INNIS COLLEGE NEWS

November 22nd marked the informal opening of the Student Activity

Centre. Members of the ICSS, the Innis Herald newspaper, the Cinema

Studies Student Union, and the Urban Studies Student Union mingled

with students in the new Innis Student Organizations office. Across the

hall, students relaxed in the new lounge and chatted over pastries and

punch catered by the Innis Café. Constructed over the summer and

completed in mid-October, the Student Activity Centre is the first in a

wave of development. The official opening of the Student Activity Centre

with Provost Vivek Goel took place on January 24th, 2008.

The reaction from students has been overwhelmingly positive. Students appreciate convenient access to all the

Innis student organizations and a space where they can unwind, meet with friends, use the kitchenette, or work

on their laptops. “I live fifteen minutes away, so it’s really helpful because I come down to campus for class, and

it’s a space to hang out, relax, and prepare for my next lecture when I have short breaks,” said Nathan Elias, a 3rd

year History specialist. “It’s nice to have space at Innis that’s really dedicated to students,” agrees Paul Nandra, a

4th year Physiology specialist who also commutes.

In recognition of the fact that the Internet plays a vital part in today’s student culture, the ICSS has launched a

brand new, user-friendly website, innisicss.com. It is designed to act as a convenient source of information for

students who traditionally do not take classes in the Innis buildings. The website, combined with efforts to

publicize events and programs via the popular social networking website Facebook.com, has resulted in

increased participation in ICSS programs and activities in the first semester. The crowds of mingling students

during both openings of the Student Activity Centre are a testimonial to the success Innis has achieved so far.

It’s an exciting time to be a student at Innis College!

Winter 2008

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Students at theCentre of InnisCollege Life

Innis College and the Innis

College Student Society (ICSS)

have made enhancing the

student experience a top

priority. The new Student

Activity Centre plays an

important part in this ongoing

effort to include more

commuter students in College

life. Scheduling events, such as

seminars and social activities,

at times suited to commuters is

part of that effort.

It’s an exciting

time to be a student

at Innis College!

Innis students (left to right) Kai-Ho Fok, Jae Kim, Webnesh Haile and Regina de los

Santos in the new Student Activity Centre lounge.

“”

Webnesh HaileInnis College Student Society (ICSS)

President

Message from the Principal

Janet M. Paterson

In the past few months, there has been a

great deal of activity at Innis College driven

by our desire to improve the student

experience. A beautiful new Student Centre

has been established thanks to the support

and generosity of the Provost of the

University of Toronto, Professor Vivek Goel.

This new space has inspired the creation of

new activities for students, in particular for

non resident students under the leadership

of Webnesh Haile, President of the Innis

College Student Society.

New attractive space was also created for

students in our new MA Program in Cinema

Studies. Innis College was delighted to

welcome Norman Jewison and Robert

Lantos in the fall of 2007 to celebrate the

new graduate program.

The College celebrated another important

event at one of its awards ceremonies. Kofi

Hope, an Innis graduate, was the recipient

of a Rhodes scholarship in 2006. He spoke

to a packed audience of students and

parents about the importance of student

involvement in the community. In January

2008, the College hosted a symposium on

the “Student Experience and the Role of

the Colleges.” Student representatives as

well as Principals and Registrars from all

Colleges gathered to discuss various

aspects of student life.

With the growth of the Innis Alumni

Network and with the support of generous

donors and members of Later Life Learning,

who have established a million dollar

campaign for scholarships, Innis College is

building not only for the present but also

for the future of its students.

Giving Awards & Hope

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, Innis College

held two ceremonies this fall, to recognize a total of

215 students in Admission, Leadership, Academic, and

Program Award categories.

Recently selected for the prestigious Rhodes

Scholarship, Innis alumnus, Kofi Hope, addressed the

Admission and Leadership Award recipients at the

September 12th, 2007 ceremony.

Named by the Toronto Star one of the “10 People to

Watch in 2006,” Kofi has been a dedicated community

activist since high school. He is Chair and founder of

the Black Youth Coalition Against Violence (BYCAV), a

group that works to foster empowerment amongst

black youth and advocates for black youth in

discussions around the issue of gun violence.

Kofi advised Innis students to study what interests

them, to interact with their Professors and instructors

outside the classroom, and most importantly, to get

involved. Kofi's busy schedule, which included

numerous print and television interviews during his

final year at University, required him to manage his

time effectively. He found that the more that he had

to do, the better he did in his studies.

Kofi graduated with high

distinction from Innis

College in June 2006,

majoring in Political

Science with minors

in African Studies and

World Religions. He is

currently enrolled at

Oxford University

pursuing his

Masters degree

in African

Studies.

Kofi Hope

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The students have benefited from the generosity of

Robert Lantos, Chair of the Cinema Studies Advisory

Council, and a major

donor to the

Institute. Lantos,

one of Canada’s

pre-eminent film

producers, shared

many of his

formative

experiences with a

large crowd in Innis

Town Hall at the end

of October.

Showing clips from

many of his most

celebrated

productions, Lantos

spoke candidly of the

challenges facing any independent

producer. Although he spoke of the

difficulties of the current marketplace,

Lantos stood as an inspiring example

of what ingenuity, fortitude, and

dedication can accomplish.

A few weeks earlier, another Canadian

filmmaking legend, Norman Jewison,

graced the Innis Town Hall with his

presence, sharing numerous

anecdotes, both insightful and

warmly humorous, as he pointed to

some of the highlights of a career

that spans more than 40 years,

stretching from the CBC to United

Artists and back to Canada.

Populating Jewison’s stories were

famous figures from the past and

the present, including Robert Kennedy, Steve

McQueen, and Al Pacino. The audience hung on every

word and was richly rewarded with a wealth of

information from a filmmaking legend who has

experienced both the waning years of the Hollywood

studio system and the ever-changing dynamics of the

current global marketplace.

Cinema Studies aims to continue to expand outreach

to the community (through increased involvement in

a variety of activities and the initiation of an MA

internship program) and further develop its research

profile. Early in 2008, Cinema Studies will host the

annual Film Studies Association of Canada’s graduate

student conference, and later in the year will serve as

host of the newly-formed Toronto Film Seminar. With

so much going on, it will not take long for Cinema

Studies to achieve its goal to become the pre-eminent

hub of film scholarship in Canada.

Cinema Studies at Innis College has undergone significant change over the

last year, with many exciting developments. As of last spring, the Cinema

Studies Program became an Institute, a name change that is more than just

symbolic. With Institute status, Cinema Studies is now able to admit its own

graduate students, and this September, the Institute did just that,

welcoming its first cohort of 13 MA students. Cinema Studies is offering a

new slate of graduate courses, and all of the new MA students are also

serving as TAs in a variety of Cinema Studies undergraduate courses.

Cinema Studies Comes of Age

Professor Charlie KeilDirector Cinema Studies Institute

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Robert Lantos

Director NormanJewison withPrincipal JanetPaterson

Innis Graduate Life

With the new MA program in Cinema Studies have come

changes to the look of the College. A space off the Innis Library

has become the graduate lounge, where the students can relax

and discuss their new experiences as members of the inaugural

cohort of the new graduate program. Some of the students are

graduates of the undergraduate program at the University of

Toronto, while others come from Western, Ryerson, Wilfrid

Laurier, and McMaster. They are an enthusiastic and energetic

group of young scholars who have contributed a new source of

intellectual energy to the College. If one walks by the door to

the lounge, one can often hear the spirited sounds of animated

discussion occurring on the other side.

Students In-SIGHT

A new mentorship

program, In-SIGHT, was

introduced to provide a way

for new students to connect,

especially for students not in

residence. It creates small

groups of first-year and

upper-year students, mixing

residents with commuters.

Members are encouraged to

develop extracurricular

activities in their groups, and

as part of the larger

organization. The goal is to

enhance the vibrant

community at Innis and to

strengthen links between

residents and commuters.

Home Suite Home

“Innis Residence is like home to me,”

says Myra Fahim, President of the

Innis Residence Council (IRC). “This is

my third year living here.” Under the

IRC, residents can participate in many

committees. The Community

Outreach Committee fundraises for

charities, holds food and clothing

drives, and knits blankets for the

homeless. The Residence

Environmental Committee has

introduced the “Good Food Box”

program, a bi-weekly delivery of

fresh, local produce. Innis was also

the first residence on campus to offer

green bin compost recycling.

Student Leadership on Council

For four decades, Innis students have enjoyed a unique

opportunity to influence the direction of the College

through their participation in Innis College Council. In 1967,

Innis College became the first division at the University of

Toronto to recognize student representation in governance

by including three student members on its Council.

Three years later, Innis College Council took an even bolder

step by introducing the principle of parity in governance,

which gave students an equal voice in the decision-making

process. The only parity governing structure at the

University of Toronto has been successful, according to

Vice Principal Roger Riendeau, because "the Innis style of

democracy truly works for the benefit of the whole College

community, while offering students active leadership

experience that will serve them well in their future careers."

the Innis

style of

democracy

truly works for

the benefit

of the whole

College

community

“

”

Innis Residents gather to shareThanksgiving dinner.

MA students (left to right) KevinPighin, Kira Steiner, AndreaSchofield, and Dru Jeffries meet inthe new lounge after a day ofassisting with undergraduateCinema exams

Alumnus, Athlete, Volunteer andUniversity Colleague...Michael “Fuzz” Friend 1944-2007

Michael (Fuzz) Friend dedicated much of his life to

Innis College, as a student, an alumnus, and an

employee. Fuzz enrolled at Innis College in 1968 and

graduated with a BA in 1973. His athletic prowess

earned him the Sidney Earl Smith Trophy as the

leading intramural athlete at the University of

Toronto in 1973-74. He also distinguished himself

as a student leader in the mid 1970s, initially as

Treasurer and then as President of the Innis

College Student Society (ICSS).

Even after his student days had ended, Fuzz

remained a recognizable fixture at Innis College,

serving as bartender in the original Innis Pub,

Treasurer of the Innis College Alumni

Association, and Treasurer of the Harold Innis

Foundation. He went on to become the

Residence Steward of Devonshire House from

1986 until it closed in 1997. He joined the staff

of the Innis Residence in 1998.

On September 19th, 2007, colleagues,

alumni, friends, and family packed the Innis

Town Hall to celebrate the life of Fuzz and

share their fondest memories.

Fuzz’s athletic prowess

earned him the Sidney Earl

Smith Trophy as the leading

intramural athlete at the

University of Toronto

in 1973-74

A new student award has beenestablished in Fuzz’s memory,

which will recognize hisoutstanding contributions to

student life at Innis College.

Donations can be made on-lineat www.giving.utoronto.ca. Click on

“Give to the Annual Fund” and under theheading "Other Projects” indicate“I would like to make a memorial

donation in honour ofMr. Michael “Fuzz” Friend.”

Or please contact: Alanna Jones, CFRE

Senior Development OfficerUniversity of Toronto - Innis College

2 Sussex Avenue, Toronto, ON M5S 1J5(Phone) 416.978.0169 (Fax) 416.946.0168

(Email) alanna.jones@utoronto.ca

Innis Alumni Network

Facebook is a free online social-networking site where

members can create personal profiles, post pictures,

reconnect with friends, and join groups of interest.

In March 2007, alumnus and current U of T medical

student, Dave Paskar, established a group on Facebook

known as the Innis Alumni Network. Dave, a 2006

graduate, views the site as providing a good

opportunity to bring alumni together in a new way:

“We have over 250 individuals who identify themselves

as Innis alumni. This includes those who lived at the

Residence, such as Engineers and those who later

moved on to Professional Faculties, but still identify

themselves as being a part of the Innis community. We

are still in the early stages of planning, but would like

to establish a committee from amongst the

membership and

have more alumni

involved in future

event planning.”

Since many of the

Network members

continue to reside

in Toronto or the

GTA, the next step

was to host an

event. On April 26th,

2007, the Innis

Alumni Network met

at the Madison Pub.

The Network plans

to host similar social

gatherings.

As a past-president of the Innis Residence Council, Dave

has many fond memories of his days at Innis and

continues to serve on the Innis College Council (ICC) as

an Alumni Representative. “I want to be able to stay in

touch with the College and my fellow alumni because

undergrad was the best time of my life and has had a

huge impact on shaping me into the person I am today.”

Innis Alumni Network can be found on Facebook.com

by searching the name under “groups.”

EditorNina Haikara

ContributorsWebnesh HailCharlie KeilRoger RiendeauGarry Spencer

Our thanks toJamie BrandSabrina ChangMyra FahimKofi HopeAlanna JonesDave Paskar

Design:PRM Inc. www.prm-design.com

Print:Maud Street PrintingServices

INNIS COLLEGEUniversity of Toronto2 Sussex Avenue, TorontoON M5S 1J5

www.utoronto.ca/innis/alumni

INNIS COLLEGE NEWS

SHAKE IT UP!

SHAKER, an award winning young alumni program,

celebrated its 3rd anniversary on November 22nd, 2007

at Sassafraz in Yorkville. Four times annually, professional

alumni are invited to socialize after work in Toronto’s

best restaurants and venues. SHAKER now has a global

reach, with events taking place for alumni located in

Vancouver, New York, the UK, and Hong

Kong. To receive invitations to future

SHAKER events, sign-up for the VIP list at:

www.alumni.utoronto.ca/shaker

Intersection:Where Alumni meet

In February, a group of soon-to-be

graduates and young alumni met over

dinner to discuss the looming

question on many graduating student

minds: “What’s next?” Alumni were

able to share their current career

paths and offer suggestions on job

searching and life after graduation and welcome

2008 graduating class members into the Innis

Alumni community.

A New Twist

This spring Innis with a Twist will return to the newly

renovated café space within the College. The event

was first held in 2005 for the most recent decade of

Innis graduates. Young alumni are invited back to

reunite with friends. Visit the Innis Alumni website for

date announcements.

Alumni Amy Yu (2005) and NinaHaikara (2003) at the first Innis

Alumni Network event.

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