Daily News

October 2, 2000

A key activist in the movement to oppose one of the world's largest river development projects is this year's Mahatma Gandhi lecturer. Medha Patkar, a strategist with Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), will give the fifth Annual Mahatma Gandhi lecture on Non-violence at 7:30 p.m. tonight in JHE-376. The NBA is a people's movement organized to stop the construction of a series of dams on the Narmada River, India's largest west-flowing river. Since 1985, Patkar and NBA have been holding peaceful marches and rallies to protest the Narmada Valley Development Project, in particular the building of the Sardar Sarovar Dam. The dam would submerge more than 37,000 hectares of forest and agricultural land and displace 320,000 people. Patkar, who has been beaten and arrested for her actions, also conducted a number of protest fasts during the early 1990s.

October 2, 2000

In a proposal to be presented at Hamilton-Wentworth regional council on Tuesday, Oct. 3, the University is requesting that the Regional Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth donate the former Wentworth County courthouse property to McMaster for 10 years as a leadership gift to the Changing Tomorrow Today campaign. "McMaster has worked with city and regional officials for the past year to develop a way for the University to help revitalize downtown Hamilton," says President Peter George. "The courthouse is an ideal location for the University, and will provide the space we will require over the next decade. It is also a chance for the University and the new City of Hamilton to work together to build and sustain economic growth." While no final decisions have been made regarding which areas at McMaster may move to a downtown location, the preference is to relocate units or parts of units that have expressed a desire to move, or whose activities would be enhanced by closer links to the community.

September 29, 2000

It's new, it's Canadian and it's coming to a computer screen near you, then to the television screen of Vision TV. The Medieval Women Web site http://mw.mcmaster.ca was officially launched on Friday, Sept. 29 in conjunction with an upcoming six-part television series co-produced by Redcanoe Productions and McMaster University's Faculty of Humanities. It is the University's first foray into television production. "There is a huge interest in medieval times as we explore the new millennium," says Kathy Garay, member of McMaster's Working Group on the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Employing sophisticated, state-of-the-art technology the animated Web site incorporates virtual reality, video and audio. It presents a thoroughly modern recreation of a medieval world, with women's lives as its focus. It is designed for the curious and the scholarly alike. With just a click of a mouse, visitors can experience life in a nunnery, play authentic medieval games or set off on a pilgrimage. The six-part television series begins airing Wednesday, Oct. 4 on Vision TV. It was produced by Hamilton's Redcanoe Productions in association with Vision TV, the Women's Television Network and the Faculty of Humanities. CBC's Avril Benoit narrates each of the television programs in the series which provides insights into another world and time, and also reveals much about our own.

September 28, 2000

Alcohol use played a major role in many of the hearings conducted by the Peer Conduct Board (PCB) during the 1999-2000 school year. According to . . .

September 28, 2000

A new program to increase alcohol education on campus focuses on dispelling the misconceptions about alcohol use among university students. The campaign starts today (Sept. 28) with a quiz in the Silhouette, followed by posters placed in various locations across campus during the week of Oct. 2. Developed by Jane Radix, health educator, Student Health Services, the Reality-Check Campaign focuses on three questions: * the number of nights of the week students spend drinking; * the number of drinks consumed on one occasion; and * the reasons why students drink. According to Radix, research shows that most students have an inflated idea of the number of nights their fellow students spend drinking and the amount consumed in one evening.

September 26, 2000

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/bechtelscropped2.jpg”]The President's Advisory Committee on Community Relations (PACCR) has presented its first Community Service Award. The inaugural winners are Jim and Betty Bechtel. . . .

September 25, 2000

This afternoon, author and advocate for persons with disabilities Mark Nagler will speak on what it means to have a disability, and issues of advocacy. The talk, sponsored by the Centre for Student Development as part of national Disabilities Awareness Week, Sept. 25-29, starts at 4:30 p.m. in IAHS-102. Nagler, 61, who was born with cerebral palsy, is professor of sociology at the University of Waterloo. A recipient of the Governor General of Canada Award for his contributions to the community, he is recognized as an expert on disability and advocacy. The author of six books, including Yes You Can: a Guide for Parents of Children with Disabilities, Nagler is in much demand as a seminar leader and speaker at conferences, and also counsels persons with disabilities and their family members. His latest book, What's Stopping You?: Living Successfully with Disability (Stoddart Publishing, 1999), is a guide for successful living for both persons with disabilities and for caregivers.

September 25, 2000

They aren't promising candy apples and cotton candy, but organizers of this year's annual Faculty, Staff, and Retiree Community Campaign are promising one terrific barbecue . . .

September 25, 2000

Figuring out what it means to be an engineer will be easier for McMaster students thanks to a new Engineer in Residence. Dofasco and the University have joined together to create an Engineer- in-Residence program. Julie Dixon, a production and process automation engineer at Dofasco, will be on loan to McMaster for the next two years teaching first-year classes in engineering design and communication and mentoring students about the engineering profession today. "It's an incredible opportunity," says Dixon. "It's exciting to know that I can have a direct role in the quality of education the students receive. I can bring into the classroom the real-life stories of what it means to be a working engineer. Plant tours and guest speakers from industry will help students understand the career choices that are available to them."

September 22, 2000

Thirty-eight Canadian high school students who have received Excellence Awards from the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation are attending McMaster this year. The award winners, who . . .

September 22, 2000

OAC students who are planning to enter a university in September 2001 can get a "smart" start on their post-secondary education at the 2000 Ontario Universities' Fair which begins today in Toronto and continues through the weekend. Representatives from over 17 McMaster academic areas and service departments will be operating in high gear over the next three days to inform more than 40,000 students about the many merits of McMaster University. The objective of the fair is to help OAC students choose with care a university that best suits their focus. High school students who are planning to graduate in June 2001 have to apply to universities by Nov. 30. The University's Student Liaison Office expects this to be one of the largest recruitment fairs ever.

September 22, 2000

Approximately 1,500 McMaster students are expected to participate in this year's Shinerama on Saturday, Sept. 23. The fundraising event, which is a part of Welcome . . .

September 21, 2000

Like it or not, students who are suspended or expelled for non-academic conduct which violates the Student Code of Conduct will have a notation entered . . .

September 21, 2000

An article posted on the Daily News this summer stated that McMaster's Work Study Program grant had doubled this year. In fact, the provincial grant . . .

September 21, 2000

A second-year McMaster student has been fined $1,200 for illegally distributing copyrighted material from a computer in his residence room. The student plead guilty to the charge of copyright infringement in provincial court this summer and his computer equipment was destroyed. The student was charged in May with distributing copies of copyright- protected computer software programs following a four-month investigation by the Hamilton office of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and McMaster Security Services.

September 20, 2000

Today is the official kickoff of the McMaster United Way Campaign. This year's goal is $165,000, an amount that co-chair Tina Horton says is definitely attainable. "It's the same (amount) as last year, and we only missed it by $2,000." The theme, Who Cares? We Know You Do, might have been written with the McMaster community in mind. Every year, McMaster faculty and staff give generously to the United Way campaign, and the campaign committee of nine enthusiastic volunteers are hoping for that same level of support again this year. Photo(l-r):Harvey Weingarten, Chris Sylvester, Judy Howson, Peter George, Tina Horton, Dorothy Pawluch and Nancy Weller stuff envelopes in preparation for this year's campaign

September 20, 2000

At a news conference held today, Crime Stoppers of Hamilton-Wentworth, McMaster University and Mohawk College announced a joint initiative to help make campus communities safer. "Crime Stoppers is excited to be able to expand the awareness of our community Crime Stoppers program to the campuses. In total there are approximately 75,000 faculty, staff and full and part-time students between the campuses; so, in effect these are small communities of their own. We are happy to be able to help address their needs, expand our horizons and deliver the Crime Stoppers message and its benefits to more people," said Crime Stoppers Chair Rose Stricker.

September 20, 2000

The University's annual financial statements are now available on the Web. “McMaster is taking another step forward to enhance the transparency of its financial information . . .

September 20, 2000

Students who earn a perfect average of 12 on at least 30 units of study will now be formally recognized on a new honour roll. . . .

September 20, 2000

The Department of Athletics & Recreation kick off it's 2000 Homecoming festivities tomorrow (Sept. 22) with the 17th annual Athletic Hall of Fame Dinner. Eight . . .