David Turpin announced today that he will resign as president of the University of Victoria in June 2013.

Turpin, who was appointed president and vice-chancellor of UVic in 2000, will step down after completing the school's 50th anniversary celebration and a challenging budget process are complete, "leaving a new president with a solid foundation to take UVic into its next stage of development," read a UVic press release.

B次元官网网址淚 have been extraordinarily fortunate to lead this great institution and I have been honoured to work with a great team of colleagues,B次元官网网址� Turpin said. B次元官网网址淪erving as president has been the highlight of my professional career. It is an experience I will treasure for the rest of my life.B次元官网网址�

Susan Mehinagic, chair of UVic's board of governors, said Turpin will leave a positive legacy.

"Under David TurpinB次元官网网址檚 leadership, UVic has emerged as one of the countryB次元官网网址檚 leading universities. B次元官网网址� The fact that during his tenure UVic has come to be ranked on the Times Higher EducationB次元官网网址檚 list of the worldB次元官网网址檚 top universities is no coincidence," she said.

Turpin's educational background is in plant biochemistry and physiology.

Prior to coming to UVic he was vice-principal academic and dean of arts and science at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont.

kslavin@saanichnews.com