Vol. 17 No. 2 September 17, 1992 Memorial service for three slain professors 1,500 gather to honour Concordia's 'noblest and best' More than 1,500 people gathered in one of the year's most violent thunderstorms last Thursday to honour the three professors Con­ cordia lost in the Aug . 24 shooting . It was a day of mourn ing, but also a day to mark the University community's commitment to continue the work begun by Matthew Douglass, Michael Hogben and A. Jaan Saber. At the two-hour memorial service, friends, colleagues and students paid tribute to three men who "espoused what is noblest and best about Concordia University," and their dedi­ cation to the pursuit of knowledge and trans­ mitting that knowledge to their students. Family members were present at the service, as we ll as Elizabeth Horwood, the Mechanical Engineeri ng Secretary wounded in the shoot­ ing. Electrical and Computer Engineering Chair Phoivos Ziogas is still in very serious condition in the intensive care unit of the Montreal General Hospital recovering from gunshot wounds to the abdomen. The com­ munity's prayers are with him. PHOTO: Jonas Papaurelis Concordia nets $6. 7 million for renovations Furthermore, the University will have addi­ lard, the Minister of Higher Education and Minister also tional funds with which to address the prob­ Science, announced last Friday at a joint lem of dropouts. news conference held at McGill University. announces Concordia will receive $6.78 million in This special allotment will allow the Uni­ addition to the $9.2 million it receives for versity to purchase Loyola High School Concordia will launch a campaign for the total ban incentives to regular maintenance work, Lucienne Robil- of handguns, such as those used in the shooting See RENOVATIONS page 2 at the University on Aug. 24. More than 3,000 signatures have already been collected. The Uni­ prevent dropouts versity is working with the Coalition for Gun Con­ IAIDS video targets youth trol to lobby the government. The Max Bell Foundation gives Concordia and the The Interactive HIV/AIDS Education Pi­ Universite du Quebec aMontreal Canada's sec­ ond Asia-Pacific Communications Research Cen­ lot is being carried out at the MITE Avista tre. The joint centre will promote awareness and lab at the Sir George Williams campus. The understanding of issues relating to Canada and project got a boost last fall when the lab the Asia Pacific region. It is inevitable that in a university with 76 received an $11,000 Rector's Special Pro­ buildings, including the 105-year-old Victo­ ject Grant to develop the pilot. ria Hall Annex to the spanking new library AIDS awareness and modem technology "This is a one-on-one interactive educa­ complex downtown, the cost of building have been combined in a bold, new pilot tional tool," said Comeau, who designed the maintenance, repair and renovation can be project to educate teens and young adults project. "The person in front of the com­ The third annual Homecoming festivities will take place on Oct. 1, 2 and 3. This year, along with the exorbitant. And sometimes - remember about the risks of acquiring HIV, the virus puter screen can pick and choose what in­ F. regularly scheduled activities, such as panels, the escalators of the Henry Hall Building believed to cause AIDS. formation he or she wants; how to clean dinner receptions and football games, Concordia - repairs have had to wait. The project, created last summer by Com­ needles, how to use condoms, or just HIV will be showing off a brand new building. Now, thanks to a "construction, renova­ munications Studies graduate student information. It's not like watching a TV tion and maintenance" grant from the pro­ Danielle Comeau, incorporates the latest in special where you have to sit through the See centrespread for the vincial government, Concordia will be able interactive media technology in designing a whole thing. You have to actively make programme of new Library Complex to give its 26-year-old Hall Building a face­ computer education package on HIV and choices in this case." opening activities. lift, and renovate the Loyola High School. AIDS. See AVISTA page 5 2 - September 17, 1992 University joins call for total ban of handguns mJunes suffered by Professor Phoivos of the massacre. responsibilities as leaders in society seri­ Petition has netted Ziogas and Mechanical Engineering Secre­ At that time, Concordia joined the Cana. ously .. Join us and help us in sending a tary Elizabeth Horwood. dian Bar Association, the Canadian Medical potent message to the Parliament of more than 3 ,000 So far, more than 3,000 signatures have Association, the Canadian Association of Canada." been collected within the internal commu­ Chiefs of Police and criminologists of the Copies of the petition can be found in the signatures to date nity, even though the campaign has yet to be federal Justice Department with its support. Henry F Hall Building and in the Atrium of But, as Rector Patrick Kenniffwrote in his the new Library Complex downtown, and in In her condolence message to the Univer­ officially launched. This week, the Associa­ tion of Universities and Colleges (AUCC) letter to the Canadian university community the Administration Building on the Loyola sity after the tragic events of Aug. 24, Heidi encouraging members to sign and circulate Campus. Rathjen of the Coalition for Gun Control threw its support behind Concordia's ef­ forts. the petition to friends and family: "It is now -DGV/KJW wrote: "This act of devastating madness is time for us, the Canadian university com­ all the more sad inasmuch as Concordia Adopted gun control policy munity, to take a stronger stand on this See page 14 for letters to Federal Justice Minister University has always been a most staunch important issue and show that we take our Kim Campbsll regarding tougher gun control. supporter of tougher gun control." That support has been become a full scale In October 1991, Concordia's Board of campaign for total prohibition of handguns Governors adopted a policy on gun control • RENOVATIONS continued from page 1 in this country. The University is circulating _prohibiting anyone from carrying firearms a petition addressed to the Parliament of of any type on University premises. Concor­ Canada. dia was asked to pass the resolution by the Legally acquired handguns were used in Coalition for Gun Control, a student-initi­ the shooting deaths of Concordia Professors ated and sponsored lobby group established Matthew Douglass, Michael Hogben and A. in response to the Dec. 6 killings at Ecole Jaan Saber, and were responsible for the Polytechnique in 1989. Rathjen is a survivor Off the Cuff is a weekly column of opinion and insight into major issues in the news. If you are a Concordia faculty or staff member PHOTO: Jonas Papaurelis and have something to say "off the cuff," call CTR at 848-4882. Education Minister Lucienne Robillard (seated, centre) is surrounded by (left to right) Concordia Rector Patrick Kenniff, McGill Principal David Johnston, McGill Chairman of the Board Alex Paterson and Concordia Chairman of the Board P. Andre Gervais at the presentation last week of the cheque for funds to repair and renovate existing buildings on the two universities' Owning gun a privilege, campuses. not a right: Brodie from the Jesuit Order at acost of $3.5 mil­ master's and doctorate programmes. Each lion and renovate the 76-year-old structure Quebec university will receive subsidies of In the wake of the recent tragedy at Concordia, the call for tighter firearm for a further $2.1 million. The remaining $500 per graduate of a bachelor's pro­ legislation is now even louder than it was following the massacre at Ecole $ 1. 1 million will be spent on renovations to gramme, $600 per master's graduate, and the Hall Building. $1,000 per PhD graduate. Polytechnique. McGill will receive $6,041,000 in addi­ "I believe that this new budgetary rule Hugh Brodie, who is acting as a liaison between Concordia and the Coalition tion to its regular $20.2-million mainte­ will enable Concordia University and for Gun Control, said all handgun use should be banned,-except in the case of nance grant. McGill University to better fulfill their police officers and soldiers. higher education mission by giving us, both Montreal's universities enrich the city in number and in quality, those graduates "The risk of having handweapons in society far outweighs the benefits," said Brodie, that Quebec and Canada need now more assistant to the Rector. "I can see how some people in rural or isolated areas may Robillard opened the news conference than ever," Robillard said. need a gun for security, but in the city there are far more chances of innocent people with words of condolence to the Concordia This method of subsidy puts the responsi­ getting hurt when a gun is kept in the house. Studies of gun deaths and accidents community regarding the recent tragic bility on the university to see that students show that having a gun in the house is more likely to do harm to the occupants than shootings. "It struck us all," she said, stand­ make it through their programmes. Until to an intruder. ing next to McGill Principal David now, university funding was based mainly Johnston, Alex Paterson, Chairman of the on the increase in the number of students. "In Canada, most people don't have guns. The Surete du Quebec, for instance, issues McGill Board of Governors, P. Andre Ger­ Little account was taken of the progress of handguns for only four reasons: self-defence, and these are very few, target practice, vais, Chairman of Concordia's Board of students once they were accepted.