THECOMMUNICATORMemorial University’sEmployee and Retiree Newsletter

Spring 2011Vol. 25 No. 1

Get your piece of the community garden 3

Marine Institute’s Atlanticat 5

Musical adventure concert series 5

International students get job ready 6

Lori Pike’s life in balance 7

Dr. Eaton prescribes laughter 8

Ginny Ryan fulfils musical dream 10

Fencing right on target 11

Publication Mail: 40062527

inside

The Ocean Sciences Centre hasa secret, and it's well kept. Thiscold ocean research facility houseslaboratories for research on the NorthAtlantic fishery, aquaculture, ocean-ography, ecology, behaviour andphysiology. The secret involves verylow turnover and a culture of family-like community. Shown here is a vitalgroup of nine long-serving employees,their experience totalling 300 years(l-r): Bob O'Donnell (32 years), DeloresWheeler (36 years), Dr. MargaretShears (27 years), Connie Short(27 years), Jim Devereaux (37 years),Jerry Ennis (29 years), and Dr. GarthFletcher (39 years); missing fromphoto: Dr. Ray Thompson (37 years)and Damien Whitten (36 years).The secret now will be holding on tothis vast institutional knowledge for aslong as possible.

The lureof Logy Bay

Sometimes it seems Memorial Athletics’John Harvey is everywhere at once. As theunit’s marketing co-ordinator, he workshard behind the scenes of the Sea-Hawksfranchise planning special events and com-munity projects, all the while promotingthe sporting experience for athletes andfans alike. John and the entire Athletics’team work to support the sports of basket-ball, cross country running, soccer, swim-ming, volleyball and wrestling. This formerSea-Hawk basketball player can be foundat every event and appears to do it all.Ready, set, go to www.goseahawks.ca tosee what John and the Sea-Hawks do best.

John Harvey hasget-up-and-go

fromtheHRdirector

AFTER MONTHS of hard work,consultation and collaboration within ouruniversity and with our larger communities,Memorial’s senior management team is nowin place and ready to help guide Memorialthrough the next phase of its growth anddevelopment.

Over the coming months Drs. David

Wardlaw and Mary Bluechardt will prepareto take up their positions as vice-president(academic) and vice-president of GrenfellCampus, respectively.

It’s great news for Memorial University.They join our senior executive team at abusy time for us – a critical time really, whenwe are in the midst of some major construc-

tion projects at our St. John’s and Grenfellcampuses, and have implemented university-wide teaching, learning and research plan-ning initiatives that will help shapeMemorial’s future direction.

Recently we’ve joined federal, provincial,industry and community partners toannounce funding for new infrastructurethat will provide much-needed space forcollaborative research and improve existingfacilities in our ocean engineering andmarine simulation centres. These importantinitiatives will help us build our expertise inoceans-related research.

But we still face major infrastructureissues because of the state of some of ourolder buildings, and we must consider howit impacts our ability to continue recruitingtop-notch undergraduate and graduatestudents, faculty and staff to this university.

Our new vice-presidents have bothworked extensively with the larger com-munity and bring their commitment tocommunity outreach to Memorial.

Dr. David Wardlaw, our incoming vice-president (academic), is a newcomer toMemorial, and currently serves as dean ofscience and professor of chemistry at theUniversity of Western Ontario.

Our search committee was impressedwith his leadership abilities and commit-

ment to advancing excellence in teachingand scholarship, as well as his dedication tostudents and involvement in the widercommunity.

Dr. Mary Bluechardt, the new vice-presi-dent designate of our Grenfell campus, wasdirector of Memorial’s School of HumanKinetics and Recreation from 2006-2009,and so is a familiar face to many.

Dr. Bluechardt is taking over the top jobat Grenfell Campus at an important stage inits evolution. With new residence andacademic buildings almost complete, Gren-fell continues to build its research activitiesand its contribution to the social, culturaland economic well-being of westernNewfoundland and the province.

Their arrival is timely, and I look forwardto working with Drs. Wardlaw andBluechardt as we build the Memorial of thefuture.

In welcoming them, I ask that you extendto them the same generous support andhospitality that you continue to show me.

fromthepresident

Memorial University’s employee andretiree newsletter is published bythe Division of Marketing andCommunications and theDepartment of Human Resources,Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Editor Shannon O’Dea DawsonManaging editor Ivan MuzychkaExecutive director Victoria Collins

Chief contributor Mandy Cook

Contributors Nancy Burt, Pamela Gill, Darcy MacRae,Jackie Pitcher-March,Virginia Middleton, Toby Rowe,Kimberly Slaney, Marcia Porter, Jackey Locke

Graphic design John AndrewsPhotography Chris Hammond, John CrowellProduction co-ordinator Lisa Riggs

116-451-03-11-4750

Mail toEditor, The CommunicatorDepartment of Human ResourcesRoom A-4031, Arts and Administration BuildingMemorial University of NewfoundlandSt. John’s, NL, A1C 5S7Telephone: 709 682 0540 Fax: 709 864 2700Email: sodawson@mun.ca

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ISSN 1183-2789

THE COMMUNICATOR2

If you've had a change of address, let HumanResources know so they can ensure you keepgetting The Communicator. There are severalways to update your address:

• Through Employee Self-Service at my.mun.ca• Email humanres@mun.ca or• Write to the Department of Human Resources,Arts and Administration Building,St. John’s, NL, A1C 5S7

A phone call to our editor or HRcannot effect a change of addressin our files. A written request toupdate your moving address mustbe made. Thank you for stayingin touch.

MOVED TO A NEW ADDRESS?STAY IN TOUCH!

Dr. Gary Kachanoski

President and vice-chancellor

I'M NEW and thrilled to be here. In some ways, it feels likemy early days as a student studying business at Memorial. Iofficially started work as director of Human Resources on Jan.31 and over the past several weeks I’ve been listening topeople’s experiences in and with Human Resources to learnmore about Memorial and the needs of those we serve. Thisprocess has been enlightening as I hear people’s perceptionsabout how we can provide more proactive, supportive servicesto all academic and administrative departments. I am particu-larly impressed with the many people I have met and theirtotal commitment to the university.

I was attracted to Memorial by the important role theuniversity plays in the fabric of what makes this province great.I was interested in this particular leadership role as I am astrong believer that the people here are key to the universityachieving its objectives, Human Resources should play a crit-ical role in ensuring this happens. I will use my 25 years experi-ence in human resources management to revitalize how wesupport people, which is the foundation to Memorial’s success.I am also eager to learn about the university and I am apprecia-tive of the great support I have already received from colleagues.

As I become better acquainted with what the universitywants and expects from its human resources department, Ibelieve we need to have further conversations that are focusedon creating greater employee value. I look forward toincreasing the involvement of all stakeholders as we work aspartners to refine strategies, programs and services thatsupport Memorial. We’ll work together to make it happen.More on specific process, timelines, implementation and eval-uation will be shared over the coming weeks.

This is my first column for The Communicator and I lookforward to providing my thoughts and updates on key devel-opments in the future. I also look forward to meeting andspeaking with many of you in the coming weeks and months.

Meantime, please feel free to reach me at 864 4615 orstephen.dodge@mun.ca.

Stephen Dodge

Director of Human Resources

MORE THAN700 staff and faculty, including employees of separatelyincorporated entities, participated in a survey on transportation practices andissues for employees and students of the St. John’s campus. More than 2,400students responded to the student survey. The survey was conducted in April2010. To view the complete results, go to www.mun.ca/sustain and click onthe Sustainability Office link for transportation survey results.

Memorial University’s Employee Newsletter 3

WHEN YOU want something done right, theysay it’s best to do it yourself. Folks in Memorial’sIT unit are taking this to heart. This Computing& Communications (C&C) SustainabilityCommittee was created in September 2010 to helpimplement and promote green initiatives related toinformation technology. The committee’s ideas andinitiatives are presented monthly to the AdvisoryCommittee on Sustainability and C&C’s seniorleadership team.

A priority of the C&C green team is to facilitatethe communication and implementation of newideas and initiatives to and from C&C staff.Current initiatives being discussed are paperlessrequest forms, power management and ink

cartridge recycling. Previous initiatives supportedby C&C include online course registration, courselistings, online telephone directory, online univer-sity Calendar, cell phone recycling, C&C paperlessflex time requests, modification of standing offersto include Energy Star and low consumption powersupplies, hardware replacements to reduce powerconsumption, and virtualization of servers toreduce hardware usage. Find out how you can getinvolved in reducing our carbon footprint atwww.mun.ca/cc/sustainability. Other Memorialemployees who have ideas about how technologycan be used to help sustainability are encouraged tocontact angela@mun.ca.

MORE THAN $5,000 isdonated each year to the CampusFood Bank from beverage containerrecycling on the St. John’s campus.The more containers recycled oncampus, the more support the univer-sity community provides to the foodbank. The Marine Institute alonecontributes $2,000 each year frombeverage container recycling.

“Recycling is a steady and substan-tial part of our revenue base and wewould love to see it increase,” explainsPradeep Bobby, vice-president of theCampus Food Bank board of direc-tors. “All proceeds are used to buyfresh, nutritious and essential fooditems for those who need it most.”

It’s easy: simply label bags and dropthem at the entrance to recyclingcentres. To find out which containersare recyclable on campus, go towww.mmsb.nl.ca/recaccepted.asp.Remember to remove caps, straws andliquids from beverage containersbefore placing them inrecycling bins.

C&C green team

Support the Campus Food Bankby recycling beverage containers

Get going: St. John’s campustransportation survey results available

sustainabilitynews

IF YOU WANT to tend a part of Memorial’s garden onthe St. John’s campus, be sure to apply before March 25.Gardening experience is not required. The garden willprovide students, staff and faculty with a space to grow foodand an opportunity to learn skills and sustainable practices.Located between Queen’s College and Long Pond, thegarden has 30 plots available for the 2011 growing season.Users pay a small seasonal fee for individual plots; there areseveral communal plots for special projects such as experien-tial learning activities, research endeavours and contributionsto the university food bank.

Yolanda Wiersma, assistant professor of biology, (left inphoto) got involved because she’s interested in local foodproduction. “I see what you eat as one of the more signifi-cant political and environmental choices one can make,” shesays. “Getting people to understand what goes into growingfood gives an appreciation for the energy that goes into whatwe often take for granted. It’s really important for me thatmy kids understand that food doesn't just come in a packagefrom the grocery store.”

“I really respect the gardening and preservation skills thatused to be so common,” says Rebecca Cohoe, communica-tions co-ordinator with the Harris Centre (shown at right).“Somehow, in the past couple generations, a lot of those

traditions have been lost. Both my grandmothers had hugegardens that they used to make pickles, jams, you name it. Iwant to know how to do those things so I don’t always needto rely on someone else to supply my dinner.”

If you’d like to get involved in tending the garden, visitwww.mun.ca/communitygarden. To receive updates ongarden activities, join the garden listserv by emailinglistserv@mun.ca and typing subscribe community-garden-lin the body of the message.

hatsofftoourvolunteers

Can’t wait for spring!The community gardenis ready and waiting

Team members leading the way are Shawn Pendergast, Bill Hearn, Angela McLoughlin, Margaret

Shaw, Lisa Charlong (missing from photo are Raymond Tjiu, Elaine Pace).

welldone

THE COMMUNICATOR4

GOT A STORY TO SHARE?

Maybe you have an interesting story or photo?Perhaps you know someone who has beenrecognized with an award? Any new babies orretirements in your area? Let us know – we’realways interested to hear from staff, faculty andretirees. Contact editor Shannon O'Dea Dawsonat sodawson@mun.ca or 682 0540. Drop a lineto The Communicator, Department of HumanResources, Arts and Administration Building,Room 4031, St. John's, NL, A1C 5S7.

Debbie McGee of DELT participates in Memorial’sAnnual Shave for the Brave. The student-organizedevent raised approximately $11,000 for Young AdultCancer Canada. Debbie, shown here, raised almost$2,200 for her shave, which was in honour ofher sister Robin. DELT colleagues contributed morethan $500 of that amount. Check it out atwww.youtube.com/watch?v=PB6bBi4fVTc.

Shave for the BraveLast summer delegates to the Canadian Association of Business Officers conference were invited to rock the common atMemorial during the annual gathering of the organization. Long after the conference wrapped, surplus funds from theevent have continued to create positive reverberations. An endowed scholarship and bursary has now been establishedfor dependents of current, retired or deceased staff members of Memorial. The funds will be awarded each year by theSenate Committee on Undergraduate Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards. Thanks to the 80 volunteers who helpedmake the conference a success and made these endowments possible. Here, Financial and AdministrativeServices Director Debbie Collis, Alumni Affairs and Development Director Penny Blackwood and Vice-President(Administration and Finance) Kent Decker make it official.

campusnews

SHEILA MILLER, director of the Departmentof Health and Safety (DHS), and her staff at 208Elizabeth Ave. have been busy since they moved totheir new digs almost a year ago. Sheila says that inorder to create a culture of safety, her departmenthas been hard at work engaged in the re-develop-ment of Memorial’s health and safety program.

This re-development has involved improvementand change in several areas. Some examples are apartnership with the School of Human Kinetics andRecreation to increase ergonomic assessments;improvements in fire safety such as recruiting volun-teer emergency wardens and correcting deficienciesin residence houses; ensuring all work undertakenby all contractors is compliant with university poli-cies and health and safety legislation; and launchingonline training for radiation safety.

“To manage the risk, you have to understand it,”says Sheila. “It’s all about strategy, communication,training, team-building, prevention and perform-ance measure. We’re all in this together.”

Checking in withHealth and Safety

CAUBO conference keeps on giving

Susan McNicholas (left) and Daphne Lilly, members of the St. John’schapter of the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) arepictured here during their February book collection blitz at the Arts andCulture Centre. The women are gearing up for a giant book sale at thecentre from April 29-30. Money raised from the sale is used to fund scholar-ships for students at Memorial and the College of the North Atlantic, artprograms in the province’s schools, Kiwanis music bursaries, Memorial’scampus food bank and a school in Nairobi, Kenya. If you would like to getinvolved with the CFUW, call 570 7596 or email cfuwstjohns@gmail.com.High school students and Duke of Edinburgh volunteers Matthew Clarke(left) and Alexander Russell are shown helping out.

Book blitz

Memorial University’s Employee Newsletter 5

campusnews

FROM A VERY EARLY AGE, Finley Beaton knewwhat he wanted to do for a living.

Finley was raised on a farm in the community of Mabou,a small village on Cape Breton Island, N.S. With a plethoraof tools, equipment and gear that needed regular mainte-nance and repairs, he developed an interest in electronics andengineering.

Those interests eventually led him to become the headtechnician on the Atlanticat, a catamaran boat used by MI’sSchool of Ocean Technology for ocean mapping.

Upon completion of high school, Finley enrolled in theelectronic engineering technology program at the NovaScotia Community College Institute of Technology inHalifax. He joined the Marine Institute in August 2010.

“So far, it’s been great at the Marine Institute,” he says.“It’s very interesting work.”

Among his duties on the Atlanticat, Finley is responsiblefor maintaining the ocean mapping equipment and occa-sionally operating the equipment. Given the complexity andimportance of the gear, Finley plays an important role inMI’s ability to collect the vital information available viaocean mapping.

In the spring of 2010, the Marine Institute purchasedstate-of-the-art ocean mapping equipment. These advancedtools are used by students in the ocean mapping program,offering them the opportunity for at-sea training they could

not receive at any other post-secondary institution in Canada.The chance to be part of such groundbreaking work

means a lot to Finley, who relishes the opportunity to helpMI advance ocean mapping in Newfoundland and Labrador.

“It’s quite the job opportunity to come in and work withequipment of that level,” he says. “Every time we go out inthe boat to do some work, I’m amazed at the return and thequality of the results we get.”

GRENFELL CAMPUSmaintenance staff LarryBrake, above left, andWilf Guy were busy with renovationsin the old faculty/staff lounge in the Arts and ScienceBuilding recently. In about two weeks, the space took on anew shape and atmosphere with fresh paint, new flooring,and new lighting. Pictured (l-r) in the updated lounge arestaff members Madonna Day and Glennis Keats of the Gren-fell Bookstore and Jeanette Kerrivan of Community Educa-tion and College Relations. And it’s not finished yet. Thereare still some cosmetic changes left to come, such as plantersand new furniture. Stay tuned!

MI technician enjoystime with the Cat

MI’s Finley Beaton working on the Atlanticat.

Grenfell Campusrenovations ongoing

MUSIC AT MEMORIAL is on the edge of newworlds with a season that concludes with Opera’s inOne, MUN Jazz Ensemble, Omnivorous Furniture,Human Interface, and New Adventures. Sylvie Proulx,chair of the Concerts Committee that selects thenationally and internationally acclaimed artists that

appear on the series each year, teaches classical guitar atthe School of Music. Like many other faculty membersand students, Sylvie performs regularly and has justreleased a CD of her own. For daily updates andlistings of all concerts, ring the hotline at 864 4455or visit www.mun.ca/music/concerts/index.php.

Music on the edge of your seat

Meet Memorial 2011THE MEET MEMORIAL series of openhouses for staff and faculty continues thissummer with all new sites. Every WednesdayfromMay 25 - Aug. 17, you are encouraged tomeet the people, see the resources and open youreyes to all that's happening at Memorial.

For more information, check outwww.mun.ca/meetmemorial/meet/ or contactShannon O'Dea Dawson at sodawson@mun.ca.

THIS GROUP of international students is keen to learnall they can about working in Canada and Jennifer White,Professional Skills Development Program Co-ordinator withStudent Affairs and Services, is teaching all she can. Jenniferleads a program to prepare international students foremployment in Canada. She focuses on communicationskills, culture and career preparation, and volunteer andnetworking opportunities. This program instills a level ofCanadian job search knowledge and preparation that willassist students throughout their academic study and aftergraduation.

The seven sessions in this program focus on interculturalcommunication, the job search process, interview skills, resumeand cover letter writing, and workplace etiquette. The programalso includes networking events to get students outside of theircomfort zone; by attending career fairs, tradeshows or employerinformation sessions they practice introducing themselves,highlight their skills, and increase knowledge of employers andcommunity members. There is a mandatory volunteer compo-nent where students learn how employers perceive communityinvolvement and they are able to experience getting off campus,meeting new people, get to know their community and

improve their communication skills. Participation in a mockinterview and submission of a resume and cover letter forcritique are required in order for students to receive thecompletion certificate.

“My main goal is to help the students succeed,” saysJennifer. “I’d like them to get more involved and feel morecomfortable. They learn quickly about the job search process,job market and career opportunities. Now it’s aboutnetworking experience and comfort level.”

If you’re interested in getting involved with this program,contact Jennifer at jwhite@mun.ca or 864 2033.

campusnews

THE COMMUNICATOR6

DO YOU LOVE NUMBERS? Really love numbers? Ifso, you’d have a lot in common with Paul Chancey, director of theCentre for Institutional Analysis and Planning (CIAP). Paul is aself-professed information junkie whose job it is to analyze data,identify trends and occasionally debunk institutional myths. He isalways on the lookout for the broader context of things and enjoysdigging deeper to find what the numbers really mean.

At the CIAP, located on the first floor of the Arts and Adminis-tration building, Paul leads a team of six people that is responsiblefor Memorial’s academic program review, course evaluations,providing support to the vice-presidents’ offices through reportgeneration, analysis, resource allocation review and survey research.

As well, the work of the CIAP helps inform others and supportsdecision making. It works at the institutional, strategic level onplanning and budgeting and also provides general informationto all areas of the university. The centre produces the annual FactBook, academic performance profiles and other regular reports.It recently facilitated the university’s strategic planning process,which led to Memorial’s most recent plan Five Pillars.

Having been a student at Memorial in the late 1970s, and anemployee since 1984, Paul enjoys continuing to learn about theorganization of the university and is sometimes surprised by newinformation and meanings he discovers.

“I’m usually one of the first people to look at results from asurvey,” says Paul. “That, and working with the great bunch oftalented people here in CIAP, are the best parts of my job.”

Chatting after a session at Career Development and Experiential Learning are (from left) Behrang Moazzez, from Iran; Lalani Munasinghe, from Sri Lanka; Chandani Dinesh, from

Sri Lanka; student assistant Kaan Eroglu, from Turkey; Bimal Tennakoon, from Sri Lanka, and Professional Skills Development Program Co-ordinator Jennifer White.

The whole isgreater than thesum of its parts

Make Canada home – permanently

HOLIDAY CLARIFICATIONPer course instructors follow the LUMUN list of university holidays.

The remaining holidays are April 22, July 1, Sept. 5, Oct. 10, Nov. 11, Dec. 26-28, 2011, and Jan. 3, 2012.

campusnews

Memorial University’s Employee Newsletter 7

All in the familyWORK IS ALL about relationships. And commitment. Andfriendship. You'll find this and more in the three generations of Fraizewomen.

Shirley Fraize, mother and grandmother, began her 27-year careerwith Memorial in 1969. Shirley worked for 16 years with the Instituteof Social and Economic Research, 10 with the Faculty of Arts and herfinal year with the Learned Societies Secretariat. Shirley joined herhusband in retirement in 1996.

Shirley has three daughters who work at Memorial: Linda Kirby beganin 1976 and works with Family Medicine; Susan Hicks began in 1980and works with the Faculty of Education; and Beverly Fraize-Rochebegan in 1982 and works across the hall from Susan in Education. Linda’sdaughter and Shirley’s granddaughter, Heather Kirby, is a 22-year-oldstudent at Memorial studying folklore and classics. She intends to pursuejournalism and travel after graduation.

Shirley Fraize was recognized with a Memorial University ofNewfoundland Pensioners Association Tribute Award during aluncheon reception on Dec. 16, 2010, hosted by President Kachanoski.Shirley was recognized for her long-standing commitment and leader-ship. Linda earned a President’s Award for Exemplary Service Award in2007, and this May, Susan and Linda will be recognized for 30 years ofservice at the annual Employee Service Awards Ceremony. Togetherthey have created a legacy of loyalty, professionalism and well-being.Success never looked so good.

Three generations of Fraize women get together to discuss what Memorial means to them. Shown here are

Linda Kirby, Heather Kirby, Susan Hicks, Shirley Fraize and Beverly Fraize-Roche.

SOMETIMES you should be careful what you wish for. When Lori Pike, associatedirector of budgets with Financial and Administrative Services, hoped to one day volun-teer and support the Janeway Children’s Hospital and cancer research, she had no ideahow her wish would eventually materialize. In 2007, one month before her oldest sonAdam turned five, he was diagnosed with medulloblastoma. Doctors had discovered atumour in the little boy’s brain the size and shape of a kiwi fruit. Since the initial diag-nosis, Adam underwent a nine-hour surgery, a month of recuperation in the Janeway, sixweeks of radiation, nine rounds ofchemotherapy, countless checkups andregular MRIs. Today, he is nine years old andthree years cancer-free.

Adam is this year’s Janeway Telethonchild and champion child. Each year theChampion Child Program organizes a trip toOttawa, Ont., to meet other champion children and their families from across Canada. InNovember, Governor-General David Johnston and his wife Sharon hosted a private partyat Rideau Hall for the group. Highlights of the trip included meeting Vancouver 2010gold medal athletes Brian McKeever and Heather Moyse, touring the Royal CanadianMint, experiencing the Eternal Flame on Parliament Hill and watching Justin Hines, aCanadian singer-songwriter who has a rare genetic joint condition, perform. The groupthen travelled to Florida to meet the champion children from the U.S. and to take inDisney World.

“It’s so inspiring to see this group of children,” says Lori. “All they’ve gone through andthey don’t let it get them down. It’s all about what’s inside shining through.”

As part of their Janeway fundraising efforts, Lori, husband Jason, Adam and six-year-old Lucas collect pennies every year to donate to the telethon. So far, Adam and Lucas,along with family and friends, have contributed more than $6,200. This year, since Adamis the Telethon Child, there’s even more involvement as part of the Janeway community.

As well, to help with the different pressures families experience with a critically illchild, Lori also volunteers with the operations committee of the Ronald McDonaldHouse of Newfoundland and Labrador. She feels grateful that Adam was able to receiveall his expert treatment at home and knows other children and their families are not asfortunate.

“This is a way for us to give back some of what was given to us,” says Lori. “I’ve beenthere and can understand and help others. Your world can fall apart when your child isseriously ill. It’s essential to keep families together during an emotionally and financiallydraining time. The Ronald McDonald House can help with that.”

Now, Lori has a new normal.“You don't change as a person,” she says. “Your life changes. You look at everything

differently. Our life is richer now because of the experiences we’ve had, the people we havemet, and our involvement with the Janeway. I feel a special bond with families goingthrough this and I don't take one minute for granted.”

In the end, Lori’s wish of volunteering and supporting the Janeway Hospital cametrue. She had no idea she would experience first-hand the devastation that can come witha serious diagnosis, but is grateful her family is helping make wishes come true for othersick children, who are all champions in her eyes.

Wishes can come true

“I’VE BEEN THEREAND CAN UNDERSTANDANDHELP OTHERS.”

Lori, Adam and Lucas Pike

FOR 31 YEARS, Brian Mallard hasbeen finding the best space on the St. John’scampus for people. He is the facilities andsummer accommodations supervisor,responsible for all non-academic facility

bookings for staff, students, faculty andexternal clients. Brian is also responsible forcampus summer accommodations. Basically,if you need a room between April andSeptember, you'll be speaking with Brian.

“While we’re bursting at the seams,” saysBrian, “we do our best to accommodate allrequests.” Brian is responsible for 82 meetingspaces in science, chemistry, engineering,arts and education buildings. He also booksout space in R.Gushue Hall, Pete’s Place andWest Hatcher House. R. Gushue Hall ispopular for conferences and weddings.

For employees, students and externalclients, meeting space can be securedthrough Brian. All academic bookings gothroughWanda Parrott and Theresa Doylein the Registrar’s Office, unless it’s an after-hours tutorial or session in which case Brianconfirms the space. While demand varies,Brian typically manages about 200 requestsfor space each week.

Brian is responsible for summer accom-modation on campus for external clients,such as schools and sport groups, casuals andconference delegates.

“We have been hosting Festival 500, ShadValley and SIFE Memorial for many years.”says Brian. “I do my best to make sure

everyone gets a comfortable bed and anymeeting space they require while on campus.FromMay until August this year, we’reinvolved with more than 30 groups.”

As the main contact for summer accom-modations, Brian confirms the space, hiresand supervises summer student staff, andprepares invoicing. Brian and his team arecommitted to excellent customer service.Due to renovations in Squires House andBurke House this summer, Memorial’s resi-dence capacity is approximately 1,100 beds.

Brian’s own view will be different nextyear as he is contemplating retirement. Hesays he’s enjoyed speaking with touristsabout Newfoundland and all it has to offerthroughout his career. From wherever he is,he promises to continue to be an ambassadorfor Memorial and Newfoundland.

If you wish to book space or exploresummer accommodations at Memorial,Brian can be reached at conferences@mun.caor by phoning 864 7657 (toll free at 1 877730 7657).

campusnews

THE COMMUNICATOR8

WHO HELPS those who help others? Meet Kim Kelly (left) and Mary BethHutchens, social work student services co-ordinators who provide leadership,consultation, support, referral and advocacy services to students. They work toprovide a safe and healthy learning environment, supporting and retaining studentsto ensure the outcome of competent social work graduates. They work closely withIvy Burt to advocate on behalf of students and to facilitate program planning, devel-opment and implementation. “I am happy to share my passion for social work,” saysMary Beth. “It is well-prepared and supported social workers who impact change inour local and global community.” Kim Kelly, who joined the School of Social Workafter spending 16 years with Student Affairs and Services, is thrilled to share herknowledge and experience with social work students and stakeholders.

Social work specialists

Roomwith a view

LAUGHTERis one of the best medicinesWHETHER YOU’VE BEEN A PATIENT, student orcolleague, Dr. Bill Eaton is someone you don’t soon forget. Usually recog-nized for his smiling face and extensive collection of bowties, he is knownfor his humour and personal motto about the importance of looking atthe lighter side of life and its medical benefits. His bowties are a perfectexample of his humour. When asked why he doesn’t wear a standard tie,he says, “Ties are silly to begin with; why not go all the way and wear abowtie?”

With more than 30 years of medical experience, Dr. Eaton has seen itall – from his many years of working in palliative care, to being a familydoctor, an anesthetist, delivering babies, making house calls and being amedical mentor.

As a humourologist, Dr. Eaton has given countless presentations andhas produced several CDs on which he proselytizes and philosophizesabout the relationship between humour and medicine.

Not everyone is convinced of the value of humour and to that he says,“It’s important to remember that even during difficult times, humour canbe a healthy means of coping and supporting one another.”

“Laughter may not be the best medicine, but it’s the easiest to take.”

campusnews

read/watch/listen downtime

Memorial University’s Employee Newsletter 9

BACKACHE?Muscles sore? Tense?You may very well need to call Erin Brad-bury for an ergonomic assessment. Shownhere with John Andrews of Image Services,Erin provides individual assessments toidentify problems, risks, and solutions. Sherecommends how to adjust the work station

and provides a followup visit. Memorial'sDepartment of Health and Safety providesassessments in conjunction with AlliedHealth Services. To learn more aboutprevention and work place health or tobook an ergonomic assessment, contactErin at 864 3659 or ergonomics@mun.ca.

WHILE THERE are many of us here atMemorial who might like to take in livemusic in our off hours, there are some wholike to make music in their off hours – andsometimes into the wee ones, too.

Doug Rowe (left), customs agent withFinancial Administrative Services, andPeter King, research lab co-ordinator atCREAIT, are half of the rock band TwoGuitars Clash. Although the two kneweach other prior to becoming bandmates,it wasn’t until they attended the sametender opening on the St. John’s campusthat they realized they were co-workersas well.

Their mutual love for rock punk – asthey describe their musical style – has keptthe band going strong since Peter joinedthe group in 2009. He says, as an engineer,he needs the band to balance out his worklife.

“Music is always something I’ve done,since I was in high school. When you workin a technical field you need to have acreative outlet,” he says.

Doug lives and breathes music, too.When on stage, he says the band can becounted on to give 200 per cent – some-thing their dedicated fan base appreciates.He’s even invited some of his co-workers to

take in a Two Guitars Clash show and tolisten to some of their recordings.

“A few of them bought our 2008 releaseHeart and Brain,” he says. “I found itfunny because they all came back and saidthat it didn’t sound like me. I guess whenyou’re belting out Slash ’n Burn you’re notthe same guy from the office.”

Doug, who plays guitar and sings, saystheir latest album, The New Economy, isupbeat and positive, and tackles a widerange of themes varying from human traf-ficking to globalization to labour exploita-tion at home and abroad. Peter, who playsbass, says the album focuses on delivering“solid guitar driven music with an evenmore solid message.” It is due on shelves inApril.

“We put a lot of effort into this and Ithink it will show,” says Doug. “We are allvery proud of the result.”

And asked whether or not anyone in theCREAIT offices is aware of his other job,Peter has this to share: “I don’t think so,though I guess some of them may find outfor the first time from this article.”

To find out more about Doug and Peter’smusic, visit www.twoguitarsclash.com,check them out on YouTube or visit theirFacebook page.

“MY MUSIC PLAYER tells methat the last seven songs I listened to areby Andy Palacio (Garífuna music fromBelize), Anthrax (metal, due to the badinfluence of Yvan Rose, one of mycolleagues in the linguistics department),Magazine (post-punk), Son Volt (alt.country), Howlin’ Wolf (blues), GlennGould (playing a Mozart piece) andCuarteto Coculense (one of the very firstMariachi bands, from Cocula, Mexico).

If there’s a pattern to emerge from that(something vaguely Mesoamerican,perhaps?), I’m not sure what it’d be. I’vebeen listening to a fair amount of WestAfrican stuff of late – some of thoseGhanian percussionists are well beyondastounding. I’m really liking Adesa (fromGhana, but now based out of Germany, Ithink) and guitarist Ebo Taylor who’s in

his mid-70s, but can still out-JamesBrown James Brown in his prime. Theonly genre of music that I can think ofthat you’ll never hear coming from myoffice is show tunes.

Generally, though, you’ll hear noisyrock music. My sentimental soft spot isMotörhead. I’ve been to a number ofuniversities where the campus radiostation is . . . well, bad, but Memorial isn’tone of them. I find CHMR to be a goodstarting point for seeking out other musicI might like.”

DOUG WHARRAM

Assistant professor and co-ordinator

Aboriginal Studies minor program

Department of Linguistics

St. John’s campus

Ergonomic assessments

Memorial’s resident rockerspunk out in their off hours

careersinmotion

THE COMMUNICATOR10

upcloseandpersonalThe Communicator helps put a face to a name in HR

JACKIE PITCHER-MARCH is a busy woman.Her role as executive assistant to the director of HumanResources keeps the director and the department organizedand on track. But her day begins long before arriving atMemorial. She drives an hour and 20 minutes to workfrom Green’s Harbour, car-pooling with four others. Shehas been driving back and forth for so long, she doesn'tgive it a thought.

Born and raised in Heart’s Content, Jackie lived inSt. John’s for 15 years before choosing to live in Green’sHarbour. She bought a new house a couple of years agoand has been putting her larger garden to good use. Sheexperimented with tomatoes, pumpkins, strawberries andblueberries last year. This year, she’s branching out to growmore vegetables, especially root vegetables – they'll go greatin her weekly jigg’s dinner. You may even see her road-sidethis summer with a vegetable stand on the Trans-CanadaHighway near Whitbourne.

Five months of the year, her primary focus is employeeservice awards, which is rewarding and all-consuming.

“I really enjoy the interaction with the 300-plusemployees.”

Every year for five years, all recipients are different,many of whom Jackie knows or has heard of and now getsto interact with more closely.

“It’s exciting to be a part of what recipients deem to be ameaningful milestone.”

Jackie is also very involved in staff orientation sessionswhich are organized quarterly.

This is Jackie’s 30th anniversary of working at Memo-rial; she plans on working another seven before enjoyingher own retirement party. “This is as close to family as I’ve

ever had,” says Jackie. “I have maintained relationshipswith everyone I’ve worked with at Memorial and feel espe-cially close to the people I work with now in HumanResources.”

She reflects back to lessons learned when she firstarrived in St. John’s. Jackie worked at the Faculty of Educa-tion and certainly received one, under the guidance ofBessie Ward.

“She played such an important role in my early years atMemorial and I appreciate how much she improved myskills, having set the standard high.”

An avid fisherwoman and handywoman, Jackie maynot be able to do it all but she’ll give it a try. She lovesbeing outdoors and keeping her hands busy. She lovesbeing on the water, in the garden and spending time withhusband Scott and their two sons, Nicholas and David.Jackie and Scott are big NASCAR fans. They’ve planned aspecial trip to the Barrett Jackson Auction in Las Vegas inSeptember.

Busy. Satisfied. Connected. Jackie’s heart’s content.

MEMORIAL has one of the largest and most innovativework forces in the province with cutting-edge research,award-winning teaching, outstanding service to the commu-nity and so much more. Career milestones were celebrated,contributions recognized and quality of work measuredon three of our campuses between Nov. 30, 2010 andMarch 4, 2011.

CAREER SNAPSHOT:5,519 employees on three campuses (308 at GrenfellCampus, 466 at the Marine Institute and 4,745 in St.John’s)

2,813 permanent employees

1,148 part-time contractual employees

28 part-time positions

1,296 full-time contractual positions

609 people are employedby separately incorporatedentities and agencies

DEVELOPMENTS:103 new hires

326 re-hires

30 employees transferredto another department

7 staff retired

11 faculty retired

GINNY RYAN, director of Memorial’s Writ-ing Centre on the St. John’s campus, recentlyfulfilled a lifelong dream: recording an album ofher own original music.Great Wings in Flight, released in December

2010, is a collection of folk songs Ginny wroteover a period of many years. Together with herproducer, the legendary folk musician and Me-morial honorary graduate Pamela Morgan, thealbum features songs that range in topic fromthe province of Newfoundland and Labrador toGinny’s mother to the tragic events of Sept. 11,2001.In order to finance the project, Ginny saved

every cent she could throughout the years,squirreling the money away in a dedicated bankaccount. There were other challenges, too.She was obliged to devote countless hours torestoring sufficient nimbleness to her fingers inorder to accompany herself on guitar. One songeven required the assistance of retired QEII li-brarian and Gaelic speaker Dorothy Milne toprovide a translation of the English lyrics toGaelic and a proper pronunciation of the words.While a lot of the work is behind her, Ginny is

not satisfied yet.“I’m immeasurably glad to have fulfilled this

dream, but I’ve realized that even now I am notdone,” she says. “A huge box of CDs still sits inour spare room. Contained in them are manystories, but recording those stories doesn’t ful-fufil my promise to them as I had thought itwould. Now I need to make sure that they getheard.”

Songsof a lifetime

www.mun.ca/policy/status/Smoking.php

Contribute comments by March 30, 2011, to

health.safety@mun.ca or 864 3786.

Smoking Policyproposed revision

A LASTING LEGACY in memory of “thewhale man,” became finalized on March 4 at a recep-tion on the St. John’s campus. The endowed scholar-ship will enable an entering graduate student to pursuestudies in marine animal behaviour, marine conserva-tion, coastal community revitalization, or the solutionto a current fishery challenge. The first scholarship willbe awarded in 2012. A cheque for $3,000 waspresented and the winner of the special painting “InGood Hands” by Toby Rabinowitz, was announced.

DR. MICHAEL ANDERSONDr. Michael Anderson, a retiredprofessor of biology, came to Me-morial in 1967 and retired in 1986.He passed away on Dec. 4, 2010.

DR. RUBY DEWLINGDr. Ruby Dewling, a retired facultymember with the School ofNursing, passed away on Jan. 24,2011. She was an assistant profes-sor in nursing from 1968 until herretirement in 1986.

DR. DAVID C. DIBBONDr. David Dibbon, dean of theFaculty of Education since 2008,passed peacefully away on Dec. 13,2010, surrounded by his family;aged 52 years.

DR. DAVID HAWKINSDr. David Hawkins, who served asdean of Memorial’s Faculty ofMedicine, passed away in the ICUof the Ottawa General Hospital onSaturday, Feb. 12, 2011, followingcomplications of acute respiratoryillness. He was 74.

DR. BEN HANSENPassed peacefully away on Dec. 11,2010, Ben Hansen, former man-ager of photographic services atMemorial and honorary degree re-cipient, aged 83 years. He retiredin 1988 from University Relations.

DR. LESLIE KARAGIANISDr. Leslie Karagianis, a memberof the Faculty of Education from1970-99, passed away on Jan. 12,2011.

KEVIN SNOWKevin Snow, a science labsupervisor with the Department ofBiology, passed away on Jan. 23,2011.

DR. HOWARD STRONGDr. Howard Strong began with theFaculty of Medicine in 1986 andretired as professor in 2009. Hepassed away on Jan. 8, 2011.

HARRIETT R. THOMASHarriett Roberta Thomas beganher career with Memorial in 1974and retired from the Maritime His-tory Archives in 1999. She passedaway on Dec. 31, 2010.

little fingers, little toes The Memorial family welcomes its littlest additions

Jennifer Browne (Career Development and

Experiential Learning), Glenn Myrick (Computing

and Communications) and big brother Ryan are

thrilled to announce the safe arrival of their precious

son Brendan Francis Myrick on Jan. 3, 2011.

transitions

Katrina Mercer of Distance Education and

Learning Technologies and Hiram Snow wel-

comed their son Matthew David Ralph Snow

on Jan. 29, 2011.

Emily and Travis Wooley welcomed baby

Evan Frederick Wooley on Feb. 17, 2011.

Emily manages human resources for the

Faculty of Medicine.

Memorial University’s Employee Newsletter 11

downtime

AFTER 40 YEARS with Memorial Univer-sity, Dr. Penny Hansen, Faculty of Medicine, hasretired. A reception was held at the medical schoolin her honour on Feb. 24. Penny came to Memo-rial in 1970 as a research assistant with Dr. KenRoberts, the first associate dean of medicine andprofessor of physiology for the new medical schoolat Memorial. She did her PhD at Memorial andset up her own physiology laboratory. In 1988 shetook on the position of assistant dean for Under-graduate Medical Education (UGME) anddecided to close her lab and devote herself full-time to teaching and the work of UGME. She wasthe first faculty member at Memorial University toreceive the prestigious 3M Fellowship for TeachingExcellence, awarded in 1990. Her excellence inteaching was also recognized in 2008 when shereceived the 16th Annual Arthur C. Guyton Phys-iology Educator of the Year Award from the Amer-ican Physiological Society. During the last fiveyears Dr. Hansen has served on the MedicalEducation Leadership Team which is leading theprocess of curriculum renewal in the Faculty ofMedicine.

Medical educationleader retires

Obituaries

Right: Dr. Penny Hansen’s achievement as Memorial’s

first faculty member to receive the prestigious 3M Fel-

lowship for Teaching Excellence is recognized in this

pop up, which was on display at a retirement recep-

tion held in her honour.

YOU’VE SEEN IT in the movies. Youmay even know someone who does it.Fencing is the next big new old thing. Dr.Theo Norvell, professor of engineering, andMichelle Osmond (pictured right), commu-nications co-ordinator with Nursing, gettogether each week to duel, the old-fash-ioned way: they draw their swords.

“I began fencing in grade school,” saysTheo. “A teacher in school was giving classesand my friends were doing it. I’ve kept withit my whole life. We began the fencing clubin St. John’s in 2002 and while I’ve been themain coach, a number of people join whofenced before. And, it isn’t long beforestudents get good enough to challenge me.”

Fencing is a challenging sport, com-bining mental and physical abilities.

“You use your mind to figure out what todo,” explains Theo.

“It’s a skill set that continually develops,requiring fast reaction and decision making.

It’s good for every age, size and skill level.You can learn to use whatever you have toyour advantage."

Michelle took up the sport in 2005,being attracted to the elegance and theformality around the rules of fencing.

“It’s a very graceful sport but at the sametime, it suits my personality,” explainsMichelle. “I am determined and strong-willed, so fencing lets me explore that too.My son thinks fencing is cool and has sincebegun classes, along with my husband. It’ssomething we’ll eventually be able to dotogether.”

Fencing is good exercise, requiring corestrength, focus and balance.

“And, it’s always great to learn a newskill,” says Michelle.

If you're interested in learning moreabout the art and sport of fencing, go towww.ucs.mun.ca/~fencing/ or email Dr.Norvell at theo@mun.ca (put fencing in the

subject line). At about $70 per semester,including all equipment rentals, the sport

will make you glad you drew your swordand made contact.

En garde, prêt, allez

CONGRATULATIONS go out to Human Resources Adviser AmyCarroll who correctly guessed the 2010 winter edition of The Communi-cator’sDays Gone By mystery photo!

Amy identified the opening occasion of the Memorial University ArtGallery in the university library’s original location in the basement of theHenrietta Harvey building.

This time, we want you to take a look at the photo to the left. On Jan. 1,1943, the 30-cent stamp was issued to commemorate the province’s mostimportant memorial to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the First WorldWar: Memorial University College. The mystery question is: In what year wasthe Memorial stamp surcharged due to a postal rate change and a subse-quent shortage of two cent stamps?

Send your guess to mandyc@mun.ca or mail it to us (complete mailing address on p. 2) for achance to win. The contest is open to all faculty, staff and retirees. The deadline for entries is April 30,2011. One entry per submission. Be sure to include your name, work or home telephone number andyour department. A huge thank you goes out to Linda White, Archives and Manuscripts Division, QEII Library, for all her help putting together the contest.

Thanks and good luck!Mandy Cook

streeter

whatdoyoudoatMemorial?

“I CO-ORDINATE the operation ofthe mass spectrometry laboratory housedwithin the Center for Chemical AnalysisResearch and Training (C-CART), a satel-lite of the CREAIT Network. I maintain avariety of mass spectrometers and trainboth graduate and undergraduate studentsto use these instruments to assist them intheir research efforts. Students use theseinstruments to study a broad range ofcompounds from very small molecules tolarge proteins and I work closely withusers to determine the best approach totheir particular research project.

“This facility is also used in the labora-tory component of a number of coursesoffered by the Department of Chemistry.In addition to research and teachingsupport, I also analyze samples fromgovernment agencies and the privatesector.

“A major part of my job is the day-to-day maintenance of the instruments andtroubleshooting problems when theyarise. In this aspect of my job, I am greatlyassisted by Memorial’s Technical Services.One of the most interesting aspects of myjob is the interdisciplinary nature of thework. I get to work with students fromthe fields of engineering, pharmacy,biochemistry, biology and chemistry. It isvery interesting to see first-hand some ofthe research being conducted here atMemorial and very rewarding to play apart in it.”

LINDAWINSORResearch laboratory co-ordinator ICREAIT Network (Core Research Equip-ment and Instrument Training)St. John’s campus

THE COMMUNICATOR12

“How has social media become part of your work experience at Memorial?”

“Social media sites are incredibly important toreach out to patrons and staff. Whether it’ssending event info on Twitter or Facebook,updating websites onWordPress, or postingvideos or pictures on YouTube or Flickr, my jobrelies on social media to get our message out.”

TERRY RANDELLLiquor services co-ordinatorGrenfell Campus Student UnionCorner Brook

“Our Facebook fan page is simply one of thebest ways to reach a wide audience. Updatesappear directly in each fan’s news feed. Ourfan base includes students, staff, faculty,alumni and people from all over the world.We use this media to advertise seminars andevents, and to provide links to useful physics-related websites and news.”

FRED PERRYSystems administratorDepartment of Physics and PhysicalOceanography, Faculty of ScienceSt. John’s campus

“Oh, I like that we have Facebook on ourwebsite. It’s a place where everyone, whetheryou’re staff, faculty or a student, can sharenews and photos and other stuff. It bringsus all closer together.”

SHARON TUCKERAdministrative staff specialistSchool of PharmacySt. John’s campus

“Facebook and Twitter have been instrumen-tal in helping us keep in contact with ourstudents. We let them know about importantacademic deadlines, scholarship notices andfun events on campus. Social media helps usreach out to students using a medium weknow they’re actively engaged with. You canfollow me on Twitter @studentliaison!”

RHONDAMCMEEKINStudent liaison officerAcademic and Student AffairsMarine InstituteSt. John’s

daysgoneby