Diversity Tops Agenda of Student Services Conference
Stephen Lewis Urges Government Support for Broader Human Values

TORONTO, June 21, 2000 -- Student affairs professionals from across Canada will gather at York University June 25-28 to compare strategies for serving an increasingly diverse population of post-secondary students.

Eclectic Voices is the theme of the Canadian Association of College and University Student Services (CACUSS) conference, a reflection of the diverse and multi-cultural student population. Keynote speakers are: Stephen Lewis, former Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations; Roberta Jamieson, equity activist, mediator and former Ombudsman of Ontario; Susan Komives of the University of Maryland, College Park, a noted authority on student leadership and empowerment.

Lewis, former deputy director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and currently a member of an international panel investigating the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, will address the conference on Monday, June 26 at 9:15 a.m. in the convocation pavilion. He will discuss the tension between the rising need for student services and the steady decline in government support. "It's a whole new world for post-secondary students today as they strive to earn a degree in an environment of high tuition, government cutbacks and a move to privatization," said Lewis. "As the public sector is shredded, we are in danger of losing broader human values."

Pre-conference workshops on Sunday, June 25, will address issues of cross-cultural communication and counselling, accommodating exam anxiety and student attrition. "Students, professionals and faculty members will be able to discuss Canada's changing demographics, share best practices, and celebrate our similarities and differences," said Cora Dusk, Assistant Vice-President of Student Affairs at York University and conference chair.

Workshop topics during the week include:

An Update on Date Rape Drugs and Preventing Victimization
Jay Pasternak, a substance abuse counsellor, trainer and presenter in private practice with the Humber River Regional Hospital outpatient program, will look at the current trends in substance abuse on and off campus, the increased use of designer drugs in university life and the multi-faceted role they play, and prevention strategies for date rape and dealing with victimization.

Sex, Songs and Videotapes: A journey into the positive side of gay male identity
Dr. Kevin Alderson, head of counselling and health services at Mount Royal College in Calgary, and author of the soon-to-be released Beyond Coming Out (Insomniac Press, 2000), has extensive experience in counselling gay men and lesbian women. Using music and video, he will discuss his research into what gay men experience while developing a positive sense of identity, a relatively new area of academic study.

Past Voices, Future Directions
Dr. Donna Hardy Cox, President of CACUSS and associate professor at Memorial University in Newfoundland, will present a research project on the link between Canadian social policy, post-secondary policies and programs, student development theory and student services. Participants will be invited to share examples from their campuses of the impact of major Canadian social policies on student services and policies.

Academic Accommodations in Field/Practicum Settings for Students with a Disability
Dr. Patricia Pardo is coordinator of the disability resource centre, adjunct professor with the community rehabilitation disability studies program and master of the teaching program at the University of Calgary. She also sits on the Premier's Council on the Status of Disabled Persons. She will present guidelines and recommendations that strive to achieve a balance between accommodating students with a disability and maintaining academic and professional integrity of field/practicum requirements.

Money for Nothing -- Students and Money in a Dot.com World
Murray Baker is the author of the best seller, The Debt-Free Graduate (Harper Collins), a financial survival guide for students now in its third printing. He says the resources online to help students manage, save and invest their money have never been greater, but you must wade through the jungle to find the best sites. This session will demonstrate the powerful tools that exist free on the Web that are specifically helpful to students.

Career Issues for Students with Learning Disabilities
David Ness is a counsellor and professor at the Counselling Service at the University of Manitoba. His research interests include psychological help-seeking behaviour and the career decision-making process of university students. He will discuss the career decision-making barriers faced by students with learning disabilities and how these barriers can be overcome.

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The convocation pavilion is located east of the Centre for Film and Theatre, Keele Campus, 4700 Keele St. Roberta Jamieson and Susan Komives will speak in Burton Auditorium on Tuesday, June 27th and Wednesday, June 28th respectively. Please check the conference website -- www.yorku.ca/cacuss2000 -- for a detailed agenda and individual workshop locations.

For further information, please contact:

Cora M. Dusk
Assistant Vice-President
Student Affairs
York University
(416) 736-5275

Debra Glass
Director, Student Affairs
York University
(416) 736-5275

Susan Bigelow
Media Relations
York University
(416) 736-2100 ext. 22091
YU/072/00