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gateway November 19th, 2014
Issue No. 16
Volume 105
THE
T H E O F F IC IA L STUDE NT NE WS PA P E R AT TH E UNIVE R S IT Y OF A LBERTA
It’s Turpin-time Richard Catangay-Liew news editor @richardcliew
David Turpin will soon succeed Indira Samarasekera as the University of Alberta’s 13th President and Vice-Chancellor — yet the opportunity almost never happened. Six months ago, Turpin was at home in Victoria when a group of consultants from the U of A called him and inquired about the soon to be vacant U of A presidency left by Samarasekera. Turpin gave the consultants eight names that he thought would excel at the position, but the consultants on the line phoned him for another reason — they wanted him to apply. Turpin declined, but received calls frequently, which eventually resulted in him setting up several in person meetings with the consultants. After one of the meetings, Turpin discussed applying for the position with his wife, Suromitra Sanatani, and entertained the idea that “this could be something exciting.” In August, Turpin and Sanatani visited Edmonton for four days. They met with U of A and Edmonton top brass, explored the city, attended the annual Fringe Festival on Whyte Ave. and took a walk through the Edmonton River Valley. On the drive back to British Columbia, Turpin said he looked at his wife and said that there is an incredibly opportunity in Edmonton at the U of A. Over the next few days, Turpin and Sanatani made their decision. “Let’s go for it,” he said. Turpin was formally introduced to the U of A at an overcapacity 400-seat Convocation Hall on Thursday, Nov. 14, ending a year-long worldwide search that screened 100 applicants who vied to commandeer one of Canada’s largest universities. U of A Board of Governors Chair Doug Goss, who also chaired the international presidential advisory search committee, said Turpin provided a “complete package” that propelled him above the other candidates. Turpin’s “skill matrix” of communication, administrative knowledge and proven track record of “taking institutions to a new level” gave an advantage in the selection process, Goss said. “It doesn’t matter where candidates come from. You just can’t find a better candidate than Dr. Turpin. You just can’t,” he said.
Former University of Victoria president David Turpin has been named the next president of the University of Alberta.
PLEASE SEE turpin PAGE 3
president commentary
Looking back on Turpin’s tenure at UVic David Foster
opinion writer
To new students at the University of Victoria, the name David Turpin may evoke an image of one of UVic's newer academic buildings, a shiny futuristic blue-and-white complex. In keeping with UVic's tradition of naming buildings after departing presidents, the former Social Sciences and Mathematics building once jokingly referred to as the “S&M” building, now bears the more dignified title of David H. Turpin, president from 2000 to 2013. As a UVic student from 2008 to 2014, I lived through five years of Turpin's administration. As an elected student senator for three of those years, I also had a closer view of him than most. One common theme of his monthly addresses to Senate was the accomplishments of UVic faculty, researchers, students and alumni. Another was his strong belief in the need for independent academic governance at universities. Turpin often took issue with the B.C. government's “letters of expec-
tation,” their annual shopping list of contingencies for public funding. In Turpin's view, decisions about what types of academic programs should be offered and how they should be prioritized were properly the mandate of the university's governance bodies, not provincial politicians. Nationally and internationally, Turpin was a tireless ambassador and promoter of the university. He helped create a distinctive brand for UVic as a top comprehensive university with a special focus on marine research and aboriginal education. The former “S&M” building was just one of several newly built structures which greeted me as a first-year student in 2008. The First Peoples' House boasts a “green roof” and native plant garden. The Bob Wright Centre, a stateof-the-art science building housing the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, was named in honour of the contributor of $11 million in 2007, UVic's largest-ever cash donation. Turpin's success at attracting funding from
both public and private sources can hardly be disputed. In 2010, Victoria businessman Peter Gustavson donated $10 million to the School of Business. This was followed by the largest ever gift to a UVic graduate program, Sardul Gill's donation of $5 million to the graduate school of business in 2011. UVic also attracted $42.5 million in federal and provincial funding through the Knowledge Infrastructure Program in 2010, allowing several academic buildings to be renovated and giving the ratty interior of the Cornett building a much needed facelift.
PLEASE SEE turpin PAGE 10
‘Just thrown out like garbage’ feature page 15