By Valerie Dittrich
Ryerson has appointed a founding dean for the Faculty of Law, according to a news release sent to The Eyeopener on Monday.
Donna E. Young, a professor from Albany Law School in Albany, N.Y., will start her term in January 2020.
“I am thrilled to join Ryerson as founding dean and I am honoured to have been asked to be part of the team that has been building this dynamic and innovative legal program,” said Young in the news release. “Working with new colleagues to integrate the new law school into the life of the university is a rare opportunity.”
“This is the most important, challenging, and exciting opportunity I have ever pursued and I can’t wait to start,” she added.
Young grew up in North York and earned her bachelor of science in psychology at the University of Toronto. She later went to Osgoode Hall Law School at York University to earn her bachelor of laws and then completed her master of laws at the Columbia Law School in New York.
“A trailblazing educator and respected scholar, Donna’s work focuses on criminal and employment law, federal civil procedure, and gender and race studies,” the news release read. “She brings to Ryerson a commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and to strategic partnerships with the legal community.”
The Faculty of Law will open in September 2020.
Patricia DeGuire
Heartiest Congratulations Dean Donna Young. You always demonstrated a strong commitment to human rights, especially race, and gender equality. Even in your student days at Osgoode, you were a trailblazer: e.g., your recommendations to create a rebuttable presumption in Human Rights litigation in the Cornish Report. I have always admired your quiet, yet steely resilience towards your goals. Welcome home, Donna. You and Juanita Westmoreland-Traore (first and second Black female deans of law schools in Canada), should find time to muse).
Jolie Lin
Donna, congratulations! I was thrilled to hear the news — really just amazing that you are coming home after all these years. Would love to catch up in the new year if you are in Toronto!
Love to the family!
Jolie