Dennis Murphy named Executive Director, Communications

Longtime Communication Studies professor Dennis Murphy has been named Executive Director, Communications, overseeing the work of four related departments: Information Services, Marketing Communications, Public Relations, and Translation Services.

He has been acting as advisor on internal communications to the Vice-Rector, Institutional Relations and Secretary General, since last June, encouraging collaboration among graduates, faculty members and various departments and programs. This mandate will continue to be a central one in his new position.

From 1997 to 1999, Murphy served as Vice-Dean, External Relations, and from 1999 to 2000, as Vice-Dean, Curriculum and Appraisals, in the Faculty of Arts and Science. He has also served on many university committees, including the Institutional Marketing Committee, the 25th Anniversary Committee, and as chair of the Irish Studies Committee.

Dennis is a graduate of Loyola College (BA ‘67), San Francisco State University (MA ‘72) and University of California at Santa Barbara (PhD ‘82). He has taught at Concordia since 1970, and is an Associate Professor in Communications Studies.

We wish you well in your new role, Dennis.

Maria Paradiso is Director, Academic Relations

Maria Paradiso has been appointed Director, Academic Relations. Reporting to the Vice-Rector, Institutional Relations and Secretary-General, she will head the Office of Academic Relations (formerly the Academic Support Unit of Human Resources and Employee Relations).

She will also assist the University’s Chief Negotiator with the collective bargaining process and related matters concerning the Concordia University Faculty Association (CUFA).

Maria will also take on responsibility for the Concordia University Continuing Education Part-Time Faculty Union (CUCEPTFU) and the Concordia University Part-Time Faculty Association (CUPFA).

She has been with the University since 1986, and most recently, was Executive Director of Communications. Before that, she was Interim Director of Human Resources, and, from 1992 to 1997, Executive Assistant to the Vice-Rector, Institutional Relations. From 1993 until 2000, she was Secretary to the Investment Committee of the Concordia University Foundation.

A graduate of McGill University, she holds a BSc in Mathematics (1975), a Diploma in Management (1983) and an MBA (1985). She also obtained Teacher Certification from McGill and was a part-time lecturer in the Mathematics and Statistics Department of Concordia University from 1987 to 1989.

She takes over as Director of Academic Relations from Joy Bennett, who is on administrative leave. Vice-Rector Danis has thanked Joy Bennett for her contribution to the university in this position.

Hal Proppe named Chief Academic Negotiator

Hal Proppe has been appointed the University’s Chief Academic Negotiator, effective June 1, 2000. Reporting to the Vice-Rector, Institutional Relations and Secretary General, he will represent the university administration in the collective bargaining process with the Concordia University Faculty Association (CUFA).

Hal has held many administrative posts during his 30 years at Concordia, most recently as Interim Vice-Rector, Institutional Relations and Finance (1994-1996). Prior to that, he served as Associate-Vice-Rector, from 1987 to 1993. In 1996, he returned to teaching in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, where he has since served as Associate Chair and Undergraduate Program Coordinator.

A graduate of McGill University (PhD ‘69, Mathematics, MSc ‘65, Meteorology, and BSc ‘63, Honours Mathematics and Physics), he joined Concordia (then Sir George Williams) in 1970 as an Assistant Professor of Mathematics. He later served as Department Chair (1978-1985), as a member of the CUFA executive, as chief negotiator for the faculty union’s first collective agreement, and as a Faculty of Arts and Science representative on Concordia’s Senate and Board of Governors.

Welcome to your new responsibilities, Hal.

Human Resources and Employee Relations

Gilles Bourgeois has been asked to temporarily assume the responsibilities of the position of Executive Director, Human Resources and Employee Relations, for the period of September 1, 2000, until December 31, 2001.

Vice-Rector Marcel Danis thanked the former director, Valerie Gagnon for her contribution to the university. Gagnon has left the university.