Daily News

posted on Jan. 2: New provost takes up duties today

Ken Norrie, Prairie-born and Alberta raised, today begins his post as McMaster's provost and vice-president academic. Norrie's five-year appointment officially began Jan. 1. Born in Saskatoon, Norrie, 55, was educated at the University of Saskatchewan where he obtained an honours degree in economics in 1967. He completed his master's and PhD at Yale University, graduating in 1971. His dissertation was titled The Canadian National Policy and the Wheat Economy. Norrie said he expects to continue broadening his knowledge, learning about disciplines in engineering, science and health sciences in his new role. "That's what I'm really looking forward to," he said. Norrie said he was attracted to McMaster's "notion of a planning culture," its commitment to an academic plan, mission and vision and the integration of teaching and research and emphasis on interdisciplinary work. The challenges of his new position are easy to list, he said. "This is a whole new environment, a new university, a new culture and a new government to work with," he said.

posted on Dec. 20: First recipient of new staff award in Faculty of Engineering honoured

Faculty and staff in the Faculty of Engineering yesterday celebrated the awarding of the new Veronicka Czerneda Staff Award for Outstanding Service. Dean Mo Elbestawi announced that the inaugural recipient is Anna Sciascetti, administrative assistant in the dean's office. Sciascetti has been a full-time employee for the past 12 years. The staff award was formerly launched last spring by former engineering dean Mamdouh Shoukri, in memory of Veronika Czerneda, administrative co-ordinator in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering, who died in July 2000. Engineering faculty spearheaded a fundraising campaign to create an endowment for a staff award that would be given in honour of Czerneda's many years of service. The award is to go to a staff member who made an outstanding contribution to the Faculty. Three of the eight nominations received this year nominated Sciascetti. As well as a framed citation, Sciascetti received $500 from the interest earned on a $10,000 endowment fund established from the fundraising campaign. Eighty-four donors, including alumni, faculty, staff, family and friends, contributed to the endowment fund. Sciascetti's 14 nominators wanted her to know her work and her approach to the job are highly valued. "We see it only fitting to honour Anna in this very special way and to send a message to her that her efforts have definitely not gone unnoticed," one nominating letter said. A second letter noted, "Anna is blessed with an exceptionally cheerful disposition and it's always uplifting to pass her in the hallways as she goes about her responsibilities." Award Winner: Anna Sciascetti and Phil Czerneda hold the plaque marking the new Veronicka Czerneda Staff Award for Outstanding Service. Photo by Barb Owen (End of story)

posted on Dec. 19: Upgraded classrooms enhance multimedia programs

They are the "smart" classrooms of today created with the perspective of the past and a vision for the future. The Charles P. Fell multimedia classrooms on the second floor of Togo Salmon Hall are equipped with the latest in computers and digital technology that has put the Faculty of Humanities' multimedia program in a league of its own. The classrooms' retrofitting was funded by a gift from Tony Fell, vice-chair of McMaster's successful Changing Tomorrow Today campaign. Fell is the chair and chief executive officer of RBC Dominion Securities. The teaching rooms are named in memory of his father, Charles, a 1917 graduate of the University when it was based in Toronto. Fell's brother, Fraser, who attended the official opening of the classrooms earlier this year on behalf of the Fell family, noted Charles Fell always had an interest in the visual arts and the University itself. Charles Fell served on McMaster's Board of Governors for 34 years and was University Chancellor from 1960-65. Fraser Fell said his father had a keen interest in new technology development, saw McMaster acquire its nuclear reactor and was fascinated with the development of television in his day. "He would be quite ecstatic to see what are in these classrooms today," Fraser Fell said at the opening ceremony. Andrew Mactavish, assistant professor of multimedia in the School of the Arts, noted that the outfitting of the state-of-the-art teaching rooms has ensured that McMaster "now boasts the largest university program in multimedia in Canada. Other universities are following in McMaster's footsteps, but it is McMaster University that is leading the way in this new and exciting area of humanities instruction and research." Mactavish said the classrooms also represent the Faculty's foresight in embracing new directions in humanities education. "Facilities like these allow us to provide students a unique opportunity to blend the critical traditions of the humanities with the technical elements of new digital communications," he said. High-Tech Learning: (Top photo) Students Deborah McIvor (seated) and Houmed Arjomand and Fraser Fell, representing the Fell family, check out the equipment in one of the newly-equipped Charles P. Fell multimedia classrooms. (Bottom photo) Charles P. Fell. Photo by Shelly Easton (End of story)