New leader a nice fit

It was an exhaustive search, but in the end Lakehead University’s board of governors believe they got their man.

On Wednesday Brian Stevenson was appointed as the school’s sixth president, taking over in August when current president Fred Gilbert steps down.

Upon first glance the board of governors appear to be right on the money.

One of four applicants shortlisted for the position, Stevenson brings a world of qualifications to the position.

First and foremmost is his academic background. A political science major who earned a PhD in political studies from Queen’s University, Stevenson boasts an impressive combination of academia and real-world experience that should immediately bring benefits to both the school’s Thunder Bay and Orillia campuses.

As someone who worked intricately inside the federal government, he is keenly aware of how the political world operates and can strategize with the best of them when seeking funding for the school and its researchers.

Add in his background at the University of Alberta, and most recently the University of Winnipeg, where he served as provost and vice-president of academics, and Stevenson should be well-placed to help Lakehead succeed in an era that promises to be dominated by belt-tightening at all levels of government.

These may be trying times, but it appears LU has equipped itself properly.