Reposted from the Langara Voice – Feb 4, 2026
Langara board keeps Paula Burns as president despite 92% non-confidence vote
Decision follows months of pressure from the faculty association as the college remains mired in financial crisis tied to the international student cap
By MILENA BAAK
Langara College’s board of governors announced Tuesday that Paula Burns will remain as the college’s president and CEO, despite a 92 per cent faculty vote of non-confidence against her last fall.
The decision follows months of pressure from the Langara Faculty Association, which has argued the college remains “in crisis” and “still without a plan,” as enrolment declines and staffing reductions continue.
The board began a formal evaluation of Burns last fall under Policy 435, a process board chair Scott Murray said would assess whether the president is meeting strategic priorities and operating within board policies.
“The board of governors completed its independent review and confirmed that president Burns will continue in her role,” Murray said in a statement to the Voice. “The board’s decision was grounded in the need for stability during a period of uncertainty across the post-secondary sector.”
He pointed to the fact many colleges are facing a range of external pressures, adding that “at this moment the board believes continuity of leadership is important to keep the college operating smoothly and focused on its core mission.”
LFA president Pauline Greaves-Aylward said she was “incredibly disappointed” in the board.
“The ship is sinking. It has already hit the rocks, and we are drowning,” she said. “And instead of them trying to rescue the people, the students, the faculty, the CUPE members … they’re saying, let’s hold the course. We can’t hold the course. There’s nowhere to go but down. There’s nowhere below.”