Message from the President: Provost announcement, May 2022

May 03, 2022

This message is sent on behalf of Joy Johnson, president and vice-chancellor. It has been sent to all faculty and staff.

Vice-President Academic and Provost Catherine Dauvergne has decided to return to her research and teaching. She will be taking a short leave before moving into the next stage of her academic and professional career.

Dr. Dauvergne came to SFU at the beginning of the pandemic and provided extraordinary leadership during a difficult time, and while she was still new to the organization. Even during these difficult conditions, she led a number of searches to recruit talented and sought-after Deans and other leaders within the VPA portfolio, moved work on reconciliation forward in a number of ways, including significant progress toward a leadership position responsible for reconciliation and Indigeneity, and collaborated to ensure an SFU medical school was included in the government’s priorities.

My sincere appreciation to Catherine on behalf of the entire university for everything she has done for us and for the strong position she is leaving us in. I wish you all the best in your next steps.

Professor Wade Parkhouse will assume responsibilities as Vice-President Academic and Provost pro tem for the period of July 1, 2022 to August 31, 2023, with the possibility for extension if needed. Dr. Parkhouse is well-known within the SFU community, currently serving as the AVP, Academic, with a broad range of responsibilities including academic planning, space management, enrollment planning and financial and budget management. He has also been an integral part of the pandemic response and return to campus leadership team. Prior to this role, he served as Dean of Graduate Studies. Dr. Parkhouse is a professor in Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology.

My thanks to Wade for taking on this role. I look forward to our continued collaboration.

Sincerely,

Joy Johnson
Pronouns: she, her, hers
President and Vice-Chancellor
Simon Fraser University