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.

2007 Classical Artists of the Year

Congratulations to baritone Christopher Bowman (’01), and pianist David Chafe who won the 2007 Classical Artists of the Year at the MUSICNL Awards in St. John’s for their new classical CD, Over Hill and Valley.

This beautiful recording features two English song cycles: "Songs of Travel" by Ralph Vaughan Williams (based on the poetry of Robert Louis Stevenson) and "Earth and Air and Rain" by Gerald Finzi (based on the poetry of Thomas Hardy).

Over Hill and Valley is the first collaborative recording project for David and Christopher who have been great friends and have performed together since meeting at the Memorial University School of Music in 2004 as students of the School's Master of Music program.

They also appeared live at the MUSICNL Awards Show at the St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre this past Sunday evening.

Around the World

How so few Allisonians cover the planet so well!

Here's an email from Charlie Hunter, Director of International Admissions, during his travels this month:

"Have run into 6 Allisonians this week and heard of more:

Tuesday : arranged through Trevor Lewis who brought along Justin Keyes for the three of us to present at Delia school in Hong Kong. I got goosebumps listening to Trevor and Justin explain to the students why Mt A was a good choice for them. Delia teacher Mt A grad Eric MacMillan dropped in. He told us that Charles York and Marcie Dionne are still teaching in the school and that Nick Crowe is now at CP Allen in Bedford.

Wednesday: presented at Shenzhen International School where my contemporary Donna Trafford is the principal and Tracey Anderson is the Music teacher.

Friday: went to American School Shanghai and ran into Cathy Anderson, VP of the class of 86, who is the IB programme coordinator.

Saturday: presented at an agency in Shanghai. UNBSJ were represented there by Mt A grad Jill Rogers, 03."

Pictured above: Cathy Anderson and Kirk Mitchell

GG Lit Award Nom

Congratulations to Rob Winger ('97) for his Governor General's Literary Award nomination for his first book, Muybridge's Horse.

NEW: Rob will be doing a reading at Mount Allison: November 15, 7 pm, Cranewood

Rob grew up in a tiny Ontario town, and has since lived in eastern Canada and Asia. His work has been published in literary journals across the country, and selections from Muybridge’s Horse won first prize for poetry in English in the 2003 CBC Literary Awards judged by P.K. Page, Dionne Brand and George Bowering.

Currently at work at a doctoral degree in English and cultural studies, Winger lives with his family in Ottawa, Ontario, where he skates to work each winter.

The Governor General's Literary Awards come with a prize of $25,000, raised this year from $15,000.

The winners will be announced Nov. 27.

Stanley Cup Family

Kent Huskins, son of Les Huskins ('69) and Bonnie (Bain) Huskins ('69) are pictured holding the Stanley Cup. Kent was a defenseman on the 2006-2007 Stanley Cup winning team Anaheim Ducks, and he recently signed a new two year contract with the Ducks.

Congratulations Kent, Les, and Bonnie!