Simon Fraser University (SFU) has chosen a new executive director of its athletics department.
In a news release today, Aug. 20, the Burnaby university announced that Luc Simard will take over a similar role previously held by former Senior Director of Athletics and Recreation Theresa Hanson, who left the school in August 2023 through a "mutual agreement" between her and the post-secondary institution.
SFU has labelled the position of Executive Director, Athletics and Recreation as a "new role."
"It [the role] will provide executive-level leadership in the transformation of SFU's Athletics and Recreation programs and will create alignment with institutional goals and the academic mission," the statement said.
"Having an Executive Director oversee a renewed strategic plan that ensures financial optimization and revenue generation will support long-term sustainability of A&R departments and programs."
Simard comes to Burnaby from the University of Toronto, where he was most recently the Sports and Recreation Director.
"He brings a wealth of experience that includes aligning athletics and recreation departmental objectives and budgets with the university's vision and values and developing strategic priorities to drive success and deliver measurable outcomes and sustainable growth," the release added.
SFU says Simard also has more than 15 years' experience in senior management and facility and business development at municipal recreation and culture departments in Ontario and Australia.
After SFU announced on April 4, 2023, that it was shuttering its varsity football program, Hanson and school president Joy Johnson were at the centre of anger and confusion by players, employees, the school community and the football world.
In an interview, Hanson told the NOW that numerous options were considered, but none were feasible.
Hanson said SFU's athletics department started exploring other avenues once it was determined their NCAA conference renewal agreement was not going to be approved after the 2024 season.
Hanson said they talked to the NCAA, NAIA and U SPORTS — Canada's highest level of university sport — about moving the program.
"Within the NCAA, there was no opportunity to join another conference. And to be an independent Div. II football school is not a sustainable option for us short or long-term because we'd have a very tough time getting games. It would be very tough to actually meet our requirements for the NCAA."
She said they pursued discussions with U SPORTS, but they knew that, as a NCAA Div. II school, they didn't meet the existing bylaws for membership within the organization.
Simard will start his new role on Sept. 1, 2024.
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