Presidential Search 2023-2024

The Search Committee is chaired by the Chair of the Board of Governors.

The Committee composition is broadly reflective of the University community and comprises 14 individuals:

• Board Chair, who serves as Committee Chair
• 2 Order-in-Council Board Members (appointed by and from amongst OIC Board Members)
• 1 Faculty Board Member (appointed by the Board)*
• 1 Student Board Member (appointed by the Board)**
• 1 Senator (appointed by Senate)
• 1 Dean (appointed by the Deans)
• 1 Vice-President or Associate Vice-President (appointed by the Executive Group)
• 2 Faculty Members (appointed by Faculty Association)*
• 1 Students (appointed by Emily Carr Students’ Union)**
• 1 Staff (appointed by CUPE)
• 1 Alumni (appointed by the Alumni Association)
• 1 Member of the ECU Aboriginal Community (appointed by the Aboriginal Gathering Place)

* Faculty members (including the faculty board member) are expected to be appointed from different faculties
** If the student board member is an undergraduate student, then ECSU is expected to appoint a graduate student (vice-versa)

To be announced...

Board of Governors’ Approved Search Committee Mandate August 17, 2023

Mandate

The Presidential Search Committee (Search Committee or Committee) acts in an advisory role to the Board of Governors.

The Search Committee’s mandate is to act in the best long-term interests of the University in recommending the best possible candidate to lead the University as President + Vice-Chancellor.

In carrying out its mandate, the Search Committee’s work includes ensuring there is a review of institutional needs and objectives, and consultation with the University community on the qualities sought in the new President + Vice-Chancellor.

More information on the Search Committee and its mandate can be found here.

EDI Statement

ECU respects and values diversity. The Presidential Search Committee is committed to ensuring an inclusive search process for our new President + Vice-Chancellor and its work will be grounded in equity, diversity and inclusion principles. As part of its commitment to an inclusive process, the Committee will look to follow best practices, including to embrace strategies to manage unconscious and overt bias.

Boyden
The Presidential search will be supported by Brent Cameron and Kathryn Young from Boyden, a global executive search firm with 65 offices in 40 countries and a leader in post-secondary executive recruitment. www.boyden.com

Boyden’s extensive experience with recruitment in the post-secondary sector, their track record of Presidential placements and the longevity of these placements stood out. Boyden articulated a thoughtful methodology, approach to EDI, as well as an understanding of ECU’s needs, and overall areas of opportunity facing sectoral leadership.

Dear ECU Community:

I am pleased to share with you that the process to select Emily Carr University’s next President + Vice-Chancellor has now commenced.

The Board of Governors is responsible for appointing ECU’s next President.

As one of the most important decisions the Board will make in the coming year, we are committed to ensuring the search is a rigorous and consultative process.

A Presidential Search Committee will be formed and charged with conducting the search. The Committee will be comprised of 14 members from across ECU’s community, as follows:

Board Chair, who serves as Committee Chair

• 2 Order-in-Council Board Members (appointed by and from amongst OIC Board Members)
• 1 Faculty Board Member (appointed by the Board)*
• 1 Student Board Member (appointed by the Board)**
• 1 Senator (appointed by Senate)
• 1 Dean (appointed by the Deans)
• 1 Vice-President or Associate Vice-President (appointed by the Executive Group)
• 2 Faculty Members (appointed by Faculty Association)*
• 1 Students (appointed by Emily Carr Students’ Union)**
• 1 Staff (appointed by CUPE)
• 1 Alumni (appointed by the Alumni Association)
• 1 Member of the ECU Aboriginal Community (appointed by the Aboriginal Gathering Place)

* Faculty members (including the faculty board member) are expected to be appointed from different faculties

** If the student board member is an undergraduate student, then ECSU is expected to appoint a graduate student (vice-versa)

It will be my privilege to chair the Committee and work closely with members of ECU’s community on this important work.

The University Secretariat, Natasha Himer, will be in contact to support each community group involved with the Committee appointment processes.

I am also pleased to announce that the Board has selected Boyden – an executive search firm – to work closely with the Committee and conduct the recruitment

process. Boyden is a global leader in post-secondary executive recruitment. Brent Cameron and Kathryn Young from Boyden will support the search. For more information, visit: www.boyden.com.

Later this fall, the ECU community will be engaged and invited to share your views on the opportunities and challenges facing ECU and the qualities needed in the university’s next leader.

As the process gets further underway, and once the Presidential Search Committee membership is established, additional information and updates will be provided on this webpage.

Thank you in advance for participating in this important process.

Don Avison, K.C.
Board Chair and Chair of the Presidential Search Committee