Daily News

Posted on May 5: Ontario universities ready for double cohort students

McMaster University will do its share to accommodate double cohort students who want to attend an Ontario university this fall. The University expects to enroll about 5,100 first-year students in September. McMaster has committed to the Ontario government that 4,330 of the first-year class will be from the Ontario high school system. "McMaster has always been committed to doing our part to ensure the double cohort class is accommodated this fall," said President Peter George. "Our decision on how many students McMaster can accommodate has always been guided by the importance of maintaining a quality education experience. "The Quality Assurance Fund announced in the recent provincial budget will help us to ensure students continue to receive the educational experience they expect. Faculty and staff have worked hard to successfully accommodate increased enrolment this year with the fast-tracker students and we will continue to work together to provide quality education and support services for students." McMaster will be ready to accommodate the additional students with an additional temporary classroom building that will be in place until September 2004 when the new Centre for Learning & Discovery opens. The University recently received $11.3 million in SuperBuild funding from the government for the construction of the building. Dianne Cunningham, minister of training, colleges and universities and presidents of Ontario universities confirmed Friday that plans are in place to accommodate 70,000 Ontario high school graduates at Ontario universities this September. "Beginning with our plan for students in the double cohort, we have clearly put Ontario at the forefront in Canada in building a postsecondary system that will prepare our students fo the opportunities of the 21st century," said Cunningham.

Posted on May 5: Meagan Haney takes over reins of women’s rugby program

McMaster's Department of Athletics and Recreation announced the appointment of Meagan Haney as head coach of the women's rugby team. A graduate of The University of Western Ontario, Haney brings both a strong coaching and playing background to the Marauder Women's Rugby program. Haney has coached with the Ontario Women's Under 19 team on three separate occasions (2000, 2002-2003) and has coached at Mentor College in Mississauga since 2001. She has also coached at a number of rugby clinics throughout the golden horseshoe. As a player, Haney was a three-time team MVP (1995-97) while at The University of Western Ontario. She has continued to compete at the club level winning numerous provincial and national championship titles since graduating from Western. Haney has also competed as a member of the Canadian Senior Women's National team since 1999 having participated in such events as the Tri-Nations Tournament in New Zealand and the CanAm event in Saranac Lake, New York. In addition to her involvement with amateur rugby, Haney volunteers with a number of charitable organizations such as Special Olympics Canada. Manager of athletics Tim Louks commented, "We are very excited Meagan has accepted the position of our women's rugby program. She is a great choice to build on what has been done in the past and to move the program ahead immediately. We believe that this program can be a CIS contender with dedication, energy and patience. Meagan Haney will bring all that and more to the program." Haney is currently employed at Mentor College as a teacher and rugby coach. She currently resides in Burlington.

Posted on May 2: McMaster leads first study to track West Nile virus in Canada

McMaster researchers are partnering with the Ontario government to conduct the first Canadian study that will help protect the public from West Nile virus. Tony Clement, Ontario minister of health and long-term care and Colin D'Cunha, Ontario commissioner of public health were at McMaster today to announce the study that will determine the extent of community exposure to West Nile virus, in an area of Halton Region where the virus was known to be prevalent last summer. About 1,500 people are involved in the study, conducted by McMaster's medical geographers John Eyles and Susan Elliott and Mark Loeb, an infectious diseases specialist. This is the first study in Canada to track the prevalence of West Nile virus. Their study, conducted through the McMaster Institute of Environment and Health, is focused on residents of southern Oakville, who had the highest rates of confirmed cases in Canada last year. The objective is to gather information on how many people were infected by the virus last summer but did not exhibit serious symptoms of the illness. Participants have already been surveyed about their attitudes and behaviours toward the virus, and a blood sample will be taken to determine if there is a presence of the West Nile virus antibody. Blood sample collections will be completed in early May and results of the tests will be completed by mid-June and made available to the people who participated in the study. The announcement is part of the government's new seven-point action plan to combat West Nile virus, in which they are investing $100 million over five years.

Posted on May 2: Student groups create circle of compassion

During politically unstable times, differences in faith can create diverse opinions. But at McMaster, these differences brought McMaster Students Against the Occupation, the Jewish Student Association and the Peace Village closer together. These groups met recently to exchange dialogue on how to create an inviting climate and a structure where differences of opinion can be shared. Ecumenical chaplain Carol Wood and Hamilton psychiatrist Joanna Santa Barbara, who teaches in McMaster's peace studies program, facilitated the meeting. "Each one of the students involved in this problem has a compassionate heart," says Santa Barbara. "In a dialogue, there is the possibility that each person's "circle of compassion" can grow a little to include those from the other identity group." Initially, she hopes guidelines will be established so that identity-based groups on campus can act with consideration for the feelings of other groups. "We want a campus where everyone feels respected, included and safe." Creating guidelines for respectful interaction between groups, seeking discussion without tension, creating a new group that could serve as an intermediary, inviting others to the table, seeking historical experts, establishing a joint group that can help groups deal with differences and establishing a student led group to resolve issues were some of the goals established. "The most important idea put forward at the meeting was that despite our political differences, the campus can still be a place of both co-existence and dialogue," says Sina Rahmani, president of the McMaster Students Against the Occupation. "Only through dialogue -- effective dialogue -- can we avoid the creation of an ethnic rift."

Posted on May 1: McMaster cheerleaders crowned Open Series champions

The McMaster University co-ed cheerleading team has been named the Cheerleaders of America (COA) 2003 Grand National Open Series Champion for Co-Ed Divisions 1 and 1A combined. McMaster qualified for the Grand National Championship by placing first in the COA Niagara Falls Open on April 5, 2003. McMaster's score (341.00 out of a possible 400) was then ranked against the top Division 1/1A scores from each of the COA's eight other regional competitions (Alabama, California, Florida, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, and Texas) to determine a Grand National Champion. McMaster also announced a new partnership between the McMaster Co-Ed Cheerleading Team and the National Champion CheerForce Wolfpack from Burlington. For the 2003-2004 season, CheerForce Wolfpack founders, Frank Vurro and Chris Hollingsworth will join Carrie Lillyman as part of the coaching staff at McMaster, replacing Amy Ban and Simone Rose who have retired from coaching at McMaster after long and dedicated careers. The CheerForce Wolfpack will have more than 200 cheerleaders in their organization in 2003, and will provide a development system for the McMaster cheerleading team as well as access to facility space, in their new 5,000-square-foot complex to be opened in June 2003 in Oakville. McMaster placed fourth in the 2002 Canadian University National Championships held November 23, 2002 at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga, Ontario only 26 points (out of 600) behind the National Champions from The University of Western Ontario.