The K.C. Irving Hall foyer was packed with students on Wednesday, October 9, as President Paul Mazerolle visited for free pizza, and a meet and greet. Mazerolle was appointed as the 19th President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of New Brunswick earlier this year.
In Mazerolle’s opening remarks on Wednesday, he expressed great optimism and excitement about his new position, saying that he hopes to work together with students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community. He also stated that he was open to hear from students, encouraging them to email him with their questions and concerns.
So, what’s the plan?
A strategic plan will be finalized in the new year. Mazerolle explained, “it’s really about looking at what we have, imagining where we want to be and trying to work constructively through that journey. So that means we have to look at what programs we offer, do we have to offer more? We have to look at our physical infrastructure, do we have enough residences? We have to look at our research performance, can we do more? Also looking at the student experience, what can we do to enhance that? Do we need more study abroad opportunities? We need more students, where do we find those people? So all of those things will be evolving in the months ahead.”
He graduated from UNB in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, went on to complete a Masters in Criminal Justice at Northeastern University, and a doctorate in Criminology at the University of Maryland.
Although he is excited about the future of UNB, he is not so excited about his first Canadian winter in thirty years. He joked about having to buy a new wardrobe and said he was glad that our houses are built with adequate insulation.
