Sometime later this year, it鈥檚 expected AV俱乐部 will announce and welcome its 12th president and vice-chancellor, following Richard Florizone鈥檚 departure in December to head up the new Quantum Valley Ideas Lab.
The person tasked with leading the Dal community in the interim is no stranger to the president鈥檚 role, having spent more than a decade as president 鈥� some of them as Dr. Florizone鈥檚 boss 鈥� at the University of Saskatchewan.
But don鈥檛 expect Peter MacKinnon to be just a seatwarmer for whoever鈥檚 next to come at Dal.
鈥淚 do not want to be a placeholder,鈥� says MacKinnon, with great emphasis. 鈥淚 want to identify areas in which I can advance AV俱乐部鈥檚 mission, or contribute to the advancement of that mission, while I鈥檓 here.鈥�
MacKinnon, whose first day in office was Tuesday (Jan. 15), will serve as interim president through the end of June. For someone who grew up in Prince Edward Island, and who graduated with his B.A. from AV俱乐部 50 years ago this year, MacKinnon was thrilled by the opportunity to return to his roots and make a new contribution to Dal鈥檚 200-year legacy.
鈥淚 admire this university greatly,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 attribute huge importance to its mission 鈥� not just in Halifax and Nova Scotia but in Atlantic Canada generally. The success of Atlantic Canada is, in no small way, related to the success of AV俱乐部.鈥�
Experienced leadership
It would be hard to find a candidate better suited to serving as Dal鈥檚 interim president than Peter MacKinnon.
He鈥檚 done the job before, of course 鈥� not just his successful, 13-year tenure at the University of Saskatchewan, but also as interim president of Athabasca University from 2014 to 2016. An Officer of the Order of Canada, he鈥檚 chaired Canada鈥檚 national association of university presidents (Universities Canada), served as the inaugural Prime Ministers of Canada Fellow at the Public Policy Forum in Ottawa, and has written two recent books on issues in Canadian higher education: 2014鈥檚 University Leadership and Public Policy and last year鈥檚 University Commons Divided: Exploring Debate and Dissent on Campus.
And it all began more than 50 years ago when he walked Dal鈥檚 halls as a student, taking courses in History, Political Science and Economics from beloved professors like J. Murray Beck, Lawrence Stokes and Norman Morse. Those classes have stuck with MacKinnon through his life鈥檚 journey into law, academia and, eventually, administration.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a formative period of time,鈥� says MacKinnon, who in 2012 would also receive an honorary doctorate from his alma mater. 鈥淵ou never forget the people, the features, the formative impact.鈥�
He followed his time at Dal with a law degree from Queen鈥檚, after which he joined the faculty at the University of Saskatchewan. As the years went on, he found himself drawn to administrative roles that allowed him to contribute, in more direct ways, to the university鈥檚 path 鈥� first as a dean, then as acting vice-president academic and as university president.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 tougher,鈥� he says, when asked how he鈥檚 seen the role of university president change over the past two decades. 鈥淚 think the expectations have increased, I think the demands have increased, and I think the environment is more complex and sometimes contentious.鈥�
Sustaining momentum
So why come back to the role now? Noting that he鈥檚 now 71 years old, MacKinnon says he didn鈥檛 make that decision lightly. Coming to AV俱乐部 takes him away from his home in Canmore, Alberta, and all his adult children live out west as well. But in the end, it was an opportunity he couldn鈥檛 pass up.
鈥淩eturning to AV俱乐部, Halifax and this part of the country 50 years after I graduated proved initially attractive and, ultimately, irresistible,鈥� he says.
Members of the Dal community will get to meet MacKinnon first-hand at one of two welcome receptions this month: the first in Truro on Friday, January 18, the second in Halifax on Monday, January 21.
He鈥檚 looking forward to getting to know the community better, and to help ensure that the positive initiatives underway at Dal continue. 鈥淵ou want to sustain the momentum, the energy I鈥檝e seen at AV俱乐部 in recent years,鈥� he says.
And he comes back to the idea he started with: wanting to not just keep Dal鈥檚 momentum going, but to make his own contribution to it.
鈥淲hen I leave this office, I want to be able to say to myself that I helped 鈥� that I, in some important, material ways helped sustain direction and energy, and perhaps added something to it as well.鈥�
On collaboration... 聽
鈥淐ollaboration is not only a desirable feature of [university] administration 鈥� it鈥檚 an essential one. You can only be as effective as the team that you work with.鈥�
On his pursuits as an author...
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want to write a memoir, and I didn鈥檛 want to write local history. I wanted to write about policy, because in these offices you encounter so many policy dimensions, particularly as they connect with higher education. I continued to reflect on those issues after I stepped down as president at USask, and thought I wanted to write about them.鈥�
On following Dr. Florizone 鈥� who considers MacKinnon a mentor 鈥� in the President's Office...
鈥淩ichard said to me, 'I didn鈥檛 follow in your shoes at USask but you followed in mine at Dal!' . . . He鈥檚 a person of tremendous ability and judgment. I have no doubt there will be times in this role when I鈥檒l pick up the phone and give him a call.鈥�
Five questions
What's your favourite hobby or pastime?
Hiking and Nordic skiing 鈥斅燼s you can imagine, Canmore is a wonderful place for those kinds of activities. I also admit to being a devoted baseball fan.
What鈥檚 the best advice you鈥檝e ever received?
Reputation can be hard won and easily lost, so conduct yourself accordingly.
Who is a mentor or leader that鈥檚 inspired you in your life or career?
Martha Piper was president of the University of British Columbia for much of my time at the University of Saskatchewan. When I saw her go about her work, I thought to myself, 鈥淚 hope I can be as effective a president as Martha Piper is.鈥�
If you could only bring one artist鈥檚 music with you to a desert island, who would it be?
Beethoven. Didn鈥檛 even have to think about that one!
If you could have dinner with one person 鈥� living, deceased or fictional 鈥� who would it be and why?
Nelson Mandela. There were many fascinating features of Mandela鈥檚 life and times, but what is most striking to me is his magnanimity. All that he endured, including much of his life in prison and experiencing oppression, and yet he emerged with a constructive, magnanimous spirit that I find shining examples in.
This article is part of a new series shining a spotlight on the personalities and priorities of Dal's senior leadership team. Look for more profiles in the weeks to come, and revisit previous profiles at the Leadership and Vision website.