The University of British Columbia welcomes Gage Averill, a world renowned ethnomusicologist, as the new dean in the Faculty of Arts, beginning July 1, 2010.
Averill comes to UBC from his post as Professor and Vice Principal Academic and Dean at the University of Toronto Mississauga. He has served as Chair of the Music Department at New York University, and as Dean of Music at the University of Toronto.
“Dr. Averill is joining the Faculty of Arts at UBC at a time when an Arts education is becoming increasingly relevant to issues affecting every facet of the 21st century,” says David Farrar, Provost and Vice President Academic of UBC. “The challenges affecting our world require academic resources that must include the humanities, social sciences and visual and performing arts.”
“Whether Arts scholars work with Aboriginal or Asian-Canadian communities in British Columbia on local issues, or explore global topics such as climate change, world history or the current financial crisis, their research and teaching has a deep and broad impact both here and around the world,” says Averill. “The ability to look at the world through the context of an Arts lens is what will ultimately make this world a better place, and the Faculty of Arts at UBC has an extraordinary opportunity to lead on these issues.”
Averill’s research focuses on the ideological context of music production with special attention to the role that music and expressive culture play in social transformation. An author of numerous articles and books, his most recent publications have been on issues of music, peace and violence, the role of world music ensembles in teaching ethnomusicology, as well as educational policy, including applied ethnomusicology and the role of public intellectuals.
Averill succeeds Nancy Gallini, who for the past eight years has worked to establish the presence of the Faculty of Arts and the University nationally and internationally.
The Board of Governors accepted the President’s recommendation that Averill be appointed as dean at a Board of Governors meeting on June 9, 2010 at UBC’s Okanagan campus. More information about Averill’s appointment can be found at www.vpacademic.ubc.ca.
