Author: The Record
Published May 30, 2024

Bishop’s University on the sunny day of May 30. Photo by Matthew McCully

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative   

Bishop’s University (BU) Chancellor Daniel Fournier will preside over its 197th Convocation ceremony June 1, where degrees will be conferred upon over 600 graduates from the Class of 2024. At the ceremony, honorary degrees will be bestowed on two eminent individuals for their achievements, and the Community of the Townships for coming together last fall to support BU during the tuition crisis. The Record spoke with BU’s principal and a member of the Townships’ Mobilization Committee on the significance of the latter honour.

Convocation   

“Convocation marks an important milestone for all Bishop’s University graduates, a memorable life event for students who have been the heart of our community in recent years,” stated Fournier in a May 27 release.

“They are now ready to face the new challenges that await them, and we are confident that they are well prepared to do so.”

This year’s Doctorates in Civil Law (D.C.L.) honorands include Elisapie, an Inuk singer-songwriter, director, and activist; Dr. George Siber ’66, an internationally recognised vaccine expert; and the Community of the Eastern Townships, represented by the Mobilization Committee, including Claude Belleau, Louise Bourgault, Yannick Crack, Chantal Lessard, and Jean Perrault, created to support BU during the tuition crisis. The ceremony will also highlight the contributions of recipients of academic excellence and community engagement awards.

The convocation ceremonies will take place at 10 a.m. for graduates from the Schools of Business and Education, where Siber will receive an honorary degree. The ceremony for graduates from the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences & Mathematics Divisions of the Faculty of Arts & Science will follow at 2:30 p.m., where Elisapie will receive an honorary degree. Representatives of the Eastern Townships community will be presented with honorary degrees at both ceremonies.

Graduating students Sébastien Élie and Renée Rosteius have been selected as Valedictorians for Convocation 2024 and will deliver their addresses during the morning and afternoon ceremonies, respectively.

Special Indigenous Convocation Ceremony

On Friday, May 31, the Indigenous Student Support Centre will hold a graduation ceremony for Indigenous students and their families, welcoming members of the Indigenous community from Odanak to partake in this significant event.

“The Class of 2024 deserves our esteem and congratulations for successfully completing their respective programmes. Convocation is also an occasion to celebrate those who have gone above and beyond, giving our community the best of themselves,” said BU Principal and Vice-Chancellor Sébastien Lebel-Grenier.

Local and ecological flowers during Convocation

In collaboration with local flower producers Les Jardins d’Etc. (Bury) and Wild Thing (Stanstead), BU is the first university to partner with the Association des productrices et producteurs de fleurs coupées du Québec (APFCQ) as part of its Sustainable Development Plan. Flowers will be available on June 1 at the John H. Price Sports Centre from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Families are encouraged to order in advance by visiting the Bishop’s Local Flowers for Convocation website.

2024 Honorands

Elisapie. Photo Courtesy

Elisapie

Elisapie, born and raised in Salluit, a small village in Nunavik accessible only by plane, is an iconic Canadian Inuk singer-songwriter. Her fourth solo record, “Inuktitut,” won the 2024 Juno Award for Best Contemporary Indigenous Artist. The album features ten covers of classic rock and pop songs from the 1960s to the 1990s, translated into Inuktitut, her mother tongue.

Elisapie’s reimagining of these songs is an act of cultural reappropriation, telling her story through this musical journey. Since winning her first Juno Award in 2005 with her band Taima, her work has garnered critical acclaim, including her 2018 album “The Ballad of the Runaway Girl,” which was shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize and earned numerous Félix Awards.

Elisapie has performed with the Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal, at New York City’s Central Park SummerStage Festival, in NPR’s Tiny Desk Session, and at various venues and festivals globally. Beyond her music career, she is recognised for her acting roles in TV series and experimental films.

As a dedicated activist, she produced the first Canada-wide broadcast TV show to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day, “Le grand solstice” (2021, 2022, 2023), and directed the National Film Board documentary “If the Weather Permits” (2003). Through her company, Sanajik Films, she produces documentaries from Indigenous and Inuit perspectives.

Dr. George Siber. Photo Courtesy

George Siber, MD

Siber is an infectious disease-trained physician with over 40 years of experience in developing vaccines and antibody products. He is an adjunct professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins Medical School, a visiting researcher at the Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and president of Siber Biotechnologies LLC.

From 1996 to 2007, Siber served as executive vice president and chief scientific officer of Wyeth Vaccines (now Pfizer), leading the development and approval of innovative childhood vaccines, including the first pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (Prevenar 7 and 13), the first rotavirus diarrhoea vaccine (Rotashield), the first meningococcal meningitis conjugate vaccine (Meningitec), and the first nasal influenza vaccine (FluMist).

Before his work in big pharma, Siber was Harvard Medical School Associate Professor of Medicine at Dana Farber Cancer Institute and director of the Massachusetts Public Health Biologic Laboratories, where he developed several vaccines and immune globulins, including the first antibody licensed for respiratory syncytial virus (Respigam), leading to the development of monoclonal antibodies to RSV (Synagis and Beyfortus).

Currently, Siber is a vaccine consultant to biotechnology companies, NGOs, and government bodies. He co-founded and served on the Board of Affinivax, which developed a 24-valent pneumococcal vaccine acquired by GSK in 2022. Dr. Siber serves on the Scientific Advisory Boards of AdVaccine, CanSino, Clover, ILiAD, Valneva, Vaxart, and Vaxxinity and has consulted for NIH, EU, WHO, and the Gates Foundation.

He was a trustee of the International Vaccine Institute and received multiple awards, including the 2016 Albert Sabin Gold Medal in vaccinology. Siber holds a BSc from BU, an MD from McGill University, and completed post-doctoral training in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases at institutions affiliated with Harvard Medical School.

BU Principal talks Townships’ honorary degree, state of BU after tuition crisis

In a historic first, BU is set to award an honorary degree in recognition of the extraordinary support provided by the Townships’ community. This initiative was conceived through discussions between Chancellor Fournier and Principal Lebel-Grenier.

“This is the first time the university has ever done anything like this,” Lebel-Grenier confirmed to The Record May 29.

“It really came out of discussions between the Chancellor and me, as a recognition and appreciation for the extraordinary support of the Eastern Townships’ community, which really came together in our time of need.”

The “time of need” was last fall’s tuition crisis, which had the provincial government initially planning to legislate a major hike to Quebec’s English university tuition models, especially concerning Canadian out-of-province students. At the time, Lebel-Grenier described the potential move as a an “existential threat” to BU. BU was eventually granted a partial exemption. The CAQ government justified the measures as meant to protect the French language.

On Convocation Day, the honorary degree will be accepted by the members of the Mobilization Committee, who were instrumental in garnering volunteer support.

“The members of the Mobilization Committee are all going to be there,” Lebel-Grenier explained.

“We have two ceremonies, and they will share the burden, with some attending in the morning and others in the afternoon.”

Regarding BU’s current situation, Lebel-Grenier provided an update on the institution’s status following the challenges faced in the fall.

“We achieved an extraordinary victory last December, which gave us confidence in our ability to look forward to the future with some optimism. The mere fact of the announcement has had an impact on our ability to recruit, especially Canadian students from outside Quebec,” he noted.

The university is currently experiencing a lag of about 10 per cent in recruitment, a significant figure impacting its finances, leading to a projected deficit.

Despite these challenges, the university has implemented several measures to counteract the negative effects. Increased activity on social media, additional visits by recruitment officers both domestically and internationally, and enhanced communication with alumni are among the strategies employed.

“Thanks to the generosity of donors, we’ve been able to increase awards specifically for Canadian out-of-province students,” Lebel-Grenier stated.

When asked if the situation might improve over time, Lebel-Grenier was cautiously optimistic.

“Nothing really bounces back on its own,” he said.

“We are being very intentional and will continue the measures we have implemented for recruitment, making sure prospective students understand the unique opportunities our university offers.”

Regarding the potential advantage over Concordia and McGill universities, which were not given an exemption and have faced their own challenges, Lebel-Grenier was clear:

“We could have tried to take advantage of our position, but we deliberately refused to do that. We see ourselves as three different universities within the same ecosystem, facing great challenges together. We’ve worked closely with both McGill and Concordia to limit the effects of these announcements and advocate to the Quebec government.”

Lebel-Grenier expressed his anticipation for the upcoming convocation.

“We are looking forward to an incredible convocation,” he said.

“It’s going to be very exciting. This is all about the students and their achievements. It’s going to be a great weekend.”

Mobilization Committee member talks tuition crisis, significance of honorary degree

The Record spoke with Claude Belleau May 30, a key figure in the Mobilization Committee, to understand the efforts behind these honours and their broader implications for the community.

The formation of the committee was spearheaded by former Sherbrooke mayor Jean Perrault, known for his dedication to serving the community.

“Jean Perrault is always looking for ways to be useful and address important community issues,” Belleau remarked.

Perrault contacted several individuals in the fall who shared his vision, including Yannick Crack, a lawyer from Therrien Couture Joli-Coeur in Sherbrooke, Louise Bourgault, the former director general of the Chamber of Commerce of Sherbrooke, and Belleau himself. Belleau stressed that all committee members participated in their personal capacities, emphasizing their commitment as community members rather than representatives of any organizations.

The initiative was driven by concerns over provincial government measures that the committee believed did not reflect the community’s reality.

“What the provincial government was doing didn’t resonate with us as being right or reflective of our daily experiences,” Belleau explained. The committee swiftly mobilised support from the community, reaching out to elected officials at all levels of government to question the rationale behind the proposed measures.

“We called every elected member, whether federal, provincial, or municipal, and asked if they shared this view. The overwhelming response was that Bishop’s University is not a threat to the French language in Sherbrooke or Quebec,” Belleau emphasized.

This widespread agreement played a crucial role in preventing the imposition of unfavourable measures on BU.

“The community’s support was crucial in making the government reconsider. The message was clear: Bishop’s is not a threat,” Belleau stated. He noted that the community’s swift and united response was instrumental in protecting the institution.

Belleau highlighted the significant contributions of BU to the local community, emphasizing its role as a major employer and its economic impact.

“Bishop’s is a huge employer, contributing $180 million in business activities and salaries. It’s a vital part of our community,” he said.

Additionally, the historical significance of the university, which predates the founding of Sherbrooke, underscores its longstanding influence.

“Bishop’s has been a cornerstone of our community for 180 years, bringing in perspectives and fostering cultural exchange,” Belleau added.

While the community’s efforts successfully protected BU, Belleau expressed concern for other anglophone institutions like McGill and Concordia, which continue to face government scrutiny.

“It’s disheartening to see that similar measures are still being imposed on McGill and Concordia. It’s no more justifiable for them than it was for Bishop’s,” he commented.

Belleau stressed the importance of distinguishing between the support for educational institutions and the broader debate over the decline of the French language in Quebec.

“There is a real concern for the French language, but targeting our universities is not the solution. These institutions are not the problem,” he asserted.

Reflecting on the community’s efforts, Belleau voiced his pride and determination to continue supporting BU.

“I’m very proud of our community for standing up against something that made no sense. We are determined to preserve Bishop’s and recognize its importance,” he stated.

Belleau highlighted the importance of making a clear distinction between educational support and language preservation.

“Let’s not confuse our support for these institutions with the separate issue of the French language’s decline. These are distinct debates,” he affirmed.

Photo courtesy
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