In Brief
Health
beliefs of baby-boomers
The Social Science and Humanities Research Council has agreed to fund a group of researchers at Memorial to conduct an extensive study of cultural variations in health beliefs and values in Canada. The team is led by Dr. Michael Murray, a professor of psychology in the university’s Division of Community Health.
The project, titled Norms and Narratives: Values Concerning Health and Illness in an Aging Population, will receive almost $400,000 over three years from the SSHRC as part of its strategic themes initiative.
“The project will focus on the beliefs and values of the so-called ‘baby boomers’ who have set the social agenda for much public policy over the past three decades,” said Dr. Murray. “As this cohort enters their senior years it can be expected that they will continue to shape social policy in general, and that related to healthcare in particular. Yet aside from some demographic trends, few specifics are known about the perceived needs and expectations of this group.”
This project brings together a multi-disciplinary team from four universities. Members from Memorial include Drs. Daryl Pullman, Evan Simpson and Maura Hanrahan. They are joined by Dr. Leigh Turner from the University of Toronto, Dr. Francine Saillant from Laval University and Dr. Don Kuiken from the University of Alberta.
In addition, the project team will be joined by an extensive group of partners including the Department of Health and Community Services, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Alberta Health and Wellness, the Canadian Policy Research Network, the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association, the Canadian College of Health Service Executives, the Catholic Health Association of Canada and the United Church of Canada.
Dr.
Murray said that “including partners from different levels
of the healthcare system not only ensures a dynamic exchange
of ideas during the research process, but also guarantees that
the lessons learned from this project will influence future health
policy in this country in the next century.”
New
day for film society
After seven years of Sundays, the MUN Cinema Series is moving to a new day and time. The opening of the Studio 12 movie complex at the Avalon Mall has opened the door to experiment with a change, said society director Noreen Golfman.
Films
will now be shown at Studio 12 Thursday nights at 7 p.m.
Financial struggles are an annual rite, said Dr. Golfman, and
it’s hoped the wave of interest created by the new theatres
will wash over the film society.
The
fall lineup starts tonight with Joe the King, (USA 1999).
Directed by Frank Whaley and starring Noah Fleiss, Val Kilmer,
John Leguizamo and Ethan Hawke, Joe the King is an admittedly
bleak but complex tale about working-class life from a child’s
point of view.
Revisions
to modem policy
Due to the increased number of users, there has been increasing reports of congestion and delays in getting connected through the Computing and Communications modem pool during the prime evening time. To restore service levels, the daily FAIR allocation will be decreased from 45 to 35 minutes.
In addition, the 90 minute session limit is becoming an increasing problem for our clients, as download file sizes are continually increasing. To ease the download problem, the maximum length session will be increased to 120 minutes.
For
a full description of the policy, see www.munet.mun.ca/policy/modem_policy.html
Grenfell
Silver Anniversary Gala
On Feb. 19, Grenfell College will host the Grenfell Silver Anniversary Gala, a day-long recognition of the many people – students, professors, staff and community leaders – who’ve helped Grenfell become the learning institution it is today. The event goes ahead the day after the opening ceremony of Grenfell’s Winter Carnival, to be held at the Canada Winter Games Centre.
The day’s events begin at 3 p.m. with a welcome and opening, campus tours, trivia contests, and historical displays (history of Grenfell traced through photographs, recorded interviews and memorabilia). At 5 p.m. there is a complimentary refreshment reception, reminiscences and stories (open mike: listen to faculty, staff and students recount memories of the “good old days”); followed at 7 p.m. by a Gala Dinner and Dance: student entertainment and greetings from Grenfell College officials, past and present.
There will be no shortage of things to do and see if you decide to pay a visit to the west coast of the island. The event schedule is such that you can easily include a tour of Corner Brook and surrounding area in your weekend; the folks at Grenfell encourage you to discover how the west coast has developed over the 25 years as well.
Or, if you wish to stay on longer, you’ll note that the celebration coincides with the Corner Brook Winter Carnival, one of the liveliest and best-attended festivals in the province. In particular, a reception will be held on Feb. 20 to celebrate an art exhibition of SWGC Visual Arts alumni.
For tickets, phone (709) 637-6208 Fax: (709) 637- 6201, or e-mail: gala@beothuk.swgc.mun.ca