Vol. 17 No. 28 June 3, 1993 Concordia delegation travels to Ottawa to award degree recipient Doctorate takes the highway zette, and retired in 1970 with the title Editor it. On the wall hangs a fine oil portrait of the Emeritus, he has written 17 books on the Iron Duke, who defeated Napoleon at the rbara Black city's colourful past, and is generally con­ Battle of Waterloo in 1815. One of Mr. sidered the historical voice of English Mon­ Collard's ancestors fought in the battle, she treal. SBtl COLLARD page 11 The couple has lived in Ottawa since Mr. A little piece of Spring Convocation went Collard gave his huge library of documents on the road May 13, when an honorary and letters to the National Archives, so that ERIC MOLSON doctorate (LL.D.) was conferred on histo­ he could be on hand to catalogue it. How­ NAMED NEW CHANCEU.OR. rian and journalist Edgar Andrew Collard in ever, a long-standing back condition has his Ottawa apartment. kept him house-bound in recent months. SEE STORY PAGE 5 A delegation from Concordia took the parchment degree, academic gown and Rector Patrick Kenniff and Graeme De­ hood, and a page from the book of honour carie, Chair of the History Department, for Mr. Collard to sign. A simple ceremony spent several hours with the Collards in a was performed in his book-lined living lively conversation that ranged widely, from room, with his wife Elizabeth, herself an favourite Montreal bookstores of the past to eminent historian, standing by proudly. the Duke of Wellington. Collard, 81, is best known for his All Our Elizabeth Collard, who wrote the defini­ Yesterdays column, which has appeared tive book on Canadian porcelain of the 19th every Saturday without fail on the editorial century, is also a military history buff. Her Concordia's Thursday Repoff takes the Gold Award page of The Gazette for 48 years, surely one small dining room is lined with beautiful in the Best Newspaper category of Canadian Coun­ for the record books. An editor of The Ga- dishes, each one of which has a story behind cil for the Advancement of Education's (CCAE) an­ nual competition. The winning formula-coverage of controversial issues and the quality of writing . Dean M.N.S. Swamy of the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science stepped down this week after 16 years at the helm, but has agreed to perform decanal duties at the upcoming convocation cere­ monies. He spoke to reporter Barbara Black recently about his three terms as dean. Students - medal winners, future politicians, tur­ bulent pasts and bright futures. a second chance for education, a first opportunity to learn - this Uni­ versity has them all, and they'll be graduating to­ gether over the next few days at convocation. Three professors become emeritus, 11 are pro­ moted to the rank of professor, one raises her stu­ dents to new heights, a great one retires and the couple that works together, stays together. Some students graduating this year are recognized for consistently good grades as the Deans' Lists from 1991-92 in the Faculties of Arts and Science, Commerce and Administration, and Engineering and Computer Science are published. When a period of elation was marred by tragic loss. our community worked to move beyond tragedy. We opened a new building and a long-awaited library, and did what a university should - excel in all its Edgar Andrew Collard (seated), one of Canada's most respected historians, Is presented with attempts to enhance the quality of life of its students, a Doctor of Laws, honorls causa, In a special ceremony at his home In Ottawa. History faculty and staff. Department Chair Graeme Decarle (standing, left) ~ad the citation. PHOTO: Barry McGee 2-June 3, 1993 ;. i • f f I f l !" Ui . ! S I l ;: 1 t " You don't have to be an engineer to Join student group SAE gears up for U.S. competitions dedicated natural gas operation. very hard all year in preparation for the away with a second-place victory last year The Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) com­ competitions. at the sixth annual Walking Machine De­ Orsini petition, which wraps up on June 6 in De­ "They go into these work marathons to try cathlon Competition in Raleigh, North troit, Michigan, tests the ability to convert a to get ready for competition," said Maran­ Carolina. The SAE also picked up third vehicle to hybrid power (capable of running dola, a third-year Mechanical Engineering place at the Natural Gas Vehicle Challenge on both electric power and gas). student. "These guys don't sleep at night." in l 991 as well as second place honours at A Superrnileage competition takes place Concordia's chapter of the SAE, the the Chevy Corsica Methanol Marathon in on June 4 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Concor­ fourth largest in North America, groups 137 1989. Members of Concordia's Society of Auto­ dia took 10th place in last year's event, in students from different disciplines. As for the auto companies that sponsor the motive Engineers (SAE) are getting ready which participants use a two-horsepower "You don't have to be in engineering to be events, Marandola said it's in their best in­ to start their engines. engine to achieve the maximum mileage on in SAE," said Marandola, who is off to the terest to get involved. The SAE, which is currently focusing on a limited amount of fuel. Natural Gas Vehicle Competition next "It saves them a lot of money on R & D the application of alternative fuels, has five The Formula SAE Competition took week. "We have people from mathematics, (research and development) because the stu­ projects currently competing in tourna­ place last month at the Chrysler test grounds economics, geography ... " dents are doing this for free. ments across the United States. in Auburn Hills, Michigan. A Mini Baja The victory at last year's Natural Gas "In return (for their investment), the com­ The Natural Gas Vehicle Challenge, in competition, which was held last month in Vehicle Challenge is far from the SAE's panies are getting all this research, all these which Concordia took first-place prize last Orlando, Florida, placed all-terrain vehicles only win. An SAE student team walked ideas." year, will be held from June 8- I 6 in Texas. under severe tests of survival. Tiie results The team is using a GMC Sierra pickup are not yet known. sponsored by General Motors. The object of Concordia SAE President Lorenw Ma­ the competition is to convert the vehicle to randola said the students have been working OIi the Cull is a weekly column of opinion and insight into major issues in the news. II you are a Concordia faculty or stall member and have something to say "off the cull," call CTR at 848-4882. Situation is not hopeless for summer-job seekers, say Brown and Tracy This summer, like last, is proving difficult when it comes to finding a summer job. Jobs in Montreal, where the rate of unemployment is 15 percent, are scarce, and, with four universities and numerous CEGEPs, students looking for work are numerous. But the situation is not hopeless, say Catherine Brown, co-ordinator of Career and Placement Service (CAPS), and Michelle Tracy, GUSA Job Bank counsellor; there are a number of on- and off-campus agencies that can help. Concordia's student branch of the Society of Automotive Engineers has five vehicles in competition this spring. Here, the team preparing the Hybrid Electric Vehicle puts the finishing Brown : "Students have to pull out all the stops. While I see some anxiety, generally touches on the Ford Escort capable of running on both electricity and gas. They are (clockwise, I find they have a very positive attitude. Here at the Placement Service, students use from top right) John Theofanopoulos, SAE student branch president Lorenzo Marandola, the job boards, but we deal only with career-related jobs. For summer work, there's George Metrakos, Byung Son, Harry Kekedjian, Achilles Nikopoulos, and Alfred J. Whitman. the Service de placement etudiant du Quebec and the Canada Employment centres PHOTO: Jonas Papaurelis for students. On campus, the CUSA Job Bank is summer-related. When employers call here with a summer position, we refer them to CUSA." Tracy: ''We specialize in 'survival jobs,' everything from the dreaded telemarketing, Government~donates S250,000 toward to restaurant work, office jobs, painting and moving, to jobs requiring specific skills, such as graphic design and art-related work. I do seasonal send-outs to potential creation of Chair in Jewish Studies employers and keep files of employers who have used the Bank in past years. The federal Department of Multicultural­ Department. ism and Citizenship has awarded $250,000 The Chair will address itself to students at "One of the services we offer to employers is a computerized database of students' toward the creation of a Chair in Quebec and the graduate level, professors pursuing re­ skills. Many students aren't aware of this, but it helps employers. For instance, if I get Canadian Jewish Studies at Concordia. search and publication and, through initia­ a call from a company needing immediately a graphics person for a few days, I can The Hon. Gerry Weiner, Minister for Mul­ tives such as public lectures and quickly find someone. When I interview students, I note all their marketable skills and ticulturalism and Citizenship, will attend a conferences, members of Jewish communi­ later enter them into the computer. If I find a student needs help writing a resume or news conference this month to present this ties.