As the mornings turn crisp and leaves begin to fall, thousands of University of Alberta students arrive on campus, eagerly anticipating the year ahead. This fall, the university is preparing for its own season of change, as the institution launches the search for its 23rd chancellor.
The chancellor is the ceremonial head of the university, elected by the U of A Senate to serve a four-year term, as outlined by the province’s Post-Secondary Learning Act. On Friday, Sept. 29, the senate opened nominations for the volunteer role, seeking a local leader to support the university’s commitment to teaching, research and community service. This process begins as current chancellor, Peggy Garritty, prepares to wrap up her term next spring.
At the U of A, the chancellor chairs the university senate, serves as a member of the Board of Governors and represents the institution at ceremonial occasions, including presiding over convocation. While this may sound like a list of formal duties, the role is much more than that, explains Christine Rapp, a senate member and chair of the Nomination of Chancellor Committee.
“The chancellor is an ambassador, a leader and a connector. They participate in the daily life of the university,” she says.
Over a four-year term, the chancellor will shake hands with thousands of graduates, visit labs to learn about cutting-edge research, meet with students to hear their stories and collaborate with diverse local groups. Regardless of the activity, the chancellor’s goal is to build bridges between the halls of academia and the streets of our communities.
“Post-secondary is not some ivory tower. Research is being done here every day that can affect Albertans’ daily lives,” says Rapp.
Chancellor candidates should have a passion for post-secondary education, sound judgement and an empathetic listening ear, says Rapp. “They must also bring a curiosity and the corresponding enthusiasm to tell people about what they learn,” she adds.
That said, the future chancellor will also have the opportunity to shape the volunteer role based on their own interests. For example, as the owner of a consulting company, Chancellor Peggy Garritty relies on her relational skills to connect with everyone from students to university officials to local leaders. Past Chancellor Doug Stollery leaned on his legal background to solve complex challenges.
“With each chancellor, their role will become, to some extent, what they are interested in or what they have specific skills to do,” says Rapp.
The university’s next chancellor will have ample opportunity to exercise their skills, particularly in their role as chair of the U of A Senate. Together, this group examines, fosters and celebrates excellence at the U of A to enhance the institution’s relationship with the community.
As chair, the chancellor will bring their own experiences and perspectives to a diverse senate of passionate individuals. “Diversity enriches the senate. It allows us to make better decisions and provide better perspectives on the various issues we deal with,” says Rapp.
The chancellor will help guide the U of A Senate in the three major roles defined in Shape: The University Strategic Plan — inquiring, connecting and promoting. On a day-to-day basis, this might include championing Braiding Past, Present and Future: University of Alberta Indigenous Strategic Plan, brainstorming ways to support student mental health or partnering with local leaders to drive economic recovery.
Ultimately the U of A’s next chancellor will play a vital role in telling the university’s story to the community, says Rapp.
The Nomination of Chancellor Committee will accept nomination packages from Sept. 29 until Nov. 30. The committee will conduct interviews in January 2024, bring final candidates to the U of A Senate for election in March and officially install the new chancellor at spring convocation next June. Nomination information is available at uab.ca/noc.