Searches and Reviews

Update: September 14, 2026

Members of the University community,

I am pleased to announce that the search process for the next Associate Vice-President (Indigenous Engagement) has begun, with the first step being the establishment of a diverse and representative Search Advisory Committee, which I will chair.

The Search Advisory Committee has now been finalized, and the members are:

• Chair – Dr. Jeff Keshen, President and Vice-Chancellor
• Knowledge Holder – Joely BigEagle-Kequahtooway  
• President’s Executive Team – Dr. Ellyn Lyle, Provost and Vice-President (Academic)
• Deans’ Council – Dr. David Dick Dean, Faculty of Media, Art and Performance
• Council – Dr. Paul Simard Smith – Associate Professor, Faculty of Arts
• Council – Dr. Danette Starblanket – Assistant Professor, Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy
• Reconciliation Action Committee – Dr. Anna-Leah King, Associate Professor, Chair of Indigenization for the Faculty of Education and Chair of the Reconciliation Action Committee 
• Reconciliation Action Committee – Dr. Jérôme Melançon, Professor, Faculty of Arts
• Student – Cheyanne Desnomie, PhD student, Anthropology (Arts) and Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research
• ta-tawâw Student Centre – John Bird, Manager, ta-tawâw Student Centre
• First Nations University of Canada – Dr. Jessica Kolopenuk, Associate Vice-President (Health and Research)

Over the next few weeks, the Search Advisory Committee will meet to plan out aspects of the search process. Updates on the search will be sent to campus as appropriate and will be posted as the search continues.

In the meantime, I wish to thank the members of the Search Advisory Committee for lending their expertise to this important search.

Jeff Keshen

President and Vice-Chancellor

September 23, 2026

Dear members of the University community,

On September 11, 2026 I met and consulted with members of the Faculty of Arts regarding the search for a new Dean, Faculty of Arts at the University of Regina, in accordance with University Policy EMP-010-030 on out-of-scope senior appointments. In consultation with the Faculty, along with Federated College partners, I am pleased to confirm the members of the Search Advisory Committee (SAC) are as follows:

• Arts URFA academic staff members: Dr. Amin Asfari, Dr. Noha Razek, Dr. Sarah Sangster
• Arts Department Head: Dr. Gordon Asmundson
• Federated College Academic Dean: Dr. Derrek Eberts
• Arts Director, Finance and Administration: Joni Borne
• Arts APT member: Cassi Tremblay
• Arts CUPE member: Mari-Louise Terblanche
• Arts student: Chantal Frederiksen
• UR Deans’ Council member: Dr. Erin Oldford

 I will fulfill the role of Chair, and the Committee will be supported in its work by Angela Leader of the Provost's office, Kait Budzak of Human Resources, and the search firm Perrett Laver. I am grateful to all members for their willingness to participate in the search process.

 Tentative search timeline (dates subject to change):

1. September 23: SAC in place
2. September 24: First meeting of the SAC held
3. By October 5: Advertising underway (provincial, national, international)
4. By January 14: SAC establishes a short list of candidates
5. Late January/Early February: Interviews and campus visits
6. By February 28: SAC makes a recommendation regarding the preferred candidate to the Interim Provost; Interim Provost makes a recommendation to the President; negotiations with preferred candidate commence
7. By April 1: Announcement of the new Dean.

Updates will also be communicated on this webpage. If you have any questions about this search, please contact Angela Leader in my office at ea.provost@uregina.ca.

Regards,

Ellyn Lyle, PhD

Provost and Vice-President (Academic)
Chair of the Search Advisory Committee