Interview with Dr. Andrew Hakin - Incoming StFX University President

Dr. Andrew Hakin Photo: University of Lethbridge

Last week, I had the opportunity to sit down with the new StFX university president Dr. Andrew Hakin. Dr. Hakin is originally from the northeast coast of England, but is moving to Antigonish from Lethbridge, Alberta, where he served as the Provost & Vice-President (Academic) for thirteen years at the University of Lethbridge. Dr. Hakin completed an undergraduate degree and PhD in Chemistry from the University of Leicester.

CP: What drew you to StFX over another university?

AH: That’s a great question, one of the things you look for at a university is what is the stature, how do people look at it, and StFX is iconic in terms of the Canadian landscape. It really stands out as something different. It has a lot to do with the history, over 165 years of history, but also because of its continued reputation over that time. It really has something special. When you meet a grad of StFX, you know that they went to StFX straight away—it’s one of the first things they say to you. The ring and all of that really stands out as a very special student environment, and that is really attractive to someone who loves small universities and the academic programs in it. 

CP: What are you most excited for about joining the StFX community? 

AH: Being part of this team. There’s a great bunch of people here already, we’ve only been here a couple days. Just fantastic people. We have been to three sports games already. I went to see the women play hockey last night, that was fantastic. I really enjoyed that game, the women did so well. It’s a real camaraderie, hearing Father Stan shouting ‘Go X Go.’ It’s really the characters, but I’m also attracted to what we can do with the academic programming. Great universities are built on their academic programming, and I have a lot of experience in that area. I’m looking forward to working with the team to carry on growing that. 

CP: What are the responsibilities of the StFX university president?

AH: In the government system of a university, you have in your terminology a Senate and a board, and the president sits between those and balances those responsibilities within the institution. The president works closely with the board to make sure things are on track. I think you have to be the storyteller of the university; you have to be the person that others in the community want to speak to about what’s going on at the university. You also have the ceremonial pieces as well, awarding of degrees, convocation, and many others. 

CP: What do you want to accomplish as StFX’s new university president?

AH: I want to accomplish great academic programs, to complement the history that it’s got. I want our students to leave here knowing they have the right skill sets for the future, that no matter what happens to them in their careers they are ready, and they are ready to take on any challenge they have ahead of them. 

CP: What is your favourite thing about StFX so far?

AH: The spirit. There is just so much warmth. It’s quite special, no matter where you go in the town, people are so friendly.

CP: StFX just launched a new sexual violence policy, and introduced the position of the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Advocate. As president, how will you ensure that we keep making progress in combating sexual violence on campus?

AH: It has to be on every administration’s radar, as you go forward. You have to ensure that people are supported, we look to support anyone who comes forward and ensure that every level in the institution knows how this policy works so that the right supports are there so you can deal with these things in the proper way and give people the support they need and work through them. You have to ensure that people don’t just say the policy is done, you have to keep updating and having conversations about it and the importance of support. I was really pleased to see that StFX has done this work—a lot of institutions in Canada are very much struggling with it, but it’s so important for the whole community. 

CP: Why did you want to become StFX’s president?

AH: I was at Lethbridge for thirty-one years, so sixteen years as a professor in chemistry and I really enjoyed that and then I moved into administration, and Lethbridge is in some ways pretty similar to StFX in that there is a community—it’s much bigger in population, but the university was built by the community. It’s a very similar sort of feel. I’ve come to feel over those years very comfortable in a community that supports the university. I’ve never wanted to be in a big city university, where people just walk by and know it’s there. Lethbridge and StFX, people look at them as the leader in the community. Things happen at the university and the community comes; they live symbiotically together. So, when I thought about what I wanted to do in my career, I really wanted a school that was similar to what I knew—built on education, and arts, in all of those principles, standards, and values that have been built out of the community. There are not many schools in Canada that do that. StFX is one of them. When I was given the opportunity to come for it, it was a place I wanted to see. It was the right stage for my career. This is always been a place I’ve admired from afar. I’m excited to be here.

CP: Do you have anything you’d like to tell StFX students?

AH: You’re in a great school. Learning from some of the best profs around. This is going to be a really great experience. It’s a wonderful place to be, it’s a unique time for everybody as you go to university. My suggestion to everyone is you absolutely take everything you can from the university in terms of what they can offer you. I know this sounds cliché, but it’s a moment in your life that you never get back in terms of being able to devote such energy to yourself and your ambition and to others in the community. As you prepare yourself, take every opportunity you can. Get to know your profs, enjoy your program, do good things, that’s what this is about.

Andrew Hakin will officially take office at StFX on July 1, 2020.