St. Thomas University in Fredericton appoints new president

St. Thomas University has named a new president and vice-chancellor for a five-year appointment after a months-long national search.

M. Nauman Farooqi will serve as the school's 14th president beginning on July 1, according to a news release from St. Thomas University. Farooqi currently is the dean of business and social sciences at Mount Allison University in Sackville, N.B.

Dawn Russell, who has served as president since 2011, went on administration leave in late November as the search for her replacement entered its final stages.

In the release, Farooqi said one of his roles as president will be to adapt a set of shared goals "between students, faculty, staff and external stakeholders such as the Indigenous and local communities."

Although Farooqi's appointment was announced in a statement on Wednesday, he is not available for an interview this week, according to a spokesperson for the university.