Announcement of the appointment of a new University Secretary

York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton issues the following announcement to the community:

Pascal Robichaud
Pascal Robichaud

Following an extensive search process, I am pleased to announce that York University has selected a new University Secretary. The Executive Committee of the Board of Governors have accepted the recommendation of the search committee that Pascal Robichaud be appointed for a five-year term beginning on Jan. 1, 2020.

Pascal is currently the Registrar for l’Université de Moncton, where he is responsible for the design and implementation of all policies related to academic study. During his nine-year tenure, he led the development of over 30 new policies, including the framework for undergraduate degree programs, a new regulation on plagiarism and academic dishonesty and the institution’s new tuition policy. He also restructured the Registrar’s Office and revamped its processes with the goal of improving the student experience.

He has a deep understanding of university governance gained through practical experience. With the university’s Secretary General, he shared responsibility for supporting the various committees of Senate. Over the past year, Pascal has also been Chair of the Senate of the l’Université de Moncton, in recognition of his expertise in both governance and parliamentary procedure.

Prior to joining l’Université de Moncton, Pascal served as Director of University Affairs for the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour in the Government of New Brunswick. In this role, he was responsible for all policy initiatives, legislation and programs related to universities in the province. He has also held management and policy roles in the Federal and municipal levels of government.

Pascal holds a Master of Public Administration from l’Université de Moncton. A former student leader, he is motivated by the reality and aspirations of university students. Through his various roles, he has demonstrated the ability to work collegially with diverse stakeholders to ensure the success of policies and strategic initiatives.

I look forward to welcoming Pascal to his new role in January. I am very grateful to the members of the search committee for their contributions to this process, and to Cheryl Underhill for providing exceptional leadership and continuity as interim University Secretary.