Concordia University's board of governors Friday unanimously approved the appointment of Frederick Lowy as interim president, and he immediately promised to tackle any problems that may exist between the board and the university.

Lowy who previously served two terms as president of Concordia will stay until the university can find a permanent replacement, which is expected to take between 12 and 18 months.

Lowy said his appointment happened very suddenly, and he's not really aware of what the problems are between the board and the rest of the university community.

But, he said, over the years other universities have had their crises, and he's confident about what can be accomplished with good will on both sides.

"If we all work together, this university is going to be a matter of pride for Quebec, for Montreal, for all of Canada," he said.

The chair of the board of governors, Peter Kruyt, said he wants to engage in what he called a broader dialogue about governance issues at Concordia, but not in public.

"We will not be engaged in a dialogue in a public platform to work through the issues. We'll work through them with the senate … and with the various representatives from the constituencies," he said.

Kruyt said the reasons for the departure of Concordia's previous president, Judith Woodsworth, can't be made public for confidentiality reasons. Woodsworth was the second president to leave the university in mid term.

Some students, staff members and faculty have called for Kruyt and other members of the board to step down as a means of restoring confidence at the university.

Kruyt said he's thought about it, but decided that he will complete his term of office.