It was announced on Oct. 29 that Vivek Goel advised the board of governors that he will not seek re-appointment as President of University of Waterloo when his term ends June 30, 2026 due to family circumstances. 

In a statement, Goel said that “given personal family circumstances, the time will not be right for me to continue in this role after I complete this term. After more than 25 years in senior leadership roles, I need to prioritize time with my loved ones.” 

Vivek Goel joined the UW back in 2021 as President and Vice-Chancellor after 30 years at the University of Toronto. During his time at the University of Toronto, he also held multiple senior leadership roles such as Vice-President and Provost, and Vice-President of Research and Innovation. 

In a message from Murray Gamble, the Chair of the Board of Governors, he expressed his gratitude for the work that President Goel has done so far in his term. Gamble mentioned Goel’s aim to launch new institutional values, his efforts to create a more sustainable and accessible campus for all students and faculty, including the Indigenous community, and his work on the planning process to develop a long-term vision for the university which includes five interrelated “Global Futures” that aim to build on our unique strengths and characteristics through teamwork innovation, and educational programs to tackle the most important issues facing the global community. 

“We are grateful for all that Vivek has accomplished to date and will have an opportunity to thank him more formally before the end of his term in 2026. He has already left a lasting impact on the university and we look forward to seeing what more he accomplishes.  We wish Vivek all the best when he steps back to focus on his family,” Gamble said in his message.

It has been made clear that Goel is still planning on acting as a catalyst for change on campus for the remainder of his term, and wants to focus on his continued work for the Global Futures Network, planning for the ongoing operating budget challenges and focus on the Indigenization and decolonization of the university. 

A nominating committee made up of members of the board, senate, alumni, students, faculty and staff will be appointed by the chair of the board and will start the task of searching for Goel’s successor in the coming weeks.