NSCAD appoints interim president following removal of Aoife Mac Namara

The Nova Scotia College of Art and Design’s board of governors announced Wednesday that Sarah McKinnon will assume the role of interim president starting July 15 until a new president is recruited.

This comes after the board voted to remove its president Aoife Mac Namara following a board meeting in early June.

READ MORE: Former NSCAD president says removal comes as ‘massive shock’

In a statement, the university said McKinnon is “one of Canada’s most experienced and respected academic leaders in the world of fine and applied arts.”

She has held senior academic and administrative roles at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA) in Boston, Mass., the University of Winnipeg and the Ontario College of Art and Design University (OCAD U), where she spent over a decade and served as acting president.

NSCAD said she has experience developing programs and a proven record of working closely with governments to gain institutional accreditations and approvals for new degree programs both in Canada and the United States.

“At NSCAD, she will work closely with our administration, faculty and staff to continue to advance priorities such as student recruitment and engagement and diversity and inclusion initiatives, all while maintaining academic excellence during this unique time requiring shifting modes of learning,” the university stated.

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McKinnon said she’s looking forward to bringing her experience to the institution and is excited to listen to and learn from all members of the community.

“I am hopeful that through commitments to engagement, diversity and inclusion and proactive approaches towards integrated digital learning, we will continue to deliver the level of excellence for which NSCAD is known,” said McKinnon.