Queen’s announces next Provost and a new Vice-Principal role

Matthew Evans will begin his five-year term as Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) on Aug. 1, 2023.

Principal and Vice-Chancellor Patrick Deane has announced two appointments to the university’s Senior Leadership Team.

Matthew Evans will serve as Queen’s next Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) and will begin a five-year term on Aug. 1, 2023, succeeding Interim Provost Teri Shearer.

Dr. Evans has held several academic and senior administrator roles at five universities, in various educational systems – Scotland, England, Hong Kong, and is currently the Provost at United Arab Emirates University. He completed his Bachelor of Science in Zoology at the University of Bristol in 1987 and earned a PhD at the University of Cambridge in 1991.

“I am pleased to welcome Dr. Evans to Queen’s. He is a dynamic and effective administrator and an accomplished researcher with the knowledge and competencies required to enhance and build on the goals of the Queen’s Strategy,” says Principal Deane. “His propensity for leading change and having an impact at a number of vibrant post-secondary institutions across the globe is inspiring and will be invaluable to our community. I and the senior administrative team look forward to working with him.”

While overseeing academic operations, significant budgets, the design and delivery of programs, and hiring faculty at UAEU, among many other responsibilities, Dr. Evans has championed the institution’s ambitions to become more research-intensive and inclusive while leading large teams through complex and unexpected scenarios and varied stakeholders across disciplines, politics, and borders. His research interests span ecology, evolutionary biology, conservation biology, behavioural ecology, and most recently, how to predict the impact of climate change on the natural world.

“I am excited to be offered this opportunity at one of Canada’s leading universities, with an enviable record of research, teaching, and student experience,” Dr. Evans says. “Queen’s is profoundly a values-led university, and I am particularly struck by its strong connections to its community and the institutional commitment to making a tangible difference in the world. I look forward to working collaboratively with the students, faculty, staff, and the leadership team in my new role.”

Dr. Shearer was appointed Interim Provost in July 2022 and will resume the role of Deputy Provost when Dr. Evans arrives.

“I would like to sincerely thank Teri for her contributions to the portfolio and the university,” says Principal Deane. “Her thoughtful and effective leadership has been and will continue to be instrumental in our success as a university for the future.”

The comprehensive search for Queen’s Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) was conducted by an advisory selection committee, assisted by Boyden Executive Search, and chaired by Principal Deane. The committee included representation from across the administration, faculty, and students.

Stephanie Simpson will assume the new role of Vice-Principal (Culture, Equity, and Inclusion) on June 1, 2023.

The Senior Leadership Team is also being restructured to better reflect and deliver on the Queen’s mission, vision and values, particularly the institution’s commitment to Indigenization - Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Anti-Racism, and Accessibility (I-EDIAA) as it is embedded in the Queen’s Strategy. Stephanie Simpson will begin a new role as Vice-Principal (Culture, Equity, and Inclusion) beginning June 1, 2023.

As an integral part of the Queen’s Human Rights and Equity Office since 1996 and in her current role as Associate Vice-Principal (Human Rights, Equity, and Inclusion), Simpson works tirelessly to advance competence, establish resources, and ensure accountability and legislative compliance for the university on all matters related to I-EDIAA.

“With over 25 years of experience in human rights and equity advocacy, Stephanie’s dedication and expertise providing strategic guidance on I-EDIAA matters at Queen’s is unmatched and greatly valued,” says Principal Deane. “I am excited for her to expand on this work in this new portfolio ensuring that as we move towards realizing our strategy, all members of our community feel safe, respected, valued, and engaged.”

Simpson has been fundamental in implementing the principles articulated in the Scarborough Charter at Queen’s and is the current chair of the University Council on Anti-Racism and Equity (UCARE) and two of its sub-councils, co-chair of the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Taskforce, and co-chair of the Employee Experiences Survey Implementation Group. She holds a Master of Education degree and a Master of Laws degree from Queen’s and has taught the university's interdisciplinary course on Race and Racism. She is a founding member and past coordinator of Black History Month Kingston, a longstanding member of the Black Inmates and Friends Assembly, and has provided consultation and education services to many community partners, including Interval House, Limestone District School Board, and Kingston Health Sciences Centre.

Simpson’s new portfolio will include responsibility for overseeing the Human Rights and Equity Office, the Office of the Ombudsperson, and the Office of Indigenous Initiatives. She will also take over the inclusion responsibilities currently assigned to the Deputy Provost. In addition, a new Office for Complaints and Investigations of Harassment and Discrimination will report to Vice-Principal Simpson. Further announcements about the structure of this new VP portfolio and the replacement for Simpson’s current role as Associate Vice Principal (Human Rights, Equity, and Inclusion) will be announced in the coming weeks.

Note: This article originally appeared in the Queen's Gazette.