Daily News

Posted on May 13: Thirty-one to receive degrees at Divinity College Convocation

Divinity College will confer degrees on 31 McMaster graduands at its annual Spring Convocation ceremony today (Tuesday, May 13). The graduation will be held at 8 p.m. in Convocation Hall. Honorary degrees will be presented to Neil Snider, president of Trinity Western University and Leonard Cullen, a Canadian horticulturist and long-time member and supporter of the Baptist Church. R. Neil Snider, Doctor of Divinity Neil Snider has been president of Trinity Western University in British Columbia since 1974. Born in Alberta, he received his theological training at Briercrest Bible Institute (now Briercrest Bible College) in Caronport, Saskatchewan. He received his BA in 1962 from the University of Winnipeg. He went on to study psychology and educational administration at the University of Manitoba, receiving his B.Ed. and M.Ed. degrees from the university in 1967 and 1970. He completed his PhD at the University of Oregon, where his main areas of study were higher education and educational administration. In addition to having special interests in higher education and educational administration, Snider has also studied the sociology of complex organizations and organizational theory. Prior to joining Trinity he was dean of faculty, dean of students and acting president of Winnipeg Bible College. His duties at Trinity are complimented by a rigorous speaking schedule that takes him to churches and conferences across North America. Snider will give the Convocation address. Leonard Cullen, Doctor of Divinity Leonard Cullen, president of Cullen Gardens, has devoted a lifetime to horticulture and the Baptist Church. Born in Toronto, he started working for landscape gardener John Weall when he was 17. Five years later he purchased Weall's business. Cullen has been involved in the Baptist Church for most of his lifetime, serving as second and then first vice-president of the Toronto Baptist Young Peoples' Union in 1946-1947. He became president of the union in 1948, then deacon of Brook Avenue Baptist Church from 1953 to 1957. He joined the Agincourt Baptist Church in 1958 and continues to be active in this church community today. He has given years of service to the Baptist movement as an active fundraiser and supporter of a variety of church initiatives. To raise funds for one campaign, Cullen and his wife, Connie, biked 800 miles.

Posted on May 13: The sky’s the limit for the next Science in the City Lecture

From man's early beginnings, he has been scanning the night sky and studying the stars. Astronomer Ralph Pudritz says that "star formation is one of the great problems in astronomy. It's been on the minds of astronomers for as long as there has been astronomy." Pudritz, a professor in the department of physics and astronomy will explore the origins of the stars in a free lecture entitled Lighting up the Cosmos: The Origins and History of Star Formation in the Universe . The lecture is the fifth of six in the Science in the City lecture series, a series sponsored jointly by McMaster University and the Hamilton Spectator . In an interview with the Spec (May 12), Pudritz notes that the Orion nebula cluster "is a major laboratory for us to study how star formation works in detail. In cosmic and astronomical terms, it's very rapid but you won't see it zip together in your lifetime." Join Ralph Pudritz tonight (May 13) in the Spectator Auditorium for a journey through time that will take you back to the conditions that may have lead to the formation of the very first stars that lit up the cosmos. This Science in the City lecture will be held at the Hamilton Spectator Auditorium, 44 Frid Street in Hamilton and begins at 7 pm (doors open at 6:30 pm). The lecture is free and all are welcome.

Posted on May 13: MSU introduces innovative sustainability office

McMaster Students Union is establishing a greener campus by creating the first student union established sustainability office in Canada. Known as the Green Service, the office will be responsible for establishing and implementing environmentally friendly events and practices on campus, as well as disseminating information to students and staff. This service is a product of a year's work by a group of students. Overseen by a part-time Green Service director, the service will also include an environmental events co-ordinator and an alternative transportation co-ordinator. These part-time employees will report to the Green Service Advisory Committee made up of representatives from various McMaster groups. "Past attempts to implement environmentally friendly practices have had limited success at McMaster due to lack of structure and support," says Adam Spence, MSU vice-president education. "This model increases the chances of success because it involves so many partners, and builds on current environmental initiatives." Partners in the Green Service include the McMaster Students Union, McMaster University Faculty Association (MUFA), McMaster University Staff Association, the CUPE local, University administrators, faculties, student faculty societies, the Green Coalition and others. "I am very excited about establishing this group of university partners, which will add strength to the initiative," says Allan Dafoe, president of the Green Coalition, a McMaster Students Union club. The Green Service will combine current initiatives with new ones. The focus for the first year of operation will be MSU services and operations with hope to expand the service to a university-based sustainability office over time. "I really think that by strengthening the MSU's commitment to environmental issues we are truly leading by example," says Joanna Ranieri, MSU Environment Committee chair. The Green Service will be responsible for a wide variety of environmental work including composting, environmental audits, events like the Tupperware challenge, Green Games, the Commuter Challenge, a carpooling rideboard, MACycle co-op, lobbying and policy work.

Posted on May 12: Ethics in health care explored at Interdisciplinary Grand Rounds

Ethics in health care education will be investigated at the Program for Faculty Development's Interdisciplinary Grand Rounds on Wednesday, May 14. The session, "Why teach ethics to health care practitioners?" will explore the need and desirability of including ethics in health care education, the intent of offering ethics education in the health care context and a constructive framework for ethics education in health care. Presenters include: Lisa Schwartz, Arnold L. Johnson chair of Health Care Ethics, Department of Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics, will explore what it is we intend by offering ethics education in the health care context Deborah Cook, Canada Research Chair, Critical Care Medicine, Deptartment of Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics, will present evidence of the need and desirability of including ethics in health care education Sue Baptiste, assistant dean, Master of Clinical Health Sciences (OT) Program, will offer a constructive framework for ethics education in health care John Kelton, dean & vice-president of health sciences, will provide opening remarks, followed by an introduction by Susan Denburg, associate dean academic. The session will take place in the Institute for Applied Health Sciences, Auditorium B102 from 4 to 5:30 p.m., followed by a reception.