From coast-to-coast
UVic’s retiring vice president external reflects on his bi-coastal university career

by Mike McNeney

Jim Griffith flew in to Victoria on an autumn night in 1989, ready to begin a new job at UVic but puzzled by what he saw from the air.

“Flying in we saw all of these bonfires. I didn't know what was going on. I didn't realize until the next day that it was a Halloween traditionwelcome to the West Coast.”

Griffith, raised in St. John, New Brunswick, had spent 25 years at the University of Prince Edward Island when he came to UVic to become executive director of student and ancillary services. He retired June 30 as UVic’s vice president of external relations.

“Coming from a very small university, UPEI was at that time 2,500 students, to one with 10,000 studentsit was a big change. The depth of service provided to students here was really an eye-opener for me. I had to deal with people at levels of management and for me that was a little difficult because I like to have a ‘hands-on’ (approach).

“Everybody who's known me has either accused me of trying to either micro-manage or getting right into the operations. But it's just that I need to understand by getting involved. Once I understand, I can back off and leave it with the people.”

The shirt and tie were replaced by a golf shirt and the files had been emptied from his desk when Griffith sat down for a late June interview in his office in Alumni House. Looking back, he reflected on the year he spent, on a leave of absence, as director of games operations for the 1994 Victoria Commonwealth Games. He had a role in anything that happened on campus related to the games, from security arrangements to awarding the contract for food services. "I think that year, I served on 42 committees."

Friends credit Griffith with bringing the games and university together at a time when there was more than a little friction between the two sides.

“The Commonwealth Games contributed so much to the university," says Griffith. "That event changed me, but it also changed the campus. Something like 10 new buildings went up during that period of time (in the '90s).”

After 33 years in student services at UPEI and UVic, Griffith spent the last three years in external relations. “It was like a continuation of my old job in many ways because you're trying to raise funds and put into practice programs and endowments that will supplement or pay for the student services programs, especially things like financial aid, housing, classrooms, or setting up a new lab. These are all support services to students. Having people try and raise money and identify these priorities, to me, was just a way to complement the delivery of student services in a real meaningful way.”

Under Griffith, development officers have been placed in most of the faculties on campus, the communications services office has expanded, and the alumni affairs office offers more events and opportunities for graduates to stay in contact with their university.

“Part of what (former UVic president) David Strong asked me to do was to try to put a structure in place that would enable us to continue raising funds in a meaningful way without having a start and a stop to it. I think putting the position back into a vice president’s role says that external relations and the people that make up external relations are a key part of the university and they have to be represented at the executive table.”

Among Griffith's first plans for retirement included a Canada Day party and a moment to reflect on a career that has taken him from Atlantic Canada to the West Coast, and visits to every university campus in between.

“For me, having a Canada Day celebration takes on special meaning because I've had the privilege of seeing so many parts of Canada. This one will be my own retirement party to me.”

Griffith in Finnerty Gardens. (Valerie Shore photo)