Daily News

Posted on April 24: McMaster unveils Web content management system

Phase II of McMaster's Web site is ready to roll, says Peter Sutherland, dean of science and co-chair of the Web implementation committee. "This phase includes the installation of a content management system (CMS) to help manage Web content most efficiently," he says. "The launch of the CMS to the campus community will begin by the end of April. The new system will make it faster and easier for departments and faculties to keep their Web content current." Phase I of McMaster's Web site update was rolled out last September and included the redesign of the University's homepage and production of templates and a style guide. Since then, many faculty and department sites have been updated using the new tools providing a consistent structure and navigation, and making it easier for users to find the information they're looking for. A content management system allows a Web site to be maintained efficiently and keep the content current.

Posted on April 24: Students begin move out of residence

More than 2,600 students will move out of residence April 24 to 29, with almost 1,100 of these moving out Tuesday, April 29. It will be busy on the roadways near the residences in both the north and west quads, particularly during the peak periods between 3 - 7 p.m. University staff who travel the roadway and/or park in zone 2 opposite McKay Hall, the Commons Building and Woodstock Hall will find this area particularly busy over the next few days. To avoid the bustle of cars pulling in and out of the parking spots and the general increase in pedestrian and vehicular traffic in this area, staff are encouraged to park in zone 2 south of the tennis courts for the next few days. Attendants wearing safety vests will be working shifts in both the north and west quads starting Tuesday, April 22. These student attendants will ensure that visiting cars do not block roadways, fire lanes or pedestrian walkways. Pedestrians in the west quad should note that cars will be allowed to drive to Moulton, Matthews and Wallingford Halls along the emergency roadway north and east of Mary Keyes Residence to stop in designated areas to load students and their belongings. Again, student attendants will ensure that cars move safely in one direction only and do not block access for emergency vehicles. Parking and Security Services have assisted in the preparation of the move-out plan to ensure the residence move-out runs smoothly.

Posted on April 24: New physician group practice announced at McMaster

Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Tony Clement made a stop at McMaster Wednesday to announce the establishment of a new model of physician group practice. Called Family Health Group, the model will provide new opportunities for physicians to participate in primary care renewal and will assist in the recruitment and retention of physicians in the province. In the program, which will be offered starting in July through the Ontario Family Health Network Agency, physicians will have the option of forming FHGs consisting of a minimum of three doctors. The program will enhance doctor-patient relationships by placing an emphasis on prevention, in a setting with extended hours, resulting in more flexible access to care. Cheryl Levitt, chair of Family Medicine at McMaster, presents Minister Tony Clement with a stethoscope at yesterday's announcement. Photo credit: Chantall Van Raay

Posted on April 23: IBM Challenge brings out animal instincts

A dog, a mythological creature and an eagle have what it takes to impress IBM. The Rottweiler Reactor Sentry was the winning project in the third annual IBM challenge. Second place went to Cerberus Satefy System and an honorable mention was awarded to Eagle Eyes Monitoring System. Software engineering students in their senior thesis course competed in the challenge by building a monitoring system for the McMaster Nuclear Reactor. "The winning teams in particular did an excellent job of applying their software engineering education towards building a functional and reliable system," says Spencer Smith, assistant professor of computing and software, who is in his first year of teaching the thesis course. In the course, teams of students design and document a software system. Teams consider the entire software development cycle, from elicitation of requirements to design to implementation and testing. The designs take into account economic, health, safety, legal and marketing factors.

Posted on April 23: Scholarships send students abroad

Eleven students will enhance their educational experience with travel abroad thanks to the Student Financial Aid & Scholarship office. The winners of this year's travel scholarships are: A.G. Alexander Scholarships: Agnes Magdziak, Level III Humanities; Emily Robb, Level III Humanities; Jenna Wells, Level II Humanities Beale-Lincoln-Hall Travel Scholarship: Monica Karski, Level II Humanities; Lam Erin Siu, Level II Humanities Class of '37 Travel Scholarship in Arts & Science: Jessica Shearer, Level II Arts & Science Joan Jackson Dunbar Travel Scholarship: Lisa Devries, Level III Humanities John P. Evans Travel Scholarship: Jesse DiCecca: Level III Humanities E. T. Salmon Travel Scholarship: Joelle Lardi, Level III Humanities T. Russell Wilkins Memorial Scholarship: Phedias Diamandis, Level III Health Sciences; Linda Taggart, Level IV Science The scholarships assist students in travelling and studying abroad.