University of Regina appoints new president after year-long search
The University of Regina has appointed a new president and vice-chancellor after a detailed, year-long search to find the perfect candidate.
A virtual news conference on Monday revealed that Jeff Keshen will become the university's eighth president when he assumes the role on July 1. He will guide the university through its 50th anniversary in 2024, and the reopening of Darke Hall.
“This was not an easy undertaking. It was a lengthy and rigorous process, but we knew that the right people would find the right person,” said Roger Brandvold, chair of the board of governors at the University of Regina.
Keshen stated in the news conference that one of his goals is to develop new and comprehensive mental health programs for students, as well as to improve access to mental health services.
Although specific details cannot yet be released, Keshen said the university would prioritize mental wellness for Indigenous individuals and international students.
“Mental health extends more broadly to well-being, and the University of Regina as a passionate, as a progressive, and as an inclusive place, must continue to ensure the welfare of our Indigenous students ... by embracing diversity, we create a more positive and uplifting work and learning environment,” he stated.
Chief Cadmus Delorme of Cowessess First Nation, a member of the board of governors, helped introduce Keshen at the news conference.
“As a First Nation chief and as a First Nation person, the treaty right to education is very important to get into a true reconciliation,” Delorme added.
A search for a new president began after then-president Vianne Timmons announced in December 2019 that she was stepping down in March 2020 following 12 years at the helm of the U of R. She left to take a position in her home province as president and vice-chancellor at Memorial University of Newfoundland, effective April 1, 2020.
Like his predecessor, Keshen is also originally from Newfoundland and Labrador and is currently the vice-president of Memorial University's Grenfell campus. In the past, he served as dean for the Faculty of Arts at Mount Royal University, chair for the department of history at the University of Ottawa, and adjunct professor at the Centre of Military and Strategic Studies at the University of Calgary.
He has a background in 20th-century Canadian history with a focus on war and conflict. He authored five books on various topics within this field of study. He also received numerous awards for his teaching, writing, and research, including the Ontario Leadership in Teaching Prize and University of Ottawa's Excellence in Education Prize.
Brandvold explained that although credentials are important, outlook and perspective are even more so. “More than anything a university president must be a leader of hearts and minds and be able to do it with vision, diplomacy, and compassion,” he said.