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. Remember you can post notices anytime on the NSAC Forums at http://nsac.ca/forums

Founding Day 2007

NSAC’s 102nd birthday is fast approaching on Wednesday, February 14th. As we begin planning for this event, we are open to any ideas or suggestions that staff or faculty may have to celebrate this day.

Contact Alisha Hannam at ahannam@nsac.ca or 893-1655 with your thoughts!

Restored Routing of Journals

After almost a year, the routing of print journals has been restored as a service offered by the Library for Faculty, Sessional Lecturers and Research staff. Each eligible person may select up to five journal titles to be sent to their NSAC campus mail box for three days, before being returned and placed on the Display Shelves in the Current Periodicals section, which is located at the back of the Information Commons in the MacRae Library.

Sherree Miller
Head of Circulation
MacRae Library

Public Lectures by Dr. Alice Crook

Dr. Alice Crook, Coordinator, Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre at Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island will be giving two public lectures here at NSAC on Wednesday, January 24th.

Topics for the lectures include:

1. Animal Abuse - the link between animal abuse, child abuse and domestic
violence; and what to do if you suspect animal abuse

2. The Criminal Code and Animal Cruelty - flaws in the current federal legislation, and proposed amendments

Both lectures will be in Haley Institute, room 200 from 3-4 PM and 4-5 PM.

Writing Centre Reopens

The Writing Centre is now open for the second term. It is located on the lower level of the MacRae Library in Seminar Room two. At present, the hours of operation are Monday to Wednesday from 5:30 to 9:30pm and Thursday from 2:00 to 9:00 pm. The hours will be extended to include Sundays as peer volunteers become available.

Please encourage students to make use of this facility as early in the term as possible. Students should bring assignment to be edited at an early stage in the writing process. They should not wait until just before the due date. Working through several drafts of the assignment will result in a much better final product.

I would like to thank the staff for their support of the Writing Centre during its first term of operation. I look forward to continuing to help students with their assignments. Please contact me at mrovers@nsac.ca if I can help in other ways.

Marg Rovers

Recruitment Update

Hello from Recruitment!

During these past two weeks, since returning from holidays, Craig, Nick and I have been working on several projects. I am pleased to announce that Craig and Nick have entered all of the prospective student information into our database - a monumental task - as there are about 800! In addition to working hard on this, both Nick and Craig have booked independent trips to high schools in Nova Scotia, PEI and New Brunswick and have even made time to go to a few schools already.

I’ve been working on organizing four major recruiting events that will take place within the next two months. Campus will be busy again with visiting schools, University Day, the annual 4H Conference, the second annual International High School Student Reception and our first ever, Parent Information night for Local Students. We hope to host three of these Parent Information nights within the next couple of months. In addition, Brian has been working closely with Marketing and Public Relations to create a new recruitment venue - watch for news...

I’m in the process of finalizing all of the paperwork for University Day, 2007, so please put your thinking caps on to begin planning your departmental tours and Expo Booth.

Again, I would like to thank all of the teaching staff who help us in our efforts on a daily basis!

All the best,
Monica

OH& S Concerns

The safety and wellness of employees in the workplace is a priority here at NSAC. And as such, there is a process in place for dealing with safety concerns.

Employees should first address safety concerns with their immediate supervisor. If the issue is not resolved, the employee then submits the concern to their JOHS Committee, which in turn, will investigate and follow up with the immediate supervisor until the issue is resolved. Following this process ensures that NSAC maintains a safe and health workplace.

Please see the OH&S website at http://www.gov.ns.ca/nsaf/ohs/ for details on the Health and Safety program.
Any questions, please contact Dr. Bernie MacDonald at bmacdonald@nsac.ca or by phone at 893-6719.

Summer Internship in Malawi

Do you know any students who may be interested in obtaining international experience, working with a farmer organization closely related to their interests? This is a great chance to get a start if they are interested in international work, and arrangements can be made to use this as the focus for a credit course at NSAC.

World University Services Overseas, in conjunction with NSAC and Acadia University, is offering internship opportunities in Malawi in summer, 2007, through the Uniterra Program for Volunteer Interns. The program is open to Canadian citizens and landed immigrants. If you are interested, please read the Norms and Policies Guide (note that volunteer interns are expected to contribute to the costs), fill in the attached application form and send to Mark Mason (mmason@nsac.ca) by January 26. For more information, contact Dian Patterson (dpatterson@nsac.ca) or Mark Mason.

International Activities at the Marigold Cultural Centre

If you're interested in some international activities stop by the Marigold Centre this Saturday, January 20th. There will be a number of activities going on all day from children's face painting, drum workshops to an evening of great entertainment. For more information, view poster one and poster two.

National Non-Smoking Week

Next week is National Non-Smoking Week and Weedless Wednesday, click here for helpful information from the Public Service Commission and Canadian Health Network's HealthLink newsletter.

Public Consultations Proposal to Establish Mental Health Commission

Canada's New Government is launching on-line consultations to hear Canadians' opinions on the proposal to establish a mental health commission in Canada.

The creation of a mental health commission was a key recommendation of the May 2006 Standing Senate Committee's report on mental health, mental illness and addiction in Canada, titled "Out of the Shadows at Last: Transforming Mental Health, Mental Illness and Addiction Services in Canada," the report summarizes the information gathered during a two-year study involving Canadians from across the country.

Canada's New Government is building on this work done by encouraging Canadians and stakeholders with an interest in mental health to participate in these on-line consultations. Submissions should focus on the mandate, function, and activities of the proposed mental health commission.

The consultations will be held on Health Canada's web site from January 15 to 25, 2007, http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dc-ma/mental/consultation/index_e.html.

Food for Fines - Novanet Libraries - February 1-10, 2007

Reduce or clear your Novanet library fines at any Novanet Library - with food! For every non-perishable food item donated, NSAC MacRae Library will reduce your library fine by $2.00, to a maximum of $20. All food donations will be given to the Truro Food Bank. Just bring your donations of canned good or other non-perishable foods to the NSAC Library during regular hours. We accept cash as well!

All food donations are welcome (even if you don’t have fines!) Good for the Libraries, Good for the Food Bank - good for you!

WUSC Student Refugee Program Calendar Sale

Need some help getting organized to keep your New Year's resolution? WUSC can help! We still have calendars for sale! These beautiful calendars showcase the beauty of Botswana, and the pictures were taken by Canadian university student interns on a WUSC program. Cost is only $10.

This calendar sale is a fundraiser for the WUSC Student Refugee Program. The Student Refugee Program at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College sponsors one refugee student to come study at NSAC each year as a permanent resident. There are student-run WUSC committees at over 50 colleges and universities across Canada. Our committee raises the necessary funds to support the student for one year, and supports the student academically and socially. The only program of its kind in Canada, the Student Refugee Program enables refugees whose studies have been interrupted by war to pursue their education and a better life in an environment free of violence or fear. At the same time it offers students and faculty on Canadian campuses a unique opportunity to learn first-hand about refugee and development issues.

To view some sample pictures of the calendars, check out www.angelfire.com/planet/nsacwusc.

To order a calendar (we deliver ), email Andrea Munroe at andrea.munroe@gmail.com or Jody Nelson at jlnelson@gmail.com.

Thanks for your support!