Dr. Jean-Paul Boudreau’s Twitter photo @Boudreau_Ideas

Dr. Jean-Paul Boudreau, who teaches in the psychology department at Ryerson University in Toronto, is the finalist candidate in the search for a new president at Mount Allison University.

Boudreau has been invited to visit the Mt. A. campus on Monday to talk to students, faculty, staff and members of the public who will be given a chance to comment on his candidacy.

The university’s governing body, the Board of Regents, is expected to decide in February whether to appoint him to succeed Robert Campbell whose current term as president expires on June 30th.

One finalist candidate

After a search that began more than nine months ago, a university committee invited two final candidates to visit campus this month.

But a note on the university’s website says that the other one withdrew and after reconsidering the list of qualified candidates who had previously been interviewed, the search committee decided to invite Boudreau to campus as the only finalist.

Boudreau’s background

His online biography says Boudreau served as chair of Ryerson’s Department of Psychology (2003 – 2011), and Dean of the Faculty of Arts (2011 – 2016) before his appointment in 2016 as Special Advisor and Executive Lead for Social Innovation at Ryerson University.

The biography also calls him “a proud Acadian with strong Maritime roots.”

Boudreau’s psychological research concerns the learning and development of infants and he is director of Ryerson’s Children, Health, Infancy, Learning and Development (CHILD) lab.

“Awesome” teacher

Jean-Paul Boudreau, Ryerson photo

The website Rate My Professors, which allows students to make anonymous comments, indicates Boudreau is a popular teacher with 21 students of the 24 who assessed him giving him an “awesome” rating. He’s described as caring, approachable and supportive:

Dr. Boudreau is a great professor who goes out of his way to help his students, giving his time and attention. I learned professional development skills that will always be useful. He gave practical advice and helpful feedback. He placed me with a lab that allowed me to get valuable experience. I learned a lot and am glad I had him as a professor.

Dr Boudreau is a wonderful professor who is incredibly passionate. Dr Boudreau is extremely helpful and willing to take the time to listen to students and answer any questions. Dr Boudreau provides his students with a valuable experience that they will use beyond school well into their professional careers. Highly recommended.

this is one odd duck BUT he cares a lot about his student’s success. If u show up, ask questions and do your readings, u will get B+ or A- easy, the exams are based on UNDERSTANDING the stuff not MEMORIZING it so if u don’t get something ask, he will answer until you get it. He is very helpful with assignments but u still have to put in the effort.

NOTE: Reached by phone at his office in Toronto on Wednesday afternoon, Boudreau said he was in the middle of a meeting, but promised to call me back later. However, he did not return my call or respond to an e-mail and after waiting more than five hours, I decided to publish this piece.