Queen’s University newspaper of record since 1969 January 11, 2010 Vol. XLI No. 1 QUEEN’S GAZETTE Eye floaters may Queen’s Centre be warning sign P6 Grand Opening P7 University STUDENTS CATCH OLYMPIC SPIRIT Second provost climate pact to be signed approved Principal Daniel Woolf will sign the University and College Presidents’ As of May 1, Queen’s Vice-Principal Climate Change Statement of Ac- (Academic) will also be the univer- tion for Canada later this month. sity’s provost. “Signing this pledge reflects our The Board of Trustees made the commitment and our actions for decision in November. Principal reducing greenhouse gas emis- Daniel Woolf proposed the adjust- sions,” he said. ment to the vice-principal structure The document was drafted by and told trustees there are many six British Columbia universities reasons why the provost model and has been endorsed by the makes sense. heads of 23 Canadian institutions. “We really need to do our plan- Signatories commit to setting re- ning in a much more comprehen- duction targets, conducting a sive and non-siloed way than we greenhouse gas inventory, develop- have been doing it,” he said. ing an institutional climate All vice-principals will continue action plan and working coopera- reporting to the principal, with the tively with governments, the busi- understanding that the provost ness community and other leads the direction of cross-portfo- institutions to help reduce global lio issues. climate change. Dr. Woolf said budget decisions In December, Principal Woolf will rest with the provost, which re- joined Premier Dalton McGuinty on flects the need to ensure academic his “Clean Tech” Mission to India to planning drives financial decisions. promote clean air and renewable He also said having a provost energy sources, and explore oppor- acting as the university’s chief op- tunities for expanding research part- erating officer will allow the princi- nerships, student recruitment and pal to spend more time engaging in business collaborations. Principal external relations, government re- Woolf also joined the heads of 19 lations, fundraising, international- other Ontario universities and two ization and strategic thinking, and colleges in signing a provincial sus- participating in daily campus life. tainability pledge in November. Most other universities in An advisory committee, com- Canada have a provost. posed of some of Queen’s leading V-P (Academic) Patrick Deane environmental and sustainability and Alistair Maclean, dean of the researchers, is working with the Faculty of Arts and Science, speak- university’s Sustainability Office to ing for all deans, told the board the develop an aggressive Queen’s po- move is long overdue. sition to advance sustainability measures. The committee will soon “We need to do our be expanded to include additional staff and students. planning in a much A draft Sustainability Strategic more comprehensive Framework for the university, to be ANDREA GUNN released early this year, will estab- and non-siloed way.” Queen’s Student Alumni Association President Colin McLeod (ArtSci'10) had the honour of carrying the Olympic lish core values in this area and torch as it made its way through Eastern Ontario in December. He was one of five Queen’s students who par- outline how the entire Queen’s ticipated in the torch relay. community can participate in re- Bob Silverman, former dean of ducing our environmental impact. Arts and Science, who succeeds Dr. Deane as interim provost and V-P (Academic) on May 1 is also strongly supportive. Alumnus receives prestigious Rhodes Scholarship “I’m comfortable with the no- tion that my position will make the Queen’s University alumnus students that raised money to Development and an Oxford academic transition, although it’s largely Nithum Thain has been awarded a sponsor a school for refugees and MBA. achievement, there already,” he told the board. Rhodes Scholarship to study at Ox- an orphanage there. Volunteering “I am delighted to hear that Mr. community Society of Graduate and Profes- ford University. for a summer at an orphanage in Thain was awarded a Rhodes Schol- service and lead- sional Students (SGPS) president “This is an incredible opportu- Nepal, he witnessed firsthand the arship,” says Mathematics & Statis- ership. Victoria Bae said due diligence re- nity for me,” says Mr. Thain. “It joys and trials faced by children in tics Department Head Ram Murty. “The Rhodes garding timely decision-making will allow me to step back from my developing countries. “I am not surprised. He was a Scholarship is will be needed, but told trustees current academic pursuits and dis- “No one doubts that a change is star student and we wrote two pa- one of the high- that Queen’s graduate students are cover ways to apply my education needed in countries like Nepal and pers together based on his research est recognitions “hugely in favour. A few members to make an impact on the world. In Burma,” says Mr. Thain. “Never- funded by an Undergraduate Stu- Thain of academic ex- were surprised this was not already particular, I plan to use my time theless, it is not yet clear to me dent Research Award (USRA) he re- cellence for in- in place. It will bring Queen’s up to there to explore developmental which changes are required and ceived from NSERC in 2005. Both ternational study,” says Principal speed.” economics and applications of so- who should be implementing were published in international Daniel Woolf, who recently met cial entrepreneurship.” them.” journals. I am certain that Mr. with Mr. Thain to offer some tips Mr. Thain’s interest in social is- Mr. Thain has an honours de- Thain will become a great mathe- on living in Oxford. “I am proud of Index sues stems from his deep commit- gree in mathematics from Queen’s matician.” his accomplishments and that he ment to change in his native and is now pursuing a PhD in Mr. Thain is one of only 11 chose Queen’s to endorse his appli- Forum. 4 Q ’ Burma, particularly in improving mathematics at McGill University Canadian students to receive cation. I join with our community Discovery @ ueen s . 6 the lives of orphans and refugees. in Montreal. At Oxford he will the prestigious award this year to wish him success in his study For The Record . 10 Mr. Thain has already led a team of pursue an MSc in Economics for in recognition of outstanding abroad.” Calendar. 11 For news updates visit us online @ www.queensu.ca/newscentre Preparing for new Human Resources administrative systems Queen’s is proud Queen’s will be implementing the Systems Replacement project. sity’s operating expenditures and cipal (Human Resources) and a to be among Canada’s first phase of new human resources These systems support 134,000 approximately 13,000 T4 slips, member of the QUASR Executive top 100 employers. administrative systems this year, in- payments annually – all salaries including many for students. Steering Committee. “It involves cluding payroll, as part of the and benefits, which represent “This is not a ‘computer proj- opportunities to design new HR Queen’s University Administrative about 71 per cent of the univer- ect’,” says Rod Morrison, Vice-Prin- processes and new ways of doing See ADMINISTRATIVE: Page 8 IN THE NEWS Page 2 Queen’s Gazette January 11, 2010 Queen’s profs in TVO’s Best Vision document to be released This month, Principal Daniel development of Queen’s as the goals, as well as our decisions about Lecturer finals Woolf is expected to release his vi- horizon,” says Principal Woolf. finances, size, capital development, sion document to launch a year- “We have a stellar reputation as human resources and fundraising.” Eleanor MacDonald (Political Stud- long academic planning process. a mid-sized university that is both Over the winter term, depart- ies), Kip Pegley (School of Music) The document will be posted to research-intensive and provides an ments and faculties will develop and Virginia Walker (Biology) are the principal’s website at www excellent undergraduate student their own plans for the future by among this year’s top 20 finalists in .queensu.ca/principal experience,” says Principal Woolf. answering a series of questions that TVO’s Best Lecturer Competition, “I offer this as my perspective “Our academic plan will provide us are appended to the principal’s doc- an annual event that celebrates the on possible directions for our uni- with a set of clear choices for the ument. These will be synthesized most engaging and intellectually versity, in the context of the cur- future about what we will do and over the summer into a draft uni- stimulating lecturers in Ontario. rent financial situation and the what we will not do. The plan will versity plan, which will be dis- Ten finalists selected by TVO Canadian post-secondary land- guide our curriculum, research cussed over the fall term across the staff and an independent jury will scape, but with the longer-term focus, and teaching and learning university community. Q be announced on Monday Febru- UEEN’S ary 8, 2010. The lectures of the top 10 will GAZETTE air on TVO in March 2010. The winning lecturer is chosen from NURSE SCIENTISTS TO STUDY PATIENT SAFETY this group by viewers and a panel Editor of judges. The winner’s school is Erin Gawne awarded a $10,000 TD Insurance 613-533-6000 ext. 74498 Meloche Monnex scholarship. For more information visit www [email protected] .tvo.org/TVOsites/WebObjects Advertising Coordinator /TvoMicrosite.woa?bestlecturer _about Nadene Strange 613-533-6000 ext. 75464 [email protected] Surveillance Production Project expands Wilma van Wyngaarden 613-533-6000 ext. 79089 The Surveillance Project is now [email protected] officially the Surveillance Studies Centre (SCC).