Douglas College searching for new president

Douglas College is on the hunt for a new president after Scott McAlpine left the position suddenly on Monday.

Douglas’ communications director, Dave Robert Taylor, denied McAlpine was fired.

 “Actually Dr. McAlpine has left the college to pursue other opportunities,” Taylor said.

“He was here for about five years, during which time the college grew and has changed quite a bit and he has made significant contributions to the college over those five years and the board and certainly the college community wish him well.”

Taylor said many in the college community were quite shocked at McAlpine’s sudden departure.

“Douglas is doing extraordinarily well right now so some people were surprised,” he said.

The Douglas College board will be searching for a new president, but in the interim current vice-president of academics, Kathy Denton, will fill in as president until a replacement for McAlpine is found.

Denton has been with the college for 20 years.

“We are very excited to have her in the interim,” Taylor said.

Taylor said he wasn’t sure how long it would take for a new president to be hired.

“President search processes usually take some time,” he said.

McAlpine, 57, was hired as the college’s seventh President in 2009 to replace the retiring Susan Witter who was at the helm of the college for 12 years.

Originally from Ontario, McAlpine came to Douglas after 20 years filling various positions, from professor to Dean of Arts and Science, at Alberta’s Grande Prairie Regional College.

The Record was unable to reach McAlpine for comment prior to print deadline.