Laurentian University welcomes new president

Sudbury's Laurentian University has turned the page of the past to start a new chapter, with a new president and vice-chancellor at the helm.

Lynn Wells was formerly welcomed on Wednesday with a round of applause as she addressed faculty.

Wells assumed the role on April 1, replacing interim president Sheila Embleton.

With insolvency and a recent cyberattack in the rear-view mirror, she said she's excited to restore public trust in the university.

"I think everyone is ready to move on and get ready for the institution's next phase," Wells said.

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At a news conference Wednesday, she said she has felt welcomed by the school and the community.

"I'm just so excited to join the Laurentian community," Wells said. "Everybody's been extremely welcoming and inviting and I feel such a great energy on campus."

Wells brings two decades of senior-level post-secondary experience to the role, working at York University, Brock University and the University of Regina, to name a few.

She also worked at the First Nations University of Canada in Saskatchewan, during a time when the school faced troubles of its own.

It was her experience there that led her to see potential in Laurentian University.

"The experience I had at First Nations University for seven years really helped me understand what an institution that is going through struggles needs to get back on its feet," Wells said.

"To redefine its pride, its history, its culture, regain confidence for community members, so I think that experience will really be valuable here at Laurentian."

She said her first priorities will be getting to know the community, understanding staff's roles and implementing the five-year strategic plan.

"Everything we do every day will have a connection to this plan, some element of this plan," Wells said. "How a strategic plan really helps to create that fabric of the intuition, all of our initiatives relate to a common strategic and a common set of goals."

Vernon Cameron, board chair for Laurentian University, said Wells demonstrated integrity and compassion in her previous roles, which made her stand out from other applicants.

"A testament to her leadership style is that when it was time to move on and put a First Nations person in charge, she stepped aside without being pushed. That shows a lot of integrity right?" Cameron said. "It gets us excited as a board because transparency and governments were the weakness in the past. It's obvious, the auditor general told us that, and we believe we're getting better every day."

He said as a multigenerational graduate of Laurentian University, he feel optimistic about the future of the school with Wells as president.

"It's a proud moment," Cameron said.

"I believe we will restore ourselves to the reason why I attended Laurentian back in the 80s."