By Andrew McRae

Sri Lanka is faced with a number of challenges. Modernizing the Sri Lankan educational system is one of them, a daunting task, made increasingly difficult with the existence of widespread poverty throughout the country and an ongoing, bloody civil war.

Such a challenge was addressed on Feb. 5 at Founders College, by Sri Lankans: N. Harija, M. Dassanaya, H. Ariyadasa and S. Murlitharan from the Sri Lankan educational system and the Ministry of Education, who were invited by York International as part of International Development Week 1999.

An initial presentation of Sri Lanka's 2,500 year history, covering pre-historic times to that of British settlement, offered a general understanding of the many power struggles and colonial hegemonies the island has witnessed. Implicit in this is the number of times that its education system has had to devolutionize and subsequently re-invent itself after each European colonial governance.

Today, Sri Lanka enjoys a literacy rate of 89 per cent due to free education, higher than any other Asian sub-continent country including India, Sri Lanka's wealthier and better developed neighbour. This statistic however may be misleading and somewhat flawed. While the majority of the literate population resides in developed urban communities, those living in rural and fishing regions (where the majority of the island population resides) are almost exclusively illiterate. For example, children are found labouring to supplement the family economy rather than attending school.

Furthermore, the quality of education and the literacy that is produced from it is also questionable. Out of the 195,000 teachers in Sri Lanka, only a small fraction are professionally qualified, most lacking any formal teacher training whatsoever.

Entering into higher education is very difficult for most students. Acceptance is heavily exam-based, one percentage shy of the minimum test score likely leads to a decline of the applicant. This underscores the elitist nature of university education on the island. As well, many of those who do complete a university degree leave Sri Lanka for greener pastures, resulting in a crippling "brain drain", a phenomenon not unrecognized in Canada.

Despite abundant natural resources, Sri Lanka remains a poor country with a dismal per capita income of approximately $690. After Independence in 1948, poverty fell somewhat, but 22 per cent of all households still fall below the poverty line.

With its great resources, the country should be achieving far higher growth than it is. However, ethnic conflict, political unrest and poor economic management has kept growth down. Naturally, these factors have had a negative effect on the education system.

With the ongoing government campaign against the Tamil Tigers, $850 million is spent annually on the war effort. This is a large sum of money for such a small country; inevitably therefore, few resources are allocated to education.

In light of this situation, the government welcomes international development agencies and poverty relief funds, and the western world is answering the call. The International Development Agency (IDA), together with the World Bank and Swedish and German funds, are working to build new modern schools, develop a technology base and improved teacher training to make it more effective.

While the government has scrounged to allocate $20 million to education resources, it is insufficient. Without western development agencies, Sri Lanka's education system would remain substandard. The system is modernizing and becoming more efficient. However poverty coupled with the ongoing civil war, has certainly slowed its pace.

Andrew McRae is a fourth year history student in the Faculty of Arts.

By Jennifer Castle

International Development Week offered such a variety of programs, it was difficult to choose among them. However, my personal favourite was "Reasoning with My Sisters", a script reading about six women from the Caribbean, living in Toronto. It was an intimate exchange of ideas based on an honest body of work that cuts deeply into the issues that Caribbean women face, and that, if applied cross culturally, all women can identify with.

"Reasoning With My Sisters" (based on the characters of the book, Dread Culture) was written and directed by Masani Montague, a Masters student at York. The play exposed some of the real concerns of women, and some of the gaping holes in the system in which women must survive. Sexual assault, domestic violence, custody, abortion and drugs were just some of the topics that Montague wove into the fabric of the play. While dealing with all of these subjects in one venue can be difficult, Montague has succeeded by letting these issues surface naturally in a setting where women came together to reason about their lives. The concept of reasoning was particularly poignant because the women offered each other a spectrum of advice that came from a place of sincere concern and support.

Following the script reading Montague asked the audience for honest feedback showing a genuine interest in their comments. There was much discussion on the clarity of speech for North American audiences, as each actor performs in Caribbean dialect, and very positive response to the rapport among the characters and the underlying humour in the play.

Although the play is still in its infancy and not yet ready for performance, the energy between the actors is already evident, a strength that will help to make this play a success. Montague is pleased with its progress so far, and eventually plans to take it to the Caribbean.

Additional script readings/ performances will take place at York on March 17-18, 2-5 p.m. and March 19, 6-9 p.m. at Founders College Dining Hall.

Sponsers to date are: York Women's Centre, York Federation of Students, Ontario Public Interest Research Group and Founders College. For volunteer info. call: (416) 661-4978

Jennifer Castle is an undergraduate student of English, in the Faculty of Arts.

By Sandra Guiry

The representation of gender and sex in theatre was the focus of a panel discussion held recently at York University. "Transforming Gender: From Presumption to Performative" was the title of series of events held Feb. 8 at the Burton Auditorium. The panel discussion lead the afternoon and evening session of events which also included a reception and talk/performance by playwright and performer Diane Flacks.

The second to last of a series of free public events organized by Robert Wallace, Robarts Chair for Canadian Studies, the panel discussion drew an audience over 100 people. The panel was represented by Canadian playwrights and performers including: David Bateman, playwright and performance artist whose work has been seen at Buddies In Bad Times Theatre, Toronto and Zeitgeist Theatre, New Orleans; Audrey Butler, Artistic Director, Tempermental Journeys, playwright and performer; and the organizer of "Theatrical Trans/Formations" series Robert Wallace. Unfortunately, Jonathan Wilson, playwright and performer whose new play, "KILT" premieres at Toronto's Tarragon Theatre in April, was to speak on the panel, but was unable to attend the event.

As the title of the event demonstrates the discussion began by debunking the presumption that gender is a natural or innate quality. Queer theorists have offered the notion that there is no link between sex and gender, and that both are open to change.

American theorist, Judith Butler (no relation to Audrey Butler), has said that gender is an imitation for which there is no original. Robert Wallace referred to Butler in his opening remarks and said, "We perform gender all the time. Gender is diffuse and multiple. We cite a codified authority of feminine and masculine only because we organize some previous experience." We associate gender by clothing, makeup, gesture, eyes, hair, hands etc.

David Bateman described theatre as a representation of life. "We can cite transvestism as the basis of life... we put layers on and off," he said. This is replicated in much of Bateman's performance work where he portrays gender in different ways by putting on and taking off layers of clothing and props. in drag.

Bateman begins his piece, "What Dreadful Things to Say About Someone Who Has Just Paid For My Lunch," in a black suit and announces to the audience "I'm a 34 year old white gay male" and then removes the suit jacket to reveal a female bodice showing the male chest. "I use feminine costumes always showing the male chest to demonstrate a unity of masculine and feminine forms." In other pieces Bateman dresses in costumes representing such as icons as Jackie O and has appeared in a dress with a skirt made out of a patio umbrella.

The third member of the panel, Audrey Butler, is a transgendered individual. Although born female, Butler prefers a male identity. Butler spoke about how his work as a playwright includes issues of gender and sex. In his play, "Black Friday" a girl travels back to her hometown to come out to her family and introduce them to her female partner.

Butler stressed the importance of being public about his transgender and sexuality, and includes issues of gender and sex in his work. "I try to be public every chance I get. It's important to be public," Butler said. "I am not both genders but not either." Butler often stages his work on a round platform surrounded by the audience. For him it is important to transform audiences, breakdown walls, and have the audience members look at each other.

In the discussion after the panel presentations, the panellists responded to questions from the audience on a variety of topics: from the proper use of pronouns for transgendered individuals to the differences between drag and cross-dressing. Bateman responded, "Drag is a tradition of conscious performance on stage, whereas cross-dressing is off-stage in everyday life."

Wallace stated that many people now reject the term "queer" as it was developed by academics as a term for white gays. "This is one example of engenderment we're subject to," he said, "and changing the language itself is important."

In the final event of the "Theatrical Trans/Formations" series, Professor Wallace will deliver a lecture which attempts to bring together all the various issues the series has hosted, including events on Native and Quebecois theatre to name a few. That event will take place on March 15, 1999.

Sandra Guiry is a graduate student in political science.

Every other week, The Gazette will be interviewing people on "The Common" to get answers to specific questions about life at York, and opinions about issues important to students, faculty and staff.

By Sandra Guiry

Question: What was your New Year's resolution? Have you kept it, why or why not?

Dori Elhachem student, Faculty of Fine Arts	"My New Year's resolution was to quit smoking. I was able to keep it for three weeks, but I enjoy it too much to quit."
Megan dance student, Faculty of Fine Arts	"My New Year's resolution was to be as open and honest as possible. So far I have kept it, but I probably won't be able to because things come up and sometimes you just slip. Not lying overtly or anything like that, but just saying something to someone..."
Heather Kirk dance student, Faculty of Fine Arts	"I made a million New Year's resolutions: to control my moods, to try to be more pleasant and more in control. I've been able to keep them because it's easier to be nice than people think."
Lesley Grant graduate student in political science	"I made a resolution to quit smoking. I've kept it because I'm good.... I mean really good. If I can continue to be smoke free it would be awesome."
Erica Lien student political science/law and society	"My New Year's resolution was to spend more time on course work. I've been very happy with my results in past years, but you can always improve. So far I've kept up with everything really well."

by Michael Todd

Just about any of life's thresholds seems to be an opportunity to engage in promise making: birthdays, deaths, births, etc. Humans love to think they can better themselves. We promise ourselves to do all sorts of things (better). Problem is, we carry out so few of them.

Are resolutions made to be broken? To find out, the Gazette resolved to ask some York psychologists about our desires to do better, be slimmer, quit smoking, act nicer and drink less coffee.

York professor emeritus social psychologist Kathy Koenig says pretty much any new start in life is prime time to resolve to do better. "A new school year is common [for making resolutions]. People make all sorts of promises to study harder, attend more classes, get better marks," says Koenig.

Is there a danger in making resolutions? "Only if you're dealing with people who set themselves unrealistic goals," she says. "My advice is this: if you really want to do something, do it in small, incremental steps."

Koenig also suggests anyone who is serious about making personal change join a program that has other people trying to achieve similar goals ­ for example, the WeightWatcher's approach. "It's a question of public versus private commitment. You get support from your peers," Koenig says.

Marc Wilchesky, Chair of the York Counselling and Development Centre, says his advice is to make sure that the resolutions aren't "out of whack" with what is achievable. "Resolutions are fine but it's best to think of them in terms of goals that are measurable. I think it's a natural thing [to make resolutions]. At the CDC, we do a lot of stuff on being a better student. But the point is you have to have a plan and time to go along with the goal. Don't limit yourself, but on the other hand don't set goals that aren't achievable either."

Noted gambling expert and psychologist Igor Kusyszyn isn't betting on human nature to follow through on its higher ideals. He says you're pretty much stuck with your inherited personality traits. "You can modify your behaviour a little bit, but not much. Most people will change for a while and then let go. Resolutions are largely futile."

Kusyszyn says western cultures have an exaggerated quest for self-improvement. Why? "It stems from the Industrial Revolution...we've been conditioned to work to achieve better things in life."

Are there better ways to live then, other than being caught up in a web of resolutions and dissatisfaction with oneself? Kusyszyn advises trying to live for who you are rather than for what you might always become. "It's like Popeye says, 'Iyam who Iyam.' There's some wisdom in that.

"Being is old European, while becoming is more a North American philosophy. But there is some hope for us, I think. The younger generation I meet seem to be much more interested in being, and not so much obsessed about becoming.

By Michael Todd

The following are excerpts from Honest Politics: Seeking Integrity in Canadian Public Life by Ian Greene and David P. Shugarman, James Lorimer and Co. Ltd. (1997). The authors are both professors of political science at York University and the impetus for their book was provided by three workshops on ethical issues in politics that they organized at York between 1992 and 1994. The excerpts are taken from a chapter titled "In Pursuit of Honest Politics."

Relatively few Canadians today would consider a career in politics to be potentially one of the noblest achievements of a lifetime. In a 1996 survey of Canadians conducted by Professor Maureen Mancuso and others, 51 per cent of respondents said that judges are more ethical than the average person, while only 17 per cent thought that MPs were. Undoubtedly, if Canadians were asked what they want their children to be when they grow up, "politician" or "statesperson" would score near the bottom of the list, if it appeared at all. Yet politicians need to earn precisely the opposite reputation ­ one for honesty and trustworthiness ­ if our democracy is to regain its health.

If politics is regarded as sleazy and dirty, then dishonest people will be drawn to it. On the other hand, if politics is considered a respectable and worthy profession, it will attract the best and the brightest that society has to offer. But politics cannot be regarded as admirable unless its practice is considered by and large ethical.

Our view is that honest politics is not only attainable in a democratic country, it is essential if the fundamental democratic value of mutual respect is to be taken seriously. It is often said that ethical politics is an oxymoron. Yet this is usually said in frustration. Serious ethical deficiencies exist in Canadian politics because the infrastructure needed to support honest politics is, depending on the issue, either partly built, neglected, or non-existent.

There are some who will conclude that any attempt to improve ethical standards in Canadian politics is as futile as teaching good manners to swine. However, it should be remembered that at one time, judges did not enjoy a high reputation. During various periods prior to the advent of judicial independence in the Anglo-Canadian legal tradition, judges had a reputation for being corrupt, prone to accepting bribes, and amenable to undue influence. Today, thanks to a general acceptance of the importance of the principles of fairness and impartiality in the courts, and the attention that judges themselves attach to ethical issues, judging is one of the most respected professions in our society. Many good lawyers aspire to become judges, in spite of a possible drop in pay, because a judicial appointment is symbolic of a successful career. The same transformation needs to occur ­ and we believe can and must occur ­ with respect to elected officials.

Ethics commissioners

Canada's experiments with ethics commissioners have been reassuring with regard to conflict-of-interest issue, which up to now have been the commissioners' primary concern. With few exceptions, the creation of the office of an independent ethics commissioner has marked the dividing line between frequent conflict-of-interest scandals and an almost complete absence of significant conflicts.

There are several reasons for the success of the commissioners. Most important is their role in counselling elected members. Because the commissioners meet with individual members in confidence to advise them about avoiding the potential conflicts of interest that might arise from their personal financial situations, the members receive a dose of preventive medicine that was previously unavailable. The commissioners also provide a quick and impartial means of resolving allegations of conflict of interest. Finally, the commissioners appointed have all been competent and experienced individuals. In particular, the first two appointments ­ Gregory Evans in Ontario (1988) and Ted Hughes in British Columbia (1990) ­ have become role models for the more recently appointed commissioners in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland. As former judges, Evans and Hughes were keenly aware of the importance of the impartiality principle in a democracy and its incompatibility with real conflicts of interest.

The exceptions to the general success of the ethics commissioner system are the Multi-Corp scandal in Alberta and the organization of the premiers' conference in Jasper, both of which involved Premier Klein, and Premier McKenna's IBM-paid trip to Atlanta's Olympics. In the Alberta cases, it appears that the advice Klein received from his recently appointed ethics commissioner was either inadequate or based on insufficient information. In the Multi-Corp case, Klein did not consult with Commissioner Robert Clark prior to Colleen Klein's acquisition of the Multi-Corp shares, and when they eventually reported the acquisition, they failed to mention that the shares had not been paid for or that the agreed cost of acquisition was significantly below market value. The Kleins' apparent lack of concern about their situation underlines why an ethics commissioner is not only potentially useful, but necessary.

In the case of the Jasper conference we agree wholeheartedly with The Globe and Mail editorial writer(s) who noted that, although the Alberta ethics commissioner apparently found nothing wrong with the practice of private companies sponsoring the activities of government leaders, private sponsorship of public discourse means that when a sponsoring firm wants something from government that one of its ministries is in a position to supply, "which is the reason the firm makes donations, that ministry may be more favourably disposed." Furthermore, the message to Canadians is, "here is your government, brought to you by the private sector."

Ethics legislation

The federal legislation regulating lobbyists represents one of the few areas in which federal ethics rules are superior to provincial rules. The provinces would be well-advised to copy the federal example in their own jurisdictions and to include the municipalities in such legislation. Requiring lobbyists to disclose who they are, what issues they are working on and for whom, and how much they are being paid promotes open, honest government with very little public expenditure.

The potential for a relation between contributions to political parties and public office favours is still a problem in most parts of Canada. Even though all significant contributions are now made public on an annual basis, this publicity has not been enough to prevent undue influence or the appearance of it. Contributors expecting public office favours in return for their financial largesse need only take the heat once a year, along with dozens of other large donors, and it is rarely possible to prove an explicit connection between a contribution and a favour.

Whistle-blowing

H. L. Laframboise, a former federal assistant deputy minister, has argued that whistle- blowing is only justified "if the act [reported outside the organization] is abhorrent to peer group values. Without that distinction a community would disintegrate into a collection of mutually suspicious informers." He considers that whistle-blowers are usually "compulsive moralists" who "grieve everything grievable, appeal every competition they lose, incite other employees to complain, and generally make a nuisance of themselves." We think Laframboise has overstated the dangers of whistle-blowing and that his standard ­ peer group values ­ is certainly inadequate. Given this standard, it might not have been acceptable for a member of the Canadian Airborne Regiment to blow the whistle on those torturing Shidane Arone in order to save his life: the testimony before the Létourneau inquiry indicated that many of the members of the regiment saw nothing wrong with this behaviour.

From our perspective, potential whistle-blowers have an ethical responsibility first to discuss the activity raising concern with the person or persons carrying it out or with their superiors, unless such a discussion is likely to lead to even greater harm. For example, those in the Canadian Airborne Regiment who were aware that captured Somalis were being tortured had a moral responsiblity to object to these acts to the soldiers involved or to their superiors, or both, unless they had good reason to believe that such action might have led to an intensification of the torture. In that case, not only would they have been justified in contacting the media or an MP, they had an ethical responsibility to do so. Fortunately, many situations where whistle-blowing is contemplated do not involve nearly as much potential harm, and often raising the issue with the appropriate people inside the organization will rectify the harmful act or behaviour.

Codes of ethics

The only major party in Canada with a code of ethics is the Reform Party, but as [Janet] Hiebert points out the Reform Party's code does not fulfil the functions expected of a good code of ethics. It is basically a pre-screening device to ensure that candidates do not have embarrassing reputations, and it does not apply to rank-and-file members.

It is worthwhile to consider why the parties have resisted developing these codes. Hiebert suggests that party activists tend to see their parties as private organizations with little public accountability. This perception of political parties may seem odd to those who consider that parties play such a pivotal role in setting the public policy agenda that they must be accountable not only to their members, but also to the general public. The view that parties are essentially private organizations could be explained in part by the rather dismal reputation of contemporary politicians which draws a disproportionate number of self-interested persons into politics. Being self-interested, they would tend to emphasize the private rather than the public nature of their party. [...]

By Beverley Else

Judith Schwarz has a national profile as one of Canada's leading sculptors

Judith Schwarz, visual arts professor in the Faculty of Fine Arts has been awarded the 1998 Victor Martyn Lynch-Staunton Award from the Canada Council in recognition of special achievment and excellence in creative work.

This prestigious national award is presented annually to three senior or established Canadian artists who have been awarded Canada Council grants in music and visual arts.

Schwarz, who teaches sculpture and drawing at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, is also an alumna of York. Following her graduation she taught off and on from 1978 until 1995 when she received a full-time appointment to the tenure stream.

By Beverley Else

Professor Christopher Innes, English Department, Faculty of Arts (above) and Professor Lorraine Code, Philosophy Department, Faculty of Arts.

Faculty of Arts Distinguished Research Professor of Philosophy, Lorraine Code has been awarded one of 12 new Killam Fellowships, the Canada Council for the Arts announced this month.

Among Canada's most distinguished research awards, the Killam Research Fellowships support scholars engaged in research projects of outstanding merit in the humanities, social sciences , natural sciences, health sciences, engineering and interdisciplinary studies within these fields. They enable Canada's best scientists and scholars to devote up to two years to full-time research and writing.

Chosen over 103 applications, Code's research project "Responsible Knowing, Ecological Imagining, and Politics of Epistemic Location" will develop the potential of ecological thinking as a conceptual apparatus and regulative principle for a theorgy of knowlege - an epistemology - capable of addressing feminist, multicultual and other post-colonial issues.

Code believes that despite the proliferation of ecological discourses and the contested nature of the politics of ecology, the creative restructuring possibilities of ecological thinking for epistemology have yet to be articulated. Her goal is to create an ecologically-modelled theory that will interrogate the instrumental rationality, abstract individualism, reductivism and the exploitation of people and places, to generate a reconfigured approach to theory of knowledge, sensitive to both local and global diversity.

"Ecosystems - metaphorical and literal - are as cruel as they are kind," says Code. "[They are]as unpredictable and overwhelming as they are orderly and nurturant; as inspirational for romantic fantasies as for socially responsible action."

To address these issues, Code's project will engage with recent work in environmentalism (ecofeminist and others) and the science of ecology, examining the explanatory models and conceptual practices that inform debates in these by-no-means homogeneous studies of ecosystems.

She aims to develop several lines of thought that are currently disconnected, in ecological theory and practice, in naturalized epistemologies, and feminist and post-colonial theories in the late 1990s, and within two "natural" institutions of knowldge-production - medicine and law.

"These institutions lend themselves well to this study ," says Code, "for they are, in practice, empirically scientifically informed and locally interpretive. With human subjects as their 'objects' of knowledge, they invoke responsibility requirements that are central to this project."

Distinguished Research Professor in English, Christopher D. Innes, who was awarded a Killam Fellowship in 1998 has had his second year project approved by the Canada Council, as well.

Innes' project Designing Society: The Cultural Influence of Theatre in Twentieth Century North America, analyzes how American stage designers influenced society and general lifestyle.

by David Finestone

As Web editor one of my responsibilities is the shameless, yet necessary glorification and promotion of the pages and sites I tend within the "yorku.ca" domain. At the moment York has two event Web sites that facilitate the community's extra curricular goings-on.

The first site "EVENTS", located at http://www.yorku.ca/events/ is updated every morning and accepts multicategory submissions on site. York's Web master, Rod Potter, wrote an amazing little program that allows you to submit announcements in plain text or HTML, under a myriad of categories for display from the day submission to the date of the event.

The second site "This Week at York", resides at http://www. yorku.ca/admin/comm/events/index.html and posts the following fortnights events. Submissions for this site come from the Gazette's: Calendar of Events, York Security (why the flag is at half mast), the Office of The President, E-mails that I receive and (of course!) http://www.yorku.ca/ events/

by Michael Todd

Gendered Pasts: Historical Essays in Femininity and Masculinity in Canada (Oxford University Press, 1999) edited by York history professor Kathryn McPherson, Cecilia Morgan and Nancy M. Forestell.

It is commonplace today to suggest that gender is socially constructed, that the roles women and men fulfil in their daily lives have been created and defined for them by society and social institutions, and by the culture and various subcultures. Yet how have men and women negotiated and navigated the gender roles that have been thrust upon them?

Gendered Pasts, a collection of 11 engaging essays, seeks answers to this question in a wide-ranging exploration of specific gendered dimensions of 19th- and 20th-century Canadian history.

Topics covered include: the impact of race and sex crimes in British Columbia and Ontario; the portrayal of gay men in an urban tabloid of the 40's and 50's; the sharply defined role that nurses from Nova Scotia to BC were expected to meet for most of this century; and church discipline in regard to gambling, drinking and sex in Ontario during the first part of the 19th century.

The editors' introduction explores the sometimes controversial evolution of gender history as it relates to women's history and other dimensions of social history - labour history, the history of class and of race, and analyses of masculinity.

Terror to Evil-Doers: Prisons and Punishments in Nineteenth-Century Ontario (University of Toronto Press, 1998) by York history professor Peter Oliver.

This is the history of the foundations of modern carceral institutions in Ontario. Drawing on a wide range of previously unexplored primary material - including the papers of prison inspectors and officials and the correspondence of those who wrote to the authorities - Peter Oliver provides a narrative and interpretative account of the penal system in 19th-century Ontario.

Terror to Evil Doers focuses on the purposes and internal management of particular institutions. By synthesizing a wealth of new material into a comprehensive framework, Oliver's seminal study lays the groundwork for future students and scholars of Canadian history, criminology, and sociology.

Herman Melville: Stargazer (McGill-Queen's University Press, 1998) by humanities professor Brett Zimmerman.

Herman Melville's passion for things astronomical is visible throughout his writings. Zimmerman places Melville's many astronomical citations within the thematic context of the works in which they appear and within the larger cultural and historical context of nineteenth-century studies. In addition, he provides a comprehensive catalogue of every reference to astronomy, its practitioners, and related topics in Melville's works.

By Sean Smith

Adding to the film reels, video tapes, sound tracks and production files already included in the vast collection of material in its Rhombus Media files, the York University Archives and Special Collections has recently acquired additional material from the celebrated company.

Formed in 1979 by Barbara Willis Sweete, Niv Fichman and LarryWeinstein when the trio were part of York's Film Department, Rhombus Media has earned an international reputation for showcasing the performing arts through its high quality film and television productions. The additional material donated by Rhombus should aid future researchers in documenting Rhombus' ascension to the international stage by providing the documentary evidence of the past year in which four of its productions received prominent awards recognizing their excellence.

From its inception in 1979, Rhombus Media set the path for the musical direction of its productions by producing "Opus One", a film which traced the development and performance of a Beethoven piano trio. Its reputation was solidified with "32 Short Films About Glenn Gould" which received four Genie Awards. The eight Genies that Rhombus received this year for "The Red Violin", a film which traces the history of a fictitious seventeenth century violin, enhances this reputation. Rhombus won several other awards in 1998 for its film "Last Night" and its productions "Yo-Yo Ma, Inspired by Bach" and "The War Symphonies: Shostakovich Against Stalin".

These recent accolades should generate a great deal of interest in the newly acquired material once it has undergone archival appraisal, arrangement, description and preservation. As Rhombus films continues to achieve recognition and distinction for its film productions, the value of this material to Canadian and international film studies will only increase.

There is a great deal of work being done for the 40th anniversary: events, books, awards and other projects and initiatives.

At the centre of the 40th anniversary initiatives are the Steering and Advisory Committees working, not only to organize the activities, but to promote York University's past successes and its current strengths as a unique institution within the higher education community in Canada.

Members of the Steering Committee are: Alan Baudot, Glenda Charlton, Diane Crocker, Alison Girling, Joe Green, Kent Haworth, Charles Kennedy, John Lennox, Sine MacKinnon, Jessie May Rowntree, Gary J. Smith (Chair), Sylvia Zingrone and ex officio member - Lorna R. Marsden.

The Advisory Committee members are: Yvonne Aziz, Vicky Draper, C. David Fowle, Jim Gillies, Michael Koerner, Allan Lambert, Jack Leitch, Peggie Mackenzie, Lorna R. Marsden(Chair) Bill Small, and Del McCormack Smyth.

by Michael Todd

DEBATING THE GOOD LIFE. Should social scientists embrace a new approach to their disciplines that involves moving away from a focus on societal ills and toward studies of what it means to lead a good life? Is it possible for social science to determine what a good life is? Join the debate at http://chronicle.com/colloquy.

BRITAIN RELIEVED. British education officials breathed a sigh of relief last month when the

Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) reported only a slight drop in college and university applications for fall 1999. Officials had feared that the introduction of student fees and the phasing out of grants would result in significant drops in the number of applicants. (See: The Times Higher Education Supplement, www.thesis.co.uk, 1/22/99)

PROFITABLE SCIENCE. Michigan State University has been aggressive in defending its rights to two cancer-fighting drugs that have produced millions of dollars for the university. (Go to: "This Week's Chronicle," February 12 issue, Money & Management section @ http://chronicle.com/chronicle)

O CANADA. Canadian university students from low-income families expect to graduate with three times more debt than their peers from higher-income families, according to a recent Acumen Research survey of 5,500 Canadian university applicants. Lower-income students estimate they will graduate with a debt load averaging $20,929, while their higher-income counterparts expect to owe only $7,355. (Source: The National Post, 1/19/99)

POET ROBERT CREELEY has been named as this year's winner of the Bollingen Prize in Poetry. The award is given biennially by the Yale University Library for the best book published during the previous two years or for lifetime achievement in poetry.

RHYMES WITH. Technology and the Internet are reawakening poetry by offering young poets and spoken-word artists a global audience their predecessors only dreamed of. (See http://chronicle.com/infotech)

ONLY THE BEST NEED APPLY. Elite U.S. private institutions also have begun using financial aid to land the best students. Education officials worry that this trend benefits the wealthiest institutions, which have the most money to give away. In addition, they fear that while high-achieving students benefit from intensified financial aid competition, average students suffer as fewer aid dollars are made available to them. (See Newsweek, www.newsweek.com) 2/8/99).

TRUTH IN ADVERTISING. In the February issue of "Prospect" magazine Geoffrey Miller, an evolutionary psychologist at University College in London, writes that humans have developed a network of sexual signals and status displays during the course of their evolution that have led not only to culture, consciousness, and our notions of beauty, but modern consumerism, as well, he writes. Many such sexual displays are wasteful from a biological standpoint since they are not directly needed for survival, yet "prodigious waste is a necessary feature of sexual courtship," Mr. Miller says. "In nature, showy waste is the only guarantee of truth in advertising...waste is what makes things interesting." The article can be read online @www.prospect magazine.co.uk/highlights/waste-good/index.html

WE'RE NOT LYING, HONEST! A study comparing the ethics of MBA students with those of felons taking college classes found that the inmates showed just as much integrity as the business students, and sometimes more, when faced with difficult business dilemmas. (See: http://chronicle.com)

WORLDS APART. Carnegie Mellon University has students designing three different computer-generated environments in its experimental course "Building Virtual Worlds." Students make landscapes and objects, infuse characters with life, and craft a story explaining how they all fit together. In the process, they touch upon computer science, art, drama, and sociology. (See: http://chronicle.com/infotech)