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News Release

December 08, 2006

Summerlee Reappointed President

The University of Guelph’s Board of Governors has reappointed Alastair Summerlee as president, extending his term to 2013.

His reappointment follows a mandatory review by a committee made up of board members, faculty, students and staff. The committee sought input and feedback from the U of G community in areas such as leadership, administration and management, and relationship and partnership building.

Summerlee, U of G’s seventh president, was first appointed in 2003. It was the first time in U of G’s history that an internal candidate was named president.

“Dr. Summerlee is doing an exceptional job leading this university,” says B of G chair Douglas Derry. “He is committed to providing students with the highest-quality learning environments; to retaining our excellent faculty and staff; to fostering collaboration and innovation; and to advocating on behalf of the University and for higher education in general,” he said.

In the feedback received from the University community, Summerlee was praised for establishing the Presidential Task Force on Accessibility to University Education, which produced a groundbreaking report that has been held up as a model in Ontario and served as a key shaping feature in the government’s subsequent “Reaching Higher” initiatives for Ontario’s postsecondary sector.

In addition, he was applauded for launching initiatives like the “Making Poverty History” symposium, the annual “President’s Dialogue” and the University’s Masai Project, which centre around the belief that universities should be active participants in the discussion of pressing social issues.

He was also commended for his leadership during challenging times, including dealing with decreasing government support and University budget shortfalls and reductions.

“The board is confident that building on his successes to date and his vision for the future, Dr. Summerlee will deliver in his second term even greater achievements for the entire University community in teaching, research and outreach to the communities it serves,” Derry said.

In accepting the reappointment, Summerlee said: “It is an absolute privilege for me to serve as president, and I remain deeply honoured to be entrusted with the responsibility. The confidence and support that I have received not only from the Board but also from the internal and external communities have been truly gratifying. I am strongly committed to this university, to its values, mission and, above all, its people. Guelph has enjoyed many successes in the past three years, due entirely to the hard work and commitment by members of the University community. Our collective challenge is to maintain that excellence in the face of some considerable challenges.”