Media Release
| Mar. 24, 2005
Dr. Martha Piper to Leave UBC Presidency in 2006
The University of British Columbia's 11th president, Dr.
Martha Piper, will leave the presidency of UBC in June 2006 to pursue
other interests, Chancellor Allan McEachern announced today.
"Martha Piper's accomplishments during her tenure as
President have been truly outstanding," said Chancellor McEachern,
former Chief Justice of British Columbia.
"Dr. Piper has led
the founding of UBC Okanagan and Robson Square campuses.
She has worked with the provincial government to increase
support to post-secondary education and championed the cause
of research at the national level, benefiting all Canadian
universities and overseeing a tripling of research investment
here at UBC. She has completed one strategic plan and launched
a second, Trek 2010, which emphasizes UBC's unique focus
on global citizenship for all members of the campus community."
UBC's unparalleled achievements could only
have occurred under the leadership of Canada's best university
president, Chancellor McEachern said, adding that UBC now
consistently ranks among the world's 50 best universities.
Dr. Piper's
current contract, for her second term since arriving at UBC
in 1997, was signed in December 2002 and is set to run to
November 2007. "At that time, however," Chancellor
McEachern said, "she made it clear to me and board chair
John Reid that she believed she would complete her mandate
at an earlier date." Upon leaving office, Dr. Piper will
have served nine years as president.
"I strongly believe that UBC is firmly on a trajectory
for continued success both as a major national resource and
an international leader in higher education and research,"
Piper said. "I am proud that UBC faculty, students and staff
have worked to build a great university; and with the establishment
of UBC Okanagan, we can anticipate the development of a great
university system."
Piper dismissed media speculation that she is seeking elected
office or the presidency of the University of Toronto. "The
University of British Columbia will be my sole focus right
through to June 2006," she said. "At that point
I want to take some time to think about the work I wish to
pursue in the next phase of my life. As we prepare to launch
the new Okanagan campus in September, now is the perfect
time to begin a smooth transition to select and induct my
successor."
Dr. Piper is UBC's 11th president since 1913, when Frank
Wesbrook first held the chief executive officer position
in an institution that, in September 2005 will be home to
more than 45,000 students, 10,000 faculty and staff, and
annual expenditures exceeding $1 billion.
"The process of selecting a president is long and
complex," said John Reid, Chair of the UBC Board of Governors.
"By announcing her decision today, Dr. Piper is providing
the time necessary to permit the selection of the new president
and a smooth transition."
Reid said an international search for UBC's 12th president
will begin shortly and include a search committee, chaired
by the Chancellor and with broad university community representation. -30- |
