Message from Chair of Concordia's Board of Governors: Interim President update
Dear members of the Concordia community,
I would like to provide you with an update on the ongoing process for the selection of the university’s Interim President.
Our first step was to ask all Board members to suggest prospective candidates for the post. The Executive Committee of the Board completed its review of the 21 candidates suggested and has recommended our distinguished former President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Frederick H. Lowy, as Interim President.
In December, I agreed to consult the internal members of the Board of Governors before bringing the question of an Interim President to the full Board. Accordingly, we met this morning and had constructive discussions on the selection of Dr. Lowy.
We will therefore now submit Dr. Lowy’s name to the Board for approval as Interim President as soon as possible. Our expectation is that, if confirmed, Dr. Lowy would take up his post before the end of January.
Building on excellence in education, research, creative activity and community partnerships is something that Dr. Lowy was known for and he will continue to support this mission of the University. A key element of his mandate is to continue the implementation of the university’s Strategic Framework, with a particular focus on the academic component.
In addition, Dr. Lowy will lead efforts to strengthen the Board’s working relationship with the Senior Administration and the Concordia community and he will make recommendations to the Board in this regard. Clearly, there is some work to be done in this area as a result of recent events.
An experienced educator and academic administrator, Dr. Lowy was President and Vice-Chancellor of Concordia University from 1995 to 2005. He brings experience, deep knowledge about Concordia’s mission, values and strategic initiatives, and personal qualities that will help ensure a continuity of vision and leadership.
Thank you for your dedication to Concordia as we work together to make our university an even better place to study, teach, work and contribute to society.
Sincerely,
Peter Kruyt
Chair, Board of Governors
Concordia University