learning-centred path forward and a gateway to new opportunities, eCampusOntario will position the province as the leading exemplar for achieving the promise of technology enabled learning.

I believe a new CEO will be able to take the organization forward and establish it as a core digital education service for the province. It will be an exciting time for the Board to choose a successor who will firmly establish eCampusOntario as the leading system organization in North America.

In closing, it has been the highlight of my career to lead eCampusOntario. It could not have been a better opportunity to build an organization and establish its presence from the ground up. We have built an outstanding team. I wish the eCampusOntario organization, the Board, and our post-secondary institution partners all success moving forward.

Thank you for the opportunity to lead eCampusOntario.

Sincerely

David Porter, Ed.D.