By Callam Rodya

The Laurentian Board of Governors of Laurentian University voted unanimously to appoint Carol McAulay as the new Vice-President of Administration effective Feb. 14.

McAulay replaces Robert Bourgeois, who will be leaving the University in December after serving in the position for four years.

Her appointment was recommended by a 12 member selection committee including representatives from the University’s Board of Governors, leadership group, faculty and students, following a national search.

Ms. McAulay is currently the Associate Director of Education for the Simcoe County District School Board, where she oversees an annual operating budget of over $500 million for this district of 6,000 permanent employees serving 50,000 students in 111 schools. She is responsible for all administrative functions including finance, facilities, human resources and information technology. A former chair of the Board of Governors of the University of Western Ontario, she previously served as President of the University of Guelph Central Student Association and Treasurer of the Ontario Federation of Students.

“I am thrilled to be joining a university on the move. Laurentian’s bilingual and tricultural mandate, as well as its commitment to all things ‘student’– really inspired me to confirm my interest in this key position. I have watched with fascination Laurentian’s expansion in Barrie, and look forward to now being able to actively contribute to it,” said McAulay.

In addition to her experience as a student leader, she served for eight years on the Board of Governors of the University of Western Ontario, including as Chair of the Property and Finance Committee, Vice-Chair and Chair of the Board; on Western’s Senate and on the advisory boards of McIntosh Gallery and Brescia University College. She was a volunteer for Campaign Western, the University’s most ambitious and successful fundraising campaign ever. She has served as Vice-Chair of the Council of Chairs of Ontario Universities and on the National Association for University Board Chairs and Secretaries.

“Laurentian is fortunate to having recruited such a talented, experienced and knowledgeable senior executive, who has a demonstrated track record in both the public and private sectors, understands the university setting and knows well one of Laurentian’s growth areas”, commented Laurentian President, Dominic Giroux.

Among Ms. McAulay’s many volunteer activities, she served as Chair of DadsCan and has served on the boards of the Canadian Association of Gift Planners London Roundtable, the St. Joseph Health Care Foundation, the Special Ability Riding Institute and a variety of other committees and projects.

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