William G. Saywell
Canadian historian (born 1936)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
William George Gabriel Saywell CM (born 1936) is a Canadian historian. He is the former president and vice-chancellor of Simon Fraser University.
- Paul T. Cote
- William M. Hamilton
- Barbara J. Rae
William G. Saywell | |
|---|---|
| 5th President and Vice-Chancellor of Simon Fraser University | |
| In office 1983 – 1993 | |
| Chancellor |
|
| Preceded by | George Pedersen |
| Succeeded by | John O. Stubbs |
| 3rd Principal of Innis College, Toronto | |
| In office 1976 – 1979 | |
| Preceded by | Peter H. Russell |
| Succeeded by | Dennis Duffy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William George Gabriel Saywell 1936 (age 89–90) Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | University of Toronto (BA, MA, PhD) |
| Academic work | |
| Discipline | East Asian studies |
Early life and education
Saywell was born in 1936 in Regina, Saskatchewan[1] to parents John Ferdinand Tupper Saywell and Vera Marguerite Saywell, alongside his elder brother John Saywell.[2] In 1937, the family moved to British Columbia as his father had received a job position to become Lake Cowichan first high school principal.[3] He attended the University of Toronto (U of T) for his Bachelor of Arts at University College, Master's degree, and PhD.[4] While in his second year at U of T, Saywell enrolled in a course called "the Far East" which sparked his interest China and Japan.[5]
In 1970, once Canada and China established diplomatic relations, Saywell became the first "resident Sinologist" at Canada's embassy in Beijing.[6]
Career
After earning his PhD, he joined the faculty of the Department of East Asian Studies at the University of Toronto.[1] In 1983, Saywell was offered a position as president of Simon Fraser University.[7][8] During his tenure as SFU's longest-serving president, he helped initiate the development of SFU's downtown Vancouver campus[9] and increased gender equality in SFU's hiring practices.[10] Upon the end of his term as president in 1993, Saywell was named president and chief executive officer of the Asia Pacific Foundation.[11] The next year, he was named a Member of the Order of British Columbia.[12]
In 1999, Saywell was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada.[13] A few years later, he joined the Board of Directors of Palcan Fuel Cells Ltd.[14] In 2009, Simon Fraser University formally named their new arts and social sciences complex Saywell Hall.[6]