e-Learning: friend or foe?

It is estimated that more than 80 million people annually take courses via distance education. “As far as I’m concerned, certain types of e-Learning are anything but revolutionary,” says Marcel Lebrun, professor and advisor on new learning technologies at the Université catholique de Louvain, in Belgium.

Celebrating Winterlude

Hundreds of students, employees, and teachers gathered to take part in games, and to eat hot dogs and drink hot chocolate to support the Friends of the Rideau Canal Skateway on Wednesday, February 15th, during the 2006 Winterlude celebrations.

Library addresses space concerns

A new off-site storage facility for library holdings, to open this spring, is creating concern among some students and faculty members who believe that storing materials off-site will limit their “browseability.” The Library is taking steps to address these concerns, says Chief Librarian Leslie Weir.

Exploratory walk seeks to identify risks

On February 8, 2006, approximately 20 people participated in an exploratory walk of the campus organized by Protection Services to identify areas perceived as risky or insecure.

Funding recognizes good performance in three areas

Judging by the amount of annual performance funding, students and staff at the University of Ottawa are performing exceptionally well, according to the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

Ontario funds increased enrolment in medicine

The government of Ontario will provide an additional $3.3 million in funding to the University of Ottawa to fund the enrolment growth in the Faculty of Medicine that occurred between 2000-01 and 2005-06. Starting in 2006-07, this funding will grow to almost $4.7 million.

SFUO President Brazeau re-elected

Following the student elections held on February 7, 8 and 9, André Brazeau was easily re-elected to his post of president of the Student Federation. Brazeau garnered almost 58 per cent of the 4,634 total votes cast to defeat his two opponents Wassim Garzouzi and Alex McNamara.

Nominations sought for Young Researcher Award

The Young Researcher Award, established in 1995, is presented annually to a full-time faculty member in recognition of an outstanding contribution to research.

Nursing history research unit launched

The Faculty of Health Sciences officially launched a nursing history research unit in January 2006. This unit is the first of its kind in Canada and will join forces with other international research units in Australia, Great Britain and the United States.

Accords reinforce medical partnerships

The Faculty of Medicine has signed formal five-year agreements that will renew and reinforce its partnership with the following institutions: The Ottawa Hospital, the Montfort Hospital, The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, The Royal Ottawa Health Care Group, Sisters of Charity of Ottawa Health Service, the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and the Queensway Carleton Hospital.

A voice for science and animals falls silent

The Faculty of Medicine has lost a long-time faculty member who made a lasting contribution to the University and to the entire Canadian research community. Dr. Harry Rowsell, a member of the Department of Pathology for more than two decades, was best known as a founder and the first executive director of the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC).

Gee-Gees basketball move delayed

The Quebec Student Sport Federation (QSSF) has denied an application by the University of Ottawa to move its men's and women's basketball teams from the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) to the QSSF.

Heart Institute looking for 40,000 volunteers

The University of Ottawa Heart Institute is looking for more than 40,000 volunteers to take part in a study that aims to identify common genetic variations that differentiate healthy people from those who suffer early heart disease.

Saint Paul Israel study tour open to all

Saint Paul University is offering a study tour in Israel from June 6 to 17, 2006. Students from other universities and other interested parties are welcomed to register. The study tour is also accepting participants who do not wish to obtain the credit.

Deputy minister for research appointed

Alastair Glass became the Ontario deputy minister of research and innovation, effective February 13, 2006.

Two-Minute Interview – Dimitri Kitsikis

Professor Emeritus Dimitri Kitsikis is a historian and a Fellow, Royal Society of Canada

Students awarded mentorship scholarships

Mélanie Carter and James Duncan Istchenko are the 2005-2006 recipients of the CIBC Mentorship Program Scholarships.

Alumna MacKay is world’s number one fencer

Alumna Sherraine MacKay won a second consecutive World Cup event in Saint Maur, France, on February 4, 2006, to become the number one ranked women’s épée fencer in the world.

Shane’s number retired

While he was establishing a number of team and Ontario University Athletics (OUA) records as an all-star basketball player with the Gee-Gees, Bill Shane (left) wore number 33. On January 28, 2006, his jersey number was retired.

International research at uOttawa receives major boost

As the University of Ottawa’s first director of international research, Hamid Jorjani is going to be instrumental in helping the University achieve its Vision 2010 objectives, such as advancing its position among research universities in Canada and around the world.