February 13, 2003
February 13, 2003 McGill University
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Flowers? No way. Chocolates? Boooring! How about a lovingly handcrafted card modeled after 19th-century valentines? Of course! Camille Beaumier would hardly settle for less for her loved ones. She proudly displayed her objet d'art at the McCord Museum's Valentine's Day card-making workshop, last Sunday while Mom (Sylviane Beauregard to you) helps out.
Photo: Owen Egan
Quebec funding shortfall
Quebec universities need $375 million more if they are to remain competitive
with other provinces. Structural underfunding affects all areas of university
operations, from maintenance to student services to recruitment.
Genetic key to leprosy
To many minds it's an affliction of the medieval times, but in fact leprosy
infects hundreds of thousands of people each year. A genetic component of the
disease has been identified by McGill researchers.
A brand new web gateway
Nearly 10,000 McGill web-pages are now more easily accessible to the visually
and mobilty impaired. The new look and feel went on-line February 8.
Watching worms wend their way
Next time you see an earthworm on the sidewalk after a rain, gently pick it
up and set back on the soil. Their name may be synonymous with "humble" but
biologist Joann Whalen says they play an integral role in the ecosystem. "Go
free little earthworm! Godspeed!"
Academics and activists
Canadians don't often pay much attention to Latin America unless it is for
vacation planning. But in the age of globalization, strikes in Venezuela are
directly related to protests in Quebec City. A conference at McGill aims to
bring together the academics, activists and organizers to discuss
"Hemispheric Civil Society."
Parenting in the new millennium
Anyone who has ever been a new parent -- or even a babysitter -- has bemoaned
the fact that these dependant mini-people do not come with an instruction
manual. For a dozen years parents have been turning to McGill's Faculty of
Education workshops. This year the theme is "parenting in the new
millennium."
Painting the university red
There's no secret handshake, and they aren't planning on taking over the
world (of course, they would say that, wouldn't they?) They are the Scarlet
Key Society, which recognizes well-rounded individuals who contribute to
their community. Society President Andrew Tischler is trying to bring the
society back to its former glory. Resistance is futile.
Professor-palooza
From Arabic literature to Jurassic beasties, McGill's new professors are
taking the university in new directions. Here's a sampling of the shiny new
faces around campus.
Doctors' notes
The worlds of literature and medicine don't often collide, but narrative
techniques are a valuable tool for medical practitioners and patients alike.
Some McGill professors incorporate writing into their practice and their
teaching.
Also in this issue
Kudos
Kaleidoscope
Stanley Frost is McGill's Boswell, a biblical scholar, historian, former university administrator and now a poet. In his time he's also been a parson, professor and an air raids precautions officer during the Blitz in London.
Also: Ah, to be pierced with cupid's arrow -- not a pleasant thought when it's literal, as with the garden snail. Welcome to the weird world of hermaphroditic, gastropedal -- and very slow -- seduction.
On campus
The English Drama program presents opera in the asylum with Cosi while the Savoy society turns slaughter in song with Sweeney Todd. Aspiring filmmakers should break out the clapboards for the Student Film Festival and Jeff MacInnis is taking a break from battling nature to speak at Macdonald's Founder's Day celebration.
It could only be the Macdonald Royal Winter Carnival. Other attractions included a hot air balloon, snow volleyball and hot tubs. Bobtail later denied rumours that he and his nameless companion were spotted unwinding in the latter facility after a long day pulling revellers.
