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Mrs. Workman thus caps a period in her career that she “truly loved.” Several colleagues and friends spoke of her ardent work ethic and other qualities that made her not only the “architect” but also the “engineer” of many important initiatives at the University of Ottawa.
Emeritus rector, Marcel Hamelin, who appointed Workman to the vice-rector position in 1992, pointed out that she was the first woman to become a member of the administrative committee and that she brought “a new awareness” of women's needs to the University; be it staff or students.
“She steered the University through tumultuous times,” Hamelin recalled, mentioning the social contract negotiations in 1993 and the severe budget cuts that were part of the Common Sense Revolution.
For his part, the director of the Computing and Communications Service, Claude Dufresne, who worked closely with Workman, pointed out that she has an uncanny “ability to concentrate on a discussion, ask one or two questions and quickly arrive at a conclusion that encapsulates all the issues and then propose a solution - a Carole Workman solution. Even within very technical fields, I have often seen her make purely technical suggestions that neither my team nor I had considered.”
In her farewell speech, Workman thanked the many partners of the University, representatives of the student federation, service directors who reported to her, colleagues on the administrative committee, deans and members of the support staff. But she had a special word for Lise Durocher, her administrative assistant, “a loyal companion for 18 years” who was a 'schedule and file management genius and protector of my time.”
Her closing remarks were aimed at her family, her husband Lee and her sons, Christian and Nicolas. “My family has kept me grounded over the years, reminding me that everyone is equal and that I shouldn't take myself too seriously. My support system at home was always the best.”
