Appointment of Interim Pres. Alastair Summerlee
To all Members of the Carleton Community,
Carleton University’s Board of Governors is pleased to announce the appointment of Alastair Summerlee as Carleton’s new interim president and vice-chancellor.
“Alastair Summerlee is a seasoned university president and a scholar who has a proven track record having served two full terms as president and vice-chancellor at the University of Guelph,” said Chris Carruthers, chair of the Board of Governors. “As president, he championed the importance of the student experience and teaching and learning, while also continuing to teach, supervise graduate students and conduct his own research. His leadership experience, combined with his commitment to social justice and international development, will bring great value to the Carleton community. On behalf of Carleton, I would like to congratulate Alastair on his appointment and offer him a warm welcome to the university.”
“It is an honour to be asked to take on the role as interim president of Carleton and I am excited to become involved in the community,” says Summerlee. “It will be a pleasure to help continue the work of Dr. Roseann O’Reilly Runte in promoting Carleton University as an excellent choice for students and a leader among Canadian universities with its commitment to solving real-world problems.”
Summerlee served as president and vice-chancellor of Guelph University from 2003 to 2014. He joined the University of Guelph’s faculty in 1988 as a professor in biomedical sciences, was named associate dean of the Ontario Veterinary College in 1992, dean of graduate studies in 1995, associate vice-president (Academic) in 1999 and provost and vice-president (Academic) in 2000.
As the University of Guelph’s seventh president, he emphasized civic engagement and voluntarism, passions that are reflected in his commitments to addressing hunger and poverty at home and aboard, and his work in refugee camps. He also chairs the advisory board of Auburn University’s Hunger Solutions Institute. He received his BSc Honours in anatomy, and his PhD in medical sciences from the University of Bristol, UK.
Summerlee will be the 14th president in Carleton’s history. He will begin his role at Carleton effective August 1, 2017.
Dr. Chris Carruthers
Chair of the Board of Governors