Concordia ? Michael Di Grappa
After nearly three decades first studying at, then responsible for Concordia’s two campuses, outgoing Vice-President Services Michael Di Grappa bid farewell to colleagues, mentors and friends at a warm reception in the McConnell Building on October 29.
The LB Atrium was jammed with colleagues, supporters, peers and mentors, some of whom have already retired, wishing Di Grappa well on the next phase of his career. He will be stepping into new challenges as Vice-Principal, Administration and Finance just down Sherbrooke Street at McGill University.
Although his never-failing good humour was in evidence, he was visibly moved as he said good-bye to Concordia. He was also happy to show his children the emotional and physical space he has occupied here. “It was important to have my family there, this was the first time I had my kids at a Concordia event.”
The reception featured a speech from the Chairman of the Board of Governors, Peter Kruyt and from Di Grappa’s former professor Maria Peluso, who now serves as President of the Concordia University Part-Time Faculty Association. Roger Côté, Associate Vice-President, Enrolment and Student Services, who will serve as Acting Vice-President, Services, also offered warm praise for Di Grappa.
Board member Jonathan Wener, who has worked with Di Grappa on a number of projects, also spoke, as did President Judith Woodsworth. In her speech, Woodsworth surprised Di Grappa with the announcement of the Michael Di Grappa Award of Distinction, which will be given annually to a varsity athlete. Recreation and Athletics is just one of the services Di Grappa was responsible for during his tenure. “I’ve always been a fan and supporter of Recreation and Athletics. I’m proud of what we have accomplished with limited resources,” he said.
Di Grappa’s career is closely tied to Concordia’s growth and history. “I had a summer internship in 1985 on campus helping with a planning study that called for the construction of the McConnell Building,” recalls Di Grappa. “It was only fitting that I would say goodbye in that building.”
He initially held various temporary contracts at Concordia during his studies in Political Science and the School of Community and Public Affairs. After earning a graduate degree at Columbia in New York City, his first formal position was as liaison between the university and the outside firm responsible for managing the construction of the McConnell Building, as well as the expansion of the Vanier Library and the Oscar Peterson Concert Hall at Loyola.
Since then, Di Grappa has seen the Concordia campus change with the construction of the Richard J. Renaud Science Complex, the Engineering, Computer Science and Visual Arts Integrated Complex, the Communications and Journalism Building, the John Molson School of Business Building, and last but not least, the acquisition of the Grey Nuns property.
Evidently pleased with this “radical transformation of the campus,” Di Grappa acknowledges the vision of people like Wener on these projects. “These buildings are functional in that they respond to the needs of the university and they also fit with the surrounding environment.” Although the development of these projects — in fact, the entire Quartier Concordia concept — is physical evidence of Di Grappa’s time here, it is only part of the far-reaching portfolio he took on a decade ago as VP Services. His office also oversees Enrolment and Student Services, Environmental Health & Safety, Finance and Business Operations, Human Resources, Instructional and Information Technology Services, and Security.
Di Grappa sees the services sector as entirely supportive of the university’s academic planning and priorities. “We are known not for what we, the services sector, do but for our academic mission,” he insists, adding that the services sector is “responsible for creating a climate of service to the community; students, faculty members and each other.”
He sums up his department’s role by saying: “We help others do what they need to do to be successful at the university.”
Di Grappa considers the nine months he served as Acting President of the university from November 2007 until Judith Woodsworth’s arrival in August 2008 as the highlight of his Concordia career. He is very grateful for the support and collegiality he received from all sectors of the university during that time.
He also was happy to preside over the university’s growing awareness, and integration, of sustainability principles. Originally a student project, Sustainable Concordia involves resources through the Environmental Health and Safety Office, and Facilities Management, all under Di Grappa’s mandate. Remembering some initial suspicion amongst his colleagues in response to student questions about funds spent on energy use and resource allocation, he sees how far the university has come. Concordia is in its thirteenth year as the most energy efficient educational institution in the province.
Although Di Grappa had refused other offers in the past, when an agency approached him with the McGill position, he saw an opportunity to apply the lessons he’s learned at Concordia to new challenges.