Former Presidents

2010 - 2018

As the first alumna to serve as President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Elizabeth Cannon led the University of Calgary through a period of transformative growth and community impact. She launched a comprehensive institutional strategy, Eyes High, aimed towards sharpening the university’s focus on research and scholarship, enriching the quality and breadth of learning and integrating the university within the community. Cannon’s presidency also featured a campus-wide celebration of the university’s 50^th anniversary as an autonomous institution. From 2010 to 2018, campus infrastructure expanded to include such facilities as the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning, the Canadian Natural Resources Limited Engineering Complex, W.A. Ranches at the University of Calgary, the Life Sciences Innovation Hub, and the future Mathison Hall and Integrated Science Innovation Centre. She led the development and implementation of entrepreneurial thinking on campus through the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking, as well as the transfer of the University Research Park lands, leases and three buildings to the university from the Government of Alberta. Under Cannon’s tenure, UCalgary launched the $1.3 billion Energize campaign, which encompassed the naming of the Cumming School of Medicine and the Werklund School of Education. An accomplished engineer who has commercialized technology to over 200 agencies worldwide, Cannon holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Mathematics from Acadia University, as well as a BSc, MSc and PhD in Geomatics Engineering from the University of Calgary.

2001–2009

Harvey P. Weingarten became the University of Calgary's seventh President and Vice-Chancellor on September 1, 2001. He introduced major initiatives to enhance the student experience, to accelerate research momentum, and to launch the university into a $1.5-billion capital expansion program. In Weingarten's first term the university received government funding for a new digital library, Health Research Innovation Centre, health sciences program, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and the Child Development Centre, as well as private donations to create two named schools: the Haskayne School of Business and the Schulich School of Engineering. Under Dr. Weingarten, the University of Calgary emphasized the quality of the student experience, putting millions of dollars in new spending, including more than $6 million directly to students for priorities they identified. This is the only initiative of its kind in Canada. A distinguished scholar and researcher in the fields of psychology and medicine, Weingarten came to the University of Calgary from McMaster University, where he served as Provost and Vice-President (Academic) from 1996 to 2001.

1996–2001

White was President and Vice-Chancellor of Brock University for eight years before joining the University of Calgary. White received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and a Master of Arts degree at Central Michigan University. He earned his doctorate at the University of Toronto. His academic work focused on the study of organization, quality of working life and the operations of corporate boards. White’s term was marked by several investments and improvements to teaching and learning on campus, including $1.45 million invested in libraries, introduction of the U of C 101 program for incoming students, creation of the computer-based Information Commons facility in MacKimmie Library and investment in teaching and learning tools using new technology.

1988–1996

During his time as President, Fraser dealt with dramatic reductions in provincial grants and the resultant downsizing and re-engineering of a very large organization. He led the university’s first national fundraising campaign, which surpassed its target of $40 million by $6 million in a very difficult economic time. He established many new undergraduate and graduate programs. During his tenure, the university constructed a Professional Faculties Building, an addition to the Faculty of Management’s building, a Child Care Research Centre and a new floor for the Sport Medicine Centre. He received undergraduate degrees in arts and law from Dalhousie University, a Master of Laws from the University of London (United Kingdom) and received honorary degrees from the universities of Dalhousie, Victoria and Memorial.

1978–1988

Under Wagner's stewardship the university underwent significant expansion. He guided the university’s involvement in the 1988 Winter Olympics and the construction of the Olympic Oval, as well as other sports medicine, research and human performance facilities on campus. Wagner was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1989. Born in Saskatchewan, he received his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Divinities from the University of Saskatchewan in 1958, a Master of Arts in 1960, and a PhD in near-eastern studies from the University of Toronto in 1965. He was a scholar in the field of near-eastern languages, literature and archaeology. He taught at Wilfrid Laurier University, where he was the dean of graduate studies. After his term at the University of Calgary, Wagner remained in Calgary as Chairman, President and CEO of Alberta Natural Gas Co. Ltd. from 1991 to 1994. Wagner was also president of the Corporate Higher Education Forum and a member of the advisory board for the World Foundation for Smart Communities.

1974–1978

Born in Toronto, Cochrane received his medical degree from the University of Toronto in 1949 and went on to specialize in pediatrics. From 1967 to 1973 he was dean of the newly created Faculty of Medicine at the University of Calgary. Following a brief period as Deputy Minister of Health for the Province of Alberta, Cochrane became president of the University of Calgary in 1974. During his tenure as President, Cochrane continued to contribute to the field of medicine and was acknowledged with the Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal and an Honorary Doctorate from Dalhousie University, both in 1977, as well as a second Honorary Doctorate from the University of Calgary in 1983.

1969–1974

Carrothers, a native of Saskatchewan, graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1947 and Harvard Law School in 1951. He held many professorial and administrative positions at universities in Canada before and after his tenure as President at the University of Calgary. In 1976 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Calgary, complementing two such previous degrees from the University of Saskatchewan and McMaster University.

1963–1968

Armstrong was the first president of the University of Calgary. After serving as Dean of the Arts and Science Faculty at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, he came to the University of Alberta as Professor of Geology and Dean of the new Faculty of Science in 1962. He was appointed Vice-President (Academic) in 1963, and in 1964 became the first President of the University of Alberta at Calgary. When the University of Calgary received autonomy in 1966, he assumed the dual role of President and Vice-Chancellor. He held a strong belief that although the university is accountable to the society that supports it, the university must insist on playing a leadership role in intellectual matters if it is to be worthy of the name.