Turpin to step down as president in June 2013

President David Turpin has announced he will be stepping down as President of the University of Victoria in June 2013, but that doesn’t mean that his focus on what needs to get done in the coming year is any less intense than usual.

Under Turpin’s leadership since 2000, UVic has become an internationally renowned institution with significant growth in enrolment, programs and capital projects as well as the quadrupling of research funding.

Yet under his stewardship, UVic has never lost sight of its most important feature–a community of outstanding students, faculty and staff.

“It’s an exciting year ahead, especially with the 50th anniversary celebrations,” Turpin says. “We get to recognize the university’s achievements and the people who make it a special place. Also, this milestone is a springboard to the future.”

Aware that momentum is important when a changeover is anticipated, Turpin has identified key areas of focus including, student recruitment and student life, research funding and budget planning.

Construction of the Centre for Athletics, Recreation and Special Abilities is among the priorities. The facility, which still needs District of Saanich approval, will provide a new home for athletics and recreation—including a 2,000-seat gymnasium—and for CanAssist, which develops technologies and programs for people living with disabilities.

“This facility will be an anniversary legacy that benefits people not only in our campus community and region, but internationally through the innovations of CanAssist,” he says.

Building on the university’s success in attracting and supporting Indigenous students is high on Turpin’s agenda this year. More than 800 Indigenous students are registered at UVic this year, compared to fewer than 100 just 11 years ago.

Initiatives such as the landmark LE,NONET program, which helps Indigenous students succeed at university, and the First Peoples House, which provides a welcoming place for students to gather and get support and promotes intercultural understanding, are making a lasting difference, says Turpin.

“Recruiting and retaining outstanding students from diverse regions and backgrounds adds to the richness of the university community and builds relationships beyond our campus,” he says.

It’s clear that Turpin thinks both locally and globally.

He points out that students from across Canada choose to study at UVic, which has the highest percentage of out-of-province students west of McGill University in Montreal.

At the same time, he sees recruitment of international students, and the fostering of academic and research partnerships with countries such as Brazil, China and India, as fundamental for UVic’s future.

Turpin made his announcement on May 15, saying the timing is right from an institutional perspective. The university released its multi-year visionary strategic plan earlier this year, and by next June will have completed campus-wide budget planning to accommodate changes in post-secondary funding. With the renewal of the Campus Plan yet to come, the foundation is laid for a new president.

Susan Mehinagic, the chair of UVic’s Board of Governors, remarked in mid-May that under Turpin’s leadership “UVic has emerged as one of the country’s leading universities… Dr. Turpin will be leaving a legacy that will power UVic’s continuing rise for years to come.”