LOOKING BACK –LOOKING AHEADAn academic year is over, another is not far away

International educators gather on campus for an annual summer institute

Planning a way for Aboriginal students

PeopleSoft Human Resources team celebrates milestones

JUNE 20

People, stories and ideas at Queen’s University

In the first editor’s note I wrote way back in September 2010, I celebrated theidea of “newness” as we began a new academic year at the same time aslaunching onQ, our new employee magazine. This magazine, I promised,would keep you informed of people who serve, lead, and influence the lives of students, faculty and staff on a daily basis.

Ten months and nine onQ issues later, I feel proud of what we’ve accom-plished, in the midst of a busy, sometimes exciting, sometimes distressing academic year.

These are challenging times on campus and in the world of higher education in general. In the face of declining government funding, ongoingnegotiations with various labour unions, and an increasingly diverse studentpopulation and their expectations, the university landscape is changing.Change is inevitable, there is no question, but what changes unfold remains tobe seen. Eyes are on the Senate Academic Planning Task Force to deliver a planthat will guide Queen’s into the next decade and beyond.

With the last issue of onQ, I want to thank all those who provided feedback– both positive and negative. My goal is to deliver a magazine that all Queen’semployees look forward to reading and I can only do that if I hear and listen to what readers want. I also to want to thank editorial board members and mycolleagues who contributed content and helped with editing.

This summer, we will be assessing our internal communications channels,including onQ. We’ll be talking to our readers, consulting with our designteam, and proposing modifications based on what we learn. I invite you tocontact Lorinda Peterson, Associate Director, University Communications(lorinda.peterson@queensu.ca) to join in these discussions.

Have a wonderful summer. onQ will be back in September.

Anita Jansman

EDITOR’S noTe

note

2 ONQ jUne 20

onQPeople, stories and ideas at Queen’s University

June 2011

EDITOR

Anita Jansmananita.jansman@queensu.ca ext. 77646

ADVERTISING AND CIRCULATION COORDINATOR

Peter Gillespieadvert@queensu.ca ext. 75464

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Rhonda Monette

MANAGER, VISUAL DESIGN AND PHOTOGRAPHY

Greg Black

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

Lorinda Peterson

EDITORIAL BOARD

Kristyn Wallace, CommunicationsMark Kerr, Communications

ONQ is published monthly, (circulation 5,000)from September to June by the Department ofMarketing and Communications, Fleming Hall,Queen’s University, Kingston, ON Canada,K7L 3N6queensu.ca/news/onq

EDITORIAL POLICY

Commentary and expert opinions that addressissues related to higher education and are con-sistent with the mandate of onQ are welcome toViewpoint. The editor reserves the right to editor decline submissions based on style, length,appropriateness, relevance, and legal consider-ations. Maximum 300 words.

Letters are welcome and should address issuesdirectly related to stories that appear in onQ.The editor reserves the right to edit or declinesubmissions based on style, length, appropri-ateness, relevance, and legal considerations.Maximum 200 words.

All submissions must be original and addressedto the editor, and include your name, affiliationand phone number. Send submissions toanita.jansman@queensu.ca by the 15th of eachmonth to be considered for publication in thenext issue.

On THE COvER: A view of Fleming Hall,Jemmett Wing, through cherry blossoms

HIdden GEMS

do you recognize this architecture on campus?

Turn to pg15 for the answer.

Mary Lou Finlay was Master of Ceremony atBan Righ Centre’s Spring Celebration on May 5.Ms Finlay was featured in onQ’s inaugural issueand was one of the first participants in the WhoIs She campaign launched last summer by theBan Righ Centre. Tributes continue to come infor Who Is She and the fundraising effort hasreaped great results. banrighcentre.queensu.ca/whoisshe.asp

jUne 20 ONQ

THoUgHTS on UnIveRSITy degReeS and WHaT THey ReaLLy MeanHERBERT W. BASSER, PROFESSOR, SCHOOL OF RELIGION

professional conferences, in-class tests,and few weeks are left. So we professors as-sign lots of readings and papers. Few stu-dents do careful readings and papers areleft until the last minute or the week after.A list of legitimate reasons and moreflimsy excuses arise: job commitments, ro-mantic break-ups, computer glitches, ill-nesses, and more creative stories ensue.This is the structure in which we teach.

I have been on faculty at Queen’s for 30years. From the beginning it was apparentthat most of the students I encountered atthis first-tier university did not belonghere. I believe that universities are for a se-lect few who want to learn skills of criticalscholarship – not to absorb information orbe forced to read things they would neverread otherwise.

Bill Morrison, professor emeritus ofhistory at University of Northern BritishColumbia and co-author of Campus Confidential: 100 Startling Things YouDon’t Know About Canada’s Universities,provoked a similar discussion in a recenteditorial appearing in the National Post.“Intellectual exclusivity and high academicstandards remain the foundation of world-

In recent years, for mainly budgetary rea-sons, Queen’s has cut faculty, reduced oreliminated programs, and in trimming fathas cut into the core of offerings. Still, enrolment remains high and each year anew crop of students arrives hoping toearn a degree from a highly reputableCanadian university.

Peter Taylor is leading the Senate Academic Planning Task Force in thought-ful and creative ways. He has been en-trusted to examine the style and structureof learning at Queen’s, and we await thefindings and recommendations. But howmuch can be done given the structures already in place that make it very difficultto gain any solid academic achievement?

The Arts and Science academic yearconsists of 24 teaching weeks broken intotwo terms—even if students attended everyclass, terms are effectively 10 weeks. Thefirst week is a shopping week. Studentswho come the second week may not be thesame as those who turned up the first week,and the last class of the term is not a seri-ous learning environment since studentsknow they will not be tested on that mate-rial. Take off time for holiday weekends,

class research and teaching institutions,” hewrites. “Colleges flourish with students whoare highly motivated and determined tomake their way into the world of work. Col-leges and universities are not supposed to belike elementary and high schools: universaland accessible to all. But we have turnedthem into that – an entitlement that must bemade available as close to home as possible.”

This calls to mind a story I read in theAtlantic Monthly in 2008. The author aptlyreferences The Wizard of Oz as an allegoryfor learning. “Dorothy learns that she can doanything she puts her mind to and that allthe tools she needs to succeed are alreadywithin her. I skip to the denouement: the in-tellectually ambitious scarecrow proudlymangles the Pythagorean theory and isawarded a questionable diploma in a dream-land far removed from reality. This is artholding up a mirror all too closely to ourown poignant scholarly endeavours.”

Perhaps Dr. Taylor and his able task forceneed to do what we began to do in the 1960s:tear down universities. And then do some-thing totally radical: reconstruct them witha clear vision of what higher education isand is not. Q

onQ welcomes commentary and expert opinions that address issues related to higher education to Viewpoint. Email anita.jansman@queensu.ca orsubmit via www.queensu.ca/news/onq. Maximum 300 words.

216 Princess St., Kingston Ontario 613.542.8112

VIEWPoInT

MenTaL HeaLTHWhile national media shone a light on the deaths of several students overthe past year, Queen’s employees were experiencing the impact of thesetragedies right here on campus. Some of us know the families involved.Some of us taught these young people. Most of us asked questions forwhich there are no satisfying answers. 

“The losses we have experienced have been profoundly felt, as theyalways are. This has been, for us at Queen’s, a year of intense grief,” saysUniversity chaplain Brian Yealland.

Statistics that reflect the breadth and depth of mental health issuesamong the university-aged population can help us grasp this troublingproblem that is all too often stigmatized and, as a result not discussed asopenly as it should be. One in four post-secondary education-agedCanadians experience some form of mental health issue (most commonlyanxiety and depression), while one in 10,000 may end their lives as a result.

Principal Daniel Woolf writes in the current Queen’s Alumni Reviewthat “it is not entirely clear why today’s students feel such elevated levels ofstress and anxiety, though various reasons have been adduced – fromhigher expectations of their own performance, pressures to succeed,multiple draws on time (including the Internet), cyber-bullying, and lackof preparation for the time-management required in university. In ourincreasingly diverse student population, we must pay particular attentionto risk factors for mental health such as social marginalization andisolation.”

Looking ahead to the 2011-12 academic year, Student Affairs will beimplementing a number of initiatives to give mental health a higher profileand enhance the supports and services available. Health, Counselling andDisability Services is hiring more counsellors and will be offering new andadditional training to instructors, staff and student leaders about how torespond to students in distress. www.queensu.ca/hcds/ds/overview.html

aCadeMIC PLanWhen Peter Taylor, professor in Mathematics and Statistics, was selectedto chair the Senate Academic Planning Task Force, he was by his ownadmission “impatient to roll up his sleeves, get a large clean sheet of paperand a sharp pencil, and start framing recommendations.”

As he remarked to Senate on April 28, that large sheet of paper is stillblank because the task force needs first to finish summarizing and distillingthe information gathered during consultations.

“The big factors influencing the academic plan are resources andpeople. Government funding will continue to be reduced by a governmentconvinced that higher education can be much more cost-effective,” saysDr. Taylor.

“At the same time, professors are feeling enormous pressure to find newways to teach effectively to a growing and ever-changing studentpopulation. Our student body is extremely diverse, in terms of culture,capacity, background, and ambition, and our faculty members have a widerange of talents and abilities. We have to work harder to respond, affirmand even celebrate this heterogeneity,” he adds.

What will the Academic Plan look like? Dr. Taylor suggests it willpromote an inquiry-based curriculum, with emphasis on critical thinkingand effective writing skills. A major focus of its attention will be on first-year students. It will provide scenarios for how the delivery of degreeprograms, courses and lectures might be simplified. The task force willwrite intensively in the month of June and deliver a report to Senate at itsSeptember meeting. www.queensu.ca/saptf

ONQ jUne 20

LOOKING AHEADLOOKINGBACK–

jUne 20 ONQ

LaBoURA number of changes have taken place on the labour front this year,including the United Steelworkers of Canada (USW) being certified torepresent staff. A vote in spring 2010 resulted in 53.8 per cent of ballotscast in favour of unionization.

Arbitration/mediation discussions are ongoing and will be continuingin the coming months. These talks, which began in February, are focusingon the membership of the new staff bargaining unit – some positionsidentified by the university need to be determined to be either in or out ofthe bargaining unit.

Currently six labour groups represent Queen’s employees including theUSW, Queen’s University Faculty Association (QUFA), Public ServiceAlliance of Canada (PSAC), Ontario Public Service Employee Union(OPSEU), three units of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE),and the Ontario Nurses Association (ONA). These groups are at variousstages of the collective bargaining process.

The university and CUPE are in conciliation. Conciliation means theparties are assisted by a provincially appointed officer to addressoutstanding issues. The discussions with Locals 229, 254 and 1302 beganin January. The CUPE contracts expired last June.

A first agreement has been reached between the university and PSAC,the union that represents approximately 1,500 graduate teaching assistantsand teaching fellows.

Negotiations had been underway since November, after the union wascertified by the Ontario Labour Relations Board last spring.

FInanCIaL UPdaTeUnderstanding the state of Queen’s finances leads to a discussion about theQueen’s Pension Plan (QPP). Two years ago, when the global financial crisisstruck, revisions to the plan were already under discussion. For years it hasbeen recognized by the university administration and employee groupsthat the QPP needs some adjustments. Pensioners are living longer thanexpected, and the rate of contributions has fallen behind the rate at whichbenefits are being paid out. 

In Provost Bob Silverman and V-P (Finance and Administration)Caroline Davis’s financial update of April 18, they say “the need forsignificant change should not be underestimated. There has been somecommentary suggesting that the market has recovered to pre-2008 levelsand so the need to take action has lessened. While we can appreciate itwould be comforting to believe that, it is our responsibility to dispel thatnotion. The QPP has not recovered...Bluntly stated, simple market recoveryis not enough...It neglects both the pre-existing issues with contributionrates and the three years of lost gains the plan experienced while recoveringfrom the market plunge. The long-term projections for the performanceof the plan assumed a degree of growth during the last three years, notstagnation. In essence, this means the plan is now sitting at well-below 2007levels while the demand for retirement benefits is still growing. Thatimbalance is not sustainable.”

The Ontario government requires pension plans to have two types ofliabilities: a going concern liability, which assumes the plan will continueon into the future, and the solvency liability, which assumes it would haveto be wound up immediately. The solvency liability is much bigger thanthe going concern because it calculates the immediate pensions foreveryone. Queen’s last formal valuation was done as of August 31, 2008, justbefore the crash, and the next one will be done by August 31, 2011. Apreliminary valuation by actuaries as of August 31, 2010 indicates the goingconcern liability is about $199 million and the solvency liability is about$325 million.

Luckily, the government does not expect the university to solve theproblem all at once. Queen’s is not the only public sector organization inthis situation. New regulations applicable to universities will allow them,on certain conditions, to defer the first solvency payment for three years,and then give them 10 years to deal with the liability. This is known as“solvency relief.” However, Queen’s will still be required to make goingconcern payments and to pay interest on the solvency liability. Makingthese payments will be a huge challenge. Discussions regarding changes tothe QPP have begun with various employee groups at the university. Qwww.queensu.ca/financialupdate/index.html

COVER SToRy

It has been quite a year at Queen’s. With the academic year ending, we look back at four issues thathave provided much fodder for discussion on campus – mental health, academic planning, labourand the economic climate.

ONQ jUne 20

Teenage CoMPUTeRUSe Can InCReaSeRISk BeHavIoURS Valerie Carson and Ian Janssen have found a strong associ-

ation between computer and Internet use in adolescents andengagement in multiple-risk behaviours (MRB). The re-searchers from the School of Kinesiology and Health Studiesfound that high computer use was associated with approxi-mately 50 per cent increased engagement with a cluster ofsix MRBs, including smoking, drunkenness, non-use ofseatbelts, cannabis and illicit drug use, and unprotected sex.High television use was also associated with a modestly increased engagement in these MRBs. One explanation behind this finding is that a considerable amount of adver-tising once shown on TV is now shown on the Internet. Inaddition, computer use by adolescents has increased con-siderably in recent years. Future studies examining the specific content adolescents are being exposed to could helpstrengthen current screen time guidelines for youth. Q

FoR PeaCoCkS, THe eyeSPoTSdon’T LIeRoz Dakin and Robert Montgomerie from the Departmentof Biology have found that peacocks whose tails are clippedto considerably reduce the number of eyespots are less suc-cessful at mating. However, natural variation in the numberof eyespots on a peacock’s tail does not impact a male’s matingsuccess. The researchers think that female rejection of maleswith substantially fewer than normal eyespots on their tailsmay have a number of explanations, including the perceivedmaturity of the male, the overall size of his tail, or even a fe-male’s concerns about the health of her potential mate. Thisinitial finding is part of a longer-term study aimed at discov-ering what females may be thinking during peacock courtshiprituals. Ms Dakin and Dr. Montgomery are examining pea-hens’ movements, behaviours, and visits to males within thecontext of males’ colouration, energetic displays, and wherethe males position themselves geographically. Q

THe PoWeR oF PoSITIve THInkIng BY CHRISTINA ARCHIBALD

Over the past 10 years, approximately 1,000papers have been published that fall underthe category of ‘positive psychology,’ abranch of psychology concerned with thestudy of positive human functioning. ForDean Tripp, this development has beenboth a blessing and a concern.

As a health psychologist in the Depart-ment of Psychology, Dr. Tripp has focusedmuch of his previous research on illnessmodels, coping responses to pain and theimpact of stress on health. But he’s alwaysbeen intrigued by people’s resiliency in theface of difficult life experiences, and fromthis perspective, feels that the growing in-

terest in, and focus on, positive psychologyis something to be celebrated.

“Our health care system is targeted onillness, so it makes complete sense that thefocus should be on the negative outcomesassociated with mental illness. However,proponents of positive psychology suggestthat the other side of the coin should alsobe examined—how people cope and remain resilient, even happy, in the face ofenormous challenges and stresses,” explainsDr. Tripp.

Positive psychology has garnered anenormous popular culture following, butconcerned critics complain that this move-

ment is based on far-reaching extrapola-tions of the core research. Dr. Tripp agreesthat it’s important to critically examine andquestion how far this popular movement ofpositive psychology has outstripped whatthe research has suggested.

To this end and to help guide his ownfuture research in the field, Dr Tripp hasdeveloped the Department of Psychology’sfirst course in positive psychology, whichwill be launched this fall. The course willexamine the positive features of resilientpeople and explore the principles of posi-tive psychology from a critical and scien-tific perspective. Q

RESEARCH In BRIeF

PROFILE

jUne 20 ONQ

“When you don’t see yourself, yourpeople, your ways of knowing reflectedanywhere in the institution, how can yousurvive and move forward?” remarks MsGellman, a PhD candidate in Cultural Stud-ies who is of Ojibway and Jewish heritage.

Queen’s is working to become morewelcoming and supportive of Aboriginalstudents. A strategic plan is being devel-oped to address the academic, social, po-litical and spiritual aspects that contributeto the well-being of Aboriginal students atQueen’s.

The plan is informed in part by a visiongathering session held last February. Mem-bers from diverse Aboriginal communitiesand Queen’s representatives discussedways to co-create a healthy, effective andrepresentative Aboriginal Council atQueen’s and a university environment thatis responsive to the learning needs of allAboriginal students.

“What I sense is a quantum shift in

respect to Aboriginal students and ways ofthinking at the university. When you lookat what senior administrators, faculty andstaff members have been doing, in partic-ular the extraordinary work of Janice Hillin her first year as the director of the FourDirections Aboriginal Student Centre, wehave a movement afoot,” says Ms Gellman.

The School of Policy Studies hosts a na-tional conference this month looking atthe issues of attracting and retaining morestudents from indigenous populations toquality education in Canada’s universitiesand colleges. Best practices among Cana-dian institutions will be highlighted.

Indigenous Issues in Post-SecondaryEducation will be held June 12-14. National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo ofthe Assembly of First Nations will be aguest speaker. Qwww.queensu.ca/sps/events/Indigenous_Issues/index.php

young Aboriginal people in Canadagraduate from university and college at

much lower rates than their non-Aborigi-nal peers. Behind the troubling statistic areseveral barriers that keep many Aboriginalstudents from experiencing a successfuland rewarding post-secondary education.

“Many Aboriginal students attend sec-ondary schools that are substandard anddon’t prepare them to negotiate a univer-sity setting. And oftentimes they encounterfinancial barriers to attending a post-sec-ondary institution,” says Mimi Gellman,the graduate coordinator of SupportingAboriginal Graduate Enhancement (SAGE)at Queen’s.

Aboriginal students who live in distantand isolated communities lose their supportnetworks when they move away to collegeor university. Even when Aboriginal studentsovercome the enrolment barriers, the en-vironment at a particular university or col-lege can present a unique set of challenges.

FEATURE SToRy

This illustrated map developed by avril orloff,shows the path toward a desired future wherethe university environment sustains and attracts members of aboriginal communities.The map was one of the guiding tools at a vision gathering session that was held inFebruary.

PLannIng a Way FoR

A B O R I G I N A L S T U D E N T S AT Q U E E N ’ SBY MARK KERR

QUeen’S SUMMeR CaMPS oFFeR SoMeTHIngFoR eveRyone

A wide variety of camps for children of all ages will be offered at Queen’s this springand summer. Registration is now open for summer programming. The camps include:

ONQ jUne 20

CAMPUS PULSe

1305 Princess Street, Kingston K7M 3E3

SUPPoRTIng MenTaL HeaLTH FoR STUdenTS STUdyIng aBRoad BY MARK KERR

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) trainingis offered for the first time this year to par-ticipants at Queen’s International EducatorsTraining Program (IETP) Summer Institute.

IETP provides professional develop-ment and training for international educa-tion staff from across Canada. MHFAtraining is one of nine courses, which alsoinclude intercultural competency, studyabroad programming and internationalstudent advising.

MHFA, similar to traditional first aid,teaches participants how to recognize thesigns and symptoms of mental health is-sues and guide a person toward appropri-ate professional help.

“International students on campus andQueen’s students studying abroad don’tnecessarily experience more mental health

issues, but they have more stressors thatare compounded when they are away fromhome and family,” says Alison Cummings,International Training Coordinator, withQueen’s University International Centre(QUIC).

Initially, Queen’s began offering MHFAtraining to professionals working in themental health field and university admin-istration. Then in 2008 the training wasprovided to Student Affairs frontline, andother interested university staff.

International educators at other uni-versities became aware of Queen’s leader-ship in mental health first aid training andinquired about it at conferences. “Thatconvinced us to add MHFA education tothis year’s list of Summer Institute courses,”says Ms Cummings.

The IETP Summer Institute, foundedin 2003, is a dynamic program with newofferings every year. Another addition thisyear is a course to train administrators onthe Intercultural Development Inventory,a tool to measure intercultural competency.

This year’s guest speaker is Ray Zahab,a humanitarian and motivational speaker.He is expected to share his experience ofraising awareness and funds for causesthrough his ultramarathon activities.

“We also want to find out how he engageswith youth, something that we are con-stantly aware of as international educationprofessionals,” says Ms Cummings. Qhttp://quic.queensu.ca/training/ietpsummerinstitutenew.asp

Wayne Myles, director of the Queen’sUniversity International Centre, presentsInternational educators Training Program(IeTP) participant kelvin Chen of TrentUniversity with a certificate. Mr. Chen com-pleted the Certificate for Internationaleducation Professionals program at the IeTPSummer Institute last spring. This year’s IeTPSummer Institute will take place june 12-17with Mental Health First aid training beingoffered for the first time.

SCIENCE QUEST CAMPSScience Camp/Computer Camp/girls Quest,Queen’s engineering Societywww.sciencequest.ca or 613.533.6870

ECO-ADVENTURE SUMMER CAMPQueen’s University Biological Stationwww.queensu.ca/qubs/events/summercamp.html or qubsecoadventure@gmail.com

ARTS AND SCIENCE UNDERGRADUATESOCIETY (ASUS) SUMMER CAMPSarts adventure Camp/Science discovery Campwww.asuscamps.com or 613.533.6000 ext. 75441

EXPLORE CAMPSdepartment of geographywww.geog.queensu.ca/Explore/index.asp or 613.533.6000 ext. 77214

FUTURE QUESTSchool of Religionwww.queensu.ca/religion/theology/leadership/futurequest/summer.htmlor 613.533.6690

ATHLETICS AND RECREATIONwww.gogaelsgo.com or call 613.533.2500

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CAMPUS PULSe

Queen’s tradition of teaching excellence isrecognized through a variety of teachingawards at the departmental, institutional,provincial and national levels. To date,over 1,000 faculty and teaching assistantshave won 71 institutional, faculty, and departmental awards, 12 Queen’s facultywere awarded the Ontario Confederation

of University Faculty Associations Award,and seven faculty members received the3M Teaching Fellowship. Some of the 2009-10 Faculty of Arts and Scienceaward winners are pictured above at the 2010 Teaching Award Reception.www.queensu.ca/ctl/awards

THe BaILLIe aWaRd FoR exCeLLenCe InSeCondaRy SCHooL TeaCHIng was established by former chancellor CharlesBaillie. It allows Queen’s graduates to honour educators who made a positiveinfluence on them during their highschool careers, setting them on thecourse that brought them to Queen’s.This year’s winners and nominating stu-dents are:

Seth Bernstein, Ursula Franklin academy,nominated by Lena dolman (Biology);Carol Evans, R. H. king academy, nomi-nated by xiren Wang (Political Studiesand Music); Rob Lederer, dr. e. P. ScarlettHigh School, nominated by danielledowne (Life Sciences); Atef Makkar, St. joseph Secondary School, nominatedby kirsten Fill (Chemical engineering);Ted Pike, Sir Winston Churchill HighSchool, nominated by yan yu (Biology);nathan Tidridge, Waterdown districtHigh School, nominated by emily kulpaka (education).

QUeen’S HoSTS MedIa TRaInIng WoRkSHoP BY ERIN TOLLEY

What do income-splitting, comic booksand colonoscopies have in common? At firstblush, perhaps not much, but all werepegged as potential op-ed topics at a mediatraining workshop held on campus recently.

Organized by the Office of Advance-ment and the Department of Marketingand Communications, 20 faculty and grad-uate students, and staff from the univer-sity’s media relations team attended theday-long session facilitated by Shari Gray-don, communications consultant for In-formed Opinions. Informed Opinions’research suggests that women write just 16per cent of op-eds in the country’s majornewspapers. Ms Graydon takes aim at thisgender gap by training media commentatorsand promoting the work of female re-searchers through an online experts database.

Developing practical skills was the pri-mary emphasis. The workshop began witha discussion about what is an op-ed. Foundon the opinion pages – opposite the editorial– of most major newspapers, op-eds aretypically less than 800 words and providethe author’s own perspective on a currentevent or issue. A strong op-ed includes anengaging first sentence, a news hook, mainargument and refutation of counter posi-tions, as well as a brief overview of the au-thor’s credentials. After dissecting anumber of examples, participants pro-ceeded to craft and refine the componentsof their own op-eds.

In addition to this hands-on training,Debra Black, an editor with the TorontoStar, provided insights into the inner work-ings of a large media organization, while

university staff drew attention to the mediaresources available on campus.

Although peer-reviewed publicationscontinue to figure prominently as a re-searcher’s academic bread-and-butter, uni-versities are increasingly recognizing thevalue of knowledge translation and dissem-ination through more popular vehicles,such as op-eds and social media. By armingfemale faculty and students with the skillsneeded to contribute, Queen’s has ensuredthat their voices will continue to be an im-portant part of the public discourse. Qwww.queensu.ca/news/faculty-staff-resources/write-op-ed

Erin Tolley is a PhD candidate andTrudeau Scholar in the Department of Political Studies.

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A romantic country inn where President Ta. once was an insider, and at a spot which Queen Victoria’s

daughter, Princess Louise, proclaimed was “by far the

loveliest place in all of Canada.” Truly Canada at its quiet, beautiful best.

Reservations recommended

Only 35 minutes from Queen’s University

www.hotelkenney.com613-359-5500

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exCeLLenCe In TeaCHIng HonoURed

First row, left to right: dana olwan, Woman’s Studies; Robert dennis, History; gillian Mackey,Chemistry; elize Ceschia, Chemistry. Second row, left to right: Patricia Minnes, Psychology; Zac Hudson, Chemistry; Patrick Cashin, Chemistry; Ryan danby, School of environmentalStudies; neal Scott, geography; Linda Cameron, geography; Melanie Bedore, geography.

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CAMPUS PULSe

PeoPLeSoFT HUMan ReSoURCe TeaM CeLeBRaTeS MILeSToneS BY KRISTYN WALLACE

Transition to the new PeopleSoft HumanResources system is just eight monthsaway, and the project has already reachedmany important milestones.

“We have put tremendous effort intoplanning and testing the new system.However, in the upcoming months we willstill need to focus on our goal,” says DebbieRadley, Queen’s University AdministrativeSystems Replacement (QUASR) HumanResources Project Manager. “We will workhard together, to make this significant tran-sition to PeopleSoft as smooth as possible.”

All major technical work and the initialtransfer of knowledge from external con-sultants to Queen’s staff is complete, allow-ing the consultants to leave the project.They will return in the fall to help imple-ment the system.

Data from the legacy system has beenconverted and transferred to the People-

June 23 - Dave Holland QuintetJune 24 - Kurt Elling: Swings Sinatra & More / Brandi Disterheft QuintetJune 25 - Christian McBride & Inside Straight / The Shuffle Demons

FREE PORCH JAZZin Skeleton ParkJune 25, 12-3pm

FREE JAZZin Confederation ParkJune 25, 3-6pm

Tickets by phone: 613.530.2050 Tickets online: kingstongrand.caGrand Theatre Box Office, 218 Princess St. Kingston, ON

facebook.com/kingstongrandtheatre twitter.com/Kingston_grand

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KINGSTON

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Soft system. Compatibility, accuracy, andintegration testing have been performed toensure information is valid and all parts ofthe new system work together.

Materials, session content and sched-ules are being developed for training ses-sions to begin in October.

Between now and September, the HRQUASR team will be working towards:completing the third payroll parallel cycle,in which payroll is run using both the oldand new systems and discrepancies areidentified; finalizing training materials;completing knowledge transfer about thePeopleSoft system to university staff whowill be working with it; and supportinguser acceptance testing, to ensure the sys-tem meets the user’s requirements. Qwww.queensu.ca/quasr/hr.html

QUaSR project team members are hard at work at 449 Princess Street preparing for the imple-mentation of the new Human Resources PeopleSoft system in december. Functional analystMorgan nicholson (seated at the computer) works out a problem with justin Bradley, systemsanalyst, Shannon McFadden, junior functional analyst, and Tara Stellato, senior functional analyst (left to right).

jUne 20 ONQ

Summer’s blazing sun, warm tempera-tures, and the promise of countless out-door activities offer great chances to getinto physical shape. But if you’re lookingfor advice or need a bit of motivation towork a fitness program into your life, headto the Athletics and Recreation Centre(ARC) and call on Steve Couto, supervi-sor of the personal training program. Inthis role, Steve brings a combination of ex-perience and a passion for physical fitnessand health.

“People often come in asking for thebest this or that – the best exercise to trimtheir waist or strengthen their legs. In fact,there is no one magic answer to personalfitness. We take a holistic approach here. Wemake people feel comfortable in the fitnesscentre and encourage them to build a regu-lar program into their lives,” says Mr. Couto.

He consults personally with ARC mem-bers or refers them to one of seven train-ers. Depending on the client’s needs, thetrainer will set up a self-regulated programor one that provides one-on-one attentionon a regular basis.

Trainer Greg Simmons’s client rosterincludes students, staff and faculty. The St.Lawrence College graduate of the fitnessand health program enjoys helping peopleachieve their personal level of fitness. Inaddition to personal training, Mr. Sim-mons leads Lifting Through Breakfast, astrength and conditioning program forwomen, as well as Boot Camp, an intensivetraining program.

“I listen to what the clients want to getout of a fitness program and I set it up forthem with their personal goals in mind,”says Mr. Simmons.

All the trainers stress the importance ofa strong core, and this is particularly truefor people who spend a lot of time sittingat a desk, in front of a computer, as somany Queen’s employees do.

“You’re shutting down a vital area ofthe body with so much sitting, and as peo-ple get older that can lead to health com-plications. You really have to get up andmove and strengthen the core to avoidthose risks,” says Mr. Couto.

Mr. Couto invites Queen’s employees tovisit him at the ARC and determine the bestway to a more active and healthy life. Qwww.gogaelsgo.com

CAMPUS PULSeEMPLOYEESPOTLIGHT onQPeoPLe WHo Make a dIFFeRenCe on CaMPUS

Cleland Travel & Cruise

Cleland Travel – Your Business Travel Choice! Expert Advice – Cleland Travel boasts the best and most experienced travel consultants in Kingston with a dedicated business travel department with over 60 years of business travel experience. Payment Options – Cleland Travel understands Queen’s travel payment policy and offers you the choice of paying by credit card or direct billing to the university. Time Savings – We provide one stop service for air, rail, car, hotel, tour, cruise and insurance bookings. We do it all for you, so you can spend your time on more important things. Enjoy the Cleland Advantage today. Call Donna Richardson or Denise Tracey at 613-544-3374.

TICO# 1666989

Mon to Fri 8:30am – 5pm 613-544-3374 1187 Princess Street Peachtree Plaza www.clelandtravel.com

Would you like to suggest someone for Employee Spotlight? Email anita.jansman@queensu.ca

Front, Tiffany Bambrick. Seated, nick Kew, Katie Robinson, Luis Illas, and Sarah Jeffrey. Standing, Steve Couto, Katie Rizzi, Lora Wiederick and Greg Simmons.

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onQ maze

Solutions at www.queensu.ca/news/onq

ACROSS1. Little lie4. Backtalk7. article

10. korean sportswear company11. Beer12. viewpoint author Basser (see pg 3)14. City in the veneto15. Saint Quiricus nickname16. goddess of discord17. Magnesium silicate19. Hopes21. Programming language23. ‘__ House’, Madness song24. exciting28. Home to Tom Thomson works31. Car smoother32. voudoun spirit33. Thor’s father34. With heart, a French appeal35. Target of operation geronimo37. ‘Logan’s ___’38. Freud part39. ‘Hollaback’ fruit43. Pie of fruit and spices47. desk where newsp. reporters go to die48. Pixel50. gaels, for example51. Hawaiian volcano goddess52. ‘Take on Me’ band53. abominable creature54. Screen type55. over there, to a poet56. ‘That Thing you __’

DOWn1. Italian carmaker2. Rick’s regret3. Teaching award namesake (see pg 8)4. Body of fresh water, in France5. There is, in France6. aRC trainer type (see pg 11)7. Frequently mispelled possesive8. german honorific9. a great lake

10. Radio band13. kevin drew-led band (init.)18. With a sac, there’s no way out20. Snub-nosed canine22. alan neal show on CBC Radio24. ‘Scrubs’ group25. ‘Ben-___’26. MLB stat27. Uneven atom28. Lemon drink29. Tom Collins ingredient30. ‘___ the Waterfront’33. david Bowie’s ‘a Space ___’35. When expecting, it’s in the oven36. elvis Costello’s ‘My __ is True’37. noted by Zagat or Michelin39. dance40. adam’s murdered son41. Site of Cleopatra and antony’s

infamous barge trip42. London or nyC ‘hood44. Beatles track ‘I __ you’45. Roman statesman46. Music conglomerate49. Sun status symbol

2 ONQ jUne 20

jUne 20 ONQ

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David Murakami Wood (Department ofSociology) and Stephen Scott (Centre forNeuroscience Studies) are participating in“Tri Till You Cry” at the end of June. This48-hour triathlon marathon organized byendurance swimmer and Queen’s hon-orary degree recipient, Vicki Keith willhave participants swimming two hours,cycling two hours and running two hours,a pattern that will be repeated for 48 hoursnon-stop. The event will raise funds forthree charities in Kingston that help chil-dren with disabilities: the Child Develop-ment Centre, Easter Seals and PenguinsCan Fly. This should prove to be a chal-lenging event for all participants, particu-larly for Professor Murakami Wood whohad never had a swimming lesson untilthis year. Q

offQ THe LIveS oF QUeen’S PeoPLe oFF CaMPUS

Are you involved in projects outside ofQueen’s? Do you know a colleague who is? Share your stories with onQ. Email anita.jansman@queensu.ca

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■Online customer service training for persons with disabilities a must

Everyone who interacts in any way with persons with disabilities on behalfof the university must be trained inaccessible customer service before June 30.The names of staff and facultywho have not completed the trainingwill be distributed to deans anddepartment heads in early July. If youhave not completed the 1 hour trainingplease go towww.queensu.ca/equity/content.php?page=CSOnlineTraining.

■Food Services Summer HoursBeginning May 2

LAZY SCHOLAR Monday – Friday, 7:30 am – 2:30 pm

GOODES HALL CAFÉ Monday – Friday, 8 am – 3 pm

QUEEN’S CENTRE Monday – FridayTim Horton’s7:30 am – 3 pm

Ignite Grill & Ice Cream11 am – 2 pm

BIOSCIENCES Monday – FridayTim Horton’s7 am – 3 pm

CLOSED FOR SUMMERMediTerra (JDUC).Macdonald Hall Cafe Quiznos (JDUC) Mackintosh-Corry Café Stauffer Library Café Gord’s Café

http://housing.queensu.ca/hospitality_services

■The Retail Postal Outlet located on the lower floor of the John DeutschUniversity Centre is closing June 30.Visit www.queensu.ca/news/articles/retail-postal-outlet-close for moredetails.

NOTES onQ

ONQ jUne 20

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KINGSTON

JAZZ FESTIVALJune 23-24-25

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STAIRCASE IN VICTORIA SCHOOL

Historic Victoria School, on Union St. at Frontenac, was constructed in 1892 by noted Kingston architectWilliam Newlands. It was Kingston’s largest elementary school for 100 years until it was purchased byQueen’s in 1992. The school’s ornate tower, deliberately echoed by the smaller tower of the Policy Studiesbuilding across the street, marks the western entrance to the main campus. For several years the StudentAwards and Student Recruitment offices were located in the building.

In order to make room for a new home for the Queen’s School of Business, Victoria School was reno-vated and expanded, transforming it into Goodes Hall in 2002.

Goodes Hall is now undergoing another expansion; the newest wing is slated to open in December2011. www.goodeshallexpansion.com

from page 2

ONQ jUne 20

HELP LINESCampus Security Emergency Report Centre

613.533.6111Human Rights OfficeIrène Bujara, Director 613.533.6886

Sexual Harassment Complainant AdvisorsMargot Coulter, Coordinator 613.533.6629

Chuck Vetere, Student Counsellingext. 77978

Anti-Racism Complainant AdvisorsStephanie Simpson, Coordinator 613.533.6886

Audrey Kobayashi, Geography 613.533.3035

Anti-Heterosexism/Transphobia Complainant AdvisorsJean Pfleiderer, Coordinator 613.533.6886

Eleanor MacDonald, Politics 613.533.6631

Coordinator of Dispute Resolution MechanismsHarry Smith 613.533.6495

Sexual Harassment Respondent AdvisorsGreg Wanless, Drama ext. 74330

Anti-Racism Respondent AdvisorEllie Deir, Education ext. 77673

Internal Dispute Resolution SGPS Student Advisor Program 613.533.3169

Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Diane Kelly, Access and Privacy Coordinator 613.533.2211

Equity Office613.533.2563

Accommodation and WellnessShannon Jones, Workplace Advisorext. 77818

Employee Assistance Program1.800.387.4765

University ChaplainBrian Yealland 613.533.2186

RectorNick Day 613.533.2733

Health, Counselling and Disability Services613.533.2506

Queen’s University is committed to contributing to a sustainable global environment.

This publication is printed on Supreme Matte paperwhich contains 30% post-consumer waste, and isprocessed chlorine-free, using renewable energy. 11

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