Accolades

Lisa Fitterman wrote a delightful essay about the late Lillian Robinson for the Globe and Mail on Nov. 14. The headline was “Feminist Marxist at Concordia University believed in treating all people with respect — even those who would steal from her.” The story concerned a thief who broke into Robinson’s home. She offered to write him a cheque, but insisted that he leave by the front door. It was typical of Robinson, whom Fitterman called “a combative superhero for the disenfranchised.” A well-attended memorial service was held Nov. 12 for Robinson, who was principal of the Simone de Beauvoir Institute from 2001 to her death on Sept. 20 of this year.

Maïr Verthuy (Études françaises, Professor Emerita) has been appointed by Montreal city council to the Conseil des Montréalaises for a three-year term. The Conseil, created in 2004, is made up of 15 women chosen for their experience and dynamism. Their mandate is to debate issues of concern to Montrealers, particularly those of gender equity, and advise city council.

Global television used the Department of Contemporary Dance as their studio for their three-hour morning show on Nov. 16. Part-time faculty member and technique teacher Ginelle Chagnon was the spokesperson for the program, talking about the department’s focus on choreography as students demonstrated their skills. It was a great way to preview a number of significant events: the cabaret that evening in the “black box”, the daylong recruitment open house on Nov. 18 and performances next month. These will be Dec. 7, 8 and 9 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 9 at 2:30.

File Photo

A photo of Alan Hochstein (Finance) appeared in Canadian Business recently. The accompanying article was a follow-up to his essay in the National Post last February, in which he lashed out at the proliferation of Master’s of Business Administration programs. Hochstein, who has directed all four of the JMSB’s MBA programs at one time or another, feels that “increasingly gimmicky program variations are having a dramatic effect on the reputation of the MBA and EMBA designations, and consequently, the quality of the student that comes out the other end.” Judging from the Canadian Business interview, he hasn’t changed his mind.

Congratulations to Hugh Hazelton, who teaches Spanish in the Department of Classics, Modern Languages and Linguistics. He has won a Governor-General’s Literary Award for his translation from French to English of Vétivier, by Joël Des Rosiers. It’s the season for literary awards. Sherry Simon (Études françaises) was nominated for an award for the Quebec Writers Federation for Translating Montreal, as were alumnus Barry Webster for fiction and Jon Paul Fiorentino (English) for his poetry. Meanwhile, De Niro’s Game, by Photography alumnus Rawi Hage, was a favourite for the Giller Prize. While it didn’t win, it garnered a lot of good publicity in the run-up to the awards.

Four Concordians are among the finalists in a film competition sponsored by Telus GlobeTrotter called Le court en Web (Shorts on the Web). They are Mathieu Drouin (Le cadeau de mon père), Sabrina Ratté and John Londono (Bande de Câlisses), and Stéphane Arbour (Opération Margarine). You can get a taste of their work and 27 others by going to www.silenceoncourt.tv or www.globetrotter.net.

Congratulations to the Concordia students in SHOUT, a national peace organization active in 18 universities across Canada, who have won an award from the YMCA of Greater Montreal. Many of the students recently travelled to Poland to learn about the Holocaust as a way to understand past and current genocides.