University’s current academic vice-president will take over July 1
Memorial University has appointed its second acting president since the Newfoundland and Labrador government was accused of interfering with its presidential search last year.
Chris Loomis, currently the school’s academic vice-president, will take over as president on July 1.
His appointment comes after Eddy Campbell, who was the university’s previous acting president, was named president of the University of New Brunswick.
Campbell became entangled in the controversy that surrounded Memorial’s presidential search last year after he confirmed he was one of two candidates dismissed by the provincial government for the job.
The province’s former education minister said she personally interviewed and rejected the presidential candidates.
But she denied accusations from some faculty and the university administration that the government violated the school’s autonomy.
Under provincial law, the cabinet has the authority to approve or reject an independent search committee’s selection for Memorial’s president, though approval has long been considered a formality.
– The Canadian Press