Humber College - John Mason, was promoted to Vice President Student & Corporate Services. Sharon Kinasz, Registrar, joins Humber from George Brown, where she was Registrar

McMaster University - Richard Levin has moved from UOIT to become the Registrar at McMaster University.

Nipissing University - Andrea Robinson is the new Registrar at Nipissing University, replacing Denis Lawrence who retired after 35 plus years.

University of Ottawa - Eric Bercier is the new Registrar at University of Ottawa.

University of Western Ontario - Dr. John Doerksen is the new Registrar at the University of Western Ontario.

Credential Fraud - It's everyone's problem

Diploma and transcript fraud are not new occurrences in the education industry. International research organizers estimate that billions of dollars are lost due to product fraud and education is not immune to its influence. Canadian postsecondary institutions including my own have recently been targeted by diploma fraud culprits....

Fake University Degree Scam Exposed

Phony Degrees Catch Up to Buyers

Credential fraud is a difficult nut to crack. Resources to assist registrars with staying a step ahead and support to combat the issue are relatively non-existent.

AACRAO offers some material to assist all of us. And ARUCC members have explored this issue in depth as well.

It goes without saying that all Canadian postsecondary registrars are committed to ensuring the integrity of their degrees and diplomas for their many graduates and adamantly oppose any activities that result in the creation of fraudulent documents. Typically, any accusation or indication of document fraud is subject to internal investigation at home institutions in accordance with legislative frameworks such as internally approved academic honesty policies. While the postsecondary institutions cannot speak to individual investigations or to any specific individual student file due to privacy legislation, any such accusations are accorded serious review and attention. Examples of possible punitive actions might include expulsion, refusal to allow admission and possible legal action.

What can we do either separately or together? Through a restricted access national listserv, members of ARUCC routinely inform each other of suspicious activity related to fraudulent documentation with the goal of intending to uphold the integrity of the Canadian educational system. Many postsecondary institutions in Canada and around the world incorporate security features and security protocols when issuing transcripts and diplomas. Examples of tactics include use of watermarks, holograms, colour or bar code stamping, specialized colours and text, etc. A number of institutions are moving to online verification systems to mitigate against this behaviour (whether through built or vendor managed systems). It's somewhat dicey using an outside vendor for online verification because there have been examples where the more criminally bent have simply hacked into the vendor sites and inserted information about supposed graduates. This is harder to do when a system is available through postsecondary online systems given the complexities of internal Student Information Systems. Therefore, institutions like my own are developing in-house degree verification systems.

At the end of the day, postsecondary institutions, potential employers, verification agencies and other organizations best avoid this situation by making sure students order and send transcripts directly from their home institution rather than accepting student copies. And external organizations are urged to verify transcripts and diplomas with the issuing institution (and by the way, they shouldn't use any number or web address provided by a supposed student which some actually still do). At the end of the day, all it takes is a phone call. While each school probably handles verification differently, organizations can always at least start with the Registrar's Office. Most contact details for Canadian Registrar's Offices are available through the ARUCC website and regional registrarial websites. We need to continue building partnerships with employers, immigration authorities and other organizations to stop this behaviour at the source!

By Joanne Duklas, University Registrar, York University

Eastern Report

by Rosemary Jotcham (Acadia University), Atlantic representative

New MPHEC web site

The Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission has launched a redesigned website. The new site simplifies access to all of their information including often requested documents such as media releases and presentations, As well it provides new features such as the ability to subscribe to an RSS feed. Enrolment and credentials granted data tables have also been redesigned to simplify the access to data. Detailed statistics are available in downloadable databases.

Declining enrolment at Atlantic universities

According to new data from the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission, enrolment at Atlantic universities dropped 2% between 2006-2007 and 2007-2008. Nova Scotia has seen the biggest decrease in enrolment, down 6% since 2004-2005. MPHEC News Release

Support grows for Truro arts institution

World-renowned novelist Margaret Atwood and Toronto theatre producer David Mirvish have thrown their support behind an initiative to establish a post-secondary performing arts school in Truro Nova Scotia. Spearheading the project is Truro-based actress Lenore Zann, who is hoping to receive funding to launch a feasibility study on the former Normal College building, where the proposed school may be housed.

NS grads with disabilities find jobs at same rate as peers

A new study from the Nova Scotia government has found that provincial PSE graduates with disabilities are securing work at a rate equal to their peers. The report found that in 2007, 81% of graduates with disabilities were working, while another 7% were about to start a job. By comparison, 89% of people ages 25 to 49 with PSE were employed in the same year. The study also found the salaries of graduates with disabilities are about the same as those of their peers.

Eastern Canadian universities see surge in US applicants

Eastern Canadian universities are noticing a new level of interest from US high school students in the New England region. Dalhousie University, for example, saw requests for information from New England students triple in the fall. The surge in interest in Canada as an education destination is being attributed to a slumping US economy, weakening Canadian dollar, cultural diversity, and proximity to home. To build upon the demand, universities are boosting their recruitment efforts in New England, particularly in the Boston suburbs.

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Western Report

by Jody Gordon (Kwantlen Polytechnic University), Western representative

Thanks to Stefanie Ivan for her work with the ARUCC Executive

I wish to take this opportunity to thank Stefanie Ivan (Registrar, Grant MacEwan College) for her work as our western representative on the ARUCC executive. Stefanie remains on as our president for WARUCC. I have been selected as Stefanie's replacement to represent the west on ARUCC. I am currently the Member at Large for BC on the WARUCC executive. I want to thank the WARUCC executive for their support and if I can do even half as well as Stefanie did in representing all of you, we will still be well served.

WARUCC Conference

"CIA" - The Not So Secret Service! Collaborative, Improvising Agents are working, well not secretly, but openly, on our regional conference to be held in Edmonton, Alberta June 23-26. A call for presentations has already gone out and registration information will be available online in March.

Document Fraud Prevention

Our colleagues out in B.C. hosted a symposium this past Fall on Fraud prevention. A private transcript and credential paper company situated in the U.S., our local Border Service Agency representative and a representative from Canadian Security Intelligence Service collectively provided valuable (and sometimes shocking) insight into the pervasive practice of "degree mills" and transcript fraud.

British Columbia on the Move

Other happenings around B.C. include the opening of the UBC Thunderbird Arena this summer, as the first completed Olympic/Paralympic venue for the 2010 games. The venue will host the women's and men's hockey competitions during the games. UBC also launched a new partnership with Apple Inc. for iTunes U. Students can search, download and play educational materials right on the iPod. I guess professors will have to think twice before they tell their students to take off that headset in class! Kwantlen Polytechnic University created a formal service review process and several service units are now conducting reviews. The report can be found on the Kwantlen website.

Five new universities were created this past year in B.C. including Kwantlen University, Capilano University, Emily Carr University of Art and Design, Vancouver Island University and University of the Fraser Valley.

Changes in Alberta

Over in Alberta, Ambrose University College opened a new campus on the west side of Calgary and Grant MacEwan College welcomed a new Coat of Arms "representing the college's past, present and future while paying tribute to the college's namesake, the Honourable Dr. J.W. Grant MacEwan." Alberta also welcomed a new member institution to WARUCC - Columbia College located in Calgary. Heading east to Saskatchewan, the University of Saskatechewan's Student and Enrolment Services Division continues work on a number of initiatives such as a new data-driven recruitment system (in-house) and the implementation of a new CMS system for their on-line calendar. The Registrar's Office at the University of Alberta is busy with a reflective exercise including a review of their scholarships program and the development of recommendations related to Academic Schedule.

Saskatchewan Updates

Over at the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST), Enrolment Services is busy implementing a number of software solutions such as room booking software and document imaging. At St. Peter's College, they will be launching a new Bachelor of Commerce degree, in partnership with University of Saskatchewan. Finally, congratulations to our colleagues at Northlands College who celebrated their 20th anniversary this past year.

Manitoba Updates

From Manitoba, the University of Winnipeg successfully launched a new on-line registration system and virtual advisor. At the University College of the North, a pathway through Prior Learning Assessment is being developed for early childhood educators who do not have a credential.

My thanks to the university and college colleagues who, by contributing to the WARUCC newsletter, provided the information for this western region summary.

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Ontario Report

by Clay MacDougall (Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning), Ontario representative

Ontario Universities Fair (OUF) Update
The Ontario Universities' Fair (OUF) was held September 26-28 at the South Building of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The largest University fair of its kind saw more than 108,000 students, parents and educators.

Ontario College Fair Update
The Ontario College fair is being held October 27 at the Direct Energy Centre in downtown Toronto. This fair is considerably smaller and expects to bring in approximately 9000 students.

Conferences & Meetings
2009 OURA Conference
The 2009 OURA Conference was held February 23-25 2009 in Ottawa. Close to 200 delegates attended a conference with plenary speakers like Honourable Bob Rae, Ken Steele (Senior Vice President, Academica Group Inc.), Dr. Alastair Summerlee (President, University of Guelph), Senator Mike Duffy and Dr. Lynda Duxbury (Professor, Sprott School of Business, Carleton University). Details and presentation links are available on the OURA website .

2008 CRALO AGM & Conference
Hosted by Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario, on November 3-5 2008. This AGM focused on the key theme of change as CRALO is looking to restructure its Operational Committee Structure to provide better strategic input to senior management regarding Strategic Enrolment Management initiatives and a renewed focus on professional development for its membership.

Key themes included the following:
·        Communication
·        Overall Mandate and Purpose of CRALO
·        Committee Structure
·        Professional Development

Textbook & Technology Grant
The Ontario Government announced in March 2008 a Textbook & Technology Grant for postsecondary students. The new annual grant is being made available to all full-time students to help pay for textbooks and computer costs. In the 2008-09 academic year, the grant is $150. In 2009-10 it will increase to $225 and in 2010-11 and beyond it will be $300.

University Information Program
Under the auspices of the Ontario University Registrars' Association (OURA), a review is underway of the UIP (University Information Program), the collective recruitment program for the Ontario high schools. They have selected a 3rd party consultant to lead and facilitate the initiative with a set of pre-determined objectives. A full report is expected in 2009.

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Quebec Report

by Manon Vaillant (HEC Montréal), Quebec representative

The Montreal HEC is Partnering with a Prestigious Management School in China
The Montreal HEC concluded a cooperative agreement with Tsinghua School of Economics and Management in Beijing (Pekin) on June 30, 2008, following discussions that had begun in 2004. On a visit of the school in China, the school's rector Mr. Michel Patry took the opportunity to define the outstanding modalities and to ratify the agreement.

The agreement anticipates student exchanges between the two institutions at the bachelor and doctorate levels starting in 2009. The Tsinghua School of Economics and Management was founded in 1984 and is rated as being the top management school in China. It is the first Chinese school to obtain both certifications: EQUIS (European Quality Improvement System) in February 2008 and AACSB (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) in 2007.

New Canada Research Chair
Last September 30, the creation of the Canada Research Chair in Strategic Management in Pluralistic Settings was announced. This Chair has been created in connection with the Canada Research Chair Program and it is awarding 1, 4 million dollars over 7 years to its recipient. This seventh Canada Research Chair established at the Montreal HEC brings to 24 the total number of Chairs at the school.

Organizational strategic management within pluralistic settings poses specific challenges. Multiple goals and values, ambiguous at times, and shared power, even diffuse, characterize these organizations within which decision making rests on a knowledge base shared among individuals of different professions and hierarchical levels. The new Canada Research Chair in Strategic Management in Pluralistic Settings is directed by Ann Langley, professor of management at the Montreal HEC; her objective is to better understand strategic management mechanisms in this complex setting in order to encourage the adoption of best practices.

Professor Langley's fields of expertise deal with strategic processes and practices, organizational management in the health field, decision making and innovation. In 2006, she cofounded the Strategic Practice Study Group (Groupe d'étude sur la pratique de la stratégie) at the Montreal HEC; she is one of its co-director to this day.

In three languages please!

The Montreal HEC introduces its very first trilingual cohort
It is with pride and enthusiasm that the Montreal HEC celebrated the success of its first trilingual Bachelors of Business Administration (B.A.A.) graduates. The program was inaugurated in 2005 and is still the only one of its kind in North America. This program equipped 68 students with strong management skills and gave them a better understanding of business culture while being exposed to three languages: French, English and Spanish. They are now well prepared to integrate the job market or to pursue graduate studies.

Course of Study of the Trilingual Cohort
During the three first program semesters, B.A.A. students in the trilingual program take five courses in French, five in English and five in Spanish. Starting in the third semester, they pursue their studies abroad in a language other than their mother tongue. The school has set up an international exchange program with 87 partner institutions in 32 countries including Spain, Argentina, Chile, United Kingdom, China and Singapore. Upon their return, students continue the regular course of the program. Approximately 150 students in their first and second year of studies are registered in the trilingual B.A.A. and the program is gaining in popularity.

Concordia

Judith Woodsworth becomes Concoria's President and Vice-Chancellor

On February 29, 2008, Concordia announced the appointment of Judith Woodsworth as Concordia's President and Vice-Chancellor. Her term began on August 1, 2008. A longtime Concordian, Dr. Woodsworth was born in Paris, France, and grew up in Winnipeg. Her full-time academic career began in 1980 when she joined the Département d'études françaises at Concordia University. Over the next 17 years, she held various administrative positions at Concordia, including Program Director, Assistant Dean in the Humanities Division, Department Chair and Vice-Dean in the Faculty of Arts and Science. Prior to her return to Concordia, Dr. Woodsworth was President of Laurentian University for six years.

David Graham becomes new Provost and Vice President, Academic Affairs

On February 29, 2008, Concordia's Board of Governors announced the appointment of David Graham as the new Provost and Vice-President, Academic Affairs. Graham was Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science, a position he had held since August 1, 2005. Dr. Graham is a specialist in early modern French literature with an MA and PhD from the University of Western Ontario and a BA (Hons) from the University of Saskatchewan. He has published and presented widely in his field, and serves as managing editor of the journal Emblematica.

Bruce MacKenzie, Director of Government Reporting, Statistics and External Liaison retired from Concordia University on September 1, 2008 after more than 30 years of service. Over the years, Bruce has worked in the English department, Office of the Registrar and Enrolment Services. He will be missed as a valued and knowledgeable colleague and friend of Concordia University. We wish him a well deserved retirement, good health and happiness as he moves on to this exciting stage in his life. Good Luck, Bruce!

Concordia wins bid to host the 2010 Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences
On April 30, 2008, it was announced that Concordia's bid to host the 2010 Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences had been accepted. Dr. Ronald Rudin, Professor and former Chair of the History Department, was named Academic Convenor for the event which will take place from Friday, May 28 to Friday, June 4, 2010. The 2010 Congress will allow Concordia to showcase its facilities and new buildings, especially the new home of the John Molson School of Business, which will be completed in 2009. More than 8,000 delegates from over 70 disciplines will be coming to Concordia.
More: http://news.concordia.ca/administration/012827.shtml

UQTROngoing Developments at the UQTR
New Occupational Therapy Program
The Université du Québec in Three Rivers continues to expand its offering with the establishment, in Fall 2008, of an occupational therapy program; this Bachelors of Health Science (occupational therapy) is a first for a university in the region. A 32-student cohort began the new program on September 3, 2008.

The baccalaureate degree is part of a curriculum that also includes a professional master's degree in occupational therapy. The aim of this new curriculum is to train future professionals that will promote health and wellness to individuals. More specifically, the occupational therapist works with children, adults or the elderly who have physical or mental disabilities that limit their every day activities.

The curriculum is part of an integrated and continuous course of study that last four years. Students must first complete their bachelor's degree in three years and then continue with their training with the professional master's degree in occupational therapy. The master's degree lasts one year and takes place over four semesters, including two Summer semesters. Moreover, clinical training supports theoretical training; a practicum of more than 1000 hours will make it possible for students to acquire the know-how required to work in their field. Because of the specific requirements of the clinical practicum, it is only offered full-time.

The occupational therapy program at UQTR can count on the support of well established departments: biomedical sciences, neurosciences, biomechanics, as well as social sciences and the humanities. Student will benefit from the infrastructures already in place at the UQTR (laboratories, teaching facilities) to which will be added specific laboratories and the Interdisciplinary Clinic in the future Interdisciplinary Health Building.

The UQTR is Strengthening the Support it Offers its Students
The UQTR is also continuing to develop its resources by strengthening support to students. After putting in place an academic achievement policy, the creation of the Student Academic Achievement Office and carrying out various preliminary studies on this topic, the UQTR has adopted a five-year support plan for student academic achievement.

In order to set into motion the academic achievement plan without delay, a calendar of operations has been established. The first institutional measure implemented is an academic upgrading course that is being offered starting in Winter 2009. This non credit activity will help students to get better acquainted with their new academic environment, to familiarize themselves with their responsibilities as learners and to discover more about their program requirements. They will also be able to find out more about learning in a university setting (time management, note taking, exam preparation, assignments and oral presentations, mastering technology as a tool, etc.).

Other institutional measures have also been put in place to increase student success rate. Mentoring activities are at the heart of this new plan. Students who so desire will be able to benefit from personalized assistance, especially during the first semesters. The plan recommends that each department have its own academic achievement committee and that modifications be made to the academic calendar in light of the difficult choices student face early in the semester. A plan to promote the initiative and the creation of an Internet site for the Student Academic Achievement Office are also on the agenda.

Activities have been organized for professors to increase their knowledge of university pedagogy and to develop their teaching abilities in a class setting. Eleven such activities have been offered to professors under the titles "Pedagogy Noon-Hour Seminar", "Learning Hour" or the "University Pedagogy Training". Some of the topics covered include team work, problem-based learning, the competency-based approach, teaching and new technologies, assessments and group discussions. The high participation rate is a testimony to the relevance of the meetings and to participants' satisfaction.

The New Interdisciplinary Health Building
The UQTR (Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières) has undertaken the construction of a new 16 M $ Interdisciplinary Health Building. Approximately 11 million dollars will be invested by the MELS (Ministry of Education, Leisure and Sports) and the UQTR will inject a sum of about 5 million dollars.

About one of three students now studying at the UQTR is enrolled in a program in the medical sciences, applied health sciences or in physical or mental health intervention. Correspondingly, these fields of study mobilise a third of the faculty. The teaching and research infrastructures of the UQTR needed this new building in order to respond to the challenge of serving this niche, which is an integral part of the signature of the UQTR and one of its distinctive features among universities in Quebec.

The future building will stand four stories high and will be located between the CAPS (Centre for Physical and Sports Activities) and the Chasse-Galerie Student Café; occupational therapy, nursing and midwifery programs will be housed under its roof. To this initial core may eventually be added other programs. This new building will create a meeting space that promotes interdisciplinarity and facilitates exchanges among different health workers.

Another important advantage created by this infrastructure is the possibility of closely aligning teaching and research to the UQTR mission of service to the community. The Health Building will house a multi-vocational clinic where students will be able to develop their professional competencies by being in contact with researchers and practitioners. The spectrum of health services offered to the population will thus be broadened while regional health partnerships are developed.

For several years now, UQTR has set itself apart in the health field because of its innovative approach. On this point, the increasing number of training programs is an indication of its success. The UQTR has launched new and unique programs such as chiropractic, midwifery and podiatry. The results put forward by UQTR researchers also translate the sturdiness of health studies on the Three Rivers Campus. In fact, the majority of research chairs awarded recently have had a direct link with this sector.

Université de Sherbrooke
Gil Rémillard Becomes President of the Board of Directors
L'Université de Sherbrooke Board of Directors nominated Me Gil Rémillard as President. This eminent law officer, academic and respected politician replaces Alban D'Amours who held the position from April 2004. Philosophy and political science graduate and Doctor in Law, Gil Rémillard made his mark as a university professor as well as in the practice of law and politics. He was full professor in the Faculty of Law at Laval University, guest professor and lecturer in several universities in Canada and abroad. Since 1994, he is professor at ÉNAP (École nationale d'administration publique du Québec) where he teaches administrative and international law , while being legal counsel in the Fraser Milner Casgrain Cabinet s.e.n.c.r.l. Gil Rémillard is also founding President of the International Economic Forum of the Americas/Montreal Conference and of the Toronto Forum for Global Cities. He is also President and Editor of the economics journal FORCES.

The biggest outdoor graduation ceremony in Canada
Last September 13th, a Big Dream Came True for l'Université de Sherbrooke: it orchestrated the biggest outdoor graduation ceremony ever to take place in Canada. Under favourable meteorological conditions, overlooking a splendid view of the Appalachian Mountains, 13,000 people took part in a spectacular ceremony at l'Université de Sherbrooke outdoor stadium. The graduates were vested with the university colours in a highly symbolic event that is unique to the university and that was initiated in 2006. To the sound of drums, in a four beat rhythmic sequence, the graduates flipped over their black cloak to reveal the green and gold university colours.

Sustainable Development Leader
On the strength of previous engagements with regards to its Policy for Sustainable Development (2005), l'Université de Sherbrooke has signed another series of engagements to summon all members of the university community. Approximately 110 actions that stem from a vast consultation will mark the path of sustainable practices integration to the teaching/research mission as well as to real estate projects or the transportation habits of the university community.

One of the most remarkable measures of this action plan will be the transformation of the centre of campus into a new "pedestrian core", thus eliminating four parking areas. In lieu of the parking area, a new green space with include a hundred or so indigenous trees and shrubs, street furniture and storm water basins. The financing for these landscaping projects come from private interests through l'Université de Sherbrooke Foundation. By moving vehicles to the periphery, away from the campus core, these measures will serve to enhance other forms of transportation such as public transport or cycling. The plan includes more cycling trails, better pedestrian pathways and the renewal of the free access to public transport agreement. Note that from now on, the university will only purchase more energy efficient hybrid or electric vehicles and that the self-serve bicycle park now offers electrically assisted bicycles.

Université de Sherbrooke Repositions Itself on the Internet
Last fall, the university moved its Internet site to a new more flexible infrastructure that offers a more cohesive institutional look. For members of the university community, this change creates a renewed synergy with "myPortal", the Intranet control panel. This new computer infrastructure will make it possible to consolidate the site and to speed up the implementation of modifications. The frequency of updates should also be greatly improved thanks to the use of more user-friendly publication tools. To consult the site go to: www.USherbrooke.ca

New Maters Degree in Cross-Cultural Mediation
L'Université de Sherbrooke proposes a new master's degree in cross-cultural mediation. Unique in Canada, the objective of this degree is to train high level actors that will meet the growing need for cross-cultural mediation, a need that arises from increasing cultural diversity in Quebec, in Canada and abroad.

McGill
McGill University has been named one of Canada's Top 100 employers for 2009 in the October 13 issue of Maclean's magazine. The honour recognizes the University's efforts in a number of areas, including its strong support for diversity, an active sustainability program, the University's excellent pension benefits and also the park-like downtown campus where most of McGill's employees work.

In a week marking the announcement of significant achievements, for a fifth year in a row, McGill has been named one of the top 25 universities in the world by the prestigious Times Higher Education-QS World University Rankings. Principal Heather Munroe-Blum noted that this "...ranking is achieved despite the dramatic funding differential between us and the schools with which we are compared."

Quebec universities have been severely underfunded for many years. Tuition freezes have exacerbated the funding challenges. The de-regulation of international tuition for some programs across the province will alleviate some of these challenges.

The face of administrative services for students is changing at McGill. Among many projects, the University is developing one-stop services to reduce the run-around that students often face on large, complex campuses. A new, integrated service centre will be built in the MacLennan Library building, bringing the services in close proximity to the bookstore, student union, career and placement services and other important student services. The targeted launch date is early 2010.

Bishop's

Bishop's has a new Principal, Mr. Michael Goldbloom. A Special Fall Convocation and Installation of the Principal was held on October 17, 2008. Bishop's University announces the appointment of Mr. Damien Roy as Director of Recruitment and Mr. Hans Rouleau as Director of Admissions. After a few years of decline, new full-time entering class students are up 13% for the Fall 2008 semester.

The National Institute for Scientific Research (INRS)
The Quebec Centre for Earth Science celebrates 20 years. It was born of a university-government partnership between the INRS and Natural Resources Canada. This innovative collaboration supports the efforts of the two partners to meet the priorities of society and to drive forward the acquisition of knowledge in the field of natural resources and the environment.

National Institute for Scientific Research (INRS) and the Mediterranean University (Aix-Marseille II) have recently signed a framework agreement for cooperation with regards to research and training development. This agreement will make it possible to build upon the most recent studies of the Centre for Energy, Materials and Telecommunications regarding a new generation of ultrashort and very high power laser sources and to consolidate relations among French researchers in the field of medical, biomedical optics and photonics.

Honours and Awards
The Université du Québec has awarded Research Chair Jean-Claude Kieffer, also director of the Centre for Energy, Materials and Telecommunications of the INRS, the Prize for Excellence in research and innovation for his scientific career.

Christiane Dupont, who is studying for a master's in water science at the Centre for Water, Earth and the Environment of the INRS, has been awarded one of the prizes for the Acfas Scientific Popularization Contest for her article "Les mares nordiques : Bien plus que de simples flaques d'eau" or "Swatches: Much more than simple puddles". Her research topics are biodiversity and green house gas emissions produced by Nunavik and Nunavut swatches.

The Association of Deans at the graduate level (Association des doyens des études supérieures au Québec) has attributed the ADESAQ Award, in the engineering and natural sciences category, to Mr. Amine Maaref, Ph. D. graduate for his thesis on Applications of Random Matrix Theory to the Performance Analysis of WirelessMIMO Communication Systems; he was being supervised by Professor Sonia Aïssa from the Centre for Energy, Materials and Telecommunications of the INRS.

Nominations
Mrs. Sylvie Beauchamp has joined the INRS management team as Director of Administration and Finance.

Thank you for supporting ARUCC!

Contact Info
ARUCC Vice President and Contact Newsletter Editor - Joanne Duklas, University Registrar, York University, jduklas@yorku.ca, 416-650-8002