NSAC Governance

As interim co-presidents of Nova Scotia Agricultural College, we are very pleased to provide an update on the activities and developments taking place at your alma mater – it is certainly an exciting time.

As you may be aware, Dr. Philip Hicks tendered his resignation effective October 8th, 2007 and has accepted an officer from the United Arab Emirates’ High Colleges of Technology, to head up the Dubai Men’s College. Currently, we are leading NSAC as co-presidents until a new president can be recruited. Although we are enjoying the opportunities this presents us, we both look forward to the day a new president arrives!

The governance structure of NSAC has been a topic of ongoing discussion for almost two decades. NSAC and the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture have been working diligently to affect a change in governance that will make NSAC more like other post secondary institutions and set the stage for continued growth and development. Several options were considered and recently a governance model that establishes NSAC as a distinct legal government entity was chosen. It is proposed that NSAC will operate under a bicameral model governed by a Board of Governors and an Academic Senate like most post-secondary institutions in Canada, The model ensures that NSAC will be able to carry out it research and educational mandate more effectively in years to come and that NSAC employees maintain their same pay and benefits. The Minister of Agriculture, the Honourable Brooke Taylor, introduced the legislation directing the governance change on December 12th in the 2007 Fall legislative session.