Reports on Governance and Global Engagement

I am pleased to share a few important updates to the university’s leadership team. 

Relaunching the Vice-President, International and Enterprise, search

In June 2024, the Board of Governors approved the creation of the vice-president (International and Enterprise) position to enhance the University of Alberta’s global engagement, partnerships and enterprise development. The search launched in the fall but was paused as we examined the university’s budgetary position. With a balanced budget going forward to the board for approval, we will resume the search to fill this position. We aim to have the new vice-president in place by July 2025, strengthening the university’s position as a global leader in education, research and innovation. I want to thank members of the search committee for your continued cooperation in this search. 

Governance and General Counsel Realignment

With Brad Hamdon’s retirement at the end of June, we are taking this opportunity to integrate the Office of General Counsel and University Governance (UGov) into a single unit to enhance alignment, efficiency, and long-term sustainability.  

Effective July 1, 2025:

• John Lemieux will become General Counsel, leading the newly integrated unit.
• Kate Peters will serve as University Secretary, overseeing governance operations.

This restructuring will improve efficiency and strengthen collaboration across the governance and legal functions, ensuring continued support for the Board of Governors, General Faculties Council (GFC), and the broader university community. Efficiency gains, including reducing one position within the Office of the General Counsel and another in University Governance, will allow for a more optimized resource allocation.