Bruce Choy terminated as KPU president for ‘confidential’ reasons
Choy was first put on paid leave in January, and Provost Diane Purvey has taken over as acting president
Bruce Choy began his term as KPU's president in September last year. (Kwantlen Polytechnic University/Flickr)
Kwantlen Polytechnic University President Bruce Choy has been terminated from his role, effective March 6, “for reasons which will remain confidential.”
Choy started as president in September 2025 for what was supposed to be a five-year term.
“The Board of Governors (BOG) will commence a search for a new President imminently,” BOG Chair Erin Barnes wrote in an announcement emailed to students the day of Choy’s termination. “This change will not affect your studies at KPU and we thank you for being part of our community.”
Barnes also wrote that “as noted on February 16, Dr. Diane Purvey is currently serving as Acting President with the Board of Governors’ thanks and appreciation.” However, The Runner confirmed with KPU that the correct date for this notice was Feb. 23, not Feb. 16.
Choy had been out of office on paid leave since Jan. 16 for an “unknown timeframe,” and Purvey, KPU’s provost and vice-president academic, had been appointed acting president, Barnes wrote in email statements sent to The Runner.
In a statement sent to The Runner the morning of Feb. 23, Barnes wrote that the nature of Choy’s leave is “confidential.”
“Due to the undetermined length of the leave, it was not certain if notice would be necessary,” she added. “Given this and other inquiries, we will notify the KPU community.”
By the afternoon of Feb. 23, KPU employees received an email, signed by Barnes, that announced Purvey was appointed acting president by the BOG for an “indeterminate timeframe.”
“Dr. Purvey acted in the capacity of President previously prior to Dr. Choy joining KPU and the Board has every confidence in her ability to lead during this period,” the email read.
“[She] has been acting in this role since early January and due to the uncertain and ongoing duration this formal announcement became appropriate.”
On Feb. 13, Kwantlen Faculty Association (KFA) President Mark Diotte released a news update, in which he wrote of “significant concerns” about the apparent absence of a formally BOG-designated acting president.
Diotte wrote the KFA — a bargaining unit that represents KPU instructors, counsellors, and librarians — had been unable to contact Choy via email and Microsoft Teams in weeks.
“Scheduled meetings with the President have been cancelled, and his installation has been postponed,” Diotte wrote. “The university community has received no formal communication regarding his multi-week absence or of any appointment of an Acting President.”
He added that the board passed KPU’s 2026 budget on Jan. 28 rather than the usual March timeframe.
“For these reasons, the KFA has sent a formal written inquiry to the KPU Board of Governors requesting confirmation of the current status of President Choy and any formal designation of an Acting President,” Diotte wrote.
He added that the Ministry of Post-Secondary and Future Skills was copied on that correspondence “given the public nature of the issue and the statutory oversight role of the Province.”
Choy was also absent from the last two senate meetings on Jan. 26 and March 2. Both of these meetings were led by Catherine Schwichtenberg, senate vice-chair and KPU nursing instructor.
Both Barnes’ announcement of Choy’s leave and an automatic reply on his KPU email address note to direct inquiries to University Secretary Keri Spindler.
