The person charged with leading Vancouver Island University for the next two years wants to guide the Nanaimo-based post-secondary out of its current financial quagmire.

Dennis Johnson was named VIU's interim president and vice-chancellor in June, taking over from predecessor Deborah Saucier for a term that will last up to two years.

With the university making program cuts in the past few years and dealing with a multi-million-dollar deficit, Johnson said that the idea during his term is to "try to stabilize and make VIU sustainable again."

Changes to the international student study permit program has led to smaller numbers of students from abroad, which has led to issues not only for VIU, but many of its peer institutions as well, according to Johnson. VIU must adjust to the new realit

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