Dr. Alan Shaver, the Vice-President Academic and Provost at Dalhousie University since 2006, has been named President and Vice-Chancellor of TRU starting December 1.

An accomplished academic and administrator with senior leadership experience at two of Canada’s best known universities has embraced Thompson Rivers University for its pioneering spirit and flexible delivery model of academic programming.

Dr. Alan Shaver, the Vice-President Academic and Provost at Dalhousie University since 2006, has been named President and Vice-Chancellor of TRU starting December 1.

Announcing the end of the successful, six-month presidential search, Karl deBruijn described Dr. Shaver as having a highly student-centric approach to leadership and decision-making.

“We look forward to the leadership of Dr. Shaver and his vision for TRU,” deBruijn, Chair of TRU’s Board of Governors said. “He has the academic qualities to lead and a proven administrative record. The Board and the search committee are confident Dr. Shaver is the ideal candidate to define, articulate and navigate TRU’s position in the Canadian university landscape.”

Unable to attend the media conference in person due to his key role in Dalhousie’s convocation ceremonies, Shaver spoke via videoconference to students, faculty and administrators in TRU’s Grand Hall on Wednesday afternoon.

“There is a pioneering spirit in Kamloops and in the past 40 years it has built an innovative and dynamic institution,” Dr. Shaver said. “Many of the great Canadian universities are founded upon the vision of pioneers such as fur trader James McGill and British colonial administrator Lord Dalhousie, both believed that society must be built on education and free thought. That legacy of vision and spirit continues at TRU. It is time to take that legacy onto the global stage and continue innovating strategically to build a better world.”

At Dalhousie he is responsible for providing leadership in the planning, management, and evaluation of Dalhousie’s academic activities and the development of institutional budget, strategy and policy. His start date at TRU has been delayed until December because he is committed to stepping in to serve as the acting president of Dalhousie over the summer.

Dr. Roger Barnsley, who will remain as President and Vice-Chancellor until Dr. Shaver’s arrival said, “The fact that Thompson Rivers University has attracted a new president with the calibre and expertise of Dr. Alan Shaver is a clear statement of TRU’s growing reputation and maturity as a university. It is my pleasure to welcome Dr. Shaver to our university and I look forward to working with him.”

Dr. Shaver went to high school in Ottawa and earned a B.Sc. (Hon) from Carleton University and a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has published over 130 papers on a variety of research topics. From 1995 to 2005 he served as Dean of Science at McGill University; prior to that he served as Chair of Chemistry.

Dr. Alan Shaver addresses members of the TRU community and local media during the video conference to announce his appointment as president and vice-chancellor.