University of B.C. to announce new president

VANCOUVER – The University of British Columbia is expected to announce a new president and vice-chancellor today.

Martha Piper has been the school’s interim president since former president Arvind Gupta abruptly resigned his post last summer, one year into a five-year term.

The resignation prompted questions about the university’s governance and faculty voted in March to declare their non-confidence in the UBC board of governors.

Documents released in January revealed that some board members held secret meetings with Gupta leading up to his resignation.

Board chair John Montalbano stepped down last October after an investigation into a professor’s claims that she was intimidated after she wrote a blog post suggesting Gupta lost a “masculinity contest” with the school’s leadership.

The new leader will be the 15th president and vice-chancellor in the university’s 100 year history.