[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Wong_Allan.jpg” caption=”Allan Wong is the new president of the McMaster Association of Part-Time Students. Photo courtesy of Sam Minniti.”]The 30th Board of Directors for the McMaster Association of Part-Time Students (MAPS) has elected Allan Wong as president for 2008-2009.

Wong served as vice-president (internal) for MAPS this year, and graduated in the fall of 2007 from the Centre for Continuing Education (CCE) with a Diploma in Management Studies.

“I'm eager to continue building upon the advocacy successes that MAPS has enjoyed this past year and look forward to working with Sam Minniti, MAPS executive director, to improve the experience of part-time students, particularly reaching out to and doing more for CCE students,” explained Wong.

Well known on campus as a Creation X chef with McMaster Hospitality Services, Wong succeeds retiring MAPS president Anna Marinelli who assisted in the finalization and implementation of a tri-party agreement struck between MAPS, the McMaster Students Union (MSU) and McMaster University that allows for limited membership transferability between the two undergraduate student groups.

The agreement, the first of its kind between MAPS and the MSU since 1986, permits some traditional part-time students to remain members of MAPS despite enrolling in 18 units or more and enables students with disabilities to join the MSU despite taking less than 18 units, the traditional cut-off threshold separating MAPS and MSU membership. Marinelli will continue to serve on the Executive Committee as past president.

Notably, MAPS longest serving Board member, Carole Armstrong, was re-elected to the Board for an eighth consecutive term.

Joining Wong, Armstrong and Marinelli on the Executive Committee as elected officers are vice-president (internal) Min-Ju Evans, vice-president (external) Candace Waterkamp and treasurer Elaine Marion.

At its first meeting, the Board appointed two additional individuals to the Board who are well known within the McMaster community as advocates of part-time students and life-long learning: Geraldine Voros and Tina Horton.

Voros, a doctoral candidate and popular lecturer amongst students within the Faculty of Social Sciences, is a former nominee of TVO's Ontario's Best Lecturer and former Women of the Year recipient within the Mentoring and Education category.

Horton is well-known on campus for her extensive leadership and volunteering roles, including the United Way Campus Campaign Committee, the Working at McMaster Career Planning & Development Committee and the popular Inspiring From Within Employee Conference Committee. She is also a past recipient of the President's Award for Outstanding Service for her work as an admissions officer/program coordinator for part-time degree studies in the Office of the Registrar.

Both Voros and Horton are also past recipients of MAPS Martin W. Johns Award which recognizes members of the McMaster community who have made outstanding contributions to the field of part-time studies.

“The presence of Geraldine and Tina will only serve to strengthen our already dynamic Board as we lobby both the University community and various levels of government to be mindful of the different needs of part-time students,” added Minniti.

The remaining members of the 18-member Board are Hasnat Ahsan, former student coordinator of the Peer Helper Program (PHP) from the Centre for Student Development (CSD), Jeanette Button, coordinator of CSD's Dr. Mary E. Keyes Leadership Program and PHP, Darlene Hayward, academic advisor with the Faculty of Humanities, Jim Huff, Rose OConnor, Cassandra Pohl, Eric Siu, 2008 Valedictorian for the Faculty of Science, Kate Pratas, Sean Spratt and Violet Wakeman-Ajandi.

Established in 1979, and recognized by McMaster University as the representative body of part-time students, MAPS represents more than 9,000 students enrolled in part-time degree studies and students taking certificate and diploma courses through CCE.