Mohamed Lachemi has been named Ryerson’s ninth president after serving as interim president for five months.
The announcement was made via Ryerson University’s official Twitter account following a private Board of Governors meeting on Thursday afternoon. The Ryersonian had previously reported that the announcement would be made at the public meeting that took place an hour earlier.
“I’m happy to serve Ryerson as the president and to continue the momentum we had for years,” he said. “This is a great place to be.”
Lachemi was named Ryerson’s interim president on Oct. 26, 2015, after former president Sheldon Levy announced his resignation earlier that year.
“(Lachemi) is ideally suited to continue Ryerson’s impressive momentum of innovation, growth, development and support for entrepreneurship,” said Janice Fukakusa, chair of the Ryerson Board of Governors, in a press release.
We are happy to announce the appointment of Mohamed Lachemi as Ryerson’s 9th president and vice-chancellor pic.twitter.com/VBY9h0wi0X
— Ryerson University (@RyersonU) March 31, 2016
In an interview with The Ryersonian today, Lachemi outlined his vision for his term as president and for the university going forward.
“Ryerson is a school on the move, in a way that it’s a school that can adapt itself to the needs of society.” He said.
“I think it’s better for us to think out of the box and think of the future, not about the past, not about the present.”
Lachemi points to the university’s plan to open a law school, which will have a focus on experiential learning – an innovative approach to the traditional law school model, and something unique to Ryerson.
“I think for our students, what we have to do is offer them opportunities for learning that will serve them 10, 15, 20 years from now, not exactly now.”
Lachemi said something he hopes Ryerson can improve on under his leadership is an increased global focus.
“The world now is like a small village, and I would like Ryerson to have a flag there, to be recognized as a university of the 21st century.”
With files from Jacqueline Tucci.
1 comment
The board really dropped the ball when they let Wendy Cukier go to Brock…
I hope I’m wrong but my 5 year future prediction is that Brock will rise significantly in reputation and quality of education. Ryerson’s on the other hand will be stagnant.
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