2010-2011

News Release

REF NO.: 39

SUBJECT: Special convocation for ceremonial installation of new president and vice-chancellor of Memorial University of Newfoundland

DATE: October 19, 2010

Note to editors:
Dr. Gary Kachanoski, Memorial University’s new president and vice-chancellor, will be ceremonially installed at a special session of convocation to be held on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010. Dr. Kachanoski started in his position on July 1, 2010.
Members of the community, university leaders, faculty, staff and students, together with Premier Danny Williams and other government leaders, will join Dr. Kachanoski for this installation ceremony.
During the special convocation, honorary degrees will be awarded to Dr. Michael Asch, anthropologist and professor emeritus at the University of Alberta, and Peter MacKinnon, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Saskatchewan and a noted legal scholar.
In addition to the special session of convocation on Oct. 21, at 3 p.m., regular sessions of fall convocation in St. John’s take place on Friday, Oct. 22, at 10 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.  Dr. Pamela Björkman, Max Delbruck Professor of Biology at Caltech, will receive an honorary degree on Friday, Oct. 22, at 10 a.m. 
In addition, a number of retired professors will be awarded the title professor emeritus at the Oct. 22 afternoon and evening sessions of convocation. These are Dr. James Barnes, Faculty of Business Administration; Dr. Colin Higgs, School of Human Kinetics and Recreation; Dr. Phil Heath,  Department of Mathematics and Statistics; Dr. James Hiller, Department of History; and Prof.  Shane O’Dea, Department of English, Language and Literature.
The title of professor emeritus is a distinction accorded only to retired members of the faculty. To be eligible, a person must normally have served at least 10 years as a regular, full-time faculty member and must have held the rank of professor upon retirement. The prime criterion for nomination is sustained, outstanding scholarly work and/or service to the university.
The special convocation ceremony will be taped and webcast on Thursday, Oct. 21, starting at 3 p.m. at www.distance.mun.ca/media/files/live  Regular sessions of fall convocation will also be webcast starting at 10 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 22. Both the special convocation and regular sessions of all convocation will also be aired on Rogers Cable in the weeks ahead and videos of the sessions will be made available on DVD for sale at the University Bookstore.

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