Daily News

$256,700 awarded for 11 projects that fit with new Academic Plan

Two projects that involve the creation of Web-based educational tools and further the inquiry- and problem-based learning objectives of the University are among 11 McMaster projects that have received funding this year from a special academic priorities fund. The University Library will receive support for its digital online tutorial project, DOT@MAC, a high-quality, online skills tutorial that will enable students in all disciplines to enhance their information-literacy skills and to do so at their own pace. The Library project is aimed at addressing the increasing emphasis on inquiry-based learning and an increasing tendency for students to access resources remotely. A prototype of the tutorial will be available this fall. The second project, submitted by John Lavis, Department of Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics, calls for the development of a Web-based searchable database and a resource library to support students and faculty associated with the Bachelor of Health Sciences Program, and the development of new and revised curricula for the program. The new curricula will include the development of a third-year course in population health and a fourth-year course in health-policy analysis. The two projects received funding from a one-time, $300,000 academic priorities fund announced in February by University Provost Harvey Weingarten.

McMaster hosts largest joint meeting of Canadian mathematical societies

This week several hundred students and scholars will gather at McMaster University for a "Math 2000" extravaganza, the largest joint meeting ever of mathematical societies in Canada. In an effort to promote the public image of mathematics as a key to social and economic development, UNESCO has declared 2000 as World Mathematical Year. The McMaster gathering of mathematicians is one of several math events taking place around the world. Activities at McMaster, which commenced on Tuesday, June 6 with the Canadian Undergraduate Student Conference, and continue through Tuesday, June 13, will bring together more than 250 international scholars from around the world to discuss the latest in mathematical theory, history, philosophy, education, finance, technology and biology.

Work teams recommend better communication, more staff participation

Recommendations contained in four staff work team reports focus on enhancing the work environment at McMaster through better communication and more staff participation. The work teams, established to respond to the 1998-99 Reacon Staff Survey, looked at four areas of concern as documented in the survey: communication, staff involvement, recognition and development. A total of 48 University employees participated on the committees which began meeting in March. The recommendations were presented to the Leadership Team on May 17. It will review the recommendations with each work team and report to the University community as a whole in two town hall meetings scheduled for June 27 and June 28.