Honorary doctorate for ethical educator

Professor Emeritus Ivan Snook has been awarded an honorary doctorate from Massey University at a graduation ceremony today.

He received a Doctor of Literature for his outstanding service to the University and outstanding contributions to education in New Zealand and internationally.

Professor Snook initially trained to be a priest but later enrolled at teachers’ college in Christchurch, and then the University of Canterbury.

He started his career as a secondary school teacher, was a research fellow at the University of Illinois and became a lecturer at the University of Canterbury in 1968.

In 1981, he moved to Massey University as a Professor of Education, rising to department head then dean of education before retiring in 1993. He has maintained a strong association with the University.

“I’m very honoured to get the recognition,” Professor Snook says. “Nothing could be nicer than to be recognised for your scholarship by the community of scholars you belong to. I’m delighted to be part of Massey University.”

Professor Snook established and chaired the first Massey University human ethics committee, and led the development of the University’s code of ethics for human subject research.

For the past 20 years he also convened the Education Policy Response Group, an ad hoc group of academic staff from across the College of Education that meets to prepare analyses of major government education policy. Its most recent report was on charter schools.

Professor Snook is a founding member, and current vice-president, of the Quality Public Education Coalition and was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the New Zealand Educational Institute.

He was also appointed to the Tertiary Education Advisory Commission, the reports from which led to the establishment of the Performance Based Research Fund.

His long interest in moral philosophy and the ethics of teaching led to his involvement with the first draft of the New Zealand Teachers’ Council Code of Ethics for Registered Teachers, and he has been a member of the Health Professionals Disciplinary Committee.

College of Education Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor James Chapman says Professor Snook’s intellectual, academic and professional contribution to education in New Zealand and overseas is very significant.

“At a time when pragmatism and simple solutions tend to dominate educational policies it is timely to reward the contribution of principles, ethics and intelligent debate that Professor Snook has so ably championed throughout his career.”

Professor Chapman says the honorary doctorate award is timely, given the recent announcement of plans for the establishment of the Massey University Institute of Education. “Many of the academic and research values strongly supported by Professor Snook are embodied in the new institute.”