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UBCO announces new top boss for Okanagan campus

Lesley Cormack will start in the position this summer
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Lesley Cormack comes to UBCO from the University of Alberta. (University of British Columbia)

UBC’s Okanagan campus has a new deputy vice-chancellor and principal.

Lesley Cormack will start as the campus’ top boss on July 1.

The university made the announcement on Feb. 14.

Cormack will be succeeding Deborah Buszard, who has been the campus’ deputy vice-chancellor and principal since 2012.

UBC president Santa J. Ono said he’s pleased to welcome Cormack to the Okanagan campus.

“With her strong academic background, proven leadership and outstanding experience, I have no doubt that she will bring thoughtful and dynamic direction to UBCO,” he said.

“UBCO Okanagan has built a well-earned reputation as an innovative research university with an entrepreneurial spirit and I can’t wait to contribute to its success,” Cormack said.

“I’m looking forward to spending some time to get to know the campus - its students, faculty and staff - and its community partners who play a crucial role in the success of any post-secondary institution.”

Cormack will be joining UBCO from the University of Alberta, where she has been the Dean of the Faculty of Arts since 2010. She is an early modern science historian, specializing in geography and mathematics in 16th-century England

She also served as Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Simon Fraser University from 2007 to 2012.

Cormack has been teaching for 17 years.

Ono said Buszard has been integral in growing and advancing UBCO.

“Looking to the future, I am excited to work with Professor Cormack to further that effort and advance UBC’s excellence in research and innovation, teaching and learning, and community engagement.”

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Twila Amato
Video journalist, Black Press Okanagan
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Twila Amato

About the Author: Twila Amato

Twila was a radio reporter based in northern Vancouver Island. She won the Jack Webster Student Journalism Award while at BCIT and received a degree in ancient and modern Greek history from McGill University.
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