May 30, 2001
U of S Confers 2,696 Degrees at Spring Convocation
Posted May 30, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 30, 2001 2001-05-21-OTHER
U of S Confers 2,696 Degrees at Spring Convocation
The University of Saskatchewan will honour more than 2,900 graduates at the
annual Spring Convocation May 30 -31 when the various degrees, diplomas and
certificates are awarded. Last Spring 2,902 degrees were conferred.
The Convocation ceremonies will begin at Centennial Auditorium at 9:00 a.m.
on Wednesday with the presentation of the undergraduate degrees from the
College of Arts and Science. At 2:00 p.m. that afternoon the Agriculture,
Commerce and Engineering degrees will be presented. The Colleges of
Dentistry, Kinesiology, Medicine (including Physical Therapy), Nursing,
Pharmacy and Nutrition, and Veterinary Medicine will confer degrees on
Thursday at 9:00 a.m., followed by a ceremony at 2:00 p.m. for Education,
Law and Graduate degrees. Receptions will be held at the Centennial
Auditorium following each ceremony.
Among those receiving degrees will be this year?s honorary graduates.
Professor Emeritus Henry Woolf, and alumni Donald Listwin and Dr. Margaret
Thompson will all receive Doctor of Laws.
Professor Keith Taylor will receive the Master Teacher Award for his work in
the Department of Mathematics. The Master Teacher Award recognizes faculty
members who excel in teaching.
The Distinguished Researcher Award will be presented to Dr. David
Christensen, a Professor in the College of Agriculture. He is an
internationally recognized expert in dairy cow nutrition.
Grace Milashenko will receive the President?s Service Award for her work as
Extension Division Program Co-ordinator. The President?s Service Award
honours exceptional contributions by non-academic staff members.
University of Saskatchewan President Peter MacKinnon will deliver the
President?s Address at 2:00 p.m. on May 31. The Convocation addresses will
be presented by Donald Listwin, Dr. Margaret Thompson, and Henry Woolf.
Chancellor Peggy McKercher will confer the degrees. This will be the last
Convocation Chancellor McKercher presides over before her term of office
concludes on June 1.
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For more information please contact:
Jacquie Fraser
Director of Registration, Exams and Convocation
Office of the Registrar
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-6728
Renowned Agriculture Scientist to Receive Distinguished Researcher Award
Posted May 30, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ? May 30, 2001 2001-05-19-OTHER
Renowned Agriculture Scientist to Receive
Distinguished Researcher Award
University of Saskatchewan animal and poultry science professor David
Christensen, an internationally recognized expert in dairy cow nutrition,
will receive the Distinguished Researcher Award at the spring convocation.
The award, which carries a $1,000 prize, recognizes a U of S faculty member
who has made a major contribution to knowledge through research and
publication.
"Professor Christensen has contributed greatly to agriculture not only in
Western Canada, but around the world and has been a highly effective
international ambassador for the University and the province," said Michael
Corcoran, U of S Vice-President of Research.
Christensen?s most recent research has been in the development of new,
high-value animal feed made from Saskatchewan crops for use on Canadian
farms and for export. His work is critical to the development of new export
markets for Saskatchewan feed products.
Early in his career, he helped establish the Saskatchewan Feed Testing
Laboratory. This initiative brought scientific nutrition information and
ration formulation to the farm.
Christensen was one of the first nutritionists to appreciate the extent and
economic impact of trace mineral deficiencies in cattle in Western Canada.
Trace mineral supplementation is now widespread, primarily as the result of
a 10-year research program led by Christensen.
He earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (1958) at the University of
Saskatchewan, a Master of Science degree (1960) and a Ph.D. (1963) at McGill
University. In 1965, he returned to the U of S as an Assistant Professor. He
has been a tenured professor here since 1976, and served an 11-year term as
head of the department of animal and poultry science.
Christensen teaches nutrition and dairy management to undergraduate,
graduate, vocational and veterinary students. Forty-one graduate students
have completed graduate degrees under his supervision, and he currently
supervises seven graduate students.
He has published 115 refereed articles and presented 46 major invited papers
at national and international conferences, as well as over 200 invited
lectures around the world.
Christensen has been involved with most of the animal science producer
groups in Saskatchewan and has served on the province?s Advisory Committee
on Animal Science. He is a Fellow of the Agricultural Institute of Canada
and has received their International Recognition Award.
Among the other awards he has received is the J. W. George Ivany
Internationalization Award, which Christensen received for his work in
bringing U of S agricultural research to the world. He has been active as a
lecturer, consultant and project manager in over 20 countries in Africa,
Central America, the Middle East, and Asia.
For information on past Distinguished Researcher Award winners, visit the U
of S Research website at
http://www.usask.ca/communications/awards/researchers.shtml
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For more information, please contact:
David Christensen
Professor, Animal and Poultry Science
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-4152
christensen@sask.usask.ca
Listwin, Thompson and Woolf to Receive Honorary Degrees at Spring Convocation
Posted May 30, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 30, 2001 2001-05-20-OTHER
Listwin, Thompson and Woolf to Receive Honorary Degrees
at Spring Convocation
Donald Listwin, Margaret Thompson and Henry Woolf will receive Honorary
Doctor of Laws degrees at this year?s Spring Convocation.
Donald Listwin received his Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from the
University of Saskatchewan in 1980. During his time at the U of S he played
on the Huskie Volleyball team, winning two Canada West titles and a CIAU
National Championship in 1978/79.
Listwin is President and CEO of Openwave Systems, the worldwide leader of
open Internet-based communication and infrastructure software. Openwave
provides the software that makes the mobile internet work. Under his
leadership, Openwave has continued to grow worldwide and build shareholder
value. Listwin is credited with inventing the concept of the Internet
ecosystem, a new business model for defining success in the internet
economy.
Listwin also serves as the chairman of NetAid, an ongoing, world-wide
Internet-based program that promotes the use of the web to end poverty
throughout the world. The site links people and resources with charitable
organizations to help refugees, save the environment, relieve hunger, secure
human rights, and relieve debt.
Listwin and his family reside in Los Altos Hills, California.
Dr. Margaret Thompson graduated with an Honours degree in Biology from the
University of Saskatchewan in 1943. In 1948, she received a Ph.D. in
Zoology (specializing in Human Genetics) from the University of Toronto.
Dr. Thompson taught at the University of Western Ontario and the University
of Alberta. In 1963 she joined the University of Toronto and the Hospital
for Sick Children, where she was a Professor in the Department of Medical
Genetics and Microbiology and the Department of Pediatrics. She is now a
Professor Emeritus at the the U of T and an Honorary Consultant at the
Hospital for Sick Children.
Dr. Thompson has made significant contributions to the study of genetics and
muscular dystrophy. She co-authored Genetics in Medicine with her late
husband Dr. James Thompson. She is a founding member of the Genetics
Society of Canada, the Canadian
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..2/Honorary Degrees
College of Medical Geneticists and the American Society of Human Genetics.
Dr. Thompson was the first recipient of the Award for Excellence in
Education from the American Society of Human Genetics. In 1988 she was
named a Member of the Order of Canada.
Henry Woolf received his Bachelor of Arts General from London University and
earned postgraduate diplomas from the College of William and Mary, Virgina
and Bristol. In 1983 he joined the Drama Department at the University of
Saskatchewan, and became head of the department in 1995.
Woolf has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in the fine arts. One of
his first major plays as an actor was Rhinocerous with Sir Lawrence Olivier
and directed by Orson Welles. He has appeared in hundreds of plays,
television productions and movies, including Gorky Park and The Rocky Horror
Picture Show. His acting and directing jobs have taken him around the world
to London, Paris, and New York.
Woolf retired from the Drama Department but is still actively involved the
fine arts, particularly with Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan, a festival he
helped found. The festival has received many awards and is a major
attraction for thousands of local and international fans. Woolf returns to
England each summer to act or direct in a play. Woolf won the University?s
Master Teacher Award in 1994. In 1997 he was made a Professor Emeritus.
Henry Woolf will receive his honorary degree on May 30 at 9:00 a.m. and
Donald Listwin will receive his degree the same day at the 2:00 p.m.
ceremony. Dr. Margaret Thompson will receive her honorary Doctor of Laws May
31 at 9:00 a.m. All three will present Convocation Addresses.
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For more information please contact:
Gordon Barnhart
University Secretary
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-4632
Master Teacher Award to Mathematics Professor Keith Taylor
Posted May 30, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -May 30, 2001 2001-05-22-OTHER
Master Teacher Award Goes to
Mathematics Professor Keith Taylor
The University of Saskatchewan will honour excellence in teaching by
presenting Professor Keith Taylor with the Master Teacher Award.
The Master Teacher Award was established to emphasize the importance of
teaching at the University of Saskatchewan by recognizing those faculty
members who excel in teaching. The award is presented at Convocation and
includes a $1000 prize.
Dr. Taylor received his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics at St. Francis
Xavier University in 1971, and went on to earn his Ph.D. from the University
of Alberta in 1976. He has been with the University of Saskatchewan since
1977, and became a full professor in 1987.
Professor Taylor has worked tirelessly on behalf of his students. He was
instrumental in developing a web site with interactive learning modules. He
has also taught a Math Readiness Course for the past twenty years in order
to help raise students? skill levels. He has been actively involved in
elevating the profile of mathematics among Native communities in the North.
Dr. Taylor?s students are not the only ones who have praise for his
abilities. A fellow faculty member says, "Professor Taylor is the finest
example of what a university professor ought to be. He is not content to
restrict his expertise to the specialties of his discipline but is eager to
share his love of mathematics with all seekers."
Dr. Taylor will receive the Master Teacher Award at the Spring Convocation
ceremony May 30 at 9:00 a.m.
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For more information please contact:
Dr. Keith Taylor
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-6100
Grace Milashenko to Receive President's Service Award
Posted May 30, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 30, 2001 2001-05-23-OTHER
Grace Milashenko to Receive President?s Service Award
Grace Milashenko, Program Co-ordinator for Extension Division, will receive
the President?s Service Award at Spring Convocation.
The President?s Service Award recognizes exceptional contributions by
non-academic staff members. It honours those who, through dedication and
committment, have inspired others and enhanced the University community
through extraordinary service.
Milashenko has been with the University of Saskatchewan for 33 years. Since
1979 she has co-ordinated the Business Administration Certificate (BAC)
program, as well as completing a BAC herself. She also oversees the
programs for Certificate in Adult and Continuing Education (CACE),
Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language (CERTESL), Certificate
in Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and Independent Studies.
"Grade Milashenko personified what it means to give service," says a
colleague. "She has been a leader, a part-time student, an advocate for
part-time, adult and distance learners, a defender of the disenfranchised,
and a tireless worker on many boards and committees both within the
University and outside of it."
In addition to her work in Extension, Milashenko has been an active
volunteer with many organizations including the Saskatchewan Action
Committee for the Status of Women, the Saskatoon Community Clinic, Planned
Parenthood, the Northern Saskatchewan International Children?s Festival, and
Jeux Canada Games.
Milashenko will receive the President?s Service Award at the Spring
Convocation ceremony on May 31 at 2:00 p.m. The award includes a $1,000
prize and a commemorative ring or pin.
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For more information please contact:
Bev Dickinson
Chair of the President?s Service Award Selection Committee
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-6282
U of S Honours Outstanding Graduates
Posted May 30, 2001
May 30, 2001 2001-05-24-OTHER
U of S Honours Outstanding Graduates
The University of Saskatchewan will recognize the achievements of its most
outstanding graduates at this year?s Spring Convocation ceremony. Numerous
awards and prizes will be presented, including the prestigious Governor
General?s Gold and Silver Medals.
Mark Francis Tachie (Ph.D.) of Saskatoon will receive the Governor General?s
Gold Medal, awarded to the graduate student with the highest cumulative
percentage average.
The Governor General?s Silver Medal will be presented to Jimmy Xavier
Makaroff, (B.Sc., B.E.) of Saskatoon for earning the highest cumulative
percentage among undergraduate students.
Several other outstanding graduates will also be recognized for their
academic achievements. They are, in order of presentation:
Maryse Gabrielle Wilkinson of Saskatoon (B.A. Honours) Copland Prize in
Humanities;
Raymond William Gunter of Saskatoon (B.A. Honours) Copland Prize in Social
Science;
Wendy Weseen of Saskatoon (B.F.A.) University of Saskatchewan Film Society
Prize;
Jackson Chap-Shing Chan of Saskatoon (B.Sc. Honours) Earl of Bessborough
Prize in Science;
Jackson Chap-Shing Chan of Saskatoon (B.Sc. Honours) Haslam Medal;
Mark Walter Morris of Saskatoon (B.Sc.) Spring Convocation Three-Year Medal;
Kirsten Elise Ketilson of Saskatoon (B.S.A.) Saskatchewan Institute of
Agrologists Gold Medal;
Michael George Scott of Saskatoon (B.Comm.) The Goodspeed Prize in Commerce;
Ryan Brent Spelay of Yorkton (B.E.) The Association of Professional
Engineers & Geoscientists of Saskatchewan Gold Medal;
Robert Brian Meyer of Saskatoon (D.M.D.) Gold Medal in Dentistry;
Krista Lee Armstrong of Saskatoon (B.Sc.(Kin)) The Dr. Gordon Garvie Prize
in Kinesiology;
Rodrick Kenton Stryker of Moose Jaw (M.D.) Lindsay Gold Medal in Medicine;
Sharon Dawne Balzer of Saskatoon (B.S.N.) Lindsay Gold Medal in Nursing;
Kara Lee Mackow of Chaplin (B.S.P.) Robert Martin Prize in Pharmacy;
Hollie Amber Fischer of Saskatoon (B.Sc.P.T.) Talmage E. Hunt Award in
Physical Therapy;
Dianna Elizabeth Saam of Nanaimo, B.C. (D.V.M.) Western College of
Veterinary Medicine Faculty Gold Medal;
Brenda Gail Epp of Rosthern (B.Ed.) Saskatchewan Teacher?s Federation Prize;
Jordon Reagan McJannet of Davidson (LL.B.) Law Society of Saskatchewan Gold
Medal.
For more information please contact:
Jacquie Fraser
Director, Registration, Examinations & Convocation
University of Saskatchewan
Office of the Registrar
Tel: (306) 966-6728
May 25, 2001
Spring Convocation to be held May 30 and 31, 2001
Posted May 25, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 25, 2001 2001-05-17-OTHER
Spring Convocation to be held May 30-31, 2001
The University of Saskatchewan expects to confer over 2,900 degrees,
diplomas and certificates on students at its annual Spring Convocation May
30-31, 2001.
The convocation ceremonies will begin at 9:00 a.m. on May 30 with the
College of Arts and Science, followed by the Colleges of Agriculture,
Commerce and Engineering at 2:00 p.m. The ceremonies on May 31 will begin
at 9:00 a.m. with the Colleges of Dentistry, Kinesiology, Medicine, Physical
Therapy, Nursing, Pharmacy and Nutrition, and Veterinary Medicine.
Convocation will conclude at 2:00 p.m. the same day with the Colleges of
Education, Law and Graduate Studies.
A reception for graduates and their guests, sponsored by the University,
will follow the ceremonies in the main lobby of the auditorium.
Dr. Keith Taylor will receive the Master Teacher Award (May 30, 9:00 a.m.).
Honorary Doctors of Law will be presented to Henry Woolf (May 30, 9:00 a.m.
), Donald Listwin ( May 30, 2:00 p.m.), and Dr. Margaret Thompson (May 31,
9:00 a.m. ).
Other awards will include Grace Milashenko for the President?s Service Award
(May 31, 2:00 p.m. ) and Dr. David Christensen will receive the
Distinguished Researcher Award (May 30, 2:00 p.m. ).
University President Peter MacKinnon will deliver the statement to the
graduands, with Chancellor Peggy McKercher presiding. This is the last
Convocation Chancellor McKercher will preside over, as she is retiring June
1, 2001.
For more information please contact:
Jacquie Fraser
Director
Registration, Examinations, Convocation
Office of the Registrar
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-6728
May 24, 2001
CIBC Donates $0.75 Million to College of Agriculture
Posted May 24, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ? May 24th, 2001 2001-05-15-AG
CIBC DONATES $0.75 MILLION TO
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE
Today University of Saskatchewan President, Peter MacKinnon, accepted a
donation of $0.75 million ($750,000) from Mike Pedersen, CIBC Senior
Executive Vice President, Retail and Small Business Banking, to establish
the CIBC Centre for Agricultural Entrepreneurship (CCAE).
CCAE, based in the College of Agriculture, will deliver intensive
career-building programs geared specifically towards the rapidly changing
world of agribusiness.
"We are extremely grateful to CIBC, our founding sponsors, for their
generous donation," said President MacKinnon. "This magnificent gift will go
a long way to help us design innovative, relevant programs which prepare our
students for the global opportunities that lay ahead."
Mr. Pedersen added: "The agriculture sector is facing unprecedented change
that is placing enormous pressure on our farmers to change and adapt much
more quickly than in the past. The establishment of the CIBC Centre for
Agricultural Entrepreneurship at the University of Saskatchewan will
provide Canada's youth with the cutting edge expertise they will need to
compete on the global market."
Ernie Barber, Dean of the College of Agriculture, said: "CCAE will improve
the student experience at the College of Agriculture by helping students to
develop personal and professional skills that ease the transition from
university to career."
CCAE programs are directed by the College of Agriculture with planned input
from the agribusiness community.
CCAE will function primarily as a virtual centre, administered by a manager
employed by the College of Agriculture. It will develop and provide resource
materials to enhance existing courses and initiatives in the College, such
as the work experience program and international student exchange programs,
and is currently developing a new course designed to help students build
career portfolios.
For more information, contact:
Peter MacKinnon, President
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-6612
Ernie Barber
Dean, College of Agriculture
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-4050
Barry Smith
National Director of Agriculture
CIBC
(204) 944-5103
May 18, 2001
Vaccine fights pervasive swine menace
Posted May 18, 2001
For Immediate Release:
Vaccine fights pervasive swine menace
Saskatoon, Sask., May 15, 2001: A new vaccine under commercial development
could significantly decrease piglet mortality caused by Streptococcus suis.
Research scientists at the Veterinary Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO)
in Saskatoon developed the vaccine.
S. suis is a widespread disease found in 90 percent of hog herds surveyed in
Western Canada, says Dr. Phil Willson, VIDO Bacteriology Program
Co-ordinator. "This pathogen can cause disease in several different phases
of production. The most disturbing is when newly-weaned piglets contract the
disease at about six weeks of age."
Currently, the only remedy is antibiotics. "However, antibiotic treatments
have had mixed results and this disease is hard to manage with the high
levels of antibiotics and quick treatments that are required," he says. "So
we decided on an immunological approach - a vaccine that prevents the
disease from spreading by using the animal's natural defences."
A highly potent conventional vaccine was developed. "We administered it to
sows in a field study and it increased the amount of antibodies in their
bloodstreams. They then had a higher level of the antibody in their
colostrum, which they passed on to their piglets," says Willson. Those field
tests demonstrated a 50 percent reduction in piglet mortality.
VIDO has partnered with the Alberta Research Council Inc. (ARC) to further
develop the vaccine for licensing. "At this time we're working on the
vaccine production issues, ensuring that the changes in scale required to
produce enough of the vaccine for licensing trials, does not change the
vaccine's makeup or its efficacy." ARC develops and commercializes
technologies to give its customers a competitive advantage.
Future vaccine enhancement could include a second-generation vaccine using
recombinant antigens to provide a broader line of defence against the
disease. "We are trying to identify the proteins involved in virulence that
could become the basis of an improved vaccine," says Willson.
The economic impact of the disease is considerable, as 25 percent of the
operations with carriers of the S. suis pathogen have persistent problems
with the disease, he says
That's a large number of hog operations with major problems. If the vaccine
is as effective as demonstrated so far and proves commercially viable to
produce, it will certainly help producers combat the disease and the
production losses that go with it."
VIDO is a wholly-owned University of Saskatchewan not-for-profit institute
that is a global leader in food animal and poultry vaccine research for the
control of infectious diseases. Significant ongoing support is received from
the Governments of Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba. Producer support for
the project came from the B.C. Hog Producers Marketing Board, Alberta Pork,
Saskatchewan Pork, Manitoba Pork Council and Ontario Pork.
For further information contact:
Stuart Bond
Associate Director (Marketing and Business Development)
Veterinary Infectious Disease Organization
Phone: (306) 966-7474
Fax: (306) 966-7478
E-mail: bonds@sask.usask.ca
May 14, 2001
U of S Board Announces 2001-02 Operating Budget
Posted May 14, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ? May 11th, 2001 2001-05-06-OTHER
U of S Board Announces 2001-02 Operating Budget
The University of Saskatchewan?s Board of Governors today approved an
operating budget that will improve undergraduate scholarships and bursaries
by 60%, help in the recruitment of top-quality faculty and enhance the
student experience.
The increase in expenditure will be met by a 3.5%, or $4.7 million, increase
in the University?s operating grant from the provincial government and from
a 15%, or $7.3 million, increase in tuition fees. Around half of the
increase reflects the phase-in of a two-year adjustment to national norm
tuition levels.
In 2002-03, the final year of the national norm phase-in, tuition
adjustments at the University will take into account costs, national norms,
demand, and program offerings. This information will be used to develop
specific program/category tuition level appropriate for the U of S. In some
cases, colleges may establish tuition rates higher than national norm
guidelines.
Currently, the annual cost of tuition varies by program with differentials
assessed at the course level and at the program level for specific colleges
(see backgrounder).
The tuition increase will amount to $486 per year for a student taking all
category 1 courses (most Arts and Science programs). However, the total cost
of a student?s education will be reduced by the change in the Education Tax
Credit which increased this year from $200 to $400 per month. This change
results in a total saving to students of $460 per year.
Board Chair, Frank Quennel, said: "If the University of Saskatchewan is to
compete with other universities in the medical-doctoral category and provide
high-quality programs to future generations of students, there has to be
sufficient resources. Apart from the provincial government operating grant,
tuition is the only way we can find these resources."
University President, Peter MacKinnon, added: "Saskatchewan residents
deserve the same opportunities for a high-quality education as that offered
in other provinces. This is about quality and providing equal opportunity
for people in this province. It provides hope for the future of
post-secondary education in Saskatchewan."
The operating budget focuses on maintaining high-quality programs and an
enhanced learning experience for students, through such measures as:
- a 60% or $0.5 million increase in undergraduate scholarships and bursaries
- $0.5 million increase for student services and programs
- $0.1 million increase to improve Computer Science lab offerings and
student support
- $0.1 million increase to enhance the Pharmacy and Nutrition program.
Although tuition has steadily increased at the U of S over the past few
years, for many programs, it still offers one of the lowest tuition fees in
the medical-doctoral category across the country.
The University's operating budget for 2001-02 will amount to $215.5 million.
Highlights of the 2001-02 Operating Budget and background information are
attached.
For further information, contact:
Frank Quennel, Chair
Board of Governors
(403) 240-5519
(403) 233-7538 (h)
or
Peter MacKinnon, President
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-6212
2001-02 Budget Highlights
Tuition
Tuition at the University of Saskatchewan varies by program, with
differentials assessed at the course level and at the program level for
specific colleges (Dentistry, Medicine and Veterinary Medicine). For
2001/02, based on a typical course mix for the program of instruction,
annual tuition for the various programs is:
U of S National Norm
Projected
Agriculture: $3,994 $3,859
Arts: $3,792 $3,869
Science: $3,860 $3,901
Commerce: $3,726 $4,064
Education: $3,860 $3,952
Engineering: $3,960 $4,356
Law: $4,332 $4,807
Medicine: $7,623 $7,592
Nursing: $3,927 $4,011
Kinesiology: $3,960 $3,905
Pharmacy: $5,110 $4,070
Nutrition: $4,710 $4,070
Physical Therapy: $5,309 unavailable
Veterinary Medicine: $6,530 $5,593
Dentistry students will pay $14,000 in tuition, in line with the 1999
funding model for the College of Dentistry. This model provides for $32,000
in tuition for all students, with the potential for U of S bursaries of
$18,000 for 15 qualifying students.
Library acquisitions
To help combat a 9.9% annual inflation rate for library materials, the
budget allows for an increase of 5% for library acquisitions. The U of S has
recognized the importance of the library throughout its years of budget cuts
and has preserved the library?s acquisitions budget.
Salary settlements
The budget projection includes a provision for salary settlement increases
which are in keeping with the provincial pattern.
The University competes for faculty both nationally and internationally and,
to do so effectively, we must maintain competitive salaries.
Utilities
An 18% increase in utilities is projected which allows for both price and
usage increases. The primary factor contributing to this increase is the
rise in natural gas cost which has more than doubled over the last two
years.
2001-02 Capital Budget
The university received $21.4 million from the provincial government for its
2001-02 capital budget. This is slightly less than the 2000-01 capital grant
of $22.2 million which included $0.75 million for nursing. These funds will
be allocated as follows:
- $6.2m to repairs, rehabilitation and adaptation of buildings
- $1.3m to equipment. Allocated based on prioritized submissions from
academic and administrative units.
- $1.4m to computer network and lecture theatres.
- $0.5m to a program to help new faculty establish their research programs.
This continues a program begun in 1999. The allocation of funds for the
purchase of equipment has been cited repeatedly by numerous committees at
the U of S as essential as faculty renewal occurs. This allocation will
allow the U of S to be more competitive in recruiting top-quality faculty.
- $12m for the Thorvaldson and Kinesiology projects. This includes a special
allocation from the Provincial Government of $7 million towards the cost of
these two projects. With the 2001-02 allocation, this will amount to an
additional $35 million provided by the Province for these two projects.
The Canadian context
Tuition, as a proportion of the operating budget, has been increasing
steadily over recent years at the University of Saskatchewan, and at most
other universities across the country, while provincial operating grant has
been decreasing.
During this period, Saskatchewan?s universities have continued to emphasize
access by keeping tuition increases as small as possible. Today, the
University of Saskatchewan?s overall tuition structure is among the lowest
of universities in the medical-doctoral category.
Other costs
With the combined costs of tuition, additional fees, and accommodations, the
University of Saskatchewan ranks 33 out of 43 for all universities and 11th
out of the 15 medical-doctoral schools. (The remaining four are in BC, where
tuition has been frozen for several years, and in Quebec, where tuition is
maintained at very low levels for in-province students).
The impact of tuition on demand
According to data from the Universities of Alberta, Calgary and Manitoba,
the tuition increases they experienced over the last decade have had little
apparent impact on demand. In fact, in many programs, enrolment increased.
However, in Alberta, there was also an increase in demand for university
transfer programs offered at community colleges.
The College of Dentistry recently experienced a significant increase in
student fees, as the College moved towards a cost-recovery model. This
increase has had little effect on demand. For the 2001-02 academic year, the
ratio of applications to available seats for the bursary positions was 3.5:1
for the non-bursary positions it was 10:1.
May 03, 2001
VIDO starts vaccine work to fight threat of Campylobacter jejuni
Posted May 03, 2001
VIDO starts vaccine work to fight threat of Campylobacter jejuni
Saskatoon Sask., May 1, 2001: Controlling Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni)
before it becomes an even bigger food-borne disease and water quality threat
has prompted a new vaccine research project by the Veterinary Infectious
Disease Organization (VIDO) at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon.
C. jejuni is a bacterium that colonizes food-producing animals, including
poultry, and causes food poisoning in humans. Contaminated water can also be
a factor in transmitting the bacteria. Especially at risk are the elderly
and those with weakened immune systems. C. jejuni is also associated with a
neurological disease in humans called Guillain-Barré ³yndrome, which is
often fatal.
"This bacteria has no effect on poultry, but it's transmissible from
infected meat to humans if the meat is not handled and cooked properly,"
says Bacteriologist Dr. Brenda Allan, a VIDO Senior Scientist. "At VIDO, we
are trying to understand C. jejuni and develop a vaccine to halt or greatly
reduce its colonization in poultry."
To develop a vaccine, Allan and her team will delve into the genetic makeup
of the bacteria using state-of-the-art genomic technologies. "We want to
understand the organism and how it colonizes birds differently than humans,"
she says. "Why is it that chickens don?t get sick from it, but people do?"
The answer to that question may lie in the genes, says Allan. "We?ll
investigate which genes in the bird gut are turned on and off when infected
with the bacteria and how that differs from the situation in humans."
Not all poultry are infected with the bacteria, she adds. But in processing,
a few infected birds can contaminate the rest.
With increased public emphasis on food safety and the accompanying tighter
regulations that are already appearing in the U.S., it?s important the
industry acts now to control organisms such as C. jejuni, says Allan. "The
perception among people in the industry is that government regulations in
most countries, including Canada, are only going to tighten more with regard
to the bacterial numbers allowed in meat sold for human consumption."
Though C. jejuni does not affect the production side of raising poultry,
it?s an issue the industry is mindful of at all levels, says Allan, and VIDO
recognizes the importance of dealing with food safety issues at all levels
of the food production system.
As well, further research into C. jejuni will bring increased knowledge
about the bacteria and how to control it using other means besides
vaccination. "We do know that proper handling and cooking practices guard
against the bacteria infecting humans and that is something that needs to be
communicated as well," she says.
The research is funded in part by the Natural Sciences and Engineering
Research Council of Canada NCE Program through the Canadian Bacterial
Diseases Network (Calgary, Alberta) and the Poultry Industry Council.
VIDO is a global leader in food animal and poultry vaccine research and is a
wholly-owned University of Saskatchewan not-for-profit research institute.
It operates with significant support from the Government of Alberta and the
Government of Saskatchewan.
Information about VIDO is available at http://www.vido.org.
For more information, contact:
Stuart Bond
Associate Director (Marketing and Business Development)
Veterinary Infectious Disease Organization
Phone: (306) 966-7474
Fax: (306) 966-7478
E-mail: bonds@sask.usask.ca
May 02, 2001
Surviving US! Introduces Students to the U of S
Posted May 02, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - MAY 1, 2001 2001-05-01-OTHER
Surviving US! Introduces Students to the U of S
Students preparing to attend the University of Saskatchewan for the first
time this fall will have a chance to get some inside information about
university life through Surviving US!
Surviving US! is designed to familiarize students with the U of S before
they come on campus. The program will visit communities throughout
Saskatchewan, giving students a chance to talk to and ask questions of
current U of S students and advisors.
"There are many things that students need to do in the next few months,"
explains Cora Schneider, Director of Student Recruitment. "We try to
provide students with the tools to make the transition to university easier.
The sessions cover registration, residence and housing, student loans, the
importance of attending Orientation and much more."
Surviving US! will make stops in the following locations:
La Ronge May 9 Churchill Comp. High
Lloydminster May 14 Holy Rosary High
North Battleford May 15 North Battleford Comp.
Prince Albert May 16 Carlton Comp. High
Tisdale May 17 Tisdale Middle and Secondary
Swift Current May 22 Swift Current Comp. High
Moose Jaw May 23 Vanier Collegiate
Estevan May 24 Estevan Comp.
Yorkton May 28 Yorkton Regional High
Regina May 29 Leboldus Collegiate
Saskatoon May 30 U of S Place Riel Theatre
Saskatoon June 16 U of S Place Riel Theatre
"I had a lot of questions when I was thinking about university," says Gabe
Andrews, second-year Arts & Science student. "The opportunity to talk to
someone who has been there and to the people that can give you answers helps
so much."
Students can reserve a spot on-line at www.usask.ca/registrar/surviving or
e-mail surviving@usask.ca for more information.
For more information, contact:
Cora Schneider, Director of Student Recruitment
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-6767
E-mail: cora.schneider@usask.ca
