The Department of Political Science has lost a dear friend and colleague, and a man who contributed magnificently to its life. We would like to pay tribute to the memory of Stefan Dupré, 76, who passed away on December 6, 2012 at Sunnybrook Hospital.
He is survived by his wife Anne Wilson Dupré, daughter Sam (Daphne) Barrett, son-in-law Brock Barret, and son Maurice Robert Dupré.
Steve was born and raised in Québec City, and in 1955 received his BA from the University of Ottawa. Three years later, at the age of 22, he received his PhD in Political Economy and Government from Harvard. Steve remained at Harvard as a faculty member until 1963 when he joined the Department of Political Economy at the University of Toronto, and served as the department’s Chair from 1970 until 1974. He remained with the Department of Political Economy and its offshoot, Political Science, until 1996 when he became President of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, a position he held until 2000.
It is difficult to pay tribute to such an accomplished man. Simply mentioning his publications, administrative positions and awards only begins to uncover the true impact of Steve’s legacy. In addition to being an accomplished and well regarded scholar, Steve was a member of the National Research Council and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council; Chairman of the Ontario Task Force on Financial Institutions and the Royal Commission on Asbestos; an official advisor to the Alberta and the British Columbia Ministries of Advanced Education; the founding Chair of the Ontario Council on University Affairs. For years, Steve was the person presidents and provosts went to when they had particularly intractable problems that needed to be fixed; he found it impossible to say no when the interests of his beloved University were at stake. He was a recipient of the Institute of Public Administration’s Vanier Medal and received the Order of Canada for his extraordinary service in the field of education.
This awe inspiring list of accomplishments and awards speaks to Steve’s drive and determination to serve the public interest, but what is even more remarkable is that these achievements do not reflect his true passion, teaching undergraduate students. Steve played a formative role in the shaping of our Department, but he was more than a university leader and scholar: he was an exemplary teacher with a great heart.
- Professor Louis Pauly