Martha Piper
Encyclopedia
Martha C. Piper, OC
, OBC
was the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of British Columbia
. She held the position from 1997 until 2006, and was the 11th person and the first woman to do so. Having been born in Lorain, Ohio
, she is also the first person born outside of Canada to have held the position, although she has Canadian citizenship and was made an officer of the Order of Canada
in 2002. Her contract with UBC stipulated a salary of $350,000 plus incentive payments of up to $50,000 per year upon meeting the performance goals set by the Board of Governors.
Stephen Toope
replaced Piper as president of the University of British Columbia on July 1, 2006.
(1967), an M.A. in Child Development from the University of Connecticut
(1970) and a Ph.D. in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from McGill University
(1979).
After her Ph.D., Piper was the director of McGill's School of Physical and Occupational Therapy until 1985 when she became the dean of the University of Alberta
's Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine. In 1993 she was made the same university's vice president of Research, and also External Affairs starting in 1995. Upon becoming President of UBC in 1997, Piper inherited a strong record of external fundraising and research development by her predecessor, David Strangway
. She was able to cash in on significant federal government reinvestment in research and innovation, effectively using UBC's position as the largest university in British Columbia (and Western Canada) to attract large amounts of government and private sector funding. While building this research legacy, she has also left a legacy of debt for her successor, Stephen Toope
.
, an organization of influential private citizens founded in 1973 at the initiative of banker David Rockefeller
.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, OBC
Order of British Columbia
The Order of British Columbia is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Instituted in 1989 by Lieutenant Governor David Lam, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier Bill Vander Zalm, the order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to honour...
was the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
. She held the position from 1997 until 2006, and was the 11th person and the first woman to do so. Having been born in Lorain, Ohio
Lorain, Ohio
Lorain is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northeastern Ohio on Lake Erie, at the mouth of the Black River, about 30 miles west of Cleveland....
, she is also the first person born outside of Canada to have held the position, although she has Canadian citizenship and was made an officer of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
in 2002. Her contract with UBC stipulated a salary of $350,000 plus incentive payments of up to $50,000 per year upon meeting the performance goals set by the Board of Governors.
Stephen Toope
Stephen Toope
Stephen J. Toope, is the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of British Columbia. He assumed the presidential post on July 1, 2006 for a term of five years...
replaced Piper as president of the University of British Columbia on July 1, 2006.
Education and career
Piper holds a B.Sc. in Physical Therapy from the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
(1967), an M.A. in Child Development from the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
(1970) and a Ph.D. in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
(1979).
After her Ph.D., Piper was the director of McGill's School of Physical and Occupational Therapy until 1985 when she became the dean of the University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
's Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine. In 1993 she was made the same university's vice president of Research, and also External Affairs starting in 1995. Upon becoming President of UBC in 1997, Piper inherited a strong record of external fundraising and research development by her predecessor, David Strangway
David Strangway
David William Strangway, OC, FRSC is a Canadian Geophysicist and University Administrator. Strangway is the founder, first President and first Chancellor of Quest University Canada, a private non-profit liberal arts and sciences university in Squamish, British Columbia which opened in September...
. She was able to cash in on significant federal government reinvestment in research and innovation, effectively using UBC's position as the largest university in British Columbia (and Western Canada) to attract large amounts of government and private sector funding. While building this research legacy, she has also left a legacy of debt for her successor, Stephen Toope
Stephen Toope
Stephen J. Toope, is the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of British Columbia. He assumed the presidential post on July 1, 2006 for a term of five years...
.
Trilateral Commission
The Georgia Straight reported on August 24, 2006 that Martha Piper has become a member of the Trilateral CommissionTrilateral Commission
The Trilateral Commission is a non-governmental, non-partisan discussion group founded by David Rockefeller in July 1973 to foster closer cooperation among the United States, Europe and Japan.-History:...
, an organization of influential private citizens founded in 1973 at the initiative of banker David Rockefeller
David Rockefeller
David Rockefeller, Sr. is the current patriarch of the Rockefeller family. He is the youngest and only surviving child of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, and the only surviving grandchild of oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller, founder of Standard Oil. His five siblings were...
.
Academic honours and awards
- B.Sc. degree with academic distinction;
- M.A.
- PhD
- D.Sc. (Honorary), May 1998, McGill University
- LL.D. (Honorary), May 1999, Dalhousie UniversityDalhousie UniversityDalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
- LL.D. (Honorary), November 2001, University of TorontoUniversity of TorontoThe University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
- D.Sc. (Honorary), October 2002, University of Western OntarioUniversity of Western OntarioThe University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...
- LL.D. (Honorary), December 2003, the University of MelbourneUniversity of MelbourneThe University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
- LL.D. (Honorary), October 2005, the University of SaskatchewanUniversity of SaskatchewanThe University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
- LL.D. (Honorary), June 2006, University of AlbertaUniversity of AlbertaThe University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
- LL.D. (Honorary), June 2006, University of VictoriaUniversity of VictoriaThe University of Victoria, often referred to as UVic, is the second oldest public research university in British Columbia, Canada. It is a research intensive university located in Saanich and Oak Bay, about northeast of downtown Victoria. The University's annual enrollment is about 20,000 students...
- LL.D. (Honorary), October 2008, Simon Fraser UniversitySimon Fraser UniversitySimon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
- LL.D. (Honorary), 2006, St. Francis Xavier UniversitySt. Francis Xavier UniversitySt. Francis Xavier University is a post-secondary institution located in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. The school was founded in 1853, but did not offer degrees until 1868. The university has approximately 5000 students.-History:...
- LL.D. (Honorary), 2006 University of CalgaryUniversity of CalgaryThe University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
- Doctorat (Honorary), 2006 Université de MontréalUniversité de MontréalThe Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
- D.Sc. (Honorary), 2006 McMaster UniversityMcMaster UniversityMcMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
- LL.D. (Honorary), 2007 University of Northern British ColumbiaUniversity of Northern British ColumbiaThe University of Northern British Columbia is a small, primarily undergraduate university whose main campus is in Prince George, British Columbia. UNBC also has regional campuses in the northern British Columbia cities of Prince Rupert, Terrace, Quesnel, and Fort St. John...
- LL.D. (Honorary), 2007 University of British ColumbiaUniversity of British ColumbiaThe University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
- LL.D. (Honorary), 2007 University of WindsorUniversity of WindsorThe University of Windsor is a public comprehensive and research university in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's southernmost university. It has a student population of approximately 15,000 full-time and part-time undergraduate students and over 1000 graduate students...
- Honorary Fellow of Merton College, OxfordMerton College, OxfordMerton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...