CanadianCanadian IdolIdol winnerwinner KalanKalan PorterPorter Mums part of learning experience makesmakes aa stopstop inin London,London, Ont.,Ont., for horticultural students, page 12 pagepage 1616 Enrolment exceeding Going nowhere fast What’s college expectations Inside By ROBIN HEALEY program, said that access to Staff Writer computers and the bookstore Niagara College exceeded is unimpeded by the growing its full-time student enrolment student population. She target of 6,040 by 203 stu- noted that her class sizes are College dents with a total enrolment of small and that students in her 6,243, said Al Vaughan, Nia- program have access to their Connection gara College registrar. That is own computer lab, adding, Page 2-3 an increase from last year’s “We’re set.” record setting enrolment of Vaughan said Niagara Col- 6,060 full-time students. lege’s high level of student NOISE@ Vaughan, 49, from St. satisfaction has generated Catharines, is “very pleased positive word-of-mouth IAGARA N with enrolment results not between students and their Page 7 only this year but over the peers, increasing enrolment. past four years.” He said that all of Niagara From the fall of 2000 to the College’s staff are focused Columns fall of 2004, enrolment at Nia- on student satisfaction. “We Page 8-9 gara College has leapt from all know that is our goal, our 4,944 to 6,060 full-time stu- priority.” dents, an increase over 1,000 Niagara College ranked Profiles students or 22.5 per cent. first overall of the 24 Ontario Drivers anxiously wait their turn to buy gas at the Shell gas station in Ridgeway. As hurri- Despite the large enrol- colleges in student satisfac- cane Rita approached, motorists feared that gas prices would rise. The gas station ran out Page 10 ment, Ryan Szpurko, 18, a tion on the Key Performance of regular gas, for the first time since it opened in 1964. first-year Law and Security Indicator survey released in Photo by Kaesha Forand Administration program stu- April by the Ontario Ministry Community dent from Welland, said, of Training, Colleges and Connection “Class sizes are fine.” He Universities. Page 11 noted that some of his larger Although Szpurko and classes have been split into Vrolijk acknowledged that College achieving goals by balancing budget sections, which are limited to before enrolling they spoke to Body & 30 students. peers who attended Niagara By PATRICIA manager of corporate year once again, and the greenhouse as Monique Vrolijk, 20, from College, both cited the close- RODRIGUEZ communications. “we’ve managed to these activities are Health Jordan Station, in her second ness of the Welland campus as Staff Writer Student enrolment balance the budget. integrated into acade- Page 13 year of studies in Office the key factor in their deci- Niagara College for this year has had a We are achieving mic programs, has Administration – Executive sions to enrol. has managed once three per cent goals.” provided services or again to balance the increase, he said. Some of the busi- goods to the public Music budget in the annual About 6,500 students ness plan highlights and generated rev- business plan have enrolled in Nia- include resources for enue to support other Page 16 Niagara dresses down approved by the gara College for the 20 new faculty and programs. By AMANDA STREET Board of Governors. 2005-2006 year, staff positions, Neufeld said the Staff Writer The 2005-2006 which is higher than investment in infra- $3-million opera- The Reel October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. plan released in June last year’s enrolment structure renewal, tional funding from Deal The faculty and staff of Niagara College will participate shows a balanced of 5,930. mechanical and elec- the provincial gov- in the Breast Cancer Society of Canada’s (BCSC) eight budget for the college “Our emphasis is on trical system replace- ernment was “need- Page 17 annual dress-down day on Oct. 7 to raise funds for breast with a remarkable student satisfaction.” ment for the Welland ed” as it will address cancer research. This will be the first year the school takes investment of $3 mil- He said the college campus, investment many issues, includ- part in the event, which is in its eighth year nation-wide. lion from the provin- places a high priority of “over $2 million” ing increasing the Sports The faculty can choose to dress in either casual or formal cial government. on “hiring the right for both campuses level of services for Page 18 style and wear a ribbon in support of breast cancer research. The balanced bud- people,” as “the stu- and developing infra- every division here. The ribbons can be purchased in the Human Resource get has been calculat- dents’ success is relat- structure to support However, “there office at the Welland campus, or in Kim Rose’s office, ed to total revenues ed to the teachers’ new apprenticeship are always more pro- Don’t W104, at the Glendale campus. The pink ribbons cost $5 and expenditures of experience.” programs. jects and improve- forget to and all proceeds go to the BCSC. $77,369,293. He said the college Continuing support ments we would like Nicole Perreault, manager of The college is has produced a bal- for the learning enter- to make,” said check out human resources at the Welland “healthy” financially, anced budget for prises, including the Neufeld. our next campus, is responsible for organiz- said Darrell Neufeld, many years, and this winery, restaurant ing the event. edition on “It’s a worthwhile cause that’s Oct. 14 all of our responsibility.” Every day breast cancer becomes New year brings new look to news@niagara a reality for 51 Canadians. Fifteen Canadians lose their life to breast NICOLE PERREAULT As the new school year starts, news@niagara has a new look. We’ve gone to an industrywide cancer daily. Two per cent of all nine-column format style. In doing so, we redesigned our layout making it more reader friendly. breast cancer cases in Canada occur in males. Let us know what you think. Page 2, News@Niagara, Sept. 30, 2005 . Conversation partners offered for ESL students By KAESHA FORAND tion Partner application in “It (Conversation Partners) requires volunteer hours Staff Writer the International department is geared towards building to graduate from a pro- English as a Second at S100. It has five basic friendships and cultural adap- gram, the time spent with Language (ESL) students questions about your person- tations,” said Brenda Bron- a conversation partner can are looking to strike up a ality and your interests, to son, the international housing be documented. conversation. help pair you with the best and conversation partner co- At the end of the term, With the help of the Inter- partner. An introductory ordinator. “It helps Canadian students who participate national Department, ESL meeting is arranged so both students appreciate a different receive a certificate of students from the Welland Canadian and ESL students culture.” appreciation and a letter of campus are being paired can receive information on “It’s working and overcom- reference to build their with Canadian students to various topics to be covered ing challenges in communica- résumé. create Conversation Part- during later meetings. tion...There are things that you Currently 47 international ners. These partnerships Once the first meeting has can learn in a relationship that students and 20 Canadian help ESL students practice been established, partners you can’t learn in a class- students are enlisted in the their English skills and determine a regular time to room,” said Bronson. program. More Canadian teach them more about meet. The minimum expec- “I don’t have the opportu- students are needed to Canadian culture. tation is once a week for nity to communicate with ensure that everyone who “It’s a two-way street. It about one hour. Canadian people,” said Sam enlists has the opportunity Brenda Bronson is the new co-ordi- helps international students Chang-hoo Ahn, 25, is Lee, 23, from South Korea. to have a partner. nator of the Conversation Partner adapt to the culture, and for from South Korea. He said “I want to make [a] Canadi- For more information program. Canadian students can Canadian students they get he is looking for a conversa- an friend.” Bronson can be contacted at still apply to be a conversation to learn about other cultures tion partner who will help Lee adds that he also 905-735-2211 ext. 7763 and partner to help English as a Sec- around the world,” said him practice his English and wants to build his confi- [email protected] Larissa Strong, the interna- teach him about Canadian dence and extend his Eng- or contact Karen Van- ond Language students practice tional student adviser. culture. He said he would lish skills through the Con- derVeen at 905-735-2211 their English and teach them about Students who are interest- also like to teach others versation Partner program. ext. 7804 and kvan- Canadian culture. ed can pick up a Conversa- about his Korean culture. If a Canadian student [email protected]. Photo by Kaesha Forand Peer tutoring an asset to college life at Niagara Learning Resource Centre has By BAILLIE ADCOCK encouraged to worry about parties a chance to meet new Staff Writer their own course load before people. Josie Tremonte, 37, of tutoring the maximum number Tremonte says the programs more than just books Thorold, is Niagara College’s of hours. would like to reach out to as By ANDY BURT for a book, you can use the peer services assistant at the The Welland and Glendale many programs as possible by Staff Writer net library database, which College Connection Welland campus.