January 13, 2004

What does the McMaster graduate recently hired as a fashion designer in New York, the student who enjoys traveling and has been to Italy and Greece, the student who works out at the Pulse, the one who enjoys chess and the other who cheers on Manchester United with his friends have in common? A disability and a dream. Disabilities Awareness posters featuring these students are intended to remind others that although they have a disability, they are not different in their ambitions. "I may have a sleep disorder, but I still have dreams," reads one of the posters fixed to a wall in the McMaster University Student Centre. Created by the Centre for Student Development (CSD), they are part of its Disabilities Awareness campaign that runs year-round. Two sets of five posters, featuring five McMaster students with a disability, have been created with the theme "Changing Attitudes, Building Community". "I wanted the campaign this year to focus on the acceptance and inclusion of all students," says Laura Cooper, who was hired last year as CSD's disabilities awareness co-ordinator. The fourth-year honours commerce student now leads the campaign on a volunteer basis.

January 12, 2004

Tomorrow promises to be yet another record breaking day for cold temperatures and Barna Szabados, professor of electrical and computer engineering, knows there's a good chance that homeowners will be shocked by their January hydro bill. While he has noticed that people are trying to become more energy conscious since the blackout last summer, he says in an interview with the Hamilton Spectator that, "I think people are talking about conservation more, but they're not doing anything about it." Szabados has some simple, basic, energy saving tips to offer to consumers at his January 13 Science in City lecture, Fueling Your Home for Less. Szabados, a trailblazer in the energy conservation field, will take a look at the province's current energy woes and explore solutions at the organizational level. He will also discuss how our greed for power negatively impacts the environment and will offer suggestions on how consumers might incorporate alternate energy sources such as solar and wind power. Szabados' talk takes place today (Tuesday, Jan. 13) and is free and open to the public. The lecture will be held in the Hamilton Spectator Auditorium, 44 Frid Street in Hamilton. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the lecture begins at 7 p.m. To reserve your seat e-mail sciencecity@mcmaster.ca or call 905-525-9140, ext. 24934.

January 12, 2004

The sixth-ranked McMaster men's basketball team will face defending champions and first-ranked Carleton Ravens on Saturday, Jan. 17 at 2 p.m. at McMaster's Burridge Gymnasium. . . .

January 12, 2004

The award-winning paintings of Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh have been described by art critics as "some of the most optimistic images of our multicultural world." The London born artists and twin sisters are known for their controversial and often satirical paintings which combine elements of ancient miniature paintings of India with European techniques and contemporary subjects. The McMaster Museum of Art is the only Canadian host of Past Modern, a touring exhibition of 62 paintings by the Singh Twins. The Singh Twins assert their right to define their own cultural and artistic individuality' in a way that is meaningful and true to who they perceive themselves to be -- British Asians, Sikhs, artists and twins. In their renowned painting "Diana: The Improved Version", Princess Diana is transformed into a hybrid of Britannia, the Madonna and Child, and the Hindu goddess Durga. A painting in their "SPOrTLIGHT" series depicts David Beckham with his wife, Posh Spice, and their son as a new royal family. Geoff Quilley, University of Leicester, explains that the Twins' work "is located in the interstices between satire and religious icon, and between east and west, and ironically criticizes all the processes of cultural stereotyping through the reduction of complex identities to emblems."

January 9, 2004

McMaster students from all parts of campus have the opportunity to learn first hand about the fields of palliative care and cinima viriti in a series of events geared to exploring the topic of death and dying. Professor Ellen Badone, who is affiliated with the departments of religious studies and anthropology, has brought together a leading expert on the sociology of death and bereavement, a special screening of an acclaimed film on dying and the Canadian filmmaker and staff from the hospital where the documentary was filmed. Badone has arranged for a special screening of Dying at Grace, a film produced by renowned filmmaker Allan King. The film will be shown during a regularly scheduled class of this term's Death and Dying: Comparative Views course, taught by professor Donna Seamone. The film, which drew wide acclaim when it was first shown at the 2003 Toronto International Film Festival, chronicles the experience of five patients dying in the palliative care unit of Salvation Army Toronto Grace Health Centre. The screening is on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. in the Information Technology Building, Rm. 137. King, hospital palliative care unit staff including director Jean Jackson, chief physician Colette Hegarty and major Phyllis Bobbitt, director of pastoral care, will join Hooker Distinguished professor Tony Walter, an expert in the sociology of death, dying, bereavement, funerals and afterlife beliefs for an interactive question and answer session to enable students to discuss the film, express their opinions and gain further information.

January 9, 2004

The Joint Job Evaluation Steering Committee (JJESC), established by McMaster University and the McMaster University Staff Association (MUSA), has been working on the development of a new job evaluation tool for positions in the MUSA bargaining unit. The JJESC has the responsibility to establish a Joint Rating Committee (JRC) who will be trained in the use of the new job evaluation tool and responsible for evaluating jobs in preparation for the implementation of the new system on June 16, 2005. Members of the Joint Job Evaluation Steering Committee are Susan Birnie, Carmela Civitareale, John Drake, Daina Green, Heather Grigg, Marvin Gunderman, Kathy Ouellette, Gord Slater, Rosemary Viola, Nancy Vukelich. The JJESC is now seeking members for the JRC.

January 7, 2004

McMaster University student Maureen Hogan has been awarded a prestigious Rhodes scholarship. The Newfoundland native, who is a third-year medical student, received the news that she has been selected as her province's representative among the 11 Canadian Rhodes scholars for 2004. The scholarships, valued at $100,000 each, provide students from around the world the opportunity to study at the University of Oxford in England for two to three years. Maureen, 23, plans to study for her masters of science in research beginning in October 2004. Her program in the neurogenetics of mental illness will be self-directed, a way of learning she appreciated during her medical training at McMaster. "I'm excited about the opportunity to study with people from all over the world and exchange different viewpoints. I'm also looking forward to consolidating what I've learned so far, and to broaden my knowledge of mental illness."

January 7, 2004

Beginning today at 9 a.m., Naomi Amaria will experience one of the most demanding challenges of her life. The third-year women studies student is riding a stationary bike non-stop for the next 24 hours in an effort to raise awareness about women's studies. She's joined by women's studies students Jim J|tte on a stationary bike and Kim Clarke on a treadmill, who are participating in the Walk and Ride for Women event in the McMaster University Student Centre. The challenge is presented by the newly created McMaster Student's Women's Studies Society. "This is going to be one of the hardest physical challenges of my entire life," says Amaria, "but it's a physical challenge. My emotions, my dignity, my pride and my self-esteem are not on the line this time." The trio began at 9 am this morning and will continue until 9 a.m. Thursday. In the meantime, they hope others will see them and be inspired. "We hope to raise awareness at McMaster and also in the community about women's issues and the need for the women's studies program," J|tte says.

January 6, 2004

It's 4:30 a.m. and all is calm in the Emergency First Response Team (EFRT) office. With the occasional yawn, the on-call emergency responders rub their eyes in an effort to stay awake. They pass the time doing homework, playing cards or just talking about life. When they're tired, they steal to EFRT's bedroom for a nap. Then without warning, the dispatch sounds and the team is called to an emergency on campus. They have two minutes to get there. The atmosphere undergoes a quick transformation. Immediately, the three-member team begins to prepare. They put on their fully-equipped backpacks and grab their bikes, they adjust their psyche into medical responder mode, and they prime themselves for anything  it could be as simple as a slip and fall; it could be as deadly as a cardiac arrest. "It's really a nerve-racking experience to hear the tone go off in the middle of the night," admits Brenna Ammons, first-year EFRT member and bachelor of health sciences student. "You have to calm down, relax and listen to the dispatch carefully so you know where to go." When they arrive on scene, they immediately assess the situation. They've learned every call is unique.

January 5, 2004

Resolving conflict and making peace within India's local community has one non-governmental organization working with officials at home and abroad to use a secret tool that's as old as mankind  women. Rama Singh, founder and chair of Hamilton's annual Gandhi Peace Festival, is working with this year's Gandhi Peace Lecturer Acharya Ramamurti through McMaster's Centre for Peace Studies to bring attention and support to the Women's Shanti Sena (WSS), a program that educates women about their rights and responsibilities. He's visiting India in February to help with the program. "Many of India's rural women are illiterate, but that doesn't mean they're ignorant or uneducated," says Singh. "They face the issues of daily life in a village so they know what the challenges are and they have ideas about how to fix those challenges but first they need to know they can speak up."

December 24, 2003

Happy holidays from McMaster. The University will be closed from Thursday, Dec. 25 to Monday, Jan. 5, when classes will resume. Most campus services are closed for the holiday period. For a listing of dining facility operating hours visit Hospitality Services. Click McMaster Libraries for library hours of operation. Security will be on duty throughout the holiday period, providing services 24 hours a day. Officers will be patrolling campus, answering alarms and monitoring security systems. For assistance, call security at ext. 24281. The Daily News returns Monday, Jan. 5. Photo caption: McMaster President Peter George and his wife Reverend Allison Barrett, pose with McMaster students in front of the fireplace in the McMaster University Student Centre for the President's annual greeting card. Photo credit: Ron Scheffler

December 23, 2003

McMaster has admitted a bright double cohort class. Of the 5,334 first-year students who came to McMaster this year, more than ever received an Honour Awards scholarship given to entering students who earn 80 per cent and over in their final year of secondary school. In fact, McMaster's entering student population is getting brighter every year. In 2000, when McMaster introduced the awards program, 52 per cent of its entering class received a scholarship. This year, 81 per cent were eligible and 3,944 awards were distributed. "The honour awards are a success story at McMaster," said vice-president academic Fred Hall. Under the program, high school graduates who earn 80 per cent and over in their final year of secondary school and who choose to attend McMaster will automatically receive an award.

December 19, 2003

From coast to coast, the reaction to the announcement that McMaster is receiving a $105-million gift for its medical school, is almost as great as the donation itself. "A gift so huge has as much shock impact as it does the ability to understand it," says John Kelton, dean and vice-president of the Faculty of Health Sciences. For him, the realization of it is still sinking in. "I still haven't realized it. It's historic." So what has the external reaction been to the "historic" $105-million gift from Canadian businessman and philanthropist Michael G. DeGroote? "Consistently enormous enthusiasm," sums up Kelton. "That would be it in a nutshell." And envy, he adds. "I have been hearing great enthusiasm and great envy from deans across the country. People are saying 'we can't believe it, we find it wonderfully exciting'." On Dec. 17, in the McMaster University Student Centre marketplace, approximately 1,000 people gathered to hear DeGroote announce he is giving McMaster the largest cash gift in Canadian history. The $105-million donation will be divided between a $64-million endowment fund, supporting education, health care and medical research in perpetuity and a $41-million capital fund directed to construction and outfitting of laboratories and hospital units. The Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University will be the first Canadian medical school to bear the name of a benefactor. McMaster President Peter George has received letters from University presidents congratulating and thanking McMaster for raising the bar. "That is the message that resonates through virtually all of the universities in the country," he says. "It sends a very positive and encouraging signal to donors that their gifts are important."

December 19, 2003

Transportation to McMaster by Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) and Go Transit buses will be reduced next week. For HSR, service east and west of McMaster . . .

December 18, 2003

Senior management toasted the holiday season with the McMaster campus community this morning at the fourth annual holiday open house. This afternoon, there will be an open house at the downtown center from 2 to 3:30 p.m. in Rm. 216. At the morning open house in Convocation Hall, Karen Belaire, vice-president administration, dresses as a reindeer and shares a laugh with Fred Hall, vice-president academic. Guests were invited to bring a non-perishable food item for the food drive for a chance to win a door prize.

December 17, 2003

McMaster has once again assumed the role pioneer'. The University is the first in Ontario to administer a furniture standardization program, where all furniture purchased for McMaster will be dealt with through one central dealer. All furniture - such as seating, lab items, desks, but excluding classroom seating  will be purchased through Lordly Jones, a local dealer that will purchase furniture from manufacturers in Canada and deliver items to McMaster at a reduced cost. "The University has grown significantly over the past number of years and will continue to grow," says Terry Galan, director of Purchasing Resources. One of the new buildings that will require furniture is the Centre for Learning and Discovery.

December 17, 2003

Canadian businessman and philanthropist Michael G. DeGroote has given $105 million to McMaster University in an unprecedented display of generosity. McMaster's medical school will be the beneficiary of the largest single cash gift in Canadian history. In tribute, the School of Medicine will now be known as the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University, the first Canadian medical school to bear the name of a benefactor. DeGroote, formerly of the Hamilton area but now residing in Bermuda, said that his nearly 20-year friendship with the University reflects his belief in and support of McMaster's vision and its commitment to quality education and outstanding research. Earlier gifts have benefited the business school, the McMaster Museum of Art, epilepsy research, literary criticism and the new student centre. "This gift is intended to support health care research and education," said DeGroote. "Health and health care are clearly the most prominent concerns for Canadians. I am investing in new discoveries in health care and in the delivery of health care. The dividends of that investment will not only impact our community, but others around the world. I am confident of McMaster's ability to maximize the impact of this gift so that its net effect will have far-reaching benefits." A noted entrepreneur, DeGroote purchased and grew Laidlaw Transport Ltd., a company that became the largest school bus operator and third largest waste management company in North America before it was sold in 1988. DeGroote's business ventures have included U.S. companies such as Republic Industries, AutoNation Inc., Century Business Services, Capital Environmental Resource Inc., and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. McMaster University President Peter George said he is honoured by DeGroote's endorsement and support for the University. "This is an historic gift," he said. "It is not only a landmark for McMaster and the Hamilton community, but for all of Canada. I am profoundly grateful for this magnificent investment in our work and vision. Be assured that we at McMaster take seriously the great responsibility to ensure that we continue to advance our standard of excellence in education, research and innovation." John Kelton, dean and vice-president of the Faculty of Health Sciences, said the gift allows the University to take immediate steps in furthering a bold and ground-breaking vision for the School of Medicine. "The DeGroote family will be proud of the impact this gift will have and will know that they will make many critically important initiatives possible," he said. He said the $105 million donation will be divided between a $64 million endowment fund, supporting education, health care and medical research in perpetuity and a $41 million capital fund directed to construction and outfitting of laboratories and hospital units.

December 16, 2003

Three-year financial plan The Board of Governors approved McMaster's three-year financial plan. The plan presents the University's operating fund, including income from government grants, tuition . . .

December 15, 2003

Developing closer relationships with decision makers can be a balancing act for researchers who need to maintain their ability to conduct independent, rigorous and critical analysis, according to health economist Steve Morgan. By improving the exchange of knowledge between researchers and decision makers, he says this will contribute to better, more relevant research. Morgan will explore pharmaceutical policy issues, by looking at British Columbia's new PharmaCare Policy, at a seminar at McMaster University. The talk, entitled "The Delicate Art of Dancing with Porcupines: Learning to Appreciate the Finer Points of BC PharmaCare Policy", will take place Wednesday, Dec. 17 in the Health Sciences Centre, Rm. 3N5B from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

December 12, 2003

McMaster head football coach Greg Marshall is the new head coach of the Canadian Football League (CFL) Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Marshall and his staff have compiled an impressive 53-18-2 (including playoffs) record since his hiring at McMaster in 1997. Under his leadership, the McMaster Marauders have won four consecutive Yates Cup Championships, tying an Ontario University Athletics (OUA) record. In 1999, Marshall was named the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Coach of the Year, and, in 2000, he was recognized with the Frank Tindall Trophy, which is awarded to the OUA and Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Coach of the Year. Marshall spent three years with the CFL as a player with the Edmonton Eskimos as a running back, capturing one Grey Gup in 1982 before knee surgery cut short a promising career after the 1984 season. Marshall was an assistant coach at The University of Western Ontario from 1984-1992 and was the offensive co-ordinator from 1992 to 1996. During his tenure, The University of Western Ontario earned Vanier Cup victories in 1989 and 1994.