November 3, 2026
Dear Dr. H. W. MacLauchlan,
While all academic searches are consequential, there is perhaps none more significant than the search for the university president. We understand that the search for UNB’s next president is nearing its conclusion, and we write to convey the widespread and deeply felt concerns we have received from academic staff across UNB regarding the processes of this search.
Many were taken aback to learn that a special joint meeting of the Senates and Board of Governors had been called. Given the nature of such a meeting under Section 19 of the UNB Act, it is clear that the Joint Nominating Committee is presenting its report and at least one candidate. It is alarming to discover that we are at the final stage without any transparent, widely collegial process having taken place. Even the scheduling and calling of the special meeting itself has been cloaked in secrecy.
Our purpose in writing is two-fold.
First, we wish to urge you to pursue a process from this moment forward to ensure that Senators and members of the Board are fully supported in making the best and most informed decision possible. Sound governance requires providing the following:
- Adequate time for deliberation: Real reflection cannot be obtained under the pressure of a single meeting, especially when there is no statutory need for rush.
- Procedural protections: Ensuring that secret ballot provisions are in place for any votes at this or any future meetings related to a presidential search.
- Adequate information for voting participants: In our view, informed decision-making is impossible without opening the process for community feedback prior to a final candidate selection.
Openness is essential to allow for full consideration of a candidate’s vision and to ensure that the university community can support the incoming president by having had a voice in their selection. All of these procedures are entirely consistent with Section 19 of the UNB Act. While the argument is often made that confidentiality is necessary to attract external candidates, we are at a juncture where that rationale may no longer apply. At this final stage, an external candidate should be willing to engage with the university community they hope to lead, while the confidentiality rationale does not apply at all to an internal candidate.
Second, we wish to go on record for this and any subsequent presidential searches on the critical issue of transparency. In most previous searches at UNB, AUNBT and other employee groups were given the opportunity to meet with and comment on prospective candidates, typically at the point of short-listing, but at a bare minimum, prior to a final selection. Historically, all parties involved understood that early engagement prevents unnecessary conflict and fosters a productive relationship between the incoming President and the university’s academic staff. Fostering a collaborative environment is essential for the regular administration of the collective agreement and for periods of contract negotiation.
We believe that transparency is a requirement for both a successful presidential search and the full expression of collegial rights. The AUNBT-UNB Collective Agreements recognize the rights of academic staff to participate in academic decision-making as a part of the governance of the institution – principles further reinforced by the decision-making powers vested in Senates and the Board through the UNB Act. Alongside members of the Senates and the Board, our members deeply desire effective leadership at UNB. This can only be achieved by a President who enters the office with the legitimacy that comes from a respectful, collegial governance process.
A presidential search is a long and complex process, and in its final stages, there can be an understandable desire for a rapid resolution. However, we urge you to prioritize careful, fulsome, and democratic deliberation over haste. We ask that you support transparent and collegial processes for this search, and that you establish clear, participatory guidelines based on these principles for all future searches at UNB.
Sincerely,
AUNBT Executive Board