Academic Emeritus Designation Nominations

The term “emeritus/emerita” is conferred on retired faculty members as an honour and a means to maintain certain privileges and maintain an ongoing relationship with VIU. Individuals are identified through a nomination process described below.

On October 4, 2012, Senate approved Policy 92.02 Awarding of Academic Emeritus Designation and its associated Procedure 92.02.001.

As outlined in Policy 92.02, the Academic Emeritus Designation:

Recognizes the outstanding, distinguished contributions of a retired faculty member to the academic life of Vancouver Island University;
Recognizes retired faculty members for significant contributions and exceptional service during their long-term association with Vancouver Island University; and
Encourages and fosters an ongoing relationship between a teacher, librarian, or scholar and the University after retirement so that the reputation of the University may benefit from the continuing relationship and the recipient may benefit from using the University name in the context of appropriate scholarly endeavours.

An Emeritus may act as a mentor to faculty and students; undertake research projects at VIU; assist with or collaborate on grant or funding applications; and present guest lectures, seminars, and workshops. For a full listing of activity examples as well as a listing of some of the privileges granted to Emeriti, over and above those provided by VIU to all retirees, please refer to Policy 92.02.

The title of Academic Emeritus is granted without a definite term, which differs from the status of Honorary Research Associate – a title that is held for a renewable term of a maximum of 3 years.

Eligibility for Academic Emeritus Designation, as stated in Policy 92.02:

Individuals who have left the employment of Vancouver Island University, normally through retirement, and who usually have served the University for a minimum of ten years may be nominated.

Please visit Academic Emeritus Designation Nominations to download the nomination form. Forms should be submitted to the Office of the Provost. Nominations will then be forwarded to the Awards and Honours Committee for review and recommendation to Senate. Successful candidates will be informed in writing by the Office of Provost, and the Emeritus designation will be awarded at a regular convocation of VIU. Please note that nominations must include the supporting signatures of at least three faculty members.

Nomination forms are accepted on an ongoing basis, but no later than six months prior to the date of the regular convocation at which the proposed award is to be made. Nominations for the June Convocation ceremony must be received the prior November in the Office of the Provost.

If you have questions regarding the nomination process, please email Emeritus@viu.ca.

Sincerely,
Michael Quinn, PhD
Provost and Vice-President, Academic

Academic Emeritus Recipients

2024

Patrick Carpenter (Arts and Humanities)
Joining the Music department in 1979, Patrick Carpenter arrived at the institution with a suitcase full of premiered and broadcast compositions and pockets heavy with awards and accolades. During his decades at VIU, he chaired the Music department, was the principal author of the Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies proposal, developed music theory, composition and history courses, organized and conducted annual touring concerts and served as Vice-President of the Malaspina College Faculty Association. Carpenter continues to perform and share his considerable musical talents with graduates and the local musical community.
Doug Corrin (Science and Technology)
After 31 years, Doug Corrin retired in 2021 from the Forest Resource Technology program, where he served as a professor and chaired the program for many years. Since then, he has returned to the classroom to give volunteer guest lectures. For his colleagues, his devotion to the program and to student mental health stand out. Corrin adopted mental health and well-being as a fundamental component of the program, establishing weekly check-ins, organizing stress management workshops and ensuring his classroom was a safe space. He was recognized with two Provost Awards for Excellence in Teaching.
Dr. Leigh McCarley Blaney (Health Sciences and Human Services)
In her 20 years of teaching at VIU, Dr. Leigh Blaney has strongly and persistently advocated for strong integration of mental health concepts and competencies across the Bachelor of Science in Nursing curriculum. With more than 25 years of experience as a mental health nurse in communities, facilities and private practice, Leigh has supported colleagues in recognizing student distress and invited her students to become aware of their biases and beliefs about mental health and illness. Her research centres on building resilience and mental health in firefighters and nurses.
Dr. Marni Stanley (Arts and Humanities)
Dr. Marni Stanley loves the conversations – planned or unplanned, short or long, fun or problem-oriented – that she has with the people who work and study at VIU. Stanley joined VIU in 1994 and has taught in and chaired the English and Studies in Women and Gender departments. She retired last year as Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. Her advice to graduates: “Give your brain lots of exercise, and that means learning to enjoy the difficult and the challenging and the frustrating.”

2023

Dr. Steven Earle (Geology)
Dr. John Lepage (English)
Les Malbon (Kinesiology)
Dr. John Morgan (Resource Management and Protection)
Dr. Robert Willis (Management and Law)

2022

Dr. Tim Goater (Biology)

2021

Dr. Katharina Rout (English)

2019

Ron Smith (Creative Writing and Journalism, English)
Dr. John Black (Liberal Studies)

2017

Greg Klimes (Resource Management and Protection)
Dr. Kevin Roberts (Creative Writing and Journalism, English)
Dr. Gordon Hak (History)
Dr. Ken Hammer (Recreation and Tourism)
Dr. Jane Watson (Biology)

2016

Dr. Timothy Brownlow (English and Creative Writing)
Dr. Patrick Dunae (History)
Dr. Keith Harrison (English)
Griffith Tripp (Recreation/ Tourism)

2015

Dr. Robert Lane (Philosophy)
Rick Rollins (Recreation/ Tourism)

2014

Gary Tunnell (Anthropology)

2013

Ian Johnston (English and Liberal Studies)
Dr. William Pennell (Fisheries and Aquaculture and former Acting Director of the Institute for Coastal Research)
Kathryn Barnwell (English and Women’s Studies)
Dr. Helen Brown (History)