Jay Newman Award for Academic Integrity

The Winner of the 2009 Jay Newman Award for Academic Integrity is Dr. William Schrank, Professor Emeritus, Economics at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Professor Schrank taught Economics at Memorial University from 1970 until his retirement in 2004. As a highly regarded fisheries economist with an international reputiation, his research on the management of fish stocks often placed him in opposition to both government and commercial vested interests. This made clear to him at an early stage in his academic career the need for protections on academic freedom. As a member of Memorial University Faculty Association, Professor Schrank championed the rights of the professoriate to freedom of speech and expression, not only in theory but in practice. As a member of a joint MUNFA/CAUT committee, he helped to negotiate the settlement in a high-profile case of a professor dismissed for what was eventually determined to be political reasons. He also worked tirelessly to eliminate discriminatory practices at the university and to entrench democratic procedures in MUNFA. As Professor Schrank approached retirement, he was increasingly engaged in advancing the vision of the university as a humane institution and resisting the increasing encroachments of a consumerist ideology into higher education. For all of these reasons, Bill Schrank was chosen as the winner of the Jay Newman Award for Academic Integrity. Professor Schrank accepted his award and gave the keynote speech at the UGFA Wine & Cheese Reception in October 2009.