Howard Tennant left behind legacy of success at U of L

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on July 8, 2023.

University of Lethbridge photo Former University of Lethbridge president and vice-chancellor Howard Tennant, who died earlier this spring, is being remembered as a respected leader who served not only the university but the community as well.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

Former University of Lethbridge president and vice-chancellor Howard Tennant is being remembered as a respected leader who served not only the U of L but the community.

Lethbridge native Tennant died unexpectedly in April of natural causes and a memorial service is being held Thursday at 1 p.m. in St. Martha’s Catholic Church. A celebration of life will be held after for family and friends on the third floor of the Student Union Building of the U of L

Tennant, who was 81, served 13 years as U of L president after accepting the job in 1987.

But he served education not just on a local scale but on a far bigger stage. He was chair of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada and served the boards of the Alberta Science and Research Authority, National Educational Advisory Board, the Alberta Science Literacy Association and the National Research Council of Canada.

He was a member of the Order of Canada and was inducted into the Kainai Chieftainship in 1991, said his obituary in The Herald.

He was also awarded honorary degrees from the U of L and Gonzaga University where he completed his undergraduate work before earning his PHD in Business from the University of Oregon. He held different positions at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon before returning to Lethbridge where he lived with wife Sharon and children Carmen, Pat and Daniel.

Tennant was also a retired Honorary Lieutenant Colonel of 18 Air Defence Regiment, a rank he was promoted to after the retirement of David Carpenter.

Former mayor Carpenter has fond memories of Tennant.

“You couldn’t miss it, really, that little smile which said that he had a more effective solution to the problem at hand. The information was conveyed in the kindest and gentlest way, sometimes accompanied by a unique verbal dance when Howard was excited to share a thought not previously utilized in this manner.

“Howard and Sharon moved onto our block about 35 years ago, raised kids, made friends, held university functions, and participated in everything from neighbourhood pig roasts to classical guitar performances. They were engaged and engaging, curious and friendly,” Carpenter told The Herald this week.

“Howard served as president of the University of Lethbridge at a time when I was mayor of our city. We spent countless meetings solving problems and capitalizing on opportunities. The university is an extremely important institution here and he always referred to the city as the university’s most consistent supporter. He presented me with a certificate on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the University of Lethbridge in recognition of outstanding commitment by the city to the university,” said Carpenter.

Of Tennant’s role with the Air Defence Regiment, the former mayor said “he served well until his retirement and even after that, spearheading a move to cast serially numbered military challenge coins from the Royal Canadian Artillery for the unit.

“At the military parade where he was awarded Challenge Coin Number 1, I was asked to introduce him to the audience. I started by stating the fact that between the two of us, we held three doctorates (forgetting to mention that they were all in his name), but he took it in good humour. I will miss Howard, as a university president, a military officer, a neighbour and a friend.”

Nancy Walker, vice-president of finance and administration at the university, said Friday the U of L was not in good financial shape when Tennant arrived and he turned that around.

Walker worked with Tennant for 10 years starting in 1990 and after he left, the two kept in touch.

“When Howard became the president, the university was struggling financially so I think he had a great business sense, he great instincts in terms of finances and how to sort of put university on a stronger financial footing,” said Walker.

“I think he was the right president for the right time. It was a difficult time and in certainly over his tenure as president, we were quite successful and we were financially in much better shape than when he started,” Walker recalled.

“He lived for the university. He dedicated more than anyone I know, he worked 24/7 constantly for the university and students were always top of mind. He always wanted to do the best for the institution.

“He was a demanding individual but only because he demanded it of himself. He did not expect anything from someone that he wouldn’t have done himself,” added Walker.

“I learned a lot from him in terms of decisions so I’m forever grateful for that.”

Along with the U of L’s financial situation, Walker says his legacy will be his interest in the university becoming known for research.

“We didn’t do a whole lot in terms of research and I would say that would be his legacy as well. he really promoted neuroscience, our Canadian Centre for Neuroscience,” added Walker, nothing the university had some up and coming stars in their field.

“He really promoted the research part. I think we became known as more of a research university as well.”

In an April tribute on the U of L website, former president and vice-chancellor Mike Mahon wrote “Howard stewarded the University through some very difficult years and positioned our institution in a manner that allowed it to grow and serve students and communities well after his tenure. His dedication to the University continued long after his tenure as president through continued teaching, community service and philanthropic efforts to support students.”

Mahon added “Howard’s commitment to community is well understood and his dedication changed many lives for the better.”

In a June 2007 story in the U of L’s Legend publication, Tennant talked about the university’s financial situation when he first arrived.

“I knew the University of Lethbridge was having difficulties. It was widely known in the university sector that the U of L was broke, student enrolment was going down and that there were discussions about closing the University. My area of interest is in corporate and institutional turnarounds. When the presidential search consultants invited me to meet with them, I developed an interest in the presidency.

“When I became president, we had a variety of things that had to be done. One was to make sure that we didn’t lose the academic expertise that we had in the faculty. They were the only resource that we had left.

“We had to gather a first-rate financial administration. You can’t always hire those people, so people like Nancy Walker (current vice-president of nance and administration) and Karen Clearwater (current associate vice-president of financial planning) were homegrown. We soon had seven people with accounting designations working for us, and they were all very good. They were the core of our financial recovery, Tennant told writer Alesha Farfus-Shukaliak.

In the story, he talked about targeting Calgary for one third of the university’s enrolment and Edmonton 10 per cent.

He also talked about changing the image of the school from an undergraduate teaching university to one that had a defined mission as a full-fledged research university.

“Once we started to shake that up, we started to find success. One

of the things that I’m happiest with is that people now refer to the three research universities in Alberta – the universities of Alberta, Calgary and Lethbridge.

“There was a very good Master of Education program at the U of L when I arrived. We implemented a new model of graduate programs for other areas, and we established a PhD program before I left.

“The Canadian Centre for Behavioral Neuroscience (CCBN) was at the U of L in many ways before I arrived. The Kolb-Whishaw team was doing work that was at the Canadian standard and had a shot at being at the North American level. We had to focus our research so they could shine. Part of that was saying we couldn’t do everything – they would be our first priority to develop, just as other priori- ties have come down the line. Our goal wasn’t to be the best in Alberta or even Canada. We wanted to be known in North America,” he said in the story.

“A key thing for a university in its teaching, research, scholarship and performance is that it be an innovator. And I believe the U of L is an innovator. We are continuously innovating: our research, scholarship and performance are in balance,” he added.

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