The University of St. Michael’s College is pleased to welcome Dr. Brendan Browne and Dr. Mike DeGagné to the Collegium, the University’s governing board.
Dr. Browne currently serves as Director and CEO of the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB), while Dr. DeGagné is the President and CEO of Indspire, the national organization which supports Indigenous post- secondary students and recognizes Indigenous excellence through the annual INDSPIRE awards.
“Dr. Browne and Dr. DeGagné bring exceptional governance and educational experience to Collegium and will help St. Mike’s advance two strategic priorities: how the University can engage fruitfully in the journey of Reconciliation and how best to leverage our position as a leader in Catholic education to serve teachers, school administrators and the community,” President David Sylvester said.
An Ojibway from the Animakee Wa Zhing 37 First Nation, Dr. DeGagné served for seven years as President & Vice Chancellor of Nipissing University in North Bay, Ontario and in 2020 he became the first President & Vice Chancellor of Yukon University in Whitehorse. His more than 25 years’ experience in public service includes serving as an executive with Health Canada as well as with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada.
In 1998, Dr. DeGagné became the founding Executive Director of the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, working on a national level to encourage and support community-developed and delivered culturally based initiatives addressing the intergenerational effects of abuses suffered in the Indian Residential School System. The recipient of numerous awards and honours, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2014 and Member of the Order of Ontario in 2010. He was made a Visiting Fellow at St. Michael’s College in 2021 and is a member of the advisory council for St. Michael’s Diploma in Social Responsibility & Sustainability program.
The 14th Director of Education for the TCDSB, Dr. Browne has served as a teacher, vice principal, principal, superintendent and executive superintendent. He has written extensively on matters relating to education, including creating Catholic leadership course modules, and is the author of Leading for Educational Lives: Inviting and Sustaining Imaginative Acts of Hope in a Connected World.
He has served on numerous provincial and international committees and boards focused on educational leadership, including his current position on the provincial committee for school mental health, and internationally on the Board of Directors for a Christian mission hospital in Kenya.
In 2022, Dr. Browne received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Brock University, where he earned his doctorate in Leadership and Policy Studies.
“It is an honour to welcome Drs. DeGagné and Browne to Collegium. Their respective skill sets will further enrich a very talented and dedicated board,” said Collegium Chair Rosanne Rocchi.
Dr. Browne and Dr. DeGagné take up their new role as of the October 11th Collegium meeting.
Collegium is the principal of two bodies that govern the affairs of the University of St. Michael’s College. Its members work to safeguard the property and funds of the University and ensure that it has the resources to carry out its mission while operating in accordance with the best academic practices and the governing law.
Senate is the other governing body. Its responsibilities concern academic matters and it has the exclusive power to grant degrees and award diplomas and certificates within the University. Senate also advises the Collegium on all academic and educational matters.