March 13, 2009
Vol. 136, Issue 37

Harvard Medical School students recently reported concerns about relationships between professors and pharmaceutical companies. (Matthew Rushworth)

An Rx for transparency

In a Mar. 3 New York Times article, Harvard Medical School faced criticism for having professors who were paid consultants for pharmaceutical companies. Medical students reported concerns that professors would promote certain drugs over others in lecture, even when the drug might not be the best treatment for a certain condition.

Fee cut raises doubts

On Mar. 24, The Society of Graduate and Professional Students (SGPS) will hold a referendum to decide whether or not to reduce the student fee of education students by half. President Jeff Welsh’s proposed plan is raising doubt in some who don’t believe the cuts are feasible.

Students play dead for climate change

At last Friday’s Board of Trustees meeting, 28 people decided to fake their own deaths in the name of Mother Nature. The “die-in” was staged by Queen’s Backing Action on Climate Change (QBACC) in order to bring attention to two pressing concerns surrounding the environment.

Cuts and the curriculum

“Contexts and Imperatives for Renewing the Curriculum,” a discussion paper on the curriculum released by Vice-Principal (Academic) Patrick Deane is seeking to start a conversation about keeping curriculum quality high despite financial challenges. “In the context of our academic mission, change is on its own neither good nor bad, desirable nor undesirable."

Contributors of the month

Read about our contributors of the month: Christine Blais, Holly Tousignant and Meaghan Trewin.

News in brief

There’s still no word as to how Queen’s is to proceed with the next stage of the Queen’s Centre after last Friday’s Board of Trustees meeting. Student trustee and AMS president-elect, Michael Ceci said the board is still waiting to hear how the recently announced $2 billion federal infrastructure funding towards universities will be allocated.

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