April 27, 2006 Source: :
http://www.ukings.ca/kings_3672_8356.html King's Selects a New Vice President The University of King’s College is pleased to announce that Dr. Christopher Elson BA(Vind), MA(Dal), Dr de 3e cycle (Sorbonne) has accepted the position of Vice President for a five-year term starting July 1, 2006, subject to the final approval of the Board of Governors. King’s President William Barker said, "I am so happy to have Chris Elson, a dynamic and creative colleague, join me in the administration of the College after Elizabeth Edwards’ outstanding contribution to the ongoing life of the College with a special focus on Faculty development." "I am looking forward to serving King’s in this new role," said Dr. Elson. "I'm extremely honoured to be chosen and consider it an exciting time to be entering more fully into the administrative life of the College. My work on the Advancement Committee and other King’s bodies leads me to think that this will be an interesting moment, full of challenges and opportunities." Dr. Elson will continue to teach at both Dalhousie and King’s. Academic Background Dr. Elson is currently Associate Professor of French and Canadian Studies at Dalhousie University; a position he holds as a King’s Carnegie Professor. Prior to assuming that position Dr. Elson was a Lecturer and Assistant Professor at the University of Regina 1995-1998. An active publishing academic, Dr. Elson is the author of more than a dozen scholarly articles and book chapters in the fields of contemporary French and francophone literature and culture and in Canadian literature. He is the editor or co-editor of four books and one special issue of Dalhousie French Studies. He also has numerous translations of poetry and prose to his credit. Forthcoming work includes a book project, nearing completion, entitled In the Name of Friendship: Deguy, Derrida and Deconstruction with Rodopi Editions (in collaboration with Dr. Garry Sherbert, University of Regina). Arriving at University from high school, Dr. Elson had thought he might pursue a degree in political science and proceed to the public service. While a studying in the Foundation Year at King’s he underwent a transformation and in 1986 graduated from King’s with a BA Joint Honours Philosophy and French magna cum laude. He completed his MA in French at Dalhousie in 1989. From 1989 to 1991 he honed his teaching skills as a Junior Fellow, tutoring in the Foundation Year Programme. He resumed his graduate studies at the Sorbonne in Paris, focused on the relation of Poetics and Ethics in a post-Heideggerian context, what one author has called ‘Poethics’. He received his doctorate in 1995. His commitment to interdisciplinarity in the King’s spirit has led to teaching and administrative involvements with a number of programmes at the University of Regina, Dalhousie and King’s. Currently he is the coordinator of the recently-enhanced Canadian Studies programme which is now a recognized second field of study for BAs, BScs and Bachelor of Journalism students at King’s. Dr. Elson’s academic administrative experience covers a wide range of committees as member and chair, most notably and pertinently: • Chair of FASS Academic Development Committee;
• Executive and Coordinatorship of Dalhousie's Canadian Studies Programme;
• Graduate Coordinator, French Department;
• Chair of Staffing, Tenure and Promotion, French Department;
• Study Abroad Committee, French Department.;
• Faculty representative, Dakar Senegal semester abroad;
• Chair, Contemporary Studies Chair Search;
• King’s Advancement Planning Committee. About Chris Elson Dr. Elson is a Nova Scotia native and spent his formative years in Dartmouth. Outside of the Academy, his principal interests are musical. Since returning to Halifax in 1998 his music-making has focused on acoustic and electric jazz including the groups Quatrain, Graham Rhodes Quartet, Trio EFG, and Atlantic Standard Time. He has recorded on three CD’s in that period: Adamant Shoals with Quatrain (a Reverb notable album of 2000); Jazz in the Afternoon (Atlantic Standard Time); Less Traveled (Graham Rhodes Quartet). A piece performed with trombonist Graham Rhodes was recently featured on a CD sampler with the authoritative American jazz magazine, Jazz Improv. While a graduate student in France, he was a founding member of the Editorial Board of the Paris New Music Review (PNMR). This small independent magazine has since morphed into Paris Transatlantic, a significant online review of the contemporary arts (see paristransatlantic.com) recognized as one of the top cultural websites by Chamber Music America and receiving 250,000 hits per month. He has successfully linked his interest in music with his academic interests. In 1998, with some of the PNMR friends, he co-organized Idées de traverse at the Institut français in New York City. This was a collaboration of French and American composers and poets, including Michel Deguy, John Ashbery, Joshua Cody and Eliot Carter. He has served on the Board of Directors of JazzEast, presenters of the Atlantic Jazz Festival, since 1999, including three years as President. He also sits on the board of UpStream Music, devoted to New and Improvised music. Dr. Elson tries to find time to indulge his other interests including canoeing, bird-watching, x-country skiing and hockey. In the great King’s tradition he is a person of many interests and talents who thrives on being challenged and busy.
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