DECEMBER 2000

Commonwealth education ministers visit

Education ministers and officials from countries of the British Commonwealth visited the St. John's campus. The 16 delegates were invited by the province's Council for Higher Education in an endeavour to showcase Newfoundland's solutions to its secondary and post-secondary challenges, and to build relationships between this region and those represented by the ministers. The ministers were in the region for a pre-conference workshop, Educational Diversity and Collaboration in Newfoundland and Labrador, held in conjunction with the 14th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (CCEM) which took place in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Nov. 25-27, 2000.

MI gets boost

The marine transportation industry has a shortage of qualified ships' officers and to meet the need, the provincial government and Memorial are funding marine engineering and nautical science degree/diploma programs at the Marine Institute. The marine transportation industry will also make a significant contribution through a cadet workterm placement program and other industrial services. Under the plan, the Marine Institute increased enrolment in those programs from 96 students to 144, with 192 students expected to enrol in 2004.

University centre named after late premier

Joseph R. Smallwood was one of Newfoundland and Labrador's most colourful and influential public figures. He was also a great supporter of Memorial University. In recognition of his contribution to higher education, the new $16-million University Centre was officially named the Smallwood Centre. The announcement was made Dec. 21 by President Axel Meisen and Edward Roberts, chairman of the Board of Regents. The official name was recommended by a committee of the board that included student and faculty representatives, and acceptance was unanimous.

Leaders in women's health

Dr. Sharon Buehler, Community Health, and Prof. Kay Matthews, Nursing, were honoured with Leadership Awards for Women's Health in Atlantic Canada by the Maritime Centre for Excellence in Women's Health. The two women are old friends with similar histories of service to the community and the university. Both moved with their husbands and young children to Newfoundland in 1967 and helped found the Children's Centre, a non-profit daycare centre.