Bruce Reappointed as Arts Dean
January 19, 2011 - Campus Bulletin
Prof. Donald Bruce has been reappointed as dean of the College of Arts for a three-year term beginning Aug. 1. His reappointment received final approval today from the Board of Governors.
The decision follows an extensive review by a committee made up of faculty, students and staff overseen by Prof. Maureen Mancuso, provost and vice-president (academic).
“During the review process, we recognized that the College of Arts must work to articulate a renewed vision of the arts and humanities both here on our campus and in the broader society, and Don understands that this is a priority,” Mancuso says.
Bruce says he plans to forge new partnerships to ensure the college’s viability and pursue innovation in the college's disciplines. “At the same time, we need to find ways to tell our story better in a 21st-century context. We need to show how the College of Arts is making fundamental contributions to the quality of life in Canada. Both within the University and in society in general, people want to understand what our role is.”
In her announcement, Mancuso thanked the review committee and the college and campus community for their participation.
“The College of Arts continues to face significant fiscal challenges, and I appreciate the difficulty of the task Don faces as dean in ensuring that budget targets are addressed and met,” she says.
Bruce agreed, saying: “These are challenging times, and I am pleased to have the opportunity to help the college move forward. We still have many difficulties to face, but during the next years we will work to enhance the profile of the college as a first-rate community of artists and scholars.”
In recent years, the College of Arts has added several graduate programs and increased its diversity and size.
Bruce joined U of G in 2006 from the University of Alberta, where he chaired the Department of Modern Languages and Cultural Studies for seven years.
He studies 19th-century French literature, literary theory and cultural studies, and relations among different forms of knowledge, specifically in the humanities and sciences. He holds a bachelor's degree in French and German from the University of Alberta, a master's degree in French from Queen's University, and a PhD in French from the University of Toronto.
