gue ph UNIVERSITY NEWS BULLETIN Volume 21 Number 17 77 04 28 — The heart and soul of the University — Sir Roger Bannister marks first four minutes Tribute to Dr. Branion with campus lecture Professor Hugh D. Branion, one of the longest graduated from the University of Toronto Sir Roger Bannister, the first man to run the serving and most popular members of the with a B.A. (1928), M.A. (1929), and Ph.D., mile under four minutes, will deliver a free campus community died suddenly on Saturday specializing in biochemistry in 1933. public lecture at the University of Guelph on evening, April 23. He was in his 71st year. In Dr. Branion was appointed Professor and Friday, 77 05 06 exactly 23 years after his recent years he concluded his distinguished Head of OAC's newly established Department record-breaking race. The 15:15 lecture academic and military career by serving as of Animal Nutrition in 1938, a position he held will be held in War Memorial Hall as part of assistant to both President Donald Forster and until 1964. Between 1959 and 1965 he was an annual spring conference for physicians his predecessor, William Winegard. in charge of graduate studies for OAC and and spouses. It is jointly sponsored by the Accepting an athletics appreciation award was Dean of Graduate Studies for the Univer- Wellington County Medical Society and the on behalf of Dr. Branion recently, President sity from 1964 to 1968. University's Office of Continuing Education. Forster referred to him as "the heart and soul During World War II Dr. Branion was loaned of the University." to the RCAF and served as a member of the Sir Roger will talk about how it feels to Dr. Branion, as the University's first Dean Advisory Committee to the Ministry of Defence break records, and he will discuss the limits of Graduate Studies, played a major role in on Rations for the Armed Forces. He served of human performance. These are appropriate the campus's transition from College to Uni- successively as Officer Commanding,RCAF topics for him, says Professor John Powell, versity status. Since 1968, as Assistant to the School of Cookery, No. 1 Nutrition Laboratory Department of Human Kinetics, who feels that President, he edited the University's annual and RCAF Nutrition Laboratories in Canada. Sir Roger's athletic career was well planned report, supervised the ritual of opening new In 1944 he served in England and on the Con- and deliberate. Prof. Powell was head coach buildings and other public events. Faculty tinent and in 1945 he went to the Netherlands. of the University of Cambridge track team wher and staff came to know him, and his dear For his work in helping to feed the people of Sir Roger was a third string runner for the wife Jean, as the couple who welcomed guests Holland he was awarded the Order of opposition at the University of Oxford. at receptions held in the President's residence. Oranje-Nassau. Students, when graduating, were sure of a Dr. Branion's career as a research scientist "I followed his career very closely," says smile and a cheery comment, as he shook hands earned him an international reputation and his Prof. Powell, after he beat my first string and gave out degrees at the back of War Mem- ability as a teacher earned him the esteem of runner in the mile in March, 1947. His time orial Hall during Convocations. generations of students in OAC and Macdonald was 4 min. 30.8 sec. A year later Sir Roger Dr. Branion came to the Guelph campus in Institute. He brought about a greater appre- ran the mile in 4 min 23.4 sec. And in 1949 1930 to establish a nutrition laboratory in ciation of nutrition in a university curriculum. his time was 4 min. 16.2 sec. Through research the Department of Poultry Husbandry and, He was associated with much of the early work and training, Sir Roger learned his own capa- with the exception of the war years, has on the role of Vitamin D in poultry nutrition. bilities, says Prof. Powell. He developed them worked on campus ever since. Dr. Branion The high calibre of his investigations and the slowly, improving with each performance. obtained his early education in Oxford County, soundness of his judgment gained early recog- He turned down the chance to represent where his parents taught school, and at Upper nition. For 28 years he has been editor of Great Britain in the 1948 Olympic games because he knew he was not yet ready. It Canada College. He went on to Trinity and Continued on page 3. was in London 54 05 23 at 17:30 when Sir Roger Bannister crossed the finish line for a new world record in the mile race. Prof. Powell had predicted that Sir Roger was the man to do it when he wrote in 1951, "To all young athletes who need an incentive to keep on training and trying there is no better example of an athlete with a brain and an athlete with a plan than Roger Bannister." Dr. Branion, wearing his Order of Oranje-Nassau After Oxford, Sir Roger entered medical decoration at Convoca- school and earned a gold medal for his work tion ceremonies in 1976. in physiology. He used himself as a test talking with President subject for studies on treadmill running and Forster and former oxygen intake. He is now a known medical Vice-President, doctor, has been knighted by the Queen, and Administration is consultant at the National Hospital for W.W. Bean. Nervous Diseases in London. ❑ Meeting 77 04 19 Restricted, and the Documentation Centre. Senate approved the proposed brief to the Appraisals The meeting proved lengthy with a report There are many break downs, and users are Committee of the Ontario Council on Graduate Studies regarding Masters Programs in the Centre from the Board of Undergraduate Studies on finding ways to circumvent the system. for Resources Development. means of assessing competence in English and The new system will use "bar-coded" labels a report from the Committee on Academic similar to those now appearing on packages Library Committee . Senate received for information a report on the on- Priorities on review of graduate programs in the supermarket. The labels will be read line circulation control system. drawing the most debate. The curfew hour by a "light" pen at the library check out. This of 23:00 arrived before completion of consi- system has shown a remarkably low error and Bylaws and Membership Committee deration of the latter report, and further discus- failure rate under testing. Among the benefits . Senate received a report on the results of elections to Senate, Winter 1977. sion was adjourned to a special meeting to be offered by the new system are up-to-the-second held at 77 05 03, 20:00. and accurate circulation information, the Committee on Graduations and Ceremonials The report on English competence proposed ability to place a request for a book quickly . Senate approved amended regulations of the that a diagnostic test in English be administer- and easily, the virtual elimination of manual Committee. ed to all incoming students and that each forms, and provision of reminders of filled Audio Visual Committee transcript indicate either a satisfactory or requests, overdue books or unpaid fines. Senate approved the proposed allocation of the unsatisfactory level of attainment (but an media fund for 1977/78. ❑ In other business, the Committee on Gradua- unsatisfactory notation would not bar gradua- tions and Cermonials presented a revised set tion). The test could be repeated to improve of regulations on matters under their jurisdic- a student's standing. The report also recom- tion. While many of the revisions were of mended that a faculty member be available an editorial nature, some items were new. VISITORS to counsel students, and that remedial courses Included were a new definition of the intent Dr. Shannon C. Whipp and Dr. Peter J. Mathews from be offered through Continuing Education. the National Animal Disease Center, United States in granting honorary degrees, as well as a Debate centred on a number of aspects, Department of Agriculture, Ames, Iowa, USA were statement that no person should be excluded visitors to the gnotobiotic laboratory in Clinical Re- including the case of francophone or other from consideration for an honorary degree search this month. foreign students, the preciseness and reliability because of holding public office. The new The purpose of the visit was to get acquainted with of the tests, and the relative responsibility of regulations also increase from four to eight the gnotobiotic facility and technology to learn surgical techniques for the deviation of gnotobiotic the student, the school system and the Univer- the number of honorary degrees which may pigs. sity. Dean Settle concluded the debate by be awarded in any year. commenting that his grapevine indicates that SERVES AS ASSESSOR the concern expressed by the universities The Striking Committee added the names of Professor J.C.M. Shute, Extension Education, served in the past year or so about this situation is students A. Costin and J. Kreppner to the recently as external assessor for the Department of now having some effect on content of high Committee on Student Petitions for the Spring Agricultural Extension Services, University.of Ibadan, Nigeria. He also was a member of the selection school English courses, and he expected that semester to replace two students who will not committee for the 1977 IDRC doctoral awards for be on campus. the situation next year would be better than both Canadian and developing country students.