NEWS & EVENTS | November 29, 2023
USB renews its president's mandate
Lise Pinkos, Board of Governors chair, and Sophie Bouffard, USB president.
At a meeting of the Board of Governors (BG) of Université de Saint‑Boniface (USB), Board Chair Lise Pinkos officially announced the renewal of Dr. Sophie Bouffard's five-year mandate as President of USB.
During the winter of 2023, the BG's Executive Committee began the process of evaluating the President's performance, a rigorous undertaking involving extensive internal consultation. The committee solicited comments from students, faculty and administrative staff to inform the recommendation for the mandate's renewal.
"The feedback we received over the course of the President's performance review was quite impactful," said Lise Pinkos. "Since Dr. Bouffard became President in August 2019, and despite the challenges of the pandemic during her first mandate, it is clear that the university has been well positioned to deliver on its ambitious 2021–2026 Strategic Plan. The Board of Governors is enthusiastic about Dr. Bouffard's vision for USB and impressed by her ability to inspire our staff and faculty in supporting these objectives. In addition to rallying her team around common goals, she has forged strong relationships with our various educational partners and raised USB's profile as a strategic investment for donors and funding bodies. Over the last 18 months, the university deployed several strategies it has been nurturing behind the scenes for years. These include a dozen or so funding announcements, the creation and expansion of programs, a number of renovation projects and multiple new hires. As President, Dr. Bouffard fully embodies the organization’s strategic plan tagline, as she is truly a force for change," said Ms. Pinkos.
Dr. Bouffard has worked in post-secondary education in linguistic minority settings for more than twenty years, holding a variety of leadership positions. She served as President and Vice-Chancellor at the University of Sudbury, and held successive positions at the University of Regina as Head of the Conservatory of Performing Arts, Assistant Director of the Centre for Continuing Education, and founding Director of the La Cité universitaire francophone.
She is currently Co-Chair of the Association des collèges et universités de la francophonie canadienne, Co-Chair of the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s Members and a member of Universities Canada's Governance Committee. As President of USB, she is a member of the Post-Secondary Presidents' Council of Manitoba, for which she served as Co-Chair from 2021 to 2023.
"I am delighted to continue the work undertaken in the last few years through a second mandate, and I am truly moved by this vote of confidence," said Dr. Bouffard. "Serving as President of Université de Saint-Boniface is a great privilege for me. Personally and professionally, I am deeply committed to promoting French language and culture, post-secondary education and the vitality of Francophone minority communities. The fact that I can do so on a daily basis alongside a dedicated and talented team is a great source of motivation. As a pillar of French-language post-secondary education in Canada, Université de Saint-Boniface has been a cornerstone of our community for over 200 years. Every day, I am inspired by the enormous potential of this institution, and as our slogan says: 'C'est ici que vibre mon cœur.' With renewed energy, I will continue my work to shore up for the strategic plan leading up to 2026, while further increasing USB's influence and enhancing its reputation."
Dr. Bouffard is the 45th President of USB and the second woman to occupy the position.
