To the StFX Community,
Today, I am pleased to announce that Dr. Andy Hakin has accepted the Board of Governor’s offer to extend his term until June 30, 2031, as the 19th President and Vice-Chancellor of St. Francis Xavier University.
President Hakin has demonstrated exceptional leadership during his first term.
Among his many achievements, Dr. Hakin successfully navigated the university through the pandemic, working tirelessly to adapt and preserve the StFX experience as best possible while keeping the safety of the students, faculty, staff and the broader community at the forefront of the university’s operations. His understanding of the importance of StFX’s model of education and his commitment to delivering its mission under the most difficult of circumstances cannot be understated. Equally as impressive is his focus on continuing to advance the academic and cultural status related to our community. In 2023, he introduced StFX’s five-year strategic plan “Building Our University The Way It Is Meant To Be”, which was informed by where we’ve been while recognizing we have important work ahead, wrapping the path forward around the core values of being academically driven, EDIA and community-focused, responsive, and sustainable. His attention to the experiences of our students, faculty and staff is impressive, introducing initiatives such as the President's Action Committee on Anti-Racism, tasked with moving beyond identifying problems to crafting a solution-focused action plan to advance equity and anti-racism across our campus. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention his ability to foster and improve one of StFX’s most important relationships – the broader community. Dr. Hakin has been instrumental in developing strong working relationships with the leadership and people of the Town and County of Antigonish, appreciating that StFX plays such an integral role to the success of the community, and vice-versa.
The offer for re-appointment by the board follows the completion of a comprehensive review by the Board’s Presidential Review Committee, comprised of students, faculty, staff, and community members. I want to take this opportunity to thank them for their work.
The years ahead are very exciting for our institution. With new initiatives such as the Victor and Mona Dahdaleh Institute for Innovation in Health, a strong focus on our academics, and StFX’s 175th anniversary on the horizon, we are fortunate to have a strong presidential team in Andy and his wife, Linda, to champion and advance our priorities.
Dennis Flood ‘80
Chair, StFX Board of Governors
