Of Note

Provost search report due at February Board meeting

Four shortlisted candidates for the position of Provost, the chief academic officer of the university, made presentations to the university community on Dec. 9.

They were Robert Campbell, of Sir Wilfrid Laurier and Trent Universities; Jonathan Rittenhouse, vice-principal of Bishop’s University; David Staines, of the University of Ottawa; and Concordia Dean of Arts and Science Martin Singer.

Because the January meeting of the Board of Governors has been cancelled, the decision of the search committee will not be known until the Board meets on Feb. 19.

Board sets search committee for new Vice-Rector, AAA

At its meeting of Dec. 11, Concordia's Board of Governors approved the composition of the search committee for the new position of Vice-Rector, Advancement and Alumni Affairs. This position was approved in principle at the Nov. 18 meeting.

The search committee will comprise the chair, namely, the Rector, to whom the position reports; two members of the Board, recommended by the executive committee; two faculty members, nominated through election by all full-time faculty members; one student representative, appointed by the CSU; one staff representative from a unit reporting to the position, in conformity with the Electoral College Policy; and one alumni representative, chosen by the executive committee of the Board.

Three named Con U Fellows

Senior scholars Barbara Woodside and Gary Johns and emerging researcher Kristina Huneault have been awarded the title of Concordia University Research Fellow for the year 2004. A research grant of $5,000 is given to each fellow.

Barbara Woodside

Psychologist Barbara Woodside joined the university in 1980 and was promoted to Professor in 2001. In 2003 she became the Director of the Centre for the Study of Behavioural Neurobiology. Professor Woodside is a researcher internationally recognized as a leading expert in her field. Among other topics, she has examined the complex interaction of neural, endocrine and behavioural processes that enable female mammals to successfully meet the challenge of pregnancy and lactation. Her research has been funded by FCAR, NATEQ, CIHR and NSERC.

Gary Johns

Gary Johns, Department of Management, John Molson School of Business, joined the university in 1973 and was promoted to professor in 1985. He was awarded the Concordia University Research Chair in 2001. He was chosen as the 2003 Hooker Distinguished Visiting Professor, DeGroot School of Business, at McMaster University. Dr. Johns is widely regarded as one of the world’s most respected experts in the field of absenteeism, and his work has served as a key theoretical and methodological stimulus for new theories and research in the field. His research includes study of job design, constraints on behaviour, self-serving behaviour, and research methodology. His research has been funded by SSHRC, FCAR, and other granting agencies. His recent SSHRC grant was ranked first out of 97 applications by the 410-21 selection committee.

Kristina Huneault

In the ‘Emerging” category, the honour goes to art historian Kristina Huneault, in the Faculty of Fine Arts. Huneault joined the university in 1999, was promoted to Associate Professor and was appointed Graduate Program Director for Art History in June 2003. Dr. Huneault has published a book, Difficult Subjects: Working Women and Visual Culture, Britain 1880-1914 (London: Ashgate, 2002). Her expertise bridges psychoanalysis and social history, feminism and poststructuralism. She is particularly interested in the role of imagery in the construction of subjectivity. Currently, she is exploring visible traces of gender in women's artistic production. She is particularly well funded by the research councils, including SSHRC (Standard Research Grant) and FQRSC (Nouveaux Chercheurs).

In memoriam

Eileen McIlwaine, CND

Sister Eileen McIlwaine, who was a member of Concordia’s Board of Governors from 1988 to 2003, died peacefully at the Montreal General Hospital on Dec. 12 at the age of 77. At the time of her death, she was a life member of the Corporation of Concordia University and a governor emeritus. These honours were awarded her on her retirement from the Board for her remarkable contribution to the university over those 15 years.

She was vice-chair of the Board from 1992 to 1996, and served on many of its standing committees, namely appeals (1988-2003), collective bargaining (1988-2003), nominating (1994-1996), operating services (1988-1989), personnel ((1988-2003), review (1990-1996), senior salaries (1992-1996) and social policy (1988-1989).

She chaired the Board’s 1999 task force to review rules and procedures for advisory search committees, and was a member of the Rector’s task force on the revitalization of the Loyola Campus. She was also a member of the Associates of the Chancellor, which advises on university policy and development.

As Sister St. Mary of the Nativity, she was a member of the Congregation of Notre Dame, and devoted her life to education. From 1948 to 1974, she taught at Thomas D’Arcy McGee and St. Willibrod High Schools, at St. Joseph Teachers College and in the Faculty of Education of McGill University.

After 10 years as associate to the Superior General of the Congregation of Notre Dame, she was appointed academic dean at Marianopolis College, and subsequently served as president from 1988 to 1996. Concordia’s Rector, Frederick Lowy, said, “The bare facts of Sister McIlwayne's involvement with Concordia University, impressive as they are, do not fully convey the importance and quality of her contributions.

“Sister McIlwayne was a source of immense strength on our Board of Governors, a wise counsellor whose sound advice could always be relied upon when difficult issues arose.

“She had an abiding conviction that straightforward honesty, transparency and fairness were principles that will lead to right and good decisions.

“With her passing, Concordia's community has lost a friend and guide. We will miss her.”

Ronald William Gower Bryant

1915-2003. Ronald Bryant, who taught geography and urban planning at Concordia from 1966 until his retirement in 1981, died in Ottawa on Dec. 6.

Born in 1915 in Manchester, England, he studied geography and urban planning at the University of Aberdeen and the London School of Economics.

He served in World War II as a major in the British Army in Africa and the Far East. After helping plan the post-war reconstruction of several English cities, he came to Canada, where he worked as an urban planner and taught at Concordia and the Université de Montréal.

His passions were reading, travel and both real and model railways. As his obituary in the Ottawa Citizen said, he was “a broad-minded, good-natured man, tolerant of differences and fluent in several languages.”

Our sympathies are extended to his family.

Dial 811

This is a new emergency number that should only be used during emergencies. Dialing 811 rings at the Hall Building control centre where it is answered by dispatchers who have received the same training as many municipal police 911operators.

Security Director Jean Brisebois said, “With the volume of calls we receive we thought we should identify an emergency line that is separate from our regular service line.

“The community should call 3717 for both campuses for regular security services and 811 in an emergency.

“People without IP phones or on an outside line or cell phone can dial 848-3717 directly, no extension.”

Pay phones on campus are programmed to call 848-3717 at no charge. If you call Loyola security at 3707, the call will be bumped downtown.