Late last week, students from Durham College, UOIT and Trent@UOIT voted on the expansion of the Campus Athletic Centre, and an overwhelming 86 per cent of voters said yes!

"This is a huge student-life initiative," said Ken Babcock, director of the Campus Athletic Centre. "It will also provide an amazing opportunity for staff wellness."

Babcock noted that the 24 per cent turnout from this referendum is unprecedented. Previous to our vote, the most recent record was held by McMaster University, with 18 per cent of students making their voices heard. The average turnout is 15 per cent.

The new facility, which will include an enhanced Health and Wellness Centre, is expected to open in January 2007 and will "transform the campus" according to Babcock. The existing facility was built in 1977 to handle a student capacity of 3,000.

For more information on the Athletic Centre expansion, visit the Student Association website at http://www.sadcuoit.org/expansion.

Dr. Marc Rosen, founding dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science UOIT is one of the best in the profession.

Today at 3:30 p.m., Dr. Rosen will be recognized by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) when he receives the prestigious award of Fellow during a special presentation on the UOIT campus.

"The Fellow Grade is the highest elected grade of membership within ASME, the attainment of which recognizes exceptional engineering achievements and contributions to the engineering profession," according to the ASME website. Dr. Rosen certainly meets the criteria of an individual who has demonstrated significant engineering achievements and other successes.

"Receiving this distinction from ASME International is quite humbling. I sincerely thank the many colleagues and students with whom I have worked over the years, as I would not be receiving this recognition without their contributions and efforts," said Dr. Rosen. "I look forward to continuing at UOIT the activities that led to this honour, as our university provides, what I feel is, a great foundation for excellence in teaching, research and professional service."

The formal presentation by representatives of ASME will be held in Room UB2080 of the Business and IT building and will honour Dr. Rosen for his present work as founding dean, as well as his previous accomplishments. The presentation will be followed by an informal reception on the second floor outside UB2080. Anyone who wishes to attend either the presentation or reception is welcome.


Marc Rosen, founding dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science has been named an ASME Fellow.
[To view the images, please visit http://pipeline.mycampus.ca/docs/dual/publications/weekly/20050131.html]

The Early Learning Centre is growing, and is now licensed to include a Nursery School program which will be directed by Ann-Marie Ulrich. For more information, contact her at ext. 3054.

The campus telephone directory, which arrived last summer in a blue binder, is now being updated. All information will be taken from the list that appears on the I: drive under the Phone Listing folder.

Should the listing be incorrect, please forward changes via e-mail to Sheri-Lynn Conway at sheri-lynn.conway@dc-uoit.ca by Tuesday, February 15.

The theme of this year's Engineering Week touches on engineering as a caring profession. A full colour poster on the "Caring Profession" theme has been produced and supplied to event organizers throughout the province.

The poster features Ibrahim Dincer, a professor in the Faculty of Engineering who was the recipient of the Premier's Research Excellence Award (PREA), one of Ontario's highest research honours, for his cutting-edge work involving practical fuel-cell technology for automobiles.

The poster will also be distributed to Toronto District School Board schools with students in Grades 8 and up.

Three Durham College staff members - Tim Montgomery, Brian Beatson and Robert Anderson - are forming the Durham College/UOIT Pipes and Drums. The new band will represent the institutions at events both on and off campus, including convocation, the Santa Claus parade, sporting events, and other activities.

"Anyone who has ever watched a parade knows it's the pipe bands that make the parade," said Anderson.

Anderson notes that they are currently recruiting experienced pipers, but will also be a teaching band offering free instruction to anyone with a genuine desire to learn. The instructor is an award-winning piper who played with the 48th Highlanders of Canada, a prestigious group first formed in 1891 who played almost every single opening season at Maple Leaf Gardens.

Practices will take place on campus one night a week. Any current or former staff members who are interested in joining the band to play pipes or drums are asked to contact Bob Anderson via e-mail or by telephone at ext. 7381.

The new issue of the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) Journal (Volume 3, Number 1, 2004) features an article co-authored by UOIT Faculty of Social Science professors Dr. Walter DeKeseredy and Dr. Shahid Alvi.

The article, "Reducing Private Violence Against Women in Public Housing: Can Second Generation CPTED Make a Difference?" was also co-authored by Dr. Claire Renzetti (St. Joseph's University) and Dr. Martin D. Schwartz (Ohio University).

The main objective of this article is to show how second generation crime prevention through environmental design can be modified to help reduce pain and suffering in intimate relationships which are also plagued by poverty, unemployment, and a host of other social illnesses.

Judy Fong Bates is reading in Trent University's Writers Reading Series in Oshawa on Wednesday, February 9 at 5 p.m. in Room I110 of the Gordon Willey building. All faculty, staff and students from Durham College, UOIT and Trent@UOIT are invited to attend. The public is also welcome.