World AIDS Day @ Mount A

Events and activities are planned across the University campus including a guest speaker, information booths, and an HIV clinic at the Student Health Centre today.

The “Health Matters” student society and the Students’ Administrative Council, in collaboration with the Student Health Centre, have announced several initiatives on campus and in the larger community to help raise awareness about HIV/AIDS.

Health research and evaluation consultant, San Patten will give a special presentation and lead a discussion on the topic: “HIV/AIDS — From Global to Local” to discuss how Canada’s actions help and hinder efforts against the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Her international work experience includes projects in India, Mexico, Zambia, Kenya, Moldova, Serbia, and Cambodia.

Volunteers from a Leadership Mount Allison group will also have awareness booths set up in the library and the dining hall with information materials and contests to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS available throughout the day.

Red ribbons will also be available at the booths, for a small donation, with all funds raised to go towards AIDS New Brunswick/SIDA Nouveau-Brunswick (ANB).

Free HIV testing is a routine service offered by the Health Centre on campus. On Friday, November 30 from 10 a.m. - 12 noon there will be an HIV clinic offered by the Nurse/Educator at the Student Health Centre as well.

Mount A's 47th Rhodes Scholar

Congratulations to Dara MacDonald, Mount A's 47th Rhodes Scholar!

What do you get when you combine a multi-linguist, a student politician, and a figure skater from Halifax, NS?

You get Dara MacDonald — Mount Allison University's 47th Rhodes Scholar!

Dara is headed to the University of Oxford next fall with a full scholarship to pursue a Master’s of Philosophy in Development Studies.

Dara, who is the Vice-President Academic Affairs of Mount Allison’s Students’ Administrative Council (SAC), says, “It is taking a bit of time for the news to sink in. I’m very excited about the opportunity and honoured to be chosen as a Rhodes Scholar. I am really looking forward to pursuing research through the Development Studies program at Oxford next year.”

Dara will graduate this spring with a Bachelor of Arts degree (Honours in International Relations and minors in Hispanic Studies and Development Studies).

She has engaged in a truly inter-disciplinary academic experience at Mount A, taking courses in a wide range of areas such as languages, economics, geography, and anthropology. Dara has also held the Bell Scholarship — Mount Allison’s most prestigious entrance scholarship — throughout her time at Mount A and has worked as a Spanish teaching assistant.

The love of the language also led her to study in Spain for a summer while at Mount Allison.

Dara has also extended her learning experiences outside the classroom. She is a member of the campus chapter of WUSC (World University Service of Canada), for which she served as President for two years, was Secretary-Treasurer of Campbell Hall, and was a Mount Allison International Orientation facilitator.

Dara is the Vice-President Academic Affairs for the Mount Allison SAC this year, representing the student body’s academic needs by serving on such bodies as the University Senate and Faculty Council.

A competitive figure skater, she has continued her work on the ice as well, becoming part of the precision skating club at Mount Allison.

The Rhodes Scholarships, awarded throughout the Commonwealth, the United States, and Germany, provide all expenses for travel to and study at the University of Oxford for two years, with an option for a third year.

The current value of the scholarship is in excess of $100,000. Mount Allison University is thought to have the highest number, per capita, of Rhodes Scholars in the Commonwealth (47).

5 alumnae named most powerful women

5 Mount A women named among 2007 Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100!!

Mount Allison University is pleased to announce that four of its distinguished alumnae and one of its honorary degree recipients will be recognized by the Women’s Executive Network as Canada’s most powerful women.

Alumnae Brenda Robertson ('50), Annette Verschuren, and Flora MacDonald (honorary degree '04) in the Trailblazers & Trendsetters category, and Lynn Loewen ('82) and Jane Craighead ('80) in the Professionals category, will be named among Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100™ at the Toronto Metro Convention Centre today, November 21, 2007.

Under the leadership of the Women’s Executive Network, the Top 100 awards celebrate the extraordinary accomplishments of Canadian women who are making a difference and breaking new ground in the public and private sectors, through arts and communications, and within their communities.

Paving the way for Canadian women in politics, the Honourable Brenda Mary Robertson, became the first female in the New Brunswick legislature when she was elected in 1967. In 1970 she became the first female cabinet minister in New Brunswick, serving as Minister of Youth and Social Services and subsequently as Minister of Health New Brunswick during her term. In 1984 she was appointed to the Senate of Canada where she served until her retirement in 2004 and was appointed to the Order of Canada in April of 2007. Brenda graduated from Mount Allison University with a Bachelor of Science in 1950 and served on Mount A’s Board of Regents from 1952 to 1953.

Having learned the value of hard work on her family’s Cape Breton dairy farm, Annette Verschuren has gone on to become the first woman to be named president of The Home Depot. As Canadian president of Home Depot’s Asian and Canadian divisions, Annette has led the chain’s expansion from 19 stores in Canada to 144 in her first 10 years and is now leading a major expansion in China. Annette has received honorary degrees from Mount Saint Vincent and St. Francis Xavier universities, and was honoured as Wilfrid Laurier University’s 2006 Outstanding Business Leader. She is a recipient of the Canada 125 Medal, the Retail Council of Canada’s Distinguished Canadian Retailer of the Year Award, and the Women on the Move Award. Annette holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from St. Francis Xavier University and also attended Mount Allison.

Far beyond hard work and dedication, Lynn Loewen’s success can be attributed to her unwavering passion for her profession and her community. After 15 years with Air Canada Jazz and its predecessor, Air Nova, Lynn is currently vice-president, finance and operations, for Bell Canada. Also recently named chair of Mount Allison’s Board of Regents, Lynn holds the distinction of being the first female board chair in Mount Allison’s 168-year history. Lynn graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from Mount Allison University in 1982 and in 2003 was recognized as a Mount Allison Business Network Honouree. In 1999 she received the prestigious honour of being named one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40™.

As vice-president, compensation and benefits, for Alcan Inc., Jane Craighead is responsible for compensation and benefits on a global basis for Alcan’s 66,000 employees based in 62 countries. Throughout her career, Jane has shared her vast knowledge in management and accounting with Canada’s future leaders as a full-time faculty member at McGill University, Concordia University, and Queen’s University. She has been the recipient of such prestigious awards as the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Award and a McGill Major Graduate Fellowship. Jane holds a PhD in Management, and in 1980 graduated from Mount Allison with a Bachelor of Commerce. She is still actively involved at Mount A, and currently sits on the University’s Board of Regents.

A politician and humanitarian, the Honourable Flora MacDonald served as executive director of the Progressive Conservative national headquarters from 1957 – 1966. In 1966 she became the national secretary of the Progressive Conservative Association of Canada, a position she held until 1969. From 1972-1988 Flora served as a Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands. Throughout her political career, she held three prominent cabinet portfolios: Secretary of State for External Affairs from 1979-80; Minister of Employment and Immigration from 1984-1986; and Minister of Communications from 1986 to 1988. From 1990-1994, she was the host of the popular television series, North South, on Vision TV. Flora was awarded an honorary degree from Mount Allison University in 2004.

Now in its fifth year, Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100™ list has also included several Mount Allison graduates on past lists including Karen Radford, the Honourable Catherine Callbeck, Dr. Ruth Goldbloom, and the Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain as well as Mount Allison honorary degree recipients Madam Justice Rosalie Abella, Dr. Roberta Bondar, and Judith Maxwell.

Research attracting international attention

Researchers at Mount A are attracting international attention after finding that a common chemical could jeopardize the health of fish populations.

The researchers exposed fish to a compound widely used in industrial detergents, sewage treatment, the pulp and paper industry, and in agricultural pesticides. They found that, even at low levels, the chemical caused them to avoid each other rather than grouping together in schools or shoals.

It's troubling because schooling is a survival technique for fish, and the chemical - 4-nonylphenol - can be found just about everywhere, explained biology professor Suzie Currie, whose lab hosted the research.

She completed the study with recent graduate Jennifer Horsfall ('06) and former post-doctoral fellow Ashley Ward, who is now at the University of Sydney in Australia.

"The study was recently published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B from Britain's Royal Society."

Read the full story:
Common chemical causing not-so fishy reaction
(Telegraph Journal)

Researchers find common chemical could harm fish
(Boston Globe)

President travels

Dr. Robert Campbell was interviewed on his travelling habits in the Globe & Mail last week:

He has been travelling the country to tout the strengths of Mount A, which shares the title this year with Wolfville, N.S.'s Acadia University of top undergraduate school in Canada in the Maclean's ranking.

Do you have to travel a lot?
I travel for two reasons. In my university job, I'm probably on the road at least twice if not three times a month. Then, in my research life, I'm a postal expert and I do a lot of work in Europe, so I go to Europe maybe eight times a year.

Read full article: Executive Class
(Globe & Mail)

Cartoonist's book hits shelves

Halifax Daily News's curmudgeonly cranky cartoonist's book hits shelves

Twenty years ago, Michael de Adder ('91) never thought he'd spend his days sketching politicans wearing dog muzzles and dangling from telephone wires.

Focused on studying painting, drawing, and sculpture at Mount A, he dreamed of being an artist

But when the campus began buzzing about free trade, de Adder decided to do some research and draw a few cartoons on the subject.

"I opened this book of cartoons by some guy named Aislin, and I thought 'Wow, this is art,'" de Adder said, referring to renowned Montreal Gazette cartoonist Terry Mosher. "I had always wanted to be an artist - that was the goal, that was my career path. But when I opened this book up, I fell in love with the whole idea of editorial cartooning."

De Adder sketched cartoons for several different publications before landing his full-time gig with The Daily News in 2000. He recently celebrated the release of his first compilation, simply entitled de Book.

"There were about 4,000 cartoons, and I boiled it down to about 300 that I liked," said de Adder, who draws tucked away in an ink-stained corner of the newsroom. "That was time-consuming, but the hardest part was picking the 140 or so that went in the book."

The finished product is 88 pages of his finest work, including a depiction of Bert and Ernie heading to Canada for a gay marriage, and Premier Rodney MacDonald living rent-free and playing video games in his parents' house - after getting a substantial raise.

Although it's not the first time de Adder's cartoons have been printed in a book - his work is always included in annual cartoon compilations - he says seeing de Book through the windows of bookstores gives him a rush.

"The goal is always to have your own book," de Adder said. "This is basically my whole career thus far in 88 pages. I'm proud of it - you can't help but be proud of it."

For more information on Michael de Adder, visit deadder.net

Halifax Daily News

ACE Chef

Congratulations to Chef Alexander Porter ('00)!!

Executive Chef of the Renaissance Boulder Suites at Flatiron in Broomfield, Colorado, he was recently named Executive Chef of the Year out of the 174 Renaissance brand hotels and resorts worldwide.

Chef Porter started as a culinary intern at the Renaissance Boulder Suites in the spring of 2003.

The Award of Culinary Excellence (ACE) has been a cornerstone of the efforts to recognize and identify great chefs and culinarians in Marriott and Renaissance hotels. Started in 1998, this prestigious award recognizes the passionate efforts of chefs that have been instrumental in the culinary growth of the company.

"Chef Porter is an extremely self-motivated individual who demonstrates an exceptional ability to deliver outstanding results through the direction of his team and through his own individual hands-on efforts," stated Vice President, Food and Beverage/Procurement of White Lodging, Robert Fallon.

"His passion for the guests and his associates can be seen in every encounter he has."

Criteria for this award include measurable improvement in overall dining, outstanding achievement in culinary excellence, creativity and innovation, training of others, leadership and personal development.

Chef Porter demonstrates a strong commitment of excellence in all areas on a daily basis. He orchestrates imaginative offerings in FLATZ for their Sunday Champagne brunch, Thursdays' Jazz and Sushi Night and his legendary Winemaker Dinners in the hotel's wine cellar. Under his leadership and guidance, the Renaissance Boulder Suites at Flatiron hotel received the 2006 Food and Beverage Excellence Award - Best Overall as well as the 2006 Food and Beverage Excellence Award - Best Breakfast Overall. In his spare time, he contributes to numerous community affairs, cooking demonstrations and charitable events.

"Chef Porter is an innovative and passionate culinarian who consistently creates memorable experiences for his customers" states General Manager Dave Kennedy. "He has the ability to assume duties of greater responsibility and has unlimited potential."

We Propose Clothes

Please take the time…

Campbell Hall and Eco Action are collaborating to promote a campaign entitled “We Propose Clothes”. Despite enormous media attention on the situation in the less developed world, poverty exists here within our local area.

In promoting environmentally friendly practices, Campbell Hall and Eco Action are inviting the Mount A community to recycle clothing in good, clean condition for the reuse of those in need.

During the week of November 19th clothing drop off bins will be placed in central locations around campus as well as in each of the residences.

The residence which collects the most clothing per capita will be rewarded with a prize!

On the Friday November 23rd, in honor of “Buy Nothing Day”, Eco Action will be having a clothing swap where students are encouraged to bring clothes and take what they wish.

Remaining clothing will be put towards the collection which will then be distributed to worthy local causes.

THANK YOU for your efforts!

In the news...

After the wonderful news (that we're #1!!!), we're making headlines:

Mount Allison, Acadia top Maclean's list in undergrad category
(CBC)

Universities in Montreal, Victoria, N.B and N.S lead Maclean's rankings
(Canadian Press)

Two-way tie at top of class
(The Chronicle Herald)

Mount A back in top spot
(Telegraph Journal)

Maclean says...

Mount Allison University was once again named the top undergraduate school in the country in Maclean’s magazine’s 17th annual University Rankings, which hit newsstands today, November 8.

Mount A received first-place honours in the primarily undergraduate ranking, tying with Acadia University in Wolfville, NS.

Mount A President, Dr. Robert Campbell, says, “We’re proud of Mount Allison’s outstanding success in this national survey and pleased once again to be recognized as the number one undergraduate university in the country.

We were ranked #1 by Maclean’s for the first 11 years of the survey, second for the next five, but returned to the #1 spot this year.

It’s great to have returned to the number one position. This record of achievement is unmatched by any other university.

The Maclean’s University rankings tell the world about Mount Allison’s strengths, from our award-winning faculty teaching and small class sizes to our innovative residence system, which includes a sustainable residence, and a myriad of extracurricular activities, all encompassed in the charming town of Sackville, NB.

The Mount Allison Experience gives our students more than a degree and prepares them to become engaged citizens of the world who work to make a difference in their communities.”

Along with the first-place overall ranking, Mount Allison also received high marks in a number of different categories: including first place for student awards and library holdings; second place for library expenses; third rank for the student-to-faculty ratio (15.7:1); and fourth place in operating budget and awards received by full-time faculty.

Maclean’s also published responses to questions asked by the National Survey of Student Engagement and the Canadian Undergraduate Survey Consortium.

While all universities do not participate in these surveys, Maclean's asked all university students in their survey the identical questions from these two national surveys.

Overall results found that smaller, undergraduate-focused university students are generally more satisfied with their university experience, and the Mount Allison Experience shone through with exceptional grades.

• 98% of Mount Allison students surveyed said they were either very satisfied or satisfied with the quality of teaching at Mount A, echoing the University’s high standing for awards received by its faculty members.

• 97% were either very satisfied or satisfied with the overall quality of education they received at Mount A.

• 97% either agreed or strongly agreed that their academic learning experience at Mount A was intellectually stimulating.

• 93% were either very satisfied or satisfied with their decision to attend Mount Allison.

• 91% said Mount Allison met or exceeded their expectations and the same percentage would recommend the University to others.

In consistently ranking Mount Allison among the best undergraduate universities in Canada since 1991, Maclean’s magazine has noted many of the institution’s strengths, including the university's high academic standards, dedicated and nationally-recognized faculty, intimate residential setting, and emphasis on undergraduate students.

Check out this year's MacLean's University Rankings.

Dr. Karen Nicholson

It is with great sadness that I write this message to inform you of the death of a most valued colleague. Dr. Karen Nicholson, just 36 and in the early years of her career in the Department of Psychology, passed away in Lethbridge, Alberta, her family home, after a battle with cancer.

Karen was an engaged teacher, always making time for her students and fellow faculty members and actively involved in neuroscience, her area of specialization. Karen graduated from the University of Western Ontario with her PhD and came to Mount Allison in July 2002 to begin the next stage of her academic career.

The flag will be lowered to half-mast today in honour of Karen and we will be telling you as soon as we know when a memorial service will be held in the Mount Allison chapel.

My heartfelt sympathy goes to her family in Lethbridge, and to her colleagues and friends.

Sincerely,

Robert Campbell

Robert M. Campbell, PH.D.

President and Vice-Chancellor

Mount Allison University

Members of the Mount Allison community are invited to gather together to commemorate and celebrate our colleague, Karen Nicholson, at a memorial service to be held at 3 p.m. on Friday, November 23, 2007 at the Chapel. A reception will follow at Owens Art Gallery.