TORONTO, May 27, 2003 -- York University will award 11 honorary degrees during its spring convocation ceremonies to individuals whose pioneering spirit and groundbreaking achievements reflect the York vision of success.
The ceremonies, from June 13 to June 21, will confer degrees on people with achievements in fields ranging from public service and broadcasting to business, philanthropy, volunteerism and the arts.
Recipients are: Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada; author Rohinton Mistry; CBC President Robert Rabinovitch; Newmont Mining Corporation Chairman and York business school benefactor Seymour Schulich; Six Nations Chief Roberta Jamieson; tenor Ben Heppner; arts volunteer and philanthropist Joan Goldfarb; legal scholar and historian Martin L. Friedland; volunteer and philanthropist Helen Vari; University of Toronto Chancellor Emerita Rose Wolfe; and Constitution of Kenya Review Commissioner Phoebe Asiyo.
"York University's honorary degree recipients are individuals who dare to challenge convention and overcome obstacles to achieve progress," said York University President and Vice-Chancellor Lorna R. Marsden. "Their leadership and tenacious pursuit of excellence improves our communities and enriches our quality of life, making them ideal role models for our students."
All convocation ceremonies will be held on York's Keele Campus, Convocation Site, east of the Centre for Fine Arts, located at 4700 Keele Street, except for the Glendon College ceremony honouring Adrienne Clarkson, located at 2275 Bayview Avenue (at Lawrence). All recipients will address convocation.
The ceremony schedule follows:
Friday, June 13, 10 a.m.
Seymour Schulich, honorary Doctor of Laws degree, Schulich School of Business ceremony;
Friday, June 13, 2:30 p.m.
Martin Friedland, honorary Doctor of Laws degree, Osgoode Hall Law School ceremony;
Saturday, June 14, 10:30 a.m.
Roberta Jamieson, honorary Doctor of Laws degree, Faculty of Arts ceremony I;
Saturday, June 14, 2:30 p.m.
Robert Rabinovitch, honorary Doctor of Laws degree, Atkinson Faculty of Liberal & Professional Studies ceremony;
Monday, June 16, 2:30 p.m.
Joan Goldfarb, honorary Doctor of Laws degree, Faculty of Graduate Studies/Faculty of Fine Arts ceremony;
Monday, June 16, 7 p.m.
Ben Heppner, honorary Doctor of Laws degree, Faculty of Arts ceremony II;
Tuesday, June 17, 2:30 p.m.
Helen Vari, honorary Doctor of Laws degree, Faculty of Arts ceremony III;
Wednesday, June 18, 2:30 p.m.
Rose Wolfe, honorary Doctor of Laws degree, Faculty of Education ceremony I;
Wednesday, June 18, 7 p.m.
Phoebe Asiyo, honorary Doctor of Laws degree, Faculty of Education ceremony II;
Friday, June 20, 10 a.m.
Rohinton Mistry, honorary Doctor of Letters degree, Faculty of Arts ceremony IV;
Saturday, June 21, 2:30 p.m.
Adrienne Clarkson, honorary Doctor of Laws degree, Glendon College ceremony.
The ceremonies will also confer University Professorships on African-American literature and women's studies Prof. Leslie Sanders on Saturday, June 14, at 2:30 p.m. and geography Prof. Bryan Massam on Tuesday, June 17 at 2:30 p.m. Distinguished Research Professorships will be conferred on chemistry Prof. Clifford Leznoff on Tuesday, June 17 at 7 p.m. and psychology Prof. Ellen Bialystok on Friday, June 20 at 10 a.m.
University-Wide Teaching Awards will be presented to psychology Prof. Michaela Hynie on Monday, June 16, at 2:30 p.m., mathematics Prof. Walter Whiteley on Tuesday, June 17, at 7 p.m., and philosophy Professors Patrick Phillips and Frances Latchford on Friday, June 20, at 10 a.m.
York University’s spring convocation ceremonies will be streamed over the Internet giving family and friends who cannot attend a "virtual" front row seat. The live Webcasts and archives can be accessed by visiting: www.yorku.ca/yorkweb/ConvocationLive.
Approximately 6,400 students will graduate during the spring convocation ceremonies, joining York's more than 170,000-strong alumni.
York University offers a world-class, modern academic experience in Toronto, Canada’s most international city. York is at the centre of innovation, with a thriving community of faculty and students who challenge the ordinary and deliver the unexpected. York faculty members are internationally recognized for their pioneering research and leadership in teaching. York is the third largest university in Canada with 43,000 students in 10 faculties and 21 research centres, including the renowned Osgoode Hall Law School and the Schulich School of Business. York’s ground-breaking approach to research is interdisciplinary and collaborative, cutting across traditional academic boundaries to bring fresh insights and solutions to real world challenges. Working together, we redefine the possible.
Profiles of each honorary degree recipient are attached.
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For further information, please contact:
| Ken Turriff | |
| Media Relations | |
| York University | |
| 416-736-2100, ext. 22086 | |
| kturriff@yorku.ca |
YU/052/03
York University Spring Convocation 2003 Honorary Degree Recipient Profiles
Phoebe Asiyo: A political pioneer and an outspoken advocate in the fight for women's rights in Kenya, Phoebe Asiyo is the Chair of the Kenyan Women's Political Caucus and a commissioner of the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission. She has been particularly outspoken over the spread of HIV/AIDS in the developing world, which she sees as the most significant and detrimental barrier to the empowerment, productivity and participation of the world's women. She is a member of Parliamentarians for Global Action and a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development Fund for Women. As a Kenyan member of parliament (1979-1997), she was a vocal supporter and advocate for full political participation for women.
Adrienne Clarkson: In her nearly four years as Governor General, Adrienne Clarkson has transformed Rideau Hall and reached out to Canadians from every walk of life, demonstrating a commitment to a bilingual and multicultural Canada. During her tenure, she has traveled to Davis Inlet and Sheshatshiu to console native communities afflicted with despair, teenage suicides and gasoline sniffing, visited with Canadian soldiers wounded in Afghanistan, and lent her support to numerous homeless and women's shelters across the county. Born in Hong Kong in 1939, Clarkson came to Canada as a refugee with her family during the war in 1942. She has had a rich and distinguished career in broadcasting, journalism, the arts and public service, including as the first Agent-General for Ontario in Paris (1982 to 1987), president and publisher of McClelland & Stewart (1987 to 1988), and as host, writer and producer of several influential programs on CBC Television, including Take Thirty, Adrienne at Large, and the Fifth Estate (1965 to 1982).
Martin Friedland: One of Canada's foremost criminal law scholars and historians, Martin Friedland is a former dean and professor of law emeritus at the University of Toronto. He taught at York's Osgoode Hall Law School (1961-1965) and received his PhD from Cambridge University in 1967. He is the author or editor of 17 books, including Detention Before Trial, Double Jeopardy, Access to the Law, and The Trials of Israel Lipski (awarded the Crime Writers of Canada Award for Non-fiction). He is an Officer of the Order of Canada (1990), has received the Canadian Bar Association's Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award (1994) and the Canada Council Molson Prize (1995) for 'outstanding achievements and exceptional contribution to the enrichment of the cultural life of Canada'.
Joan Goldfarb: A dedicated volunteer and philanthropist, Joan Goldfarb has been a prominent player in Canada's arts scene for more than three decades. Her long association with the arts includes her work with the Canadian Museums Association, the National Museums of Canada, and 12 years of service on the board of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, which she chaired from 1993 to 1997. As a member of the board of directors of the Muki Baum Association, she has been an energetic advocate for rehabilitation and support services for children and adults with multiple disabilities. Joan Goldfarb and her husband Martin Goldfarb have been longstanding, generous supporters of York University, most recently through a major gift including a significant collection of contemporary art and the creation of the Joan Goldfarb Visual Arts Study Centre in the Faculty of Fine Arts. She is president of Joan Goldfarb Design Limited and also serves as president and director of Extension Investments Limited. Goldfarb is a member of the Order of Ontario.
Ben Heppner: One of the finest dramatic tenors before the public today, Ben Heppner excels in the most challenging roles, from Wagner's Tristan and Lohengrin to Verdi's Otello and Berlioz' Aeneas. He is acclaimed in music capitals around the world for his beautiful voice, intelligent musicianship, and sparkling dramatic sense. His performances on the opera stage, in concert with orchestra, in recital and on recordings have set new standards in his demanding repertoire. He received a Grammy Award (1998) for his recording of Die Meistersinger (London/Decca records) and has won several Juno Awards for his recordings, most recently for Airs Français. He was promoted to 'Officer' within the Order of Canada (2002) and was recently awarded the Golden Jubilee Medal (2002) -- awarded to Canadian citizens who have made a significant contribution to Canada.
Roberta Jamieson: Frequently described as a women of firsts, Roberta Jamieson is the first aboriginal woman in Canada to receive a law degree (1976), first non-parliamentarian to be appointed a member of the special House of Commons Committee on Indian Self-Government (1982), first aboriginal Ontario ombudsman (1989-1999), and first woman to be elected chief of the Six Nations reserve (2001). Directed by her desire for social change and recognized for her pioneering work in the field of alternative dispute resolution, she is widely respected as a mediator and a role model for those seeking to make a contribution to public life, particularly women and aboriginal peoples. During her 10-year term as Ontario ombudsman, she handled approximately 30,000 citizen complaints a year about government policies or decisions involving social benefits, health, land use, correctional facilities, labour and financial institutions. Jamieson is a recipient of the Order of Canada (1994).
Rohinton Mistry: One of Canada’s emerging literary iconoclasts, Rohinton Mistry has achieved critical acclaim at home and abroad for his collections of short stories and his novels set in, and colorfully depicting his native India. His first novel, Such a Long Journey (1991), which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, received the Governor General’s Award for fiction and the Commonwealth Writers Prize for best book of the year. His second novel A Fine Balance (1995) won the Giller Prize, the Los Angeles Times fiction book prize, and the Commonwealth Writers Prize. It gained further acclaim as an Oprah Book Club Selection and was shortlisted for a Booker Prize and a International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. Family Matters (2002) is Mistry’s third and latest best-selling novel. Mistry was born in Bombay and has lived in Canada since 1975.
Robert Rabinovitch: President and CEO of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation/Radio Canada since 1999, Robert Rabinovitch is a major force behind Canada's broadcast and communications industries and in federal communications policy. He served as Deputy Minister of Communications (1982-85) and Undersecretary of State (1985-86). He also served as Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet and Senior Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet for Priorities and Planning in the Privy Council Office. Prior to CBC, Rabinovitch was president and chief operating officer of Claridge Inc., a Bronfman family management and holding company. He has been a board member of Cineplex Odeon Corporation, NetStar Communications, as well as a member of the federal policy review panel for direct-to-home satellite broadcasting.
Seymour Schulich: A highly successful businessman and entrepreneur, Seymour Schulich is one of York's most loyal friends, having made major donations to numerous York scholarships, academic chairs and key building projects. In recognition of his 1995 gift of $15 million, York University's business faculty was renamed the Schulich School of Business. His generosity has helped make possible the construction of a new Schulich School of Business and Executive Learning Centre, scheduled to open this fall. Schulich is chairman of Newmont Capital Limited, the merchant banking division of Newmont Mining Corporation. Previously, he was co-founder, chairman and co-CEO of Franco-Nevada Mining Corporation which merged with Newmont in 2002. In addition to endowing scholarships in business schools across the country, Schulich has given generously to leading medical facilities such as the Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Science Centre in Toronto, which renamed its cardiac facility The Schulich Heart Centre. Schulich is a recipient of the Order of Canada (2000).
Helen Vari: Among the University's most generous friends, Helen Vari has helped bring to York numerous scholarships and building projects -- most notable among them is Vari Hall, York's landmark academic building located at the centre of its Keele campus. Vari was appointed to the Board of Governors in 1990 and served until 2002, and was made an Honorary Governor. A dedicated volunteer and philanthropist, she has served on the boards of the Ontario Heritage Foundation, Canada Council, Canadian Scene, The Council for Canadian Unity, Canada House at the Université de Paris, and the World Monuments Fund. She is a Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur of France, and a Commandant de l'Ordre du Chevalier de Malta, and a recipient of the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal. She is President of the Vari Foundation, a charitable organization.
Rose Wolfe: Chancellor Emerita of the University of Toronto (1991-1997), Rose Wolfe is well-respected for her volunteer work and outstanding contributions to higher education and the community. She is the director of the Ray and Rose Wolfe Family Foundation and president of the Maurice and Tillie Wolfe Family Foundation. She is an honorary officer of the Canadian Jewish Congress (Ontario region), a member of the board of governors of Mount Sinai Hospital and the executive committee of the Canadian Jewish News. She is also a life member of the executive committee and board of the Jewish Family and Child Service and has served on the boards of the Banting Institute, the McMichael Gallery and the Lester Pearson College of the Pacific. In 1997 she was the inaugural recipient of the Rose Wolfe Distinguished Alumnus Award at the UofT. She is a member of the Order of Canada (1999).
