Shelagh Rogers, broadcaster and host of CBC Radio’s The Next Chapter, will succeed Murray Farmer as UVic’s 11th chancellor. The literacy, mental health, and Aboriginal reconciliation advocate will assume the role on January 1, 2015. At a press conference Thursday, UVic president Jamie Cassels praised Rogers for her accomplishments, and for her role as a “communicator par excellence”.
“She’s perhaps the country’s best listener, and education is all about listening.”
In attendance were former chancellors Ronald Lou-Poy and Norma Mickelson, former UVic presidents David Strong and David Turpin, UVic alumni president Dale Henley, and former B.C. MLA and UVic board member Ida Chong.
Rogers is still learning the details of her new role, but told the Martlet that she respects the tradition of the role and won’t “shake things up.”
“I think it’s a very dignified and very important role and I want to respect the role as it’s established already.” When asked about the movement to divest the university’s investments from fossil fuels, Rogers acknowledged that sustainability was part of the university’s mandate, but felt it was too early to comment.
The university chancellor is an unpaid role presented to a distinguished community member who has not held political office. Appointed by UVic’s board of governors, the chancellor leads the university’s convocation ceremonies, confers degrees, and is a member of the board of governors and the senate.They serve for a three-year term, and can be reappointed for a second, final term. Farmer has been chancellor since 2008.
