UBC's Board of Governors appointed Dr. Deborah Buszard as UBC's interim president. Buszard will take over from six-year President Santa Ono on October 14.
Board of Governors Chair Nancy McKenzie announced Buszard's appointment in a broadcast message Monday morning.
“We are confident that, in partnership with the UBC Executive and the Deans, Dr. Buszard will build on the success of recent years and continue to grow UBC’s reputation as a globally-leading centre of teaching, learning and research,” McKenzie wrote.
In July, Ono announced that he would be leaving UBC to serve as the president of the University of Michigan. He has served as UBC president and vice-chancellor since 2016.
According to the broadcast, Buszard was the deputy vice-chancellor and principal of UBC Okanagan from 2012 to 2020. She was also a founding member of the College of Sustainability at Dalhousie University and served as the dean of agricultural and environmental sciences and associate vice-principal of McGill University’s Macdonald campus.
Buszard will hold the role temporarily until the board appoints a permanent replacement. McKenzie’s statement did not give a timeline for the permanent search process.
“We look forward to providing further updates about the President search as it progresses,” McKenzie wrote.
In a tweet, Ono congratulated Buszard for her appointment.
"I look forward to working with her during this period of transition," he wrote.