News

Today at our annual Christmas potluck Dr. Gerald Krispin announced that after 30 years at Concordia, and almost 10 as president, he will be bringing his presidential term to an end on December 31, 2016.

Dr. Krispin’s contributions to Concordia are manifest today in the institution in which we all study and work. While we are not fully public we operate as a fully public university thanks to his leadership. He has led changes in our structures and practices that are propelling us towards being Canada’s best small university, and most certainly Edmonton’s University. He has worked to ensure our sustainability, leading us through some very challenging financial times, and has always been a champion for Concordia, not only internally but also with the government and general public. Dr. Krispin never lost sight of what Concordia is about, and always ensured that our students were the central concern in all decisions that he made. His presidency leaves us poised for even greater things in the years ahead. Gerald has truly been an inspirational leader, passionate about Concordia and the people who make Concordia what she is.

On a personal level, I will miss him greatly. His approachability, his good humour, his wit, exuberance, and intelligence have always helped me and our community at Concordia to do our best work and to enjoy it. He will remain a valued friend and mentor to me personally, and will continue to work on projects for Concordia during his retirement. So, while he might not be on campus as often as in the past, he will continue to assist us in fundraising and other important areas. He is, and will always remain, a Concordian.

An event at which our community can recognize his achievements and formally and more properly acknowledge his presidency is being planned for the winter semester.

While the handover is occurring sooner than expected it is without any trepidation whatsoever that I assume the presidency of Concordia on January 1, 2017. Our institution is in extremely good shape in terms of how we are positioning ourselves in the Canadian and international post-secondary world. We are on solid ground financially, we have more students than ever, and we are growing in exciting and purposeful ways. This has all come about because of the efforts of our outstanding faculty, students, administration, staff, Board, alumni, and wider community.  The Concordia community will, I know, continue to drive our university forward, and I look forward to leading Concordia as we build on the many accomplishments of Dr. Krispin’s presidency.

Wishing you all a restful, peaceful, and very merry Christmas.

Tim Loreman.