Emeritus Honorees
Professor Emeritus
Three outstanding professors who have had distinguished careers at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton will be honoured for their accomplishments at Encaenia, as follows:
Ceremony B - Wednesday, May 29, at 2:30 p.m.
Dr. Terry Haggerty, professor emeritus in kinesiology
From 1991 to 1999, Dr. Haggerty was a professor and dean in the faculty of kinesiology. During this time, he led the faculty through several key curricular changes, new degree offerings and a name change.
Before completing his second term as dean, Dr. Haggerty was seconded by then president Elizabeth Parr-Johnson to build what would become Canada’s first leadership studies bachelor program, and from that, Renaissance College. Dr. Haggerty served as the college’s first dean, from 1999 to 2003.
In 2005, Dr. Haggerty was again appointed the dean of kinesiology and held this post until 2010. He was a driving force in the development of the Richard J. CURRIE CENTER.
Ceremony C - Thursday, May 30, at 10 a.m.
Dr. Vaughan Dickson, professor emeritus in economics
Dr. Dickson came to UNB in 1974. Over his 37-year tenure in the department of economics, he established himself as a solid educator and a highly regarded and respected leader.
Dr. Dickson taught and specialized in industrial organization – an area of economics that investigates the behaviour of commercial businesses. In addition to his teaching and research commitments, he was director of undergraduate studies for 22 years. He is credited with inspiring many undergraduates to go on to graduate work.
He served as department chair for seven years, and many of his colleagues would agree that the department’s collective success is due — in no small part — to his dedication to fostering an environment of support, advice and encouragement.
Ceremony D - Thursday, May 30, at 2:30 p.m.Prof. Barry Bisson, professor emeritus in civil engineering
Prof. Barry Bisson joined UNB in 1983 as a professor of civil engineering and coordinator of UNB’s Transportation Group, one of the faculty’s leading research groups. He served in this role until 1994, when he was appointed chair of the Dr. J. Herbert Smith Centre for Technology Management and Entrepreneurship in the faculty of engineering.
Prof. Bisson was held in very high regard by his students and his colleagues. In recognition of his teaching excellence and his service to UNB, Prof. Bisson received both UNB’s Dr. Alan P. Stuart Memorial Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Distinguished Service Award.Prof. Bisson’s service to the university also included representing faculty members on UNB’s Board of Governors and serving on the board of INCUTECH and Enterprise UNB.
While at UNB, he was actively involved in bringing the Shad Valley Program to the university and became its first director in 1985. In 2005, Prof. Bisson took an early retirement from UNB to take on the role of president of Shad Valley International. While at Shad Valley he also taught for a few years at the Conrad Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology Centre at the University of Waterloo.
The professor emeritus distinction is awarded only to retired faculty members.
Criteria for the honorary rank include teaching performance of exceptional merit, extensive research and publication of unusually high quality, creative contributions to the administration and development of the university, and a record of professional conduct that indicates fair and ethical treatment of students and other members of the academic community. Candidates must be approved by UNB's Board of Governors.
Chancellor Emeritus
Ceremony D - Thursday, May 30, at 2:30 p.m.
Dr. Richard J. Currie
UNB will grant Dr. Richard J. Currie the honorary designation of chancellor emeritus during his final graduation ceremonies at the end of May. He is only the second chancellor to receive such a distinction, following in the footsteps of Lady Violet Aitken who served as UNB’s chancellor from 1982 to 1991. UNB also plans to recognize Dr. Currie’s tenure as chancellor and the profound impact he has had on UNB and the lives of many of its students at a tribute dinner in the fall.
Born in Saint John, N.B., Dr. Currie attended UNB as a Beaverbrook Scholar, graduating from the Technical University of Nova Scotia with a degree in chemical engineering. Following a stint at Atlantic Sugar Refineries, he graduated from Harvard Business School and worked for management consultants McKinsey & Company before joining Loblaw Companies in 1972, serving as president for 25 years from 1976. He was named president of George Weston Ltd. in 1996 and, in 2002, was appointed the chair of BCE, Canada’s largest telecommunications company.
In addition to being Canada’s CEO of the Year in 2001 and being inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame, Dr. Currie was named one of Canada’s 10 greatest chief executives of all-time by the Globe & Mail. In 1997, Dr. Currie became a Member of the Order of Canada. He was promoted to Officer in 2004.
