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posted on May 15: Health Sciences Library celebrates 30 Years

When you first walk into the Health Sciences Library, you're struck by its modern design and the abundance of space and light. The library is a bright and welcoming facility, thanks in part to the original plan by the architectural firm of Craig, Zeidler & Strong - the same firm that designed the Toronto Eaton Centre - who first designed their plan for the library some thirty years ago. The first Health Sciences Library at McMaster was a far cry from the facility that exists today. Beatrix Robinow, Health Sciences first librarian, was appointed in October 1966 to work from a small area in the embryonic medical school quarters in Gilmour Hall. The library offices later moved to a small room on the third floor of Gilmour Hall , formerly occupied by the School of Music. The previous tenants left behind a few bookshelves, which Robinow welcomed, as well as a piano. For the next five years, the small staff worked to plan both the physical space and the collection for the new library. Although the McMaster University Medical Centre did not officially open until May 27, 1972, several health sciences faculty were appointed in the five year period before the building was complete. Many brought with them ongoing research projects and an immediate demand for library resources. As a result, homes were found for the newly acquired library materials so as to make them available to the McMaster community. By August 1971, 30,000 volumes were scattered across 7 different areas in 5 different buildings, including Gilmour Hall, McKay Hall, Convocation Hall, Mills Memorial Library and the science library in the School of Nursing. Several of the hospital libraries throughout the city also helped store the collection. Finally, moving day arrived and all the books and journals were gathered and delivered to the library in the new Medical Centre at McMaster. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the shelving--it arrived 5 months later.

McMaster student honoured as outstanding volunteer

Tara Sullivan, a master of science student at McMaster University, has been awarded an honourable mention for Let's Talk Science's national volunteer award. She received the Annual Partnership Program National Volunteer Award for her outstanding dedication to supporting science education in Canada. Sullivan was featured in today's Hamilton Spectator.

posted May 14: Spring Convocation features 3,000 graduands, 16 honorary degree recipients

The annual ritual of Spring Convocation begins tonight with graduands from Divinity College receiving their degrees at a ceremony in Convocation Hall. About 3,000 McMaster University students will receive degrees during Convocation ceremonies taking place today (May 14), May 17 for Health Sciences and June 5 to 7 for graduands from the Faculties of Humanities, Social Sciences, Engineering and Science, Business and the Arts & Science Program. (All ceremonies, except Divinity College Convocation, take place at Hamilton Place.) President's Awards for student leadership and excellence in teaching will also be presented at the various Convocations. As well, 16 individuals who have made outstanding contributions to their fields of expertise and areas of interest will receive honorary degrees from the University (* denotes Convocation speaker or performer). The honorary degree recipients are: Divinity College Convocation (May 14) - Pastor Joao Samuel Matwawana, Doctor of Divinity; Biblical translator Eugene Nida, Doctor of Letters* Health Sciences Convocation (May 17) - Nursing professor emeritus Susan French, Doctor of Science*; Arnold Livingstone Johnson, Doctor of Science, Canadian cardiology pioneeer Business Convocation (June 5) - Calvin Stiller, Doctor of Laws, physician, scientist and entrepreneur; Executive development expert Henry Mintzberg, Doctor of Laws* Humanities, Arts & Science Program (June 5) - Tenor Richard Margison, Doctor of Letters*; Philanthropist Neil McArthur, Doctor of Laws Social Sciences Convocation (June 6) - Anthropologist and film maker Hugh Brody, Doctor of Laws*; Enrico Henry Mancinelli, Doctor of Laws, labour leader and community supporter Social Sciences Convocation (June 6) - Hamilton entrepreneur Ethilda (Tilly) Johnson, Doctor of Laws; Roger Neilson, Doctor of Laws, Ottawa Senators assistant coach Engineering Convocation (June 7) - Former McMaster provost and vice-president academic, civil engineering professor emeritus Arthur Heidebrecht, Doctor of Science; Chemical engineering expert George Stephanopoulos, Doctor of Science* Science Convocation (June 7) - Investment entrepreneur Stephen Jarislowsky, Doctor of Laws*; Leslie King, Doctor of Laws, former McMaster vice-president academic and geography professor emeritus. (End of story)

posted on May 14: Divinity graduands convoke this evening

Thirty graduands of Divinity College will receive degrees and certificates this evening at the college's Spring Convocation. Degrees to be conferred at the 8 p.m. ceremony in Convocation Hall are: doctor of ministry (3), master of theology (3), master of divinity (8), master of religious education (4), and master of theological studies (10). Certificates for Christian studies and parish nurse will also be presented. This year Divinity is awarding honorary degrees to pastor Joao Samuel Matwawana and biblical translator Eugene Nida. Nida will deliver the Convocation address. Eugene Nida Doctor of Letters Rev. Nida has enjoyed a long and influential career as a biblical translator and a theorist in biblical translation. He received an MA in Greek at the University of Southern California (1939) and a PhD in linguistics and anthropology at the University of Michigan (1941). For most of his working career, he was employed by the American Bible Society, acting for many years as the society's executive secretary for translation. He is the author of two classic works in the field of translation theory, Toward a Science of Translating (1964), and The Theory and Practice of Translation (with co-author C.R. Taber, 1974). Both books span the fields of translation theory and practice, anthropology, linguistics, semantics and the Bible. Nida postulated the theory of dynamic or functional equivalence translation that focuses on the meaning rather than the literal wording of a text. He will also be remembered for his association with The Good News Bible - an innovative and controversial (at the time) translation of the Bible into contemporary English. Born in the United States in 1914, Rev. Nida currently resides in Belgium where he continues to conduct research and to write. Joao Samuel Matwawana Doctor of Divinity Following graduation from Acadia University with a master of divinity, Rev. Joao Matwawana served in a variety of pastoral ministries in Canada and abroad. From 1967 to 1975, he was chaplain and deputy superintendent at the IMB Hospital in Kimpese, Zaire, offering spiritual guidance to both to patients and staff. For three years (1975-77), he was a co-ordinator with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Zaire, helping to co-ordinate relief services for Angolan refugees. After serving as pastor at the Lockeport United Baptist Church in Lockeport, Nova Scotia, in the early 1980s, Rev. Matwawana spent nearly 10 years as the prison chaplain at the institution in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia. Most recently, he has worked as a trainer/facilitator with the Canadian Baptists Ministries for the Congo/Rwanda/Kenya region, training clergy and tribal leaders in conflict management, mediation and reconciliation. Fluent in six languages, Rev. Matwawana has extensive knowledge about and understanding of African culture, politics and economics. Note: Photo of Matawana unavailable at press time. (End of story)

posted on May 13: New temporary classroom coming to campus

This fall, there will be a new classroom structure located on campus, capable of accommodating more than 300 students. The University has been full of construction activity in response to continued enrolment increases and the double cohort in 2003. Those familiar with the full slate of construction projects currently underway might wonder how it's possible to have a new building ready for September when there's no apparent construction underway, no footprint for this new structure. This is because the university has committed to the installation of a temporary classroom, a 50 ft. by 100 ft. (15.25m. by 30.5m.) pre-engineered steel structure that can be assembled in a matter of weeks. The structure, designed by Arch Plus Steel Buildings (a Canadian engineering design firm), is self-supporting and features a clear span construction, which eliminates the need for trusses and posts, making it less labour intensive to construct. The decision to commit to the temporary classroom arose from a report entitled Classroom Needs for 2002 and Beyond (January 2002), which addressed enrolment planning needs to accommodate growth in the next few years. "The study was originally commissioned to determine the University's classroom needs for the double cohort in 2003. However, it was apparent from the report, that as early as September 2002, our enrollment would not be accomodated by our current classrooms," says Fred Hall, associate vice-president, academic. There were several locations under consideration as possible sites for the temporary classroom, including: the tennis court area; in Zone 2 parking south of the tennis courts; between the Institute for Applied Health Sciences and the Information Technology Building; and in the Zone 4 parking lot. Each location was analyzed for both its positive and negative potential impact on the McMaster community. The temporary structure had to be located in an area that would best serve the needs of students and the University and accounted for the flow of student traffic. The current recommendation is to locate the temporary classroom on the southeast tennis court (west of the Ivor Wynne Centre), a location central to campus that will provide the most practical and functional solution to meet McMaster's teaching needs. Installation of the temporary classroom will commence in the next month, with an estimated completion for September 2002. The pre-engineered structure has an estimated total cost of $480,000. The installlation of the temporary classroom was approved on the understanding that it will be used only until the lecture theatres in the new Health Sciences expansion are available. (End of story)

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posted on May 15: Health Sciences Library celebrates 30 Years

McMaster student honoured as outstanding volunteer

posted May 14: Spring Convocation features 3,000 graduands, 16 honorary degree recipients

posted on May 14: Divinity graduands convoke this evening

posted on May 13: New temporary classroom coming to campus

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