Education

Dr. Geoff Payne working through the process

Jan 31, 2022 | 3:55 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – Back in October 2020, the Board of Governors for UNBC voted unanimously to extend the interim president status for Dr. Geoff Payne to August of this year. But recently, the Board changed its tack.

“We decided to, as a Board, suggest a very different search process with initially a single-candidate approach,” explains Catherine Wishart, Chair of the Board. “And the single candidate would be Dr. Geoff Payne.”

But the process isn’t over.

Between today and February 11, multiple engagement opportunities will take place. To support broader community health and well-being, all engagement will be virtual. Dr. Payne will participate in the following:

• A facilitated public presentation and Q&A, which will be recorded and posted online.

• Three facilitated open-space conversations (seats will be limited with pre-registration required). Open space conversations are a facilitated dialogue that follows the natural flow of participant interest in introducing topics.

• A facilitated talking circle with Indigenous students and employees.

“The search committee will take a good look at that and have a final interview with Dr. Payne and then we’ll make a recommendation to the Board of Governors to either proceed with Dr. Payne or to go out and do a broader search.”

If Dr. Payne is the successful candidate, his will be a three-year term rather than the usual five-year term, as he already has two years under his belt.