University College of the North announced Aug. 19 that it has extended president Doug Lauvstad’s contract until the summer of 2028.
Lauvstad took the position in 2017.
“UCN has experienced significant growth during Doug’s first five years,” said UCN governing council chair Becky Cianflone in a press release. “We have seen enrolments increase by over one-third to 3,200, a doubling of revenue for our community and industry training programming from $800,000 to more than $3 million annually.”
During Lauvstad’s time at the helm, UCN has also created the Reconciliation, Research and Academic Innovation Department, which prioritizes Indigenous content and pedagogy in all post-secondary programs and has also helped UCN support faculty research by increasing its research revenue from $63,000 to just over $1.2 million in the 2021-22 academic year.
“Given the recent years of disruption and change, we feel having stable, capable leadership at our northern post-secondary institution will serve the north well,” said Cianflone. “We are also confident our president will continue to create growth and opportunity for our students and communities.”
The governing council says it will direct the university-college’s executive team to develop a new strategic five-year plan focusing on education, training and research to support the growth and prosperity of Indigenous people and Northern Manitoba.
Formerly the director of the Northern Manitoba Sector Council, an association of the mining, energy and forestry sector, Lauvstad was born and raised in The Pas and holds a master of business administration degree. He worked in a senior administration role at UCN and its predecessor, Keewatin Community College, from 1998 to 2007, and is also a former chair of the Northern Regional Health Authority board and a former member of the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Board.
