May 27, 2010
Feed the worms
Westminster Hall, the home of the External portfolio and part of the Psychology department is the first non-residential campus building to use a green bin for collection of organics. A pilot compost program has been underway for several weeks and response has been strong. Additional small green bins are being ordered for individual departments. The program is managed by Physical Plant.
Brescia renews bursaries
Brescia University College is offering bursaries to incoming female students from Southwestern Ontario. Twenty-five “Brescia’s Bright Futures” bursaries, $2,000 each, are available to students who demonstrate financial need. Six schools have partnered with Brescia, inviting student applications and nominations from teaching and administrative staff.
To liquidate, or not?
Many employee’s retirement plans include a monthly reminder of the huge drop in financial markets in 2008. There will soon be an opportunity to unload that reminder. Redemption restrictions on the Liquidating Trust will be lifted starting May 31. This frozen portion of some plans was a temporary response to the market fall. Small portions of some funds held by employees were invested in products with no underlying value. Employees will have to make their own decision about when to redeem some or all of their Liquidating Trust units at the market price for the month. Redeemed units will need to be reinvested into another investment fund or funds within the Western retirement plan. Human Resources provides a web-based workshop entitled: “Member Options Regarding Their Liquidating Trust”. Members can login into the workshop using Western ID and password. www.uwo.ca/humanresources/ABCP/index.htm For further information contact 519-661-2194.
Teachers’ Wall of Fame nominations
Sponsored by the Faculty of Education and London Public Library, the Teachers’ Wall of Fame recognizes two primary or secondary teachers from the London-Middlesex district who are retired or nearing retirement. The nomination deadline is May 31 and the induction will be held at the Faculty of Education in October. Submit an essay of up to 750 words explaining why the nominee deserves the honour. Details at the Faculty of Education website.
Activity and aging research
The Western-based Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging will present the Research to Action Conference June 18 in London Hall residence, 8:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Fee: $5 (without lunch), $20 (with lunch). Topics include: Exercise, Aging and the Brain; Can You Walk the Walk?; Love your Heart; and The Skinny on Pole Walking and Osteoarthritis. Contact Barbara Kaluzny, 519-661-1603, orbkaluzny@uwo.ca
Former soccer Mustang joins nationals
Former Western Mustangs goalkeeper Haidar Al-Shaibani was selected for the Canadian senior men’s soccer team for friendly matches against Argentina and Venezuela. The games for their South America trip included Canada’s first-ever match against two-time World Cup champions Argentina on May 24 and against Venezuela on May 29. Al-Shaibani plays with France’s Nimes Olympique. canadasoccer.com
CSTAR seeks mid-East business
Canadian Surgical Technologies and Advanced Robotics was invited by Queen’s Park to join a life sciences trade mission to Israel and the West Bank to promote Ontario’s innovative life sciences companies. In all, 32 delegates were to be part of the five-day trip that began May 23.
Smile with Paul Benedetti
Journalism graduate program coordinator and lecturer Paul Benedetti was the 2010 winner of the Sandy Baird Award for Humour Writing for columns published in the Hamilton Spectator. The award was presented at the Ontario Newspaper Awards. Benedetti is the Deputy Editor and Interactive Editor for J-Source, The Canadian Journalism Project (www.j-source.ca) Canada’s leading site on journalism.
Students claim two NEADS scholarships
Alexandra Papaiconomou (Law) and Chelsea Mohler (Health and Rehabilitation Science) claimed two of 12 NEADS (National Educational Association of Disabled Students) scholarships being awarded in Canada. Recipients will receive $3,000 for tuition and student fees. The program is supported by BMO Capital Markets. There were 375 applications.
Know an amazing tree?
ReForest London is bringing back the Amazing Tree Quest contest. Until July 31, you can nominate trees in eight categories.Go online to www.reforestlondon.ca/londons-amazing-tree-quest to submit photos, identify species and write a description. A new feature allows entries to be mapped. Related links include youtube.com/watch?v=GFcYMkCDFos; facebook.com/reforestlondon; and twitter.com/rfldn
Nursing on display
View an exhibit of 90 years of nursing at Western in the John A. Schweitzer Gallery in the Archives and Research Collections Centre (via the main floor at Weldon). Exhibit items include a vintage nursing uniform. Until the middle of June. Monday – Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed Fridays).
Feature by Adela Talbot and Western News staff