MONTREAL - McGill University will soon be looking for a new principal, and some at the university say it's about time.

Heather Munroe-Blum, who has been principal since 2003, will be leaving the position in just over a year.

Munroe-Blum's nine years in office have not gone over well with many on campus.

Some students say they don't like her support of tuition fee increases and both students and unions on campus have had issues with university administration.

"It used to be the case that students and faculty had a bit more power -- support staff as well. Over Munroe-Blum's principalship it's been the case that a lot of those powers just get centralized in a few administrators," said Joel Pednault of the Students' Society of McGill University.

The recent student occupation of the administration building at McGill was a reaction to the university's refusal to respect the results of a student referendum on funding two student groups.

Students say under Munroe-Blum, the university has taken a hard line.

Just recently they came out with a new protocol for demonstrations on campus, which essentially means no demonstrations," said Pednault.

No one from McGill, including Munroe-Blum, was available to speak to CTV Montreal Wednesday.

A search committee to find a new principal has not yet been struck, but will likely be formed by the end of next month. Interviews are expected this summer or next fall, and a new principal should be chosen in about a year.

Kevin Whittaker, president of union group McGill University Non-Academic Certified Association said the atmosphere at McGill in recent years has become antagonistic. Last year's strike involving support staff dragged on from September to December.

The campus has felt less and less like a community, he said.

"We're hoping that the next principal will be more receptive to dialogue and interaction with the union groups and student groups here on campus," said Whittaker, who has been part of the McGill community for 21 years.

Under other principals, McGill was a different place, he said.

"It was far more open. There was always the sense of dialogue, the sense of interaction," he said, adding that he felt the unwelcome changes were a direct result of Munroe-Blum's leadership.

"It used to be a sense of pride to work at McGill and now it's almost a sense of shame," he said.