Daily News

July 10, 2001

The famous Pulse Olympics are back for the second year in a row! Spend a couple of hours with some of your co-workers, get moving . . .

July 10, 2001

July 9, 2001

McMaster is restructuring its computing support services to provide increased support for and dedicated resources to the academic computing needs of the institution. McMaster's Board of Governors approved a plan for the Organization of Academic Computing at McMaster at its June 15 meeting. (The plan was approved by Senate earlier last month.) John Platt, special adviser to the provost and vice-president academic, developed the plan following a survey of the resources and activities involving academic computing at the University. (His Initial Report on Academic Computing came out in January 2001.) "While not being an extremely unique organization, implementation of (this) plan would be a giant step forward for academic computing and teaching support systems at McMaster," writes Platt in his final report. He outlines the many reasons why an increased focus on and reorganization of resources dedicated to academic computing is needed: there is no organized strategic planning for academic computing above the Faculty level; an impressive amount of activity is going on in several pockets of the University but these activities receive woefully inadequate institutional support; McMaster lags behind other institutions in its support for academic computing; McMaster will be unable to sustain its current level of academic computing without serious investment; faculty are not aware of the technological tools available to them. McMaster has fallen three to five years behind many institutions in applying technological tools to the pedagogical mission, Platt writes. With the university facing an increase in student numbers and recruiting new faculty, more support and resources for academic computing will be needed. The plan approved by Board calls for McMaster's Learning Technologies Resource Centre (LTRC), which operates out of the Centre for Leadership in Learning (CLL), to be expanded into a "one-stop shopping centre" to provide academic computing support to faculty. Platt would like it to become a spot where academics could go to get all the information they need about academic computing in addition to providing the necessary technical support. He also sees the resource centre as helping faculty to connect with other resources available through Computing & Information Services (CIS) and Media Production Services (MPS). As part of the new organization, an academic committee will be established to oversee and provide strategic planning for computing issues. The Advisory Committee for Academic Computing (ACAC) will consist of representatives from the various Faculty computing committees and will be chaired by Platt.

July 5, 2001

The verdict is in on McMaster's mystery time capsule. The copper tube found behind the Gilmour Hall date stone should be opened according to a . . .

July 5, 2001

Fifty-two outstanding senior high school students arrived at McMaster University this week -- some from as far away as Scotland -- for a month-long immersion into university life. The program, known as Shad Valley -- or lovingly by McMaster students and staff as "MacShad" -- provides senior high school students that have demonstrated excellence in academics, recreation, leadership, and community involvement with the opportunity to expand their minds in the disciplines of engineering, science and entrepreneurship at the university level. A typical day at MacShad starts at 8:30 a.m. with a university-style lecture and an intensive academic workshop followed by an afternoon of academic sessions and a recreational activity. Evening events feature guest speakers from the community, opportunities for artistic expression and time to work on a collaborative team business project. The goal for this year's teams will be to design, build, market and present a product or service that will assist individuals with disabilities. In October, the winning team from each campus will compete at the Royal Bank Shad Entrepreneurship Competition held in Toronto. On Saturday, July 14, MacShad will host a MiniShad day for about 140 local high school students that will give them a chance to learn more about the program and McMaster University. This event will feature team-building activities, workshops, and guest speakers simulating a typical day at Shad. Established in 1981, the Shad Valley program combines a university-based academic and recreational portion with a challenging August work term for about 60 per cent of participants. For the past three years, McMaster has served as one of the host universities for the Shad Valley program, organized through the Shad International central headquarters in Waterloo. Each year, about 800 students compete for about 450 spots available at campuses spanning the country. Shad Valley's primary goal is motivational, to give participants an appreciation of their true potential and to encourage them to strive for the highest levels of achievement. (End of story)

July 4, 2001

Still missing that lounge you liked in the basement of the Arthur Bourns Building or, years ago, on the second floor? Well, here's some good news for employees who once enjoyed these facilities -- the large room on the second floor (Room 273) will be converted back into an employee lounge. Karen Belaire, vice-president administration, says the Leadership Committee for the Staff Survey implementation has fully endorsed a proposal from the Employee Lounges Implementation Team to restore lounge space in the Arthur Bourns Building and to create new, dedicated lounge space for employees in the Burke Science Building. "As everyone knows, space on campus is at a premium, so finding adequate lounge space is not easy. But we understand that it is important for employees to have areas dedicated for their use and enjoyment. Restoring and creating this lounge space in Bourns and Burke Science will, we are certain, help to strengthen our community by creating an environment for increased communication and by addressing important concerns expressed by employees," says Belaire. The lounges in ABB were popular gathering places for faculty and staff alike. They were lost a few years ago, to the disappointment of many, with the conversion of one space to a testing centre and the other to accommodate the expansion of the Faculty of Engineering's computing & software engineering programs. The relocation this year of the engineering programs to the newly restored T-16 Building means at least some of this space will be restored as a staff lounge.

July 3, 2001

Highlights from the June 15 Board of Governors meeting: 2001-02 operating budget approved The Board of Governors approved an operating budget of nearly $200 million . . .

July 3, 2001

Dean of Science Peter Sutherland has been named acting provost and vice-president academic. The appointment was approved last month by Board and the Senate Committee on Appointments and was effective July 1. His appointment could be for a few months or up to one year depending on how soon a new provost is in place. "Peter brings a wide range of experience to the position and his understanding of the University's success and current priorities will be important to McMaster's ongoing operations," said University President Peter George. Sutherland has informed the Board and Senate that he would not be a candidate for the position. A search is currently under way for a new provost to take up the post. See Search for new provost underway in the Worth Mentioning section of the Daily News for more details. John Drake, director of the School of Geography & Geology, is acting dean of science. (End of story)

June 29, 2001

As one observer noted, it looks like something out of the Jetsons. A group of McMaster students and graduates are feverishly putting the finishing touches on the University's first solar car. Some of the team who've worked on the car that looks like a miniature blue-paneled spacecraft unveiled it Wednesday at the Faculty of Engineering's second annual summer barbecue. A team of about 10 plan to race the No. 13 Fireball in this summer's American Solar Challenge, a race that will follow historic Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles. The first test will come July 8 when the car is entered in a qualifier event held at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Mich. If it meets the requirements there, then the team will head to the Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago for the July 15 kickoff. The solar car race is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and will feature about 40 solar-powered cars built by university teams -- including at least eight Canadian university teams -- and companies and clubs from around the world. The McMaster solar car has been in development for the last four years and made its inaugural debut in the annual solar car race in 1999. That time the car wasn't ready. Team drivers and contributors include Jeff Winter, Tom Rodinger, Ben Zimmermann, Andrew Baerg and Bob Maharaj. They're convinced this summer their pet project -- built with many in-kind donations that would total about $400,000 -- is going to fly. They have spent days without sleep and hundreds of hours assembling the car's components and meticulously placing about 800 small solar cells on the car's body. "We think the top speed could be about 100 kilometres an hour but the average speed for the race will be about 60 kilometres," said Rodinger, a biochemistry graduate and one of the team's three drivers. The team will use the engineering Fireball van to haul the car to the race but they still need two other vehicles to travel with the car on the race route. And they could use some sponsorship so they can eat along the way. And what if the race route through the desert isn't sunny? "We'll go slow and conserve energy," said Rodinger. The car is equipped with a battery that can also juice up the blue machine. SOLAR CAR TEAM: (L) Bob Maharaj, Andrew Baerg, Ben Zimmermann, Tom Rodinger, Jeff Winter UNDER THE HOOD: (L) Jeff Winter, Tom Rodinger Photo: Shelly Easton

June 28, 2001

McMaster will soon have a "town square." That's the term used by physical plant staff to describe one of the campus beautification projects under way this summer. "Everything's coming out," says grounds co-ordinator Len Van Hoffen, referring to grounds area around the University flags. "All the asphalt will be ripped out from the Burke Science Building to the sidewalk, the flower beds, everything except for the flag poles." The plan is to replace the asphalt with grey-patterned concrete that will be set off with lines of white concrete. The raised bed in the Gwen George Garden that often shows the McMaster "M" in flowers will be three times as large and the overgrown junipers behind the raised bed will be replaced with perennials. The garden, which lies empty now following the removal this spring of the shrubs and plants that were there, will be 2.4 metres (eight feet) wider. Van Hoffen says eventually tall fountain grasses, hostas and day lilies will be planted with annuals along the side. Mums will probably be put in first so there will be flowers by early fall. The memorial rock for Gwen George has been removed temporarily while the work is being done and it will be replaced once the garden is refurbished, says Van Hoffen. Eight ironwood trees have already been moved from Hedden Hall and are now on either side of the garden. The large concrete rectangular space between the garden and the Burke Science Building will have new benches. "It will be like a town square where people could make announcements with the garden behind them," says Van Hoffen. The funding for this project is coming from the McMaster University Futures Fund (MUFF). Tenders are being prepared and work will likely begin by early July, Van Hoffen says. Elsewhere on campus trees are being planted thanks to MUFF funding. Van Hoffen says he would like to establish an arboretum walk where people could stroll around campus to look at a variety of different trees. This season he's planning on putting in Amur cork trees, European walnuts, many different varieties of oak, service berries, tulip trees, sycamore and red buds. In addition to the planting of new trees, already established trees are being moved around. A Japanese lilac was moved from behind Matthews Hall to the front of the engineering building. And the Nootka tree in front of Burke Science was moved a bit to the south to make room for the ironwoods. "We take them out with a 10-foot high tree spade," says Van Hoffen. "The 101-inch root ball helps the tree to establish itself and then we give it over 100 litres of water per week and special shock fertilizer." Twenty-five McMaster students are working this summer to keep the campus beautiful. Van Hoffen has divided them into three different crews: mowing, gardening and tree-planting. "We couldn't run without them," says Van Hoffen. Other projects planned to make the campus more beautiful include the hanging of flower baskets along University Avenue and the planting of a variety of different types of day lilies around Thode Library so there will be blooms all summer long. GREEN THUMBS: Fourth-year kinesiology student Jennifer Viveiros (L) and fourth-year chemical engineering student Jessica Pigeon are part of the campus landscaping crews this summer. Photo: Shelly Easton

June 27, 2001

McMaster's Board of Governors has approved three new construction projects, worth $23.3 million, which are slated to begin this summer: The Advanced Materials Technology Research . . .

June 27, 2001

McMaster has received four new Canada Research Chairs (CRC) and about $2.5 million from the Canada Foundation for Innovation for infrastructure funding for CRC award winners. This third round of Canada Research Chairs awards brings the University's total to 26. The four newest recipients are conducting research in the areas of antibacterial drugs, globalization, semiconductor devices and data communications and digital signal processing. They are: Eric Brown, Department of Biochemistry, Canada Research Chair in Antimicrobial Research William Coleman, Department of Political Science, Canada Research Chair in Global Governance and Public Policy Jamal Deen, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Canada Research Chair in Information Technology Zhi-Quan (Tom) Luo, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Canada Research Chair in Information Processing A fifth recipient, John Lavis, an assistant professor of clinical epidemiology & biostatistics, was awarded a Canada Research Chair between rounds two and three. Lavis is the Canada Research Chair in Knowledge Transfer and Uptake in Health Policy-Making Environments. He will study whether and under what conditions, federal and provincial policy makers make use of evidenced-based health research to improve the health of Canadians. For profiles of all McMaster recipients, click on Canada Research Chair Chairholder Profiles. The federal government dedicated $900 million in its 2000 budget to create 2,000 Canada Research Chairs in universities across the country by 2005. About 400 new chairs will be named in each of the next five years with chairholders coming from inside and outside Canada. The goal of the program is to help universities become world-class research centres. The Canada Foundation for Innovation funding is money that will help researchers build the labs and facilities needed to conduct their research. McMaster's award-winning projects in this round include money for an optoelectronics research laboratory, an online edition of philosopher Bertrand Russell's collected letters and a facility dedicated to molecular, physiological, and environmental research on fish. The Daily News has included a list of award winners, the project titles and the CFI contributions in the "Read more" version.

June 26, 2001

Fourteen faculty members met the May 30 deadline and applied for $38.4 million in Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) Innovation Fund funding for major research . . .

June 26, 2001

McMaster's baseball diamonds will be "frost-free" this year and faculty and staff who work out at the Pulse will exercise in a new treadmill gallery thanks to funding provided through the McMaster University Futures Fund (MUFF). The funding, allocated earlier this year, is being used to support a number of improvements in facilities used by employees for recreational purposes: $55,000 to purchase new treadmills and new lockers for the Ivor Wynne Centre. The new treadmills will go into the refurbished fitness gallery over the squash courts located in the south side of the athletic centre, said Therese Quigley, director of athletics & recreation. Pulse members will be able to use the new aerobic treadmill gallery and specific hours will be reserved for faculty and staff. The new lockers will replace baskets used in the fitness centre's change rooms, Quigley said. $38,000 is set aside to buy fitness equipment and to renovate a fitness area in Henderson Hospital. Fitness instructor and lab technologist Janice Rischke said she'd like to purchase a treadmill, a stepper, a cross-trainer and a stationary bike for employees' use once they have renovated a room in the hospital for the equipment. $8,000 towards the maintenance of the campus softball fields. The volunteer-run Graduate Students' Association softball league has purchased a specially designed drag to keep the diamonds in good shape, said softball commissioner Andy Duncan. In the past, the three campus infields were conditioned daily by a home-made device made out of two-by-fours and an old frost fence pulled behind a golf cart. The new drag will keep the infield from hardening up, said Duncan. There are 30 teams in the softball league, made up of faculty members, staff and graduate students. MUFF funding comes from the interest earned by the University on money that could not go into the University's pension plan because of restrictions enforced by Revenue Canada. (End of story)

June 26, 2001

McMaster University and AIC Group of Funds, Canada's largest privately held mutual fund company, today announced a $5 million gift to create the AIC Institute for Strategic Business Studies in the Michael G. DeGroote School of Business at McMaster. It is one of the largest gifts in McMaster's history. "This exciting partnership with AIC is an enormous opportunity that will allow the University to pursue a new direction in business studies," said President Peter George. "AIC and its chairman and chief investment officer, Michael Lee-Chin, have demonstrated in the most generous way their confidence in McMaster's ability to deliver the educational programs and research needed in the field of investment management. Their foresight and leadership are inspiring." The AIC gift will support the creation of a chair in Investment and Portfolio Management. Two professorships will also be created and a $500,000 fund will provide scholarships to business students. AIC will also help to finance the building of a new wing on the business school, a state-of-the-art facility that will house the Institute for Strategic Business Studies. "Warren Buffet, who many of you will recognize as the world's most successful investor, recently emphasized the importance of developing sound business valuation skills among today's business students," said Michael Lee-Chin. "At AIC, the foundation of our investment philosophy has long rested on our ability to value and buy excellent businesses, businesses we understand fully. By buying and holding these businesses, AIC investors have prospered as we have preserved and grown their capital and minimized taxes payable. On behalf of AIC, I am proud to lend support to McMaster University and the establishment of the AIC Institute for Strategic Business Studies which will enrich the skills of business school graduates for many years to come." Vishwanath Baba, dean of the Michael G. DeGroote Business School, said: "We believe strongly in bringing real-world experiences into the classroom. Our new alliance with AIC will enhance this bridge. Guest lecturers from AIC will give students insights into the world of finance and an understanding of the discipline needed to succeed. These opportunities to learn from an industry leader will give McMaster graduates a distinct advantage." AIC Group of Funds commenced operations in 1985 and has grown to become one of Canada's largest mutual fund companies, servicing almost one million investors. Assets under management total more than $14 billion. Lee-Chin graduated from McMaster's Faculty of Engineering in 1974.

June 25, 2001

Hamilton-born Edward A. Minich is the new chair of McMaster's Board of Governors, the University's highest governing body. He begins his term as chair July 1. Minich is president, chief executive officer and director of the board for Otis Canada and has a long association with the University. He has served on the McMaster Alumni Association's Board of Directors and as vice-chair of the Board of Governors. Last year he was inducted into the McMaster Alumni Gallery. "I owe a lot of my success to McMaster," said Minich. He received his Honours B.Sc. in Psychology from McMaster in 1972 and his MBA from McMaster in 1974. He met his wife Sian when they were both students at McMaster. His two sons are McMaster graduates. "I give enthusiastic support to McMaster being a student-centred research institution," said Minich. "It will make McMaster unique." "The board is the engine that can help get McMaster where we need to go. Our role is to help move things along," he said. "To go forward in this competitive world, everybody has to promote the University to attract the best students, faculty and research dollars." "Education is our infrastructure for the future," said Minich. "In this high-tech, fast-paced world, talented people will attract others." (End of story)

June 21, 2001

More than 94 per cent (94.8) of McMaster graduates with undergraduate degrees were employed six months after leaving the University, a survey shows. The provincial average is 94.6 per cent. The rate is up from last year's result which showed that 93.9 per cent of graduates were employed six months after graduation. "McMaster's strong results demonstrate that we continue to graduate high-quality students who have the knowledge, skills and experience employers need," said University President Peter George. The Ontario University Graduate Survey also showed that 97 per cent of McMaster graduates are employed within two years of obtaining an undergraduate degree, a slight increase from last year's figure of 96.4 per cent. The provincial average in this category this year is 97.2 per cent. See the Graduation, Employment and OSAP Loan Default Rates, McMaster University, April 2001 table for full program results. The University received about $1 million in provincial funding last year because the employment rates matched or exceeded the provincial average, a target established by the Ontario government. The survey, sponsored by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities and the Council of Ontario Universities, studied the employment experiences of 1998 graduates of undergraduate programs in Ontario. The Ontario Universities' Application Centre collected the information using a mail-out survey targeting graduates of bachelor and first professional degree programs. The survey also noted the default rate for Ontario Student Assistance Plan loan holders -- McMaster graduates posted a default rate of 5.8 per cent. (The Daily News provided a detailed story on the default rate earlier this year: See McMaster's OSAP default rate decreases for fourth straight year.) The results of a fourth performance indicator, graduation rate data, will be calculated and published later this year. (End of story)

June 20, 2001

The University has filed a statement of defence in connection with a lawsuit filed by a former employee. Scott Hassal, a former project engineer at . . .

June 20, 2001

Roger Trull has been appointed vice-president university advancement. Trull has been executive director of University Advancement since 1994 and led the development and implementation of a highly successful plan for advancement activities at McMaster. Within each of the advancement portfolios -- alumni relations, advancement services, decentralized advancement, development (fundraising) and public relations/government relations -- Trull has built a team that consistently exceeds performance targets. The Changing Tomorrow Today campaign surpassed its $100 million target eight months ahead of schedule. Trull is respected throughout the country as a leading advancement professional. The Board of Governors and Senate approved the change of title from executive director to vice-president university advancement last week. McMaster President Peter George said the vice-presidential title will bring McMaster in line with all other research-intensive universities in Canada and with leading universities across North America. It will also be an important advantage in developing new opportunities for the University. A devoted member of the McMaster community since his graduation in 1979, Trull has volunteered considerable time and energy to other organizations. He has served as the vice-president of the National Association of Canadian Clubs and trustee of Hillfield Strathallan College, was founding president of the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (Ontario) and is a past board member of the United Way of Halton Burlington. (End of story)

June 20, 2001

More independence in their work, better job security and protection from abuse would all help make the workplace healthier for nurses — and that could . . .