Claude Lajeunesse

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Claude Lajeunesse (born 1941) is the former President and Vice-Chancellor of Concordia University. He was appointed to serve a 5 year term beginning August 1, 2005, however, due to conflicts with the Concordia Board of Governors he left that post on October 31, 2007.[1]

Contents

[edit] Career

From 1995 until August 2005, he was President and Vice Chancellor of Ryerson University. He was born in Quebec City.

He received his PhD in 1969, and his Master of Science degree in 1967 in Nuclear Engineering. Prior to his appointment as President of Ryerson University, he was CEO of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada.

He is a member of the boards of TD Meloche Monnex,Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, the Montreal Board of Trade, and the Canadian Liver Foundation. He is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, and a member of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec.

[edit] Criticism and public perception

Lajeunesse has been criticized for "corporatization"[2] of the universities he has headed by emphasizing part-time labor, raising tuition fees [3], and union busting [4].

At both Ryerson and Concordia, Lajeunesse made the controversial first step of giving himself a 50% pay raise, and increases of 20-50% for his immediate entourage[5]. Lajeunesse defended his actions stating that the pay increase brought parity with other universities in Canada. Unions were critical of the move, however, as their membership had gone without wage increases for 5 years and the university's offer of a 2.5% increase did not address parity or even the cost of living increase[2]. Union members were also required to give up job security while Lajeunesse and the administration retained theirs.

[edit] References

[edit] Citations

  1. ^ News@Concordia: Claude Lajeunesse steps down as President of Concordia University
  2. ^ a b Curran, Peggy (April 16 2007), “Concordia Incorporated”, The Montreal Gazette, <http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/story.html?id=bf918eb4-3b0e-4a04-9d25-0248e84bbb4e&k=6467> 
  3. ^ Valiante, Giuseppe, Lajeunesse says students agree to increased tuition, <http://thelink.concordia.ca/view.php?aid=39364> 
  4. ^ Curran, Peggy (February 15 2007), “Union protests against $35,000 stipend”, The Montreal Gazette 
  5. ^ Don, McHoull (August 14 2006), Raking it in, <http://www.theeyeopener.com/article/1023> 

[edit] External links

Academic offices
Preceded by
Terry Grier		 President of Ryerson University
1995–2005		 Succeeded by
Sheldon Levy
Preceded by
Frederick Lowy		 President of Concordia University
2005–2007		 Succeeded by
to be determined


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