February 29, 2008 — Concordia University is proud to announce the appointment of Judith Woodsworth as Concordia’s President and Vice-Chancellor for a term beginning on August 1, 2008, and ending on June 30, 2013.
A longtime Concordian, Dr. Woodsworth was born in Paris, France, and grew up in Winnipeg. She won a scholarship to McGill University, where she received a BA in French and Philosophy. She earned a Licence ès Lettres from the Université de Strasbourg in France, and a PhD in French Literature from McGill. Her full-time academic career began in 1980 when she joined the Département d’études françaises at Concordia University. Over the next 17 years, she held various administrative positions at Concordia, including Program Director, Assistant Dean in the Humanities Division, Department Chair and Vice-Dean in the Faculty of Arts and Science. Her husband is former Director of Journalism at Concordia, Lindsay Crysler.
“The Advisory Search Committee was pleased to unanimously recommend to the Board, with confidence and enthusiasm, the appointment of Dr. Woodsworth as President and Vice-Chancellor of Concordia University,” said Chairman of the Board of Governors and Chair of the Advisory Search Committee, Peter Kruyt. “A skilled communicator in both English and French, Dr. Woodsworth is a dynamic and effective leader who has a passion and commitment to education. She will put the quality of the student experience at Concordia first. Dr. Woodsworth understands how to forge excellent working relationships with the diverse constituencies that make up, serve, and are served by a modern university. Her proven experience, her strong ties to Concordia and her gifts as an administrator, scholar, and engaged citizen equip her exceptionally well to lead our institution.”
Judith Woodsworth became President of Laurentian University on July 1, 2002, and was recently reappointed for another five-year term as president. Prior to joining Laurentian, she was Vice-President (Academic) at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, for five years. Under the leadership of Dr. Woodsworth, Laurentian University experienced dramatic growth and development. Undergraduate and graduate enrolments have increased substantially; research funding also rose significantly and six new doctoral programs were established. In partnership with Lakehead University, Laurentian University launched the Northern Ontario School of Medicine in 2005; Dr. Woodsworth is Chair of its Board of Directors.
“Like Laurentian, Concordia has also grown tremendously in the last decade and has taken its place in this great university city of Montreal,” added Peter Kruyt. “The financial constraints, however, of all Quebec Universities, makes good planning an essential component of prudent oversight and Dr. Woodsworth has a solid track record in this regard.”
Dr. Woodsworth’s scholarly research and publications are in the areas of French literature and translation. These include a highly regarded co-edited book (with Dr. Jean Delisle), Translators Through History / Les Traducteurs dans l’histoire, and Still Lives, her English translation of a novel by Pierre Nepveu. She has a long and distinguished record of service to her profession and to the communities in which she has lived and worked. In 1991, Dr. Woodsworth was inducted as an Officer in the Ordre de la Pléiade, Ordre de la Francophonie et du dialogue des cultures, for her contributions to the promotion of the French language and intercultural relations; in 2002, she was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Medal.
Dr. Woodsworth has served on committees of the Council of Ontario Universities, and is currently a member of two provincial task forces on French Language Education. At the national level, she was a Governor of the Canadian Unity Council and served as Chair of the Board of Directors of World University Service of Canada. In Sudbury, she was Co-chair of the 2003 United Way Campaign of Greater Sudbury, served on the board of the Sudbury Theatre Centre, and as a board member of the Sudbury Food Bank and the distance education network “Contact North.”
The Concordia community is delighted to welcome Judith Woodsworth back to the university as its first woman president. We are confident that she will provide the vision and leadership to continue Concordia’s dynamic development.