INSIDE

Battling BSEIn a profile story on Page 9, PhD student Peter Hedlin talks about his work on a team trying to find a way to stimulate animal and hu-man immune systems to fight BSE (mad cow disease) and other wast-ing diseases.

Photo by Colleen MacPherson

Publication Mail Agreement #40065156

Volume 15, Number 13 March 14, 2008www.usask.ca/ocn

Page 11

Cultural courtroom

Falling researchPage 7

Board of Governors Chair Art Dumont. Photo by Colleen MacPherson

See Barber, Page 9

See Students, Page 8

Draft plan advances U of S goalsBy Colleen MacPherson

If the University’s first inte-grated plan was about building capacity, the second, recently released in draft form, details how that capacity should be put to use to advance the institu-tion’s strategic goals.

“This plan is more about empowering, encouraging, engaging all of the campus community to use what we’ve got to achieve the goals set out in Strategic Directions in 2002,” according to the acting provost and vice-president academic.

Commenting on the draft, Ernie Barber said he hopes the new integrated plan makes clear that the three defining features identified in Strategic Direc-tions – international standards, academic pre-eminence and a sense of place –remain the

underlying values for the insti-tution. The draft plan was posted on the integrated planning website March 3 in order to collect comment from the campus community. Put together following extensive consulta-tion, the draft identifies three priority areas for investment over the next four years, and makes 15 commitments about what the University will achieve over that period. While the first plan, approved in 2004, laid the groundwork, Barber said the vision for the University, as defined in 2002, “hasn’t been met yet so we have to persist. I hope the campus community will see the continuity from one plan to the next, and that this isn’t some kind of jerky process.” The document suggests the

U of S focus in three areas— teaching, learning and the student experience, research and scholarship and collaboration—over the second planning cycle (please see related story on Page 2). Barber said these priorities “won’t be a surprise because they rise from the things that have been identified for us” in both the planning themes and indi-vidual college and unit plans. Unlike the first plan, the second is shy on specific initia-tives, a deliberate effort to encourage academic and admin-istrative units to pool energy and resources in priority areas, Barber said. “This plan is about connections. The second inte-grated plan encourages us to come together to develop func-tional plans for the institution. And not just to develop plans,

Board queried

on labour, spending

By Colleen MacPherson Students and union repre-sentatives took advantage of question period during the Board of Governors annual public meeting March 7 to draw attention to issues ranging from the state of labour relations on campus to the cost of Marquis Hall renovations. Among the first to the microphone was Glenn Ross, president of CUPE 1975, who described the November strike by support staff as “unnecessary” and acknowledged “the obvious need to rebuild relations with administration.” He then called

2March 14, 2008

Mark & BarbWouters

Excellent market knowledge, years of experience and quality service is what you can expect from Mark & Barb.

2002 CUMBERLAND AVE SThis well maintained 1040 sq ft bungalow is ideally situated close to schools in the popular Holliston area. Features 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, developed basement, oak hardwoods, upgraded windows, exterior &

shingles. 6 appliances included. Detached garage. $309,900 MLS

807 BEECHDALE CRESCENTContemporary & quality best describes this 1929 sq ft new two storey that features great room with gas fireplace, maple & granite kitchen, 3 large bedrooms, upper family room with gas fireplace, extensive wood flooring, central air, etc. $535,000 MLS

221-9975wouters@woutersrealty.com

More pictures and infowww.woutersrealty.com

New plan details priorities, commitments The first draft of the Univer-sity’s second integrated plan not only identifies three priority areas for attention over the next four years, it also makes 15 firm commitments that will move the

institution closer to its strategic goals. Identified through extensive consultation across campus, the areas of priority are “meant to create space and focus for innova-

tion by shaking up and crossing boundaries,” according to the document, available for view on the integrated planning website. Within each priority area, the plan set out specific commitments that will require attention, effort and investment as well as indicators of success. Below is a summary of the priority areas and commitments.

1. Teaching, Learning and the Student ExperienceThis priority area addresses the academic mission of the Univer-sity and the need to equip students to succeed, including broadening their access to research and researchers.

Commitments:The University will

improve the •‘in-classroom’ experience for teachers and learnersbe known for •innovative, quality programs that connect learning and discovery in distinctive wayswork to diversify its student •body while at least main-taining its existing under-graduate student enrolment and growing its graduate student populationwork to optimize success for •every studentprogress from accessibility •programs for First Nations and Métis students towards graduate programs and enhancing its community-based researchimprove the academic •and non-academic services provided to students and will

improve the infrastructure that supports the student experience

2. Research Accomplishment and SuccessWhile ground has been gained in the University’s effort to become research intensive, progress has been uneven across campus. The institution requires a culture of research and scholarship across all disciplines that produces important work and separates the U of S from its peers.

Commitments:The University will

build on existing supports •for both graduate students and faculty to ensure their continued success

identify a select and defini-•tive set of existing areas of exceptional research achieve-ment and promote these widelypay particular attention to •engaged and interdisciplinary scholarship, to the develop-ment of research centres and partnerships, and to ensuring that these are linked in bene-ficial ways to the whole life of the Universitybe cognizant of its role as a •cultural and economic driver in Saskatchewan and of the hopes and expectations attached to our institution by the people of Saskatchewan and beyond

3. The Ways We Work TogetherAn aim of the plan is to develop a strong sense of identity within the University community as well as a shared understanding of the importance of collabo-ration. These ideas apply to administrative as well as academic units. There is also a call to involve groups like alumni more closely in Univer-sity activities.

Commitments:The University will

encourage academic and •non-academic units to work together in more integrated, flexible and decentralized ways

p l a c e •i n c r e a s e d emphasis on leadership and career develop-ment among

faculty, staff and studentsenhance participatory deci-•sion-making, both in effec-tiveness and timeliness, thereby building collegiality and transparency of gover-nance structurescall on academic units to •continue developing flexible and collaborative approaches in programs, research, administration and in collegial matters including appointmentsaddress the great issues of •our time, including sustain-ability, in both its intellectual life and its operational activi-ties, and it must do so in a collaborative way

Our next great PM? A U of S medical resident is looking to add yet another accomplish-ment to his already impressive resumé by earning a place as a finalist on the CBC’s Canada’s Next Great Prime Minister. Alika LaFontaine, a second-year resident in the Department of Anes-thesia, will be one of four finalists vying for the $50,000 prize in the annual competition, which airs March 23 at 5 p.m. (local time) on CBC. Labeled by school administrators as “slow” in Grade 4, LaFontaine has spent the remainder of his 25 years proving such people wrong. He was home schooled after Grade 4, graduated high school at 15 and earned his B.Sc. in Chemistry from the University of Regina at 19. By 24, Lafontaine had completed his MD at the U of S. According to a Facebook site LaFontaine set up for the competition, his platform for prime minister includes “a redefinition of the relationship between aboriginal peoples and the rest of Canada, and the replacement of the Indian Act with a third seat of government called the aboriginal house.” Four former prime ministers will judge the finals, although CBC has not yet released their identities.

Dr. Alika LaFontaine College of Medicine photo

Comment online at www.usask.ca/ip or e-mail uofs_plan@usask.ca

Annual Meeting of the General Academic Assembly and President’s State of the University Address

You are invited:President Peter MacKinnon, Chair of the General Academic Assembly, invites your attendance at the Annual Meeting of the GAA*. The President will present a report on the State of the University. This event is open to all faculty, staff and students.

Location: Convocation Hall, College Building Date: Tuesday, April 8 Time: Noon – 1:30 p.m.

For more information visit: www.usask.ca/university_secretary/gaa or call 966-4632.

* “At each annual meeting of the assembly, the president shall present a report respecting the state of the university and any other matters that the president considers appropriate.” The University of Saskatchewan Act, Section 70(1).

www.usask.ca/university_secretary/gaa

Where great minds meet.

3 March 14, 2008

By Kirk Sibbald Cross-campus partnerships have extended into rural Saskatch-ewan, benefiting various educators and raising the University’s profile in the process. Two years ago, the U of S began offering the Master of Educational Administra-tion program at Onion Lake First Nation, and more recently extended the initiative to the Light of Christ Catholic School Division in North Battleford and Cumberland Regional College in Tisdale. The off-campus programming has attracted nearly 60 students in total at the three

sites, meaning the students, all with teaching positions, do not

have to leave their jobs for a year or more to complete the program in Saskatoon or Regina. “It has really been supported by these individual areas because they see the Univer-sity of Saskatchewan moving out and trying to accommodate students who can’t drive back and forth,” said Sheila Carr-Stewart, acting associate dean in the College of Education and department head of Educational Administration. The initiative is possible due to a partnership between Education, the Centre for Continuing and Distance Education (CCDE) and

the College of Graduate Studies and Research, Carr-Stewart said. Also, each site, or “cohort,” chooses the specific courses offered through the program, so at Onion Lake First Nation, for example, there is an increased emphasis on indigenous education. “It has been a really positive way for us to pick up more students and for us to be able to teach courses that fit the needs of individual communities. It has been a win for all of us, for the communities and the University,” she said. Although some courses are completed by students online,

Carr-Stewart said face-to-face classes are also provided by profes-sors or sessional lecturers with the College of Education. Other rural communities have requested similar off-campus programming in Educational Administration, but Carr-Stewart said the college and its partners can only handle so much at once. “We’ve had two other areas approach us already and ask us, but at the moment we would like to work at moving these three cohorts through. There is a lot of interest around the province, but we only have so many human resources.”

When the College Building was brand new…

University Archives image A-2660. 1912-1913

This issue’s image includes the students and staff from the Colleges of Agriculture and Arts and Science, and “the theologs” (member of the university’s theological colleges) during the winter of 1912-1913. The picture was taken the first year classes were held on campus with the group assembling in front of the recently completed College Building. The multi-purpose building was open for use in the autumn of 1912 but was not officially opened until the following May. Total enrollment for the 1912-1913 academic year was 248 fulltime students. Tuition was $30.00 for Arts and Science students but in the College of Agriculture, it was $15 for residents of the province and $30 for non-residents. Future Prime Minister and University Chancellor John Diefenbaker can be seen in the last full-length row just to the right of the building’s entrance.

Patrick HayesU of S Archives

F r o m t h e A r c h i v e s

Carr-Stewart

A new style of leadership Council Chair Claire Card

By Colleen MacPherson Dr. Claire Card plans to bring a new style of leadership to the position of chair of University Council, a style she said will give voice to all quarters of campus. Card, a professor in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, was acclaimed to the position in late February, the first woman to serve as chair. In an interview with On Campus News, she said her goal is to “create an environ-ment where people feel comfort-able expressing themselves, even if their opinions are contrary.” To that end, she will be encouraging Council members to contribute to discussion and debate. “Some members of Council seem to operate in isolation, with a tendency to not check in with stakeholders. I will be calling on people to give their views on matters germane to their area with the expectation people are coming to Council having talked to their stakeholders.” A graduate of the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine, Card was awarded a PhD in Physiology by Cornell University in 1990 and joined the University of Saskatchewan

the next year. She was elected to Council in 2006. She has served on Council’s Research Committee and, with her acclamation, has resigned as chair of the Interna-tional Activities Committee, a post she held for two years. Looking at the agenda ahead, Card said evaluation of the University’s second inte-grated plan – “what the vision is, where it’s going, how we’re going to implement it” – is the most important issue facing Council in the short term. “We will have to keep an eye on how the plan is implemented, and look to see if we’re on the optimal path to achieve our direction and vision as a university. “Institutions must evolve, and not evolving is a sure way of becoming extinct,” she said, “but with finite resources, the Univer-sity needs to be very strategic with its investments.” One area she cited as needing specific attention is aboriginal initiatives. “I personally feel we could do a better job with aboriginal engagement and employment on campus. There is the expectation that the University is reflecting our population’s diversity and I think we have challenges there. We also really need to pay attention to the

recent history of labour unrest on campus and how that impacts academics and the direction of the University.” Enrolment continues to be an important issue for Council and the University, Card said, as is what she termed the apparent “deficit” in the institution’s co-or-dination of enrolment strategy, research and internationalization. Although Council’s mandate is to guide the academic direction of the institution, Card believes it can play an effective role in addressing the resource side of these issues. The opportunity comes, she said, when Council is asked to approve “informa-tion flowing to the Board (of Governors), like the operating budget.” Apart from the work agenda for Council, the new chair is troubled by lack of interest among faculty in serving as members. A recent call for member-at-large nominations garnered few responses and a second call has been issued. Workload for faculty is likely a deterrent to taking on a Council position, as is what Card described as “a disenfranchise-ment, a feeling their voice doesn’t matter or that going against the University puts their advance-

ment in jeopardy. “We have to find out why people are not putting their names forward” for Council positions, and added a survey asking that very question is one possibility Card may explore. But involvement in the insti-tution’s workings goes beyond faculty, she said. The cornerstone of a well functioning institution is ensuring everyone on campus is engaged in the governance process, and she defined engagement as “having a meaningful voice. The University has a very top-down administrative style. I believe they

are well intentioned but they have not engaged students, faculty and staff.” One area of improvement could be Council’s connec-tions with students, she said. It currently receives a regular report from the U of S Students’ Union and the Graduate Students Asso-ciation “but maybe we need closer relationships,” adding that interns and residents have no direct contact with Council. Card, whose 15-month term extends to June 2009, will chair her first Council meeting March 20.

Dr. Claire Card with a patient at the WCVM. Photo by Colleen MacPherson

Ed Admin courses proving popular across province

4March 14, 2008

Re: The Great Debate: Does God Exist, Jan. 31, Convocation Hall, sponsored by Campus for Christ and Athletes in Action.

I cannot come up with a better commentary on the debate than that given by Shakespeare: “It is a tale told by an idiot, full of

sound and fury, signifying nothing”! As an alumnus of the College of Engineering, I find it unaccept-able that academics would take up students’ precious time by neglecting to define what they mean by the word God. Did the debate organizers assume (without checking) that the accepted image of God is that portrayed by Michelangelo, namely a senior citizen in a designer toga? Or is everyone at liberty to choose his own image of the word God? I am reminded of the confusion resulting from the “I know what I mean” philosophy of the construction workers building the Biblical Tower of Babel. Is it asking too much that academics come to an agreement on the definition of terms? And set an example for students! Psycho-therapist Virginia Satir suggests that “when in doubt check it out.” Will the great God please come forward!

Michael Mowchenko

Paper inspection reveals typo truth

Defining God

Letter

Letter

Letter

On Campus News is published 18 times per year (July-May) by University of Saskatchewan Communications. It is distributed to all U of S faculty, staff,

graduate students and members of governing bodies, as well as to others in the university community, related organizations, some Saskatchewan government

officials, and news media. Subscriptions are available for $20 per year. Story and photo ideas are welcome. Advertising rates are available online or on request.

Editorial and Advertising OfficeRoom 309, Kirk Hall, University of Saskatchewan,

117 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C8

StaffEditor: Colleen MacPherson

Designer: Mark Sadoway

Editorial Advisory BoardMik Bickis, Candace Wasacase-Lafferty, David York, Nadia Bergen,

Sandra Ribeiro, Patrick Hayes, Shaikh Hasibul Majid, Ghislaine McLeod

On Campus News aims to provide a forum for the sharing of timely news,information, and opinions about events and issues of

interest to the University of Saskatchewan community.

Tel: (306) 966-6610Fax: (306) 966-6815

E-mail: ocn@usask.caWebsite: www.usask.ca/ocn

ISSN: 1195-7654 PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40065156RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TOUNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN – COMMUNICATIONS309 KIRK HALL, 117 SCIENCE PLSASKATOON SK S7N 5C8E-mail: communications@usask.ca

Among the feedback in the OCN survey, two comments caught my eye. First, ‘What happened to the letters to the editor?’. Clearly,

this is due to a lack of submis-sions, so in an attempt to alleviate the respondent’s suffering, I have submitted this note.

Second was the complaint of ‘Too many typos. Looks careless’. This stimulated me to read the February 29, 2008, issue even more carefully than usual as I had previously thought that OCN was, in fact, quite carefully edited (unlike the rag produced downtown). To my horror, I quickly discovered the truth of the respondent’s comment and offer two examples. On page 6 (bottom), repeated on page 11 (Coming Events), is the announcement of a talk entitled ‘Tip of the Iceburg’. Evidently, etymology is not a strong point with Rainbow Explorations! Even ‘better’ is the announcement (page 10, Coming Events) of a Language Centre Program of a (new?) course: ‘Teaching Englwish as a Foreign Language’.

Cedric GillottProfessor Emeritus

Department of Biology

‘Selective hearing’ in debate

MacKinnon meets employees to learn about work culture

Re: “Print versus online – the calendar debate” (OCN Feb. 8, 2008) I really wonder about the decision-making process and ‘selective hearing’ of some on this campus. The registrar, Kelly McInnes, was quoted as saying “Everybody was of the same mind … ” University Council certainly was not of the same mind, as they voted to keep a print copy of the calendar. I remember this myself, as I had made an inquiry about the delivery date of calendars and was told by the registrar’s office that they were delaying the delivery

date (of the last print calendar received) as print calendars were

being phased out. When I passed this information on

to the professor who had charged me with finding that informa-tion he was shocked, as he had been in attendance at Council and was appalled to hear that the feelings of Council were being discounted. Perhaps the number of calendars can be reduced—there are considerable stocks left from year to year—and we can put the needs of the faculty and students first in this matter. It is

very unwieldy to find informa-tion online – in a calendar, pages can be flipped back and forth and compared in a matter of moments when advising students. Also, it is important during advising that the information is clearly understood by all parties—verbal misunderstand-ings are common and occur easily—a written format that can be easily referred to during the advising appointment can be very important down the road, if anything comes into question.

Deidre WasyliwDepartment of Biology

The work environment at the University of Saskatchewan will be the topic of discussion when President Peter MacKinnon meets with employees from across campus. At the initiative of the president, a series of roundtable discussions will be held over the next few months in order to give MacKinnon a better picture of what it is like to work at the University of Saskatchewan. The discussions will centre on work climate and ways it can be improved for U of S employees. “I think it is fair to say that in the course of my work, and my comings and goings on campus, I have heard comments made about the work environ-ment,” he told On Campus News. “It seems to me to be important that I hear more.” Set up by an external human relations consultant, the roundtables will involve

100-120 employees invited after a computer selection progress that accounts for factors like departments, employee groups, age, sex and length of service. The objective, said MacKinnon is to get the broadest possible representation. “I didn’t want to choose the participants myself, but I didn’t want the participation to be accidental.” MacKinnon said the strike by CUPE 1975 employees late last year is only part of the impetus for the discussions. More important is the presi-dent’s need to develop a richer understanding of the work envi-ronment. “I have been at the Univer-sity of Saskatchewan for 33 years and I have my own well-devel-oped sense of what it’s like, but mine is one view only and it’s from a rather unique perspec-tive. I think the worst thing in

any environment is operating in the dark with incomplete infor-mation or viewpoints.” There will be no agenda for the discussions but MacKinnon said he will “make it clear at the outset that I’m there to listen and I am there to be informed.” There will be no verbatim minutes taken but the themes of the discussions will be recorded. These, he said, “will help me reach conclusions, tentative or otherwise” about any future action. No final report on MacKin-non’s finding will be issued. Knowing some people not invited to the roundtables will want to share their views with him, MacKinnon has set aside six of his ongoing Breakfast with the President events at the Faculty Club to discuss working at the U of S. Anyone interested in partic-ipating should call 966-7777 for dates and availability.

Next OCN deadline March 20

5 March 14, 2008

LECTURE

Supporting the growth of responsible Forest Management.

College plans reveal common themesBy Colleen MacPherson

Enhancing the student expe-rience, managing enrolment and building research momentum were the themes that stood out for a University Council committee that reviewed plans drawn up by the colleges as part of the inte-grated planning process. John Rigby, chair of the College Plans Review Committee (CPRC), presented the commit-tee’s report to Council Feb. 28. He pointed out that while all seven integrating planning themes received support, the three named above were reflected, to some degree, in every plan. Id e nt i f y i n g the common elements in the plans is key, said Rigby. “We weren’t giving the plans a grade so we felt the most impor-tance piece was the common themes because the college plans are a way of understanding what should be in the integrated plan.” To help with development of the second integrated plan, each college was asked by the Univer-sity to outline the new initiatives and activities it hopes to undertake in the next four years. Those plans were reviewed by CPRC and reported on to Council, which then passed a motion accepting the report of the committee. In his presentation to Council, Rigby also said the review pointed again to the need for the University “to focus and build on our areas of strength and let the areas of weakness quietly slip away.” To pour resources into areas of weakness without strong strategic or programming justifi-cation would, he said, risk seeing areas of programming excellence become areas of mediocrity. After the meeting, Rigby told

On Campus News his comments about areas of strength and weakness were in line with “the persistent and consistent message from the University community to (Council’s) Planning and Priorities Committee that the University is trying to do too much, and there has to be disin-vestment. Where things fall apart is in being specific, in identifying exactly where we should disinvest …although we have a reason-able idea of what we do well on the programming side and where we’re struggling.”

In the review process, each plan was read and discussed by committee members, who then identified points that required clarification or elaboration, Rigby explained. Each dean then met with the committee to discuss the plan. “We tried very hard to be understanding of what was in the plans and what the colleges were trying to accomplish,” he said. “We also tried hard to base our discussion on what was in the plans and not what we knew, or thought we knew, about the colleges. The point was to leave our biases at the door.” He added the deans provided details about ongoing activi-ties in each college that were not mentioned in the college plans. Those plans focus mainly on new initiatives. Addressing the issue of resources, Rigby said the cost of all the new initiatives detailed in the college plans far exceeds the funding capability of the Univer-sity. The feeling of the review

committee is that generating necessary resources will have to “fall broadly” across campus and may require alternative sources of funding. “The total University budget is a mix of funding sources and I’m just saying that it’s unrealistic, as our initiatives and opportunities expand, to say operating funding from the province will expand to meet all that. As a committee, we’re reiterating the notion that we have to be ready to find funds from a wide variety of sources. We can’t imagine that we live in a

special bubble any more that s e p a r a t e s us from the need and responsibility of finding funding.” T h e

committee review also revealed some efforts by colleges to work co-operatively, but said more opportunities exist. One of the difficulties to collaboration, said Rigby, is the University’s budget structure but there also remains a “fortress mentality” at the college level.

“Colleges tend to think of college outcomes rather than institutional outcomes. That usually works fine but every once in a while, what works well for individual units does not add up well for the institu-tion.” The committee report iden-tified health sciences, commu-nications and leadership as areas of potential for more co-op-eration but it also pointed out the implications for resources and faculty participation need careful consideration. The CPRC report went on

to name a number of areas of concern about the college plans, one being that new aboriginal initiatives were “under-dis-cussed. If we want to continue to be a global leader (in aborig-inal initiatives), we can’t simply continue doing what we’re doing,” said Rigby. “We’ll be left behind.” The committee also found what Rigby described as an absence of central direction in initiatives relating to interna-tionalization. The plans support the need to benchmark and assess the University’s progress in all areas, a process that will serve as input for resource allocation decisions. “If we want to move toward global excellence, we have to be able to measure that movement.” When the plan reviews were complete, Rigby said the most noteworthy aspect of the process was that “it was very collegial, co-operative and pleasant. I’d like to think that CRPC came away with a good understanding of college inten-sions, and the colleges came away feeling that their input was respected and valued.”

Rigby

“We also tried hard to base our discussion on what was in the plans and not what we knew, or

thought we knew, about the colleges” John Rigby

IN mEmorIamW. Harold Silvester, formerly with the Edwards School of Business (Accounting), Aug. 9

Pierre Gagne, who retired from the University in 1999, Feb. 10

Helen McDuffie, professor emerita in the College of Medicine, Feb. 14

CamPuS INCIDENtS

Selected incidents reported by Campus Safety Department. Report all information about these and other incidents to Campus Safety at 966-5555.

Feb. 25 – March 2Officers issued the following tickets:•

1 failure to obey a stop sign•2 24-hour suspensions•

Officers dealt with four motor vehicle accidents.•A meter head was damaged at Innovation Place. Culprit(s) removed the top portion of the meter •head but failed to gain access to the money canister.Officers arrested 3 males attempting to break into Griffiths Stadium. They were turned over to •Saskatoon Police.Officers attended one medical call for assistance.•A hit and run accident was reported at Innovation Place. A vehicle struck two other vehicles and •then fled the scene. A witness recorded the license number of the offending vehicle. This file is still under investigation.A bag containing recently purchased articles was stolen from a lobby in Assiniboine.•

March 3 – 9

Officers issued the following tickets:•4 speeding •1 failure to wear seatbelt•

Officers attended three motor vehicle accidents.•A bicycle was stolen from Souris bike racks.•Officers attended two medical calls for assistance.•A media cart with approximately $5000 dollars worth of electronic equipment was stolen from a •classroom.Damage was done to several vending machines on campus.•

6March 14, 2008

arouND thE BoWLPeggy Proctor from the School of Physical Therapy in the College of Medicine has been named this year’s winner of the Sylvia Wallace Sessional Lecturer Teaching Excellence Award. In addition to having served as a sessional lecturer since 1999, Proctor has been the school’s co-ordinator of interprofessional education since 2005.

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) recently announced Roy Billinton, professor emeritus with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has been awarded the 2008 IEEE Charles Proteus Steinmetz Award. Billinton was honoured for his contribu-tions to the development of power system reliability standards.

On March 16, CBC Radio’s SoundX-change will be broadcasting classical works played by two members of the Univer-

sity’s Depart-ment of Music. Trumpeter and department head Dean McNeill and pianist and sessional lecturer Bonnie Nicholson will be playing new music by Saskatch-ewan composers Elizabeth Raum and David McIntyre. The music was part of

the first-ever classical music showcase presented last October at the Western Canadian Music Awards.

Leigh-Ellen Keating will be joining the University as the Global Relations Co-ordinator, effective March 17. A graduate of the U of S in 1995, Keating will be returning to Saskatoon from Oman where she has recently been an English lecturer with the University of Nizwa.

Warren Noonan has accepted an 18-month position as assistant professor in the College of Education’s Depart-ment of Educational Administration. The term began in January.

Mary Walters, awards facilitator at the U of S, has made the top 100 list in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Competition for her book The Whole Clove Diet. More than 5,000 entrants from 20 countries were originally up for the award, with the winner to be announced April 7.

The following appointments, announced by the Office of the Provost and Vice-President Academic, are all effective July 1:

Len Haines, professor of Educational Psychology and Special Education, has been named acting associate dean in the College of Education for one year.

Professor Ramji Khandelwal has been re-appointed head of the Depart-ment of Biochem-istry for a three-year term.

Dr. Sheila Rutledge Harding has been re-appointed to the position of associate dean, Medical Education, for a five-year term.

Professor Dianne Miller has been appointed acting head of the Depart-ment of Educational Foundations for a one-year term.

Proctor

Billinton

McNeill

Nicholson

Noonan

Walters

Haines

Harding

Khandelwal

Miller

amazing food • friendly people • beautiful setting

Call us: 306.966.7777 • www.usask.ca/facclub

For less than the cost of a cup of coffee a day, you too can enjoy all of the benefits of membership.

Come and see what all the fuss is about.

By Kirk Sibbald Those who thought Guy Vanderhaeghe had lost his marbles when the supposed “serious writer” embarked on penning a Western, well, cue the crickets. Already a winner of several literary awards, including the Governor General’s Award for Fiction in 1996, Vanderhaeghe’s novel The Englishman’s Boy recently made its television debut as a criti-cally acclaimed mini-series on CBC. It was nearly a decade in the making and originally slated to be produced as a Hollywood feature film, but the visiting English professor with St. Thomas More College says the finished product made all the rewrites, delays and political controversy worthwhile. Vanderhaeghe said following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S., several powers-that-be in Hollywood deemed his script of The Englishman’s Boy had an anti-American slant. Rather than ask him to rewrite it, however, the film’s producer and director boycotted what they felt was an artistically-

oppressive environment, returned to Canada and started work on a mini-series instead. The final product was produced by Mind’s Eye Entertainment out of Regina, directed by Canadian John Smith, and shot throughout Saskatchewan in the summer of 2006 on a budget of $11 million. Although Vanderhaeghe under-stood that adapting his novel to film could never result in a direct trans-lation, he was grateful to have the

mini-series produced in an open, collaborative environment. “I like screenwriting, but one of the reasons I liked it in this instance is that I had confidence in the people I was working with. I have been asked to write films, and in just 10 minutes talking to the producer I know I either don’t want to write this film or I really don’t have confi-dence in the person I’m talking to,” he said. Not only was Vanderhaeghe asked for his opinions, advice and guidance in both shooting and editing the film, he was also given a minor role as a bartender – three-and-a-half minutes of film that he says took 12 grueling hours to shoot, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. “I was really lucky, because in many ways I had the kind of involve-ment that writers almost never get,” he said. Vanderhaeghe admits there were various challenges switching from a novelist to screenwriter, although it is a task he would embrace again given the right circumstances. “In a novel, much of what goes on and what you understand of the characters is presented in the charac-ters’ thoughts, or you have a narrator who can explain a situation to you. Well, you can’t do that in a film. It has to be dramatized, so emotions, thoughts and feelings have to be given a kind of physical action.” “I like doing film work, but I also don’t want to get involved in something where for two years it feels like you’re banging your head with a hammer.” Vanderhaeghe says he had no idea that The Englishman’s Boy would have the cultural impact and success it has enjoyed since being published in 1996, but said it proves that “going against the grain” isn’t always a bad idea. “Some people asked me what I was doing while I was writing the novel, a Western, because I was thought of at that time as a serious writer, a literary writer. But as I like to say to my creative writing students, you have to write what interests you. If it doesn’t interest you, you don’t have a hope of interesting anybody else.”

‘Write what interests you’ Vanderhaeghe relishes mini-series success

Vanderhaeghe

7 March 14, 2008

Retiring? Questions about your Pension?

We can help.

What are my options at retirement?

Richard Thompson FCSI, FMA, CIM

Investment Advisor657.3472

rthompson@wellwest.ca

Toll Free: 866.844.4400In Partnership With

Terri LemkeDivisional Manager Saskatchewan

Vice President and Senior Investment Advisor

Wayne BodenstabBA, FCSI, FMA, CIMInvestment Advisor

657.4602wbodenstab@wellwest.ca

Contact us today for our free no obligation package answering these questions and more!

Wellington West Capital Inc., a member of CIPF M 01473

What is an annuity? How does it work?

What is a Prescribed RRIF? Is it right for me?

Which option is best for me?

Do I have enough to retire on?

No institutions in modern society are better equipped to catalyze the necessary transition to a sustainable world than Universities. They have access to the leaders of tomorrow and the leaders of today. They have buying and investment power. They are widely respected…what they do

matters to the wider public. —David Orr

Interested in sustainability? Call 966-1236.

Sustainability… your university,

your world

Falls device may change life for seniors

The falls device team includes Dr. Jenny Basran, left, and Vanina Dal Bello-Haas. Photos by Kirk Sibbald

By Kirk Sibbald It is an issue that has forever affected seniors’ quality of life, and correspondingly driven up health care-related costs. But thanks to collaboration across various disciplines at the U of S, the mysteries surrounding elderly falls and near-falls may soon clear considerably. Research into creating a Near-Falls and Falls Detection System device is currently ongoing at the University, made possible by a $416,294 strategic grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). Dr. Jenny Basran, head of the College of Medicine’s Division of Geriatric Medicine, said she and a colleague began chatting about how to more accurately monitor this enduring medical issue over coffee about one year ago. That colleague, Vanina Dal Bello-Haas, associate professor in the School of Physical

Therapy, heard the College of Engineering was soliciting the campus community for research ideas. She attended a meeting, introduced herself to some professors in the college and the project took off shortly thereafter. The main issue is not simply that seniors fall, but that the medical community often has little accurate information when it comes to treating and preventing injury, said Anh Dinh, professor of Electrical and Computer Engi-neering and principle investigator of the study. “When doctors ask seniors when, how or where they fell, they don’t always remember and there is not reliable data to monitor the fall,” he explained. And when it comes to assessing the burden on both seniors’ quality of life and the health care system, the statis-tics do not lie. According to the University’s NSERC strategic

grant proposal, falls cause 85 per cent of all injuries that send Canadian seniors to the hospital, as well as 90 per cent of all hip fractures and 40 per cent of nursing home placements. “Almost half of all people ending up n e e d i n g long-term care are as a result of a fall. So it is a really big deal for an older adult,” e x p l a i n e d Basran. A lthough Basran said there are already some devices that m e a s u r e one specific parameter in relation to senior falls, nothing so far has been designed for use in wide-ranging patient applications. She hopes

the U of S device will be able to assess the various factors that precede falls and near falls, such as blood pressure, heart rhythm, temperature, respira-tory rate and postural sway. For instance, Bello-Haas

said if the device shows a senior is c on s i s t ent l y falling to one side, it may simply be a restriction in their ankle. Having this i n f o r m a -tion before commencing physiotherapy would make t r e a t m e n t more straight-

forward. However, if the device shows a sharp increase in blood pressure or respiratory rate before the fall occurs, physi-cians may want to examine the seniors’ medication or other

factors to effectively gauge treatment options. “Falls are almost always multi-factored. It’s not usually just one thing, so that makes it hard to treat and get to the bottom of the problem,” said Bello-Haas. Dinh said a warning system will also be built into the device so seniors are alerted if they begin to sway considerably to one side or the other. Although Basran and Bello-Haas said they are not sure where on the body the device will be worn or who will be eligible to receive one, they said that in a perfect world, the device will be worn by anyone who has two or more suspicious falls per year. “When we’re asking a 70 or 60-year-old six months after the event, of course they have trouble recalling what happened (before and after the fall),” said Basran. “The earlier we can figure out what’s going on, the better able we are to correct things.”

Dinh

8March 14, 2008

MARCH 27 APRIL 5, 2008 8 PM

Arts and Science

BUSY WITH MIDTERMS AND NO TIME FOR LAUNDRY? WE HAVE A GREAT SELECTION OF COMFORTABLE CLOTHING ON SALE!

MARCH 24-28, CENTRE SHOP, LOWER PLACE RIEL

Students ask about salary, funding, residence feeson the board to do a review of administration. Board Chair Art Dumont reiterated statements made in presentations earlier in the meeting that the board’s role is one of oversight, not direct involve-ment in contract n e g o t i a t i o n s . Vice-Chair Nancy Hopkins added the board had received a submission from a group of faculty that included suggestions for improving labour relations and that “administra-tion has been asked to come back with recommendations.” The call for a review of the campus labour situation was repeated by a student who said she quit her job with University Advancement during the strike because she felt “the University didn’t really care about me as a student or an employee.” President Peter MacKinnon described the University’s work environment as “very compli-cated” and while the institution has worked hard to develop a systematic approach to negotia-tions, “sometimes the interests of the University and the unions overlap, and sometimes they don’t. I regret that, but it’s the nature of the environment.” He went on to describe a series of meetings he will be

holding with employees from all sectors of campus in order to get a better understanding of the work environment (please see story Page 4). Another CUPE representa-tive, Brad McKague, wanted to know if there was room on the

board for someone who could provide a voice for “rank and file staff.” Hopkins explained the makeup of the board is set out in The University of Saskatchewan Act, and that it would be impos-sible to provide a seat for every one of the institution’s stakeholders. The focus for the board must be on keeping in touch with those stakeholders, she said, “and that’s why we hold these meetings.” There was also a question, again from a CUPE member, about why the University did not take up the union’s offer to go to binding arbitration mid-way through the month-long strike. MacKinnon pointed out the offer was not for binding arbitration but for non-binding mediation which was felt at the time to offer “little chance for resolution.” On a different vein, a graduate student in History asked

why the University continues to increase its grad student numbers without a corresponding increase in funding. MacKinnon said he appreciated the criticism and admitted there is work to do in this area, including addressing the funding issue. The student ended

by suggesting p a r t i c u l a r attention be paid to “the under-f unded arts.” Josie Steeves, a member of the student union executive, asked

if student fees are being used to cover capital costs rather than being invested in improving education. MacKinnon said while the University has made substan-tial investments in students through awards and programs, “we’re not anywhere near where we need to be in terms of student services.” The entire student experience “needs to be right at the top of the (priority) list,” and in the next integrated plan, “we intend to put it there.” A member of the USSU council wanted to know what the board could do financially to assist with the expansion of Place Riel, a project largely funded through a student infrastruc-ture levy. Heather Magotiaux, vice-president of University Advancement, said her staff has been meeting with the students’ union to discuss possibilities for

fundraising, but she cautioned that the recent capital campaign demonstrated that “fundraising for capital projects is very chal-lenging.” Another student put a question directly to MacKinnon, asking him to justify his salary which she claimed equaled that of two doctors. Hopkins said board members would answer on the president’s behalf because compensation is set by the board “and we’re accountable and responsible for it.” Dumont explained the board reviews the president’s salary annually, and looks at compensation for presi-dents in a peer group of Canadian

universities. MacKinnon’s salary is currently at the low end of that group “so to say the number is too high kind of surprises me,” he said. A student living in residence asked for a commitment from the board that residence fees be increased at “a reasonable rate” and that no costs related to a renovation of Marquis Hall be passed on to students. Richard Florizone, vice-president of Finance and Resources, said plans for any changes to Marquis, including food services, are still very tentative and that the University will consult students throughout the process.

[Peter] MacKinnon said while the University has made substantial investments in

students, “we’re not anywhere near where we need to be in terms of student services.”

From Page 1

9 March 14, 2008

the future.” He said the capital plan will address both physical space and information tech-nology. There will also be an implementation plan. “It’s not enough just to say here’s where we’re committing our time and resources. We need to identify who is leading and signal

By Brette Ehalt When PhD student Peter Hedlin isn’t playing cello with the U of S Amati Quartet, he’s working to find a vaccine for mad cow disease, which may, some day, point to a treatment for other devastating wasting diseases in both animals and humans. Since 2006, Hedlin has been working with a team, led by Scott Napper, on an immunotherapy project for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) at VIDO. Together, they’ve been trying to find a way to stimulate the immune system so that it will attack the molecules responsible for causing BSE, commonly called mad cow disease. “The interesting thing,” says Hedlin, “is that these disease-causing molecules, called prions,

are almost identical to the ones that cause Scrapie in sheep, Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in deer

and elk, and Creut z fe ldt-J a k o b ’ s Disease (CJD)

in humans. So, in theory, if this project is successful for BSE, it may also be successful for the others.” Hedlin explains that prion proteins are present in two forms: prion cellular (PrPc), the “normal” form found in humans and animals; and prion scrapie (PrPSc), the infectious form found in animals with BSE. Once PrPSc enters the body, however, it converts the normal form into the infectious form. “This makes it really tricky for vaccine development because we have to try and get the immune system to attack only the infectious form, not the

regular form. Plus,” continues Hedlin, “prions have no nucleic acid like DNA or RNA, making them different from bacteria, viruses, and fungi, the causes of all other infectious diseases that we know about.” In the lab, the team has been making different manip-ulations to a small piece of protein—previously identified by other collaborators—with the hope that one design will produce an immune response that is strong enough to provide animals with protection from the disease. So far, testing has been done primarily on sheep and mice. Following some promising results, they have expanded their animal trials to include cows, elk, and deer. “But,” notes Hedlin, “until infection studies are conducted, we won’t be able to determine if

the immune responses that we are generating will actually protect against the disease. Because we do not yet have INTERVAC at our service, infection trials will have to be conducted by some of our collaborators.” Ultimately, the team’s goal is to create a vaccine that will

be able to prevent the devel-opment of prion diseases in previously unexposed animals. If such a vaccine is created, it could also be able to slow or stop the progression of the disease in animals that have previously become infected. Originally from Saskatoon, Hedlin completed his B.Sc. and M.S. in Microbiology at the U of S. Before returning as a PhD student in the Department of Biochem-istry, Hedlin studied music in Victoria with the Lafayette String Quartet. Now, he plays with the U of S Amati Quartet in Residence. Their year-end concert will take place March 15 in Convocation Hall at 8 pm.

Brette Ehalt writes profiles of grad students for the College of Graduate Studies and Research.

Grad Profile

Hedlin

Barber

Waging war on wasting diseases

Barber encourages feedback – ‘Tell us now’

but to get it done. I want to see action.” Throughout the plan, there is particular attention paid to the student experience. Barber explained the U of S has worked to become a research intensive institution, “and we now have to ask what kind of experience students can expect. We need to be able to see how we connect the enterprise of learning and the enterprise of discovery.” Still to come in the planning process is a budget outline for the next planning cycle which will “signal where investment will be made, but in a general way.” There will also be a capital action plan. “This will outline what we need to finish from the first plan as well as those initia-tives where we need to begin to plan, for strategic reasons, for

which units are involved.” Planning parameters will also be established, he said. These will outline expectations in areas like enrolment, budget, leadership and research perfor-mance. Barber said making the draft available for feedback will be “an echo check that says you got it right, or you need to say to us we think there is something else we really need to pay attention to. It’s entirely possible that we missed some things. And if we’re making a commitment that doesn’t have a hope in heck of anyone achieving, tell us now.” But there is one form of feedback the acting provost would like to discourage: “What I don’t need is for people to argue for their specific initiative to be included in the plan.” The campus community can review the draft plan and

provide feedback at www.usask.ca/ip until April 4. The final version of the second integrated plan is expected to

go before University Council for endorsement April 17 and to the Board of Governors for approval May 2.

View and respond to the draft integrated plan at www.usask.ca/ip

From Page 1

www.usask.ca/ocn

10March 14, 2008

cominG events

SEmINarS/LECturES

Veterinary Microbiology Seminars12:30 pm, Room 2105 WCVM

March 28, Siyuan Xie presents Tole-•rogenic Dendritic Cells Treatment for Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomy-elitis (EAE), a Model of Human Multiple Sclerosis, and Tova Dybvig presents Adju-vant Potential of Host Defense Peptides in Novel Vaccines Against Pertussis.

Whelen LectureOn April 7, Norman Myers will present the 2008 Whelen Lecture on Our Environmental Outlook: Time or Breakdown or Breakthrough. The lecture takes place at 7 pm in Convocation Hall with a public reception and book signing to follow.

Microbiology and Immunology4 pm, Room B450, Health Sciences Bldg.

March 20, Christine Hesje presents the •Mutant Prevention Concentration: a novel approach to antimicrobial susceptibility/resistance issuesMarch 27, Sue Zhong presents Identifica-•tion of Protein-Protein Interactions in T2SS of Aeromonas Hydrophila

Economics Seminars 3:30-5 pm, Timlin Room (807 Arts)

March 19, Alok Kumar from the University •of Victoria presents Self-Employment and Labour Market Policies

Hydrology Seminar12:30-1:30 pm, 1E80 Agriculture, unless

otherwise noted

March 28, 12:30-1 pm, 146 Kirk Hall, •Julie Friddell presents What Can Ancient Climate Records Tell Us About Water Resources and Future Climate Change?

Author ReadingPoet and novelist Robert Kroetsch will read from his work April 1 at 2:30 pm in Thorvaldson 271.

Friday Business Seminars1:30-4 pm, ESB Room 16. For information,

call 966-8686

April 4, Norman Sheehan presents •Business Strategy and Performance MeasurementApril 25, Rachelle Brockman presents •Powerful Presentation Skills.

Rainbow ExplorationsThe Sexualities and Gender Discussion Series 2008 continues when Rev. Shawn Sanford Beck presents Tip of the Iceburg: Sexuality and the Divine Image March 17, 3:30-4:45 pm, in Room C210 Admin.

Food and Bioproduct SeminarsMondays, 12:30-1:20 pm, 2C71 Agriculture

March 17, Tanya Der presents Dietary •Fibre, and Bo (Katherine) Gui presents Preparation and Utilization of High Phy-tosterol Oils and Prebiotic Catbohydrates from S. albaApril 14, Li Tan presents The Biosynthesis •and Applications of Omega 3 Fatty Acids

History and Environment LectureThe Network in Canadian History and Environment is holding a lecture on April 3 at 4 pm in Convocation Hall. David Schindler, University of Alberta, will present Are the Prairies Running Dry? Western Canada’s Freshwater Supply in the 21st Century. For more information, contact Bill Waiser at 966-5801.

Soil Science Seminar SeriesMondays, 3:30 pm, Room 2E25 Ag

March 17, Angela Bedard-Haughn pres-•ents Excess Water in Prairie Soils: Land Management in Uncertain TimesMarch 24, Derek Peak presents Synchro-•tron Research Opportunities in Soil and Environmental SciencesMarch 31, Daniel Xu, presents The Effects •of Land Use on Prairie Wetland Sedi-ments: Physical/Chemical Properties and Herbicide Adsorption

Chemistry SeminarMarch 14 at 3 pm in Room 159 Thorvald-•son, Mark MacLachlan from the University of British Columbia presents Chemistry Rings True.

CoNFErENCESSaskatchewan Drug Research Institute

The SDRI is holding its 2008 Spring Clinical Trial Workshop & Symposium April 17-18 at The Atrium, Innovation Place. The April 17 workshop, Introduction to Clinical Research, runs from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. The April 18 symposium, The Changing Landscape, runs from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Registration deadline is April 7. For more information, call 978-8300.

Psychiatric Association ConferenceThe 2008 World Psychiatric Association Epidemiology & Public Health Section Conference will be held in Saskatoon May 11-14. The theme is From Epidemiology Toward Mental Health Planning. The abstract deadline has been extended to March 31. For more information call 966-1840.

International Perspectives on Governance

International Perspectives on Governance: Accomplishments, Challenges and Evolving Research Agenda, an international conference of scholars and practitioners, will take place on campus June 26-27. For information, e-mail conference2008@icgd.usask.ca

Child Health SymposiumThe Dept. of Pediatrics presents a resident, fellow and student Child Health Research Symposium March 20. For information or to register, call 966-7608.

Continuing Professional Learning - Medicine

For information, call 966-7787

April 5, MCC QE Part II (limited registra-•tion), SaskatoonApril 18 & 19, Interprofessional Saskatch-•ewan Psychiatric Association conference Cultural Psychiatry, Moose Jaw

thE artSMuseum of Antiquities

On view is Bene Merenti: Inscriptions from the Roman Catacombs, an exhibition featuring early Christian artifacts. In the College Building.

Love Leisure LabourShowing until April 4 in both the Kenderdine Gallery in the Agriculture Building and the College Building Art Galleries is Love Leisure Labour, photo-based works from the University art collection.

Greystone TheatreThe Greystone Theatre will present She Stoops to Conquer, with a preview on March 26 and performances from March 27 to April 5. The Oliver Goldsmith comedy embodies a protest against the genteel sentimentalism that predominated in the mid-18th century. Tickets are available by calling the Place Riel Information Kiosk at 966-6988 or the Greystone Theatre Box Office at 966-5188.

In Performance!The Dept. of Music’s In Performance! Convo Series presents Season’s End with pianist Roman Rudnytsky on March 30 at 7:30 pm in Convocation Hall. Tickets available at McNally Robinson Booksellers, the department’s main office or at the door. For more information call 966-6171.

Amati Quartet The U of S Amati Quartet in Residence presents Discover Great Britain on March 15 at 8 pm in Convocation Hall. Tickets are available at McNally Robinson Booksellers, Place Riel Kiosk, Darren’s Music Place and at the door one hour before the performance.

Saskatoon SymphonyThe Saskatoon Symphony will be presenting a dinner and concert on campus March 19. Dinner takes place 5:30 pm at the Faculty Club, concert at 7:30 pm in Convocation Hall. Call 966-7777 for dinner reservations and/or to purchase concert tickets.

In ConcertAn exhibition of recent work by the U of S Certificate of Art and Design (USCAD) instructors is on display in the STM Gallery until March 29.

huSKIES@homEHuskies Salute

March 28 at TCU Place•

mISCELLaNYBreakfast With the President

Join President Peter MacKinnon in the Fireplace Room at the Faculty Club every Friday morning from 7:30-8:45 am for an opportunity to discuss University issues. Reserve space by calling 966-7777.

Faculty Club NominationsThe Board of Directors of the U of S Faculty Club invites nominations for the 2008-2009 year. Nominations end at 4 pm on March 31 and forms are available in the Faculty Club office.

An Arthurian TaleThe STM Student’s Union presents a medieval feast and show entitled Dream of the King – An Arthurian Tale March 28-30 at St. Joseph’s Hall. For tickets, call the union office at 966-8905, Jessa at 341-3099 or Mike at 262-1920.

Faculty Club EventsCall 966-7777 for reservations or more

information

St. Patrick’s Day Lunch takes place March •17. An Irish-inspired menu will also be available in the dining room from 5-7 pm. Live music will be provided by Circling Over ShannonCuban Night, April 11•Easter Brunch – sittings at 11 am and 1 •pm March 23Staff Appreciation Week April 21-25 – •special buffets offered each day at noon, breakfast on April 23 only at 8 am

Council Committees The deadline for nominations for Council committees is March 17. Interested individuals should check the Council website.

Alumni AwardsThe U of S Alumni Association is seeking nominations for the 2008 Alumni Awards. More information and a nomination form are available www.usask.ca/alumni. Deadline for submissions is April 15.

Library AwardsNominations for the University Library’s Dean’s Staff Award for Excellence close March 31. All The nomination form can be found on the Library’s website or by contacting the Library Dean’s office at 966-5942.

Stop RacismCampus events to mark the March 21 International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination will include a solidarity and justice coffeehouse March 14 at 7 pm in the STM cafeteria. More information about the day and events can be found at www.usask.ca/dhps/

CourSESThe Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching Effectiveness

Room 50 Murray Building, unless otherwise noted. For information, call 966-2231

March 18 from 3-5 pm, Incivility in the •Classroom with Jennifer MacLennan, Louise Humbert and Jim Greer.

March 19 from 3:30-4:30 pm, Teaching •Effectiveness Afternoons (TEA).

March 25 from 3:30-4:30 pm, TEA. •

March 26, 3:30-4:30 pm, monthly Teach-•ing in Canada discussion group with Mel Hosain, Civil Engineering.

March 28, 12:30-2:30 pm, Student •Judicial Processes at the U of S with Lea Pennock, University Secretary.

March 28, from 3-5 pm in Physics 165, •You Go Girl! (but not into Engineering or Physics), with Andrew Robinson. April 2, from 3-4 pm, PowerPoint: •the Double Edged Sword with Andrew Robinson. April 8, from 11 am-1 pm, Brown Bag •Drop-In Teaching Discussion for Grad Students with Ron Marken and Martha Crealock. April 15, from 3:30-4:30 pm, TEA, The •Three “E”s of Teaching: Enduring, Effec-tive, and Entertaining with Mel Hosain. May 5-9, Intensive Spring Teaching •Workshops. Details and registration avail-able soonMay 26-30, Course Design/Redesign •weeklong workshop. Details and registra-tion available soon Educational Media Access and Production •(EMAP)All courses take place in Ag 3D85 unless •otherwise noted. For information or to register, call 966-2500 or go to focus.usask.ca/coursesMarch 19, Camtasia and the Creation of •SCORM Compliant Resources, 1-4 pmMarch 26, iDVD Advanced, separate ses-•sions, noon-1:30 pm

Information Technology Services (ITS)

For info or to register, call 966-4866 or go to http://focus.usask.ca/courses

Access Introduction, April 8 & 10, 9-noon, •$115 for faculty, staff & students; $150 for others

Access Intermediate, March 18 & 20, •9-noon, $140 for faculty, staff & students; $175 for others

Access Importing & Exporting Data, March •27, 1:30-4:30 pm, $75 for faculty, staff & students; $95 for others

Adobe Photoshop CS2 Level 1, April 1 & •3, 1:30-4:30 pm, $140 for faculty, staff & students; $175 for others

Blackboard Learning System Course •Design Basics, April 9, 9-noon, free for faculty, staff or students; $90 for others

Buying a Digital Camera, March 17, •10:30-noon, free for faculty, staff & students; $60 for others

Creating Web Forms Course, April 10, •9-noon, free for faculty, staff & students; $60 for others

Creating U of S Surveys, April 24, 9-noon, •free for faculty, staff & students; $60 for others

Dreamweaver Intermediate Web Design •Course, April 17, 9 am-4:30 pm, $90 for faculty, staff & students; $115 for others

Dreamweaver Introduction, March 27 •& 28, 9-noon, free for faculty, staff & students; $120 for others

Excel 2007 Introduction, April 7 & 9, •1:30-4:30 pm, $120 for faculty, staff & students; $155 for others

CUPE Excel Introduction, April 7 & 9, •1:30-4:30 pm, $120 for staff

Excel Intermediate, March 19 & 26, •1:30-4:30 pm, $120 for faculty, staff & students; $155 for others

Excel Advanced, April 22 & 24, 9-noon, •$145 for faculty, staff & students; $180 for others

Excel Pivot Tables/Charts, April 28, 1:30-•4:30 pm, $75 for faculty, staff & students; $95 for others

Filemaker Pro Introduction, April 3, •9 am-4 pm, $140 for faculty, staff & students; $175 for others

InDesign CS2 Introduction, March 24 & •26, 1:30-4:30 pm, $140 for faculty, staff & students; $175 for others

InDesign CS2 Advanced, April 30, 1:30-•4:30 pm, $75 for faculty, staff & students; $95 for others

Microsoft Project Introduction (2003 & •2007), March 17 & 18, 1:30-4:30 pm, $140 for faculty, staff & students; $175 for others

Microsoft Project Intermediate (2003 & •2007), March 31 & April 2, 1:30-4:30 pm, $140 for faculty, staff & students; $175 for others

Outlook Intermediate, April 28 & 30, •1:30-4 pm, free for faculty, staff & students; $90 for others

Photoshop Elements, March 20, 9-noon, •$60 for faculty, staff & students; $80 for others

Podcasting Use, Production & Distribution, •May 1, 1:30-4:30 pm, free for faculty, staff & students; N/A for others

PowerPoint Introduction, April 21 & 23, •1:30-4:30 pm, free for faculty, staff & students; $120 for others

SPSS for Windows, April 29 & May 1, •7-10 pm, free for faculty, staff & students; $120 for others

Updating & Maintaining an Existing •Website, April 8, 1:30-4:30 pm, free for faculty, staff or students; N/A for others

Using Blogs at the U of S Workshop, •April 15, 9-noon, free for faculty, staff or students; N/A for others

Windows Vista: What’s New!, March 26, •10-11:30 am, free for faculty, staff or students; $60 for others

Word Intermediate, March 25 & 27, •6:30-9:30 pm, $115 for faculty, staff or students; $150 for others

Word 2007 Level 1, April 14 & 16, •1:30-4:30 pm, $120 for faculty, staff or students; $155 for others

Collaborating on Documents (Word, Excel, •PowerPoint), April 1, 10-noon, $30 for faculty, staff or students; $60 for others

Friday Afternoon Workshops, 1:30-3 pm, offerings in PowerPoint and Word Advanced topics; free for faculty, staff or students; $30-60 for others:

Word Footnotes, Figures & Master Docu-•ments, March 28

PowerPoint Instructor Workshop, Integrat-•ing Word & Excel, April 4

Word Styles, Outlining & TOC, April 11 •

PowerPoint Instructor Workshop, Multime-•dia, April 18

PowerPoint Instructor Workshop, Prepar-•ing for Web, April 25

PowerPoint Instructor Workshop, Master •Template, May 2

Health, Safety & EnvironmentClasses held in Room 140 Research Annex

unless otherwise noted. For info, call 966-8492 or visit www.usask.ca/dhse

Biosafety Cabinet Training: April 3, 9-noon•

Biosafety Course: April 2, 1-4:30 pm•

First Aid: May 13, 8:30 am-4:30 pm•

Laboratory Safety: March 18 & 20, •8:30-noon

Occupational Health Committee Level 1 •Training: April 14 & 16, 9 am-4 pm

Radiation Safety: May 20, 21, 23, 1-4 pm•

Safety Orientation for Employees: March •19, 9-11 am

Safety Orientation for Supervisors: April •15, 1:30-3:30 pm

Transportation of Dangerous Goods •(Receiver): March 27, 10:30-noon

Transportation of Dangerous Goods •(Refresher): March 27, 1-4 pm

Transportation of Dangerous Goods By •Air/Road (Shipper): March 24, 8:30 am-4:30 pm

WHMIS: April 22, 9:30-11:30 am•

11 March 14, 2008

cominG eventsCentre for Continuing & Distance

EducationFor info: www.ccde.usask.ca or

call 966-5539

Certificate Programs

Students must be admitted to the program before registering

Admission Deadline: March 17

Registration Deadline: March 24

Adult & Continuing Education

Appreciation Inquiry, April 2-4•Using Motivation and Personality to •Enhance Adult Learning, April 24-25, fee: $294

Business & Leadership Programs

Leadership for Frontline Supervisors, April •1 & 2, $594

Putting HR into Practice, April 3, May 8, •June 3, $847

Business Writing and Grammar Workout, •April 9 & 10, $594

Integrative Leadership™: Taking Leader-•ship to the Next Level,

Regina, April 15-17, $990•

Business Writing and Grammar Workout, •April 9-10, $594

Life Balance Leadership: Walk the Talk to •Lead the Way, April 22, $378

Community Arts Program

Digital Video Editing I, April 5, 12, 19, 26, •May 3, 10. Saturdays from 9:30 am-4 pmWatercolour I, April 11, 12, 13; April 18, •19, 20. Fri: 6:30-9:30 pm, Sat & Sun: 9 am-4:30 pm, $269Watercolour II, April 11, 12, 13; 18, 19, •20. Fri: 6:30-9:30 pm, Sat & Sun: 9 am-4:30 pm, $269Glass Mosaics I, April 11-13. Fri: 6:30-•8:30 pm; Sat & Sun: 9 am-5 pm, $135AYAP – Aspiring Young Artist Program•

Easter Break Art Camp, ages 6-12, March •24-28, 9 am-4 pm

Horticulture Workshops

To register, call 966-5539

Residential Landscape Design Part 3, •April 12, 9:30-noon, $30

Pesticides and Diseases (Core Course), •April 19, 9:30 am-4:30 pm, $55

Gardening in the Shade, May 14, 7-9:30 •pm, $30

Tree and Shrub I.D. (Core Course), May •31, 9:30 am-4:30 pm, $55

Rock Gardens, June 14, 9:30-noon, $30•

Horticulture Week, July 20-25•

Language Centre Programs•

For info or to register call 966-4351•

Pronunciation, Thursdays, April 3-June •5, 7-9 pm

ESL Effective Writing and Grammar, Mon •& Wed, April 14-June 9. Advanced: 4:45-6:45 pm; Intermediate: 7-9 pm

Spoken English, Tues & Thurs, April 15-•June 5, 7-9 pm

TOEFL & CanTEST Preparation, Tues & •Thurs, April 15-June 5, 4:45-6:45 pm

Teaching English as a Foreign Language •(TEFL). Spring Intensive: April 28-May 24; Summer Intensive: July 14-Aug. 9

Submit Coming EventsInformation for Coming Events will be accepted until 5 pm on

deadline day.

Next OCN: Friday, March 28

Deadline: Thursday, March 20

E-mail information to: ocn@usask.ca or fax 966-6815

NEWS BrIEFS

Cultural values reflected in Law Centre space

The courtroom in the Native Law Centre. Photo by Liam Richards

Indigenous Peoples Program

Aboriginal Professional Development Con-•ference (APDC), May 28-30, Travelodge Hotel, $500 + GST per person

By Peter Derbawka The Native Law Centre has a new home within the College of Law, and Sakej Henderson, director of the Centre, is pleased with the results. “We’ve been blessed all along,” he says. “The University and the College of Law have been very accommodating, but this is their finest hour in trying to accommodate our Aboriginal sensi-bilities, our need for a green space, and the expansion of the law school.” The Native Law Centre is a nationally recognized body and receives operating funds from provincial law foundations across Canada. The capital cost of the new premises was about $3 million. This was paid by the University, which is now able to use the centre’s former location in the Diefenbaker Canada Centre. The entire project was a collaborative effort from the start, says Law Dean Brent Cotter. “We sat down as a community and identified a series of values that we were looking for in the physical space. The building was both designed and presented to capture the aboriginal identity of the law school.” “It turned all of us into quasi-engineers, quasi-architects, and quasi-interior decorators,” notes Henderson. “We asked indigenous alumni from the law school and the summer program how the Native Law Centre should reflect our cultural values.” That included the materials that were used, such as local woods, and earth tone colours. “This creates a place of more serenity,” says Henderson, “and a searching peace. Our courtroom, where we do our meetings, talking circles, and ceremonial gatherings, had to have a certain light and certain requirements of the ceremonies. We also have the two row wampum, purple and white, signifying the original treaties, and that the First Nations and the British Crown would be in parallel, but not intersected.” The College of Law has, by proportion, the largest number of aboriginal students of any law school in the country. “We wanted that message to be captured in the work the architects did,” says Cotter. The Native Law Centre is highly visible to people entering the law school, with the ceremonial space visible from the grand staircase. The Native Law Centre was founded by Roger C. Carter in 1975. To signify his contribution, the boardroom will be dedicated to and named after him. “This move completes Roger Carter’s vision of the Native Law Centre finally finding its home in its own discreet, identifiable place but within the umbrella of the law school,” says Cotter.

Peter Derbawka is a Saskatoon-based freelance writer

Library gets $15M boost TORONTO – The University of Toronto’s Robarts Library is poised to enhance its services by increasing study space by 50 per cent and adding more wired and wireless network connectivity.

According to a U of T news release, the changes come as a result of a $15 million funding boost from the Ontario government.

The academic library, the largest of

its kind in Canada, provides services to 10,000 visitors a day and the money is planned to be used to add 1500 individual and group study spaces while equipping the approximately 300,000 square feet of space with enhanced network connectivity.

Blue whale display at UBC VANCOUVER – The University of British Columbia’s new Beaty Biodiver-sity Museum will house the skelton of a blue whale, the latest mammal to ever have lived.

The whale washed up on the shores

of Prince Edward Island 20 years ago, and its 25-metre long skeleton will be showcased in a glass atrium at the museum, said a UBC news release. The museum, however, is not scheduled to open until late 2009. The blue whale exhibit at UBC will be one of only five in North America, the release said.

Cage-free eggs at WLU WATERLOO – Wilfred Laurier Univer-sity’s Food Services has agreed to serve only cage-free eggs after WLU students raised the issue with the university’s

management board last November.

According to a WLU new release, cage-free eggs are produced by hens that roam free in large barns, as op-posed to hens kept in battery cages. The student activists argued that chickens kept in battery cages are subject to physical and emotional trauma, often resulting in death.

Although WLU has now joined a small group of Canadian universities that have switched to cage-free eggs, the release said more than 100 universities in the United States already serve cage-

free eggs, and the European Union has committed to eliminating battery cages by 2012.

Good governance at U of A EDMONTON – The University of Alberta’s Board of Governors has been awarded the Conference Board of Canada/Spencer Stuart 2008 National Award in Governance for the public sector.

A U of A news release said the award recognizes the board’s “innova-tive and bold leadership.”

12March 14, 2008

A wealthof local investmentknowledge

Call for more information on these topics:

• Estate planning • Financial planning• Tax-advantaged investments • Fee-based accounts• Discretionary Money Management • Pension rollover analysis• Complimentary consultation by appointment

Over 20 years experience with leading investment firms.

Veronica Gamracy, MBA, CFA, Investment Advisor (306) 657-4702University of Saskatchewan Alumnus 1 (800) 561-3800MBA — McGill University veronica.gamracy@cibc.caChartered Financial Analyst www.veronica-gamracy.com

CIBC Wood Gundy is a division of CIBC World MarketsInc., a subsidiary of Canadian Imperial Bank of

Commerce and Member CIPF.

From the CollectionThese images and short article are part of a back-page series in On Campus News that celebrates the University of Saskatchewan art collection. Begun in 1911, the collection comprises more than 4400 objects, including many important examples from various artists and eras. OCN asked Kent Archer, director of the collection, to select and discuss the works in this series.

University Art Collection image

Gerald R. McMaster was born on the Red Pheasant Reserve, near North Battleford in 1953. He is a significant figure in contemporary Indigenous art in Canada because of his work as an artist, writer, curator, and scholar. As an artist, he works in two-dimensional and installation media, using humour, irony and satire to communicate his thoughts related to colonialism and stereotypes of First Nations peoples.

McMaster currently serves as deputy assistant director for cultural resources for the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian, where he oversees the curatorial, repatriation, and archival departments. He is also in-volved with the production of permanent exhibitions. In 2000, he left the position of curator of the Canadian Museum of Civilization’s First Peoples Hall. Before that, he was the Museum’s Curator of

Contemporary Indian Art, where he pro-duced many important exhibitions from 1981-2000. McMaster holds a PhD from the University of Amsterdam, and degrees from the Institute of American Indian Arts, the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and Carleton University.

The inclusion of McMaster’s work in the University Art Collection is of significance for at least two reasons. His contributions to the development

of Indigenous Peoples’ representation within collections and exhibitions around the country and beyond are evident from the description above. And, to have his work represented here reinforces his Saskatchewan heritage. The piece shown here makes a bold statement, reflecting McMaster’s personal insights in relation to themes around cultural ap-propriation and the status of indigenous peoples within North American society.

Artist: Gerald R. McMaster

Title: Making a Buck

Date: 1992

Media: acrylic on canvas

Dimensions: 186 cm x 260 cm

Credit: Collection of University of Saskatchewan. Purchased with the support of Canada Council Acquisition Assistance Program, 1997