The former chair of Aurora College is calling out a poor working environment between the school and the N.W.T. government, following a sudden retirement of the school’s president.

Joseph Handley stepped down as chair a year ago. During his time, he was part of the team that hired former president Angela James, he said. 

“She was very enthusiastic about it and gave every indication that she was in there for the long term,” Handley said about her.

James started her role as president in August of 2024. The college announced her retirement last week. It came less than two years into her five-year term.

Handley said her sudden resignation surprised him. But James is not the first president to suddenly leave with no explanation. Former president Jane Arychuk served as president for six years and resigned in 2018. No reason was given then either.

CBC News reached to James but did not receive a response before deadline. Arychuk declined an interview.

Handley, who has previously said he often did not see eye-to-eye with the government on many issues, including the college’s plans to become a polytechnic university, reiterated those same points.

“[James] was given the a mandate to operate the college as it was, but also, and most importantly, to begin the steps of setting up a polytechnic, but was not given the financial resources or the political will to do that,” he said. “Basically, as far as I know, was told, ‘just do it.”

Handley said the Department of Education, Culture and Employment lacked vision about what the polytechnic would look like, or how it would be built and what was necessary.

By the time Handley left his role as chair, his final thoughts were that a polytechnic university was but a dream.

“This was never going to happen,” he said.

Last year, Aurora College gave up on developing the Tin Can Hill property, in part because of a lack of funding.

CBC News approached both the department and the minister responsible, Caitlin Cleveland, for comment. 

In a prepared statement, Cleveland said it’s important all public institutions maintain healthy, professional work environments.

“Concerns raised about internal operations should be taken seriously and addressed through established governance and accountability processes,” said Cleveland. “My focus as minister remains on growing and supporting strong post-secondary education in the Northwest Territories, expanding opportunities for students and residents in the process.”

Cleveland’s office also said she will be attentive to updates from Aurora College on the leadership transition underway, but respects the institution’s autonomy.

The education department deferred CBC’s questions to the college and its board of governors. The college declined to comment.