Scholarship in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is utterly central to the university. Psychologists, economists and criminologists rub shoulders with historians, literary scholars, linguists and philosophers, to mention but seven of the disciplines found in this Faculty. We work in laboratories, libraries, archives, archaeological sites, at conferences and in the community. Data collection and disciplines differ, but the fundamentals of scholarship bind us together in ways both simple and profound: a commitment to reading, writing and thinking, to the analysis of data and the testing of hypotheses, challenging sloppy thinking and mendacious claims, and communicating effectively with our students, peers and the wider community.
Our success has long been recognized. No other Faculty at Simon Fraser has been given more university awards for excellence in teaching and few Faculties across Canada can match our success rate in securing SSHRC grants. Neither fact makes us complacent. There is much that needs to change; much that needs to be addressed. But as I was made palpably aware at a recent workshop of Chairs and Directors, the determination to ensure the continuing success of the entire Faculty is shared by all. It is an honour and privilege to serve as Dean of this Faculty.