Daily News

posted on June 13: Summer Drama Festival’s tenth season continues this week

The stages are set and the actors are ready to present two very different comedies, marking the tenth anniversary of the McMaster Summer Drama Festival. This year's productions begin tonight (June 13) when the student-run theatre company presents William Shakespeare's romantic comedy Much Ado About Nothing in the Faculty Hollow beginning at 7:30 p.m. Later this week, the contemporary play Bag Babies, by Toronto playwright Allan Stratton, will be staged in Robinson Memorial Theatre. (Complete times and dates appear at the end of this story). The plays were chosen to appeal to the community, says Megha Uttangi, who chairs the festival and directs Much Ado About Nothing. "This company is all about McMaster students giving back to the community." The plays are appropriate for all ages, says Uttangi, and she encourages people to bring blankets and a picnic when they come to the Faculty Hollow for the Shakespearean comedy. The Faculty Hollow is outside, beside the Alumni Memorial Hall. "Doing Shakespeare outside is wonderful in the summer," says Uttangi. If it rains, the play will continue in the Robinson Memorial Theatre. The company is made up of students from different Faculties. "The festival gives students who were too busy during the academic year the chance to do theatre," says Uttangi. Alana McCord and A.J. Haygarth star as the sparring lovers Beatrice and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing. Krista MacIsaac directs Bag Babies, a fast-paced farce starring Len Cain as George, a certifiable con-artist in search of his fortune. The festival is non-profit and the students are all volunteers. Local theatres have helped provide the sets and costumes, says Uttangi. Much Ado About Nothing Where: Outside in the Faculty Hollow Curtain time: 7:30 p.m. Dates: June 13, 15, 21 and 23. Bag Babies Where: Robinson Memorial Theatre Curtain time: 7:30 p.m. Dates: June 16, 20, 22 Admission: Pay what you can. (Photo: School of the Arts Web site)

posted on June 13: 157 McMaster commuters participate in national challenge

A total of 157 people at McMaster registered their commitment to keeping our air clean by participating in the National Commuter Challenge held in Hamilton and across Canada on Wednesday, June 6. That's almost four times the number of McMaster staff, students and faculty who participated in the Clean Air Day last year. The participants elected to travel to and from campus using their feet, their bicycles and public transportation in a bid to help reduce the smog in Hamilton and raise awareness about what can be done to keep our air clean. Based on the registrations submitted, the most popular methods of transportation for McMaster commuters were biking (57) and walking (54). Thirty-one people elected to take the bus, eight chose to carpool(two or more people), six strapped on inline skates and one jogged the distance. "Bicycling to work was the most popular mode of transportation chosen by faculty, staff and students at McMaster who signed up for the event," says Sarah Robinson, who helped to co-ordinate the event at McMaster. Robinson, a fourth-year kinesiology student, is working as a summer student in the office of the University Planner and is conducting research on environmental policy and issues at McMaster. McMaster's total will be combined with others in Hamilton who registered online with the city and who participated in team challenges across the city. Jennifer Dawson, air quality project co-ordinator, Green Venture, reports some 55 organizations in Hamilton registered to participate in the event, part of National Environment Week (June 3-9). The total number of participants in the Hamilton Commuter Challenge is still being tallied. "McMaster's participation rate quadrupled this year," Dawson reported, "which will give a big boost to our bid for the National Commuter Challenge crown. Thanks Mac!" (End of story)

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)