Search for new Chancellor underway at Brandon University

With Chancellor Mary Jane McCallum in the final year of her second term, Brandon University is now seeking the next person to fulfill the role as titular head of the University.

“Mary Jane McCallum has been a warmly engaged, thoughtful, and always considerate Chancellor, and all of us at BU are grateful for her service to our institution,” said BU President Christine Bovis-Cnossen. “Mary Jane’s profound wisdom and passionate authenticity means she always has just the right advice for the moment, whether at the Board of Governors table or speaking one-on-one with a student. A regular presence on campus and a true friend to BU, we know that our relationship will only continue to deepen.”

McCallum, a First Nations woman who is a dentist, passionate health care and social justice advocate, and a Canadian Senator, is the first Indigenous person and also the first woman to serve as Brandon University Chancellor. She was first appointed in 2021, then re-appointed to a second term in 2024. The Brandon University Act limits Chancellors to two terms.

The Chancellor serves as the formal head of Brandon University, and they are chosen for their ability to provide high-level vision, guidance and wisdom. They are a member of both the university’s governing bodies, the Board of Governors and the Senate, and they preside over each Convocation, where they bring greetings and advice to the graduating students as well as officially conferring the degrees. The Chancellor also serves as a general ambassador for the university, supporting and promoting BU’s mission and values.

Nominations for a new Chancellor are being accepted through the BU Senate, with information at BrandonU.ca/Senate-Office/Chancellor-Search. The university expects to install a new Chancellor in the spring.

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