La Salle Names First Female President
La Salle University today announced that Colleen M. Hanycz will be the university’s next president — the first woman and first lay leader of the Catholic institution.
Hanycz, an attorney, is currently Principal of Brescia University College in London, Ontario. Prior to that, she served as Assistant Dean and associate professor of law at Osgoode Hall Law School from 2003 to 2008. She succeeds Brother Michael J. McGinniss, who stepped down from the office in May 2014.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to be appointed the next President of La Salle University,” Hanycz said in a press release from the university. “I have a deep appreciation for La Salle’s exceptional values and its sense of purpose and mission. I attended a Lasallian high school, and I understand that the educational charism of the Christian Brothers emphasizes a commitment to academic rigor, a strong sense of social justice and service, and dedication to a transformational educational experience. I am eager to work with the entire La Salle community to build upon La Salle’s strengths and to position it as a leading Catholic university.”
La Salle University was established in 1863 by the Christian Brothers, a teaching order in the Catholic Church.
“This is a pivotal moment in La Salle’s history,” said William R. Sautter, chair of La Salle’s Board of Trustees.. “We are very pleased and excited to name Dr. Hanycz as the next President of La Salle University. She is an innovative academic leader with an impressive record as an agent of positive change. She is ideally suited to maximize La Salle’s potential while continuing to honor our distinctive mission and values.”
