Brett Fairbairn will continue as President of Thompson Rivers University until June 30, 2025.

Fairbairn, who has been President at the Kamloops-based university since Dec. 2018, is also expected to retire at the conclusion of the two year extension, according to a statement from the university’s Board of Governors.

“While the Board wanted to extend Dr. Fairbairn’s reappointment for a longer timeframe, Dr. Fairbairn and his wife have expressed a desire to retire and pursue their personal interests and passions beyond June 2025,” TRU Board Chair, Marilyn McLean said.

McLean also praised Fairbairn’s “unwavering commitment to propelling TRU forward” and praised his leadership through the COVID-19, saying it helped ensure that TRU came out of the pandemic stronger.

“Among his many accomplishments is the Envision project which he initiated within his first year at TRU,” McLean noted.

“This included wide consultation with faculty, staff, students, community partners and stakeholders, resulting in the development of the values, vision, and mission statement that now informs TRU’s strategic plan.”

Fairbairn’s time at the helm has not been without controversy, most notably the high-profile investigation into allegations of serious workplace misconduct by one current and one former member of TRU’s senior leadership.

McLean says the TRU Board conducted a “comprehensive review process” and solicited “extensive feedback” from both internal and external audiences before deciding to extend Fairbairn’s contract, believing he is the best person to lead TRU forward.

“TRU holds a special place in my heart, especially because I was made to feel welcome right from the start almost five years ago,” Fairbairn said, in a statement. “Working together with our dedicated staff, faculty, students, and various other stakeholders, I look forward to enhancing TRU’s role as an institution of excellence.”

“I wish I could give more than two years of my time, but there are things my wife and I want to do on a personal level – for us, as well as for and with our families, our friends, and the community in which we live.”