By Susan Scott

A founding member and two current members of York's Board of Governors and a former University administrator have each received Canada's highest civilian award for lifetime achievement - the Order of Canada.

John Daniel Leitch was appointed as an officer of the Order of Canada; Leonard Birchall, André Galipeault and Seymour Schulich were each appointed as members of the Order of Canada. The announcements were made by Canada's Governor General Adrienne Clarkson. In total, 15 people were named officers and 53 named members.

John Daniel Leitch, who has been named to the University's Founders Society, was one of the inaugural members of York's Board of Governors in December 1959. He served until September 1972; then served again from July 1980 through June 1988.

He is chairman of Upper Lakes Group Inc., a Canadian shipping company that owns and operates bulk carriers and self-unloading lake ships that carry commodities on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. The company also operates a grain elevator in Trois Rivières, Quebec. He is also chairman of Canadian Shipbuilding & Engineering which is controlled by Upper Lakes Group and is the only shipbuilding company remaining on the Canadian Great Lakes. In 1998 Leitch was named National Transportation Person of the Year, in recognition of his professional career and his long-time leadership within the Canadian marine industry. He is renowned for his development of large vessels with
self-unloading capacity which revolutionized merchant shipping in the Great Lakes.

Leonard Birchall served as the chief executive and administrative officer in the University's Faculty of Administrative Studies (now the Schulich School of Business) from 1967 to 1982. Upon his retirement from York, he received an honorary doctor of laws honoris causa.

Prior to his years at York, Birchall distinguished himself as a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force. During the Second World War, while a squadron leader stationed in Ceylon, Birchall spotted a Japanese navy fleet on its way to a surprise attack on Ceylon and was able to send a signal that gave the Allies time to prepare, allowing a British fleet to avoid destruction and the island to defend itself, inflicting severe losses on the Japanese naval aircraft. As a result of his action, Birchall was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the title of "Saviour of Ceylon".

After the battle in Ceylon, Birchall and his crew were picked up by the Japanese and placed in prisoner-of-war camps, where his conduct resulted, upon his release, in being awarded the Order of the British Empire for Gallantry.

Following the war, Birchall held many appointments with the Canadian Armed Forces. In 1967, he retired from the permanent force. In 1996, Air Commodore Birchall had completed 62 years of service forces, including honourary posts, and is the first member of the forces to ever receive the fifth bar to the Canadian Forces Decoration which was presented to him in 1997. At the same time, he received the Canadian Forces Medallion for Distinguished Service.

André Galipeault currently serves on the University's Board of Governors and is a Toronto businessman. He was appointed to the board in 1992. He is president of his own business, The Galipeault Group Inc., which provides advisory services to boards of governors within the private, public and not-for-profit sectors, and fundraising services for the not-for-profit sector.

Galipeault, who received a law degree from McGill University in Montreal, spent more than 25 years in the law department at Texaco Canada Inc. He retired from the company as vice-president and general counsel in 1990. Subsequently, he became president of the law firm Fasken Martineau Davis, with offices across Canada and around the world.

In addition to his professional career, Galipeault has served and continues to serve as a volunteer on a number of boards of directors. He is president of Provincial Construction Company and of Avoca Apartments Limited. In addition to his duties on York's board, he is vice-chair of the National Ballet School. He is a member of the board of the Toronto Arts Council Foundation, the Friends of Canadian Unity and the Canadian Stage Company. He is past-president of the National Ballet of Canada and of the National Theatre School.

Seymour Schulich is likely best known at York for his philanthropic endeavours and his generous gift to the University's business school which now bears his name. Schulich has also served on York's Board of Governors since July 1996.

He is Chair and chief executive officer of Franco-Nevada Mines Corp. Ltd., and Chair of Euro-Nevada Mining Corp. Ltd., two gold royalty companies. He received an MBA from McGill University and a chartered financial analyst designation from the University of Virginia. He spent 22 years at pension fund management company, Beutel, Goodman & Company Ltd. During his last three years there, Schulich was company president.

He has more than 30 years experience in the natural resource business, having served on the boards of directors of numerous oil and mining companies. Aside from his work with York, he is a member of the Toronto Society of Financial Analysts, a director of the World Gold Council, a director of Junior Achievement of Canada, and a governor of Mount Sinai Hospital. He was the founder of Investor's Digest of Canada.

Prior to his donation to York, Schulich established a scholarship endowment for the Schulich Award for Entrepreneurship at the University. He has also donated endowed scholarships to several other universities across Canada and in the US.

By Cathy Carlyle

Radha Persaud speaking at a symposium on "The Supreme Court and Quebec Secession"

At a symposium in February, organized by York's McLaughlin College, principal speaker Radha Persaud raised some challenging questions on the Supreme Court's 1998 opinion on Quebec secession and on the federal government's Clarity Act, Bill C-20, legislation that attempts to define the conditions that will have to be met for the Government of Canada to enter into negotiations following any future referendum on secession.

"All in all, did the court's opinion render unambiguous the legal issues in question? Or, did the court's advice further obfuscate them?" asked Persaud, professor of political science in the Faculty of Arts and at Atkinson. "To do justice to these questions, we need to examine not only the particulars of the court's opinion in this momentous case but also the federal government's recent bill on clarity and the implications of and reactions to this bill. Central to such analysis, of course, is both Quebec's constitutional evolution in the federation and the federal government's reactive and proactive policy initiatives vis-a-vis Quebec in recent Canadian history."

Describing himself as "a political scientist who analyses the Supreme Court's role in and impact on intergovernmental conflict resolution or accommodation in the Canadian federal system", Persaud gave a brief history of the court's opinion. It stemmed from the Quebec referendum on secession in 1995, which was narrowly defeated. At that time, the federal government, through the reference procedure, asked the court for advice as to whether it is legal for Quebec to secede unilaterally from the Canadian federation under the Constitution. The court advised that it is not.

"However, the court went on to say that if Quebec procures a clear majority on a clear question in a future referendum on secession, then its political officials would have to negotiate in a principled manner with the other key political actors in the federal system to achieve secession," said Persaud. "The initial reaction to the court's opinion was that both the federalists and sovereigntists claimed victory. There was something significant for each side in the opinion, and this, despite Mr. [Lucien] Bouchard's decision not to take part in the Secession Reference case," he said.

As in the Patriation Reference of 1981, the court played a leadership role in the Secession Reference, Persaud added. "In its unanimous opinion in the Reference, the court sent a clear message to all Canadians and to the rest of the world that it was completely united in its responses to a very difficult, complex and divisive issue," he said. "Although the judges were cognizant of the fact that their opinion would be technically non-binding, they knew that their advice would provide the constitutional contours for the political actors (federalists and sovereigntists) to resume discussion and debate, either directly or indirectly, on the issue of Quebec secession."

He pointed out that the court, which could have decided not to render the advice to the federal government, wisely left a number of important issues for political actors to resolve before a referendum vote and during negotiations for secession. Political officials would have to determine what a "clear question" and a "clear majority" would be, the exact provisions of the amending formula to effect secession, the specificities for negotiations following a yes vote, the players required for such negotiations and "the rights of linguistic and cultural minorities, including aboriginals".

The court stated that it is not the role of the judiciary to impose its own views when the questions are of a political nature, said Persaud. "Having provided judicial leadership by establishing the legal framework, the judges then deferred to the democratically elected leadership of all those involved to resolve their political differences".

He said the court's opinion precipitated the federal government's Clarity Act, which in turn precipitated the Quebec government's own counter legislation, Bill 99, which attempts to give autonomy to the Quebec people and the National Assembly to decide their own future. Bill C-20 has already passed second reading and currently is being considered by a House of Commons committee. Bill 99 is also being considered by a legislative committee.

"Two questions in particular emerge from the clarity bill", said Persaud. "Has the Chrétien government acted in accordance with the court's advice in the Secession Reference case; and is the federal government's move a reasonable one according to the court's opinion and with respect to Quebec's historic grievances and broader constitutional role in the federation? Whatever the answers to these questions may be, the operative principles here for the court are democracy (its quantitative and qualitative dimensions), federalism, constitutionalism and the rule of law, and minority rights. The nature, dynamics and workings of these principles must inform intergovernmental relations respecting secession."

Persaud said that the federal government may have a strategic advantage over the Quebec government because it was the central government that went to the court for advice. "The government that goes to the court for advice gets to frame the question(s) to invite the most favourable responses from the country's ultimate judicial tribunal," he elaborated. "The referring government may thus have the political advantage to make the best use of legal resources because the court left it up to the political actors to decide what a clear question and a clear majority will be." For federal officials, 50 per cent plus one is unacceptable, he pointed out, although it is acceptable for Quebec's elected officials. "In that sense, the clarity bill is seen to strengthen the hand of the Chrétien government.

"But there are short and long term consequences of the court's advice for intergovernmental conflict resolution," Persaud added. "Let me just say here that in response to the court's opinion, Premier Bouchard's comments that timing and winning conditions are necessary for a successful referendum on secession are noteworthy. Whether he adheres to the court's opinion in the Secession Reference case and the Clarity Act itself, in whole or in part, Premier Bouchard is not oblivious both to political reality within and outside Quebec and to the legal pronouncements."

Persaud concluded by asking if we can think in terms of winners and losers in the court's opinion in the Secession Reference case. "Or should we not think in such terms because of the potential backlash in Quebec as a result of the clarity bill? Perhaps federalism is the real winner here, at least in the short term, a step closer to preserving the integrity and hence viability of the federation as we have come to know it. In the end, intergovernmental conflict resolution or accommodation with respect to Quebec and the rest of Canada may depend in no small measure on the will and skill of Prime Minister Chrétien and his intergovernmental affairs minister - and indeed future federal governments - in making the most prudent political use of legal resources."

Symposium participants discuss Court decision

Other participants at the symposium, entitled "The Supreme Court and Quebec Secession", were Daniel Drache, director of the Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies and political science professor; Ian Greene, political science professor in the Faculty of Arts; and Ken McRoberts, principal of Glendon College and political science professor.

McRoberts deemed the Supreme Court decision "a brilliant one" because it set out a good set of principles: there must be respect for minorities; a clear majority must be demonstrated; Quebec cannot declare independence unilaterally and must participate in negotiations; and Quebec must take into account the interests of other provinces.

"With that, we had a framework that was generally acceptable," he said. "But to what extent does the Clarity Bill address these principles? The bill does not serve the interests of clarity at all. For instance, it says that a simple majority of 50 per cent plus one is not acceptable as a 'clear majority'. Yet I think it is fair to say, within Canadian political practice, this has always been the understanding of what constitutes a 'clear majority'. The bill says this is not sufficient, yet doesn't say what constitutes a majority."

McRoberts said when the bill addresses the definition of a "clear question", it does so in ways that would bind future Canadian governments unreasonably. "It declares that the question cannot ask for a mandate to negotiate sovereignty," he said. "Does this mean that a mandate would be ignored outright? In any event, one might want the result of any negotiations over sovereignty to be subject to approval in a second referendum.

"It says that the question cannot envisage arrangements in addition to those of secession," added McRoberts. "Does this mean we won't enter negotiations about sovereignty if they were to include discussions on, for instance, the coordination of environmental policy or arrangements that might facilitate the free movement of goods between Ontario and New Brunswick? Why not trust in the ability of a future government and Parliament to determine how to respond to a question once it has been put?"

Drache had a different view about the bill. "It's too easy to call it a bad piece of legislation. I see it as a clever piece because it takes Ottawa and Quebec into uncharted territory. It's a new dimension to an old story. I see it as an amazingly successful piece of legislation in English Canada, though it can be seen as dangerous, because it'll give Jean Chrétien the illusion that he is winning. There is a widespread belief in English Canada that it is fair, and English Canada wants fairness and rules."

About the Supreme Court's decision he said, "The Court only sought to broker a compromise, wanting both sides to sit down and discuss the issues openly. They said Ottawa had to negotiate with Quebec, not something the Ottawa crowd took easily. What does Ottawa want? To be able to sit in judgment on a question decided by the Quebec national assembly. Quebec will see this as a return to the old imperial relationship where the majority imposes its will on the Francophone minority - a majesterial error in the long run."

Drache said he was concerned that Ottawa's attitude would mobilize the Quebec independence movement. Already, the province has its own clarity bill, reiterating its right to set its own course.

"I think we need a negotiated settlement to resolve old issues. We are still interconnected in thousands of ways with Quebec. I don't think there is a need for them to separate. But there must be a devolution of power to Quebec so it has the constitutional authority in areas that are important to it, and recognition of Quebecers as a distinct people."

Greene said the whole issue could be viewed at an ethics debate. Stéphane Dion, the federal government's minister of intergovernmental affairs, used to be pro-sovereigntist, he said, until he became incensed with selected facts put out by that side. "Results from one of their surveys said that the United States would favour continuing trade with Quebec even if it seceded from Canada. But the survey had not even mentioned the possibility of Quebec separating."

He said in its historic decision in 1998, the Supreme Court made the point that democracy was much more complicated that the simple "majority rules". "There is a lot of respect for the court, even among Quebecers. If Quebec comes up with a clear question and the vote is, say, 51 or 52 per cent, the court will be asked to render a judgment about just what constitutes a 'clear majority'. This issue will not go away. The federalists and Quebecers need to negotiate over what is a clear question and a clear majority."

At the close of the symposium, Drache warned, "I find the constitutional question rather fatiguing. Quebecers do too but the politics of the constitution are like the phoenix - out of the ashes. Quebecers always find the new energy to resolve this issue. I can't see why the two sides can't sit down and negotiate. It needs to be settled soon or it will go off the rails. And then the pieces will be awfully hard to put back together."

By Michael Todd

The 2000 Morris Katz Memorial Lecture in Environmental Research opened with speaker Professor George M. Hidy, formerly of the universities of Alabama, California, Nevada and the Electric Power Institute. Hidey was at York, Feb.16, to speak on "Science and Environmental Air Policy: The First Thirty Years and the Next". Funding for the series is provided by the Consulate General of the United States (Toronto), York's Centre for Atmospheric Chemistry, other York Research Centres, and the Office of the Associate Vice -President (Research).

Hidy is an internationally known authority on atmospheric chemistry and air emissions technologies. With more than 35 years of experience in aerosol chemistry and physics, he has contributed significantly to knowledge of particulate matter and photochemical process in urban air over large regions such as eastern North America. His studies include aspects of haze and smog, as well as acid deposition, and he has extensive knowledge of the environmental issues and solutions related to energy production, including electric power generation and the production and use of petroleum-based and renewable fuel resources. Over the last 30 years there has been a substantial contribution from the scientific community to the information need for developing policies to manage air quality, noted Hidy.

In his talk he showed how advances in science and technology have contributed substantially to finding relatively simple, cost-effective solution to air pollution problems - initially seen as mainly local in nature. The major air related environmental issues appear to have been reasonably well defined at the close of this century, he said. However, Hidy went on to say that we now know these problems are much more global in scope. He warned that the long-term, global scale effects of atmospheric pollution on humans and vulnerable ecosystems has far reaching implications.

Hidey also outlined the aspects of the evolution of the US Clean Air Act and the development of US air policy. "It really began in the '60s," he said. "Later, Canada came in with its clean air act in 1971, and Mexico was somewhat later than that.

"The role of science from 1970 - 2000 has been to answer a few basic questions: is there a problem? The answer is yes, of course. So then we were faced with looking for the origin and assessing the extent of the problem. And then there was finding ways to measure towards some end point...this was the most difficult area in respect to the Clean Air Act."

Hidy noted confidence is increasing among scientists in their results and in modelling climate alteration. There now has to be a world-wide effort by scientists to communicate their results to the public and to policy makers both at home and around the world. "Science has not convinced the political world about changing world-wide energy policies," he said. "If we don't do this the increase of greenhouse gases likely will have serious effects.

"The world may look relatively the same for the next 100 years, but after that? We don't know."

By Nishat Karim

Linwood Barclay speaking to theYork community

"I must thank the Harris government - they've been wonderful to me. They've given me more material to write about then I ever dreamed of," beamed Linwood Barclay, a Toronto Star columnist who shared his views with York on Wednesday Feb. 9. Barclay was the third in a series of four speakers visiting York University in a program held in co-operation with The Toronto Star, the Faculty of Arts, the Department of Commercial Facilities, Student Affairs and the York Federation of Students.

Known for his quick wit and humorous view on politics and life, Barclay was well received by students, faculty and staff during his visit to the University Bookstore. Topics covered included student loans, homeless in Toronto, public schools, nurses, tourism in Ontario (better known to Barclay as calling 911 and getting an ambulance to take you all over the city), and of course, the Harris government and the recent HRDC issue.

Between asking the audience how many of them had received a check from HRDC and thanking students for paying higher tuition fees (which in turn, helped to lower his taxes and allowed him to buy a new looney toons watch) Barclay shared some information about himself. Prior to joining The Toronto Star in 1981 as a copy editor, the author certainly paid his dues. After graduating from Trent University with an honours BA in English, Barclay "volunteered" at local papers such as the Peterborough Examiner where he made a mere $130 per week. Once at The Toronto Star, the talented writer served in various areas such as assistant city editor, news editor and life section editor before receiving his own column.

On a serious note, Barclay emphasized how important it is for students to always ask questions, and not be afraid. He encouraged them to question everything and search for answers. When asked by one student who wanted to model the writer's career, how he could go about doing it, Barclay strongly stated, "Write for anyone who will print your stuff," he explained. "And keep writing and read - read the papers a lot."

Barclay has written four books of his own, including Mike Harris Made Me Eat My Dog and Last Resort which will be released in April and incorporates his memoirs between the ages of 11 and 22. His column runs on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays where he looks at issues effecting Canadians or discusses amusing incidents happening at home with his wife and two children.

The fourth and final installment of The Toronto Star/York University speakers series will be held on March 8, and will include a panel of speakers including Louise Brown, Kris Rushowy and Michele Landsberg.

Callaghan honoured for advancing profile of Canadian literature

Barry Callaghan, York professor of contemporary literature in the Atkinson English Department, received an honorary doctor of letters degree from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo at its spring commencement last year. SUNY President Muriel Moore said, "You have distinguished yourself.... Your accomplishments have been celebrated across Canada and throughout the English-speaking world. We are delighted to have this opportunity to honour you."

Miles Lasser, SUNY trustee who conferred the honorary doctoral degree, said, "Barry Callaghan has done as much as any living writer to advance the profile of Canadian literature." He described Callaghan as an award-winning poet, literary critic, author, editor and war correspondent. In praising Callaghan's support of new writers, Lasser mentioned the literary quarterly magazine Exile, founded by Callaghan and edited by him for more than 25 years, which features works by aspiring and established writers. He also cited examples of Callaghan's own writing including his latest book, Barrelhouse Kings, a memoir in part about his famous father Morley.

Callaghan has received seven National Magazine awards, two National Magazine President's Medals for Excellence, Pushcart and Lowell Thomas prizes in the United States, Beograd gold medal for contributions to European literature, Toronto Arts award for writing and publishing, CBC fiction prize, and the inaugural W. O. Mitchell award for fiction and mentoring of young writers.

In addition, he has received the Alliance for Canadian Cinema, Television Radio Artists (ACTRA) award as Best Television Host, Canada, 1984; the Canada Council Award for Translation; the Harbourfront Literary Prize, shared with Margaret Atwood; and the Salute to the City award: Toronto's 100 Outstanding Citizens.

Callaghan is the author of nine books of poetry and prose, nine books of translations and nearly 200 articles. His books include The Hogg Poems and Drawings (1978), As Close As We Came (1982), The Black Queen Stories (1982), Stone Blind Love (1987), The Way the Angel Spreads her Wings (1989), When Things Get Worst (1993) and A Kiss is Still a Kiss (1995), Hogg: The Poem and Drawings (1997) and Barrelhouse Kings (1998).

Calaghan will be reading from his works at 7:30pm March 9 at rooms S836 and 837, Ross Building as part of the Canadian Writers in Person series of public readings. The series is organized through the Atkinson Department of English and the Office of the Master.

Glendon Professor Invited to Official Hand-Over Ceremony of Macau

Professor Boon Cham of Glendon's Political Science Department was one of 100 overseas Chinese from all parts of the world invited by the Government of the People's Republic of China to attend the official hand-over ceremony of the former Portuguese territory of Macau to China, on Dec. 20, 1999. The official functions Cham attended included a farewell banquet for 3,000 people and a historical account of the history of Macau, hosted by the President of Portugal, as well as the hand-over ceremony itself, the swearing-in ceremony of the new government of the Macau Special Administrative Region and a variety show and fireworks to mark the occasion. The next day, the new Chief Administrator of Macau, Mr. Edmund Ho (a graduate of York University) hosted a banquet for 2,000 invited guests who, in addition to Cham, included President Jiang Zeming and Premier Zhu Rongqi of China and the head of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr. Tung Che Wah.

Glendon alumnus Greg Sorbara

On Jan. 18th, 2000, Greg Sorbara (Glendon '78), at one time the Ontario minister of colleges and universities, came back to Glendon on the invitation of the Political Science Department. His topic was "What Glendon Has Done For Me" - an overview of the value of the bilingual liberal arts milieu and education that the college has represented for him. A long-time member of provincial parliament, Sorbara held a number of ministerial positions during the tenure of the Peterson government: as minister of consumer and commercial relations, minister of labour and minister responsible for women's issues, minister of colleges and universities, and minister of skills development.

Currently, Sorbara is involved with a wide array of professional activities, including: president of the Ontario Liberal Party; partner of the Sorbara Group, an Ontario-based land development and property management business organization; president of Canadian Westmarkets Inc., a Prague-based distributor of broadloom products in the Czech Republic; president of the St. Catharines Baseball Club; director, Royal Group Technologies Limited, a Canadian-based TSE-300 corporation; and director of the Business Development Bank of Canada.

Before entering politics, Sorbara worked for the British Columbia Department of Social Services. After earning a BA at Glendon in 1978, he enrolled at Osgoode Hall Law School and graduated with an LLB. An active member of the community, Sorbara is the director of the York Region United Way and sits on the board of the York University Alumni Association. His remarks on Jan. 18th centred around his firm conviction that his success in politics was rooted in his experience at Glendon. Those years offered a framework and a vision which influenced and enhanced all his subsequent attitudes and professional activities.

By Michael Cvitkovic

The Tait McKenzie Centre is not just the home of York's inter-university sport teams, but it houses thousands of health and fitness fanatics from across campus, including a growing number of staff and faculty. From fitness, to intramurals, to instructional classes, people at York are getting involved.

According to David DeMonte, coordinator of Recreation York, approximately 14 per cent of all staff and faculty at York join over 5,000 students by participating in some form of recreational activity at the Tait McKenzie Centre. DeMonte feels that there are several reasons for the high number of staff and faculty membership. A good variety of instructional programs and aerobic classes, proximity and accessibility, current equipment, knowledgeable and friendly Recreation York staff, extensive hours of operation and price are all contributing factors.

The price of a York membership for staff and faculty varies depending on the type of package desired by the user, but on average costs less than half the going rate at commercial health and fitness centres. As for access, DeMonte states "During the school year, the Tait McKenzie Centre is open on weekdays for more than fifteen hours a day. A member of the staff or faculty can enjoy our programs, cardio machines, and weights before class, during lunch or well into the evening." DeMonte recognizes society's increasing knowledge of healthy, active living and its importance in the workplace. "People today know that spending just half-hour a day exercising can have long-term health benefits, and make days on the job much more productive."

Staff and faculty at York not only exercise in the fitness centre or enrol in trendy aerobics or instructional classes, they are also getting fit on the court, on the ice and out in the playing fields. Members of the York community have been an integral part of a rich history in intramurals. Ever since the days of Osgoode Hall and Stong College hockey games in the early seventies at the old Ice Palace, intramurals at York have been an important component of healthy living. Today, more than 700 faculty, staff and alumni participate in the intramural program, the most popular being slo-pitch, where 475 baseball enthusiasts take to the diamond every summer. The intramural program is divided into tiers so that people can enjoy fun, recreational sports or play in a more competitive division with experience players.

With increasing costs of registration and membership fees in community sport leagues, York's intramural programs officer, Mike Broderick, is finding that people are re-acquainting themselves with the terrific program York has to offer. "Some people are paying more than five hundred dollars to play in an off-campus recreational hockey league once a week," explained Broderick. York offers more playing time and a place where colleagues can interact at a minimal cost. "Great friendships are made at work through intramural sports." The price to participate in York's intramural leagues is only $20 per sport, while hockey is $60. Faculty and staff most often form a team of friends and colleagues or join one of the many existing teams already organized.

With the increased popularity in instructional classes and weight training over the past two years, Recreation York has expanded its facilities to include, among other things, a larger fitness centre, and an exclusive Spinning^® studio. As a result of the program's growth, Recreation York recently enjoyed their most productive winter season with 15,000 participants in the month of January. The success is only accomplished through the increased participation of students, staff and faculty, who have come to benefit from one of the most valuable resources on campus.

For more information on Recreation York memberships, please call Tait McKenzie Customer Service at (416) 736-5814.

Michael Cvitkovic is York University's Sports and Recreation Information Officer.

Recently the chancellors of Ontario's universities gathered on the Glendon campus of York University. Though not all were able to attend, it was an unprecedented meeting, called by the chancellors themselves, a group of distinguished Canadians from a wide variety of backgrounds, to share their views and experiences, and to reflect on some of their common concerns.

Without reservation, the chancellors expressed pride in the institutions of which they are the titular heads, and confidence in the administrations who run them. They talked of future opportunities in and for Ontario, and of the challenges those opportunities present. Following their meeting, the chancellors said:

* Higher education is of the utmost importance to the future of Ontario. To prepare the leaders of tomorrow, we need a university system that is characterized by excellence, accessibility, diversity and flexibility.

* The liberal arts and sciences must continue to be a seminal part of Ontario's higher education. This is a practical idea as much as a philosophical one. A number of recent studies have clearly underlined that a well-rounded, general education - learning to think, to write and to express one's ideas clearly - is as valuable to future employability as technical or technological training.

* To meet these goals, the universities need renewed funding. Both government and the private sector (for it is increasingly a shared concern) must join in an effort to see that the needs of tomorrow - for a well-educated work-force and a new generation of leadership - are met.

* Whatever new funding mechanisms are developed, they should permit universities themselves to manage enrolment demand and to maintain a diverse and forward-looking curriculum and program of research.

* The people of Ontario are, and should be, proud of their universities and what they stand for. They - we - should work together to see that that pride is maintained.

The Chancellors
of Ontario Universities

For further information, please contact Bob Everett, University Secretariat, York University
beverett@yorku.ca Telephone (416) 736-5012

By Michael Todd

POINT... CLICK... SCHOLARSHIP.With a growing number of Internet companies that give away cash and prizes to consumers just for browsing their Web sites, a new site launched this month promises to award $10,000 a day in college scholarship money in the US. Marketers and advertisers fund the scholarships in exchange for receiving valuable consumer information on the lucrative crop of students in their teens and 20s. In addition to the daily prize, FreeScholarships.com plans to award $25,000 each month and $50,000 each quarter. Winners must be US citizens over age 13. Source: South Bend Tribune, 2/3/00, www.southbendtribune.com.

CONSUMER MENTALITY ON CAMPUS. The Christian Science Monitor recently examined the consumer mentality that is reshaping the college experience. Colleges and universities are taking pains to show students that college is worth the tuition by eliminating unpopular courses, building attractive facilities, and formally allowing students to rate their professors, among other methods. Source: The Christian Science Monitor, 1/25/00, www.csmoni tor.com.

THREE CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITIES were unwitting accomplices in recent hacker attacks on major World Wide Web sites, and one computer-security expert believes that other academic institutions could discover that they played a role as well. Source: http://chronicle.com/daily/2000/02/2000021401t.htm

By Beverley Else

York University Style Guide

There comes a time for every great institution which produces large numbers of publications for public consumption - papers, reports, journals, newspapers, magazines, newsletters and books - to standardize its writing style. Accordingly, in the Fall of 1999, York published the York University Style Guide.

Prepared by the Department of Communications, the Style Guide is a reference for the York University community, to assist in journalistic and promotional writings and for communications to the general public. It pertains to the University's English language publications only.

"The guide has the endorsement of the University Executive Committee for use in offical University publications and has received input from individuals and groups throughout the University community," said Jessie May Rowntree, director of Communications. "The consultation process alone took over a year to complete."

The guidelines for capitalization, abbreviation, punctuation, use of titles, non-sexist language and other issues of style come from a few sources. A modified Canadian Press (CP) style is used throughout. The CP Stylebook, along with CP Caps and Spelling, is the general guide. The Canadian Oxford Dictionary (also adopted by CP) is the authority for spelling. Another guideline is Talking Gender: A Guide to Nonsexist Communication by Ruth King et al, and the CCAE English Language Style Guide.

The "SPELLING" and "SPELLING - COMMON PROBLEMS" sections of the document aim to address questions of spelling that frequently arise at York, and list some of CP's exceptions to the Oxford spellings. As well, the Style Guide deals with items of particular concern for editors of York publications. Cross references are also listed to assist writers and editors in finding relevant information.

Vice President (Enrolment & Enrolment Student Services) Deborah Hobson is a strong supporter of the Style Guide and one of its many contributors.

"It is important for an academic institution to manifest a standard of excellence in all of its printed communications to its various publics," Hobson said. "The Style Guide provides a frame of reference which ensures accuracy and consistency. I hope that all members of the York community who are responsible for producing publications will read the guide from cover to cover and conform to the spelling, grammar, punctuation and syntax recommendations it contains."

The Style Guide will be printed with the new internal telephone directory. In the meantime, perplexed writers may find it on the York Web site at www.yorku.ca/admin/comm/style.

Centre for Jewish Studies At York University

Aharon Appelfeld

Aharon Appelfeld, one of Israel's best known writers, author of over 40 works of fiction, mostly on Holocaust themes, will be writer/scholar in residence at York to inaugurate the new Silber Family Chair of Holocaust and Eastern
European Jewish Studies.

Community Events with Aharon Appelfeld

March 11, 2000 8:00 p.m. - An Evening for Child Survivors, Vanier
College Faculty Common Room, Keele Campus.

March 13, 2000 8:00 p.m. - The Rise and Fall of the Hebrew Writer (in Hebrew), Vanier College Study Hall I, Keele Campus.

March 14, 2000 2:00 p.m. - My Life and Works (in Hebrew) Vanier
College, Room 118, Keele Campus.

March 19, 2000 Inaugural Lecture of the Silber Family Chair of
Holocaust and Eastern European Jewish Studies Aharon Appelfeld. Both events will take place in Curtis Lecture Hall I, Keele Campus

1:45 pm Lecture

Aharon Appelfeld, "Is It Possible to Write Fiction About the Holocaust?"

3:30 p.m. - Symposium

Jonathan Rosen, Chaveh Rosenfarb and Vivian Rakoff, with a response from Aharon Appelfeld "My First Encounter with Aharon Appelfeld".

In the Feb. 23 issue of Gazette, the article "York Wins $750,000 federal grant for community sustainability" incorrectly stated Professor David Anderson's affiliation. Anderson is a member of the Faculty of Education at York University.