Dr. Airini's academic and professional background

  • Holds a BA and MEd from the University of Canterbury, an MBA from Massey University, and a Diploma in Teaching from the former Christchurch Teachers College. She completed a certificate in te reo Māori from Te Wānanga o Aotearoa
  • Holds a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of British Columbia.
  • Served as TRU’s Dean of the Faculty of Education and Social Work (2014–2018), where she helped launch the internationally renowned Knowledge Makers program, and the pan-university Coyote Project.
  • Most recently, served as Provost and Vice-President Academic at the University of Saskatchewan, a member of the U15 group of Canadian research universities.

In government and international roles, Dr. Airini has contributed to education reform, equity policy, and Indigenous success strategies. She currently advises the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization on global education access and innovation.

Update from the President #2 — Listening, Acting, and Connecting August 7, 2025

Weyt-kp and warm greetings to colleagues across our community. As we move through summer, I’d like to share updates about recent activities and developments at TRU. I continue to genuinely appreciate the informal conversations we have been having, with some laughter, a lot of listening, and the sharing of encouragement each day as I visit around TRU and online.

Senate Materials

One of the responsibilities I hold is chair of Senate. I believe the deliberations, advice and decisions of the Senate are at the heart of what it means to be, and become, all that we have been called to be as Thompson Rivers University. Thank you to the committee chairs and members, senators, and support team for your vital service to our university.

Recognizing the importance of transparency, I have reinstated early access to Senate agenda materials. Beginning with the first meeting in September, all reports and documents included in the Senate agenda will be made available to the TRU community and the public one whole week in advance.

In addition, prior to Senate, I will be available to the media to discuss items of particular interest to TRU and answer questions. Following the meeting, we will share news on our website about the outcomes from Senate.

This shift supports open governance and increases the opportunity for us all to engage with the ideas, proposals and decisions shaping TRU’s future. I believe transparency further strengthens our connections to parents, caregivers, community members, businesses, students and leaders; and our ability to move forward as One University.

Honours College Update

After careful reflection, I have paused funding for the TRU Honours College for up to two years due to budget reasons. This will enable reflection on how to further strengthen the business model for the TRU Honours College. Pausing now before the program starts minimizes the impact on students.

There is undoubtedly disappointment amongst the Honours College team and the broader community. My reflection from recent meetings with our colleagues is that we all can be impressed by the continuing passion for a unique cohort model geared for exceptional student success. Alongside this is an openness to now adapting to our wider university budget challenges. The commitment remains to an approach to learning that is beyond generic models in Higher Education, and that is inclusive and innovative.

My thanks to the Honours College team, who are already turning their attention to the balance between academic principles, a sustainable business model, and a complementary marketing plan. Planning meetings will begin shortly.

University Relations Reorganization

During July, the University Relations teams have been actively participating in discussions about optimal arrangements to support their talents and contributions to TRU and associated leadership arrangements. I am genuinely appreciative of our colleagues in Marketing, Advancement, Communications, Events, and Government Relations for the open, courageous discussions.

As of August 1:

  • Oversight of the University Relations network is a combined effort between the President and two existing Vice-Presidents.
  • Advancement and Events now report to the Vice-President of Finance and Administration.
  • Government Relations reports to the President.
  • Marketing moves to report to the Vice-President of International.
  • Communications initially reports to the Vice-President International, and will transition to the President’s Office, later this year, once positions in that Office have been finalized.

We expect the ongoing arrangements to be fully operative by November 2025. Updates regarding associated role titles and arrangements will be shared with the university community during this transition period.

TRU’s University Relations services continue to be available through usual channels. The University Relations network will meet regularly, ensuring shared planning, collaboration, and cohesion across unit lines.

Our goal is to further strengthen University Relations services grounded in clarity of purpose, contributing directly and creatively to building our Future TRU, and providing leadership in shared services across our university.

Introducing TRU Talks with President Airini

I’m excited to launch TRU Talks with President Airini — a new series of monthly, informal gatherings open to all students, faculty, and staff. These sessions offer space to ask questions, share ideas, and strengthen our community through conversation. The first session will be held today (Thursday from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Student Street in Old Main, TRU Kamloops).

Today I will be sharing about my vision for Future TRU and seeking input on my initial priorities. For more information on these please do visit here. We’ll also host future sessions at TRU Williams Lake and online. Please feel welcome to stop by today and for future TRU Talks with President Airini. I look forward to meeting, listening and talking together.

Since my last update …

…I’ve had the privilege of listening, learning, and walking alongside many of us — on campus, in community, online and across the province. Highlights include a full-day planning session with the TRU Executive Team, partnership discussions with Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc and T’exelc, and early planning for September’s Senate with our Steering Committee Chair. I also met with Indigenous faculty and staff to discuss future Indigenous leadership roles and took part in an Indigenous citizenship meeting.

On campus, I visited the Andrew Sherry Plumbing Lab and our technology facilities and connected with TRU leaders across key portfolios. I met with Dr. Yasin Mamatjan and students advancing AI research to improve health outcomes, an inspiring example of TRU innovation. I also had the honour of attending the Shad banquet, closing 27 days of learning for young people hosted by the Faculty of Science and School of Trades and Technology. It was a sad honour to join with colleagues and students at the shared funeral where we farewelled two TRU students.

Whether in Victoria for donor meetings, working with colleagues on organisational changes, or chatting together about our summer highlights, gardens, (yes) the weather, and our hopes for our future TRU, I am reminded daily that we come to TRU because we know that ‘we’ is greater than ‘I’. There is so much good that we do through our use-inspired research and education that is applied to challenges in Interior BC and contributes to global futures.

Kukwstsétsemc,

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor
Thompson Rivers University

Update from the President #1 — Listening, Acting, and Connecting July 25, 2025

Weyt-kp. Greetings, TRU colleagues,

It has been a meaningful beginning to my first few weeks as President and Vice-Chancellor. During these past 18 working days, there has been so much that affirms how much the potential TRU holds, and how much we can achieve together.

We have faced both joy and sorrow. The tragic loss of students and members of our wider TRU family has been deeply felt. I have seen so much care. Thank you for looking after one another and for being gentle on ourselves in these times.

We have also celebrated acts of generosity, academic excellence, and student success in these past few weeks. TRU is home to remarkable achievements. Three recent philanthropic awards, all significant, signal recognition for TRU’s mission and impact as the university that leads in use-inspired education and research applied to great challenges in B.C.’s Interior and globally.

Perhaps you have seen the news items about our TRU colleague, Dr. Courtney Mason, who was inducted into the Royal Society of Canada, and our Advancement team, led by Kim Cassar-Torregiani, which received international recognition for excellence for the work they do. This world award placed TRU on the podium with Yale University and Columbia University.

We honoured the impact of RBC’s donor support for the TRU Women in Trades Training program at a recent event, celebrating 1,200 WITT graduates to date. I had the privilege of attending both a master’s thesis defence and the completion ceremony for our Health Care Assistant program — moments that speak to the heart of student achievement and excellence of teaching. These milestones reflect the depth of talent in our students and commitment to being relentlessly student-centred across our university community.

I want to acknowledge two leadership changes that have happened since I began. Brian Daly, Vice-President University Relations, and Paul Michel, Special Advisor to the President on Indigenous Matters, have concluded their time in their roles.

Paul’s roles in Indigenous leadership have been the first at a senior level. His guidance helped shape Indigenous engagement across our campuses and strengthened relationships with many communities. Paul led the discussions and proposal development that made the forthcoming Indigenous Centre building possible. Paul’s deep commitment to Indigenous students and Reconciliation within the university has been widely appreciated.

Brian was instrumental in advancing TRU’s interests across a wide array of areas. His work with donors and community partners helped create significant new gifts for TRU, including a $10-million investment from the Gaglardi family in the School of Business and Economics. Brian also led a determined effort to improve our government relations capacities, something especially important to TRU following the announcement of TRU Wildfire in April 2024.

I want to thank both Brian and Paul sincerely for their outstanding work and the significant contributions they have made to TRU’s future. In the short term, Baihua Chadwick will serve as VP of University Relations, and I am currently consulting with the University Relations staff about the future structure. I have initiated discussions regarding future Indigenous leadership at TRU, including with Tk’emlups te Secwepemc and T’exelc.

Partnership agreement meetings between TRU and TteS have been held, and similar discussions with T’exelc are expected to begin this summer. We are genuinely grateful for the openness and generosity from both TteS and T’exelc to these very significant discussions. Engagements with Indigenous faculty and staff have been so appreciated. It was an honour that a colleague came to Kamloops from Williams Lake to join one of the meetings in person.

In these first days, I’ve met with more than 40 university leaders and staff across portfolios, including finance, research, IT, advancement, union leadership, and Indigenous education.

I appreciate the regular contact underway with the Research Universities Council of British Columbia, as well as the Skilled Trades Training Council. I have so appreciated discussions with our municipal leaders. I’ve also met with three local mayors, and this week, I travelled to Victoria to meet with our Deputy Minister and the ADMs for Finance, Post-Secondary and Future Skills, and Infrastructure.

I have also learned a great deal from my conversations across campus about your hopes and expectations for TRU, as well as your thoughts on my initial priorities, which I outlined during my installation on June 25. To continue these conversations, I’m pleased to launch a new initiative: a series of monthly 90-minute informal gatherings open to everyone — students, faculty, and staff — to ask me questions, share ideas, or enjoy a cup of coffee/tea/other.

The first session will take place in early August on campus in Kamloops, followed by sessions in Williams Lake. More details will follow on TRU Connect once the events are fully confirmed. I look forward to seeing you there.

TRU is striving ahead. In our future, TRU is one of the most innovative universities in Canada, operating beyond the generic patterns and practices of higher education, and we are resilient and adaptive. We are stepping forward together — strong, brave and caring, committed to place here in Secwepemcúl’ecw and our purpose as TRU.

Thank you for being part of this journey as one university together. I look forward to meeting more of our TRU community, hearing our stories, and creating together a remarkable, unique Future TRU.

Kukwstsétsemc,

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor
Thompson Rivers University

Update from the President #3 — Building our future August 14, 2025

Hello colleagues. Weytkp. Bonjour.

Thank you for the encouraging feedback about the updates shared since July. As we approach the fall term, and with many activities underway, I plan to provide weekly updates so that these are as current as possible.

Building our future: data to inform planning and decisions

Our future TRU is one of optimal services for education and research activities. Currently, we lack an understanding of our distribution of administrative services and activities. We need to identify what we are doing well, where we can work to improve services, and what we can learn from other institutions. Having a better picture of what is happening on the ground helps with more informed decision-making.

Starting this week, we have an important initiative getting underway; one that will help expand the information available to inform our university’s planning and decisions. On Aug. 12, we began Thompson Rivers University’s first cycle of data collection for UniForum — an internationally validated program that helps universities better understand how support services enable our academic mission. This is an important step toward building a more informed, coordinated approach to administrative support at TRU.

UniForum is a benchmarking and planning tool used by 49 institutions worldwide, including 10 leading Canadian universities. Importantly, the analysis looks across the university, not within units. The goal is to understand our service landscape and identify ways to strengthen processes and services for everyone.

These data, which we will update every year, give us a clear picture of our strengths and opportunities to improve. This is helpful as well, as we navigate financial pressures.

Most of the work will involve a small group of our colleagues over the next three weeks, mapping service activities. Their efforts will provide a shared foundation for discussion and decision-making in the months ahead. We are all very grateful for this special effort by our colleagues. If you have questions, please connect with your manager or supervisor. I am also available.

We are very grateful to the group of colleagues now fully engaged in this project, along with the project coordination by IPE. Thank you for your time everyone.

Secwépemc Cultural Advisor Appointed

I am pleased to announce that Dr. Garry Gottfriedson (h.c) will serve as the first Secwépemc Special Advisor to the President (August 2025 to 2030). Reporting to the president, this role is crucial to advancing TRU’s relationship with the Secwépemc. This position provides leadership for university relations with the 17 communities of the Secwépemc, and advocacy for tellqelmúcw, those yet to be born.

I am grateful for discussions that informed the creation of this new role and appointment, including with Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc and T’exelc, and TRU’s Indigenous faculty and staff. This role reflects our commitment in Envision TRU to “…nurture a flourishing relationship with the Secwépemc people on whose lands we reside. Members of our community will give exceptional consideration to Secwépemc worldview and belief systems. We will support thriving Secwépemc culture through respectful actions in research, teaching and service.”

Garry is already known to many at TRU as he was the first Secwépemc cultural advisor in the Faculty of Education and Social Work, and then took up this role with university-wide responsibilities based in Indigenous Education.

Garry is from Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc, is an accomplished Indigenous poet, author of 15 books, and lead author of the Secwépemc Nation Research Ethics Guidelines. He has been awarded two honorary doctorates, including one from our own university.

Garry is a powerful spokesperson for Secwépemc, and a tireless advocate for Secwépemc communities and language preservation. Garry has worked in education for over 50 years, including several years at TRU, as a teacher, advisor, researcher and administrator.

TRU Talks with President Airini

Last week, we launched the first of a series of informal conversations at TRU to allow discussions about topics and issues important to us all. More than 25 people came out to Student Street to chat and have a coffee. Thanks to the TRU communications team for making the arrangements.

In this first conversation time, I invited a sharing of thoughts about the priorities I have identified as critical to the development of our Future TRU. Thank you for the discussion, and I thank everyone who took the time to come out and share.  I look forward to discussions at TRU Williams Lake and online, and the next full round of TRU Talks.

Since my last update . . .

Since my last update, continue to drop by around TRU and to learn so much from colleagues and students. School of Nursing instructors Renee and Laura and I talked together about their work this summer with almost 40 students upskilling for nursing in Canada. I also met colleagues in the TRU Sustainability Office who are preparing a very important sustainability pledge for us to take this fall. I chatted with teams advancing our nationally unique LCDES project. I met Samantha at the Faculty of Science, who is supporting the Geneskool team’s Summer Science Program in molecular biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, and genomics; and is a member of the TRU EnviroCollab team.

I met with leadership in the Research Universities Council of British Columbia, and today I will be in Vancouver for government and donor meetings. This evening, I join the TRU Student Experience team in Vancouver, hosting an informal gathering of TRU’s online students, meeting up in person. The Executive Team meets each Monday afternoon, and this week included planning for the upcoming Senior Leadership Team gathering at the end of this month.

TRU's Gaglardi School of Business and Economics has partnered with the Tulo Centre for Indigenous Economics for more than a decade. This remarkable collaboration now includes the University of Canterbury (New Zealand). Dean Mike Henry and Associate Dean Jim Gaisford, TRU world colleagues, and I, along with other dignitaries, joined in welcoming the University of Canterbury to campus this week.

Best wishes for the remainder of your week, everyone, and for the upcoming weekend.

Kukwstsétselp,

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

Update from the President #4August 22, 2025

Hello colleagues. Weytkp. Bonjour.

In this update I share about meeting with new faculty colleagues, navigating our campus, a retirement, honouring and respect, and some of the activities that have happened since my last update. Thank you so much for the encouraging words about providing these updates.

New faculty orientation

This week I had the pleasure of attending TRU’s New Faculty Orientation. Many thanks to the CELT team for coordinating this annual event. We welcomed about 25 of all new faculty members: 2 tenured, 12 tenured track, 3 limited term contract, and 8 sessional; joining TRU in the Bob Gaglardi School of Business and Economics, Faculty of Adventure, Culinary Arts and Tourism, Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Student Development. Garry Gottfriedson, Secwépemc Special Advisor to the President, joined me in welcoming our new colleagues.

I shared about our university’s values, our strengths in use-inspired research and education applied to the challenges of interior BC and contributing to global futures. I also shared about a Future TRU we are building together, encouraged colleagues to identify their priorities for the first months, and then shared my own initial priorities. At this link you can hear about Future TRU and my priorities.

Our campus grounds

Our university is committed to the priority area of environmental sustainability. This summer has been about laying groundwork for our clean-energy system, with pipe installation and retrofits underway. Real change on such a scale can be messy. Thank you everyone for sharing the good news of our continued leadership in sustainability and for our shared effort to support this. TRU is proud to lead the way in sustainability with the Low-Carbon District Energy System (LCDES). This major infrastructure project will eventually connect campus buildings to an innovative heat pump system — replacing natural gas boilers and significantly reducing TRU’s carbon footprint. Learn more about the LCDES project.

Myself, as I zig-zag walking through zones, I have greatly enjoyed stopping to chat with construction team members. Some are quite a distance away from their homes in order to be part of this project. The technical skills and sustained effort even in high summer heat has been outstanding. And now we see completed pipelines being covered over. Our grounds and horticulture team can begin to work on restoration. In large and small ways, we are all part of this extensive change needed for sustainability. We strive ahead as One University. Thank you everyone.

John Sparks’ retirement

From time to time across all units of TRU we have colleagues retire. With mixed emotions, I am sharing that John Sparks, TRU’s General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, will retire from TRU on Aug. 22. This is John’s decision, and while we are saddened to see him leave our university team, we are happy for him as he begins this next well-earned chapter.

Since joining TRU in 2004, John has been the university’s principal legal officer, advising on all matters with legal implications and guiding the work of our University Secretariat. He has been a steady advocate for collegial governance and contributing beyond governance. John played an instrumental role in establishing TRU’s Faculty of Law, helping bring together supporters of the initiative and drafting the proposal that secured government approval. His belief that the Interior of British Columbia should have a law school has left a lasting mark on our region and our university.

John has served all five presidents of TRU. I am grateful for John’s years of service and his dedication to TRU’s mission. Please join me in thanking @John Sparks for his many contributions and in wishing him well for the future. John, thank you.

Flag Lowering for shíshálh Nation

** Please note this section may have challenging content **

Last week, the shíshálh Nation shared the tragic confirmation of an additional 41 unmarked graves at the former residential school in Sechelt, bringing the total number of graves in their community to 81.

In response, the provincial government lowered flags at the Parliament Buildings in Victoria until sunset on Sunday, Aug. 17. This half-masting was not required of other public institutions. At TRU, we chose to lower our flags for the same period.

We did this to respect and show solidarity with the shíshálh Nation and with all Indigenous communities and families who continue to grieve the loss of children to the residential school system.

Here in our own community, the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc confirmed the presence of unmarked graves, a truth that continues to resonate across the country. The discoveries in Sechelt and in Kamloops are reminders of the history survivors have carried for decades, and the call for all us to remember, learn, and act. By lowering our flags, TRU affirmed our commitment to reconciliation and to standing with Indigenous peoples as we continue this work together and be changed.

Since my last update …

Many thanks to the Student Experience team who created two wonderful in-person gatherings in Vancouver and Victoria for TRU OL students to gather. I was so pleased to be able to join the Vancouver event, with AVP Students Sara Wolfe and team members. The stories of grit and motivation from the students were inspiring. This was a reminder to me of our uniqueness as a university — to be committed to academic excellence in education and research and to accessible higher education. These students are exceptional in their drive and success.

As well, I have so appreciated meetings with colleagues: Faculty of Student Development, University Library, IT leaders. With thanks to Steve Pottle and the emergency operations team I was briefed on our policy and procedures. Please everyone do upload the TRU Safe app, and register there for alerts. I connected briefly with paramedics training at our Nursing and Population Health building and very much enjoyed meeting with colleagues in Science, notably Dean Greg Anderson and Associate Dean Vivek Kumar on the priority area of technology fluency. Thank you Jeneen for the beautiful plant gifted to me, grown from seeds planted at the time of the announcement of my appointment.

Today I join TRU colleagues heading north to Williams Lake to meet with T’exelc to discuss the creation of a partnership agreement. Next week the TRU Senior Leadership Team meets for two days for planning for the years ahead.

Best wishes for the weekend ahead everyone.

Kukwstsétselp,

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

Update from the President #5August 29, 2025

Hello colleagues. Weytkp. Bonjour.

To those returning from summer vacations and study leave, welcome back. To all, please do enjoy this forthcoming long weekend. While this is a cherished holiday time in Canada, its origins remain in the recognition of the fundamental role of workers in society and acknowledge the ongoing efforts to ensure fair treatment and dignity for all.

Today I am sharing a leadership announcement, insights into this week’s Senior Leadership Team gathering, and progress with UniForum data gathering.

Leadership Announcement

I am pleased to share that Scott Blackford has been appointed Interim General Counsel following John Sparks’ retirement. Scott brings extensive legal expertise and an understanding of TRU’s governance and operations that will serve us well in this period of transition.

Safe in all seasons

We have four distinct seasons in Interior BC, and it is important that we are prepared to be safe year-round. Recent tragic news from our summer months has raised concerns about student safety, especially for newcomers to Canada and those unfamiliar with local waterways.

While TRU provides water safety information at orientation and offers safety awareness education year-round, we want to ask if more is needed. The safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority. We are committed to strengthening how we prepare students for the realities and potential dangers in the outdoor environments around us throughout the year.

This week, TRU World provided enhanced water safety education for international students arriving here for the start of the academic year and the remaining summer weeks. Our immediate goal is to ensure that new students have critical safety knowledge from the outset of their time at TRU.

More broadly, we want to ensure that we are doing all we can throughout the year. I have asked our senior leaders to launch a 100-day initiative to strengthen student safety education further. This will include the creation of a season-focused safety think tank — All Seasons. All students. Safe.

The group will bring together TRU faculty, staff, and students, along with regional safety partners, to identify existing support, evidence-based measures, and make recommendations to the TRU executive team. Thank you, Sara Wolfe (Associate Vice-President, Students) and Reuben Onyango (Director, International Student Services, TRU World), for co-leading this initiative.

Senior Leadership Gathering

Earlier this week, I convened all members of the TRU Senior Leadership team for two full days. We met with openness and resolve to come together as one university, building our Future TRU. Anchored in our academic priorities in use-inspired research and education, we began preliminary planning for the actions needed to address TRU’s budget challenges.

There is an ambitious goal: to turn our university's unprecedented financial challenges into a strategic transformation, positioning TRU for success for decades to come.

The latest financial report for the current financial year was released this week and shows we continue to face difficult realities, including an immediate budget shortfall. We also have the prospect of larger deficits ahead if we do not act. This context will require difficult decisions.

Planning is underway to begin sharing the latest information starting next week, and then through to Senate committees and the Senate itself. I acknowledge that the timing is not ideal, given the start of the fall term. I remain committed to being open and transparent. Options will be built in so that information is available both in-person and online, as well as synchronously. We will share updates regularly as this work progresses.

TRU is striving ahead — strong, brave, caring, and committed to our purpose. We are one university, uniquely located within Secwepemcúl’ecw, serving our region and contributing to global futures.

UniForum Progress

Our future TRU is one in which there are optimal services for our education and research, and our colleagues leading these core activities. We are challenged, however, because we lack a clear understanding of our distribution of administrative services and activities.

We need to identify what we are doing well, where we can improve our services, and what we can learn from other institutions. Having a clearer picture helps us make more informed decisions in service units, faculties, schools, and for our university.

On August 12, we started our first cycle of data collection for UniForum — an internationally validated program that helps universities better understand how support services enable our academic mission. I have read past and recent critiques of the program. From my perspective, this scrutiny is welcome and consistent with our mandate as universities – to apply a critical lens, to be curious, to find and test solutions. Senior leaders, including myself, are available to address questions about this initiative and will do our best to provide answers.

For now, the needed work on the UniForum data collection project is well underway. My sincere thanks go to all who have contributed time and energy to provide the data that will guide future decision-making by TRU. I know this has added extra tasks to already full schedules. Your effort matters. By contributing your knowledge, you are helping TRU gain a clearer understanding of how our services operate, where we excel, and where improvements can be made to support our academic mission in use-inspired research and education.

A New Home for the President’s Office

I so appreciate the good words coming when we see each other around the TRU Kamloops campus, in Williams Lake, and online. Every day, I learn so much from impromptu and planned discussions. Being present and open matters to me as president.

With this in mind, in the coming weeks, the President’s Office will move from its current location in the Clock Tower Building to the House of Learning. The move will also include the provost’s team. My sincere appreciation to Library colleagues and our University Librarian Tania Gottschalk.

Together, we have found a way for the relocation to happen with minimal renovations while retaining an HOL location for all colleagues currently based in the building. This move during the fall term relocates the President’s Office to a more central and accessible location, enhancing its connection to students, faculty, and staff. It also frees up much-needed space in the Clock Tower for other purposes.

In my August TRU Talks time, I invited creative ideas about future possibilities for the Clock Tower to be a place of belonging. That invitation will also be included in the upcoming September 10 TRU Talks session.

Since My Last Update

In the last week, I have been privileged to join discussions about the Indigenous Centre with construction beginning soon (thank you Carmen Love, and all teams), stopped to chat with Ian as he and his team watered plants and lawns, and travelled with our TRU team (TRU Kamloops, TRU Williams Lake) to meet T’exelc and advance partnership agreement discussions.

Yesterday, it was inspiring to meet with incoming international students. More than 320 students from 56 countries and across 65 programs attended the event at the CAC Ballroom. Sincere thanks to all Faculties and Schools, student services, and all members of TRU World.

Best wishes for the weekend ahead everyone.

Kukwstsétselp,

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

Update from the President #6September 4, 2025

Welcome back! Weyt-kp. Bonjour. Hello.

Welcome to the fall term at Thompson Rivers University! Thank you to everyone who made the summer term so successful — for redeveloping our facilities and infrastructure, for teaching, for research, and for support services. Thank you to the teams prepping for student registrations and orientation.

I had the privilege of attending TRU Orientation on the Kamloops campus on Tuesday and spoke to an enthusiastic crowd of new students. Thank you to TRU Writer and Storyteller Alicia Ashcroft for facilitating the event and Ted Gottfriedson and Alexis Gottfriedson from Indigenous Education for welcoming us all to Tk'emlupsemcúlecw. Thank you to TRU Williams Lake for the welcome gathering on Day One, with Interim Provost Wagner, Interim VP Research Brian Roy, and TRU WL Dean Pooni attending.

We also begin the year with one of TRU's most anticipated traditions — the annual Back-to-School BBQ on Friday, Sept. 5. Starting at 11 a.m., more than 120 booths will showcase student services, campus clubs and community partners. It is a wonderful way to connect, celebrate and set the tone for the year ahead. And of course, the burgers are free. Thank you to the Student Services team and all teams across campus for making this first week and month so special.

Financial Update: Friday, Sept. 5

As signalled in my Update #5, we now have projections for this fiscal year, based on Q2 reporting. I want to share information as early as possible and in a range of forums so that we can build a shared understanding and be involved in planning.

We have an ambitious goal: to turn the university's unprecedented financial challenges into a strategic transformation, positioning TRU for success for decades to come.

On Friday, I will write to our community with a financial update. Ahead of this, I will host an online live Teams session from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. for all faculty and staff who are able to come. I recognize that this is short notice in such a busy week, and that many of us will already have this time booked. I decided to hold the session, though, because I believe it is important that as president, I am available ‘in person’. The session will be recorded for those who prefer or need to view it at a later time.

The Financial Update event on TRU Connect has information on how to join the session.

We will review TRU’s financial position, planning priorities, and how we are responding to pressures and opportunities in the months ahead. This is an opportunity to stay informed and connected as we navigate decisions that will shape TRU’s long-term sustainability. The financial update will then be circulated via TRU Connect.

Questions are welcome. Please do feel free to raise these during the session and to submit questions using Slido (event code: #TRUBudget). If we are not able to provide immediate replies, we will share them as soon as possible.

There will be further opportunities for discussion:

On Wednesday, Sept. 10, I invite you to take part in TRU Talks with Airini — an informal forum where you can bring forward your budget-related questions and join the conversation. The in-person TRU Talks session will take place from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on the second floor of the OLARA building. An online TRU Talks session will take place the same day at 2:30 p.m.

During September, relevant Senate committees will be briefed, as will the Senate.

We are a university moving forward. In our future, TRU is one of the most innovative universities in Canada, not because of its leadership, but because of its faculty, staff and leaders who are deeply committed to use-inspired research and education to address the needs of Interior B.C. and contribute to global futures. And in our future TRU, we respond to our financial challenges; continuously improving with new advances in teaching, research, and service design. In this future, we live within our means, and we grow our means. This is something of the future we are building together.

Chief of Staff

At this time, as TRU is striving ahead, a key priority is leadership to serve all of TRU. After very careful consideration I have decided to add a position — Chief of Staff to the President and Vice-Chancellor — to the university's executive team.

This is a term appointment. No new budget is required for this appointment, and administrative support is provided by existing members in the President’s Office.

I believe that having a chief of staff in place is vital for the successful co-development and implementation of strategic change, from our first phase through to 2027/28.

I am pleased to announce that Mike Henry, Dean of the Bob Gaglardi School of Business and Economics, will serve in this inaugural role, effective Sept. 8, 2025.

The chief of staff is a new role for TRU. The role serves as a trusted partner to the president, ensuring that the office operates effectively and that the university’s most critical work progresses with clarity, through due process, and at pace. The role brings together four primary responsibilities:

  • Strategic leadership and institutional alignment
  • People leadership: overseeing the operations of the President’s Office — including staff, communications, government relations, and the university secretariat — and ensuring effective communication and action
  • Institutional leadership: serving as a member of the TRU executive team, liaising with governance bodies, and guiding responses to complex university issues
  • Wellness leadership: modelling well-being, inclusion, and respect in all aspects of leadership, and contributing to a culture of care across the university

Mike is exceptionally well prepared for this role. Since 2015, he has served as dean of the Bob Gaglardi School of Business and Economics, leading the school through a period of growth in programs, partnerships, and research activity that have benefitted all of TRU. His experience in industry and community relations, governance, administration, and relationship-building, along with his knowledge of TRU’s students and faculty, will be of great value as chief of staff.

Please join me in welcoming Mike as chief of staff to the president and vice-chancellor.

Indigenous Centre ground blessing ceremony

We continue to build, literally. Last week, we gathered at the site of the future Indigenous Centre to acknowledge the land in advance of construction getting underway. The gathering was facilitated by Sharon Gottfriedson, Acting Executive Director, Indigenous Education, with planning help from Interim Capital Projects Director Carmen Love. The Indigenous Centre represents TRU’s commitment to honour Secwépemc values and to create space where all Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, staff and faculty may come together.

Since my last update

I so enjoy walking about campus and visiting online as well. I often perch at Student Street to type there. It’s wonderful when you come up to say hello and share something of your day. Since my last update, my activities have included: Garry Gottfriedson and I met with Sarah Jules and colleagues at Tulo Centre for Indigenous Economics, as well as Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc Chief and Council; with friends and colleagues, I attended the farewell gathering for Dean Doug Booth. Katie Klassen and I met to go over plans for the upcoming scholarship awards gathering, and I met with Dr. Vivek Kumar regarding AI and TRU becoming technology fluent.

Most of all this week is about meeting — new students, returning students, staff and faculty fully embracing this new term. Thank you, everyone, for a superb new fall term.

Kukwstsétselp,

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

Update from the President #7September 12, 2025

Weytkp. Bonjour. Hello.

Thank you for a superb second week of fall term.

Outage

This week we had a power outage affecting all of our Kamloops campus. Thank you for adapting and your patience during the outage. In a way it was great to see us up and away from computers and connecting in person.

On behalf of us all I wrote to the Facilities team to thank them for responding immediately, working on the technical fault finding, and then creating the solution that got the power on. This response team made it possible for classes, research, operations to continue. Thank you too to our communications team for keeping us informed. Let’s all please upload the TRU Safe app and ensure we go through the steps to be set up to receive messages.

I know we won’t always find a solution right away to these kinds of events, but this week’s incident was a reminder that whatever happens we can be confident that as TRU colleagues we are always giving our best. That’s what we are about at TRU. Thank you to our Facilities colleagues for showing this week how true it is that at TRU we are One University together.

Mastercard Foundation gift

Earlier this week, we were honoured to share news of a $5-million gift from the Mastercard Foundation. This unexpected award recognizes TRU’s leadership in creating educational pathways for Indigenous learners and supports the next decade of our partnership through the EleV program. With this gift, TRU joins a select group of 30 institutions across the country.

This funding will strengthen initiatives already underway and spark new ones that ensure Indigenous learners have the resources and opportunities they need to thrive. At this early stage in planning we envisage flowing about 25 per cent of the fund during the next two to three years, and endowing the balance while a medium- to long-term plan is developed.

We recognize that accepting this gift is a responsibility, and we acknowledge all those who have gone before this time, to build our understanding and practices in truth and reconciliation. We thank the Mastercard Foundation for their trust in TRU and for standing with us in our shared commitment to truth and reconciliation in action.

Financial update

Last Friday, I provided an update to the university community on TRU’s financial outlook. This update and other budget-related information is now also available online. Federal changes to international student visas have accelerated enrolment declines more sharply than expected, and this affects our operating budget. We must take immediate action to live within our means while also undertaking the longer-term work of focusing TRU for our own unique future.

The path forward includes reducing discretionary spending, slowing or cancelling some capital projects, reviewing services, and making changes to our workforce.

Ahead of these times we have had careful work to develop relevant policies, governance responsibilities and collective agreements. Please be assured that we all will be vigilant to ensure due process is followed as we go forward. I am grateful for discussions with the leadership of unions serving colleagues across TRU, as well as colleagues in People and Culture.

The response to budget challenges began in 2024 as understanding of the impact of federal policy changes grew and continues during fall term. The Early Retirement Incentive Program which closed in August 2025 is one example of planned actions underway. Given the new financial update, our available actions as a university will be considered at October's Board meeting. With members of the Senior Leadership Team I will continue to provide information to the university on planning.

I recognize that these are difficult steps, and we will approach them with compassion and care for colleagues whose roles are directly affected.

Our purpose is to balance the budget in the short term, to begin the transformation needed for TRU’s long-term success. Future TRU is about building one university that operates outside generic patterns in the university sector, is academically excellent and accessible, leading in use-inspired research and education for our region and the world, and financially stable.

TRU Talks

On Wednesday of this week, I had the genuine pleasure of meeting many of our colleagues at TRU Talks, both in-person at the OLARA building and online. I am inspired by the honesty and passion I heard for TRU’s mission and by the thoughtful questions raised. These gatherings show the strength of our community: people willing to come together, ask hard questions and contribute ideas for our future. They also confirm the importance of continued discussions — in-person and online. During October, TRU Talks will include an in-person discussion time at TRU Williams Lake as well.

Your feedback is shaping the conversations we are having at the senior leadership level. TRU Talks will continue throughout the year as part of our commitment to open dialogue. Thank you to everyone who participated and to those who will join future sessions.

Outstanding

We’re okay at TRU with standing tall. Here are just two in recent times:

  • TRU secures top spot in sustainability
  • Prof. Courtney Mason receives highest honour from the Royal Society of Canada

Since my last update

Since my last message, I have also had opportunities to connect with students, faculty, and staff in so many settings. Members of the senior executive team and I met with students and faculty who are part of the People's University of Gaza at TRU. We agreed to collaborate on meeting notes which will be forthcoming. It was wonderful to attend WolfPack games on Friday and Saturday evenings. The President’s Office and Provost’s Office visited the House of Learning fourth floor to plan for the move there in late October. My thanks continue to the Library team for this opportunity. In addition I visited with Kukpi7 Casimir as part of our regular times for connecting.

Thank you everyone for a wonderful week. I wish you rest over the weekend ahead, for many here within Secwepemcúl’ecw.

Kukwstsétselp,

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

Update from the President #8September 19, 2025

Weytkp. Bonjour. Hello.

Thank you for another exciting week at Thompson Rivers University!

Pride Parade

This week, I had the honour of joining the TRUSU Pride Parade, which marked its 15th year on our campus. The event was a celebration of courage, community and inclusion. Each of us as speakers paid tribute to the leadership of TRUSU initiating the Pride Parade, and to those who have been and are still at the forefront of the struggles for rights.

Walking alongside students, faculty, staff, and alumni, I was reminded of how important it is that universities, and TRU in particular, continue to be places where people feel safe to live, work, and study as their authentic selves. I am thinking still about the speech by Apoorv Chowdhury, TRUSU’s LGBTQ+ representative, who shared their story and described times in which “joy is radical”.

Thank you to the TRUSU Equity Committee and all who organized and participated.

Alumni events

On Wednesday and Thursday, when I was in Vancouver and Victoria, I attended TRU alumni gatherings. Thank you to Andy Do and the team from Advancement who coordinated these special gatherings, and for the theme of sustainability. These events are a chance to connect with graduates whose contributions reach across many fields. They spoke about the value of their TRU education, and how they see a direct line between learning at TRU and their careers.

It was inspiring to hear how our alumni continue to carry TRU’s spirit into their professional and personal lives. We were also so pleased that several donors to TRU and business leaders joined these events. Thank you to everyone who joined.

Government relations

While in Vancouver, I met with senior government leadership in the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills. The discussion included our unique and vital contributions to BC through our use-inspired research and education, applied to Interior BC challenges and global futures, as well as Future TRU and deficit mitigation planning. Government relations (regional, provincial, federal) are core business for the president's role — hearing from government leadership about priorities, participating as Team BC in national advocacy, and having the opportunity to speak directly about TRU’s unique strengths and the important contributions we make to the economy and communities.

In addition, while in Victoria, I met with leadership for the Research Universities’ Council of British Columbia. RUCBC works with and on behalf of its members to improve the quality, accessibility and coordination of university education in British Columbia. The Council provides a single voice on behalf of the six major universities on public policy issues, including funding, research, accountability, admissions and transfer. My thanks to Christina Zacharuk, chief executive officer, and Blair Littler, executive director.

Twenty years of intercultural learning

Sept. 19 marks the 20th anniversary of intercultural learning at TRU, and coincides with the retirement of Dr. Kyra Garson, our first intercultural coordinator. Dr. Garson’s scholarship and leadership placed TRU on the national stage in intercultural education, and the event celebrated both her contributions and the ongoing importance of intercultural learning in our future. The Showcase program included dialogues, demonstrations, and a panel asking, “Does Intercultural Learning Really Matter?” followed by an appreciation circle.

Intercultural learning is core to who we are: a university committed to respect, dialogue and global citizenship.

TRU-TRUFA discussion

This week, members of TRU senior leadership and I met with TRUFA leadership and Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC leadership for an informal discussion about program-related Board policy (see policy here) and collective agreement articles.

Leadership search: Provost and vice-president academic (PVPA)

The PVPA search committee met on Tuesday. In the first meeting, we reviewed the search process, which follows LoU #2 of the TRU-TRUFA collective agreement, and planned for the process, including confidentiality, managing conflicts of interest, EDI training, and a discussion about the role. We anticipate shortlisted candidates to be interviewed in early December.

As this is an executive-level search, we are supported by McDermott + Bull. Committee members are: faculty representatives Christine Miller and Dr. Monica Sanchez-Flores; senior administrator Matt Milovick; deans Dr. Yasmin Dean and Dr. Mark Wallin; Secwépemc representative Dessa Gottfriedson; and TRUSU representative Arpitha Thippeswamy.

Since my last update

In addition to these highlights, connections with students, faculty, leaders and staff across our campuses continue, and with them, amazing stories of feats in research, education, support services, and helping in our communities.

I joined supporters for a TRU WolfPack soccer game, sat chatting in Student Street, and walked gently past families of deer. I met the dad of a TRU graduate (a millwright) and heard how his son is doing so well in his professional career. And with a humble heart and gratitude, TRU World and I attended the celebration of life for one of our students who passed away this summer. We remain so grateful to Pastor Richard for his continued counsel and support. In all ways, each interaction reminds me that TRU’s greatest strengths lie with people, in all our humanity together.

Kukwstsétselp,

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

Update from the President #9September 26, 2025

Weytkp. Bonjour. Hello.

Thank you for the positive comments about these Updates. In this Update #9, I share information about CUPE notifications, the President’s Scholarship Reception, campus renewal, program reviews, the start of Senate meetings, and activities I’ve engaged in since my last update, as well as my thoughts looking ahead to TRC Day.

CUPE notifications

This week, CUPE members received notifications of position reductions. We fully recognize the profound impact this has on colleagues and friends. These decisions impact individuals who have provided valuable professional support services to TRU. The university community is grateful to our colleagues. Please continue to take care of yourselves and each other. We are proceeding with care and respect, carefully following our agreements and policies.

I appreciated the opportunity to meet online with so many of our university on Wednesday, Sept. 24. Thank you also for the many questions, which I responded to along with Vice-President of Administration and Finance Matt Milovick and Associate Vice-President of People and Culture Shayne Olsen. This online gathering was recorded, and a link to the video was shared yesterday on TRU Connect. Additionally, a campus-wide announcement was made, which is posted here.

Over the next few weeks, we will complete the "bumping" process as outlined in the TRU-CUPE collective agreement. Overall, during the notice period (Oct. 1 to Jan. 31, 2026), our university will undertake organizational planning to prepare for a smooth transition in February. The shared goal is to provide optimal support services for students, faculty, researchers, businesses and community members engaging with the university. Some work will be prioritized, and other work might stop. Work redesign will help us operate from a smaller base.

TRU, which currently faces a significant deficit, must balance its budget. To achieve this, we must find ways to live within our means. Across the university, we all continue to prioritize every possible option to balance the budget and minimize the impact on our colleagues. Nevertheless, due to the scale of the required change, there may be a need for further workforce reductions. Our academic values and priorities in education and research will continue to lead our university’s decisions, and our budget realities will inform these.

President’s Scholarship Reception

On Thursday, I had the privilege of hosting the President’s Scholarship Reception in the Mountain Room. This annual event celebrates student excellence across entrance, undergraduate and graduate levels.

Every year, more than $1.5 million in scholarships and bursaries are awarded, made possible by the generosity of donors, alumni, foundations and community partners. These awards reduce barriers, open doors, and affirm the potential of our students.

The evening also highlighted the extraordinary achievements of individual recipients, including these students who spoke at the event:

  • Cassie McNutt, who created Cassie’s Charity Drive, raised over $260,000 for the Kamloops Hospice Association and established a fund to support future student leaders.
  • Joseph Kruger, a Syilx Okanagan Nation graduate student and Canadian Armed Forces veteran, whose resilience after losing his family home in the White Rock Lake wildfire has shaped his research on systemic barriers in justice.
  • Courtenay Campbell, a proud member of Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc, whose research on wildfire recovery bridges science, Indigenous knowledge, and community service.
  • Angela Achoba-Omajali, an alumna in Nursing, who has been recognized nationally for her advocacy in mental health, equity and anti-racism, and is a continuing leader in healthcare.

All students recognized at the reception embody both achievement and service, demonstrating the impact TRU students make on campus, in their communities, and globally. We have every reason to be excited by the brilliance of potential and ambition held by TRU students.

Campus renewal

Across campus this week, sod crews were hard at work installing new grass. This work follows extensive construction for TRU’s Low-Carbon District Energy System (LCDES), which has been underway across much of the campus. With major underground work now complete, Facilities crews are restoring campus green spaces. These improvements not only repair construction areas but also contribute to the welcoming environment we strive to create for students, faculty, staff and visitors. I really enjoyed talking with the team members who laid the new turf. It is beautiful. My thanks to our Facilities team for their continued dedication.

Programs

Consistent with Board policy, TRU is to "ensure resources are used to meet the needs of students and to efficiently and effectively meet the goals and objectives of our university". We have policy-based guidelines by which the Board of Governors shall decide on the need for reducing or eliminating particular programs.

All decisions will be made with consideration for the missions and values of TRU. The process for program reduction or elimination includes consultations with departments, faculties, or schools. To support this, deans will soon receive data and information about low enrolment credentials. Thank you to deans for leading these initial consultations with departments and faculty on the accuracy and completeness of the data and information.

Thank you also to faculty colleagues for your review of these. Next steps will continue to follow Board policy. I invite us all to read the policy and related articles in the TRU-TRUFA collective agreement. Please be assured that open communication will continue.

Senate

This week marked the first Senate meeting of the fall semester. The meeting welcomed new senators, confirmed Joel Wood as vice-chair by acclamation, and outlined a refreshed format for presidential reports — blending updates for decision-making, progress reporting on strategic goals, and longer-term direction-setting under Future TRU.

Senators approved several new academic developments and received updates on TRU’s financial challenges, as well as the 18- to 20-month transformation process ahead. The Knowledge Makers program was celebrated for its 10th year, and faculty achievements were recognized, including national and international honours.

Looking ahead: Truth and Reconciliation Day

On Monday, Sept. 29, TRU will gather with Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

The programme, open to students, staff, faculty and community members, will include a territorial welcome, survivor testimonies, and reflections on the theme: “Honouring the Children, Survivors, and Families.”

TRU’s commitments to reconciliation are grounded in action. From the Knowledge Makers program, which has supported over 200 Indigenous student researchers, to the Indigenous Centre now under construction, to the Indigenous student awards endowment, we are working to ensure reconciliation is embedded in our teaching, research, and governance.

The Secwépemc principle of Kw’seltktnéws — that we are all related — guides this work. I encourage all of us to participate in Monday’s events, to listen, reflect, and act. For me, on the day itself, Sept. 30, I will return to reports from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the calls to action. I will also return to the poetry by Garry Gottfriedson, the Secwépemc special advisor to the president.

The event will take place at the Campus Commons by the Campus Activity Centre, starting at 11 a.m. View the agenda here.

Since my last update

This week, I really enjoyed listening to the CBC report on Knowledge Makers’ 10th anniversary (here). I have also been working on the itinerary for an upcoming overseas trip to meet with eight universities and establish affiliations for student exchanges, research, and program collaboration, as well as to engage with universities in the UniForum network.

Later today, I meet with TRUSU executive members. I am grateful for their time and insights. Thank you also to Alexis for the Secwepemctsín classes, open to all, which take place on the last Thursday of each month at noon in OLARA. We had a very enjoyable session this week.

This week I also attended my first Finance Committee meeting of the Board, my first (online) meeting with the six presidents in the Research Universities Council of British Columbia, and my first meeting of the TRU Community Corporation.

There were also a number of media interviews, and I greatly appreciated meeting with TRU’s Senior Leadership Team on Monday. And finally, we celebrated a special birthday for one of our cherished team members in the President’s Office.

Best wishes for the weekend ahead, everyone.

Kukwstsétselp,

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

Update from the President #10October 3, 2025

Thank you for your continued engagement with these updates. In this Update #10, I share information about TRC Day at TRU, our participation in the provincial recruitment consortium Post-Secondary BC (PSBC), an International Baccalaureate (IB) mini-conference hosted on campus, and meetings with MLAs Peter Milobar and Ward Stamer.

TRC Day at TRU

On Monday, Sept. 29, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., our community gathered in the Campus Commons by the Campus Activity Centre to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The Office of Indigenous Education organized the event. This year’s theme was “Honouring the Children, Survivors, and Families,” with a program that began with the Little Fawn Nursery gifting their singing and dancing of the Welcome Song.

Guest speakers included Elder Evelyn Gottfriedson and Emma Gottfriedson, who offered the gift of opening words. Representatives from Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Council, TRUSU, TRU Research, TRU Indigenous Education, Métis Nation BC, and the Indian Residential Schools Survivors Society also took part. The program concluded with the Survivors' Honour Song, a Friendship Circle, and other songs.

Thank you to the TRU Indigenous Education team for bringing us together. Thank you to everyone who attended in person and to those who joined us through live-streaming. Thank you too to our facilities, sounds, and grounds teams who supported this event.

People and Culture

On Oct. 1, several CUPE colleagues received formal notice of position reductions, eliminations or potential bumping. These are difficult decisions. Our approach is guided by TRU’s values and our collective agreement. Thank you for supporting one another as we work together to restore balance over the next 18 to 20 months, keeping TRU strong for our students and the region.

Board of Governors

The Oct. 3 Board of Governors meeting included the usual in-camera morning session followed by the public session in the afternoon. The agenda and associated links can be found here. I was welcomed to the Board as a new member and presented my first report to the board.

Items and decisions from our September Senate meeting were brought forward, as well as annual reports, including the Implementation of the Sexualized Violence policy, and a notice of motion regarding the policy on the Responsible Use of University Space. There was a presentation on Future TRU and the deficit mitigation plan.

Thompson Rivers University's 15-member Board of Governors is established under the Thompson Rivers University Act. The Board comprises the Chancellor, the President, eight people appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor (two of whom are appointed from among persons nominated by the alumni association), two faculty members elected by faculty, two students elected by students, and one person elected by and from the employees of the university who are not faculty members. We are grateful to each board member for the experience, skills and time that they bring to board duties for TRU.

Post-Secondary BC provincial recruitment consortium

TRU joined colleagues from across the province at the Kamloops Community Post-Secondary Info Evening on Wednesday at the Henry Grube Education Centre. Fourteen universities and colleges were on hand. The event was open to students, parents, caregivers, and supporters.

This consortium work gives prospective learners a clear view of pathways and transfer options. It is also a practical way to gather feedback from families about affordability, program choice and support.

Our Future Students team was on hand to answer questions and connect visitors with next steps to studying at TRU. As I went along the TRU lineup, talking with young people and family members, I heard appreciation for TRU’s focus on use-inspired research and education, as well as our flexible learning options and the way we unify higher education and vocational education.

Mini-conference hosted by the International Baccalaureate (IB) Organization

On Thursday, TRU hosted the “Reaching More IB Learners” mini-conference in the Campus Activity Centre. Many thanks to Mike Bluhm, AVP enrolment services and university registrar, for assisting with this event.

The event highlighted the alignment between TRU and IB, emphasizing global-mindedness, inclusivity and learner agency. In my remarks, I outlined how TRU and IB are aligned and where we can strengthen pathways for IB graduates. As BC’s leading dual-sector research university, TRU is positioned to welcome graduates from both the IB Diploma Program (DP) and the IB Career Program (CP).

Our objective is straightforward — create clear pathways for IB students into TRU programs, with advising that respects both academic rigour and applied learning routes.

Meeting with MLAs Peter Milobar and Ward Stamer

This week, I met with Kamloops-area MLAs Peter Milobar and Ward Stamer. These conversations allow us to talk together about what matters most for our region and our students. I shared how TRU is vital to addressing skills shortages, research, and innovation across Interior BC, and how student success is central to planning. We also discussed the financial realities that universities are facing and the need for stability in provincial policy, so that we can plan responsibly.

Partnerships with local representatives strengthen our ability to serve the region and ensure TRU remains a university for the Interior, with impact that reaches here and far beyond.

Since my last update

I really enjoy spending time at Student Street as often as possible. I met with two Indigenous graduate students from Taiwan there who are studying and researching at TRU for five weeks. Thank you, Nero (TRU World), for arranging this.

Together with the search committee for the provost and vice-president academic, we completed EDI training with Keisha this week. Prof. Lesley Cormack (Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of UBCO) and I had a wonderful, open discussion together.

I also sent congratulations to Prof. Bill Owen, who has been appointed Interim President and Vice-Chancellor at UNBC. And finally, I am looking forward to visiting the NASA International Space Apps Challenge — a 48-hour hackathon during the weekend.

Thank you for such a good week at TRU, everyone. All the best for the weekend ahead.

Kukwstsétselp,

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

Update from the President #11October 10, 2025

Hello. Bonjour. Weytk,

In this Update #11, I share highlights about our Fall Convocation and International Graduate Reception, the national launch of the Wildfire Resilience Consortium of Canada (WRCC), recent discussions on AI leadership at TRU, and new developments related to the Mastercard Foundation TRC award.

Fall Convocation 2025

Today, we celebrated the achievements of the TRU Class of 2025 with our Fall Convocation ceremony at the Tournament Capital Centre. The TCC was full with family, friends, supporters and of course all the graduates. I talked with many family and friends in the stands before the event and the stories were so inspiring. This is one of the most joyful occasions in the university year, marking years of dedication by students, faculty, staff, and families. I am so grateful to all the faculty, deans, and senior leaders who joined on stage. Your energy of celebration was palpable. Thank you colleagues. And to Katie and the TRU Events team, thank you sincerely.

We also hosted the International Graduate Reception this afternoon in the Grand Hall, where we recognized more than 230 graduates from over 30 countries. Many began their studies during the uncertainty of the pandemic. Their perseverance and achievement embody resilience and global connection. A memorable highlight: twin siblings from Sri Lanka graduating together from the Bachelor of Tourism Management — a powerful symbol of family and shared success.

Wildfire Resilience Consortium of Canada (WRCC) launch

Earlier this week TRU hosted the inaugural national gathering of the Wildfire Resilience Consortium of Canada (WRCC). The event brought together wildfire researchers, Indigenous fire stewards, government and industry leaders, and international contributors from Australia and Spain.

The gathering marked the start of a new, national collaboration — a consortium that will move Canada’s wildfire knowledge from research to practice. TRU is proud to be a founding board member and the physical home of this network, anchoring its executive director’s office on our Kamloops campus.

In my welcome words I was thinking about the Secwépemc principle of K’wselktnéws — that resilience grows through relationship — and I shared how TRU’s leadership in wildfire research, education, and training strengthens communities across the country. We have hope.

This launch is a major milestone for TRU’s use-inspired research mission and further establishes Kamloops as a hub for wildfire knowledge and collaboration.

AI leadership at TRU

I’ve been giving thought to AI leadership at TRU and how we can prepare our community for what comes next. This week included conversations with colleagues Leisel Knaack, Brian Roy, and Matt Norton, as well as discussions about language-learning applications with the Indigenous Education and research teams. More on this later.

Additionally, I participated in the NASA International Space Apps 48-hour Hackathon Challenge, all of which affirmed the pace of change and promise of this field. Thank you to the brilliant faculty, staff and leadership who made this possible; to the Faculty of Science and other generous sponsors.

The hackathon happened across Canada all at the same time, based at different universities. TRU had the third largest participant group after University of Toronto and Waterloo (and we had to close off the entries due to limited places). My sense, listening to all the 3- to 4-minute presentations here at TRU on Sunday evening, is that at TRU we are innovators. We can solve challenges across our planet and into space.

Partnerships and recognition

This week also saw developments around the Mastercard Foundation award to TRU ($5M), which supports Indigenous education and student success. Sharon Gottfriedson will be the administrator for this work as we make decisions about the best ways to use this incredible gift, which will deepen TRU’s long-standing commitment to inclusive, community-based learning. Thank you to Sharon as she sets up governance and operations arrangements for the fund. More information will come once the arrangements are in place.

UniForum

An initial report from the data submitted over summer was reviewed by myself and other members of the Executive Team this week. There are some early positive signs, as well as areas where we might aim for excellence. The data help us as TRU to create some hypotheses about future arrangements and inform decisions.

We are not at that stage yet though. What happens next is that a report from this first round is finalized by mid-November. It will then be discussed with the Senior Leadership Team, and there will be some sharing through those units and governance committees as well. Early thinking is that this will happen from November to January. Sincere thanks to all those involved in the data submission. A special thanks to IPE.

Since my last update

I was in Victoria on Thursday to meet with Premier Eby, Hon. Minister Sunner (Post Secondary and Future Skills), Hon. Minister Ravi Kahlon, Deputy Ministers, and Chiefs of Staff. All six members of the Research Universities Council of BC were in attendance. The premier shared about government priorities and we heard from the ministers about priorities in their portfolios.

In the time available TRU’s contribution as BC’s first dual-sector research university (unifying higher education and vocational education) received positive interest, along with sharing about how we can contribute to BC’s economic and social development through our use-inspired research and education applied to challenges in Interior BC and the province.

I am joining the WolfPack supporters this evening at Hillside Stadium.

Thank you to everyone involved in an exceptional week for our TRU — from the WRCC launch to Convocation celebrations. Each event big and small reflects the Future TRU we are building: a university of place, connected to the world; focused; strong, brave, and caring. I am so thankful.

Kukwstsétselp,

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

Update from the President #12October 16, 2025

Hello. Bonjour. Weyt-kp.

This week’s update provides information about a student safety initiative, Open House 2025, TRU receives a national award, an invitation to applied AI discussions, and international engagement underway.

All Seasons. All Students. Safe.

Since its launch in September, this critically important project has brought together colleagues from across the university with one clear purpose — to strengthen seasonal safety for our students.

Led by Sara Wolfe and Reuben Onyango, the All Seasons. All Students. Safe group now comprises 12 members and operates under formal terms of reference. The team is reviewing evidence on student seasonal accidents and fatalities, identifying existing educational efforts, and developing coordinated recommendations to improve awareness of local seasonal risks — from water and hiking safety in summer to cold-weather and road safety in winter.

After meeting weekly in September, the group now meets bi-weekly and will present its recommendations and implementation plan to the Executive Team in December. Thank you so much to Sara and Reuben, who, with the group, are leading a proactive, student-centred initiative that reflects the practical and caring spirit of TRU.

TRU Open House 2025

Excitement builds for this year’s TRU Kamloops Open House. Planning has been underway for many months. Thank you to the Open House team for your energy and passion for TRU’s future students. Thank you to all the faculty and students who will be on hand to share activities and advice.

TRU Kamloops’ Open House is on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Explore our programs with over 100 booths and experiences, take the family out for a day of fun, or simply learn more about our campus — Open House has something to offer everyone. Connect with faculty and students, engage in hands-on activities, and experience what it’s like to live and learn at TRU.

Thank you too to the team that led the successful TRU Williams Lake Open House on Oct. 15.

TRU and City of Kamloops partnership recognized nationally

TRU is a leader in innovation. We were all so pleased to learn of a national award announced last week, recognizing TRU’s ongoing collaboration with the City of Kamloops through our Researcher-in-Residence (RiR) program.

The You Are Here Kamloops Cultural Strategic Plan 2024–2034, developed through the RiR partnership and co-led by Dr. Will Garrett-Petts, received the 2025 Creative City Impact Award in Cultural Planning at the Creative City Network of Canada Summit.

This award celebrates the integration of university research into civic planning. It acknowledges the contributions of TRU faculty, students, and postdoctoral researchers such as Dr. Cheryl Gladu, who worked with City staff and residents to map Kamloops’ cultural identity. Congratulations to the entire team on this national recognition of collaboration. TRU is a leader in use-inspired research and education applied to challenges in Interior BC and contributing to global futures.

MoU Development – TRU/SFU

With thanks to the Provost’s Office and TRU Research, we have developed a Memorandum of Understanding between TRU and SFU to advance collaboration in applied AI education and research. Both I and SFU’s president and vice-chancellor are signatories to the MoU.

TRU Talks with President Airini

We have an ambitious goal: to turn the university's unprecedented financial challenges into a strategic transformation, positioning TRU for success for decades to come. Since August 2025, we have been meeting monthly for TRU Talks with President Airini, an informal and open discussion about building our Future TRU.

This month’s TRU Talks will be held on Friday, Oct. 24:

10 to 11:30 a.m. in person at TRU Kamloops
12 to 1 p.m. online with TRU Williams Lake

As with previous TRU Talks, the aim is to provide a forum for ‘soundings’ related to our strategic transformation. I will begin by welcoming those who can attend and then share information about strategic ideas/initiatives related to TRU’s future.

For October, the ‘soundings’ will be about: Future TRU, evolving as a dual-sector research university; and draft strategic change goals for our university’s first phase of strategic transformation (2025/26 and 2027/28).

Your input and ideas, as well as our conversations at TRU Talks, help us build a shared understanding of our forward momentum and tackle our challenges, positioning TRU for success for decades to come.

Venue and link details for TRU Talks with President Airini on Oct. 24 will be shared soon.

Since My Last Update

I am currently overseas working with universities in New Zealand and Australia. I am grateful to be joined by Garry Gottfriedson (Secwépemc Special Advisor to the President) and Matt Milovick (Vice President of Administration and Finance). The discussions will result in several formal affiliation agreements, which will be finalized after the travel. Actions are intended to contribute to building our Future TRU through partnering with purpose:

Establish/deepen collaborations/affiliations between TRU and universities in NZ and Australia to advance international research, collaborative education models, and student experience; and environmental sustainability leadership (University of Canterbury).

Indigenization: Advance international Indigenous research and education collaborations/affiliations between TRU and universities in NZ (Te Wānanga o Aotearora, Te Wānanga o Raukawa). Invite participation in the opening of the TRU Indigenous Centre (estimated: November 2026) and a year of activities to follow (University of Canterbury, Te Wānanga o Aotearora, Te Wānanga o Raukawa, Wainuiomata High School).

Redefining what it means to be a university: Network with a dual-sector research university to expand understandings of good practice (Victoria University, Melbourne).

One University: Engage with university leaders in the UniForum network to share practices in strategic transformation to optimize student experience and to strengthen support for faculty, staff, and leadership (3 to 4 Australian universities).

We will continue to expand the number and scope of focused, strategic, reciprocal partnerships that address challenges for people and communities in Interior BC, the province, and contribute to better global futures.

In support of open communication, I will provide a report on my international travel on behalf of TRU, including the itinerary, outcomes, and direct expenses, via the president’s webpage. Consistent with our legislated requirements, a summary account of direct travel-related expenditures will also be available annually.

While I am offshore for this work, Dr. Shannon Wagner is acting president and vice-chancellor, per Board policy.

I look forward to returning to campus and conversations about TRU redefining what it means to be a university, being BC’s first dual-sector research university, and leading in use-inspired research and education.

Thank you, everyone, for advancing this important work as valued colleagues at TRU. Whether in Kamloops, Williams Lake, or around the world, our TRU community continues to show what it means to be strong, brave, and caring. That is how we strive ahead at TRU.

Thank you. Merci. Kukwstsétselp.

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

Update from the President #13October 24, 2025

Weytkp. Bonjour. Hello.

This week’s update shares information about today’s TRU Talks, the agenda for next week’s Senate meeting, progress on UniForum and Strategic Change Goals, and upcoming national engagements.

TRU Talks — Building our Future TRU

This morning, I invite you to join TRU Talks with the President — taking place from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at TRU Kamloops in NPH 160, Chappell Family Building for Nursing and Population Health. From 12 to 1 p.m. there will be an online TRU Talks session for TRU Williams Lake.

If you’re reading this later in the day, the sessions will have already taken place — thank you to everyone who joined and contributed to these conversations.

Since August, TRU Talks has offered space for open dialogue. Thompson Rivers University is transforming in the context of a post-secondary sector that is evolving rapidly. The financial pressures facing our university are significant. We are acting quickly to meet these challenges, guided by our core values and our commitment to excellence in use-inspired research and education. We have an ambitious goal: to turn the university's unprecedented financial challenges into a strategic transformation, positioning TRU for success for decades to come.

Today’s discussions will include ‘soundings’ on refreshing the Envision TRU strategic change goals (here). Initially set in 2020, we are half-way through the ten-year visioning period. Draft refreshed strategic change goals (2025/26–2030/31) for the next five years will be shared. As always, advice is very welcome — including on purpose, scope, and tracking progress.

The draft refreshed strategic change goals will be discussed in academic governance meetings and were conceptualized during summer with input from senior leadership team members. Consultations will continue through October and November ahead of advancing refreshed strategic change goals to the Board of Governors later this fall. Each conversation helps shape how we move forward together to build the Future TRU.

Senate — Monday, October 27

The agenda for Monday’s Senate meeting is now available. Highlights include:

  • Approval of program revisions
  • Reports for information: Trades Program Review Deferral and Career and Experiential Learning Program Review.
  • Consultation item: proposed revisions to the Responsible Use of University Space Policy, referred by the Board of Governors for Senate feedback before December.
  • Notice of motion: a proposal to include a regular in-camera session on future Senate agendas.

The meeting takes place Monday, Oct. 27, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in HL190 and will be live-streamed. Find the agenda and livestream link here. The agenda for each Senate includes reports from the president and vice-chancellor and the provost and vice-president academic. As signaled at the September meeting of Senate, my reports will generally cover two areas: information that supports decision-making by Senate, and soundings. This month my report includes an overview of the draft refreshed strategic change goals (2025/26–2030/31), priorities of the president (2025/26-2027/28), and TRU achievements and accolades.

UniForum — Advancing Service Excellence

This month, TRU’s Executive Team reviewed draft early results from the UniForum benchmarking project. The data provides comparative insight into how TRU delivers administrative and academic support services, helping us identify efficiencies and opportunities to strengthen the student, faculty, and staff experience of professional services. A finalized report will be available in November. Sharing and discussions will happen through November and December to inform the translation of findings into further strengthening professional support services at TRU.

RUCBC Presidents Meeting

This morning, I met with colleagues from BC’s research universities at the Research Universities Council of BC (RUCBC) meeting. Topics included debriefs from meetings with the Premier and Ministers, preparation for the BC Industrial Plan, and coordinated advocacy on research and innovation priorities. The session also included joint discussions with vice-presidents research about strengthening federal and provincial collaboration.

Upcoming Engagements — Universities Canada and Alumni in Ottawa

Next week, I will participate in the Universities Canada Fall Membership Meeting in Ottawa (Oct. 28 to 29). Sessions will explore national priorities including post-secondary funding, research partnerships, and financial sustainability.

TRU will also host its first TRU Alumni Night in Ottawa on Oct. 29 — a gathering with alumni in federal public service, NGOs, and education. Guests include distinguished alumni Lori Marchand, Kevin Loring, and Frank Fiorenza. These events strengthen our national connections and highlight TRU’s reach across Canada.

Since My Last Update

TRU’s annual Open House was held with success last weekend. Thank you to all on the organizing team and contributors to information sharing and experiences. A report on my recent international engagement has been drafted for posting onto the president’s website next week. This includes itinerary, outcomes, actions, and costs. I have greatly appreciated working with the IPE team on data and trends as One University. IPE is vital to evidence-informed planning and actions at TRU. An area I explored this week are the ‘Trend Cards’ which offer insights that are helpful as we build our future TRU.

Best wishes for the weekend ahead, everyone.

Kukwstsétselp. Merci.

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

Update from the President #14October 31, 2025

Hello. Bonjour. Weytkp.

This week’s update highlights our alumni gatherings in Toronto and Ottawa, the recent BC Supreme Court ruling on Thompson Rivers University’s Visual Arts programs, October’s TRU Talks discussions in Kamloops and Williams Lake, and this week’s Senate meeting.

Alumni and Open Learners Nights in Toronto and Ottawa

It was wonderful to meet with TRU alumni, TRU Open Learning students, partners, and friends in both cities this week. These evenings showcase the remarkable impact TRU graduates are making across Canada and abroad, and the passion of TRU’s Open Learning students. Our alumni spoke with pride about their TRU experience, their mentors, and how their experience with TRU continues to shape their work and lives. Our current students shared the importance of access to education wherever they might be and how this makes it possible to earn while learning.

There was support for our unique position as a dual-sector research university that unifies higher and vocational education. We were encouraged to continue to grow TRU’s use-inspired research and education, applied to challenges in Interior BC and contributing to Canada’s future. Work-integrated and experiential learning also featured in the discussions. There was spontaneous applause when we shared about our university’s achievements in sustainability.

On Thursday next week, the final alumni visit for this series will be held in Calgary. Thank you to our Advancement and Alumni teams for organizing events that build community and connection. Thank you to our Open Learning colleagues for joining key events. It is always inspiring to meet and hear from those who are empowered to build lives and pursue dreams and careers through TRU. It is an honour to share in the continued enthusiasm for our TRU community, research and education.

Court Decision on Visual Arts Programs

On Oct. 28, the BC Supreme Court found that the Board’s decision to eliminate four Visual Arts programs was reasonable, and that “TRU’s decision-making process in reaching the decision to discontinue the Visual Arts Programs was fulsome, conducted in good faith and essentially in conformity with BD Policy 8-4.”

The review also signalled learning for TRU. The court found that the decision to suspend enrolment was made without first seeking the approval of the Board. I believe the Thompson Rivers University Act and policies provide principles, processes, and precedent for respectful decision-making. We will always strive to be respectful and to follow due process. This principled effort continues in the spirit of respectful decision-making.

The court also found that reversing the decision to suspend enrolment would be moot since the Board ultimately decided to eliminate the programs. This means the Board's decision to suspend enrolments and to close the four TRU Visual Arts programs remains unchanged.

My post to the university community on Oct. 29 on this case can be found here.

TRU Talks – TRU Kamloops and TRU Williams Lake

Thank you to everyone who joined last week’s TRU Talks with President Airini. At TRU Kamloops, colleagues shared thoughtful questions about the draft 2025–2030 change goals, which will guide the next phase of Envision TRU. More information on these refreshed goals will be shared soon.

At TRU Williams Lake, our virtual gathering sparked valuable discussion about how TRU can make practical use of artificial intelligence, and how bench-marking through UniForum can help strengthen support for faculty and students.

These conversations are intended to be open, and please do feel very welcome to attend, so we can continue to shape how we move forward together toward a Future TRU. A number of the items discussed in October will be brought forward to governance discussions and to the Executive Team. The idea of a suggestion box will be actioned this month. Thank you one and all.

The next TRU Talks sessions are on Monday, Nov. 17. Please look for further details on TRU Connect in the coming days.

Draft Strategic Change Goals (2025–2030)

In 2020, TRU’s strategic change goals were created to drive the 10-year vision described in the Board-approved Envision TRU (2020–2030). Five years on, TRU is transforming in a rapidly evolving post-secondary sector. At the halfway point for Envision TRU, a refresh of the strategic change goals is underway to respond to our context and future-proof the university.

Having both the Envision TRU strategy and measurable goals is important because together they provide a roadmap for building our future TRU by offering clarity, forward direction, and accountability. A strategy guides long-term decisions, while measurable goals allow us to track progress, sustain focus, and clearly understand what needs to be achieved and what success looks like.

In November, discussions on draft strategic change goals (2025–2030) will take place in several forums. Your input is valued. The Senate will be advised of the views from these discussions and invited to provide advice. The next Board meeting (Dec. 5) will receive a briefing on our strategic change goals (2025–2030).

A briefing paper on this initiative will be posted online shortly, and a link to the document will be shared via TRU Connect. Please do feel fully welcome to contribute through the upcoming meetings.

Senate Meeting Highlights

The Senate met on Monday to discuss academic program updates, policy reviews, and ongoing planning work related to academic sustainability. I am grateful to senators for their leadership in these important deliberations, which help ensure our decisions remain rooted in quality, accessibility, and the success of our learners.

The October Senate agenda papers can be found here and the TRU Connect item on Senate outcomes can be found here.

Since My Last Update

Over the past two weeks, I have continued meeting with colleagues and partners about advancing TRU’s strategic transformation. This includes our distinction as a dual-sector research university and leader in use-inspired research and education applied to challenges in Interior BC and contributing to Canada and global futures.

Thank you for the continued energy and ideas as we build our Future TRU together. Whether on campus or across the province, our efforts together show what it means to be TRU: strong, brave, and caring.

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

Update from the President #15November 6, 2025

Hello. Bonjour. Weytkp.

This week’s update includes news about a special advisor for AI starting at TRU, reflections on Indigenous Veterans Day and Remembrance Day, TRU’s response to a planned denialist event, our alumni gathering in Calgary, this month’s TRU Talks sessions, and international recognition for TRU Open Learning.

Future TRU: Charting our progress

We have an ambitious goal: to turn the university's unprecedented financial challenges into a strategic transformation that positions TRU for success for decades to come. This is a university-wide effort, and thank you, everyone, for all the ways in which we are building our future TRU.

This month, there are discussions about refreshing our university’s strategic change goals (attached as a PDF to this message). Please find the information below about this month’s TRU talks with President Airini. These goals will be the core of tracking and reporting on progress during the first 18 to 20-month phase through to 2027/28, and the second phase through to 2030/31. In phase one, we are adjusting to living within our means while making highly strategic investments, and in phase two, we are living within our means and growing our means. The 10 draft strategic change goals span academic excellence, student experience, research, sustainability, internationalization, reconciliation, and more.

The Senate and the Board continue to receive regular updates on progress. We can attend the public sections of these meetings and access agenda papers online (https://www.tru.ca/board/agenda.html; https://www.tru.ca/senate/agendas.html).

Thank you to the provost and vice-president academic, deans and faculty councils for the budget presentations and discussions that have been happening in every faculty and school.

Questions are always welcome, and we do our best to assist: president@tru.ca.

Update on President’s Office and administration roles

I welcomed a recent query about administration/exempt roles at TRU and the president’s office.

Over the past year (November 2024–October 2025) there has been a reduction of 13 to 16 per cent in administration/exempt roles (about 30 FTE). This represents a saving of about $3 million (net). This also represents the departure of valued colleagues, the transition of remaining roles, and identifying what we will prioritize, pause, or stop doing.

In the president’s office, the total number of roles has remained the same; however, several ongoing roles have been replaced with term roles (two special advisors and the chief of staff). Having term positions of about two years each means we have flexibility as well as expertise. We can focus on the first phase for building Future TRU and then review what roles are needed moving forward, looking at the progress we are making. Costs in the president’s budget are tracking at about nine to 10 per cent lower for 2025/26.

Here is a snapshot of the changes to the president’s office (as of November 2024 and November 2025):

TRU strengthens leadership in technology and responsible AI

TRU is moving forward with and through technology. We have significant potential for leadership in responsible applied AI that serves our region and contributes to global futures. We can be so impressed and inspired by students, faculty, staff and leaders across TRU who are integrating technology in ways that strengthen, exceptionally and responsibly, our use-inspired research and education.

We look forward to the launch of the AI network facility here at TRU in 2026 — a partnership between TRU and Bell, the first of its kind, and the flagship in Bell Canada’s new fabric AI project. Kamloops is the site for what has been described as “the digital backbone for Canada, [and] the spine of what will become Sovereign AI in Canada.”

With a view to our further advancing as a leading technology-fluent university, I am pleased to share that Andrea Li has joined Thompson Rivers University as special advisor to the president on artificial intelligence.

This two-year appointment, beginning this week, reports to the president and vice-chancellor and plays a strategic and integrative role in advancing Thompson Rivers University’s leadership in applied artificial intelligence. A key focus will be institution-level guidance that helps prepare our university community and all graduates for a future where humans and technology work together ethically, practically, efficiently, sustainably, and creatively.

The special advisor to the president on artificial intelligence connects with all parts of TRU and provides leadership to the president, TRU executive team and senior leadership team, supporting our ambitions as a dual-sector research university that provides innovative solutions to challenges in Interior BC and Canada’s need to advance with responsible AI adoption.

Andrea brings deep experience in analytics, digital transformation, and strategy. She has advised organizations in education, healthcare, and technology on adopting new tools responsibly — always with people and purpose at the centre.

Since graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, her experience ranges from startups to technology giants (Amazon, Google) across Canada, the United States, and Singapore. Andrea will help us think carefully about how TRU can use AI and related technologies to support our teaching, research, and operations, and to augment human potential.

Andrea will work closely with our leaders in technology at TRU, the senior leadership team, colleagues, and students across the university to identify where AI can make a practical difference — from improving access to information, to supporting learning and research, to helping us use our resources more efficiently. She will also help us build clear ethical and governance frameworks so that we can move forward responsibly and confidently.

From Andrea: “I’m honoured to join TRU at this moment of opportunity. I’m passionate about how technology can spark curiosity, creativity, and impact — empowering students, educators, and communities to thrive in an AI-enabled world. I look forward to shaping what’s possible together.”

The role profile can be viewed here. Please join me in welcoming Andrea to the TRU community.

Indigenous Veterans Day and Remembrance Day

As we move through November, we take time together to remember those who have served and sacrificed in times of war and peace. Across Canada and here at Thompson Rivers University, this is a period for reflection, learning, and gratitude.

On Nov. 8, we honour the service and contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis veterans. For generations, Indigenous peoples have served with courage in every major conflict, from the War of 1812 to the world wars and beyond, often without equal recognition when they returned home.

Communities across the country gather through drumming, song, and storytelling to remember the resilience of Indigenous soldiers and to honour their families. This is also a time for us to listen, to learn, and to recommit to reconciliation and equity.

On Nov. 11 at 11 a.m., we pause for two minutes of silence to mark the end of the First World War, as well as the sacrifices made by so many Canadians in conflicts and wars. Together, we remember those who served and those who gave their lives.

It is fitting that these commemorations are so close together. They remind us that Canada’s story of service is diverse and deeply interconnected. By recognizing Indigenous Veterans Day alongside Remembrance Day, we strengthen our shared commitment to understanding, gratitude, and peace.

At TRU, we gathered this morning (Thursday, Nov. 6) on Student Street to remember together. For those who can join, TRU will also lay a wreath at the City of Kamloops ceremony on Tuesday.

As we wear our poppy or take a moment of silence, I invite us to reflect on the courage of veterans and the legacy of all who served. Together, we honour their memory through our actions for justice and peace.

Protecting our community

Yesterday I wrote to TRU on a matter that has come to our attention that is contrary to university policy and our commitment to honour truth, reconciliation and rights. The Executive Team of Thompson Rivers University is aware of online posts promoting an unsanctioned gathering at our Kamloops campus on Nov. 12.

This activity is not approved under Thompson Rivers University’s Responsible Use of University Space policy, which requires prior authorization for any organized event or filming. Our focus is on maintaining a safe, respectful environment for study, work, and campus life. The message to TRU can be found here.

Calgary alumni gathering

Thank you to everyone joining this evening’s TRU Alumni and Open Learners Night in Calgary. These gatherings connect TRU’s extended community of graduates, students, and friends across Canada and beyond. Conversations in Calgary will build on the appreciation we are hearing country-wide for TRU’s world-class leadership in sustainability, uniquely redefining what it means to be a university, unifying higher education and vocational education as BC’s first dual-sector research university, and impact in use-inspired research and education applied to challenges in BC and contributing to global futures.

It is always wonderful to hear from alumni who shared how their TRU experience continues to shape their careers and communities. Thank you to the TRU Advancement and Alumni team, and TRU Open Learning, for your collaboration and to TRU alumni and partners for your enthusiasm.

TRU Talks with President Airini

TRU Talks with President Airini is a series of monthly, informal gatherings open to everyone — students, faculty, and staff — to ask questions, share ideas, and connect through conversation. For those on the Kamloops campus, please drop in for the next in-person session:

Monday, Nov. 17, 9:30 – 11 a.m.
Panorama Room, International Building

For those unable to attend in person, an online session will follow:

Monday, Nov. 17, 11:15 a.m. – noon (MS Teams)

We can find the link to the online meeting on TRU Connect. I genuinely look forward to seeing you there and continuing our conversations about how we build our Future TRU together.

TRU recognized for leadership in open education

TRU is celebrating international recognition for its leadership in open education, with faculty, students, and collaborators named among the 2025 Open Education Global Awards for Excellence winners and finalists.

The honours highlight TRU’s inclusive and community-driven approach to creating and sharing open learning resources that make education more accessible to all. As Interim Provost Shannon Wagner shared, “These nominations reflect TRU’s commitment to open education as a means of advancing equity, inclusion, and collaboration in learning.”

Congratulations to all who contributed to these outstanding projects and to everyone advancing open learning at TRU.

Since My Last Update

Over the past two weeks, I have continued meeting with colleagues and partners to advance TRU’s strategic transformation and to prepare for upcoming governance discussions at the Senate and the Board on the refreshed 2025–2030 change goals.

I really enjoyed attending the opening of the Kamloops Rock Show at the Kamloops Museum and Archives. The rocks and minerals on display are fascinating and such a terrific learning opportunity. We so appreciate the opportunity to partner with the Kamloops Museum and Archives, City of Kamloops, and Secwépemc Museum in this project. Thank you to Dr. Nancy Van Wagoner, a TRU researcher in geology, and to Dr. Will Garrett-Petts, who leads research at TRU on local community partnerships.

Coming up next week: I look forward to joining the CUPE general meeting for an open discussion and Q&A time. I will meet with the Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills Minister, Jessie Sunner, regarding TRU funding. Preparations are underway for November’s Senate and December’s Board meeting, and we look forward to the TRU Gala (Saturday, Nov. 15).

Thank you for your continued energy and ideas as we build our Future TRU together. Whether on campus or across the province, we show what it means to be TRU: strong, brave, and caring.

Thank you. Merci. Kukwstsétselp.

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

Update from the President #16November 14, 2025

Weytkp. Bonjour. Hello.

This week’s update includes reflections on Remembrance Day, a brief note about an unsanctioned campus visit, news about a lift in government investment into skilled trades education, research news, new initiatives in TRU sustainability, an update on the provost search, and upcoming events and highlights from meetings and events across our university and city.

Honouring Indigenous Veterans Day and Remembrance Day

Each November, we take time to honour those who have served and sacrificed in times of war and peace. On Nov. 8, communities across Canada, including here at TRU, marked Indigenous Veterans Day. First Nations, Inuit, and Métis veterans have served in every major conflict, often without receiving equal recognition on their return.

Ceremonies across the country, including at TRU last Thursday, offered space for remembrance through song, story, and reflection. Thank you, Reese and Ted, for reading the poem In Flanders Field – in English and for the first time, in Secwepemctsín. On Nov. 11 at Riverside Park, TRU laid a wreath at Kamloops’ civic ceremony. Thank you to everyone who contributed to ceremonies both on campus and in the community. We are reminded of the courage shown by so many, and to carry forward the values of peace and justice.

Campus safety and Nov. 12

As many may know, an unsanctioned gathering took place at TRU Kamloops on Wednesday, Nov. 12. This was led by an external individual who had previously been sent notice of trespass and advised that they are not permitted to hold events or film at TRU.

They were asked to leave the campus. About 12 people walked onto campus around 1 p.m. Risk and Safety Services met them, denied them entry to Student Street, and informed them of university policy and the requirement for events to obtain prior approval. They were asked to leave the campus. The trespassers remained outdoors. TRU staff, students, and faculty exercised their right to peaceful expression. The situation concluded without serious incident. Campus operations have continued as usual.

TRU’s response was informed by policy, and our commitment to truth, reconciliation and rights. The Responsible Use of University Space Policy requires advance approval for organized events and filmed activities. The individuals who appeared this week were informed of these requirements after gathering at TRU earlier this year.

Campus security was on site throughout, and RCMP monitored the area. We will continue to protect our university community members. We appreciate collaboration with Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc and the steady work of our Risk and Safety Services team, as well as campus security and the local RCMP, for ensuring this situation concluded peacefully.

Transformational increase to skilled trades education investment

TRU welcomes today’s provincial announcement of a major increase in funding for trades training across British Columbia. This will support the long-standing need for more apprenticeship seats and steady training pathways into the trades. TRU’s School of Trades and Technology delivers training in 20 trades areas, from carpentry and electrical to heavy-mechanical. Many programs carry waitlists as demand for skilled workers grows.

The province announced Friday it will double its investment over the next three years through a $241-million commitment delivered by SkilledTradesBC, supporting more apprenticeship seats, reducing waitlists, strengthening program delivery, and increasing per-seat funding. This announcement sets up TRU and communities across the Interior for long-term success. This commitment recognizes the essential role skilled trades play in building British Columbia’s future.

TRU trades trainees have the “Kamloops advantage” of training in a lower-cost-of-living area and of being local to major industry growth projects. As BC’s first dual-sector research university, we uniquely unify vocational education and higher education. We are proud to be the university for trades. We welcome this investment and look forward to working with the province to increase access for skilled trades learners and leaders across our region.

Congratulations to all our colleagues in TRU Trades and Technology. Year on year, you have shown the value of skilled trades to our region, province and Canada. Thank you, Dean Baldev Pooni, for your leadership and advocacy in all circles to advance skilled trades education.

TRU research responds to Canada’s big questions

One of our latest feature stories on the TRU Newsroom is now live: Healing, Greening, Innovating: TRU Research Responds to Canada’s Big Questions. This story profiles projects across wildfire resilience, community health, clean energy, cultural strength, and technology highlighted in the Bob Gaglardi School of Business and Economics 2024-2025 research report.

The report has also been posted on TRU Connect and shared through our social channels. Thank you to everyone contributing to TRU’s growing impact through use-inspired research.

TRU Foundation Gala: A night to support students

The TRU Foundation Gala takes place this Saturday, Nov. 15, at the TRU Conference Centre. The Winter’s Ball is a black-tie event shaped by themes from The Nutcracker and will support student awards. Every contribution made at the gala strengthens scholarships and bursaries for TRU students. Last year’s event raised more than $230,000, with a direct impact on learners across our campuses.

This year, we continue that effort with the same purpose: opening doors for students through donor support. For more than 30 years, the gala has connected the TRU community with donors and friends who care deeply about student success.

I am grateful to the leadership of the TRU Foundation for their continued efforts in support of the university. Thank you, too, to the TRU Advancement team. Thank you to everyone attending and supporting the event. Our contributions expand what is possible for TRU students and opportunities to realize their potential.

TRU leading in sustainable development

Our university is a global leader in sustainability — the first Canadian post-secondary institution to earn Platinum STARS status twice (2018 and 2022) and one of only two to achieve the highest rating. Building on steady progress from Silver (2011) to Gold (2015) to Platinum, TRU continues to embed sustainability across campus life, learning and operations.

As a proud signatory to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Accord, TRU advances the SDGs through teaching, research and community action, sharing its progress each year through real impact on campus and beyond.

We have two new initiatives completed in recent days:

  • TRU SDG website
    Explore each of the goals here to learn how the TRU community is advancing SDGs. This reporting is impressive and reminds us of our genuine commitment to sustainability, a core value for TRU. Please do let the Sustainability Office know if further initiatives from the past year’s efforts could be included in the reporting.
  • TRU’s first-ever submission to Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ranking
    With great thanks to Dana Prymak and Dorys Crespin-Mueller (Integrated Planning and Effectiveness), and 45 contributors from across TRU’s administration and academic units, we now have a presence in this global ranking space. We do this to understand our strengths and to learn possible next steps. Thank you, everyone, for this bold, positive effort.

Provost and Vice-President Academic Search

Thank you to everyone following the progress of the search for TRU’s provost and VP academic. Thank you to the committee members. We have updated the information on the President’s webpage, including the following:

  • The search committee has reviewed applications received to date.
  • Candidates have been selected for medium-list interviews. Planning is underway for the shortlist stage.
  • On-campus meetings are currently scheduled for the following dates: Tuesday, Nov. 18, Wednesday, Nov. 19 and Thursday, Nov. 20. These meetings will take place per LOU#2 TRU-TRUFA Collective Agreement.
  • Please anticipate that participation in meetings will require confidentiality.

This is important work for TRU’s future, and we will continue to post updates as the process progresses.

Since my last update

At the end of last week, I went along to “make some noise” for the TRU WolfPack teams playing in the volleyball tournament at TCC. What an inspiration to see the women’s volleyball team recover so strongly to win their game against UBC. I loved seeing the confidence to play as TRU and not to be daunted in any way. The score was great, and perhaps even more so was the confidence we could see there to be our kind of best. TRU WolfPack student athletes: you are inspired and inspiring.

This week I met online with Minister Sunner and members of her office. This is part of the open and regular communications we have.

Thank you to Lois Rugg, the CUPE Executive, and CUPE members for the opportunity to meet this week, during the CUPE General Meeting. Our discussion about possibilities for responsible AI at TRU was very helpful. Andrea Li, the AI special advisor to the president, and I genuinely appreciate your time and insights.

Thank you to those who provided advice this week on refreshing TRU’s strategic change goals, including members of APPC. I look forward to meeting with student representatives for advice next week. Ten strategic change goals have been drafted, along with draft key performance indicators and preliminary targets.

Senate’s advice will be sought this month, before advancing to the Board in December. From then until February 2026, there will be an opportunity to provide input on ‘first actions (4-6)’ to focus on, which will be discussed across a range of forums, including the Senate, before reporting to the Board in February.

Preparations are complete for Monday’s TRU Talks with President Airini (9:30 to 11 a.m., Panorama Room, TRU Kamloops; 11:15 a.m. to noon online, TRU Williams Lake). At each, there will be an opportunity to engage with Andrea Li. My own theme this time is about seeking advice on draft strategic change goals.

I read with delight about the TRU MBA Games team, who shone at the 10th annual BC MBA Game this month. TRU students are successful in so many ways across all faculties and schools. And finally, thank you to the School of Nursing team for the flu injection I received at Old Main yesterday. Second-year student Arkayla gave the gentlest-ever injection.

Best wishes for the weekend ahead, everyone.

Kukwstsétselp. Merci. Thank you.

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

Update from the President #17November 21, 2025

Weytkp. Bonjour. Hello.

This week’s update includes reflections from the TRU Foundation Gala, early feedback from TRU Talks, upcoming discussions with the City of Kamloops, an invitation to help shape TRU’s AI future, news about sustainability progress on campus. I also share highlights from meetings and events since the last update.

Building our Future TRU

We are a university moving forward. In 2020 our university approved Envision TRU – a strategic envisioning of TRU’s future for a decade. Over the past five years we have been on that journey to be “community-minded with a global conscience…a place where all people are empowered to transform themselves, their communities, and the world.”

So much has happened in these years, and still the vision and values in Envision TRU hold steady. And now we need to adapt. The Canadian postsecondary sector is rapidly evolving. It is 11 weeks since I shared a financial update with the university community. We learned there of our unprecedented financial challenges and that we have a plan to address these. Our academic values and priorities will lead our decisions, and our budget realities will inform these.

Our immediate focus on the next 18 to 20 months through to the beginning of fiscal year 2027/28. In this phase we adapt to live within our means and make highly strategic investments. Our second phase is from 2027/28-2030/31 when we are living within and growing our means.

At TRU we continue to welcome more domestic students (an increase of four per cent in enrolments for fall 2025), and to fulfil our responsibility for purposeful allocation of an annual operating budget of about $250M.

We have a future we are building together: We have an ambitious goal: together, we will turn TRU’s unprecedented financial challenges into a strategic transformation, positioning TRU for success for decades to come. By 2030:

  • TRU is one of the most innovative universities in Canada;
  • TRU redefines what it means to be a university, as BC’s first dual sector research university;
  • TRU is achieving its objectives as a university in both academic excellence and access;
  • and TRU is financially resilient and continuously adapting.

We are making progress and need to keep going. The financial reporting coming together from Q2 of this fiscal year shows we are reducing the projected deficit and that we have some way to go still. This is positive news and bodes well for further shared efforts across TRU. Once the financial report is completed, this will be shared with the wider university and governance groups.

We are working to provide clarity. I recognize that the sharing of information can also create uncertainties. The decision has been made to be open: early and often. Thank you for the awareness and care we are showing one another and ourselves in this change context. I am committed to moving forward as rapidly as possible consistent with policy, collective agreements, and university governance to provide clarity; and ensuring there is opportunity to be involved.

I anticipate that we will be able to provide clarity regarding programs and next steps, before the end of this calendar year.

We are figuring out a route forward that maximizes our chances of our success. A refresh of strategic change goals first developed for Envision TRU is underway. Ten goals are being created (August-December 2025) along with key performance indicators, key risk areas, and preliminary targets. From December 2025-February 2026 there will be discussions on the first 4–6 actions towards the targets. University-wide input will be welcome. Dashboards are being developed so that all of TRU, including Senate and the Board, can see our route forward, with regular reporting that is both quantitative and qualitative.

Phase Two: FY 2027/28–2030/31: During this time, we will successfully live within our means and also expand our means. Our strategic change goals will be achieved.

We are moving forward. We are experiencing change as we do so. Across TRU we are seeing a willingness to lean in, ask questions, offer solutions, and to stay committed to our students, research and service. I thank you for the strong, brave, and caring TRU that we are.

TRU Foundation Gala — A night for students

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the TRU Foundation Gala on Saturday. We were joined by leaders and colleagues from across our university. My husband Brandon and I felt honoured to host the President’s Reception and to join so many friends of TRU who give their time and support to students.

In my remarks, I spoke about our shared purpose at the TRU Foundation Gala: helping students of TRU and their bright, bright future. I thought carefully about the speech, which is my first at our TRU Gala, knowing that our supporters would be there, knowing this was a time to share something of the vision and value of the university we love. My speech will be posted on the President’s web page.

Thank you to the TRU Foundation, to KPMG for hosting the reception, to RBC, iTel, and all sponsors, and to each donor who contributed. Your support strengthens students’ futures.

An Invitation: Help Shape TRU’s AI Future

You may have seen new displays at TRU Talks, and at TRU Kamloops on Student Street and at the Writing Centre. Over the past week, Andrea Li, TRU’s Special Advisor on AI, has been engaging with students and colleagues about their experiences with AI.

These perspectives will help shape TRU’s pan-institutional AI strategy and guide our path toward becoming a national leader in applied AI by 2030. I invite you to share your views through this one-minute survey.

TRU Talks with President Airini: Monthly discussions

On Monday, we held TRU Talks both in-person at TRU Kamloops and online, with colleagues from TRU Williams Lake and TRU Kamloops. Thank you to everyone who shared advice on the draft strategic change goals and on responsible use of AI at TRU.

I heard strong interest in steady communication as information comes to hand and decisions take shape, and the need to keep students and the region at the centre of our planning, along with ambitions such a doctoral delivery. The conversations also reinforced that we want to understand how TRU’s goals connect to day-to-day work and long-term progress.

Feedback from TRU Talks sessions, meetings with governance committees, and senior leadership team help draft goals before they go to Senate and the Board.

Meeting with Kamloops City Council

Today we welcome members of the City of Kamloops Council to TRU Kamloops campus for our biannual meeting. The agenda includes a review of our partnership agreement, current TRU projects, and areas where joint planning will help the region. These sessions help keep shared priorities moving and strengthen TRU’s role as the university of the Interior.

Rooftop solar arrays now active

Last week, TRU activated three new rooftop solar arrays that will support the Low-Carbon District Energy System. The 655 panels installed on three campus buildings will generate more than 400 megawatt-hours of clean electricity each year — equivalent to powering 35–40 homes annually.

This is a practical step toward reducing TRU’s carbon footprint and modernizing our infrastructure. Thank you to the teams at TRU, BC Hydro, and Riverside Energy Systems for their careful planning and collaboration.

Events and meetings this week include:

  • Nov. 17 – Kamloops Search and Research quarterly business meeting
    Thank you to KSAR colleagues for including TRU in this discussion. KSAR generously gifted TRU a plaque recognising the partnership between our organisations.
  • Nov. 18 – Dr. Salvador Barragan’s Inaugural Professorial Lecture
    Congratulations to Dr. Barragan. His lecture on how mission-driven organizations operate within communities was delivered to a full room. The Inaugural Professorial Lecture highlights the achievements of tenured faculty recently promoted to full professor, a significant milestone in an academic career. Information about TRU Inaugural Lectures can be found here. Dr. Salman Kimiagari presents the next TRU Inaugural lecture at 4.30 pm on November 27, at OLARA.
  • Nov. 19 – Progressive Planet evening gathering
    I so appreciated the opportunity to join TRU colleagues to congratulate Progressive Planet on their first commercial PozGlass pour – a new low-carbon cement replacement using post-consumer glass. This is an important innovation for the region from one of TRU’s supporters.
  • Nov. 21 – TRU Board and Kamloops City Council biannual meeting: TRU hosts this session in the Campus Activity Centre.
  • Nov. 21 – Meeting with Minister Sunner: The Minister and all presidents across the postsecondary education sector meet today.
  • Nov. 23 – Santa Parade: Thank you to TRU Marketing for bringing us altogether for the Kamloops city’s annual parade. I look forward to walking with our TRU group.
  • Nov. 24 – Senate meets on Monday, find the full agenda package here.
  • Nov. 25 – Kamloops Centre for the Arts Groundbreaking

Since My Last Update

The search committee for the provost and vice President academic appointment has completed medium list interviews. Short-listed candidates will be on campus during December. Details will be shared soon with the university community.

Preparation continues for the upcoming Senate and Board meetings. And a highlight has been meeting with Kamloops Search and Rescue. I joined their business meeting one evening this week to thank them in person for their skills, time, and good hearts looking for our students, this year and all years.

Best wishes for the weekend ahead, everyone.

Kukwstsétselp. Merci. Thank you.

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

Update from the President #18November 28, 2025

Weytkp. Bonjour. Hello colleagues.

This week’s update brings highlights from Senate, early direction from the province’s post-secondary review, and news from the groundbreaking of the Kamloops Centre for the Arts, and more. I also note key activities coming up and some of those that have happened since my last update. Please do feel free to contact me. I look forward to connecting: president@tru.ca.

Senate

At November’s Senate meeting, I reported on recent activity across TRU and the broader context shaping our work. This included progress in the first phase of our two-phase budget strategy through 2027/28, grounded in living within our means and making strategic investments, followed by a second phase through 2030/31 that balances fiscal stability and growth. I reiterated our commitment to steady updates as we move through this period.

Debate at Senate

Senate debated a proposal brought independently by a senator to have in-camera as a standing item on each Senate agenda. By a clear majority, senators voted against the motion. Some have asked me how I would have voted on this motion and why I did not vote.

It may be helpful to know that the chair's role under Robert's Rules is to preside over meetings impartially, manage the proceedings, and ensure the rules are followed. Key responsibilities include opening and closing the meeting, recognizing speakers, maintaining order, facilitating debate, and announcing the results of votes, while generally refraining from participating in motions or debates unless in specific situations like breaking a tie.

I very much appreciated the debate this month. While I was not in favour of the motion myself, having senators able to debate within the Robert's Rules structure and share a diversity of views is important for our university. I commend all senators for illuminating that we can engage in civil discourse, hear each other, form a view, create a majority view, and then move forward as One University. Thank you to all senators.

Reports

Interim Provost Shannon Wagner reported on budget planning, academic timelines, and new opportunities for faculty and researchers. These included TRU’s posting for its first Canada Excellence Research Chair, curriculum development work with Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc and T’exelc, ongoing progress on TRUly Flexible, and the launch of a virtual computer lab to support digital and AI learning.

The Senate also heard about work beginning in early 2026 on strengthening student communication systems, updates moving to the Planning Council for Open Learning, and reviews of low-enrolment credentials. The provost also highlighted opportunities for TRU to contribute to global Indigenous knowledge and wildfire work with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, as well as the importance of new provincial trades funding.

I provided information on initiatives to restore financial strength and build our future TRU, as well as the implications of the 2025 federal budget. This budget included opportunities in research funding, shifts in international education policy, work-integrated learning, and the possibility of future infrastructure investment.

The Senate provided comment on draft goals and a planning/engagement timeline through early 2026. Your comments on the draft goals are most welcome: president@tru.ca.

Provincial review of BC's post-secondary sector

The province’s announcement of a full review of BC’s post-secondary system marks one of the most consequential developments we have seen in some time. The review is to be completed by March 15, within just over 15 weeks. My message to the community earlier this week sets out our early position: TRU welcomes the review and is ready to contribute.

The review arrives as universities across Canada face rising costs, shifting enrolment patterns, and new expectations from governments and communities. Terms of reference will guide the work, and we expect they will focus on governance, program and institutional collaboration, and long-term system sustainability.

This is an opportunity for TRU to make our case clearly and confidently. We will bring forward the strengths that distinguish us: our dual-sector model, our regional mandate, our research applied to challenges in Interior BC and to global futures, and our efforts to widen access for learners, concurrent with achieving academic excellence.

Kamloops Centre for the Arts groundbreaking

With TRU colleagues and Kamloops community members, I attended the groundbreaking for the Kamloops Centre for the Arts on Wednesday, marking a long-anticipated milestone. More than 100 community members gathered for the event, which included the announcement of a $1-million anonymous donation — a strong signal of community support.

Speakers acknowledged the decades of work behind the project, including contributions from Ron and Rae Fawcett and the efforts of the Kamloops Centre for the Arts Society. Site preparation will begin this winter, with excavation planned for spring. The centre is expected to open in 2029 with two theatres, public gathering spaces, rehearsal and backstage areas, and underground parking.

For TRU, the project presents future opportunities for student learning, performance, and community partnerships.

Budget tracking

Our finance and planning teams continue to refine projections for 2025/26 and the following year. We plan to share more information before the end of December, so units can prepare for the next stages of planning.

Financial strength is our goal. This is when we perform without deficit and generate a growing surplus, year-on-year. We have a two-phase budget plan (Phase 1 — 2025/26 and 2027/28; Phase 2 — 2027/28 to 2030/31) outlined at Senate and in recent messages. We are building a future in which students, faculty and staff experience TRU as a leader in innovation, we redefine what it means to be a university, we achieve our objectives for academic excellence and access, and we are resilient financially and dynamic. In this future, we want to see optimal conditions for TRU student experience, for researchers, educators, and professional support staff.

Our planning for 2025-2030 shows positive progress toward reducing the projected deficit. Planning will continue to be regularly communicated through speeches, Senate committees, TRU Talks, small-group sessions, and weekly updates, and continues to inform our long-term direction.

I am so grateful that students, staff and faculty continue to ask informed questions, participate in planning work, and contribute to discussions. Please do contact me — individually or as a group (president@tru.ca) if a discussion on planning, progress and possibilities would be helpful. I am convinced that good comes from being available, present and open as president.

Coming up in my calendar

In early December, I will be meeting with the government and visiting with the TRU Student Services group to share together about the future TRU we are building, and I look forward to an upcoming donor gathering.

We have the Board of Governors and Senate meetings, and I will head back to APPC as a follow-up to seeking advice there in November about draft goals. The presidents of BC's research universities (RUCBC) meet in Vancouver with the lead reviewer for the post-secondary sector.

As indicated in earlier Updates and on the president’s webpage, on Dec. 2, 4, and 9, the provost and vice-president academic short-listed candidates are on campus for meetings and presentations open to all TRU community members. Information to access the in-person or online presentations will be shared on Monday.

Since my last update

Last weekend included making some noise for the TRU WolfPack basketball teams. And a wonderful Sunday evening Santa Claus Parade. Thank you to all the students, cheerleaders, and colleagues who came to be a forest of trees, to wave, and to perform. TRU was honoured to lead off the parade.

Thank you so much to TRUSU for this week’s discussion time with about 25 students. In a discussion about the draft goals, we looked at applied AI, budgets, experiences of teaching at TRU, protecting the environment, and more.

Garry Gottfriedson (Secwépemc Special Advisor to the President) and I had a wonderful Teams discussion this week with High Commissioner Keith Smith for Canada in New Zealand. Some may be aware that Canada and Aotearoa New Zealand signed the world’s first Indigenous collaboration arrangement.

Congratulations to Professor Salman Kimiagari on your inaugural lecture as a professor. I met with Prof. Kimiagari and colleagues at the end of the lecture on international entrepreneurship. Ideas were abundant, and there was such positive support from colleagues and students for our new professor.

We were grateful to meet this week with Kupi7 Casimir and the Council of Tkʼemlúps te Secwépemc. The TteS Council is currently reviewing a draft partnership agreement between TteS and TRU.

Today, I am hosting a discussion with the Interior University Research Coalition (IURC) presidents/principal (TRU, UNBC, UBC-O), regarding regional needs and opportunities. I keep in touch with our regional mayors and appreciate talking today with Mayor Rathor of Williams Lake. And this evening I will be at the TRU WolfPack volleyball games. The all-out commitment and camaraderie shown each game by our TRU student athletes is inspired and inspiring.

I do hope the upcoming weekend has inspiration and rest for one and all.

Thank you, everyone. Merci. Kukwstsétselp.

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

Update from the President #19December 5, 2025

Weytkp. Bonjour. Hello colleagues.

This week’s update includes information about upcoming TRU Talks conversations, the continuation of our provost candidate presentations, Friday’s Board of Governors meeting, and seasonal reminders as winter settles in.

TRU Talks — Dec. 10

TRU Talks with Airini takes place on Wednesday, Dec. 10, and I look forward to seeing you there. Colleagues come to discuss the future we are building together, priorities for our university, student experience, TRU’s budget developments, and the opportunities and challenges we see as we move ahead. The conversations can be ‘soundings’ in many ways.

This month, my ‘sounding’ is about a phrase I have been using: “dual-sector research university.”

Envision TRU has an amazing phrase: “We will redefine the university….” This has been our future since we began, through the Thompson Rivers University Act in 2005, to be that university that unifies higher and vocational education as a dual-sector research university. We are BC’s first dual-sector research university and have 20 years of experience. We join a network of universities across Germany, Australia, New Zealand, UK. This month, I will share about dual-sector research universities — a new term we are using to describe our unique identity.

For those on the Kamloops campus, we will meet in OLARA from 1 to 2:15 p.m. Williams Lake colleagues will have the opportunity to join online from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. See TRU Connect for the link to the meeting. I look forward to continuing the conversations that help shape the future TRU we are building.

Provost Search: presentations continue

This week brought on-campus presentations from candidates for the role of provost and vice-president academic, with one more scheduled for next week (watch TRU Connect for a reminder). These sessions are open to TRU members (students, staff and faculty). Reporting to the president and vice-chancellor, the provost and vice-president academic plays a crucial and integrative role in establishing and achieving the university's strategic directions and academic priorities.

Thank you to the search committee members, to colleagues who have met with candidates for interviews and to all who have set aside time to attend the presentations. In the presentations, about half of the time is dedicated to discussion and questions with the candidate. We value each question from attendees in the room and online. The questions will be collated and included in materials available to inform the search committee’s deliberations. The feedback portal remains open until noon on Wednesday, Dec. 10. Our feedback matters.

Board of Governors Meeting — Dec. 5

The Board meets today at 2 p.m. I will present the President’s Report and the Senate Report. The agenda includes a paper on goals (2025-2030), and the Board will receive the second-quarter financial update. I will report to the Senate next Monday on the Board meeting and outcomes.

The Board will also review notices of motion regarding increases to domestic tuition (2%) and international tuition (3%) for 2026/27. The Board will also receive the draft TRU Sustainability Plan (2026–2030) — a further example of how we continue to bring long-range thinking to TRU’s planning.

Seasonal weather and safety

With the first snow now settled and more to come, it’s important to remember that walkways and stairs can be slick, especially in the early hours. I encourage everyone to take extra care when moving between buildings. Thank you to our Facilities teams who look after our campuses during the freeze-thaw cycle. It was lovely to chat with Clint when he was out early, making our paths safe this week. Many thanks to our staff colleagues Clint, Ian, and Kevin. Campus safety is something we build together, with awareness, patience and support for one another.

National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

On Sunday, Dec. 6, our flags will be lowered from sunrise to sunset in recognition of the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

On this day, we pause to honour the 14 women killed in 1989 at l’École Polytechnique and to acknowledge the continued impact of gender-based violence. This act of violence shook our country and led Parliament to designate Dec. 6 as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

As we remember their lives, we reaffirm our commitment to fight the hatred that led to this tragedy and the misogyny that still exists today. Having communities free from gender-based violence requires education and speaking up against harmful behaviours. Our Makerspace in the House of Learning hosted Making Space in Makerspace on Dec. 2 — an opportunity to write messages of solidarity, hope and resolve.

During today's Board meeting, we will pause. Our moments of reflection for Dec. 6 are important for our campus communities. These remind us of our role and agency in higher education in creating a safer, more just society for all.

Distinguished Alumni Awards

This week, we celebrated five graduates who have made remarkable contributions in community service, arts and culture, public service, and professional achievement: Robert Atwood, Monica Sophia McAlduff, Andrew G. Cooper, Richard Sullivan and Dr. Mandy Manak.

The stories of these TRU alumni span wildfire response, theatre and film, addiction medicine, and health-system leadership. Each TRU graduate shows what can happen when learning, determination, and purpose come together. Congratulations to the 2025 TRU Distinguished Alumni.

Since my last update

Most days, I walk around the TRU Kamloops campus, and I also enjoy working from Student Street. Thank you to everyone who says hello, and we visit for a bit. Yesterday was a-buzz there. The TRU Therapy dogs were receiving lots of visits as well, along with a steady stream of supporters heading to ESTR’s Market’s final day of the year. This week has included a visit with the Student Services team to discuss our future TRU, meetings with the government and the health sector, and management for the Research Universities Council of British Columbia. I also met with the Research Office team.

Congratulations to one and all for the Undergraduate Research Symposium co-hosted by TRU Research and the TRU Library. This annual poster presentation event highlights the creativity and innovation in TRU undergraduate research. Thank you to the mentor students and research coaches involved.

All the best to the TRU WolfPack basketball teams playing in Kamloops this evening. I will be there to make some noise amongst the crowd of supporters.

Thank you, everyone, for a wonderful week. Best wishes for the weekend ahead.

Merci. Kukwstsétselp.

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

Update from the President #20December 12, 2025

Weytkp. Bonjour. Hello colleagues.

This week’s update shares highlights from Monday’s Senate meeting, information about publishing presidential travel expenses, news about this year’s President’s Social, recent donor meetings, TRU Talks, and next steps in the Provost Search. I close, as always, with Since My Last Update.

Senate Meeting — Dec. 8

Senate met this past Monday. I shared updates on the provincial review of the post-secondary sector, Goals (2025-26) in support of Envision TRU, and the careful pace we are taking on looking at program vitality as the sector review proceeds. The provost and I confirmed that there is a pause on looking at program vitality while awaiting the outcomes of the sector review.

Senators also received an update from the provost on the credential review and on faculty structure conversations. The vice-president, administration and finance, presented the Q2 budget forecast. These discussions will guide our decisions through the months ahead.

The full Senate highlights are available on TRU Connect.

Goals (2025-26): The Goals (2025-26) were included in Board papers (public agenda) and approved for further development, including "first actions" for preliminary targets. With appreciation for feedback from APPC this week, please anticipate regular briefings about the Goals (2025-26), their development, approval, and implementation processes, as well as adjustments to wording to reflect discussions in governance committees and more widely, and opportunities for input between December and February into "first actions" for the Goals (2025-26).

Presidential travel expenses

One of my values in the role of president is to be open. With this in mind, starting this month my travel expenses will be available on the Board website each quarter. This is an increased frequency from the usual practice of an annual report. This first posting will cover July 1 to Oct. 31, 2025, and will appear on the Board’s web page here. Quarterly publication will continue through the year.

Provost Search — thank you

The campus presentations for provost and vice-president academic are now complete. Thank you to everyone who attended the sessions, engaged with candidates, and submitted feedback. The detailed feedback provided was genuinely appreciated. So too were the questions asked in the presentations and collated for reading by the search committee members. The search now moves into a deliberations phase. Updates will continue to be made through the president’s page (Executive searches).

Meeting with donors

This week included time spent with donors and partners who support students and strengthen our community ties. These conversations reflect the interest many have in TRU’s direction, our dual-sector strengths, and the work underway across faculties. Their support continues to play a vital role in student awards, research, and community-serving programs.

Thank you so much to the Advancement team for organizing this event, and to the herd of deer that passed by the windows so gently during speeches. Amongst the many special people and TRU supporters I met, I enjoyed listening to Jack who was in the core team that successfully brought forward the proposal to establish TRU.

TRU WolfPack Academic Awards

It was inspiring to be at the TRU WolfPack Academic Awards event this week. Being a student-athlete means many pressures throughout the year. The motivation and commitment to doing things the right way is valued, and respected. This serves student athletes well in moving forward in careers, at TRU and beyond. Thank you to the coaches and support teams and leadership, and faculty and advisors. Student success is a team event.

U SPORTS Academic All-Canadians status is for U SPORTS athletes who used eligibility in 2024/25 and achieved a 3.5 GPA or higher. U SPORTS athletes who did not use eligibility in 2024/25, and club athletes, who achieved a 3.5 GPA or higher, receive the TRU Scholar-Athlete Distinction. This year, we had 47 U SPORTS Academic All-Canadians and 24 TRU Scholar-Athletes. Congratulations to one and all.

TRU Talks — Dec. 10

Thank you to colleagues who joined TRU Talks With Airini on Wednesday, both in-person and online. These sessions continue to be important “soundings” as we talk about TRU’s priorities, goals, and the budget considerations shaping our next steps. This month we discussed what "dual sector research university" means, and examples from around the world. The presentation is available here.

For our January gathering, the soundings will be about revenue generation, and how vital both revenue and cost avoidance are for our university’s financial strength. Always our academic values and priorities as a university will lead our decisions and our budget realities will inform these. Details are to come on the January date and venue for those attending in person.

Budget Update — Q2 2025/26

For those who missed the financial report provided to the Board last Friday, our Q2 forecast shows a projected surplus of about $1 million for FY 2025/26. The largest factor is a one-time $5 million donation designated for Truth and Reconciliation. Without that donation, TRU would still be forecasting a deficit.

We continue to face structural financial pressures. The multi-year outlook shows the need for significant savings in 2026/27. The work many of us have done to reduce in-year spending is making a difference. Thank you for this steady commitment. We are building a focused future TRU with optimal conditions for students, as well as colleagues who teach and research.

President’s Social — decision to pause

After discussions, it has been decided that we will not hold the president’s end-of-year social gathering this year. By making this decision we are avoiding a $15,000 to $20,000 cost. I acknowledge though that the social has been a valued moment to gather across faculties and divisions. I am sure we all look forward to returning to this event when conditions allow.

Elevating graduate studies: leadership update

Graduate studies and research matter in significant ways for our future TRU. We have the opportunity to further diversify graduate programming and to respond to new government investments in this area. With this in mind, I am delighted to share that Dr. Brian Roy is now returning to his role as associate vice-president, graduate studies and research, effective Dec. 15. Many will recall that Brian joined TRU from Brock University, where he most recently served as associate dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs and previously as department chair in Kiniesiology. His extensive experience and commitment to academic excellence have already made a significant impact at TRU.

Since beginning his position on July 1, 2025, Brian has demonstrated leadership and flexibility. He was immediately seconded to serve as acting vice-president research and, for a short period, also took on responsibilities for the provost and vice-president academic role. During these months, Brian has been instrumental in advancing TRU’s first Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) application and leading Canada Research Chair (CRC) searches. His willingness to step into these critical roles reflects his generosity as a team player and his dedication to TRU’s success.

At this pivotal time for TRU, we are excited that Brian will now be able to focus fully on graduate programming and research. His leadership will strengthen our efforts to enhance graduate education and expand research opportunities for students across the university.

Dr. Shannon Wagner will be responsible for the interim provost (provost@tru.ca) and research portfolios (vpr@tru.ca) from Dec. 16, 2025 through to June 30, 2026. This is a transitional arrangement. By July 1, 2026 we plan to have a provost and vice-president academic appointed and a vice-president research also in place.

Please join me in expressing our gratitude to Brian for his outstanding contributions in these acting roles and in welcoming him back to his primary position. We look forward to the continued growth and innovation that his expertise will bring to TRU’s graduate and research community.

Since my last update

This week I read a remarkable and moving post by our colleague Dr. Oleksandr (Sasha) Kondrashov, PhD, MSW, MEd, RSW. The title of his essay is Why I Sometimes Post About Beautiful Sunsets Instead of the War. Sasha, thank you for showing why we must have sunsets and truth: “I don’t post sunsets instead of truth. I post them alongside it.”

I am in Vancouver today for a meeting of Research Universities Council of British Columbia (RUCBC) presidents. Included on the agenda is time with the post-secondary sector reviewer. Usually on Friday evenings I will head off to TRU WolfPack games, but there’s a pause in the schedule for exams and holidays. For variety, I will be back in Kamloops in time for Brandon and I to attend a music event in the city. I am very much looking forward to live music and delighted for the musicians that this is a sold-out event.

Best wishes for the weekend ahead everyone.

Thank you. Merci. Kukwstsétselp.

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

Update from the President #21 December 19, 2025

Weytkp. Bonjour. Hello colleagues.

As we approach the end of term and the holiday break, it has been wonderful to connect with colleagues across TRU. Yesterday included the crafting extravaganza that attracted colleagues from across TRU-Kamloops (thank you, Christine Miller and team), hosted by UPrep, and the Facilities team's end-of-year gathering at The Den (thank you to all the TRU facilities teams for keeping our campuses running). These have been wonderful reminders of how we are One University together — a uni-versity.

This update touches on the upcoming university closure days, highlights from TRU Talks, and recent meetings and tours. I close, as always, with Since My Last Update.

Holiday closure of Thompson Rivers University campuses

After such a full calendar year, Thompson Rivers University will close for the holiday season starting at noon on Tuesday, December 24. For the 2026 New Year holiday, the university will remain closed on Friday, January 2, reopening on Monday, January 5.

Thank you for the care, professionalism, and strengths we each bring to our roles, and to building our future TRU. I wish everyone a safe and fun-filled holiday season.

Towards planning goals (2025-2030)

Over the past week, I have been working with the communications and web teams to share information about an initiative to create planning goals (2025-2030).

In 2020, Thompson Rivers University’s strategic change goals were created to drive the 10-year vision described in the Board-approved Envision TRU (2020-2030). Five years on, TRU is transforming in a rapidly evolving post-secondary sector.

At the halfway point for Envision TRU, a refresh of our approach to the strategic change goals is underway to respond to our context and future-proof the university. We have a need for focused actions in support of Envision TRU and the strategic change goals.

We have a strategy that guides long-term decisions, and now we are planning for what needs to be achieved and what success looks like as we strive ahead through a period of unprecedented challenges.

We are partway through an iterative planning process called Towards planning goals (2025-2030) that began in summer 2025 and will seek final approval from the Board in March 2025. To date, 10 goals have been identified along with performance indicators and preliminary targets. The next step is the co-development of the first actions.

We see these coming from already-approved institutional plans such as TRU Bold, TRUly Flex, the Strategic International Plan, and the TRU Campus Sustainability Plan.

With thanks to the advice of members of the Academic Planning and Priorities Committee, a new content box has been added to the President’s webpage to provide information on planning work for 2025–2030 and how it connects to Envision TRU and the strategic change goals. This space will link directly to protected OneTRU SharePoint pages where colleagues can find briefing materials, committee presentations, Board documents, and the planning timeline for the Towards planning goals 2025-2030 initiative.

Overall, the aim is to make information easy to find while ensuring that materials remain accurate, current, and grounded in governance processes. The Senate and faculty committee members' interest in the initiative is greatly appreciated and valued. Comments and suggestions regarding Towards planning goals (2025-2030) are very welcome. Please send to president@tru.ca.

Recent Meetings and Campus Tours

RUCBC Presidents’ Meeting (Vancouver) — I joined presidents from the six-member Research Universities’ Council of BC meeting last week. Conversations focused on the provincial review of public post-secondary education, international education changes, and activities and advocacy at the federal level through Universities Canada.

MLA Campus Tour — I was pleased to welcome local MLAs Peter Milobar and Ward Stamer to campus this week for a walking tour. The visit expanded understandings of Thompson Rivers University’s legislated research mandate and our remarkable scope as a dual-sector research university.

The visit included the Low Carbon District Energy System, where we discussed emissions reduction and long-term energy planning, and a stop at the Indigenous Centre building site to discuss its role as a home for community connection, world-class Indigenous-led research, and student support. The tour concluded at the Chappell Family Building for Nursing and Population Health, with a visit to the Simulation-Based Learning Centre, and a presentation by Dr. Ghazanfar Latif on award-winning research into AI tools and health.

We can all be proud of our facilities and expertise held by colleagues in high-fidelity simulation, virtual reality, and emerging AI-supported learning and research that prepare students for real-world practice and support the regional health workforce. Thank you to the Advancement team for helping showcase how use-inspired research, learning, sustainability, and community partnerships come together uniquely at TRU.

Gaglardi School of Business and Economics Council — I so appreciated the opportunity to meet with members of the Gaglardi council this week. Our conversation about university priorities and goals, along with sector-wide matters, in the midst of day-to-day teaching and research efforts, was enlightening and encouraging. Later in the agenda, acting Dean Ehsan Latif spoke of the year of successes and resilience as students, researchers, educators, and professional staff, and hopes looking ahead. These words reminded me of the courage and strength we have as the Thompson Rivers University community.

Since My Last Update

Over the past week, TRU-Kamloops hosted Kupiw7 Roseanne Casimir and Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc for discussions to advance the partnership agreement and implementation plan. We are on track for the ceremony and signing in the new year.

I have enjoyed Teams calls with presidential colleagues at UNBC and at UBCO; valued collaborators in the Interior Research Universities Council. TRU’s newly elected Board Chair, Christine Sorenson, and I met to share about vision and priorities. The Senior Leadership Team met with representatives from Nous Data Insights for an initial review of data from the first intake, which took place in the summer this year. Like all reports, this helps us create hypotheses and then move towards confirming or resetting them. Communication and discussion/input planning for the wider university is being developed and will be shared in the new year.

In addition, there have been several one-on-one meetings that I count as special and truly appreciated. I so welcome the chance to visit together and hear thoughts, try out ideas, and even contest ideas. Thank you for these conversations. This week, I also read EDSW colleague Dr. Alana Hoare’s EdD dissertation, which provided much-valued insight into the good that comes from research-informed and values-based university practices in quality assurance and qualitative evaluation.

Thank you, as always, for the inspiration and innovation we each create and so generously share here at Thompson Rivers University.

Merci. Kukwstsétselp.

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor
Thompson Rivers University

Update from the President #27 February 6, 2026

Weytkp. Bonjour. Hello colleagues.

Merci. Kukwstsétselp.

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor
Thompson Rivers University

Update from the President #26 February 13, 2026

Supporting one another after Tumbler Ridge

This week brought difficult, deeply tragic news from Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. We know members of our TRU community have ties to Tumbler Ridge through family, friends, former classmates, colleagues, and work and study in northern B.C.

We are together in these times. If you want someone at TRU to connect with, please reach out to your dean, supervisor, chair, manager, or a trusted colleague. We will make room for what people need right now: time, privacy, flexibility, and care.

Support is available through TRU Counselling and Wellness for students, through Student Affairs, and through the Employee and Family Assistance Program for faculty and staff. Please do see TRU Connect and my messages from this week for more details about support services.

An internal advisory group met this week to confirm immediate support services and consider how TRU can express care for the Tumbler Ridge community in a way that is respectful and helpful. Thank you to Steve Pottle, Sara Wolfe, Shayne Olsen, Rebecca Sandford, Tory Handford, and Mike Henry (convenor).

As a university, we are grateful for TRU scholars who help us understand how the "real" or most severe impacts of a disaster or tragedy happen months later. This scholarship shows long-term, compounding consequences of catastrophic events, with impacts on well-being and more. With this in mind, I am hosting a conversation circle – an opportunity to come together to learn from the scholarship and discuss how we might prepare, care and support.

The Months That Follow conversation circle is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 25, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., HL 404. All members of TRU are welcome to attend. Thank you in advance to Dr. Bala Nikku (Faculty of Education and Social Work), who will share on disaster impacts and recovery, before we open up for conversation. Please do let colleagues know and feel welcome to come.

PD Week (Feb. 18–20)

With colleagues across campus, I am looking forward to next week’s PD Week, running from Wednesday to Friday, Feb. 18 to 20. Thank you so much to the TRU team that has put together such an interesting and inspiring program of learning and connection.

The PD Week Opening Session is Wednesday, Feb. 18, 9–10 a.m. on MS Teams. No registration is needed. Please see TRU Connect for more details. Andrea Li (Special Advisor, Office of the President and Vice-Chancellor) and I will be speaking on Wednesday to share about TRU’s goals (2025–2030), and applied, responsible AI at TRU.

Throughout the week, there are sessions across safety, equity, student support, accessibility, sustainability, and practical AI. Registration for workshops is by email to hrlearning@tru.ca. The schedule and session details are available on OneTRU.

Black History Month guest lecture: Dr. Marva Ferguson

On Tuesday, Education and Social Work, working with the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism, hosted a guest lecture as part of Black History Month programming. I welcomed Dr. Marva Ferguson (Mount Royal University), who spoke on anti-Black racism in higher education, the role of policy and discourse, and the cost of silence in academic spaces.

This event mattered in so many ways. We strive to be a university where all people can do their best in roles and learning, research and service. How power and exclusion show up in daily practice make a difference. Being a university of thriving for Black peoples and all peoples matters. Thank you to Dr. Ferguson for a powerful talk, and for highlighting the significance of the upcoming signing by TRU of the Scarborough Charter (Feb. 25, 6 p.m., Faculty of Law, Old Main, TRU Kamloops). All are welcome to attend the signing event.

Thank you to Dean Dean and the School of Social Work for superb hosting this week; to the student leaders who helped shape the evening, including the Black Law Students Association and the Afro-Caribbean Student Association; and to the students and colleagues who supported the program and welcomed guests from the wider community.

Budget update

Several hundred TRU members joined the online Budget 2026/27 Town Hall on Tuesday. Like universities across Canada, TRU is facing pressures that are structural. International enrolment dropped sharply beginning in early 2024. TRU has taken steps to live within our means. We are making progress, with more to come. The bold ambition is to turn the university's unprecedented financial challenges into a strategic transformation, positioning Thompson Rivers University for success for decades to come.

A recording of the Budget Town Hall is available on OneTRU along with questions and answers from the Town Hall.

Thank you to:

  • The teams in IPE, Finance, and Communications for your contributions to the Budget Town Hall
  • Vice President of Administration and Finance, Matt Milovick
  • Provost and Vice-President Academic (interim), Dr. Shannon Wagner
  • Members of the Budget Committee of Senate who met this week and reviewed the Budget Town Hall materials

From here, the planning for 2026/27 continues, with a view to the Board receiving a balanced budget for approval at their March Board meeting.

TRU Talks (Feb. 12)

This week, we held another session of TRU Talks with President Airini in the Law Atrium on the third floor of Old Main. These are informal gatherings for questions, ideas, and conversation, open to students, faculty, and staff. I also met with Williams Lake colleagues online on Thursday afternoon.

This week’s TRU Talks included:

  • Revenue generation planning
  • Managing for both student access and success in open learning
  • The importance of student services
  • The need for clarity as early as possible about budgets
  • Investment in the TRU Library
  • Maintaining connection and support
  • Introducing the 10 modes of learning
  • Block teaching
  • Supporting partnerships in industry and communities

Since my last update / Looking ahead

In addition to items above, upcoming engagements include:

  • Meeting with the Qelmúcw Affairs Committee
  • Attending the TRU Winter School on AI and Engineering
  • Meeting with colleagues to discuss relaunching the International Mother Language Celebration
  • Research Universities Council of British Columbia meeting following the BC Budget announcement
  • Visiting with a TteS culture and language study group
  • February Board meetings (in-camera and public) on Friday, Feb. 20
  • Attending the TRU-sponsored Blazers Game
  • Meeting with the doctoral cohort for a two-day writing workshop
  • Meeting with the latest Knowledge Makers group
  • Planning a visit to TRU Williams Lake with Dean Baldev Pooni

TRU’s connection with the Williams Lake region is real and lasting. We acknowledge the passion and commitment of students and colleagues at TRU Williams Lake campus and regional centres.

As always, please do feel free to make contact (president@tru.ca). Thank you for the work we are doing as one university, boldly redefining what it means to be a university, relentlessly student-centred, and leading in use-inspired research and education applied to the challenges of Interior BC and contributing to the future of BC, Canada and our planet. For this weekend, may there be rest and joy in caring for one another.

Weytkp. Bonjour. Hello colleagues.

Future TRU: Budget 2026/27 Virtual Town Hall

Our bold ambition as a university is to turn our unprecedented financial challenges into a strategic transformation, positioning Thompson Rivers University for success for decades to come. On Tuesday, Feb. 10, Matt Milovick, Vice-President Administration and Finance, Dr. Shannon Wagner, Interim Provost and Vice-President Academic, and I will co-host a virtual Budget 2026/27 Town Hall from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Teams. We are making progress with more to come as we move through the first of two phases of our recovery:

  • Phase 1 — 18-20 months from August 2025 to 2027/28: Adjusting to live within our means and to make highly strategic investments;
  • Phase 2 — 2028/29-2030/31: Living within our means and growing our means.

Our university’s values and priorities lead our decisions, and budget realities inform these.

In the Budget Town Hall, we will look at a future TRU that we are building together, financial performance for 2025/26 and budget planning for 2026/27. The meeting will then be open for questions and suggestions. We can submit these in advance through Slido.com using the code #TRUBudget2026.

There will be a live Q&A option through Slido as well. A recording will be posted afterwards. Questions and suggestions can be submitted before, during and after the session and we will do our best to respond. It is so important that we strive ahead with a shared understanding. Thank you in advance for arrangements we each are making to attend the live session or to have time set aside for viewing later.

Black History Month

Each February, TRU and people across Canada participate in Black History Month events and celebrations that honour the legacy and contributions of Black people in Canada and their communities. Please do visit The Black Canvas at the TRU Art Gallery, running weekdays from Feb. 2 to 13, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Hosted by the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism, the exhibition marks 30 years since Black History Month was first introduced in Canada and reflects this year’s theme: “30 Years of Black History Month: Honouring Black Brilliance Across Generations — From Nation Builders to Tomorrow’s Visionaries.” You’ll see a range of mediums, with work from artists of different ages across TRU and the Kamloops community. I am looking forward to participating in the opening reception this Saturday at 5 p.m. Please do feel most welcome to join this event.

Thank you to all those involved in events and learning initiatives this month. A search under ‘TRU Black History Month’ will bring up information. Our Library is one of the many teams involved. Thank you to Librarian @Brenda Smith for the BHM information and references page curated especially for our university.

We look forward to the signing of the Scarborough Charter on Feb. 25, 6 p.m. in the Faculty of Law. Leadership from the national centre for the Scarborough Charter will join us for this event led by the TRU Black Law Students Society.

PHP Undergraduate Conference

This week, I will join the Politics, History, and Philosophy department and students leading the 18th annual TRU PHP Undergraduate Conference, which is happening today and tomorrow. I commend the planning team for the careful effort involved in running a research conference. We so appreciate this opportunity for undergraduate students to present their work and learn from one another. This year’s program includes presenters from several Canadian universities, which speaks to the reputation this conference has built over time. I look forward to joining the conference banquet this weekend.

President’s Annual Merit Awards

We look forward to receiving nominations for the 2026 President’s Annual Merit Awards, in teaching, research, and service.

Key upcoming deadlines include the Excellence Awards for Open Learning Faculty Members on Friday, Feb. 6; the Distinguished Service Awards on Friday, Feb. 13; and several awards with a deadline of Sunday, Feb. 15, including the President’s Distinguished Teacher Award, the Distinguished Scholar Award, and the Awards for Excellence in Research and Scholarship. Award recipients will be recognized at the President’s Annual Merit and Long-Term Service Awards ceremony on Thursday, May 14, from 9 to 11 a.m. in the Grand Hall in the CAC.

TRU Talks

I believe in the president and vice-chancellor being available and visible. We created the monthly TRU Talks with President Airini with this in mind, as one of several listening/communication opportunities. All colleagues from TRU campuses are welcome to these informal gatherings where we have ‘soundings’ about new initiatives, e.g. revenue generation, Towards planning goals (2025-2030).

We meet each month in different parts of TRU and the momentum builds in such good ways for sharing experiences and ideas that are meaningful across TRU. Our next TRU Talks is on Thursday, Feb.12. At TRU Kamloops campus, we will meet from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in Old Main in the Law Atrium on the third floor. For colleagues based in Williams Lake, we will meet online from 1 to 2 p.m. on Teams — find the link here.

TRU Students Talk with President Airini

We are relentlessly student-centred at TRU. This month, we expanded TRU Talks to host a gathering specific to student perspectives and experience: TRU Students Talk with President Airini. With appreciation to TRUSU and @Erin Breden (Strategic Communications), 18 clubs and their leaders met today with myself and Dr. Gordon Binsted (Provost and Vice-President Academic designate).

The vitally important role of student clubs was so apparent for ‘life beyond textbooks’, ‘putting theory into practice’, ‘connection’, ‘mentorship’, ‘safe space, ‘skills for professional life’, and ‘creating belonging’. Student clubs make a difference and are eager to contribute more, as think tanks, partners in student experience and learning, advisors on what teaching helps or hinders student success. Eight actions came from today’s conversation. We reconvene in April to report back and plan ahead. For more information about student clubs see here.

Since My Last Update

The Office of the President and Vice-Chancellor and the Office of the Provost and Vice-President Academic are now both located in the Brown Family House of Learning, Level 4. Please do feel welcome to come by and visit. An open house to thank everyone is being planned to happen in a few weeks, once signage and artwork are up. The spaces are wonderful.

In this first week we have hosted a range of meetings including: the team relaunching the Mother Language Day Celebration (thank you Dr. @Musfiq Rahman and colleagues), media interviews (most recently regarding use-inspired TRU horAIzon research and education innovations, and hearing from Sara Wolfe, Associate Vice-President Students, and Chai Chin Chen, who are the co-chairs of the Student Success Committee of Senate regarding Towards Planning Goals (2025-2030).

Thank you @Tania Gottschalk, University Librarian and interim Dean, Faculty of Student Development, for your project gathering information about the art embedded in the Brown Family House of Learning, including carved doors to s7istcen (Winter House), in-floor carving and mosaic beneath the stairs, and the 30-foot quilted art work. We are eager to know more and to share the stories and teachings within these artworks (president@tru.ca).

Job-related outcomes matter to our students and to our communities of business, industries and not-for-profit sector. Congratulations to the Career and Experiential Learning team for a remarkable TRU Job Fair 2026 with 75 employers registered, 165 employer representatives, and about 2,000 TRU students attending yesterday’s event. Thank you, @Jamie Noakes, CEL chairperson and all the team, as well as our sponsors, supporters, TRU leaders, and faculty for contributing so meaningfully to the success of this key event. I look forward to attending again in 2027.

My reading habits continue to grow. I have a list of ‘super texts’ (selected texts more than 500 years old), as well as enjoying casual reading anew. Daily, I read media outlets and thoroughly enjoyed coverage this week about TRU Law professor Jack Nelson, one of a handful of Canadian academics researching space law. This week we also posted the February briefing on Towards Planning Goals (2025-2026) (here). We anticipate a paper on the planning goals (2025-2030) coming to the March Senate meeting, for advice for the Board’s March meeting.

As always, please do feel free to make contact (president@tru.ca). Best wishes for the weekend ahead everyone. This week reminded me of how at TRU we want to make a difference and we are making a difference, together.

Merci. Kukwstsétselp.

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor
Thompson Rivers University

Update from the President #25 January 30, 2026

Weytkp. Bonjour. Hello colleagues.

I hope your week has been a good one — for making progress where hoped and planned, and for well-being. This week has included further conversations about academic priorities, enrolment, and the future TRU we are building. I have so appreciated the presentations I have heard, the informal and formal meetings. It has been a reminder of the depth of talent and heart that we have across our university.

Senate meeting and domestic enrolment

Thank you to colleagues who participated in Senate on Monday. The meeting covered a wide range of academic, planning, and governance matters, and I appreciate the quality of discussion and advice offered.

Senate heard updates on several important milestones, including the upcoming arrival of Dr. Gordon James Binsted as provost and vice-president academic. Senators were advised that Senate will play an advisory role this spring in shaping TRU’s 2025–2030 planning goals, ahead of Board deliberations later in March.

One highlight from the meeting was a detailed presentation on Fall 2025 domestic enrolment. The data showed the strongest domestic enrolment growth in many years, with increases in applications, admissions, and registrations. Growth was particularly strong among local and regional high school students, reflecting both demographic shifts and recent changes to application processes and entry pathways. This is encouraging news and speaks to TRU’s continued relevance to learners in our region and across the province.

Budget update and upcoming town hall

As part of our ongoing commitment to transparency, we are planning a virtual budget town hall for Feb. 10, when we will provide an update on the university’s financial position and the work underway to address current and future pressures. More details will be shared soon through TRU Connect.

Black History Month

February marks Black History Month when people across Canada participate in Black History Month events and celebrations that honour the legacy and contributions of Black people and communities in Canada. The 2026 theme for Black History Month is: “30 years of Black History Month: honouring Black brilliance across generations — from nation builders to tomorrow’s visionaries.” This theme acknowledges the diversity of Black Canadians, the importance of Black leadership and the legacy being built for future generations. 2026 marks 30 years of Black History Month in Canada. All members of Thompson Rivers University are invited to engage in Black History Month.

Our university activities throughout February will focus on education, reflection, and celebration. These include a Black History Month quiz and book display running all month, a visual art exhibition and reception in early February, a guest lecture by Dr. Marva Ferguson, a community panel discussion later in the month, and the ACSA Black History Month Gala. Several community events are also taking place across Kamloops, including concerts, film screenings, and a community dinner.

To round off Black History Month and to affirm that the intentions and actions continue year-round, Thompson Rivers University will formally adopt the Scarborough Charter on anti-Black racism and Black inclusion in Canadian higher education: principles, actions, and accountabilities. Signatories to the Scarborough Charter commit to redressing anti-Black racism and fostering Black inclusion in universities and colleges across Canada. This event happens on Feb. 25, with more detail to come soon through TRU Connect.

The Black History Month events are the result of strong collaboration across TRU and with community partners. I want to thank Keisha Morong and the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism, student leaders from ACSA and the Black Law Students Association, and many others who have contributed their time and care to this work.

Senior Leadership Team meeting

At our Senior Leadership Team meeting on Wednesday, we had a wide-ranging and productive discussion about the future TRU we are building as One University, the role of revenue generation in optimizing research and teaching at TRU and creating financial strength on an ongoing basis. Planning is beginning for a portfolio of revenue-generating activities. Information on this project will come to Senate and the university during February, seeking Senate advice in May-June, and reporting to the Board in June. This week’s input builds on last week’s discussions at TRU Talks with Airini (on-campus and online), and all meetings will help guide planning, as well as near-term improvements and longer-term work to make our processes clearer and more effective. The senior leadership team members include deans, directors, AVPs, and members of the senior executive team.

Welcoming Maple Leaf students to campus

This week, we were pleased to welcome a short-term cohort of Maple Leaf Educational Systems students to TRU. Maple Leaf has 30 years of successful schooling and official certification by a major international education evaluation agency, Ecctis. Maple Leaf graduates can apply directly to English-speaking universities worldwide using their Maple Leaf World School diploma and transcripts. The Maple Leaf visiting students are spending time at TRU’s Kamloops campus, engaging in university coursework, connecting with our community, and exploring British Columbia. Short-term programs like this help young learners imagine their post-secondary future and reflect the strength of a partnership that has connected TRU and Maple Leaf for many years.

WolfPack volleyball – final home games

This weekend marks the final regular-season home games for WolfPack volleyball. The women’s and men’s teams play Friday and Saturday at the Tournament Capital Centre, and faculty, staff, and family members receive free admission with a TRU employee ID. Friday evening will also include recognition of eight graduating student-athletes playing their final home games. I look forward to making some noise with colleagues, families, and supporters, cheering on our WolfPack student-athletes.

Since My Last Update

Since my last update, TRU’s leadership in wildfire science and education was reinforced in a meeting this week with Parks Canada, supporting their need for research to inform post-fire recovery in the Jasper Park region. Many thanks to Advancement for hosting an informal AI-share-and-learn time about how we are using Copilot and possibilities it offers. It’s wonderful that these informal sharing sessions continue weekly. Last night, I participated in the WolfPack men’s soccer fundraising event, hosted at the Culinary Arts building. Congratulations to the event organizers, to the culinary arts students and faculty, and thank you to soccer alumni, supporters, and TRU colleagues.

As always, thank you to all for the strength, care, and courage you show every day in support of TRU students, knowledge dissemination, and discovery. Best wishes for the weekend ahead.

Merci. Kukwstsétselp.

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor
Thompson Rivers University

Update from the President #24 January 23, 2026

Weytkp. Bonjour. Hello colleagues.

It has been a good week, I believe in large part because it started with early Monday morning laptop time at Student Street, opposite Starbucks. Having students and colleagues drop by for chats and to wish each other well for the day and week was so encouraging. I am grateful for these informal connections across our university. Dropping by to visit is wonderful. TRU has buildings and equipment, carparks and facilities, but at the end of the day, our university is people. We are one university of people. The week started well with the chance to be people together, in good ways. Thank you, TRU.

BC Natural Resources Forum panel in Prince George

On Tuesday afternoon, I travelled to Prince George to participate in the BC Natural Resources Forum and promote TRU Wildfire. The Forum has been held for the past 23 years, and I was interested to attend for the first time. I can say that this gathering is an exceptional networking event with 1,600 attendees, including Chiefs, municipal and provincial leaders, the premier, MLAs and government officials, international corporates, industry CEOs and executives, university and college leaders, RUCBC, and students.

Being in Prince George set a distinct tone for the event and also provided remarkable access to leaders and important connections. I had the opportunity to share about TRU Wildfire during a panel on the final day, focused on natural hazards (including wildfire) and on protecting roads, rail, and power infrastructure across British Columbia. I spoke about the importance of partnerships built before emergencies occur, local capacity, and the role TRU plays through use-inspired wildfire research, education, and training that are grounded in the realities our communities face.

Thank you to TRU Wildfire colleagues and TRU Advancement colleagues who contributed insights and background in advance of the panel, and to those also attending the Forum and representing TRU’s work.

New Provost and Vice-President Academic

Earlier this week, I wrote to the university to share the appointment of Dr. Gordon James Binsted as Thompson Rivers University’s next Provost and Vice-President Academic. Gordon brings deep experience as a researcher, educator, and senior academic leader, and he understands the responsibilities of the provost as both an academic leader and a steward of the institution.

Thank you to the search committee members, Arlee Strachan for administration support, and Alex Verdacchia for serving as the search consultant. I also extend my sincere thanks to Dr. Shannon Wagner for her service as Interim Provost and Vice-President Academic. Shannon provided principled leadership for the university during an important period, and her contributions have been significant. We are grateful for her service and look forward to her continued leadership as she returns to her role as Vice-President Research.

Gordon will join the university in February as the Provost and Vice-President Academic designate. He will be in the full role starting on Monday, March 9.

President’s and Provost's Offices Move to the House of Learning

This past week, the offices of the President and Provost have been moving from the Clocktower Building to space on the fourth floor of the House of Learning. This move required the thoughtful reconfiguration of existing space and the relocation of colleagues to other areas in HOL. Student spaces have remained the same. Thank you to everyone involved for their patience and care throughout the process. For the facilities team involved in design, renovations, and moving. Thank you, Crystal Schock, for your project leadership.

Every effort has been made to keep total relocation costs below $180,000. This includes Level 4 preparations, as well as furniture and finishes for colleagues now on Levels 2 and 3. Renovations to Level 4 walls and fittings have been minimal; materials (e.g., safety glass) have been recycled from other parts of the university; and existing office furniture has been repurposed. Only recycled furniture has been used for those moving to offices on level 4.

The Brown Family House of Learning (‘House of Learning’) sits, for some, at the academic heart of our campus. The House of Learning building opened in 2011, housing TRU's library, a learning common and initially, the Faculty of Law. It was the first TRU building to be awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold status for sustainable construction. The House of Learning is now the home to the Library, CELT, and to the 300-seat C7ístkten̓ (Winter House), where the Senate meets. The design of C7ístkten̓ draws on the form of an ancestral winter pit house, partially set into the hillside, with a peaked sod roof and a central skylight that resembles a smoke hole.

Locating the President’s Office in the House of Learning brings the offices of the President and Provost into closer proximity with students, faculty, and academic life. It is a busy, shared floor. The new location highlights how important it is for the president to be connected deeply to TRU and emphasizes to visitors to the president the importance of knowledge and students to the university we are building together.

The Clock Tower is one of the older buildings on campus, constructed in 1990. Some renovations have happened over the years. Prior to a retrofit the building was annually using energy equivalent to 53 homes per year. The Clock Tower has been home to presidents, provosts, academic departments, IPE, and retains the alumni theatre.

Medium- to long-term future arrangements for Clock Tower spaces are yet to be confirmed. For now, members of TRU’s University Relations teams will move from the ground floor to the third floor. Early discussions in TRU Talks with Airini included:

  • Developing the Clock Tower as a gathering place/ a place of belonging for alumni, retirees, and emeritus professors;
  • meeting rooms available for booking; and
  • an upper floor for hosting gatherings.

If you have suggestions, please feel free to write to me (president@tru.ca) or to share these at our upcoming TRU Talks with Airini (February 12, 10 am-11:30 am, Law Atrium, OM Level 3, TRU-Kamloops; 1-2 pm online for TRU Williams Lake). Ideas are welcome.

TRU Horaizon

On Tuesday, the TRU AI Special Advisor to the President, Andrea Li, and I met with university colleagues and leaders who are members of the TRU Horaizon project team as the first phase of the effort gets underway. The project team provides leadership and guidance to advance TRU toward a planning goal: “TRU is a national leader by 2030 in applied and responsible AI.”

With thanks to Garry Gottfriedson, project values have been identified, aligned with our Envision TRU values and Secwépemc world views. We can look forward to learning more as this project develops and extends out to the wider university. Thank you to the TRU Horaizon team and to Andrea for such good energy that is advancing responsible AI fluency at Thompson Rivers University. Please watch for Andrea’s updates on progress on initiatives.

Final All Seasons. All Students. Safe report received

During fall 2025, I sought recommendations on how we might further strengthen season-related safety for all students. This week, I received the report and recommendations from Sara Wolfe and Reuben Onyango, who coordinated the working party that took up this important initiative. Thank you sincerely to the co-coordinators and colleagues for your time, careful work and thoughtful analysis.

The Executive Team is reviewing the report and seven recommendations. I will share more from this report as it is finalized and decisions are made regarding the recommendations.

Since My Last Update

Since my last update, the Executive Team met for its regular meeting, with discussion focused on academic and operational priorities for the weeks ahead. Planning is underway for the 2026/27 budget. The Budget 2026/27 Townhall will be held on Tuesday, February 10, from 11:30 to 1 pm (online). This provides information about the upcoming budget and an opportunity to ask questions. The session will be recorded for access by those unable to attend at that time.

Preparation also continues for the upcoming Senate meeting on Monday. I thank committee chairs, the secretariat, and Senators for the steady work that underpins our academic governance.

The Board meets on February 20. Agenda items include financial reports for 2025/26, recommendations for honorary doctorates (from the 2025 call for nominations), and a paper on planning goals (2025-2030). The paper will recommend to the Board that the Senate be invited to provide advice on planning goals (2025-2030). The advice at the March 23 Senate meeting will inform Board deliberations later that month. More information, including the January 2026 briefing (Towards planning goals 2025-2030), can be found here. Comments are welcome to president@tru.ca.

Please do feel welcome to keep in touch with thoughts and reflections at president@tru.ca or come by and let’s visit for a while when I am at Student Street or other parts of the TRU campus.

Merci. Kukwstsétselp.

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor
Thompson Rivers University

Update from the President #23 January 16, 2026

Weytkp. Bonjour. Hello colleagues.

Thank you to everyone who joined TRU Talks with Airini this week, both in person and online. These conversations focused on generating revenue within our means and were thoughtful, practical, and wide-ranging. What stood out for me was the generous, open thinking brought to the conversations. I am grateful for the candour, creativity, and seriousness with which we approached these discussions.

Thank you to those who attended and to colleagues who followed up with emails. It is clear that here at Thompson Rivers University, we are striving ahead.

Engaging with the PSE review and sector partners

This week, I travelled to Vancouver to meet with the Public Post-Secondary Education (PSE) Sector reviewer Don Avison. Information about the sector review is available here. The review is an important moment for British Columbia, as our government considers what the public post-secondary system must look like not only in the near term, but decades from now.

It is also an opportunity for Thompson Rivers University to articulate our role and value within that system as BC’s first dual-sector research university.

As one of six research-mandated universities for B.C., we unify vocational and higher education. This unique responsibility comes from our origins in 2005 and our foundations before. Our research and education are use-inspired and closely connected to real-world challenges and solutions.

This reflects our Envision TRU and our values of well-being, “shaped by what we do today”, embracing “new ideas and change,” and “re-examining our practices and their impacts”. This week’s meeting in Vancouver was open and positive.

Honorary degree nominations now open

The honorary degree is the highest form of recognition Thompson Rivers University offers. The list of remarkable past recipients can be found here. I invite us to consider nominating a distinguished individual for an honorary degree, in accordance with TRU’s Honorary Degree Policy ED 16-2.

The nomination deadline for candidates to be considered for the 2027 Convocation ceremonies is August 31, 2026.

Honorary degree recipients will be individuals of provincial, national, or international stature whose achievements are relevant and appropriate to TRU. By nominating a candidate, we have an opportunity to profile a discipline or field, highlight issues of importance to society, bring national attention to TRU and our region, and potentially build relationships that benefit a faculty or school.

TRU employees, students, alumni, and members of the Board of Governors are all eligible to submit nominations. Details on the process, along with a list of past recipients, are available on OneTRU.

My thanks in advance to the Awards and Honours committee and chair Lorry-Ann Austin for your time and confidential deliberations of each nomination and recommendations to Senate. We appreciate your service to the university.

BC Natural Resources Forum panel

Next week, I will participate in a panel at the BC Natural Resources Forum in Prince George, focused on protecting linear infrastructure from natural hazards. Attendees include the premier, Ministers, sector leaders, and university leaders.

The discussion will centre on partnerships, community-centred resilience, and the growing importance of wildfire preparedness across the Interior and beyond. Thank you to colleagues who are also participating in this long-standing forum and elevating how together across BC we are working to take the wild out of wildfire.

Opening of the Respiratory Therapy Annex at Sahali Mall

We have had good news of the recent opening of TRU’s Respiratory Therapy Annex at Sahali Mall, which is now in use by students and colleagues. This purpose-built, student-only facility significantly expands lab and simulation capacity for the Respiratory Therapy program and responds directly to provincial priorities to increase health-care training capacity.

Thank you to the Respiratory Therapy team, who are leading education and research in this health profession, and are devoted to the scientific application of technology to assist in the diagnosis, treatment, management, and care of patients with cardiopulmonary and associated disorders.

Our colleagues are advancing the only health profession with core curriculum and clinical practice in both critical and community care.

The Respiratory Therapy annex includes three respiratory therapy labs, two simulation labs with control rooms, a student study space, and staff areas. It is fully integrated with TRU’s IT and security systems and will support up to 160 students daily.

Importantly, all classes remain on campus; the Sahali location provides specialized lab and study space only.

This project, fully funded by the Province of British Columbia for construction and operations over 10 years, reflects years of planning and collaboration.

In advance of the formal opening, I recognize the work completed by faculty, staff, facilities, IT, security, and provincial partners that has made this expansion and community presence a reality.

Since my last update

Since my last update, development continues towards planning goals (2025–2030) (here). Your comments and suggestions are welcome.

We are on track for planning goals (2025–2030) to come to the Board in February and March, with the recommendation that the Board seek advice from Senate ahead of the Board’s deliberations.

The Executive Team had its regular meeting on Monday afternoon. The agenda included contributions from Kim Cassar Torreggiani regarding Advancement and donor relations, and Dorys Crespin-Mueller on TRU submissions for national (Maclean's) and international rankings (QS, THE sustainability impact).

TRU has made its first submission as a QS Contributor. ‘QS Contributor’ universities are those that have actively engaged with QS by submitting data to use in their rankings. These universities are not included in the final ranking, but their commitment to transparency and global academic engagement is worthy of recognition.

At this time of the month, we have preparation meetings for Senate. Thank you to the chairs of the 17 Senate committees, the secretariat, and appreciation to Dr. Joel Wood for his service as vice chair of Senate.

Our campuses came fully alive this week, with classes in full swing, and our many students learning through Open Learning continue to take up open-access learning opportunities 24-7.

When I was in the Faculty of Science yesterday evening, I met faculty and students starting their lab after dark. As always, everywhere we look, we find the determination to make new futures possible — to realize potential as learners and serve as the unique university that we are, together.

Please do keep in touch with thoughts and reflections at president@tru.ca. Our conversations online or when our paths cross at Student Street or elsewhere on our campuses are always welcome. Best wishes for the weekend ahead, everyone.

Merci. Kukwstsétselp.

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor
Thompson Rivers University

Update from the President #22 January 9, 2026

Weytkp. Bonjour. Hello colleagues.

Welcome back, and best wishes for this new year. I hope memories and good energy from the holiday time remain for us as we move into the winter term. On Thursday, I met with international students new to TRU this term. Being in their company, hearing their ambitions and determination to realize their potential, was a wonderful reminder of what we make possible at TRU. Through our efforts as One University together – student services, course instructors, researchers, facilities colleagues, marketing, and more – students are choosing TRU and on their journey to their version of success.

Sharing TRU’s approach to AI

Our ambition is to be technology-fluent as a university and to advance AI in responsible ways that augment human intelligence. This week, and before the break, Andrea Li (Special Advisor AI) and I spoke with both the CBC and Castanet about Thompson Rivers University’s approach to responsible artificial intelligence. It was wonderful to share the AI innovations led by TRU colleagues and students.

We highlighted TRU’s commitment to thoughtful, ethical use of AI in teaching, learning, research, and operations. The media’s interest in this topic reflects broader public questions. Across our institution, we are engaging with AI in careful, creative, responsible ways. Coming soon: CELT workshops on AI.

Canada Impact+ Research Chairs

Through the Thompson Rivers University Act (2005), we have a mandate to research, one of only six research-mandated universities in B.C. We have strengths in use-inspired research, aligning with our TRU Values: we value research that “helps one another”, “shaped by what we do”, and “re-examining our practices and their impacts”.

TRU is moving ahead at-pace with a search for candidates to fill federal Canada Impact+ Research Chairs. This recently announced national program is designed to attract offshore senior researchers whose work delivers clear public benefit and strengthens Canada’s research capacity in priority areas.

The opportunity is significant. Your input and promotion of these opportunities at TRU are important. Each chair is valued at up to $1 million a year, supporting both the researcher and a broader program of work that includes students, collaborators, and community partners. For TRU, success in this competition would deepen our contribution to solutions that matter locally, regionally, and nationally.

The timeline for this program is compressed, and the work underway reflects that reality. More information on the application process is available by contacting vpr@tru.ca. Thank you for reaching out to international networks and sharing news of this opportunity.

TRU joins the Scarborough Charter

Through our TRU values, we are committed to inclusion and diversity: “We embrace diversity of thought and people. We commit to equity. We continually see the world and its inhabitants in new ways by re-examining our practices and their impacts.”

In support of our values, I am pleased to share that during Black History Month in February, TRU will formally sign the Scarborough Charter on Anti-Black Racism and Black Inclusion in Canadian Higher Education. Signatories of the Scarborough Charter “commit to redressing anti-Black racism and fostering Black inclusion in universities and colleges across Canada.”

This is an important commitment, with more information coming during Black History Month in February about what this means in practice at TRU and how we can be involved. Thank you so much to the EDI Office leadership for advice and guidance.

TRU Talks with Airini — January 13

The next TRU Talks with Airini sessions (in person and virtual) take place on Jan. 13. These sessions are an opportunity for open conversation. I sometimes describe these as “soundings.” I hope you will join, either in person or online.

With a nod towards Keynesian economics and the Paradox of Thrift, for January, we begin soundings on revenue generation within our means. Please see TRU Connect for more details. I very much look forward to meeting together this month.

Towards planning goals (2025–2030)

In 2020, TRU’s strategic change goals were created to drive the ten-year vision described in the Board-approved Envision TRU (2020–2030). Five years on, TRU is transforming in a rapidly evolving post-secondary sector. At the halfway point for Envision TRU, we need focused action.

As shared in earlier Updates, planning goals (2025–2030) are being developed to help us track progress and focus as TRU moves forward, aligned with Envision TRU. Please do turn to https://www.tru.ca/president.html for this month’s briefing on the project. Your suggestions and questions are welcome at president@tru.ca.

Development of the 10 planning goals began in the summer of 2025. Planning includes the Board receiving a report in February with the recommendation that the Board seek advice from Senate ahead of decision-making at the March 27, 2026, Board meeting.

This week, I visited with APPC for further advice on this initiative. Later this month, there will be discussions with further Senate committees. Advice and input are important and welcome.

President’s Annual Merit Awards — nominations open

We have so much to celebrate amongst our colleagues. We recognize excellence in teaching, research, and service across our university through the 2026 President’s Annual Merit Awards. Nominations are now open. Do you know someone whose work deserves recognition? Please do consider submitting a nomination. Most deadlines fall in February:

  • President’s Distinguished Teacher Award (deadline Feb. 15)
  • Excellence Awards for Open Learning Faculty Members (deadline Feb. 6)
  • Distinguished Scholar Award (deadline Feb. 15)
  • Awards for Excellence in Research and Scholarship (deadline Feb. 15)
  • Distinguished Service Awards (deadline Feb. 13)

More details, eligibility criteria, and nomination processes are available on TRU Connect, along with a link to an archive of past recipients. Award recipients will be celebrated at the President’s Annual Merit and Long-Term Service Awards ceremony on May 14, 2026.

Since my last update

Since my last update, it has been holiday time. My days included a couple of firsts — first ice skates (yes, now used, with minimal-to-nil bruising) and first goes at skate skiing out at Stake Lake. I started and finished a novel over the break (By Any Other Name — a fascinating account challenging Shakespeare’s standing as an author), as well as re-read PM Carney’s Value(s).

A highlight was switching off the phone and laptop for three full days. A backup was put in place in case of urgent contact being needed. I quickly realized, though, that I was out of practice with my own thoughts.

Day One coincided with a day of classic cross-country skiing. I was out there for about 2.5 hours chugging along, and to be honest, by the time I rounded the final bend and could see the hut and car park there at Stake Lake, I couldn’t wait to get away from myself.

I had run out of thoughts. So I went back the next day, did the same route the other way around, and had another go. I noticed things — trees, sky, sound, thoughts, not-thoughts — and enjoyed it far more. Being with oneself takes practice. And it pays off.

I am aware now of what was a reflex to pick up the phone and scan anytime, anywhere. And I stop myself and prioritize doing other things — or not doing anything in particular. I extended the switching off to a fourth day.

It has been wonderful to hear holiday stories upon returning to TRU this week. Please do feel free to get in touch and share more stories (president@tru.ca). Thank you for all that we do in every way to support our students and our shared purpose. I look forward to the months ahead, together as one university striving ahead.

Merci. Kukwstsétselp.

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor
Thompson Rivers University

Court decision regarding visual artsOctober 29, 2025

Hello colleagues. Weyt-kp.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court of British Columbia released its decision regarding the closure of Thompson Rivers University’s Visual Arts programs. (The written judgment is expected to be posted on the BC Supreme Court website this week.)

The case concerns Thompson Rivers University’s decision to suspend enrolment in its Visual Arts programs and the decision of the university’s Board of Governors to discontinue four Visual Arts programs within the Faculty of Arts:

  • Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Arts, Major);
  • BA (Visual Arts, Minor);
  • Diploma in Visual Arts; and
  • Visual Arts Studio Certificate.

The court found that the Board’s decision to eliminate the programs was reasonable, and that, “…TRU’s decision-making process in reaching the decision to discontinue the Visual Arts Programs was fulsome, conducted in good faith and essentially in conformity with BD Policy 8-4.”

While the court found that the decision to suspend enrolment was made without first seeking the Board's approval, it also found that reversing this decision would be moot, since the Board ultimately decided to eliminate the programs.

This means the Board's decision to suspend enrolments and to close the four Thompson Rivers University’s Visual Arts programs remains unchanged.

Many students, alumni, faculty, and community members have expressed their deep attachment to the Visual Arts program and to the important role it played in Thompson Rivers University’s creative and cultural life.

Like so many, I too have admired Thompson Rivers University's Fine Arts programs and the creative works of students, and noted the impact of declining enrolments. I acknowledge that some colleagues at Thompson Rivers University have described actions regarding the closure of Fine Arts enrolments as experiences of hurt and frustration. I also acknowledge the extended engagement of the Department and Faculty Council, Senate, the Board, and TRUFA in this process and associated decisions.

As President and Vice-Chancellor, I am sorry for any hurt experienced or frustration caused by this case. I believe all colleagues should feel respected, even in the midst of difficult discussions about change.

Thank you to those who, over the years, have developed university policies in accordance with the Thompson Rivers University Act, and who uphold the importance of following legislation and policy. Our Act and policies provide principles, processes, and precedent for respectful decision-making. We will always strive to be respectful. I am confident that every effort is being made at our university to operate consistently with legislation and policy. This principled effort will continue in the spirit of respectful decision-making.

Finally, thank you and my respect to colleagues who have developed and led Fine Arts programs at Thompson Rivers University.

Thank you, everyone. Merci. Kukwstsétselp.

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

A time for remembranceNovember 5, 2025

Weyt-kp. Bonjour. Hello.

As we move through November, we take time together to remember those who have served and sacrificed in times of war and peace. Across Canada and here at Thompson Rivers University, this is a period for reflection, learning, and gratitude.

On Nov. 8, we honour the service and contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis veterans. For generations, Indigenous peoples have served with courage in every major conflict, from the War of 1812 to the world wars and beyond, often without equal recognition when they returned home.

Communities across the country gather through drumming, song, and storytelling to remember the resilience of Indigenous soldiers and to honour their families. This is also a time for us to listen, to learn, and to recommit to reconciliation and equity.

Just days later, on Nov. 11 at 11 a.m., we pause for two minutes of silence to mark the moment the First World War ended. Together, we remember those who served and those who gave their lives. At TRU, we will gather on Thursday, Nov. 6 on Student Street in Old Main from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m., and I invite us to take part on campus or attend an event in our community.

It is fitting that these two commemorations are so close together. They remind us that Canada’s story of service is diverse and deeply interconnected. By recognizing Indigenous Veterans Day alongside Remembrance Day, we strengthen our shared commitment to understanding, gratitude, and peace.

As we wear our poppy or take a moment of silence, I invite us to reflect on the courage of veterans and the legacy of all who served. Together, we honour their memory through our actions for justice and peace.

Thank you. Merci. Kukwstsétselp.

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

Update on unsanctioned event at TRUNovember 5, 2025

Hello colleagues. Weyt-kp

While this message may contain new information to some in our university community, I believe it is important that I write on a matter that has come to our attention that is contrary to university policy and our commitment to honour truth, reconciliation and rights.

The Executive Team of Thompson Rivers University is aware of online posts promoting an unsanctioned gathering at our Kamloops campus on November 12. This activity is not approved under Thompson Rivers University’s Responsible Use of University Space policy, which requires prior authorization for organized events or filming outside the core operations of the university.

Our focus is on maintaining a safe, respectful environment for study, work, and campus life. To that end, we have reminded the individuals involved that they do not have permission to hold this activity at Thompson Rivers University and have issued a notice under the B.C. Trespass Act.

Our teams are working together to ensure that the campus remains open, safe, and calm. Thompson Rivers University will respond proportionately and in accordance with policy and law.

Thompson Rivers University stands with survivors, communities and Indigenous students, faculty and staff who continue to live with the impacts of residential schools. We all share in this journey and together continue our work toward truth, respect, and reconciliation.

We appreciate the continued support and cooperation of our students, faculty, staff, and partners. Thank you for helping keep our university a place of belonging, learning, and respect. Please do continue to look after one another and yourself. Professional support is available, as set out below.

Thank you. Merci. Kukwstsétselp.

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

Indigenous faculty, staff and students

Students

Faculty and staff

Services for faculty and staff are available through TELUS Health One, our employee assistance program (EAP) provider. TELUS Health One offers one-on-one counselling and crisis support, and can be reached by phone at 1-877-207-8833. For more information on these services, visit Workplace Well-Being's EAP page on OneTRU.

Insights from federal budget 2025November 7, 2025

Dear colleagues,

Weyt-kp Bonjour. Hello. I want to take a moment to provide insights about this week’s federal budget and what it means for Thompson Rivers University (TRU).

The 2025 federal budget signals both opportunity and the need to adjust for universities like TRU. It strengthens Canada’s research system through major investments in talent and infrastructure, while continuing to reshape international education and immigration policy.

For TRU, the task is clear — pursue the opportunities, prepare for changes, and keep people at the centre of both. This aligns squarely with Future TRU, our work to build a university that unites research, teaching, and community purpose for the decades ahead.

Budget 2025 brings real opportunities for TRU and sets conditions we will need to manage carefully. It commits new resources to recruit global research talent, modernize infrastructure and expand student work experience, while tightening international student admissions. Our job is to act where gains are apparent and plan for the long term.

On talent, the federal budget creates an accelerated research chairs initiative, matches Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) infrastructure funding, supports the recruitment of top international PhD and postdoctoral candidates, and provides resources to recruit assistant professors.

We will compete for chairs and equipment in priority clusters where TRU can deliver national impact from the Interior — wildfire and climate risk, remote sensing and AI, and health and community resilience, for example. The new federal investment in sovereign AI computing could also help us strengthen wildfire modelling, fuel behaviour prediction, and geospatial analytics in partnership with Kamloops Innovation and regional agencies.

For students, Ottawa proposes 55,000 subsidized work-integrated learning opportunities in 2026–27 through the Student Work Placement Program. Last year, TRU leveraged this program for six funded co-op terms and 455 project-based placements — about $1 million for our students. With the planned expansion, we estimate roughly $200,000 more could flow to TRU learners. IRCC has also signalled plans to remove separate co-op work permit requirements and to introduce a shorter service standard by summer 2026 — changes that would let students take up placements with less red tape.

We also see strong potential to connect our Nursing, Health Care Assistant, and Trades programs with the federal Foreign Credential Recognition Action Fund. By aligning these pathways, TRU can help internationally trained professionals upgrade their credentials and build careers here in the Interior.

The outlook around international education, however, continues to shift. The government’s 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan targets 155,000 new student arrivals in 2026, a sharp reduction from 291,000 this year. (Continuing students are not counted in the 155,000 cap, which helps current learners complete their programs.) Graduate students at public universities will again be exempt from provincial attestation letters starting in 2026, and doctoral study permit applications made outside Canada will be processed within 14 days. TRU does not offer doctoral programs, but faster, clearer service standards matter across the sector. We will focus our efforts where we can most likely move the needle, including:

  • Developing graduate options,
  • Removing TRU-based barriers to international student admissions,
  • Expanding transnational education partnerships.

Lastly, the 10-year Build Communities Strong Fund — open to colleges and universities — provides a path to co-invest with the province in campus facilities and infrastructure, which will improve our campuses and support our local workforce.

For TRU, Budget 2025 is a reminder that universities thrive when they adapt and lead. We will strive to find new opportunities for use-inspired research, innovation, and student learning while working carefully and strategically to manage the realities — all with care, collaboration, and a steady focus on our vision and mission.

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

Misinformation regarding unsanctioned event at TRUNovember 10, 2025

Hello colleagues. Weyt-kp

It has come to our attention that an online poster is circulating on social media which falsely suggests that Thompson Rivers University is hosting or endorsing an event on our Kamloops campus on November 12. The poster also misuses the TRU logo without authorization.

To be clear, this event is not sanctioned by TRU. It has not been approved under the university’s Responsible Use of University Space policy, which requires prior authorization for organized activities or filming on campus. The individuals will be instructed that they do not have permission to hold this event at TRU, and that notice has been issued under the B.C. Trespass Act.

We understand that this misinformation may cause concern for members of our community, particularly Indigenous students, faculty, and staff. TRU stands with survivors, Indigenous communities, and all who continue to live with the impacts of residential schools. The university remains committed to ensuring our campuses are places of belonging, learning, and respect.

Our teams are working together to maintain a safe, calm, and respectful environment. Should any additional action be required, TRU will respond proportionately and in accordance with policy and law.

We thank everyone for your care and cooperation. Please continue to look out for one another, and know that professional and cultural supports remain available to those who need them.

Kukwstsétsemc. Merci. Thank you.

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

‘A Bright Future’ — Speech to TRU GalaNovember 15, 2025

‘A bright, bright future’

Good evening. Bonsoir. Weyt-kp.

Thank you, elder Colleen Seymour, for the welcome to this territory and the gift of story about skelep, grasshopper and truth, and the gift of nourishing one another.

We come here tonight for a purpose: we all believe that students of Thompson Rivers University have a bright, bright future.

Thank you, friends, for your support for the students of TRU.

You being here tonight means already more students are able to make their way here and build good futures as lifelong learners, human rights advocates, entrepreneurs, welders, knowledge makers, lawyers, nurses, fin tech specialists, bankers, urban planning, carpenters, social workers, inventors, and more. Already you have made so much possible.

Thank you.

In the midst of this beautiful space of Nutcracker themes, of transformation and light, with gratitude to the TRU Foundation and the Advancement team, knowing across this room we have dignitaries, sponsors, President’s Circle, honorary doctors, advisors, donors, alumni, TRU leaders, colleagues, and students, I am going to share a couple of early thoughts from early days as president, the challenge we are solving tonight, and a little about TRU. I am also going to thank you.

We are here, friends, with purpose tonight.

What I know

I am rounding the bend to complete my first 100 days as the fifth president at Thompson Rivers University. This is my second time at TRU and like some in this room, I come from away. My husband Brandon and I are from New Zealand. Now we’re 11 years in Canada. I can almost skate. I can for sure ‘make some noise’ at TRU Wolfpack games, and I can just about smell snow when it’s on the way.

Whether it is your first time at TRU or your second; whether we are your family’s university or you’re first in family to be here: what I know, and what we know, is that TRU has a way of catching you, and connecting deeply.

I now believe TRU calls on those who have to find a way, those who have no time for fear, and those who have no interest in being the same as everyone else. We are the originals.

The challenge we are solving tonight

TRU students need our support to access high-value knowledge and skills, to prepare for lifelong adaptation, and to graduate ready for jobs, innovation, and citizenry that are good for our region and beyond. We are in times when we need what TRU graduates can do to advance the sovereignty of our province and Canada.

Students are looking for a university with a purpose. A university that will roll up its sleeves and get things done and stand up for this region, for the planet and one another.

I believe that TRU is that university of purpose.

There is good news. More students are choosing to come and more want to come.

Here are a couple of reasons: where we are, what we are, what we believe.

Where we are

Thompson Rivers University is proud to serve as The University of Interior BC - with the beauty, histories, economic might and potential that is only possible in Interior BC. There are 940,000 square kilometers in this province. 670,000 of those are here in Interior BC. We are a place of immense potential.

What we are

TRU is redefining what it means to be a university. We operate outside the generic practices of higher education. Here, we proudly unify higher and vocational education. That makes sense because in Interior BC we know, when there is a flood along the way, we need fixes from both the hydrologist and the plumber. We need to restore homes and community resilience. Students at TRU have a university for research and innovation, humanities and sciences, and they have the ‘tradies’ university. Our unique dual-sector model means students have a "best of both worlds" approach.

What we believe

Here in Interior BC, we believe anyone from any background can belong at university and have the opportunity to be successful. Here excellence and broad access co-exist and thrive in one university.

This gala is widening access to excellence:

  • We will see more students from this region learning and stay here; and
  • We will attract students from BC and the world here, and maybe like Brandon and I this home will become their home.

More good news -- students tell me they choose TRU because we stand by our commitments

We stand for sustainability. We were, we are, the first university in Canada to achieve platinum in the global sustainability STARS rating. We now have double Platinum STARS rating and are one among just eight universities in the world with the double. That’s interesting when we think there are about 26,000 universities worldwide. And with the completion of the Low Carbon District Energy System next year, we are on track for zero carbon in 2026 – potentially the first university in Canada.

At TRU, we understand that Secwepemc world views and beliefs are foundational to the university, and we stand for Truth and Indigenous rights. (as recently as Wednesday). We celebrate the construction underway of the Indigenous Centre. Please do come to the opening in November 2026.

Finally, we are committed to use-inspired research and education that’s applied to the challenges of Interior BC, and contributes to the province, to Canada, and global futures. Students and faculty say they choose TRU because what we can do here together, matters.

  • Francesco is a robotics scientist at TRU. With his students he is programming quadruped robots to go into wildfires, so the humans (the students) we train at the nation-leading TRU Wildfire Centre of Excellence know best practices and stay safe.
  • Meaghan (let’s call her this for now) lives in Calgary. We met during the fall term national TRU alumni tour, and she is doing one last course (in philosophy) via TRU’s Open Learning. Her dream is to come here to TRU Law. Meaghan wants to help women know their rights and stand up for their rights.

Students and faculty say they choose TRU because what we can do here matters.

So, with all TRU colleagues and students, I want to say thank you

We are here, friends, with purpose tonight.

TRU stands proudly as the university of Interior BC ready. Together tonight’s support for students, is expanding possibilities in this region, for our province, Canada and beyond.

I believe many in this room know what it is to have to find a way, to have no time for fear, and to have no interest in being the same as everyone else.

It’s clear TRU brought us together to make a difference, in our own original way.

Because we chose to be here tonight more students can make their way at TRU.

That’s our purpose. We want TRU students to be all they are called to be.

Thank you for your support this day, in past days, and in future days. We know that students at Thompson Rivers University have a bright, bright future.

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

Provincial review of B.C.’s public post-secondary systemNovember 25, 2025

Hello colleagues. Weyt-kp. Bonjour.

Today, the Province of British Columbia announced an independent review of the public post-secondary system, to be led by Don Avison, KC. The review is intended to set a new course for a sustainable, accessible system that supports B.C.’s economic and social priorities.

This is also responding to financial pressures across the sector, including the impact of federal changes to international student policy. Information is just beginning to come through to postsecondary leaders. Presidents were advised on Friday. Planning to respond positively and proactively started immediately. My message today provides an overview of the sector review based on what is known to date.

The purpose of the review is to improve the effectiveness, sustainability, and resilience of B.C.’s public postsecondary education sector, addressing both immediate financial pressures and long-term operational challenges.

The scope of the review encompasses all aspects of sector-level governance, organizational structures, and institutional operations — including academic program delivery, support services, administrative functions, and all sources of sector revenues. The key objectives include:

  • Recommend changes to governance and operational structures to reduce duplication, optimize structures, and improve efficiency and service delivery.
  • Propose improvements to program delivery, focusing on reducing duplication, aligning with provincial economic and labour market priorities, and incentivizing collaboration.
  • Identify strategies to strengthen student supports, improve trades training and credit transfer systems, and expand co-op, apprenticeship, and work-integrated learning opportunities.
  • Recommend ways to adjust and improve revenue models, including, where appropriate, tuition policies, to support both short-term stabilization and long-term sustainability.

The following principles will guide the review:

  • Ensure alignment with provincial priorities, including accessibility, affordability, and responsiveness to labour market needs.
  • Recognize the economic and social impact of post-secondary institutions as anchors for local and provincial development.
  • Advance reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, supporting the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
  • Incentivize collaboration and best practices across the sector.
  • Ensure consultation and engagement with stakeholders, reflecting input from those impacted.
  • Build on the strong foundation of B.C.’s respected postsecondary system.

The review begins in November 2025, with a final report due by March 15, 2026. The report is to provide a practical roadmap for the government, ensuring the system remains affordable, sustainable, efficient, and aligned with future priorities.

TRU has consistently supported a structured, principled approach to sustainability that balances revenue sources, recognizes the different roles of institutions, improves efficiency, and keeps the system aligned with B.C.’s economic plans and other priorities.

TRU has long been part of that work and is ready to support the government as it turns this into action across B.C.

Our goal is to do more than respond to change. We hope to contribute meaningfully to that change. We will be ready for any shifts in policy or direction that improve outcomes for learners and communities. As a regionally engaged, dual-sector research university with a provincial open learning mandate, TRU expects to explore ideas that could include ideas that:

  • strengthen pathways for learners in the Interior, rural and remote communities, and for Indigenous students;
  • expand collaboration with other institutions;
  • use flexible delivery to reach more learners and support employers needing skilled and professional employees
  • across the province; and
  • propose practical approaches to revenue, funding and tuition that protect affordability while addressing real cost pressures.

In the days ahead, we expect to receive a work plan and questions from the reviewer, and there will be opportunities for presidents and institutions to meet with him directly. Once we see the details, we will:

  • coordinate TRU’s submissions through our existing governance and planning processes;
  • engage with the Board, Senate, unions, student leaders and Indigenous partners on key questions within the 15-week review timeline;
  • and work with sector partners through the Research Universities’ Council of BC, Interior University Research Coalition, and other associations so that TRU’s ideas inform system-wide recommendations.

Nothing in today’s announcement changes TRU’s operations at this time. We can anticipate the review to lead to recommendations and decisions about how the public post-secondary system in B.C. is structured and funded.

My aim is for TRU to be at the front of those changes, creating solutions that work for our students, staff and the communities we serve in Interior BC, the province, and beyond.

Please be assured that more information will be shared as it comes available, including ways for us all to contribute ideas. Thank you everyone for all the ways in which we make a difference through TRU.

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

Budget Update to the TRU CommunityDecember 5, 2025

Hello colleagues. Weyt-kp. Bonjour.

I am writing to share information from Thompson Rivers University’s second-quarter budget forecast, which was presented to the Board of Governors today. We approve a budget before each new fiscal year (FY), which starts in April. We then look at how we are tracking, four times a year and report on progress.

This helps us to see where we are living within our means, or where we need to make changes. It is expected that we will see fluctuations within each year. For FY 2025/26 to 2026/27, we are tackling a projected deficit of $20M-$25M across both years. We are making progress on FY 2025/26’s deficit. Our financial position at the end of FY2025/26 will help us with the challenges ahead in FY 2026/27. We will continue to speak plainly about our financial position. This gives us a clear view of where we stand and how our decisions fit together.

We are making progress…

Our Q2 forecast shows a projected surplus of about $1 million for this year. ‘Surplus’ means we have funds available for savings to help us with challenges coming up in FY2026/27.

This is a point-in-time estimate of the funds we believe we will have at the end of this fiscal year (March 31, 2026). We prepare the estimate using results through the end of September 2025 and updated enrolment projections from October. We may see this estimate fluctuate further as we move through Q3 and Q4.

While we have improved on the Q1 outlook, the projected surplus does not represent new available funding for ongoing operations. The single most important factor in this update is a one-time, $5 million donation designated for Indigenous initiatives. Without that donation, TRU would still be forecasting a deficit this year.

The projected surplus also reflects reductions to in-year spending and adjustments to enrolment projections — areas where many of us have already been contributing through careful planning and reduced costs. Thank you for this effort, everyone. The forecast also includes higher severance costs this year. Thank you everyone for the care towards cherished colleagues as we work through transition arrangements.

We can see the financial reporting details in the Board materials (page 8).

….with further to go

Even with this year’s Q2 forecasted surplus, TRU continues to face structural financial challenges for us to solve. This means that in FY2026/27 and outyears there are built-in increases to spending, such as salary increases such as steps on the salary grid. Those commitments are not solved by one-time funds (such as a large donation) and need structural changes so we stabilize financially. The multi-year projection shared with the Board shows year on year deficits if no further action is taken.

This is why we continue our work on long-term financial strength. We have submitted a deficit mitigation plan to the provincial ministry, as required when an institution anticipates a deficit. This plan sets out the steps we are taking to reduce and manage our financial risks over several years.

Key points

  • For FY2025/26-2026/27 we are tackling a projected deficit of $20M-$25 M across both years. We are making progress on FY2025/26’s deficit.
  • A projected surplus of about $1M at the end of FY2025/26 means we have funds available for savings to help us with challenges coming up in FY2026/27.
  • We may see this estimate fluctuate further as we move through Q3 and Q4.
  • Core expenses — including compensation growth and inflation — continue to outpace revenues.
  • During this first phase, we want to reduce costs and make highly strategic investments.
  • Our academic priorities and values continue to lead our decisions, and our budget realities inform these decisions.

Our efforts are making a difference. Together, we are helping to stabilize while we build our future TRU.

We will continue to share regular updates through budget information sessions, TRU Talks with Airini, and my weekly written updates. Our communications aim to keep us all informed. Please be assured this will continue. If you have any questions or suggestions, please do feel free to write to me at president@tru.ca.

Thank you, everyone. Merci. Kukwstsétselp.

Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor

Standing with Tumbler Ridge and Supporting One Another February 11, 2026

*** Please be aware this message is about a tragic event in B.C. ***

Hello TRU community. Bonjour. Weyt-kp,

Like so many across British Columbia, we are holding profound sadness today following the tragic and violent incident yesterday at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in northern B.C. Details are still emerging. This devastating event deeply affects students, families, educators, and the wider community. Our hearts are with all those who are grieving. We stand alongside the Tumbler Ridge community.

In time we will know more and understand more. For now, we are ready to assist however is helpful. We care for those in our own TRU community with bonds to Tumbler Ridge. We look after one another.

Although Tumbler Ridge is outside our immediate region, northern and Interior B.C. communities are closely connected. The ties are personal and institutional. As a member of the Interior Research Universities Consortium, alongside UNBC and UBC Okanagan, TRU shares enduring relationships and a strong sense of solidarity with our colleagues, learners, and communities across the North. In moments like this, that bond is felt deeply.

An event of this kind can move us and may be unsettling, even when this happens at a distance. I encourage any member of our community who is feeling impacted to reach out for support. Seeking care is a sign of strength.

TRU’s counselling and wellness services are available to students, and employees can access support through our Employee and Family Assistance Program.

I have called a team together this morning from across TRU to look at support and planning. Thank you to colleagues for the expertise and advice you will bring to that meeting. An update will come to TRU later today.

This morning we will see our flags at TRU lowered to half-mast. This symbol of mourning is recognised across our region and our planet. Please join me in holding the people of Tumbler Ridge in our thoughts, and in continuing to look after one another with compassion and care.

With care and solidarity,

Dr. Airini
Professor of Education
President and Vice-Chancellor
Thompson Rivers University
 > TRU Home > The Office of the President and Vice-Chancellor

“I come to this role with deep gratitude and a simple intention: to listen well, to serve wisely, and to work beside you to shape the future of TRU.” — Dr. Airini
President and Vice-Chancellor TRU

About Dr. Airini Deeply Committed to Education

Dr. Airini brings a deep commitment to inclusive education, research for real-world challenges, academic excellence, and community service. She came to Canada as an international student, is a national award-winning educator and researcher in two countries, Fulbright Scholar, and a leader with experience across academic, government, and global agencies.

Academic and Professional Background Connect with the Office of the President
Dr. Airini

Presidential Installation of Dr. Airini

In an emotion-filled ceremony recognizing culture, tradition and the future, Dr. Airini was formally installed as Thompson Rivers University’s fifth president and vice-chancellor.

Read more about the installation Watch the full installation

At the core of Airini’s vision

People

Recognizing the contributions and potential of students, faculty, staff and community partners.

Purpose

Ensuring TRU remains a place where education transforms lives, where ideas grow and where everyone belongs.

Possibility

Leading TRU into its next chapter with openness to change, confidence in its identity and respect for its roots in Secwépemcúl’ecw.

Executive team

Dr. Shannon Wagner Interim Provost & Vice President Academic (interim)

Leads TRU’s academic operations and sets the university’s academic strategy. A search is underway to recruit the next PVPA; details can be found on our executive search page.

Dr. Shannon Wagner is serving as interim provost and vice president academic while TRU conducts a search for a permanent chief academic officer. A registered psychologist, she joined TRU in 2021 as associate vice president academic and, in 2023, became the university’s inaugural vice president research. Her research has focused on workplace traumatic stress and occupational and organizational mental health, and she has taught psychological assessment, epidemiology and research methods. Prior to TRU she served as inaugural dean and later interim dean of the Faculty of Human and Health Sciences at the University of Northern British Columbia, where she also held administrative positions in graduate studies and health sciences. Wagner holds a PhD in clinical psychology and has dedicated her career to supporting emergency responders and other workers who experience traumatic stress.

Matt Milovick Vice-President Administration & Finance

Matt Milovick has been TRU’s vice president administration and finance since 2013 and leads the university’s administrative operations. Before joining TRU he was vice president finance and administration at the Ontario College of Art and Design University; he also served as interim chief financial officer and vice president operations and strategic development at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT). Earlier roles included senior financial positions at Saint John College (University of New Brunswick Saint John) and York University. Milovick holds bachelor’s degrees in science (University of Guelph) and administrative studies (York University), an MEd from Memorial University of Newfoundland and is a Certified Management Accountant. He currently chairs the BCNET board of directors.

Baihua Chadwick Vice-President International

Born and raised in China, Baihua Chadwick studied in Germany before immigrating to Canada in the late 1980s. She holds a master’s degree in international management and has worked in British Columbia’s post-secondary sector for more than two decades. After joining TRU in 1993 as an international student adviser, she established and led the university’s Transnational Education Unit and now oversees one of Canada’s largest international education programs. Under her leadership, TRU hosts more than 3,500 international students from over 100 countries on campus and delivers programs offshore in China, India and Iceland. Chadwick has extensive experience negotiating global partnerships and is recognized for championing international student support services and intercultural understanding. She serves on the Canadian Bureau for International Education board of directors, IDP Education’s Canadian strategic advisory board and the international advisory committee for Colleges and Institutes Canada. Her own experience immigrating to Canada informs her philosophy of individualized support for international students.

Dr. Mike Henry Chief of Staff (term appointment)

Serves as a trusted partner to the president and coordinates the operations of the President’s Office. Responsibilities include strategic leadership, oversight of communications and government relations, liaison with governance bodies and modelling well being across the university.

Mike Henry, chief of staff to the president, previously served as dean of TRU’s Bob Gaglardi School of Business and Economics. His career has spanned the non profit, private and public sectors and includes service as a provincial elected official, small business owner and consultant. He has led non profit boards and currently sits on the boards of the Kamloops Innovation Council, the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce and the Uptown Business Association. Henry is past president of the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada and is president elect of the Canadian Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship; he also serves as treasurer of the Canadian Federation of Business School Deans. Henry holds an MBA from the University of Alberta and a Doctor of Business Administration from the University of Southern Queensland.

Dr. Garry Gottfriedson (h.c.) Secwépemc Special Advisor to the President

Dr. Garry Gottfriedson, a member of the Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc, was appointed the university’s first Secwépemc special advisor to the president in August 2025. He previously served as TRU’s Secwépemc cultural advisor in the Faculty of Education and Social Work and later provided university-wide leadership through Indigenous Education. Gottfriedson is an accomplished Indigenous poet and author of fifteen books and the lead author of the Secwépemc Nation Research Ethics Guidelines. He has taught at Cariboo College, served as a councillor and consultant for the Kamloops Indian Band and worked in education for more than fifty years. A rancher and professional breeder of horses, he earned an MFA in creative writing from the Naropa Institute (where he studied after receiving the Gerald Red Elk Creative Writing Scholarship) and a master’s degree in education from Simon Fraser University. Gottfriedson is a passionate advocate for Secwépemc language preservation and community well-being.

Andrea Li Special Advisor to the President

Andrea Li is TRU’s Special Advisor to the President on Artificial Intelligence, responsible for guiding the university’s strategy for AI and emerging technologies across teaching, research, and operations.

She brings deep experience in technology, strategy, and cross-sector innovation, having led organizations in education, healthcare, and finance to transform operations, launch new products, and deliver breakthrough outcomes - always with people and purpose at the centre. Before joining TRU, Andrea held leadership roles at Amazon, Google, and rapidly scaling technology companies, driving major initiatives and transformative change across global teams.

At TRU, she partners with the executive team and colleagues across the university to identify practical applications of AI, enhance access to knowledge, and establish ethical and governance frameworks that ensure responsible innovation.

Andrea holds a degree from the University of Pennsylvania with a minor from The Wharton School.

Towards planning goals (2025-2030) Maximizing our chances for our success

In 2020 Thompson Rivers University’s strategic change goals were created to drive the ten-year vision described in the Board-approved Envision TRU (2020-2030). Five years on, TRU is transforming in the context of a post-secondary sector that is evolving rapidly. At the half-way point for Envision TRU a refresh of our approach to the strategic change goals is underway to respond to our context and future-proof the university. We have a need for focused actions in support of Envision TRU and the strategic change goals.

TRU is one of the most innovative universities in Canada.

TRU redefines what it means to be a university.

TRU is achieving its objectives.

TRU is financially resilient and adaptive.

We are building a future TRU

We have a strategy that guides long-term decisions, and now we are planning for what needs to be achieved and what success looks like as we strive ahead through a period of unprecedented challenges.

We are part-way through an iterative planning process that began in summer 2025 and will seek final approval from the Board in March 2025. To-date ten goals have been identified along with performance indicators and preliminary targets. The next step is co-development of ‘first actions’. We see these coming from already-approved institutional plans such as TRU Bold, TRUly Flex, Strategic International Plan, and TRU Campus Sustainability Plan.

Comments and suggestions are very welcome to president@tru.ca.

Towards planning goals (2025-2030) Timeline
Presentation to APPC
Towards planning goals (2025-2030): February 2026 Briefing

Executive searches

Search Committee

Chair
Airini, President and Vice-Chancellor

TRUFA faculty members
Christine Miller, Faculty of Education and Social Work
Monica Sanchez-Flores, Faculty of Arts

TRUSU representative
Arpitha Thippeswamy

Deans
Yasmin Dean
Mark Wallin

Secwepemc representative
Dessa Gottfriedson

TRU executive team member
Matt Milovick, Vice-President Administration and Finance

Executive searches at TRU follow transparent procedures that include establishing a search committee and engaging stakeholders. Diversity and equity principles guide all recruitments.

Provost and Vice-President Academic Search Current Updates

Thompson Rivers University has appointed Dr. Gordon James Binsted as its next Provost and Vice-President Academic, effective February 1, 2026.

Binsted is a highly respected senior academic leader with extensive experience across teaching, research, and university administration. He most recently served as Deputy Provost of York University’s Markham Campus, where he was responsible for academic planning, faculty recruitment, program development, and student experience during the launch of a new multi-faculty campus.

Learn More

From the President's desk

Standing with Tumbler Ridge and Supporting One Another February 11, 2026

Like so many across British Columbia, we are holding profound sadness today following the tragic and violent incident yesterday at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in northern B.C.

Read More

Budget Update to the TRU Community December 5, 2025

President Airini shares information presented to the Board today on TRU's second-quarter budget forecast.

Read More

Provincial review of B.C.’s public post-secondary system November 25, 2025

Today, the Province of British Columbia announced an independent review of the public post-secondary system, to be led by Don Avison, KC.

Read More

‘A Bright Future’ — Speech to TRU Gala November 15, 2025

We come here tonight for a purpose: we all believe that students of Thompson Rivers University have a bright, bright future.

Read More

Misinformation regarding unsanctioned event at TRU November 10, 2025

President Airini provides an update on misinformation related to an upcoming unsanctioned event on campus.

Read More

Insights from federal budget 2025 November 7, 2025

President Airini shares thoughts related to opportunites and challenges emerging from this week's federal budget.

Read More

Update on unsanctioned event at TRU November 5, 2025

President Aiirini provides an update and shares supports related to an upcoming unsanctioned event on campus.

Read More

A time for remembrance November 5, 2025

President Airini invites us to take time together to remember, learn and reflect this November.

Read More

Court decision regarding visual arts October 29, 2025

President Airini delivers an update on the BC Supreme Court decision regarding the closure of visual arts programs.

Read More

Updates from the President

February 2026 Updates
January 2026 Updates
December 2025 Updates
November 2025 Updates
October 2025 Updates
September 2025 Updates
August 2025 Updates
July 2025 Updates

President's reports

The President’s Report provides an update on executive priorities, delivered to the Board of Governors during its regularly scheduled meetings and shared on this site for the TRU community and public.

2025 Reports
2024 Reports
2023 Reports
2022 Reports
2021 Reports
2020 Reports
Other Reports
Future Student Ambassadors

Statement on Academic Freedom

Academic freedom is fundamental to teaching, learning and inquiry at a university. It permits scholars, and hence universities, to pursue and advance knowledge, which serves society. At TRU, academic freedom is protected and practised every day, guided by academia's principles and ethics, which are given concrete form in agreements between TRU and its faculty.

Download as PDF

Connect with the Office of the President

TRU values open dialogue and community engagement. If you would like to request the President’s participation in an event, meeting, or activity, please use the following link. Your submission will be reviewed and directed to the appropriate team for follow-up.

Connect today
President Airini talking to member of the community.

Thompson Rivers University campuses are on the ancestral lands of the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc (Kamloops campus) and the T’exelc (Williams Lake campus) within Secwepemcúl̓ecw, the traditional and unceded territory of the Secwépemc. The region TRU serves also extends into the territories of the St’át’imc, Nlaka’pamux, Nuxalk, Tŝilhqot'in, Dakelh, and Syilx peoples.

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