Laurentian University linguistics professor Ali Reguigui passed away in a motor vehicle collision late last month.
Interim provost Brenda Brouwer announced Reguigui’s death in an internal email to the Laurentian University community on Nov. 30.
“I am deeply saddened to inform you that early yesterday, Dr. Ali Reguigui passed away in a tragic motor vehicle accident,” said the email from Brouwer.
“This news is a shock to our community, and please know that support services are available to you. Dr. Reguigui was a highly regarded faculty member who contributed immensely to all areas of Laurentian University since he began his role in 1990.
“He was the editor of the journal Nouvelles perspectives en sciences sociales and the Revue du Nouvel-Ontario, and the editor of the Human Sciences Monograph Series. He also served as director of the Department of French Studies, director of the PhD Program in Human Studies and the French-speaking vice-dean of the Faculty of Humanities at Laurentian University.
“He was also a member of the PhD Program in Human Studies and founder of several university programs including the Bachelor and Master of Health Sciences in Orthophonie. He was also the co-founder of the Observatory for French Language in Ontario (OLFO). He published many articles and books and directed several collectives.”
Brouwer said that once funeral arrangements become known, Laurentian would lower the flags in his honour.
Sudbury.com has not been able to find an obituary for Reguigui.
However, an on-campus memorial ceremony for the professor has been planned for Dec. 21 at 4 p.m. at the Indigenous Sharing and Learning Centre.
A social media post announcing his death written by Reguigui’s former wife, Jacqueline Gauthier, said he was born in 1958 in Tunisia, and that he was a proud Canadian citizen and Franco-Ontarian.
He is survived by his daughter, Dr. Leïla Sarah Reguigui, his mother, Latifa, his brother Sleh, his sister Amel, his brother Amjed and a large Tunisian family that mourns him. He’s predeceased by his father, Boubaker and brother Tarek, and leaves friends and colleagues all over the world.
Heidi Ulrichsen is Sudbury.com’s assistant editor. She also covers education and the arts scene.
