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posted on June 7: Mediation, arbitration phases completed

It's all over but the waiting. Negotiators for the University and the McMaster University Staff Association (MUSA) have completed three days of scheduled talks with mediator/arbitrator George Adams and are now awaiting his decision on a final award. "The arbitration process is completed and (Mr.) George Adams has reserved judgment and that's about all we know," says MUSA president Barry Diacon. "We have completed the mediation and arbitration phases and Mr. Adams is now aware of all the issues and thoughts of the parties. He will be working on an award which we expect will be issued no later than July 31," says Mark Haley, assistant vice-president human resources. The parties began meeting at 10 a.m. Monday (June 4) and concluded at 3 a.m. this morning (Thursday, June 7), breaking for only a total of nine hours.

posted on June 8: Students applaud professor’s development of self-thinkers

McMaster professor Richard Butler will receive an Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations' (OCUFA) Teaching Award for his "tireless passion for teaching and for teaching about learning" at an awards ceremony today (June 8) in Toronto. A professor in the Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine, Butler teaches medical, nursing, occupational therapy and physiotherapy and science students. "His enthusiasm for and considerable knowledge about the inter-relationships between the disciplines of anatomy and physiology is an integral part of what makes him an excellent teacher," says the OCUFA citation. "Professor Butler's teaching philosophy stresses the students' need to learn how to think, how to think critically, and how to communicate ideas," says OCUFA. "We are proud to honour Professor Richard Butler with a well-deserved OCUFA Teaching Award." Butler has already received four MSU Teaching Awards for the Faculty of Science and was the overall MSU winner for the University in 1990. In 2000 he received the Teaching Excellence Award from the Faculty of Health Sciences and the President's Award for Excellence in Instruction. The OCUFA citation quotes McMaster students who say: "Dr. Butler does not lecture, he makes you think. . .I had no idea that in my fourth year of university, that such a drastic improvement could be made to the way I process thought. Dr. Butler gave us ownership over our education." Another student is quoted as saying: "His time and efforts were well invested He helped develop us into self-thinkers, problem solvers not fearful of unanswered questions but rather excited and intrigued by them. . .the result will have a profound impact on whatever realm of society or science we should choose to apply it to." OCUFA president Henry Jacek, a professor of political science at McMaster, said "The recipients of the teaching awards are people who make a difference both to their profession, and in the lives of their students by ensuring the best in course development, instruction, and research." OCUFA represents 11,000 university professors and academic librarians from across Ontario. (End of story)

posted on June 6: University of Sharjah graduates first class with McMaster’s help

Today is an historic occasion for the University of Sharjah as it holds its first graduation ceremonies, due in part to the teaching and guidance . . .

posted on June 6: Message in a copper tube?

Construction workers struck copper at Gilmour Hall recently when they took down the building's brick fagade. They found a time capsule lodged behind the date stone that marks the dedication of the building in 1959. It turns out that this particular time capsule -- a 30.5 centimetre- (12 inches) long tarnished copper tube that is soldered shut at both ends -- was actually discovered about seven years ago when the building's date stone was moved farther north on the wall when the wheelchair elevator was installed. Physical plant associate director John Farrell, who is overseeing construction of the new McMaster University Student Centre (MUSC), said because of the previous discovery, construction workers working on MUSC and work associated with that were on the lookout for the copper tube. "I was surprised when we pulled it out of the wall seven years ago when we were moving the date stone," he said. "We had no idea it was there. There is no organized way of recording where there are time capsules. One of the things we should be doing is establishing procedures for time capsules." The workers who found the tube called Kim Davison, MUSC administrative director, so it could be safely stored while the building's fagade is refurbished. She was intrigued by the discovery. "It's an interesting mystery," said Davison. The Daily News has made several inquiries to determine the history behind the Gilmour Hall time capsule. So far, no one, including retired history professor Charles Johnston who has written two books about the University's history, knows how the time capsule originally ended up behind the building's date stone. What do you think should happen to the Gilmour Hall time capsule? Send an e-mail to the daily@mcmaster.ca and tell us what should happen. We'll publish a report on your feedback in the coming days. McMaster Memories: Kim Davison, administrative director of the McMaster University Student Centre, holds the copper time capsule recovered behind the Gilmour Hall date stone. Photo: Shelly Easton

posted on June 6: University Planning Committee teaching staff election continues to Thursday

The Board of Governors is holding an online election to fill three teaching staff positions on the University Planning Committee. The online election began June 6 and continues until 4:30 p.m. Thursday, June 14. Two teaching staff members will serve three-year terms from July 1 until June 30, 2004. One will serve from July 1 until June 30, 2002 to complete the term of a member who is resigning in order to go on research leave. The nominated members are: Virginia Aksan, Department of History David Andrews, Department of Biochemistry A. Leslie Robb, Department of Economics Eric Sawyer, Department of Mathematics & Statistics The two candidates who garner the most votes will fill the three-year terms and the third-place candidate will take over the term vacated by the Board member going on research leave. The risumis, prepared by the candidates, may be viewed at the Board of Governors election Web site at http://www.mcmaster.ca/bog/elections. Voters can choose one of two options to cast their votes: If you have a personal identification number issued by the Human Resources department, you may use it for election purposes. This is the same PIN you use on the Web for viewing/updating your address information and gaining access to the CIS Software Depot. If you do not have a PIN, send an e-mail to pinreset@mcmaster.ca: be sure to include your employee ID number, surname, given names, birth date (month, day, year). If you do not have access to e-mail, you may go to the Department of Human Resources (Room 304, Gilmour Hall). Please note: it may take you a few days to receive a PIN, depending upon the number of requests being processed by the Human Resources department. You will be able to cast a ballot simply by entering the following information at the time of the election: your McMaster employee number, your surname and your date of birth. Eligible voters who do not have access to the Web site may come to the Board of Governors office (Room 115, University Hall), between 9 a.m. and 12 noon and between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., during the election period. (End of story)

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posted on June 7: Mediation, arbitration phases completed

posted on June 8: Students applaud professor’s development of self-thinkers

posted on June 6: University of Sharjah graduates first class with McMaster’s help

posted on June 6: Message in a copper tube?

posted on June 6: University Planning Committee teaching staff election continues to Thursday

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