NEWS --+ No funny news, but we do talk with the outgoing president, p3. ARTS --+ Interviews with funny people, p.6-7. SPOOF -+ For the funniest thing ever, flip this baby over. Vol. 128, No. 2-l D A L H 0 US IE UN IVERS IT Y, HALl FA X, N . S. Thursday, April -l, 1996 Dalhousie to absorb TUNS in 1997 BY TIM COVERT character of engineering pro­ associated university, and then of the TUNS program. Some students are concerned grams virtually everywhere else continue with a three year pro­ Saunders said the main worry about the difficulties of making Students in computer science and [in Canada]." gram in a specific discipline at was that the new program would classes on Barrington Street from engineering may soon have to put This would involve changing TUNS. not be adequately thought out the main campus at Dal. on their running shoes to get to the engineering program from its Steve Saunders, a representa­ and that it would not live up to Marni Tuttle, a CS student, class on time. current five year program to four tive of CS students at the meet­ its potential. CS students, he commented that the move to the The Technical University of years, which would put it in line ing, said most students thought added, were also worried about mall "smacks of ACI and ITI and ova <>cotia (TUNS) will become with other programs across the the merger would result in a more the geographic complications of all those other technical insti­ a college of Dalhousie University country. comprehensive department, one the merger. tutes." She was worried that new in 199 7 according to a proposed Currently, engineering stu­ that would combine the theoreti­ The location of part of the new students would not be favourable agreement between the two insti­ dents enroll in a two year general cal expertise of the Dalhousie fac­ faculty will be in a leased space to the new program because of tutions, the details of which were program at Dalhousie, or another ulty with the practical approach in the Maritime Mall building. that image. Another student released on Monday. added that there would be signifi­ The new entity will contain the cant psychological barriers for ar l11tecture, computer science, frrst year students going to school and engineering departments on a separate campus. headed by a Principal who will Traves noted that the Maritime also assume the role of Vice Presi­ Mall building is, for the most part, dent at Dalhousie. an office building and not a mall. Students from both universities He went on to say that the dis­ currently enrolled in these pro­ tance between campus and the grams will complete their degrees new location downtown is com­ according to the old system. parable to those found between Part of the proposed agree­ buildings on big-city campuses. ment, which was passed by the Although Traves admitted that TUNS senate and board of gover­ the mall is a "less than desirable nors on Monday, is a pledge from location," he said computer sci­ the Nova Scotia government to ence is a discipline that should give the new facility three million transcend geography. dollars, part of which will go to­ The mall location for compu­ wards a larger computer science ter science, dubbed the "East Cam­ (CS) department. Gl pus," will be leased on an annual Dalhousie President Tom ~ basis and is only intended to be a Traves met with the Dalhousie ~ short term solution. .,m Senate and computer science stu­ I Traves made it clear that de­ dents yesterday to answer ques­ ~ tails still need to be worked out. a> tions about the merger. -< "We want to think about the !;; . "We want very much to build z undergrad and· graduate pro­ iii up the strength of the computer r grams, and what we want to fo­ rm, science programs that have been a> cus on when it comes to our 0 offered at the two different insti­ c hiring priorities," he said. "These 0 tutions, and will now be offered :D are not matters that are settled at one amalgamated institution. ~ at the level of the [current] amal­ We will have one unit, one amal­ gamation agreement between the gamated faculty of computer sci­ two institutions. These are mat­ ence," he said. ters which are properly settled by Roughly the same number of people who work in the field." people are employed by the CS de­ Traves promised that a forum partments at TUNS and Dal, and Taking a break from the rigours of exam preparation, these frat folks will be created for CS decision­ according to the proposal. staff settled in with some beers, smokes and liberating footwear. making that will allow student from both schools will continue and faculty participation in the their employment with the process. merger. Traves described the Dalhousie CS department as being small in comparison to other faculties at Dal, and compared with compu­ Tory leader Charest visits Dal ter science programs in other universities. BY KRISTIN MCNEILL Canada included a weekend in House of Commons. almost humbleness about his par­ "This creates the possibility in Halifax, where he hosted "Policy In particular, he spoke on the ty's situation. metro to have the largest CS de­ Progressive Conservative Leader Choices for Canada" in the unity issue. "We weren't really defeated in partment in the Maritimes, and Jean Charest began work to re­ Weldon Law Building. Experts on "I think my role is best played 1993," he said. "We were to take the leadership role we de­ new the party's policies at the various issues - among them at the national politics [level] - restructuring .. .it's all over the coun­ sire and which, obviously, many Dalhousie law school this past four members of Dalhousie's aca­ rebuilding a national political try, in boardrooms. It's everywhere, people outside the university are weekend. demic community- helped mod­ party. And the answers in regards right? We're not frring anybody! clamouring for," he said. "We have to rebuild our policy erate the sessions, which included to Quebec are going to have to We're downsizing, right?" The amalgamated department platform. There cannot be any issues ranging from .national iden­ come from Ottawa and outside of Amidst laughter, he continued, will be three times larger than the shortcuts. That's why we're here tity, taxation, the constitution, Quebec ... but if we're going to fmd "In 1993, we entered this great current department, with im­ this weekend. And we have to be native policy, and health. the answers, it's important that move [downsizing], way ahead of proved access to faculty and re­ able to put it in front of Canadi­ On Friday, Charest paid a visit there be leadership at the federal everybody else!" sources. ans- a real platform. To make to the Grad House, where he met level," he said. He acknowledged the party's The amalgamated faculty will our platform clear cut is really with various students and faculty The party's strength is evident present low profile. receive an additional one million important at this point," he said. members. Upon discovering that in how the Conservatives deal "We're two members. Vote an­ dollars towards their operating With the Progressive Conserva­ several students around him were with the unity issue, said Charest. other one in, what would that budget. tive (PC) party at a political cross­ political science students, he His resistance to any notion of change? That's a good question. Traves also mentioned how the roads, their viability as a national shook their hands, saying, "You're forming a coalition with the Re­ But I think that would be help­ merger will affect the engineering party will be put to the test in the right up my alley." form Party was made clear dur­ ful." he said in all seriousness. His faculty at Dal. which had already face of burgeoning extremist parties. The leader repeated several times ing Law Hour and again at a press tone soon changed when his au­ been considering merging with It is clear from the CBC's Cross throughout the day that the Tory conference downtown. dience, thinking he was joking, TUNS. Country Checkup on Sunday night party is "the only national alterna­ "There is no battle for the erupted into laughter. He said that "This will take a fair bit of that Charest is recognized by both tive to this Liberal government." His right," he repeated. the party represents nearly 50% time," he said, "but we would like supporters and opponents as the remarks were in effort to downplay At other moments during his of the Canadian population. to reform the engineering pro­ reason for the party's survival. the Liberals, who he thinks do not noon hour speech, Charest dis­ gram and bring it in line with the The leader's stop in Atiantic have an adequate challenger in the played a sense of humour, and an cant d 011 paqe 3. RESTRUCTURING ALEXANDRA'S . ZA 1263 QU EEN ST.,HALIFAX PI Z 425-1900 STARTING AT FREE DELIVERY ON FOOD ORDERS LARGE · Large Pizza with works · Garlic Fingers PIZZA with Donair Sauce • 2 Litres Pop April 9th, ?PM ouncil Chambers, SU YEAR-END ANNOUNCEMENTS CONCERNING GRADUATION HONOUR AWARDS Honour Awards are non-competitive, recognition awards for graduating students who have made contributions to student life while at Dalhousie. Honour Awards are presented during the Convocation Ceremonies in May. NOMINATION PROCESS: A graduating student may be nominated by two other Dalhousie students (student ID numbers must be provided).