Sam Smith (psychologist)

(Redirected from W. A. Samuel Smith)

Walter Alvah Samuel Smith (4 August 1929 – 8 February 2012), known as Sam Smith, was a Canadian psychologist and academic who served as President of the University of Lethbridge and of Athabasca University.

Smith was born on 4 August 1929 in Thomas, Oklahoma, and grew up in Redwood City, California. He received his baccalaureate degree at the University of Redlands and his Master's degree and doctorate at the University of Pennsylvania.[1]

He taught at the University of Nevada, the University of California Riverside, the University of Redlands, and the University of Alberta,[2] and was Dean of Arts at Simon Fraser University.[3]

He was President of the University of Lethbridge (1967–1972),[2] and the second President of Athabasca University (1976–1980).[4] Smith resigned a week after being informed over breakfast by Alberta's Advanced Education Minister Jim Horsman that the government had decided to relocate Athabasca University from Edmonton to Athabasca.[5]

Smith was awarded an honorary doctorate from Athabasca University in 1984.[6]

He died on 8 February 2012.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Walter Alvah Samuel Smith: Obituary". Times Colonist. 12 February 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Smith, W.A.S. (Sam)". University of Lethbridge. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
  3. ^ Byrne, T.C. (1989). Athabasca University The Evolution of Distance Education. Calgary, Alberta: University of Calgary Press. p. 135. ISBN 0-919813-51-8.
  4. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2006-06-20. Retrieved 2007-08-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ^ Skene, Wayne (23 March 1981). "Athabasca on their minds". Maclean's. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  6. ^ "Athabasca University – Honorary Degree Recipients" (PDF). Athabasca University. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
Academic offices
Preceded by President of the University of Lethbridge
1967–1972
Succeeded by
Preceded by President of Athabasca University
1976–1980
Succeeded by