The Legend April 2011

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VOLUME 10

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ISSUE EIGHT

Species discovery

the UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

Hall ready to unveil Earth Into Property Dr. Theresa Burg sits with a juvenile albatross. On the right, two albatrosses pose for the camera.

Photo on left by Scott Schaffer, San Jose State University

Langevin brings national focus to Horns rugby

Sopko takes advantage of internship

Melnyk revels in leading alumni chapter

The U of L Legend is published monthly during the academic year by the communications unit within University Advancement. Submissions, comments and story ideas are always welcome. The Legend reserves the right to refuse any submitted advertisement. The Legend can be found online at www.uleth.ca/unews/ legend. Next content deadline is Apr. 29, 2011.

A DV E R T I S I N G For ad rates or other information, contact: legend@uleth.ca CREDITS Editor: Trevor Kenney Designer: Stephenie Karsten CO N T R I B U TO R S: Amanda Berg, Diane Britton, Bob Cooney, Jane Edmundson, Nicole Eva, Abby Groenenboom, Tamera Jones, Suzanne McIntosh, Kali McKay, Heather Nicholson, Rob Olson, Stacy Seguin, Zyna Taylor, Jaime Vedres, Katherine Wasiak and Richard Westlund

University of Lethbridge 4401 University Drive Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4 www.ulethbridge.ca

BY BOB COONEY

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t’s not every day that you get to make a definitive decision on a new species. But after a number of years of review, research submitted for peer review in 2008

by Dr. Theresa Burg and thenundergraduate student Derek Raines has been recognized as being a key factor in distinctly defining a group of endangered albatrosses located on remote Amsterdam Island in the South Indian Ocean.

“When it was first discovered in 1984, researchers described it as a new species because its plumage resembled a juvenile wandering albatross, which was a darker colour and in other groups whitens as it matures,” says Burg. “They have a different breeding date and are smaller, and they have juvenile plumage. That gave me the idea they were different, but some research had lumped them in with other species. There had been research done on more slowly evolving genes, and there was no difference found.

We looked at the other groups and found there were three other groups separated by seven to nine (genetic) differences.”

Burg argued that the longer the

GLOBAL EVENT HITS HOME

BY STACY SEGUIN On Mar. 11, 2011, the world watched in horror as Japan was rocked by a massive earthquake followed by a crushing tsunami that left behind a mass of death, destruction and devastation. Stirred by human compassion, many people want to help during such tragedies but often don’t know how – so they wait for someone to take the lead.

For Mieko Okutomi, a University of Lethbridge student with family in Japan – waiting was not an option.

“When it first happened I was at home and I saw my friends on Facebook writing about Japan. I wasn’t too concerned because Japan often has large earthquakes – but when I saw all the media coverage I

time that there has been a separation of genetic information, the better the chance the birds were distinct – and her peers agreed.

The challenge of physically getting the research done can be daunting, because as Burg describes it, the island is in the ‘middle of nowhere’ near Antarctica.

Getting there would typically involve a plane trip to the Falkland Islands off the coast of Argentina, a long boat ride courtesy of the British Navy and either a helicopter ride or, more typically, being cast into the freezing water in a small boat to reach the island.

The upside? E-mail through a satellite phone.

The downside? Aside from the trip and weather, dodging cranky fur seals that, despite their slow ‘look’ can outrun a person, headhigh clumps of grass and a long turnaround time to return samples to a lab – sometimes weeks, depending on passing mail boats.

Her doctoral research began at Cambridge University in the UK where as part of her program she was researching fur seals near the Falkland Islands. She was approached to work on albatrosses because there was less research

available and the opportunity seemed unique.

The challenge now is to look for more opportunities to protect the species, since albatrosses are a threatened group of birds.

“Of the 22 different known species, 75 per cent are threatened, and this population in particular is critically endangered,” says Burg. “They are a small population to begin with because of a breeding cycle that produces a single egg every two years and they face further challenges from rats introduced from whaling ships which eat the egg, and death by long-line fishing.”

Burg’s research these days is less distant and more accessible. She is focusing on genetic markers in chickadees, woodpeckers and jays, where her research is showing evidence of the evolutionary changes in these birds since the last ice age.

“There appears to be higher levels of variation in the species in areas that were not covered in ice, versus areas that were,” Burg said.

“Understanding this can help us to determine what process led to the creation of species of birds.”

started to realize this was different,” recalls Okutomi, whose home is only 100 km away from the Fukushima nuclear power plant. “I felt really bad because at first I couldn’t reach some of my family members.

It took a while to find out they were OK. That was what initially prompted me to get involved in the fundraiser. I felt compelled to do something. I knew I would never be able to look at myself in the mirror if I hadn’t done anything.”

Responding to an plea from the International Centre for Students (ICS), Okutomi, Ayuno Nakahashi, Ryosuke Imura, Sayu Ishimine and Emma Wight met with staff and came up with the idea to fundraise money to aid Japan through the Red Cross. The students created displays and brochures detailing the tragedy and set up donation boxes on campus. The fundraiser took place Mar. 16-18.

“The ICS provided the students

with logistical support, organizing tables on campus, supplying presentation material and signing the contract with Red Cross so that the fundraiser could happen,” says Trish Jackson, acting manager ICS. “I am just so impressed by how much enthusiasm, love and care the students brought with them and how well it was received around campus.”

During the fundraiser, Okutomi became aware of an extraordinary achievement by Yuko Yokota, the wife of Dr. Eiichi Yokota, a visiting professor from Hokkai Shouka Daigaku, Hokkai School of Commerce in Japan. Mrs. Yokota had made more than 1,700 traditional paper cranes that she was willing to donate to the University. In Japan, the crane is a very important symbol of hope and peace, and legend says that if you fold 1,000 cranes you are granted a wish.

CONTINUED ON PG. 7

the Legend

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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

OPENMike

University of Lethbridge President Dr. Mike Mahon chats about what’s happening in the University community

What does the Strategic Plan mean to you?

It’s a question we have been asking over the past month in a series of meetings with all of our campus units. In recent weeks, and continuing through the end of April, we are holding meetings with all the University’s Faculties, their deans, campus groups such as AUPE and APO, all asking the same sorts of questions. What does the Strategic Plan mean to you and how can we bring the Strategic Plan to life at an individual level?

These meetings give us an opportunity to look at the plan, reflect upon how far we’ve come with it and seek out the oppor-

tunities that exist as we move forward. This exercise will identify tactics to push the strategic directions in the plan at a broad University level, but maybe even more importantly, we are looking to bring the plan down to the individual level.

I am eager to know if you relate to the plan, and if not, how we can provide the support you need to incorporate its directions into your day-to-day decisionmaking.

Many people I talk to, whether they are doing it consciously or not, incorporate aspects of the Strategic Plan into their workflow. As we move forward, I want to identify ways in

which we support those people who have aspirations as it relates to the plan, and allow them to move forward with these ideas.

The Strategic Plan can seem like a broad document but its essence is rooted in individual acts that support its ideals. I look to the goal of enhancing the sustainability of our campus as an example. At face value this may seem like a daunting task when approached from an individual or unit level, but it is being done and a Students’ Union initiative is a testament to this. In fall 2010, ULSU Food Court vendors and the Zoo established a composting program for their recyclable food materials. Since

CAMPUS Alumna Chelsea Matisz (BSc ’06, MSc ’09) was recently named the winner of the Ashton Cuckler New Investigator Award. This award is handed out by the American Society of Parasitologists and is given to the top graduate student in the field, based upon the quality of research accomplished during a candidate’s graduate studies. In the past, this award has gone to a recently-graduated PhD student, while Matisz is currently in a PhD program at the University of Calgary. She will be honoured at the Society’s annual meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, in June.

Soprano Acacia Doktorchik (MMus) presents her final Graduate Recital on Apr. 14 at 8 p.m. in the University Recital Hall.

Mart Blicharz (MFA New Media) has an exhibition entitled, Breaking The Spell: Work in Progress, showing at the U of L Penny Building until Apr. 15.

Tasha Diamant (MEd student) was invited to present a

Human Body Project event at the Union Theological Seminary, a graduate degreegranting seminary associated with New York’s Columbia University. Her presentation included a live Human Body Project performance followed by a discussion with faculty and students. The Human Body Project is the subject of Diamant’s MEd research project, which mostly consists of a 53-minute documentary film, and is under the supervision of Dr. Erika Hasebe-Ludt and Dr. Leah Fowler.

Nicholas Louma (BFA ’08) had artwork in the exhibition, Mind the Gap, at the Art Gallery of Swift Current in March.

Anna VanderHeide (BMus/ BEd) sang in a Tribute to Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin organized by the newly formed Lethbridge Jazz Society in April.

Mike Pinder (Operations Coordinator, Sport and Recreation Services, BSc ’04) was given a Lethbridge Sport Council Achievement Award for coaching

that time, Coulee Junction, Fresh Express, Mr. Sub and Tim Hortons have all joined the initiative, showing just how quickly a good idea can grow.

As you read this issue of the Legend, you will see a number of other examples that speak to the campus sustainability strategic direction. There are students working with environmental organizations, donors supporting the study of sustainability research in the Alberta Water and Environmental Science Building and initiatives encouraging commuters to bring their bikes, rather than their cars, to campus.

It’s not just about the envi-

ronment however, sustainability also relates to our programs and supporting our faculty and staff to help create a sustainable work environment where people feel that they are valued and supported in their goals and aspirations.

This is the Strategic Plan at its most basic level, and I hope over the next few weeks you’ll take the time to meet with me and discuss how you see yourself in the strategic direction of our University so that we can take the words of our Strategic Plan off the page and put them into action.

kudos

excellence. Pinder is an assistant swim coach with the LA Swim Club, and in addition to coaching Youth Olympic medalist Rachel Nicol, is highly respected by athletes and parents for his dedication and commitment to the sport of swimming.

Ken Allan’s (Art) article, Barnett Newman’s The Wild: Painting as Spatial Intervention, has been accepted for publication by the American journal October, published by MIT Press.

Taras Polataiko (Art) had work displayed in the group exhibition, Delinear, at the Barbara Edwards Contemporary in Toronto.

Knud Petersen, a longtime supporter of Pronghorns Athletics through the Horns Booster Club, Operation Red Nose, Pronghorn Dinner & Auction, Casino Chair and Adopt-A-Horn programs, was given a Lethbridge Sport Council Achievement Award for Spirit in Sport.

Collin Zipp (MFA Art) is participating in a residency,

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culminating in an exhibition, at Daimon Video in Gatineau, Que. Soprano Rachel Sinnott (MMus) presented a Masters Recital on Apr. 7 in University Recital Hall.

Pronghorns thrower Heather Steacy was given a Lethbridge Sport Council Achievement Award as Senior Female Athlete of the Year in 2010. Steacy, who took a year off of Canada West competition, devoted her time to the Canadian National Track and Field team, winning a gold medal at the North America, Central America, and Caribbean Championships (NACAC) where she threw a personal best of 67.20 m in the hammer throw.

Billy McCarroll (Professor Emeritus), on bass, and Dale Ketcheson (Music), on guitar, perform at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery (SAAG) at a Happy Hour performance sponsored by the Lethbridge Jazz Society on Apr. 15 from 5-8 p.m.

McCarroll’s artwork is presently on display at SAAG.

Jazlyn Dow (BFA ’10) has just been accepted into the Master of Arts in Visual Culture: Costume Studies program at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development at New York University.

International Management students Kayley Fulton and Aamna Zia have each been awarded a $3,000 Export Development Canada (EDC) International Business Scholarship. Fulton completed a work exchange in Spain in 2010 while Zia, an Edmonton Campus student, is currently on work exchange in France.

Darcy Best (Mathematics and Computer Science) bettered his score from last year to set a new school record for his performance in the William Lowell Putnam Mathematics Competition. Best joined nearly 4,296 North American students in a six-hour, 12-problem contest, earning an overall ranking score of 527.5, leaving him one point out of the top 500.

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the Legend

UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

Hall excited to unveil concluding volume

BY TREVOR KENNEY “It is 1971. I have just turned twenty. The soles of my weathered Canadian boots are being hit from below by splashes of flying red mud.

Then the road’s texture changes from oozing muck to industrial-grade gravel as I chug along on my single-cylinder, British-made motorcycle – a BSA 250.”

So begins the narrative of Dr. Tony Hall, inviting the reader along for a ride as he surges into the second volume of his Bowl with One Spoon project. Earth Into Property: Colonization, Decolonization and Capitalism is the culmination of a 16-year endeavour that began with the critically acclaimed first volume, The American Empire and the Fourth World. He officially launches the release of this second book, supported by a grant from the University of Lethbridge, at a Bookstore event on Thursday, Apr. 14, from 4 to 6 p.m.

Hall draws on a massive body of research to produce this second volume as he explores the multiple facets of globalization, adeptly linking the crises and events of today’s world with their deeply embedded historical roots.

“My field was history but when I started to teach, I felt people just didn’t know why they should care about the past, it wasn’t obvious to them,” says Hall, now a professor of globalization studies at the U of L. “So I took the approach whereby we’d look at an issue right here, right now and then show it in the

MILLER SISTERS HIT IT BIG WITH TOP AD EXEC

BY ZYNA TAYLOR Sisters and Faculty of Management classmates Brittany and Amanda Miller placed third overall in the prestigious Canada’s Next Top Ad Exec competition, which wrapped up at the end of March.

“All of us in the Faculty of Management are very proud of Amanda and Brittany’s success in this prestigious national business case study competition,” says Faculty of Management Dean Dr. Bob Ellis.

“Amanda and Brittany possess the creativity, confidence, and leadership skills to transform the organizations in which they will work and the communities in which they will live

G E T T H E FA C T S • Globalization Studies was first created by Hall in 2003, with the first course offered entitled Globalization Since 1492.

• The Independent (UK) has dubbed Earth Into Property as one of the best books of 2010.

• Hall will also announce the establishment of an annual scholarship at the Feb. 14 book launch. In honour of Tooker Gomberg, whom Hall says, “gave me a lot of inspiration and help in the early days of globalization studies,” the award will go to, “a student in the humanities and social sciences who most adeptly engages public controversy for public good.”

• The final chapter of Earth Into Property, From General Motors to AIG to the Bowl with One Spoon: Reading the Financial Crisis, is what Hall calls his most in depth investigative journalism as he theorizes on the root causes of the 2008 financial debacle. context of history. These issues we are dealing with didn’t just emerge yesterday.”

In fact Hall draws from all of his experience, and it is that personal perspective and passion that pulls readers into his argument. He first came to the University of Lethbridge to teach in the Native American Studies department, working in that capacity from 1990 to 2002. His interest in Indigenous peoples

following graduation.”

The contest, sponsored by McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business, tasked students with creating an advertising campaign for an actual product from a real business – in this case, Chevrolet Canada’s new Sonic compact car.

The University of Alberta team placed first, and the sponsoring group, McMaster University, was second. For finishing third, both Amanda and Brittany receive $1,000 scholarships from Chevrolet Canada, as well as a Fuji camera gift package.

The marketing majors were initially selected to the top 25 from a field of 167 teams from universities across Canada. The contest was open to both undergraduate and MBA students. CNTAE’s top 10 teams then faced off in a pitch or perish final presentation to a panel of expert judges from advertising, marketing and communications.

and colonization, dating back to Christopher Columbus in 1492, set the groundwork for Bowl with One Spoon.

He soon recognized that Canadian and North American Aboriginal history was not an isolated tale. The opening to Earth Into Property recounts his trip to Africa in 1971, where he saw first-hand the effects of colonization and supposed decolonization of Uganda and Congo. It resonated with our local history.

“Although the book is a global interpretation, it’s really rooted in a Canadian perspective,” says Hall.

“I’m proud of the fact and want it understood that I never left my original subject, and I think what I’ve done here, is put the story of Indigenous peoples – and their encounter with the empire builders of North America and the secessionists of the British empire who founded the United States – at the centre of a global story.”

Introducing the word “capitalism” into the title of volume two was also a bold statement.

“As I worked on the history of the colonization in North America, as characterized by the transfer of land and resources away from the Indigenous peoples, it occurred to me that this is actually a very big part of the history of capitalism, and capitalism is a big and important subject,” says Hall. “That’s how I started to see this as a history of capitalism.”

The two volumes are independent works and can stand on their own as separate entities,

Judges evaluated each team by looking at participants’ overall strategy, creativity and attention to detail.

“Submissions this year were some of the highest quality our judges have ever seen,” says Meghan Brennan, co-chair, CNTAE. “While each of the top-10 contestants submitted a top-tier entry, the three winning entries displayed a professional level of strategy, creativity, research and feasibility within the $1 million budget provided. These entries showed judges that marketing on campuses across Canada can be taken to a new level by using a mix of new and traditional media tools.”

The Faculty of Management provided financial support to both Amanda and Brittany to assist with their travel expenses to and from Toronto.

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Dr. Anthony Hall with his completed Bowl with One Spoon project.

but consistent currents run through the pair.

“Both volumes are selfcontained,” he says in Earth Into Property, “written to be read independently of the other.

I hope, however, that the two books together constitute a literary oeuvre whose scale of significance is larger than the sum of its parts.”

It’s a discussion he furthers through globalization studies and one he continually pushes to the surface. Recognizing his views can be polarizing, he does not shrink from the responsibil-

Brittany and Amanda Miller with the new Chevy Sonic.

ity he feels he has to academia.

“I look forward to sharing with my colleagues, in Earth into Property, the depth of historical research and analysis that inform my reading of current events and contemporary politics,” says Hall. “I hope to set the record straight on the factual basis underlying some of my interpretations, which may seem unusual or even radical when stripped of their historical context.”

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Glacial research boosted by donor support

Dr. Hester Jiskoot’s glacial studies take her to the world’s high mountains and polar regions.

BY KALI MCKAY

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laciers around the globe are continuing to melt so fast that many will disappear in the next 50 to 100 years. Such conspicuous evidence of climate change indicates growing challenges that affect more than polar bears and weather forecasts.

Enter U of L associate professor Dr. Hester Jiskoot: a glaciologist leading efforts to understand what’s happening to Earth’s ice masses, and what those changes mean for southern Alberta and beyond.

“Glaciers are beautiful and intriguing, and are situated in one of the most pristine landscapes: the high mountains and the polar regions,” says Jiskoot, who has been a member and leader on glaciological expedition teams on and around glaciers

and ice sheets in Greenland, Iceland, the Yukon, Alaska, the European Alps, the Canadian Rocky Mountains and the Himalayas. “Even if you can’t go see them yourself, they are fascinating natural systems to learn about.”

Collectively covering an area the size of South America, glaciers are ancient rivers of compressed snow that creep through the landscape, shaping the planet’s surface and holding about 70 per cent of the world’s freshwater.

“Global warming has caused widespread accelerated glacier retreat, which has negative effects on the fresh water available for humans and in ecosystems, and which has caused and still causes global sea levels to rise,” explains Jiskoot, who conducts her research in the Alberta Water and Environmental Science Building on

campus. “By being informed about natural systems such as glaciers we can learn why some changes in nature happen so fast while others take longer, but also what our own influence on these systems is. All systems in our world are connected, and a small change on one side of the globe can have a large effect in other parts or even on our entire world.”

Understanding the largescale impact of the research taking place at the U of L, former director of research services, Dr. Einard Haniuk and his wife Kay were happy to support water research at the University.

“In working at the University of Lethbridge, I got to know people here and understand their research,” explains Einard, who worked in research settings across the United States and Canada.

“Because of the importance of water and its widespread impact, particularly in relation to agriculture in this area, we were pleased to contribute to the water building and water research.”

When matched by the Government of Alberta’s Access to the Future Fund, the Haniuks’s gift helped equip the Glaciology and Geoscience Lab where Jiskoot and her research team conduct their research.

“Good facilities and tools are essential to doing research,” says Jiskoot, looking around appreciatively at a lab full of equipment. “The Haniuks’s gift helped provide the finishing touches to my lab and has enabled me to build an exceptional research environment and phenomenal learning opportunities for myself and the students who work with me.”

The new Community Arts Centre being developed in the heart of downtown Lethbridge will serve as a community venue and provide much needed space for special programming, events and conferences in southern Alberta.

Plans for the centre include space for the University of Lethbridge Music Conservatory, allowing for expansion and growth and helping build confidence in a new generation of musicians.

“The U of L Music Conservatory provides opportunities for aspiring musicians to receive quality instruction and encourages excellence not only in music but also in professional and career endeavours. Please join us in supporting the conservatory project and help bring music to the community.”

Dr. George Evelyn and Lottie Austin Co-Chairs of the U of L Music Conservatory Campaign For more information or to make a donation, call 403-329-2582; email advancement@uleth.ca or visit www.thisismyu.ca

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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

GOVERNMENT LISTENS

BY RICHARD WESTLUND The arrival of a new president on campus has given the University an opportunity to re-engage members of government at all levels. In the same way that the University of Lethbridge campus community has been interested in hearing about a renewed vision for our University, there has been significant interest shown by government officials across the province and country in learning more about President Mike Mahon and his priorities.

Shortly after his installation speech, President Mahon began to outline his four pillars: Student First, Comprehensive University, Community Centered and A Destination University to a variety of government members.

This was initially done in one-on-one meetings with select individuals – the Premier of Alberta, Minister and Deputy Minister of Advanced Education and Technology and others.

In an effort to reach a larger number of government members, President Mahon then made formal presentations to the federal Alberta Caucus, the federal Liberal Caucus, the Alberta Rural Caucus, the Calgary Caucus, reeves and mayors of South West Alberta as well as to specific federal and provincial deputy ministers. At the conclusion of the upcoming Capital Region Caucus meeting, the four pillars presentation will have been shared with almost every MP and MLA in the province as well as a significant number of municipal leaders in our geographic area.

Introducing this vision to these groups has been important for a variety of reasons.

At the federal level, it has been an opportunity to reinforce the importance that research plays in creating a dynamic learning environment for our undergraduate and graduate students. In the past couple of years, larger universities have been pushing the federal government to concentrate research dollars to the larger institutions. Stories such as the success of U of L undergraduate students who developed an enzyme that cleans oilsands tailing ponds and subsequently received gold-medal standing at the MIT IGEM competition, underscore the benefits undergraduate students enjoy when research and learning are linked.

At the provincial level, the U of L story speaks to the need of having a destination university in the province. Currently 70 per cent of the students attending the U of L are from outside of Lethbridge. The U of L allows students from all over Alberta to benefit from a first-class educational experience without leaving the province. President Mahon has pointed out that the U of L is often described as a “best-kept secret”. Certainly that perception is beginning to change and will no doubt continue to advance.

Finally, at the municipal level, underscoring the notion of community has resonated with local leaders. President Mahon has shared his goal of having all undergraduate students participate in a community engagement experience before they graduate. Some mayors are already contemplating how they too can play a part in this vision.

Despite the fact that the U of L is geographically removed from Edmonton and Ottawa, the U of L’s contribution to teaching, research, culture, sport, economy and quality of life for all is becoming increasingly known. When federal ministers and northern Alberta MLAs alike give unprompted endorsements of specific U of L successes, as we have seen in recent months, it speaks to the institution’s growing reputation. Maintaining that momentum in this area is extremely important. Knowledge about the U of L among the various levels of government is critical in ensuring the interests and aspirations of the U of L are realized.

Richard Westlund is the University’s government relation’s director

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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

athletics AT T H E U

the Legend

Horns benefit from Langevin’s stature

BY TREVOR KENNEY

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he University of Lethbridge boasts some of the country’s most distinguished researchers, professors who bring worldly knowledge to their classrooms on a daily basis.

The quality of the U of L experience doesn’t end in the classroom however, as the campus is also home to one of the most accomplished coaches the country has to offer in women’s rugby boss Neil Langevin (BA/ BEd ’91, MEd ’10). The former head coach of Canada’s National Senior Women’s Rugby Team has been away from the national program for five years but Rugby Canada saw fit to make him an offer he couldn’t refuse recently, and Langevin is once again back in the fold.

“I thought it was a great opportunity to get back involved at the national level but not at the commitment level that I had been involved with the senior team,” says Langevin, who will take over the women’s U20 program for what he describes as an openended tenure. At the very least, he is committed to working with the program through five regional evaluation camps this spring and summer and leading the squad when it participates in a summer international tournament in California.

“Helping identify and develop potential national senior players and potential Olympians is exciting,” says Langevin. “The prospect of an international tournament this summer and the opportunity to work with potential Olympic sevens athletes was too much to turn down.”

Sevens rugby is being added to the 2016 Olympic schedule and Rugby Canada wanted experienced coaches working with its junior players in preparation for their graduation to the senior level.

Langevin’s credentials are unparalleled. The only head coach in Pronghorns women’s rugby history, he has led the

LUX BUCKS A WIN-WIN IDEA Pronghorns Athletics has come up with an initiative that not only serves to boost studentathlete scholarship opportunities but your pocketbook as well.

Lux Bucks debuted this month and for $5, any and all supporters of Horns Athletics have the opportunity to take

Horns to five consecutive Canada West titles and won three consecutive CIS championships from 2007 to 2009. It’s no accident that elite players seek out the University of Lethbridge and the opportunity to play for Langevin. To that end, he says the Horns are restocked and ready to take another run at a national title in the fall, after failing to medal at last year’s CIS championship tournament.

“We’ve been really active in terms of recruiting,” says Langevin. “I think we’ve got about 10 players confirmed for next year already, including some pretty high profile locals who are with the junior national program.”

And while last year’s squad fell short of extending the program’s national title run, he was quick to point to how close his injury-depleted squad came to defending its three straight crowns.

“To be really honest, we were only seven points and two minutes away from going to the final with a very beat up team,” he says, referring to a tight semifinal loss to Concordia Stingers.

“Knowing that and the incoming recruiting class, I’m pretty confident in saying this team will be competitive for the next five years.”

It has been a good offseason for Horns rugby on the whole. In addition to Langevin’s appointment and a strong recruiting class, two more Horns were named to senior national teams.

Both Kelsey Willoughby and Brittany Orr earned senior national team appointments with the Canadian Sevens squad, joining erstwhile national team member and former Pronghorn Ashley Patzer.

“We’re really proud of those athletes,” says Langevin. “The number is six now that have gone on to the senior national program over the years, either in the sevens or the 15s, and I think it’s a testament to the girls who come into our program and take to the environment we have in training.”

part in a 50/50 draw that creates a win-win situation.

“These things have been going on at various businesses in town for a number of years,” says Sandy Slavin, executive director, Sport and Recreation Services.

“Ilsa Wong, our women’s soccer coach, brought the idea forward and it took us a while to get the approvals set up, both here and with Alberta gaming, but now we’re ready to go.”

The concept is simple.

Toby Boulet (left), team manager, and Neil Langevin, head coach, have made the Horns women’s rugby program a national power.

Each month, persons are able to purchase $5 Lux Bucks tickets, either through a cash sale or by payroll deduction if they are a University employee. At the end of the month a draw is made with half the pot going to the winner and the other half to Horns Athletics.

“Our athletes cross all faculties, and it’s a way for everyone on campus to get involved with, be a part of and support all the athletes in their various activi-

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ties,” says Slavin.

So how big do they expect the prizes to reach?

“What we’re hearing is that one of the more established local draws is sometimes paying the winners greater than $2,000 a month,” says Slavin. “We would love to be able to get the winning pot up to that level eventually but we’ll wait and see how it goes. We’ve had very good response so far from the administrative staff and we’ll

keep pushing it out there.”

The first draw will be held May 10, with all those who purchased tickets by Apr. 8 eligible to win. Tickets can be purchased at any time through the Horns Athletics office (PE209) or you can go online (www.uleth.ca/ horns) to set up payroll deduction and be entered in the draw every month.

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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

Locker project to give cyclists alternatives

BY TREVOR KENNEY

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f you happen to see more bicycles on the University of Lethbridge campus this spring, it might not be solely related to better weather conditions. Rather, it could be the more favourable conditions created for riders, thanks to a collaborative initiative between Sport and Recreation Services and Parking and Security Services.

A total of 30 new bike lockers, a shared purchase by the two campus units, will arrive on campus at the end of April, giving campus commuters more options should they choose to go green and leave their cars at home.

“Parking Services was introduced to bike lockers in 2009 and had the opportunity to meet with company representatives in the spring of 2010,” says Dick Lutwick, parking manager.

“At that time we decided to place five lockers on campus on a trial basis.”

Located outside the 1st Choice Savings Centre, the five lockers served as a pilot project that was quickly accepted by the campus community.

“The original plan called for the manufacturer to leave them there for two months just to see what kind of response we’d get and that two months has stretched into a year,” says Kevin McFadzen.

“We found five people who were interested in using them and after that I established a list

HURLY STUDY EXPLORES HUMMINGBIRD HABITS

BY TAMERA JONES, UK (Natural Environment Research Council, with U of L Communications staff and researcher input) Hummingbirds are a welcome sign of spring, and a colourful reminder that the flowers in your garden are not just nice to look at, but are also an important food source.

But hummingbirds don’t rely on taste alone when deciding how much nectar to drink from a new flower. Instead, they wait to see how they feel after their first meal, a new study reveals.

This is unexpected, because scientists know that hummingbirds can detect minuscule changes in nectar concentrations from one flower to the next.

This “choice behaviour” research is one result of nearly 20 years of hummingbird study at the University of Lethbridge

of others who were wondering how they could get into a locker and whether we had plans to get more on campus.”

McFadzen is an avid cyclist and had been introduced to the locker concept while attending the University of Victoria.

He had an interest in bringing them to the U of L and found like-minded attitudes in Parking Services.

“We view this investment as supporting green initiatives,” says Lutwick of the joint $30,000 purchase. “It supports the University’s commitment to environmental sustainability. By promoting the use of alternative transportation, we can accommodate a larger campus population without increasing our parking infrastructure.”

But why are the lockers needed when there are ample bike racks at various campus locations?

“I’ve got bikes I don’t ride to school because they’re too expensive and I don’t want them damaged, sitting in the elements all day or simply getting stolen,” says McFadzen.

With the success of five lockers on campus, a survey went out to the U of L community about its appetite for more.

The feedback was overwhelmingly positive.

“I was actually surprised from our survey last year,” says McFadzen. “I’d always talked to people about them but I realized I was probably talking to a biased group, those who already ride bikes.”

Westcastle Field Station by U of L Biological Sciences researcher Dr. Andrew Hurly, Dr. Sue Healy and numerous colleagues and students from the University of Lethbridge, the University of Edinburgh and the University of St. Andrews.

Hurly and Healy have been studying cognition, behaviour and ecology of rufous hummingbirds since 1992.

Approximately 40 undergraduate and graduate students from the University of Lethbridge, the University of Edinburgh and the University of St. Andrews have been involved in the hummingbird research project.

Like their extraordinary talent for flying thousands of kilometres from Mexico to Canada, taking the right amount of nectar onboard is a bit of an art – especially for such a tiny bird that weighs just three grams.

If they drink too much weak nectar, the extra load makes flying inefficient; if they don’t take on enough of the same nectar, they’ll have to eat again much sooner. On the other hand, if they drink too much of a rich nectar, they could easily get fat.

“The birds will almost

The lockers can fit an entire bike and is complete with hooks to hang gear such as helmets and wet clothes. They will be made available on a rental basis, much like gym lockers inside the 1st Choice Savings Centre.

“Some people would like to have a daily rental but that would get into substantial costs, having to have electronics out there to monitor that use,” says McFadzen. “Plus, if someone rides in with an expensive bike expecting to have a locker and finds they are all taken, then what option does that leave them?”

Neither Lutwick nor McFadzen expect the entire campus to suddenly adopt bicycles as their preferred mode of transport because of this initiative but they see it as taking away obstacles for those inclined to go green.

“I’m hoping that it gets less cars coming to campus,” says McFadzen. “We have 30 lockers, so in reality, probably 20 people who are already riding their bikes to campus will take advantage of these lockers. But if it adds another 10 bikes to campus and encourages 10 people to leave their cars at home, that’s something. It’s a start and hopefully it will catch on.”

Would you rather leave your bike in exposed racks or take advantage of enclosed bike lockers? More choices will be available this spring with the addition of 30 new lockers to campus.

A hummingbird feeds from a constructed feeder.

Photo by Dr. Andrew Hurly

certainly be able to detect the change in taste, but it seems they choose to ignore it until they get post-ingestive information before altering how much they drink the next time,” explains Healy from the University of St. Andrews, a co-author of the study.

The researchers wanted to see how a group of wild rufous hummingbirds that breed in the Canadian Rocky Mountains responded

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to changes in food quality.

They dotted feeders containing different concentrations of nectar solution along the Westcastle river valley to be ready for the birds’ return to the area from their overwintering grounds in Mexico.

Nectar concentrations in the flowers hummingbirds feed on vary from as low as seven per cent sugar to as high as 60 per cent.

The researchers started by filling

the feeders with a 14 per cent sugar solution.

Once the birds got used to this concentration, Healy and her colleagues changed to a 25 per cent solution. They found that the birds didn’t change how much nectar they drank, sometimes persisting until the fourth meal.

“They take the same volume irrespective of concentration,” explains Healy.

When they trained the birds to expect more concentrated sucrose in the feeders and then switched to the weaker solution, they got exactly the same result.

Hummingbirds usually feed every 10 or 15 minutes, and only drink for a few seconds at a time.

But because they digest nectar so quickly, they don’t have to wait long to get the information they need to decide how much to drink for their next meal.

Other researchers have found that other creatures, like molluscs, wolves and cattle also rely on post-ingestive information about food before deciding how much to eat the next time. So even though hummingbirds certainly prefer sweeter nectar, it may not be surprising that taste alone is not enough to make a decision.

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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

Sopko discovers passion for environment in classroom G E T T H E FA C T S • Sopko, in her fourth year of studies, is set to graduate in June.

• Friends of the Flathead, with whom Sopko volunteered, works to protect and save the Flathead River Valley in British Columbia.

Wildsight works to protect the Columbia and Rocky Mountain eco-regions in southern British Columbia.

• Sopko is looking to continue working with Greenpeace upon graduation.

She is also seeking out new internship and fellowship opportunities.

Courtnay Sopko enjoyed a four-month internship opportunity with Greenpeace.

W

hen Courtnay Sopko was first learning about the origins of Greenpeace and the environmental movement, it ignited in her a passion for environmentalism. Less than a year later she was working for Greenpeace as part of a co-operative study opportunity through the Applied Studies and Co-operative Education office.

“I learned a lot about the origins of the environmental movement in my Introduction to Environmental History class, and how Greenpeace started it all,” says Sopko, who then put her passion into practice.

“Greenpeace gained widespread attention for environmental

issues during the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. They were one of the first groups to take a stand for the environment and make a difference. It was because of this history class that I knew I had to get that internship.”

It wasn’t always that clear for Sopko, who came to the University from her Fernie, B.C. home looking to study in a humanities discipline but not really sure where she’d direct her focus.

“History stuck out to me as a major that was challenging and also a subject I could grasp,” she says. “But beyond that I had no idea what I was going to do.”

Dr. Christopher Burton’s environmental history offering

would prove to be just the spark Sopko was seeking. By the time she returned to Fernie the following summer, she had signed up for volunteer positions with local non-profit agencies Friends of the Flathead and Wildsight. It was through that work that she found the four-month Greenpeace internship opportunity.

Sopko applied and, after an intensive series of surveys and interviews, was one of 20 interns selected from a pool of more than 100 applicants.

“The internship gave me the experience necessary to run, organize and support environmental campaigns,” says Sopko.

“It felt great to work with Greenpeace. I was able to take what I’d

learned in my history, geography, and environmental science classes and put it into action through a work experience.”

From Sept. to Dec. 2009 Sopko worked for Greenpeace in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Japan. Her background as a history student served her well as she came to the job with a solid skill set of communications and writing experience. Being on the frontlines of the Greenpeace movement, especially when working as part of the International Day for Climate Change team, her knowledge was put to the test.

“We trained for months and had lots of information briefings so that we could answer all the questions that people might have

REACHING OUT TO JAPAN

G E T T H E FA C T S • More than $3,000 was raised through the fundraiser and the sale of tickets for an International Dinner hosted by the Ecumenical Campus Ministry. The Ecumenical Campus Ministry held two memorial services to support Japan.

CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 Thanks to Mrs. Yokota’s incredible contribution, the ICS, along with Okutomi, began an awareness campaign with the wish that Japan not be forgotten once the media coverage diminished. Their goal was to see how many cranes they could collect and display in the University as a symbol of hope and recovery for Japan.

From Mar. 28 through Apr. 1, Okutomi, her sister Yukino, and other student volunteers manned tables in the Atrium, where everyone was welcome to learn about the legend of the crane and show their continued support for Japan by folding their own cranes and adding them to the collection.

“The crane project is very therapeutic. When you fold a crane you put your love and compassion in it and it be-

about any campaign we were running,” says Sopko. “Now I feel like I can talk to anyone. I am comfortable facing opposition views, and I know I can still get my message through.”

She values the liberal arts background she gained by studying at the U of L. “I got some pretty strange looks when I said I was a history major, because typically I was working with people who had environmental science backgrounds,” she says. “I now know that any degree with a focus on communication and writing is very valuable in the work world.

After all, a critical part of what we were doing with Greenpeace required effective communication skills.”

“The U of L helped me develop a well rounded point-ofview for the different arguments within environmentalism. I can look at things from a historical perspective as well as a more traditional scientific background.

It’s a product of taking different classes from different fields and looking for ways to gain practical experience.”

She’s quick to add that she took advantage of the opportunities available to her and recommends students become engaged and take control of their educational experience.

“Take a diverse selection of courses,” advises Sopko. “Volunteer and experience different things. Make sure that co-operative education and applied studies are a part of your University experience too, because you never know what you are passionate about until you actually do it.”

• There are currently four U of L students on exchange programs in Japan, along with one faculty member. All have reported they are safe following the tragedy.

Pictured left to right, Mieko Okutomi (fourth year, accounting), Sayu Ishimine (fourth year, psychology), Yukino Okutomi (volunteer), Eri Asano (volunteer) and professor Eiichi Yokota and Yuko Yokota.

comes a physical symbol for you. When you add it to three or four thousand other cranes it becomes so much more,” says Jackson. “You realize that you have support and there is compassion around campus.

Each time a tragedy like this happens we have students who come together to find ways to

help. We also saw that with the recent earthquake in Haiti.”

For Okutomi, thousands of miles away from a tragedy affecting her homeland, the outpouring of support shown was heartening.

“I really have to say thank you to all the University community, our friends and the

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ICS,” she says. “I was really moved by the compassion people showed for our cause, asking if our friends and family were OK, even when they did not know us. I am really proud of the University community for its kindness.”

• ICS donated 600 sheets of origami paper as a thank you to Mrs. Yokota. She folded it all, creating more than 2,400 paper cranes for the project.

• Students are also planning on displaying the cranes at the University’s Calgary campus. Anyone wishing to make additional paper cranes is welcome to bring them to the ICS (SU040).

the Legend

OUR

alumni

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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

Melnyk enthused about role with Calgary chapter

BY STACY SEGUIN

E

nthusiastic, positive and goal-oriented, Brock Melnyk (BMgt ’06), president of the University of Lethbridge Alumni Association (ULAA) Calgary Chapter and financial advisor for ATB Securities Inc., is thrilled that his life is going as planned. He thanks, in part, the education he received at the University’s satellite campus in Calgary.

“The University is providing such an amazing opportunity for students. I am indebted to them because if it wasn’t for the flexibility and the evening classes at the Calgary campus I would likely not have graduated from university and I probably would not have the job I have now,” explains Melnyk. “I had a goal to be married at 30 and have this job. I am getting married at 29 and I have my dream job.

I am the happiest person in the world.”

Melnyk originally began his post-secondary educational career at the University of Calgary. In 2002, he began working full time as a teller at ATB to pay for his classes, switching majors from economics to finance. He then made another switch, finding the University of Lethbridge a better fit for his educational needs. With additional financial assistance from ATB, he transferred to the U of L’s Calgary campus for his final two years, took evening classes and continued to work full time.

“In comparing my education to those of my friends at other institutions, I found that the liberal arts focus of the University was a much more balanced approach,” says Melnyk.

“The majority of professors are industry professionals and they are able to tell you real life expe-

LIBRARY DEBUTS SERIES OF ONLINE TOOLS The University of Lethbridge Library continues to seek ways by which it can further serve its students. The latest example of this is the development of a number of online modules designed to help students become more familiar with the research process and Library resources.

In January, the library strengthened its existing partnership with Academic Writing by launching a series of online learning modules for students

G E T T H E FA C T S • Melnyk is a selfprofessed Gleek (fan of television show Glee) and amateur chef.

• He earned his Certified Financial Planner qualification in 2010 and anticipates being named a Fellow of the Institute of Canadian Bankers this year.

Brock Melnyk and his fiancé, Terri-Lynn Good, plan to be married this summer.

riences, which is fantastic. They are there, dedicating their time in the evening to educate and give back to their community and they are so passionate about the students and the material.

“I remember doing a project with my friend Jeff Wilson, who is now the vice president of the ULAA Calgary chapter. Basically, we predicted the whole income trust issue a few years before it happened. It was one of those moments that you don’t realize until after you graduate how your professors led you to these types of conclusions and how good your education really was. The University was such a tight-knit community with really high-level class discussions; that really pushed me forward and prepared me for my future.”

After graduating in 2006, Melnyk continued to advance

his career with ATB. For the next several years, his career and volunteer activities kept him quite busy, but he felt disconnected with the University community. With that in mind, he attended his first alumni event in 2007, the Calgary Alumni & Friends Golf Tournament.

“I went to the tournament and Karen Filbert, ULAA president at the time, proceeded to recruit me as a director. When I joined the board I joined to help out with the golf tourna-

ment and then I fell back in love with the University and with being involved and wanting to do more,” says Melnyk. “Since then we have almost quadrupled the attendees at the tournament, and with the funds we raised from that we have doubled the scholarship we give to the University. Our focus right now is to have well-attended, highend events that will appeal to all alumni, help them stay interconnected and feel proud of their University. We want to increase the prestige of the U of L and its alumni here in Calgary and encourage alumni to get involved and give back to the University and the community and I think the new campus that we have here, Campus Alberta, is only going to support that.”

Although being president of the ULAA Calgary chapter keeps Melnyk busy right now, he

enrolled in Writing 1000 (Introduction to Academic Writing).

The modules include videos, worksheets, and quizzes, with content that covers topics such as narrowing down a research question, using library databases, evaluating information sources and formatting citations.

“Good academic writing goes hand in hand with good research, with information literacy,” says Academic Writing Program co-ordinator Cliff Lobe. “We’ve been pleased to work with the library to help students develop both skills simultaneously.”

Information literacy, the ability to recognize when information is needed and be able to locate, evaluate, and make

effective use of information, is becoming increasingly recognized as an essential skill.

Over the last few years, it has become common practice for a librarian to visit each section of the Writing 1000 class at least once per semester to introduce students to finding and evaluating key library resources to support the successful completion of the course’s major research paper. While the partnership has been a positive one, both the writing instructors and librarians felt that students were not getting all they needed to become proficient researchers. There was simply too much material to cover over the time presented by a three-credit course.

The library had discussed putting more instruction resources online, and with the advantage of having a full-time intern with a background in education on staff this past term, the project took shape. Intern Librarian Heather Nicholson, with support from librarian Rumi Graham, has largely been responsible for developing the online modules.

The added advantage of the online component is that students can work through the material at their own pace and return to topics later on for review. These tools also provide additional library support to the growing number of U of L students enrolled in courses in Calgary and Edmonton. Looking

“The University is providing such an amazing opportunity for students.”

Brock Melnyk

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• Organizes the Brock Melnyk Invitation Golf Tournament. Part of ATB Financial’s Teddy for a Toonie Campaign, the tournament supports the Alberta’s Children’s Hospital.

• He is also an organizing committee member for the annual United Way Day of Caring. strongly believes in the value of continuing education. He says he has learned that if you set your mind to things, you can always find the time for life-long learning and for helping others.

“I am beginning my MBA at Dalhousie University in September 2012. I believe if you want to succeed you have to further your education,” he says. “Similarly, as university graduates we are likely in a better position than the majority of Canadians, and I think it is important that we give back, whether it is financially or with our time. There is always someone who needs it more than we do and it is nice to be able to lend a helping hand.”

ahead, the plan is to work over the summer to modify the modules based on student feedback and work to make them available on Moodle and through the Library’s website for the fall semester.

Librarians are always eager to have the opportunity to work with faculty to provide information literacy instruction to students. This latest initiative is in addition to the two credit courses taught in library science each term and the many library instruction sessions taught in faculties across campus.

Instructors are encouraged to contact their subject liaison librarians to arrange instruction sessions for their individual classes.

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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

H E A LT H

& wellness

Lunching

& Learning

BY SUZANNE MCINTOSH

T

his month, I would like to highlight and recognize a group of individuals that works very hard here at the University.

Susan Vanderaegen, Chris Groves, Joanne Gedrasik and Sharon Kanashiro are all caretakers from our Facilities department. They have faithfully attended most, if not all, of the Wellness Lunch and Learn sessions since 2009 (when I first started working here). Recently, they persuaded another caretaker, Ed Sandzewicz, to join them, saying, “Ed either comes along or he gets left behind!”

I have been very impressed with their dedication and interest in health and wellness issues and I wanted to highlight their reasons for attending the sessions and what they are getting out of them.

REASONS FOR ATTENDING • “The Wellness Lunch and Learn sessions are interesting and informative.

The opportunity to learn something new is appreciated.

Sometimes the information or topic is something you know or knew at one time, but have forgotten, and the lunch and learn helps bring it into focus again.”

They also added that, “It’s also a nice break at the end of the work day,” as the majority of our caretakers are up and working to keep our campus clean before the rest of us are even awake.

WHAT THEY LIKE • The group indicated that it enjoys the speakers and the variety of topics and that the sessions open their eyes to new ideas.

POSITIVE LIFESTYLE CHANGES • Having attended a number of sessions, they have been able to make some posi-

tive changes in their own lives.

They are also passing on their knowledge and good habits to their families. Another benefit is that because they are attending or participating at work, they can be supportive to each other when maintaining or improving healthy habits.

These individuals have demonstrated that they care about their health and well-being and are interested in doing what they can to improve or maintain a balanced lifestyle.

I would like to say thanks to Ed, Sharon, Joanne, Chris and Susan – we on the Wellness Committee are glad the information is getting out to you and hope that we can continue to support your interest and quest for that healthy life that we all desire.

If you haven’t been out to a Lunch and Learn session, chat for a few minutes with these regulars and you may be persuaded to attend one as well. The next Lunch and Learn is Wednesday, Apr. 13 at noon in Andy’s Place (AH100).

Digesting the Nutrition Label

is the topic with campus dietitian Diane Britton presenting on how to decipher those mysterious food labels.

It’s time to register for the 7th Annual Bee Heart Smart physical activity challenge.

In 2010 we had 15 teams registered and 125 individual participants. Our goal for 2011 is to make it the biggest even to date. You don’t have to be the fastest runner or walker, and you don’t have to record the most steps to be a winner – participation alone may get you a prize!

The Challenge starts May 1 and runs through June 12 and you can enter as an individual or a team on the Bee Heart Smart website (www.uleth.ca/hum/wellness/ walking/). Prizes this year will be awarded for early bird registration (before Apr. 15) and for best team name.

Suzanne McIntosh is the University’s wellness co-ordinator

Over the past decade, scholars from across Alberta have been meeting annually at the Alberta Round Table for the Socio-Cultural Study of Physical Activity & Sport.

This year, the University of Lethbridge is hosting the event for a second time, with Dr. Brian Wilson of the University of British Columbia as the keynote speaker.

This one-day meeting brings together faculty, graduate and undergraduate students from institutions across Alberta (including the University of Lethbridge, University of Alberta, University of Calgary, Mount Royal University and Grant MacEwan University) to facilitate and foster interdisciplinary

work across the socio-cultural areas (cultural studies, history, management, philosophy, and sociology) of kinesiology/ physical education.

Having Wilson aboard as the keynote speaker for the conference is a coup for organizers. Considered a leading scholar in the field of sport sociology, Wilson authored, Fight, Flight or Chill: Subcultures, Youth and Rave into the Twenty-First Century, as well as numerous articles on topics related to youth culture, sport, media, social inequality, social movements and environmental issues.

In his talk, Wilson will examine the often complex and unintended results of attempts to incite positive social change in and around sport. In doing so, he

reflects on recent research he has conducted on sport for youth development groups and sport-related corporate environmentalism. Wilson’s research will draw interest from scholars, not only in kinesiology and sociology, but also from the Department of Philosophy and the Faculty of Management.

His address is featured in the morning, followed by a group discussion. The afternoon session then features graduate student presentations, with discussion among the presenters, the keynote speaker and other participants.

The event provides a valuable forum for intellectual discussion and it is an important opportunity for graduate students to pres-

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AN

apple

A D AY

FEED THE SNACK MONSTER! Do snack attacks hit you when you’re least prepared? If you skip breakfast and other meals or snacks throughout the day, eventually the munchies will catch up with you. Here are some healthy ideas for eating on the run that will help control the snack monster in each of us.

Portable Fruits Fruit is a great snack or healthy addition to any meal or snack. Fresh, dried, frozen (pack in a small portable container) or canned (in its own juice or pear juice won’t have added sugar), fruit is always a positive choice. Ideas for good snacking fruits include apples, applesauce, blueberries, bananas, plums, Mandarin oranges, pears, peaches, dried apples or dried apricots.

Veggie Munch Packs Packing at least one serving of vegetables (125 ml) to eat during the day adds a delicious crunch to any meal or snack.

To pack in nutrition and fibre and help control your appetite, eat a variety of colors. Veggies such as carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, peppers and radishes all make quick, satisfying snacks.

Milk Your Snacks Whether you choose dairy or soy – milk, cheese and yogurt pack a punch when it comes to nutrition and appetite control.

UNIVERSITY TO HOST ROUND TABLE CONFERENCE ON ACTIVITY AND SPORT

BY CARLY ADAMS

the Legend

ent and receive feedback on their work in a formal setting.

Alberta scholars in this broad area of research have benefited from the efforts over the past decade.

The genesis of the meeting actually came about here at the University of Lethbridge with Dr. Doug Brown.

Organizers of the event include Drs. Michelle Helstein, Carly Adams, Robert Kossuth and Sean Brayton from the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education and Dr. Jason Laurendeau from sociology.

Registration is free and everyone is welcome to attend.

For more information and to RSVP your attendance, contact Carly Adams via email: carly.adams@uleth.ca.

Protein Power Adding protein to your snacks will help keep you alert and control the munchies.

Lean meats that pack in the protein include ham, turkey, chicken, pastrami and roast beef. Add variety to your snacks by including hard-boiled eggs, hummus, tofu, tuna, salmon or 60 ml of nuts and seeds or nut butters.

Diane Britton is the registered dietitian at the University of Lethbridge. For an individual nutrition appointment, call the Health Centre (SU 020) at 403-329-2484.

Hour sessions are $40 for U of L students and employees.

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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

events C A L E N D A R Lectures Apr. 12 | CMA Leadership and Innovation Speakers Series: David Chilton | David Chilton, author of The Wealthy Barber, Canada’s all-time bestselling book | 7 p.m., UHall Atrium Apr. 14 | Canadian Association of Physicists Lecture: Dr. Andreas Warburton First Results from the Large Hadron Collider | 1:40 p.m., C640

Apr. 15 | Math & Computer Science Noon Hour Speaker: Jackie Rice An Introduction to Reversible Logic Noon, C674

Apr. 10-21 | New Media Advanced Studio Exhibition 1 to 4 p.m. daily U of L Penny Building

Apr. 29 | University Scholars Talk: Mahzoof Ansari Leader-Member Exchange: Challenges and New Directions 1 p.m., Andy’s Place (AH100)

Apr. 19-20 | Art Student Open House | Student artworks in a wide variety of media are exhibited throughout the Art Dept. and visitors can visit the facilities, studios and workshops | 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Centre for the Arts

Miscellaneous Apr. 9-21 | Breaking the Spell: Work in Progress by Marta Blicharz | 1 to 4 p.m. daily, U of L Penny Building

Apr. 30 | 11th Annual Alberta Roundtable for the Socio-Cultural Study of Physical Activity & Sport | Featuring keynote speaker Dr. Brian Wilson | 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Andy’s Place (AH100)

INCOMING EXECUTIVE LOOKS TO BUILD OFF SUCCESS

BY ABBY GROENENBOOM As a changing of the guard begins to take place within the University of Lethbridge Students’ Union (ULSU), it is a good opportunity to look back at what was accomplished in the previous year. From Fresh Fest to Humans vs. Zombies, hosting Peter Mansbridge and lobbying on behalf of students’ interests, the ULSU had a very progressive and successful year.

It all kicked off with the most successful Fresh Fest to date, continuing a tradition of excellence with the event that students can look forward to experiencing well into the future.

Lectures by Peter Mansbridge, Dennis Edney (lawyer for Omar Khadr), various SACPA on Campus sessions and the Global Justice Student Speaker Challenge all contributed to the ULSU Executive Council’s tradition of providing quality academic opportunities for all students.

“It is important to offer these types of academic opportunities to our students so they can gain a greater understanding of world issues, and perhaps apply what they learn in a classroom setting to real world situations,” says Taz Kassam, outgoing ULSU president. “It also offers students a chance to think critically and engage in healthy discussion with their peers on issues impacting the world.”

The Students’ Union strives to offer services to students in an

attempt to aid in the success of each and every student that enters the University of Lethbridge campuses in Lethbridge, Calgary and Edmonton. The ULSU also looks to enhance student engagement, and in the past year this was achieved by increasing the number of on-campus clubs, hosting a Municipal Mayoral Candidates Forum and creating new and exciting events like Humans vs. Zombies, Open Mic Night in the Zoo, Meltdown and ULSU Karaoke Shenanigans for St. Patrick’s Day. “We want to provide students with opportunities that create lasting memories of their time at the University,” says Kassam. “Creating these memories is all part of the greater university experience and aids in retention.”

A number of traditional events from past years continued, including the ULSU/EUS Fashion Drive, the Volunteer Tax Program, the Last Lecture, Ender Bender, Last Class Bash and the IVCF/ULSU Used Book Sale.

“These events have proven to be successful and of great value to our students and we want to continue the support we provide with events such as these,” says Kassam.

The ULSU achieved a landmark this year with students voting in favour of two referendum questions, one to tie ULSU Fees to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the second for a onetime ULSU fee increase of $5 per semester.

“This will allow the Students’ Union to continue to build upon the quality of events and services it provides to students, such as our Food Bank and funding for scholarships,” adds Kassam. “It is of the utmost importance that the Students’ Union maintain and build upon the level of service to our students attending all campuses.”

The ULSU had a very progressive year in terms of lobbying. Through the Council of Alberta University Students (CAUS), the ULSU lobbied the provincial government on key issues such as the regulation of non-instructional fees and allowing easier access for students to vote during provincial elections. The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) also helped the ULSU advance throughout the year by focusing their lobbying efforts on the Post-Secondary Student Support Program, a program designed to promote greater accessibility for Aboriginal students, offering more assistance to international students, as well as amendments to the Canadian Student Loan Program policy.

“All in all, it has been a very successful year for the ULSU,” says Kassam. “The support from all bodies on campus, and in the community, is greatly appreciated and the success could not have been achieved without this continued support. It is with this in mind that our organization is able to exist for our students at the University of Lethbridge.”

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May 4 | Synergies Information Session | Mary Westell and Judy Powell from Synergies Prairies and University of Calgary Press | 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., AH118

Performances Apr. 12 | Music at Noon: Studio Showcase | Featuring performances from music students | 12:15 p.m., University Recital Hall (W570)

7 p.m., Lethbridge Public Library | Free admission May 9 | The Titans Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra and saxophonist David Renter perform the world premiere of Renter’s composition Concerto for Saxophone and Orchestra | 8 p.m., Southminster United Church

May 3 | Hot Rock/Cool Jazz: Music of the 1950s | 1950s fashion show, followed by a short talk about the era and a concert featuring U of L music faculty and students

CGA AMBASSADORS

Aliya Lalani

Mikail Beckford

Faculty of Management students Aliya Lalani and Mikail Beckford are representing for the U of L and their fellow accounting majors. The pair, both in fourth year, was recently selected to be student ambassadors for the Certified General Accountants’ Association of Alberta (CGA). The ambassadors represent the CGA brand on campuses across Alberta, talking to stu-

dents, promoting the CGA designation and helping to organize events on and off campus. Lalani recently earned second-place honours in Alberta’s Next Top Accountant competition. The annual event, a joint initiative of CGA and Talisman Energy Inc., took the form of a social media contest where students submitted videos outlining why they were the right person for the job.

ALUMNI EARN TOP HONOURS

Penny, Lethbridge) and Eric Van Dyk (BDO Canada LLP, Edmonton) claimed three of eight national honour roll positions from a pool of 479 people in Alberta who wrote and passed the exam. All simultaneously earned a spot on the ICAA’s [Institute of Chartered Accountants of Alberta] prestigious Vic Dzurko Honour Roll and will be awarded the Winspear Medal of Excellence and a $1,000 cash prize.

Three University of Lethbridge Faculty of Management (accounting) alumni recently earned top honours on the Uniform Evaluation (UFE), the exam written by all Chartered Accountant (CA) hopefuls. Andrea Harper (Young Parkyn McNab LLP, Lethbridge), Kelsey (Watson) Stimson (Meyers Norris

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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

FINE ARTS

Reaching out to Japan

The U of L Singers present Music to Heal the Heart and Soul, Apr. 30.

T

he University of Lethbridge campus community is reaching out to those affected by the Japanese earthquake and tsunami.

Music to Heal the Heart and Soul, on Saturday, Apr. 30 at 7:30 p.m. in Southminster United Church, is an evening of music, dance and poetry readings dedicated to the survivors and victims of the Japanese tragedy.

The program includes performances by the U of L Singers, a 32-voice mixed choir conducted by Dr. Janet Youngdahl; modern dancers led by Claire Lint; pianist Dr. Deanna Oye; and saxophonists Dr. David Renter and Andrew Ichikawa.

The diverse musical program brings the southern Alberta community together to reflect

on the gravity of the disaster and challenges Japan faces in the coming years.

“The sudden and severe impact of such a disaster moves us all,” says Youngdahl. “The community needs an opportunity to gather, share their thoughts and prayers, and join together with the power of music and dance.”

The concert is sponsored by the Nikkei Cultural Society of Lethbridge and Area, Southminster United Church, Buddhist Temple of Southern Alberta. The West Lethbridge Lions Club is also sponsoring a post-concert reception.

Admission is free and The Salvation Army will be on hand to accept donations for Japan relief from those who wish to make a contribution.

CONSERVATORY CONNECTS TO COMMUNITY

performed by U of L music professor Dr. David Renter and local musicians Scott Mezei and Paul Holden in conjunction with some of Canada’s finest jazz musicians, including composer Tyler Hornby and pianist Chris Andrew from Edmonton.

“The Feel the Beat series offers free concerts year round for children, providing opportunities to hear and see classical music performed live,” explains Fuller. “Our programs are age appropriate, relatively short and always free.”

Supported by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Feel the Beat is enjoying its third successful season.

“More Rocky Mountain Fairytales showcases jazz music, and as an educational music school in this community, it’s important to show young children that jazz music owes a great deal of its legacy to the classical tradition. Duke Ellington, for example, loved classical music,” she says.

“Families of all ages are invited to the concert. Although admission is free, seats must be reserved before the show,” adds Fuller.

Seats can be reserved by calling 403-329-2304.

BY AMANDA BERG We’ve all used guidebooks, maps and compasses when hiking in the Rocky Mountains, but have you ever heard of a musical guide to the Rockies? That is what creator (and Calgary native) Samantha WhelanKotkas has produced. Through the University of Lethbridge’s Feel the Beat concert series, Lethbridge audiences will get an opportunity to take part in the experience.

“After the success of the original Rocky Mountain Fairytales, presented as part of the U of L Conservatory of Music’s Feel the Beat concert series in 2008, we knew her More Rocky Mountain Fairytales would also be a hit,” says Breeanne Fuller, Conservatory co-ordinator.

Whelan-Kotkas is doing four concerts in Lethbridge on May 17 and 18 at 10 a.m. and noon each day. Tickets are still available for the noon shows at Southminster United Church.

Children of all ages are sure to enjoy the chamber jazz music

in focus

OPEN HOUSE INVITES PUBLIC Once again, the U of L Art Department is opening its studios and workshops to the public.

On Apr. 19 and 20, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, everyone is welcome to tour the Art Department.

“We want people to experience the diversity and excellence of work by students in art courses,” says Annie Martin, art faculty advisor to the project, which is largely organized by students.

“Visitors will be able to experience works in a wide array of media, including painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, print, installation, multimedia and video, by undergraduate and Master of Fine Arts students. This is a great opportunity to see work by the next generation of artists.”

The Art Student

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Open House also provides an opportunity for the public to talk with students about their art practices, and take a look at the excellent art facilities on campus. Students, faculty and technical staff can answer any questions and guided tours are available on a drop-in basis by stopping at the welcome table near the stairs on the 8th level of the University Centre for the Arts. School tours can be arranged by contacting Erin Kennett (erin.kennett@uleth.ca).

In addition to the Open House, everyone is invited to celebrate the achievements of art students with the announcement of the recipients of awards for excellence in Art Studio and Art History/ Museum Studies.

This takes place on Apr. 20, 4:30 p.m. in W817.

the Legend HISTORIC FESTIVAL The 1950s are the focus of the 2011 Historic Lethbridge Festival, May 3-8, with myriad activities planned for everyone in the family. The University of Lethbridge is hosting two events as part of the festivities.

The U of L Art Gallery has an exhibition entitled, The 1950s: Works from the U of L Art Collection & Galt Museum & Archives, in both the Main Gallery and Helen Christou Gallery.

“The exhibition was created from the perspective of the younger generation,” says Dr. Josephine Mills, director/curator.

“It highlights areas of artistic developments and social issues from the 1950s.”

The exhibition was curated by museum studies interns David Smith and Allison Spencer.

The official festival kick-off opens with a fashion show (7 p.m., May 3) of 1950s-style clothing, hosted by Leslie Robison-Greene, costume designer and professor in the U of L’s Dept. of Theatre & Dramatic Arts.

Following the fashion show, enjoy a Hot Rock & Cool Jazz performance by U of L music faculty and students.

For a complete list of events, visit historiclethbridge.org.

An unknown local artist between 1913 and 1921 created this painting of an aerial view of the city of Lethbridge. The work spent most of its early life hanging in the Arlington Hotel, a downtown establishment that operated under a variety of owners and titles from 1910 to 2007, when it was demolished. In 1971, the hotel’s proprietors, John and Walter Mysyk, presented the painting to the newly founded University of Lethbridge as a gift from the Ukrainian Canadian Association of Lethbridge.

The painting’s current condition gives us clues about its storied life. Sometimes the back of a painting has as much a tale to tell as its face. This painting has a large bulge at the left side which, when examined from the back, is explained by an extensive tide line indicating previous water damage. At the front, the blue sky has turned orange-brown from the discolouration of a layer of varnish, but likely also caused by the tobacco smoke

(Above) Unknown artist, City of Lethbridge, c. 1915 From the University of Lethbridge Art Collection; Gift of the Ukrainian Canadian Association of Lethbridge, 1971

from the hotel bar. Large areas have been painted over at some point, likely to cover the water damage, and to disguise, but not obliterate, location arrows and names of neighbourhoods as they changed over time.

To prepare this artwork for display at the Galt Museum as part of The Greatest Years You Never Knew exhibit, it has been closely examined, cleaned of loose dust and repositioned in its frame to prevent slippage.

The back of the painting received most of

Art Gallery registrar Juliet Graham and administrative manager Fred Greene examine the City of Lethbridge painting

the attention, getting a soft liner to reduce abrasion in the frame, new framing hardware and a new protective backing board.

These preventive conservation actions allow it to be exhibited safely, and further treatments can be addressed in the future.

The Greatest Years You Never Knew exhibit runs at the Galt Museum’s Discovery Hall, Apr. 30 to Sept. 11, 2011.

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