A critical part of Memorial University’s long-term evolution is making strategic choices that move our community from constraint to sustainability – choices that protect academic excellence, promote research intensity and strengthen the student experience for generations to come. 

To support this work, Memorial must secure the leadership expertise required to guide a complex financial and administrative portfolio. A national search for a permanent vice-president (finance and administration) began in September 2025.  

Despite extensive effort, recruitment for a permanent vice-president (finance and administration) has proven challenging. Our search consultant engaged a significant number of candidates across Canada, including senior leaders from Newfoundland and Labrador. Three candidates were promoted by the search committee for final consideration, but we were unable to conclude the search from that short list. Of note, two expressed hesitancy about navigating the significant challenges currently facing universities nationwide, including Memorial. 

Based on this experience and on the recommendation of the search consultant, the search committee agreed to pause the process for twelve months.  

The search committee and I were squarely focused on hiring a permanent leader to fill this critical role at Memorial University. We need more stability across our organization, including within executive leadership. I regret that we were unable to deliver the desired outcome in 2025, but we will relaunch this search in January 2027. This pause will allow time to strengthen our positioning as an employer of choice.  

In the interim, advancing our priorities — academic quality, research intensity, the student experience and financial sustainability — requires experienced leadership across the portfolios of finance and administration, as well as deep executive experience in the post-secondary sector. With momentum established under interim leadership, we cannot afford to slow progress on expense reduction, responses to employee engagement results, key transformation initiatives (including procurement and travel/expenses) and reducing the deferred maintenance backlog. After considering a placement agency or consulting firm like KPMG or Deloitte, I was not confident they would provide the combination of sector experience and interpersonal and leadership skills our circumstances demand.    

Accordingly, with the full knowledge and support of both the search committee and our Board of Regents, I have appointed Alison Horton as interim vice-president (finance and administration) under delegated authority for a one-year term commencing Feb. 2, 2026. Ms. Horton was actively encouraged by our search partner to apply for the permanent role in September, but was unable to commit beyond an 18-month period. That timeline, combined with her experience, makes her uniquely well-suited to steward the portfolio and bridge the institution to the relaunched search in 2027. 

Ms. Horton has 20 years of leadership experience in the post-secondary sector. She and I worked together at Sheridan where she served as the vice-president (administrative services) and vice-provost (academic resources and planning). Before joining that learning community in 2022, she held various leadership positions at Mohawk College, including vice-president (academic), vice-president (corporate services) and dean (business, media and entertainment, continuing education).   

Ms. Horton’s directly relevant experience across finance, procurement, ancillary services, information technology, organizational excellence, integrated planning, human resources, risk management, facilities, security and emergency management will be invaluable to Memorial in 2026.

At Sheridan, she provided oversight to $550 million in annual revenue and, in partnership with a strong chief financial officer, served as a key resource to the board of governors and the Finance, Audit and Property Committee. In partnership with the vice-president (academic) and provost, she stewarded the learning community through an approximately 30 per cent decrease in enrolment revenue, significant expense contractions and a multi-year financial recovery plan that resulted in surpluses in 2023-24 and 2024-25. Perhaps most notably, Ms. Horton has an earned reputation for leading with strategic foresight and compassion; her leadership orientation is informed by years as a faculty member, and she shares our community’s unwavering commitment to what matters most: academic quality and the student experience.   

As Ms. Horton comes on board, I want to thank Trudy Pound-Curtis, who we’ve been fortunate to have serve as interim vice-president (finance and administration) since August 2025. As previously communicated, Scott Bishop, a seasoned finance professional and our newly appointed associate vice-president (finance) and chief financial officer, will begin on Feb. 2, 2026, and together with Ms. Horton will continue the momentum from the past number of months.