October 20, 2006
Vol. 134, Issue 15

About 136 students attended yesterday’s Econ110 lecture at 8:30 a.m. 317 people are registered in the course. (Katrina Ludlow)

Why we skip

From growing class sizes to an increasing reliance on technology, the future of undergraduate education is changing. Economics Professor H. Lorne Carmichael spoke to a sparsely populated lecture hall yesterday morning. Almost 200 students skipped class, with 136 of the 317 students registered in Econ 110 in attendance at 8:30 a.m. Carmichael said his students’ background in economics differs, which results in poor attendance.

Studying with a ‘hidden’ disability

Few people at the University know there are about 500 students with disabilities enrolled here every year, said Disability Advisor Barbara Roberts. Michael McNeely is one of these people. The ArtSci ’10 has Usher Syndrome, an in herited condition that causes serious early hearing loss and progressive vision loss. McNeely is legally deaf-blind; he can see to a certain extent, although he has trouble adjusting to varying light levels, and he can hear with a cochlear implant he got when he was three years old. McNeely has an intervenor who accompanies him to his classes.

Queen’s Centre excavation to start next year

Several months into construction for the Queen’s Centre, the University is behind in building and working to keep the multi-year, multi-million-dollar project on track. In order to begin excavating Clergy Street, one of the first steps in the construction of the Queen’s Centre, the Universtity must first purchase the street from the city of Kingston.

AMS condemns hate e-mail

Information Technology Services is investigating an e-mail sent anonymously to several Qlink e-mail accounts, villifying Islam as a religion that encourages its followers to “hatred and violence.” The AMS has condemned the letter, which claimed that phrases from the Koran justify Islam’s inherent violence and called on members of all religions to “stand firm against islam [sic] and pray for these evil sinners’ enlightenment.”

Fastathon raises $500 for AMS foodbank

Students across the Queen’s campus got a taste of what it’s like to go without food on Tuesday, when they participated in a Fastathon from dawn to dusk to raise money for the AMS Foodbank. The event was organized by the Queen’s University Muslim Students’ Association (QUMSA).

A soggy anti-poverty protest

A little wind and rain wasn't enough to stop this year's Make Poverty History mission from wrapping Stauffer Library with a white banner more than one kilometre long. Organized by Jennifer Morden and Kate Ciborowski, both ArtSci '08, of Queen's Make Poverty History chapter, Tuesday's event was one of many that occurred around the world on Oct. 17 in honour of Make Poverty History's annual International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

University sets $130 million target for private, corporate donations

David McCart, manager of strategic initiatives, said of the Queen’s Centre’s $230 million expected budget, $130 million is to come from private fundraising. This includes corporate and individual donations. McCart said he developed a plan in which for every dollar donated, the University will raise a dollar to match it.

Hate crime in New York

On Tuesday, in Brooklyn, NY, two men were indicted by a grand jury on charges of second-degree murder as a hate crime, for an incident that took place on Oct. 11. According to the New York Times, Michael J. Sandy was lured into a meeting place by the suspects that night. Sandy was attacked, robbed and forced into a busy street where he was then struck by a car. He suffered serious injuries and was in a coma until he died on Oct. 13 after his family decided to remove him from life support.

Tuition hikes not the answer

Frank Milne, a Queen’s business and economics professor, thinks that Canadians want a “Harvard education with McDonald’s hamburger prices.” Milne spoke at last Sunday’s Great Debate in Grant Hall, organized by the AMS to explore issues surrounding Canadian postsecondary education.

Celebrated film finally gets its due

Canadian films have a tendency to be boxed into unpleasant categories. Labeled as boring, low-budget or even depressing, the canon of Canadian cinema is just plain misunderstood. Clarke Mackey, head of the film studies department at Queen’s, begs to differ with this misunderstanding.

Losing streak ends with win at York

The football team ended its four-game losing streak with a 16-14 overtime win against the York Lions in Toronto last Saturday. With the team’s playoff hopes on the line going into the match-up, defensive co-ordinator Pat Tracey said consistency and simplicity were key components of the Gaels’ game plan.

Are we awash in awareness?

Happy Brandied Fruit Day! Oh, and happy National Microfinance Day, too. I guess if you only have small amounts of brandied fruit, you can save it with low interest. Wednesday was World Menopause Day and Thursday was Evaluate Your Life Day. It’s also National Dental Hygiene Week, National School Safety Week and National Co-operative Week.

Issue in photos

View all images from vol. 134, issue 15.