Daily News

August 30, 2000

The Executive Committee of the Board of Governors, acting on behalf of the full Board, is pleased to announce the following appointments as recommended by . . .

August 30, 2000

A newly released report from Statistics Canada shows the average Canadian tuition increase for undergraduate arts students for the upcoming academic year is 3%. Basic tuition at McMaster is up 2% over last year. The average increase in Ontario is 2.7%. McMaster's Board of Governors this past Spring approved a five-year tuition plan which calls for a 2% tuition increase in each of the next five years. The decision brings McMaster's basic tuition fee for the 2000-2001 academic year to $3,830.70, among the lowest in the province.

August 29, 2000

One-time reallocation funding for special equipment purchases will boost the availability of equipment offered by the media production services department. Director Paul Knowles says the $60,000 has been used to lease four laptop computers (as a pilot project) and to purchase three video data projectors for use in classroom presentations. In addition, the department has purchased a video data compression unit (with matching funds from the department's budget), which is used to compress VHS format to MPEG-1 video format, for in-class PowerPoint presentations or for Web-based teaching. The unit will be housed in the Learning Technology Resource Centre in the Thode Library. Providing laptops on loan is a new direction for the University, Knowles says. Previously, the University has not made funds available for laptop computers for classroom teaching. Media services often receives requests for them, but Knowles says he simply couldn't afford to purchase any from his annual budget. "This is the first time the University has provided laptops on loan to faculty."

August 29, 2000

Thirty-nine McMaster staff members will receive their certificate of completion in InfoTech Coach Level – the first of three levels in the InfoTech Leader Program. . . .

August 25, 2000

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/humanities1.jpg” caption=”L.Burnard (centre) with workshop participants”]The Faculty of Humanities recently played host to Oxford University's Lou Burnard, whose work with the Text Encoding . . .

August 25, 2000

Another McMaster Who Wants to be a Millionaire? hopeful has been revealed! John Norquay, a recent McMaster graduate, thinks it is pretty cool that at least three individuals from the University community were successful at the telephone qualification level. A trivia buff since age 10, Norquay, who is returning to McMaster to continue his education, says he tried every day until he succeeded in answering the five questions. "It's a bit embarrassing because I didn't get it until my ninth call," he laughs. At $2 per try, he still thinks it was a wise investment!

August 24, 2000

On July 1, the new Office of Interdisciplinary Studies opened on the seventh floor of Togo Salmon Hall (TSH). The office, located in TSH-726, functions . . .

August 24, 2000

Fine weather, good company, new programs and free food created the perfect atmosphere for the launch of a new staff learning and development series. More than 600 staff turned out yesterday for a lunch-hour launch of Doorways, a series of learning programs for staff organized by Human Resources. "We're very pleased with the turnout; frankly, it was more than we were expecting," says Cathy Emick, acting human resources officer. The large number meant extra trips to the kitchen for food services staff to fill the barbecues with enough hotdogs and hamburgers to feed a long line of staff gathered in front of Burke Science.

August 23, 2000

Local author Robert Nielsen is on campus today (Wednesday, Aug. 23) signing copies of his new book, Total Encounters: The Life and Times of the . . .

August 23, 2000

The Ontario government is investing almost $1 million to expand medical school enrolment this September, health and long-term care minister Elizabeth Witmer announced today. "We are expanding enrolment immediately to ensure that all Ontarians have better access to physician services in the future," Witmer said. "An appropriate supply of physicians is crucial to maintaining a high standard of patient care throughout the province." A total of 40 new undergraduate positions will be added at the province's five medical schools this fall with 13 positions going to the University of Toronto, eight to McMaster University in Hamilton, seven each to the University of Ottawa and the University of Western Ontario in London, and five to Queen's University in Kingston. The announcement is based on a recommendation from the Expert Panel on Health Professional Human Resources, chaired by McMaster University President Peter George. To view the full release, visit the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Web site

August 22, 2000

McMaster geology professors Bill Morris and Joe Boyce are "thinking dirty" these days  dirty sediment that is. "Strong magnetic sediments are sitting on the bottom of Hamilton Harbour," says Morris. "Development of a remediation strategy requires a solid understanding of the depth and distribution of these contaminants." For years, Ontario's Great Lakes have been treated as a convenient dumping site for waste materials. With a long history of industrial activity and urban development, the harbour is considered a pollution "hot spot." Morris and Boyce, along with graduate student Matt Pozza, will be heading out on the lake on Aug. 22-24 to make the not so apparent, much more visible. They will be measuring the magnetic intensity across the harbour bed to determine the thickness and extent of the pollution particles that make up the core of the lake bed.

August 22, 2000

When Marauder football training camp opens this week, head coach Greg Marshall will be happy to have two familiar faces report to camp. Ryan Janzen . . .

August 21, 2000

A University staff member has qualified as one of the pool of contestant hopefuls for a chance to appear on the popular TV show Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Jennifer Wesson-Howes, a part-time employee with physical plant and a Level III McMaster student, correctly answered the five telephone-qualifying questions on her third try. "I was really lucky," she says, adding that she did no research in preparation for the contest. Editor's note: When we posted this story this morning we wondered whether we would get calls from others on campus who have qualified for the show. We've since learned that Dale Stevens, research grants accountant in the Faculty of Health Sciences, has also qualified. Dale, a big trivia buff, succeeded on his fifth try. The sports trivia enthusiast says he was initially disappointed that none of the questions he had to answer were about sports. Then came the fifth question on his fifth try. And, as luck would have it, it was a sports question. He was asked to put the names of the following NHL players in the order in which they won the Hart Trophy. The answers, which Stevens knew and got correct, were 1. Gordie Howe 2. Bobby Orr 3. Wayne Gretzky and 4. Eric Lindros. "I got kind of lucky with that one; it was relatively easy to answer. They could have made it more difficult by asking for consecutive Hart trophy winners." Stevens plans to be at home next Monday, waiting by the telephone between 12 and 3 p.m., when contestants who make the final selection are notified. It's a call he doesn't want to miss, given how tough it has been to qualify. "I'm hopeful, but not optimistic. If it happens, it happens," says Stevens who, with his wife, watches the show every night.

August 21, 2000

It will be a full house at McMaster this fall. McMaster's 11 residences will be filled to capacity, the result of a successful recruitment strategy introduced this year. First-year students with averages of 75 and over were guaranteed a place in residence in admission offers from McMaster. "All incoming Level I students who met the residence application deadline and criteria have been accommodated. But we do have a waiting list of about 200 and we are advising these people to find other accommodation," says Mary Keyes, associate vice-president of student affairs.

August 21, 2000

Runners carrying water from Canada's Pacific and Arctic Oceans are jogging through the University campus today. The runners are part of Relay 2000 – a . . .

August 18, 2000

McMaster will receive approximately $600,000 for its Ontario Work Study Program (OWSP) this year, almost double the 1999-2000 amount. Liza Jamani, financial award administrator, Office of Student Financial Aid & Scholarships, notes that the increase "puts the University in a better position to increase the size of the envelope in addressing the post-secondary education costs for full-time students." More students will be able to access the funding as a result, she says.

August 17, 2000

Students will be visiting homes in the Ancaster, Dundas and Aldershot areas to raise awareness of the lack of funding for post-secondary students in Ontario. . . .

August 17, 2000

Web designers for CIS have been busy this summer creating a new McMaster home page. As in other years, members of the University community are being invited to view the sample home pages and to vote for the one they like best. "There are three designs to select from and viewers who cast votes for the page they like best will have an opportunity to enter a draw to win a prize. We welcome and appreciate feedback," says Muriel McKay, analyst, LAN support group, CIS. The last day to cast your vote for the page you like best is Aug. 22. To view the three choices, visit http://www.mcmaster.ca/homepage00/macvote.htm

August 17, 2000

McMaster scientists thrilled by $10m, see story in today's Aug. 17 Hamilton Spectator.

August 15, 2000

HAMILTON (August 15, 2000)  On behalf of Health Minister Allan Rock, Sheila Copps, Minister of Canadian Heritage, announced today a Government of Canada investment of nearly $10 million to fund health research at McMaster University, through the CIHR. In making her announcement, Copps congratulated Hamilton area researchers and acknowledged the federal government's ongoing investment in health. The contribution of Hamilton's researchers in increasing our health science knowledge is a resource we must cultivate and maintain, she stated. Through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Hamilton researchers will continue to provide Canada's health care system with a sound scientific foundation. Today's announcement is part of the $194 million announced by Minister Rock and CIHR President Alan Bernstein earlier today in Alberta for national health research initiatives. The grants and awards will be allotted over five years and will provide a direct benefit to 647 health researchers across Canada.