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Posted on April 30: Board of Governors meeting highlights

Highlights from the April 24 Board of Governors meeting Vision for aboriginal health care Chief Roberta Jamieson of the Six Nations of the Grand River addressed a growing need for first nations health care professionals, at McMaster's Board of Governors meeting. In her presentation, she sought a commitment from McMaster to partner with the 2020 Vision Strategy to increase the number of aboriginal health care professionals. "We want our children to be on track by 2020 to have essential health care jobs," she said, adding the strategy is that by 2020, there will be an additional 40 aboriginal doctors, 60 aboriginal nurses ad 100 other aboriginal health care professionals and technicians. "Chief Jamieson and the Faculty of Health Sciences are on the same page," said Faculty of Health Sciences dean John Kelton, noting the University has an obligation and an opportunity to work with the Six Nations in addressing their health care needs. 'Culture of conversation' McMaster's strategic planning document entitled 'Refining Directions' sees the University as one of the top three Canadian universities in undergraduate and graduate education, said provost Ken Norrie. "In graduate education we are there," he said. "But in undergraduate education ... this is something we need to put some effort into." Refining Directions reinforces the University's "culture of innovation," and encourages and supports a "culture of conversation", he says, adding one of the document's most critical key success factors is securing adequate revenue. Three open sessions are scheduled over the next two weeks for employees to learn more about the draft Refining Directions report and provide their input. The sessions are scheduled for: Wednesday, April 30 3:30-4:30, GH-111 Friday, May 2 10-11 a.m., DTC-214, 215, 216 Friday, May 9 9-10 a.m., PC-155 The Refining Directions document can be viewed online at http://www.mcmaster.ca/pres/refining.html. The final report will be presented to the Board of Governors for approval in June. "We hope that each member of the McMaster family will be able to look at this and see themselves in this document," said McMaster President Peter George. "We hope you will find the Refining Directions document challenging, stimulating and encouraging." Vintage restoration Alumni Memorial Hall will undergo approximately $1.6 million in renovations and building upgrades that conforms to current building codes, is accessible to persons with disabilities and provides an appropriate setting for a showcase dining and function facility. "As with other buildings of this vintage, it is in need of upgrading and an opportunity has arisen through a financial partnership with the University Club to perform several improvements," says Physical Plant director Tony Cupido in a report to the Planning and Building Committee. "These proposed improvements include washroom upgrades, elevator and other accessibility improvements, kitchen upgrades and cosmetic features." The 53-year-old facility is designated an historic building on campus and mainly occupied by the University Club, with the remaining space currently occupied by University Advancement staff. Hamilton on display Commonwealth Games Federation members from around the world, including Africa, Asia, the Pacific shores and the Caribbean, will visit Hamilton between June and September. Delegates will be presented Hamilton's bid book, a 40-page document that represents the City of Hamilton's commitment to vie for the honour of host city of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, said Roger Trull, vice-president of University Advancement, to the Board. Hamilton, which hosted and launched the first-ever British Empire Games now the Commonwealth Games in 1930, is competing against New Delhi, which has never hosted the Games. A decision will be announced Nov. 13, 2003.

Posted on April 30: Indigenous Studies helps preserve botanical legacy

McMaster's Indigenous Studies Program is partnering with Ontario's Royal Botanical Gardens and Six Nations Polytechnic in an effort to preserve the botanical legacy of the Six Nations people. The one-year Community Leader in Indigenous Ethnobotany project enables a Six Nations member to train, research and document information on the knowledge and uses of plants by indigenous peoples. The three partners, in collaboration with the Six Nations community, will provide assistance and expertise. The Museums Assistance Program of the Federal Department of Canadian Heritage has invested funds to support the work. This project advances Six Nations' goals to address the imminent loss of current and historical knowledge about culturally significant plants, and to develop a leader who can keep this knowledge alive. It will also advance Royal Botanical Gardens' goals to document and conserve plant habitat and species at risk. Leading the project is Pat Hess, a Cayuga from the Six Nations of the Grand River Reserve. She is enrolled in Honours Anthropology at McMaster University, where she also has a Minor in Indigenous Studies. "It is my dream in some small way to be able to help my community; I believe that this is definitely going to be a community-inclusive effort to restore and archive our knowledge for the youth and future generations," she said. Dawn Martin-Hill, director of Indigenous Studies at McMaster University, said the program is a component of the Six Nations community's efforts to preserve indigenous knowledge. "This relationship will benefit our community by identifying and documenting plant life that is vulnerable or extirpated at Six Nations," she said. Royal Botanical Gardens promotes public understanding of the relationship between humanity and nature. Gardens staff will assist with documenting the status of key plant species on the Six Nations reserve, and develop habitat conservation strategies. Cultural information about the plants, such as their various medicinal uses, will be curated by Ms. Hess and will be archived at Six Nations. "All project content will be controlled through extensive community consultations, which will determine ways in which the indigenous knowledge will be stored and preserved," explained Martin-Hill. "We are thankful for Royal Botanical Gardens' support and commitment and we're pleased that Pat Hess has agreed to take on this endeavour of conservation."

Posted on April 30: Human sciences researchers receive more than $1.3 million in peer-reviewed competition

McMaster social scientists and humanities researchers have received more than $1.3 million to study topics such as the cultural politics of computer game playing, restructuring of the police and prison guard systems and the workplace and mental health. The 14 standard research grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada support research in broad areas such as the Canadian family, the new economy, globalization, arts and culture, environment and law and justice. The standard research grants, worth up to $250,000 over three years, support investigator-chosen projects by individual researchers and small teams. Researchers at more than 60 universities across Canada were awarded funding through this national peer-review 2003 competition. Three researchers received funding from the Initiative on the New Economy program for separate projects on executive compensation, firm performance and the quality of earnings; living standards, productivity growth and economic change and work organization and health in the new economy. The new economy research grants, worth up to $300,000 over three years, support research projects that focus on aspects of the new economy.

Posted on April 29: Occupational Health & Safety Week activities cover range of topics

In the event of a fire, would you know how to properly use a fire extinguisher? Well, if you have any doubts you might want to attend an information session being held at McMaster on May 6 as part of North American Occupational Health & Safety Week. Risk Management Services has lined up three days chocked full of information sessions and activities aimed at increasing awareness of and information about health and safety issues. The session on "Get a Handle on How to Use a Fire Extinguisher" will be held on Tuesday, May 6 beginning at 9:15 a.m. in the Zone 7 Parking lot. Rob Edge, a fire service technician for physical plant, will lead this hands-on training session. Other information sessions will be held at both McMaster locations on campus and downtown throughout the week. These will include everything from how to set up your computer workstation properly to personal protective equipment to investigating an accident. "This is an opportunity for all members of the McMaster community to raise their own personal awareness about health and safety, to keep our environment and the campus safe, and to also have some fun in the process," says Lisa Morine, safety officer, Risk Management Services. To view the complete list of activities planned at McMaster for North American Occupational Health & Safety Week, May 5 to 9, click here.

Posted on April 29: McMaster mails early offers of admission

As of last week, McMaster sent out approximately 9,100 early offers of admission. McMaster received about 44,000 applications from registered Ontario secondary school students, many of whom applied to more than one McMaster program. The Enrolment Management Team is releasing its offers of admission in two rounds. The first round, scheduled to be in the mail by April 30, were sent out one week early. Other institutions, such as The University of Western Ontario and the University of Guelph, also sent out offers earlier than anticipated, said President Peter George to the Board of Governors last week. The second round of offers will be sent out May 30. "Owing to the very large number of applications, the ongoing Enrolment Target Agreement negotiations with the government and the overall challenges associated with secondary school reform, we have elected to make the majority of our offers in round two," says University registrar George Granger. "This will give us the benefits of additional grade data and other analysis which contribute to the prudent selection of competitive admission averages. Our goal is to hit our target enrolment as closely as possible." Current estimates suggest the total number of offers will exceed 19,000 by early June.

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Posted on April 30: Board of Governors meeting highlights

Posted on April 30: Indigenous Studies helps preserve botanical legacy

Posted on April 30: Human sciences researchers receive more than $1.3 million in peer-reviewed competition

Posted on April 29: Occupational Health & Safety Week activities cover range of topics

Posted on April 29: McMaster mails early offers of admission

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