Lansdowne Lectures in the Faculty of Humanities

About the Lansdowne Lectures

On March 23, 1978, the University of Victoria received $4.5 million from the British Columbia Ministry of Education for the sale of the University's former campus on Lansdowne Road, which was then to be further developed as the site of Camosun College. By formal agreement with the Ministry, this total amount was invested in trust, with the revenue dedicated to a special program of distinguished academic appointments. At first, the period of appointment might be for as long as two years; it became the typical pattern, however, to bring eminent scholars to the University for periods ranging from two to five days. The purpose of these short-term appointments was viewed as academic enrichment, complementing and enhancing a department's regular program of studies.

FAQ: The University's former Lansdowne campus derived its name from Lansdowne Road, which had been named after the Marquess of Lansdowne, Canada's popular Governor-General from 1883 to 1888.

Information on upcoming Lansdowne Lectures is available on the events page.

 

Lansdowne Procedures

I Types of Appointments

In the Faculty of Humanities, there are two types of appointments: Lansdowne Short-Term Visitor and Lansdowne Visiting Scholar.

II Criteria for Appointment

A person appointed as a Lansdowne Short-Term Visitor or a Lansdowne Visiting Scholar is a leading scholar with a national and international reputation who has the potential to undertake activities of interest to students and faculty during a visit to the University of Victoria. Lansdowne speakers will normally make their visits during the academic year.

III Lansdowne Short-Term Visitors

1. Expectations

The visitor will normally visit a unit in the Faculty of Humanities for a minimum of three and a maximum of five days. Lansdowne Short-Term Visitors may undertake two kinds of activities during their visit to the University of Victoria.

First, it is expected that Lansdowne Short-Term Visitors will give at least one lecture to which all members of the university community, as well as the general public, will be invited. This public lecture will be advertised both at the University and in off-campus media.

Second, Short-Term Visitors may undertake activities of interest mainly to students and faculty in the unit by which they were nominated. Students and faculty in other units may also be interested in such activities, and should be invited to attend whenever it is appropriate to do so.

2. Financial Arrangements

  • Each visitor will normally receive an honorarium of $1,000.
  • The visitor will be expected to purchase a discount airfare.
  • $1,150 will be allowed to cover the costs of accommodations and all other expenses (besides airfare), including meals, for a maximum of five days.
  • Departments should not arrange for visitors to come in September due to the high cost of hotels.
  • Expenses are charged to Dean’s Lansdowne account and are approved by the Associate Dean. Expenses over the $1,150 total will be covered by department.

3. Nomination Policies

Departments and other associated programs may nominate one appointment per year (October 1 to March 31; visits during the summer are possible but less desirable; April visits are certainly possible but count in the new budget year). Each unit is guaranteed one visitor per year as long as the nomination is received by September 1.

Priority will be given to second visitors who will be contributing to significant events (e.g., a conference or workshop) and to units whose (only) visitor in the previous year was unable to come and no substitute was arranged. Normally, units will not be funded for two separate visitors in the same term. Should a department/unit nominate a Lansdowne Visiting Scholar, normally that department/unit would not also receive a Lansdowne Short-Term visitor that year. Please contact the Associate Dean to determine the eligibility of second Lansdowne Short-Term Visitors.

Each unit will have the responsibility for setting internal procedures for the selection of candidates. Each unit will determine the suitability of the candidates as Lansdowne speakers [criteria: "national and international reputation along with a potential to undertake activities of interest to students and faculty"].

4. Details of Procedures for Short-Term Lansdowne Visitors

  • Issue the invitation to the Lansdowne visitor.
  • Obtain the full, up-to-date c.v.
  • Set the dates of the visit.
  • Once the visitor has accepted the invitation and returned the Lansdowne lectures copyright statement either by fax or by regular mail, departments/units should submit the Appointment Form for a Lansdowne Short-Term Visitor (Word / PDF). The Appointment Form will generate a letter from the Dean’s office informing the visitor of Lansdowne remuneration  policies, along with important information for non-residents of Canada. This must be done prior to September 1. If the Appointment Form has not been submitted by then, please discuss the nomination with the Associate Dean.
  • Book the necessary lecture rooms.
  • Book the hotel: the Hotel Reservation and Authorization Form is to be done at time of booking, then submitted to the Dean’s Office for signature.
  • Fill out the UVic Graphics webform at least four weeks in advance of the visit. Graphics will produce a poster. On the Graphics form, please indicate “Yes” in answer to the question “Would you like to opt out of advertising?” (The cost for such ads has become prohibitive.) If you have questions, contact Jennifer Adsett in Marketing at 721-6263. If your wish to place a free announcement in Monday magazine, send the name of the event, a brief description, time, day, location (including address), indication that the event is free and open to the public, and a contact number that can be listed in the paper. The regular deadline is noon on Thursday the week before the issue you want to be listed in. Submit the information by: web (mondaymag.com), fax (381-2662), email (calendar@mondaymag.com) or in person at 818 Broughton. The same details that are sent to Graphics may be submitted to the UVic Events calendar or e-mailed to humsoff@uvic.ca in order to be included in the Faculty of Humanities bi-weekly announcements of coming events (until January 2011).
  • Order the videorecording of the public lecture through UVic Audio Visual Media Services
  • Send a copy of the Lansdowne poster to the Dean’s office once it is available.
  • Please send all completed paperwork to the Dean's office for processing.

5. Financial Commitment

  • Complete a cheque requisition for the honorarium at least three weeks before the visitor arrives on campus if you wish to provide the cheque to the visitor while s/he is here; submit the cheque requisition to the Dean’s Office. The Social Insurance Number is required for residents of Canada.
  • Prior to travel, ask the visitor to save boarding passes, necessary for reimbursement. Ask the visitor to save and submit original, itemized receipts for ground travel, meals, etc.
  • For travel expenses reimbursed to visitor, complete a travel expense report form to be submitted to the Dean’s Office for signature and processing, including boarding passes and original itemized receipts.
  • Entertainment expenses will be reimbursed to (a member of) the department: a cheque requisition with itemized receipts (and/or statement from University Club etc.) must be submitted to Dean’s Office for signature and processing. Entertainment, hotel and other expenses beyond the $1,150 limit will be the responsibility of the department. This total  includes meals for UVic colleagues entertaining the Lansdowne visitor.
  • Please ensure that expenses conform to the Humanities Entertainment Expenses Policy.

6. Non-Canadian Visitors

  • The Associate Dean will send the foreign visitor a letter for presentation at Canada Customs. Lansdowne visitors do not have to obtain an Employment Authorization, but they must bring the Associate Dean’s official letter for presentation when crossing the border.
  • The honorarium is taxable; visitors may elect to apply for a non-resident tax waiver. In that case, the following forms must be completed and faxed to Revenue Canada at (250) 363-3000 along with a copy of the Associate Dean’s “To Whom It May Concern” letter and the visitor’s acceptance letter. Please note that Canada Customs requires the receipt of the forms a month prior to the visitor’s arrival.

    T1261: www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pbg/tf/t1261/README.html
    Reg 105: www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pbg/tf/r105/README.html

IV Faculty of Humanities Lansdowne Visiting Scholar

1. Expectations

Fellowships will be tenable at the University of Victoria for a period of no less than one month and no more than four months during the periods either of September-December or January-April.

During the tenure of their award, Visiting Scholars will be required to give at least one public lecture related to a research project to be undertaken during their stay here. All members of the university community, as well as the general public, will be invited, and this public lecture will be advertised both at the University and in off-campus media.

Visiting Scholars will also be expected to have at least one other significant interaction with faculty and students, to be determined by the Department in conjunction with the Scholar. Students and faculty in other units may also be interested in such activities, and should be invited to attend whenever it is appropriate to do so.

2. Financial Arrangements

The fellowship will cover one return airfare and provides reimbursement for living expenses up to $2000 per month to a maximum of $6000 total. The unit extending the invitation may provide office space. A Lansdowne Visiting Scholar may also be considered for appointment as a sessional lecturer, following consultation with the Dean of Humanities.

3. Nomination Policies and Selection Criteria

One fellowship will be awarded annually, and it is expected that the fellowships will rotate through the disciplines represented within the Faculty.

Each unit will have the responsibility for setting internal procedures for the selection of their nominees, who must meet the basic criteria for Lansdowne Visiting Scholars ["national and international reputation along with a potential to undertake activities of interest to students and faculty"].

Selection of Visiting Scholars will be made by the Advisory Committee to the Associate Dean of Humanities based on the proposed contributions to the nominating unit as well as to the Faculty as a whole. Priority will be given to nominees who plan to undertake formal involvement with colleagues and graduate students (for example, joint research projects, graduate student examinations).

There will be no deadline for the nomination of Lansdowne Visiting Scholars, although having the nomination approved in time for fall-term timetabling is recommended if the Scholar will be teaching a course during her or his stay.

Departments are advised to discuss their prospective visitors well in advance with the Associate Dean in order to allow for appropriate planning.

4. Procedures for the Nomination and Appointment of Lansdowne Visiting Scholars:

  • Determine the availability of the Lansdowne visitor and obtain full, up-to-date c.v. along with a description of the proposed research project.
  • Complete the Lansdowne Visiting Scholar Nomination Form (MSWord / PDF). Submit the form to the Associate Dean with the nominee’s c.v. and letters of support from faculty members in other departments and faculties, if applicable.
  • Once the visitor has formally accepted the invitation, complete the Lansdowne Visiting Scholar Appointment Form (MSWord / PDF). This appointment form generates a formal letter from the Dean's office confirming the visit.

5. Non-Canadian Visitors

  • Foreign visitors will be responsible for making appropriate arrangements for Canadian immigration status.

6. Financial Commitment

  • Prior to travel, ask the visitor to save boarding passes, necessary for reimbursement. Ask the visitor to save and submit original, itemized receipts for ground travel, meals, etc.
  • For travel expenses reimbursed to visitor, complete a travel expense report form to be submitted to the Dean’s Office for signature and processing, including boarding passes and original itemized receipts.
  • Reimbursement will be provided for living expenses up to a maximum of $2,000 per month. Submit cheque requisitions and original receipts to the Dean’s office.
  • Please ensure that expenses conform to the Humanities Entertainment Expenses Policy.

7. For the public lecture

  • Book the necessary lecture room through room bookings.
  • Fill out the UVic Graphics webform at least four weeks in advance of the visit. Graphics will produce a poster. On the Graphics form, please indicate “Yes” in answer to the question “Would you like to opt out of advertising?” (The cost for such ads has become prohibitive.) If you have questions, contact Jennifer Adsett in Marketing at 721-6263. If your wish to place a free announcement in Monday magazine, send the name of the event, a brief description, time, day, location (including address), indication that the event is free and open to the public, and a contact number that can be listed in the paper. The regular deadline is noon on Thursday the week before the issue you want to be listed in. Submit the information by: web (mondaymag.com), fax (381-2662), email (calendar@mondaymag.com) or in person at 818 Broughton.
  • The same details that are sent to Graphics may be e-mailed to humsdean@uvic.ca in order to be included in the Faculty of Humanities bi-weekly announcements of coming events.
  • Order the videorecording of the public lecture through UVic Audio Visual Media Services
  • Send a copy of the Lansdowne poster to the Dean’s office once it is available.
  • Please send all completed paperwork to the Dean's office for processing.

 

Lansdowne Forms

Nomination Forms

  • Lansdowne Visiting Scholar Nomination form (Word / PDF).

Appointment Forms

  • Appointment Form for a Lansdowne Short-Term Visitor (Word / PDF).
  • Lansdowne Visiting Scholar Appointment form (Word / PDF).

Canada Customs Forms

For Non-Canadian Visitors

Tax Waiver Forms (Canada Customs requires the forms a month prior to the visitor’s arrival)

Guidelines for the Appointment of Foreign Academics

UVic Forms

 

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