NSAC E-Bulletin

Please forward your submissions to the NSAC E-Bulletin to the newsdesk (news@nsac.ca) by Friday at 2:00 p.m. for inclusion in the next week's edition.

Literacy and Numeracy in Students

Literacy and numeracy limitations of our students:
How big is the problem?
What needs to be done?

Some faculty and staff have expressed frustration about the limitations of literacy and numeracy demonstrated by our students. The Instructional Development Committee wants to address this issue and we need your help.

Please join us for a brown bag lunch (bring your own) on Mon. Dec 18 from 12 noon - 1:30 in the Douglas Room of Cumming Hall. Your participation in our discussion will help to elucidate the problems we are recognizing. Our hope is that by understanding the problems we will be able to develop recommendations for solutions at future meetings.

Please come and help us understand the problems!

NSAC Hawkeye Babs

The Ruminant Staff would like to pay tribute to our own legend "NSAC Hawkeye Babs" who passed away November 30, 2006 at the age of 15 years, 8 months.

Known for both her longevity and production, Babs produced 127 537 L of milk, and gave birth to 13 calves (seven heifers and six bulls) in her lifetime. She was the last cow in our herd that had made the transition from the "old dairy barn" to the

Ruminant Animal Centre in 1994. Babs’ legacy will be carried on in the NSAC herd by her 13 descendants that include daughters, granddaughters, great granddaughters and great great granddaughters.

Welcome to new Faculty and Staff

Mark MacPherson
Mark graduated from the NSAC with a Bachelors in Plant Science in 1993. Since graduating, ha has worked with the Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Agriculture for 13 years as the Alternative Feeds Research Coordinator and then as Market Development Officer and Manager of Market Development.

He received an Advance Graduate Diploma in Management from Athabasca University in 1999 and completed a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Guelph in 2001. Mark will be teaching Small Business Entrepreneurship, Agricultural Marketing, Retail Sales Management, Consumer Behaviour and Strategic Management.

He is also involved with a potato research group to investigate consumer purchasing behaviour.

Welcome Mark to the NSAC family.

Textbook Buyback Program

MBS Textbook Buyback will be here from Dec 6-8th from 9-3:30 outside the bookstore in Cox Institute to buy back any used books you may have for the NSAC Bookstore and other universities. Especially of interest to NSAC Bookstore are books to be used this winter. Keep in mind that there will be another buyback in April in which books for fall will be bought back depending on demand.

WUSC Calendars- Still time to get before Christmas!

Because we didn't get the notice out to staff and faculty early enough (sorry folks, that was my bad, oops! -[andrea]), WUSC has ordered an extra 100 calendars in advance. So don't worry- if you would like to order a calendar and receive it before Christmas, you still can!

Just email Andrea- andrea.munroe@gmail.com with how many you would like. The prices are $15 each, 2/$25, or 3/$30. We can deliver them to you on campus, or mail them to your door! We will also be placing an order on January 3, so if your friends and family admire your calendars over the holidays and would like to purchase some as well, you can direct them to us!

Thanks so much for your support, NSAC! WUSC appreciates you!

Notice from Physical Plant

With winter and colder temperatures fast approaching, staff are advised to be extra diligent in ensuring that all windows are closed and secured at the end of the day to prevent potential freezing/breaking of water pipes. Your co-operation is appreciated.

Physical Plant

Creative Wellness Solutions

Creative Wellness Solutions is pleased to provide you with a newsletter filled with information aimed at improving the Health of your employees. Please visit our website www.wellnesssolutions.ca to see how improving your employees’ health can also improve the health of your company. Also on our website you will be able to view previous issues of our newsletter starting from July 2005. Click here for the December issue.

Happy Holidays - The Wellness Committee

Surplus Vehicle

The following vehicle is no longer required by the Wild Blueberry
Institute:

Make: 1 ton Ford
Year: 1994
Model: LGT Convtnl 'F'
Location: Plant Science Dept. caged area (at the east end of Cox
Institute),Nova Scotia Agricultural College
Condition:
Will require registration
Good condition as of summer/fall 2005.

The tires are in good shape, but the truck will not turn over; it has been sitting for over a year. Did not try boosting it, new battery June 2005.

Mileage on the truck is: 76224.4 km (not confirmed)

There is a small amount of rust on the truck bed but not a lot, the body actually appears to be in good condition. If you are interested in this vehicle and wish to view it, please
contact Dave Percival, 893-7852 or Gloria Thyssen, 893-6605

Volunteer Internship Opportunity in Malawi, Africa

An opportunity exists for up to four NSAC students to work for two months in Malawi, Africa, in summer, 2007 and/or summer, 2008. The work would be with a Malawian organization called CADECOM or the Farmers Union of Malawi. This an excellent opportunity if you are interested in obtaining international experience, working with the farmer organization most closely related to your own interests.

CADECOM areas include promoting crop diversification, livestock production, small scale irrigation, sustainable agriculture, value added and processing, village grain and seed banks, and facilitating formation of associations and cooperatives.

The program is being developed by World University Services Overseas through their Uniterra Program for volunteer interns, and includes NSAC and Acadia University. Each student is expected to contribute $3000 to the internship. This contributes to the cost of travel, vaccinations, insurance and orientation. Accommodation is provided in Malawi along with a living allowance. Volunteer interns often fundraise to assist with the cost. The program is open to Canadian citizens and landed immigrants.

If you are interested in this opportunity, or for further information, please e-mail Mark Mason, NSAC International, as soon as possible (mmason@nsac.ca). Please include Malawi internship in the subject line of your e-mail, and indicate which year and area of work is of most interest to you.

Student interest will help determine whether we should proceed with project development.

Scholarship Sponsor of the Week!!