Patrick Deane (professor)

Patrick Deane is the seventh and current president of the McMaster University.

Born and raised in South Africa, he would study English and law at the University of Witwatersrand. In 1978 he would emigrate to Canada, studying English literature at the University of Western Ontario. There he would earn his M.A. in 1980 and a Ph.D in 1985. From 1984-84, Deane was also a Queen Elizabeth II Scholar.^[1]

Deane's professional career would begin in 1986, working as a faculty member of the University of Toronto's Department of English. He would however return to Western in 1988, when the university's Department of English extended an invitation for him to teach there. Deane had eventually became the vice-chair of the department in 1993, and the chair of the department in 1997. In 2001, Deane had accepted a position with the University of Winnipeg as their Vice-President of Academics. During his time at Winnipeg, he was also the chief officer of the Inter-Universities North.^[1]

In 2002, with the resignation of the university's president, Deane was made the acting-president of the university. During his tenure as acting-president, Deane had oversaw the elimination of the university's large accumulated debt, without the cancellation of any programs or loss of jobs. After handing over the presidency in 2005, Deane had accepted a position at Queen's University as the Vice-Principal of Academics of the university, providing academic leadership to all seven faculties and schools, the Office of the Registrar, Institutional Planning and Analysis, and Student Affairs.^[1]

Deane was announced to be the next President of McMaster University on October 15^th, 2009, following his approval for the office by the university's Senate and Board of Directors.^[2] On July 1^st, 2010, Deane had assumed the role as McMaster's President. However, Deane was not officially sworn in by the university until later in the year on November 20^th.^[3]

Discover McMaster - President Patrick Deane