Analysis Director Appointed Dr

Volunac 29, Number 2 January 19,1983 Analysis director appointed Dr. John S. Chase will join the University of B.C. on April 1 as director of the campus Office of Institutional Analysis. Dr. Chase is currently executive assistant to the president and director of the Office of Analytical Studies at Simon Fraser University. Dr. Chase, 45, succeeds Dr. William Tetlow, who resigned as director of the UBC office in June, 1982, to accept a position with the U.S. National Centre for Higher Education Management Systems in Boulder, Colorado. As director of the UBC office, Dr. Chase will report to Prof. Michael Shaw, UBC’s vice-president academic and provost. UBC‘s Office of Institutional Analysis provides data, information, reports and analyses to the President’s Office, the Board of Governors, Senate and other officers of the University or committees charged with developing or implementing policy on such matters as budget, enrolment, space and faculty. Dr. Chase is a graduate of the University of Michigan, where he was awarded the degrees of Bachelor of Business I Administration in accounting in 1960, Master of Arts in economics and higher education administration in 1968, and Doctor of Philosophy in higher education and administration in 1969. Prior to joining SFU in 1969, Dr. Chase Plea=- turn to page 2 See ANALYSIS Chemistty department head Larry Weiler confers with research associate Margot Alerdice. Prof. Larry Weiler, who became head is very demanding. .at least four or five year for the 88 courses we offer. Many of of UBC’s Department of Chemistry last hours is spent making ready for one hour those students, of course, are enrolled in year, inaugurates a new UBC Reports in the classroom. other faculties, so we’re a service feature - “A Day in a Life at UBC.” Some of the lecture material comes out department to a certain extent. We got the idea from a talk that Prof. of research results obtained in my own One of the things we’re proud of is the Weiler gave in November, 1982, when he laboratory but, in addition, I have to keep fact that UBC students get the highest spoke on the topic, “A Day in the Life of abreast of the latest developments in my aggregate score in Canada in the chemistry a University Professor,” to an evening field - organic chemistry - by reading section of the MCAT exam that has to be gathering sponsored by the UBC Alumni some 25 chemistry journals. some written for admission to medical school. Association. published weekly, some monthly. I UBC students rank in the top ten in all of In future issues of UBC Reports we’ll subscribe to about ten of them personally North America in the chemistry section. and the rest I see in the departmental be asking members of the University Our curriculum is very important to us. community - faculty, students, reading room or in the Main Library. A sound university curriculum should administrators and supportstaff - to Keeping abreast of things is no simple work towards three goals and the professor describe their working day on the UBC task. I read somewhere recently that the must see that his lectures direct students campus in their own words. If you know publication Chemical Abstracts had towards these goals. The first is the ability someone on campus whom you thinkis a recorded the six millionth chemical to communicate in plain language. The candidate for the series, drop a note to compound. At the turn of the century, ability to communicate is the key to the editor into campus mail. there were perhaps 50,000 known freedom and the guarantor that your point compounds and 25 years ago there might of view will be listened to. Unless we can My day begins shortly after 8% a.m. have been a million. That gives a rough convey an idea clearly and concisely to when I arrive at my office in the Chemistry idea of the phenomenal growth of another human being our choices in life Building. It’s impossible to describe a knowledge in chemistry alone. will be greatly reduced and our typical day because each one is made up, I could probably get away with a little opportunities unrealized. in differing proportions, of the three basic less time in preparing for lectures if I was The second goal of an effective teacher things that occupy a professor who also teaching undergraduate courses. But is to develop problem-solving skills in our The UBC Library has launched a happens to be a department head - preparation time at that level is offset by students. The analytical skills acquired in campotgn to combat the “battered teaching, research and administration. after-class time. .providing additional formulating and testing hypotheses. and in I teach a graduate seminar twice a week assistance to students who need it. book syndrome.” For detailr, see story and in a second graduate course once a We take teaching duties in Chemistry Please turn to page 2 on page 2. week. Preparation for courses at that level seriously. We enrol 5,000 students every See A DAY IN A LIFE -- UBC Reporo January 19, 1983 k I A DAY IN A LIFE strong in Canada. I believe this philosophy j Continued from Page 1 is absolutely.letha1 to the development of Canadian science and technology. It is I evaluating possible solutions, are readily essential that our most creative and applicable in a broad spectrum of productive scientists have the opportunity problems that will face a person in life. It and the support to follow their research isn’t crucial if these skills are developed in programs wherever it takes them. I’m not economics or quantum chemistry, suggesting they be given a blank cheque - linguistics or thermodynamics, it is the they should be accountable for the genuine skill which is important. scientific quality and merit of their The third goal of a university education programs, but not for its “relevance.” is to develop good judgment in our Why? Because we never know where students. What is important to our society? these discoveries will lead. However, we Where should our priorities be? In must ensure that the results of these chemistry we frequently ask what is the curiosity research programs are eventually most significant experiment we can do to developed for our well being, if possible. unravel a problem. In Canada, we don’t concentrate our But it’s only by analysing the great, the research resources. .we tend to dilute our significant, the elegant and the profound efforts by funding any and every project can we learn to recognize these qualities. that is considered “worthy.” And this Here we see the intermingling of research situation isn’t helped by the fact that the and teaching. policies of the federal and provincial I would always try to give a short lecture governments are often at cross purposes on on the work of a Nobel laureate on the day the subject of research. the award was announced so that the When you focus your strengths, of students would gain some appreciation of course, it means that most of the available why this scientist was being recognized as money goes to people with proven records great. It is important that professors or innovative ideas and that funds are stimulate students to distinguish the denied to others. That’s not politically enduring from the ephemeral, to palatable to some people, but I think that distinguish fact from fraud. .to develop if you went to the public, you could sell good judgment. that concept. Part of my day is also taken up with Therefore, we should insure that our supervising, conferring with, guiding, call scientists are informed of the critical it what you will, a research team. This problems facing society and we should Another campus personality with a book problem dqferent from the one year there are nine of us - myself. five encourage those who are so inclined to described below is Ruby Rudd, a senior buyer in the Purchasing Department. graduate students, a post-doctoral fellow, a turn their energies and results to the research associate and a visiting professor She’s overrun with books that have been ordered by people on campus but have solution of these problems. But we should ended up in Purchasing because the full delivery address wasn’t given. you’ve from Israel, who’s interested in the same not force the most elite and creative If field as I am. scientists in our midst to do this, and that ordered books in the past year which haven’t arrived, check with Ms. Rudd. She It’s been my experience that you can’t is what is happening at all levels of may have them and she’s more than willing to give them up. You can reach her separate the teaching and research research funding in Canada today. at 228-2861. function. .they’re inextricably linked . It boils down to a question of why the together. .they’re two sides of the same public wants an outstanding university. I coin. think they want to back a winner. .they Library begins drive When I get together with members of want to associate with excellence. my team to discuss the results of something Why were people so excited about the we’ve been doing, it’s both a teaching and Canucks last year and with the to cut book damage . - learning situation for each of us. phenomenon of Terry Fox a few years ago? The UBC Library has launched a the Library thousands of dollars each year.

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