The president of Quest University is out.
The institution announced today that Peter Englert is no longer president or vice chancellor of the University.
In a press release Monday, the university gave no reason for Englert’s departure.
He had been the president for two years. Quest held its annual graduation ceremony on Saturday.
Quest is a registered charitable organization with annual revenue of more than $24 million between 2015 and 2016; however, its expenses exceeded $28 million in the same period.
Life sciences professor Marjorie Wonham will serve as the interim president.
Wonham has been at Quest for more than six years.
“The Board of Governors has confidence in professor Wonham to provide strong leadership for the University’s administration while a thorough search for a new president is undertaken,” reads the release signed by Mary Jo Larson,
chair of the Quest board of governors.
One of the founder’s of Quest and its former president (2008-2015), David J. Helfand said he has been out of the loop on the goings on at Quest since he left and had just heard of the change when reached by The Chief.
However, he said he too has confidence in Wonham, who served as chair of the faculty during his time at the university.
“I have great respect for and confidence in Dr. Wonham, both for her leadership ability and her deep commitment to the educational values Quest represents,” he said in an email to The Chief.
“I have been in contact with a number of students and alumni – in fact two students have been here at Columbia University studying this semester – and all remain very enthusiastic about the unique educational model Quest exemplifies.” A search for a new president will be launched in a few weeks.
The school’s board of governors also eliminated the executive vice-president position, held by I-Chant Chiang.
Chiang will return to her full-time role as a faculty member.
A new finance and audit committee has been created with David Fujimagari appointed treasurer by the board. Fujimagari is the CEO for Squamish Cornerstone Developments. The finance and audit committee includes the treasurer, accountant Claude Rinfret and Squamish Cornerstone Developments’ Michael Hutchison.
“The Board of Governors is committed to ensuring that Quest University Canada maintains its position and reputation as one of the top ranked undergraduate university programs in North America,” reads the release.
**Please note this story has been updated since it was first posted to include a comment from former president David J. Helfand.
