ATHABASCA – In the wake of the abrupt Feb. 1 dismissal of Athabasca University (AU) president Dr. Peter Scott after only a year on the job and the subsequent hiring of Dr. Alex Clark to take his place that same day, the chair of AU’s board of governors admits that while 2022 was a “difficult year” for the institution, they’re now “looking forward, not backwards.”
Reached via phone in Regina, Sask. Feb. 2, board chairman Byron Nelson was candid, noting that before he joined the board of governors in May of last year, AU went through a “difficult labour battle” while facing declining enrolment and “what I’ll call some staff disharmony, particularly staff within the Athabasca region” all the while trying to improve the experience for students via the yet-to-be-fully-implemented Integrated Learning Environment (ILE) project.
Nelson, who lives in Calgary and has family and friends sprinkled across the Town & Country This Week region, also noted that AU was embroiled in a “fairly difficult negotiation with the government on our funding mechanism” that was inked in November. Tied to that three-year investment management agreement between AU and Advanced Education was that the university would direct Dr. Scott to “cease” the school’s “near-virtual strategy” and implement a “new strategic plan that expands and reinforces the university’s physical presence in the Town of Athabasca.” It also demanded that more full-time staffers and senior administrators work in the Athabasca region.
Dr. Scott, who was recruited from Australia to become the university’s 10th president and signed a five-year contract in January 2022 that included a base salary of $305,000, stated in a December news release that the recently-signed agreement would allow the institution to continue pursuit of its online strategy, and that it would remove “the threat” that employees would be forced to relocate to Athabasca.
“It’s been a challenge for the past seven months and I know it’s been tough on residents, especially those who work at the university to sort of sit back and watch this unfold and we’re not quite done yet,” said Nelson, who confirmed Dr. Scott was terminated without cause and is entitled to severance that includes 26 weeks of salary and payment for administrative leave.
“From my perspective this (dismissal and hiring) is about looking forward, not backwards.”
Nelson said Dr. Clark, who previously interviewed for the president position and had actually left the University of Alberta to join AU to become its Dean of Health Disciplines “has the strengths needed to fulfill this important leadership position at a critical time.”
Nelson also pointed out that while Dr. Clark does not currently live in Athabasca, his contract, which will soon be released publicly after it gets the “green light” from the province, will contain a residency requirement.
“We’re delighted and excited to have him as president. He was on our radar having gone through the vetting process and as we proceeded through the recent events, we felt that he had been sufficiently vetted for the role,” said Nelson. “We assessed what we would need for the next president. Someone credible in their visionary leadership and scholarship. Someone committed to relationships. Someone who is known for building trust. That person was already a member of the AU community.”
In a release, Dr. Clark said he was “deeply honoured” to be selected and cited ‘contribution’, ‘relationships’ and ‘community’ as keys to the future of the institution which was founded 50 years ago by the provincial government as a distance-delivery, post-secondary institution.
“Athabasca University is a very special place with committed faculty and staff that serve our students in numerous important ways,” said Dr. Clark. “The university’s model offers a world of lifelong possibilities and benefits, and I will work to leverage our people, our resources, and our processes for continued success. Working together, I intend to make a difference in this role not through my title but through my actions.”
Local reaction
Athabasca-area municipal politicians lauded the hiring of Dr. Clark, calling it “great news for Athabasca University and the economic, social, and cultural wellbeing of our community.”
A joint press release from mayor Rob Balay and county reeve Brian Hall also pledged their support “to help the university in its renewal and transition as it truly re-opens the campus and expands its physical presence in Athabasca.”
“Having strong post-secondary institutions like Athabasca University in northeastern Alberta is vital for the continued growth of our region. We appreciate the board’s commitment to putting the right leadership in place to build on the success of this world-class institution,” said Hall.
Balay said he is looking forward to meeting the new president and “rebuilding relationships between the university and community.”
Nelson admitted that while the issues facing AU have been difficult, local leadership at the town and the county has “been of great assistance” and called both councils “truly great partners.”
“We need to move beyond a zero-sum mindset and recognize that we can have an active presence that benefits the local community while also profoundly contributing provincially, nationally, and internationally,” added Dr. Clark. “In this post-pandemic era, AU’s unique role in open and flexible education has never been as precious or as needed.”
Town & Country This Week also reached out to Alberta Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides for comment, with press secretary Sam Blackett only willing to say the Feb. 1 decision was made by the board of governors and the government is not directly involved in the hiring or firing of presidents of post-secondary institutions.
