posted on Sept. 7: McMaster’s first jazz concert series kicks off tonight

You could say we're a hotbed of jazz. Not that there's anything evil about the Ladies of Jazz series that kicks off tonight with vocalist Salome Bey performing at the duMaurier Ltd. Centre in downtown Hamilton beginning at 8 p.m. (Some tickets are available.) Wicked, maybe. Wicked sound will be the order of the day as each of the four performers -- Bey, Shirley Eikhard, Emilie-Clair Barlow and Jeri Brown -- takes to the stage this fall as part of the first-ever jazz series sponsored by the School of the Arts. The series emerged out of an observation by the school's Rose Riopelle, administrative and concert co-ordinator. "We always knew that the one jazz concert in our annual concert series was enthusiastically received and it would almost always sell out," said Riopelle. "I thought, 'Wouldn't it be nice if we could have a jazz series'." Riopelle then discussed the idea with people at the radio station Wave 94.7 fm Smooth Jazz who were interested in co-sponsoring a series. The Ladies of Jazz series was born. "We think it's wonderful that we can present such prestigious performers," Riopelle said. "We think jazz has a great future and jazz in Hamilton and at McMaster has been very popular." Single tickets are $32 for Salome Bey and $20 for the three remaining concerts. Call ext. 23333 or Wave 94.7 fm at 905-388-08911 for more information. Salome Bey, (jazz vocalist), Sept. 7, duMaurier Ltd. Centre Bey has made her mark as a vocalist, composer and recording artist during the last three decades. She has performed in every type of musical venue, from the Montreux Jazz Festival to Broadway shows and royal command performances. She has made numerous recordings and is a Grammy Award nominee. Shirley Eikhard, (jazz vocalist), Nov. 16, Convocation Hall Eikhard has an international reputation as a songwriter and jazz singer. She has written songs for Anne Murray, Bonnie Raitt, Rita Coolidge and Ginette Reno. As well, she is a writer, composer, producer and arranger who produces most of her own albums. The Barlow Group: Emilie-Clair Barlow, (jazz vocalist), Feb. 1, Convocation Hall Barlow is the vocalist in the Barlow Group and has received outstanding reviews wherever she performs. At 23, she is an established vocalist who is backed by studio veterans such as her father, drummer-percussionist Brian Barlow, formerly a member of the Boss Brass. Jeri Brown, (jazz vocalist), March 15, Convocation Hall Brown combines classic jazz standards with her work as an accomplished lyricist, recitalist, concert soloist and recording artist. A familiar figure in Europe, Brown performs classic selections, including those of Ellington, Gershwin, Legrand and Porter. She has been nominated for an ECMA and a Juno Award.

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posted Sept. 10: Collaborative nursing program sets new course for nursing education

Be they pioneers or guinea pigs, students enrolled in the new Collaborative Bachelor of Science Nursing Program offered jointly by McMaster, Mohawk College and Conestoga College are looking forward to their first year. The McMaster program is the largest collaborative program in the province which fully integrates college and university students through all four years of study. There are now 226 first-year students enrolled in McMaster's BScN program: 68 at the Mohawk site, 36 at the Conestoga site and 100 at the McMaster site who will spend the next four years studying for their Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. Also, under special government funding, an additional 22 students have entered the fast-track BScN program at the McMaster site. It's a degree they'll need come 2005. Under new provincial government and College of Nurses of Ontario regulations, all graduating nurses will need to have a baccalaureate degree in nursing to become licensed to practise as a registered nurse. The three-year diploma program offered by the colleges will be phased out. Photo(left to right): Bill Jeffrey, dean of the school of health sciences and community services, Conestoga College, Daphne Cheung, member of the McMaster University Nursing Society and Amber Wooldridge, BScN nursing student at McMaster-Conestoga, celebrate the launch of the new collaborative nursing program.

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posted on Sept. 6: OSAP interest relief period increased for some recipients

The Ontario government is changing the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) to provide some students in need with additional assistance to manage their repayable student loan debt. "We are committed to providing students with a high quality education through a strengthened and expanded publicly funded postsecondary education system," said Dianne Cunningham, minister of training, colleges and universities. "We believe that students should contribute a reasonable portion of the cost of their postsecondary education, but we recognize that some will need additional assistance as they begin to build their careers." Under the changes, a person who has left school and: has a low-income or is unemployed will be eligible to receive up to 54 months of interest relief under OSAP, up from the current 30 month limit; and who has exhausted his/her interest relief options and is still unable to meet their repayment obligations will have access to an additional one-time reduction in the balance of his/her OSAP to bring the debt to an affordable level. "Our college and university students are vital to Ontario's continued prosperity," Cunningham said. "With an aging population and new occupations, today's students will have tremendous opportunities to pursue their goals." Students in Ontario are required to pay upon graduation only the first $7,000 of their annual OSAP loan under the Ontario Student Opportunity Grant. In 2000-01, the Ontario government spent $578 million to provide financial assistance to 160,000 students through OSAP, including grants, loans, bursaries and scholarships. (End of story)

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posted on Sept. 5: Campus parking will be tight squeeze

Several construction projects mean parking will be at a premium on campus as everyone gears up for the beginning of classes on Thursday. Several parking spaces in Zone 3 have been lost because of construction of the new student residence and at the Arthur Bourns Building. Additional spaces will be lost during the expansion of the E. T. Clarke Centre and the Tandem Accelerator Laboratory. The addition of more than 100 spaces in the Zone 3 annex means that all valid permit holders should be able to find a spot -- just. Parking & Transit Services manager John Abraham said everyone with a valid parking permit should allow extra time to find a spot. "Parking will be very tight," said Abraham. Visitors to the west side of campus will not be permitted in Zone 3. They will be rerouted to Zone 6/7 and can take the shuttle bus or they can go to Zone 1 and walk back. Visitors to the north end of campus will go to Zone 1 to park. Abraham said everyone parking on campus will have to adjust. "The secret is to allow yourself plenty of time to get to your appointment. You may have to spend an extra 15 minutes to get to your destination. Please obey signage and parking control officers." Abraham said undergraduate parking permits for Zones 6/7 were released to anyone who applied before July 31. That means the parking areas are oversold and will be busy, Abraham said. "They will have to allow more time and we will get them parked," he said. Two more lots in Zone 7 won't be completed for the beginning of term so Parking & Transit Services will be using environmentally-friendly paint to mark out parking spaces on the grass and the ball diamond in a bid to ensure the space is well used and as a safety measure. The painting substance will not harm or burn the grass, Abraham said. Visitors may be able to purchase parking on a daily basis, but there may be times when the lots are full and they will be turned away, he added. Abraham said all drivers and pedestrians need to take extra care when travelling on campus this fall as there will be several heavy vehicles and supply trucks travelling on site due to construction projects. "Remember, McMaster is predominately a pedestrian-oriented campus," Abraham said. (End of story)

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