UNews - health services

Kovalchuk earns CIHR Chair

trevor.kenney — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 20:55:14 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researcher Dr. Olga Kovalchuk is the recipient of a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Chair dedicated to examining the effects occupational radiation exposure has on men and women working in nuclear industries.

Canada is home to one of the highest concentrations of nuclear activity in the world. Nearly 40,000 people work in Canada's nuclear industry, while 800,000 individuals work in nuclear sectors worldwide. The number of females working in these industries has increased over time, making this project much more critical.

The Chair, which falls under CIHR's Gender, Work and Health program, will examine whether men and women are affected differently in nuclear work environments, which includes the nuclear power industry, healthcare and research departments.

Dr. Kovalchuk's work will examine whether females are equally protected in these environments. Established radiation protection guidelines are historically based on how the male's body is affected.

"I will collaborate with researchers in Russia and we will analyze their nuclear industry cohort. The knowledge can be applied in Canada and all over the world," says Kovalchuk, whose work was inspired by her experience as a high school student in the Ukraine in 1986, while living only 600 kilometres from Chernobyl, the site of the worst nuclear accident in history.

This Chair will provide an exciting opportunity to develop an international collaborative network. The network will have research representation from Canada, USA, Russia and key knowledge-users including Defence Research and Development Canada, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Health Canada and the Nuclear Information and Resource (NIRS - USA).

"The Chair will be an initiative that will have a global impact and will position Canada as a global leader in radiation and environmental health research and radiation protection research," says Kovalchuk.

The CIHR award is for $800,000 over five years.

Vice-President (Research) Dr. Dan Weeks says this funding exemplifies the important contribution that U of L researchers are making in improving the quality of life of Canadians.

"This type of research is representative of the impact U of L faculty members continue to make for the benefit of Canadians. Dr. Kovalchuk's work will benefit tremendously a segment of the workforce that faces particular risks," says Weeks. "The impact the U of L is making in health related areas grows every year."

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research is the Government of Canada's health research investment agency. CIHR's mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health-care system.

Penner's dedication recognized with honour

trevor.kenney — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 22:32:57 +0000

To say Jennifer Penner wears many hats would be an understatement.

She's the team lead and nurse clinician at Lethbridge's Heart Function Clinic/Heart Failure Network, a regular guest lecturer in ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge nursing classes and an advocate for more connected and patient-centric health care. Yet, at heart, her professional scope is unified by a very personal philosophy.

"The thing that has inspired me is the connection with patients and families, and the ability to deliver excellent care in such a way that it will empower people to live better lives," says Penner.

Penner relishes the opportunity to work collaboratively with the u of L's Faculty of Health Sciences.

Clearly Penner has passed that inspiration along to others. This year, her longstanding contributions are being recognized with the 2012 Friends of Health Sciences Award, an annual honour from the Faculty of Health Sciences that recognizes an individual or agency that has made a significant contribution to health education and research at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Originally from Bow Island, Alta., Penner completed her initial nursing education at Medicine Hat College and her bachelor of science in nursing degree at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta. She has spent most of her 25-year career in southern Alberta. Today, Penner supervises five nurses at the Heart Failure Clinic, as well as leads the relatively new and forward-thinking Heart Failure Network, which she helped to create in 2008.

By encouraging greater collaboration between diverse roles such as case managers, acute care workers and even family doctors, the network integrates health services among these practitioners and increases their awareness of their roles relative to their colleagues, and even more significantly, to the patient.

"When we understand what everyone's role is, the patient in the middle gets better benefits and outcomes," says Penner.

With an estimated 500,000 heart failure patients in Canada and more than 80,000 in Alberta alone, the significance of this work becomes even more apparent. At 10,000 admissions per year, heart failure is one of the most common diagnoses for medical admission to hospital, says Penner.

"It's a huge chronic disease. That's why we need an approach that's far reaching to promote better care, better outcomes and wise utilization of health-care resources."

She adds that greater integration tends to increase patient stability, which cuts costs by reducing the burden on busy emergency rooms and contributes to fewer admissions to acute care facilities.

On top of her leadership in the Heart Failure Network, Penner also shares her expertise with the next generation of nurses, a commitment that began in 2003. Today, she lectures for several faculty members in both nursing and research courses, grounding her talks about heart failure in actual case studies that the young nurses-in-training are likely to encounter early in their careers.

"Lecturing is near and dear to my heart," says Penner. "I love having an influence on promoting clinical excellence and building the future of nursing."

She also helps students gain experience by connecting them with practical work experiences in clinics, and helping with other real-world skills such as cardiac assessment.

While Penner is clearly motivated by factors beyond awards and accolades, she says she is "deeply honoured" to be recognized by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, noting that her work in the academic setting has helped her realize her own personal potential.

"It is so rewarding to be collaborative, to work with the esteemed professionals at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and to experience the infectious vitality of new nurses. It motivates me and inspires me to be better."

The Friends of Health Sciences Award reception is Saturday, Oct. 13 at 2 p.m. in the Markin Hall Atrium.

This story first appeared in the October 2012 issue of the Legend. To read the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

U of L celebrates Fall 2011 Convocation

trevor.kenney — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 20:05:04 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Fall 2011 Convocation ceremony takes place Saturday, Oct. 15 in the 1st Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness, beginning at 10 a.m.

Among the honoured guests at this ceremony are the 358 graduands eligible to convocate, along with Honorary Degree recipients George Gemer and Dr. John Kloppenburg and Alumnus of the Year Michael Miltenberger. Admission is free and the public is welcome to attend.

Convocation will be streamed live on the internet for those not able to attend the ceremony. View a live webcast of all convocation ceremonies by following this link to the Convocation website. The web link is live approximately 10 minutes prior to the ceremony.

Following are brief biographies of our special honourees.

Dr. George Gemer, Doctor of Laws, honoris causa

A well-known Lethbridge track and field and fencing coach, Gemer is also an author and survivor of Second World War prisoner of war camps who fled Hungary for Canada in 1956. Gemer has coached and officiated at the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and other world-class sporting events while retaining close ties to the Hungarian community in Lethbridge and beyond.

Read George Gemer's full Honorary Degree citation at this website.

Dr. John Kloppenborg, Doctor of Arts, honoris causa

A ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge graduate (BA '74), he is a professor and Chair at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto's Department and Centre for the Study of Religion. Kloppenborg is well-known as a researcher of the origins and sources of early Christian texts such as the Q document, a lost book of the New Testament.

Read Dr Kloppenborg's full Honorary Degree citation at this website.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AWARDS DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR HONOUR

Michael Miltenberger, (BA '75) Alumnus of the Year

J. Michael Miltenberger is the MLA for Thebacha, NWT, Deputy Premier and environmental advocate. He has been described as a northern visionary and a protector of northern values. His clear and thought-provoking approach has significantly impacted a variety of projects in areas ranging from health services to wildlife and endangered species.

Read Michael Miltenberger's complete Distinguished Alumnus of the Year citation at this website.

First MMus graduate -- Acacia Doktorchik (BMus '09 distinction, MMus '11)

The U of L will also welcome the first graduate of a Master of Music program. Acacia Doktorchik has performed as a soprano soloist in Handel's Messiah and Bach's Magnificat with the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra, as well as being an accomplished pianist, cellist, and Celtic and Highland Dancer. She is currently teaching in Medicine Hat, Alta.

Read more about Acacia at this website.

New Mahon on campus

trevor.kenney — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 18:43:07 +0000

Once a week, a young Mike Mahon (pronounced Man) would catch the bus in his hometown of Winnipeg, Man., ride across the city and head to the swimming pool or gymnasium to work with people with intellectual disabilities.

The volunteer experience was part of a community-service expectation mandated by his high school, but Mahon wasn't there simply to earn credit. Having grown up in a household that valued community engagement, the idea of volunteerism was second nature, and he took to it innately.

"Growing up, that was just what I was exposed to, so the whole idea of volunteering just became a part of who we were as a family," says Mahon. "There was this fundamental belief that volunteering was an important part of living in a community."

New ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President Dr. Mike Mahon.

Mahon had no idea at that time this early community service opportunity would have such an influence over his future career. It would shape his graduate studies, research and now, as the new president of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, it continues to resonate.

Born in Manitoba, Mahon grew up with four siblings in a house that teemed with activity. A self-described sports junkie, he played a little of everything and eventually was a two-sport (football and track) student-athlete at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba. After completing a bachelor's degree in physical education, he moved on to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta (MSc in Physical Education) and then the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (PhD in Education) for his graduate and doctoral studies respectively.

"When I started thinking about what I would do with my master's degree, I did look back to that first experience," says Mahon. "It had a tremendous amount of influence from a career perspective."

His research, which focuses on adapted physical activity with an emphasis on older individuals and persons with intellectual disabilities, has garnered a number of honours, including: Fellow of the Academy of Leisure Sciences (2001); Award of Distinction from the Canadian Centre on Disability Studies (2000); the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba Rh Award for Outstanding Contributions to Interdisciplinary Scholarship and Research (1995).

The Presidential couple, Mike and Maureen Mahon.

Mahon has since become a vigorous proponent of physical activity for people of every age and ability. Most recently, he has been working on several projects that bring a research focus to how sports and play can help children in developing countries. In that context he has been involved with Right to Play as well as Play Around the World, groups that supply sports equipment and programming support to children in developing countries.

He says the opportunity to conduct research with these organizations, as well as become involved on a volunteer basis, is particularly rewarding.

"The people I've known who have become volunteers have really, in the end, got more out of the experience themselves than they feel they've given," says Mahon.

His academic career has virtually mirrored the path he took as a student, beginning at Manitoba before transitioning to the U of A where he spent two terms as the dean of the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation prior to his coming to the U of L.

His arrival in Lethbridge appears to be a case of right Mahon, right time. Family, community and developing an atmosphere for growth of the entire person are some of the ideals that Mahon brings to the U of L.

As the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ looks forward, Mahon sees its growth achieved through a learning environment that is dedicated to social responsibility and community engagement; that is dedicated to building a comprehensive university across the broad academy of disciplines; that is dedicated to creating a person-first university environment for staff and faculty; and that is centrally focused on a student-first attitude.

Mahon recognizes he has inherited a confident and forward-thinking institution, and he looks to build off that foundation as he introduces new initiatives. He says, for example, that as much as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and its students are already agents of influence in southern Alberta, there is opportunity to expand the impact the U of L has on society by formalizing its community outreach initiatives.

"Liberal education is about presenting students with an expansive opportunity of academic experience," he says. "I'd like to think that part of that experience could be about being in the community and taking that liberal education concept that much further."

Mahon looks to the example his parents, who were involved community members, provided as he grew up, and the opportunities he had to explore and understand community engagement. As part of his future plan for the U of L, Mahon proposes introducing a framework whereby students earn academic credit for volunteerism.

"I think this is a tremendous gift that we can give our students," he says. "Having volunteer experience within the context of education is, on one level, a way that institutions can connect with and give back to the community, but on another level, it's a wonderful way to help our students expand their horizons."

Kristi Legge's Dance Group Performers, ranging from Grade 6 to university students, were among the highlights at the Presidential Installation.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, having prospered under the leadership of former President Dr. Bill Cade, is emerging from its history as a primarily undergraduate university into a comprehensive institution that fully embraces a research culture, and is rapidly expanding its graduate studies opportunities.

"What I see is the continued integration of teaching and research, both at the undergraduate and graduate level. The U of L has always had a unique approach to engaging undergraduates in research, and that's something we will continue to do," says Mahon. "As we move forward, we must use our experience and commitment to excellence in undergraduate education as a springboard for the development of and improved access to graduate-level programming."

The opportunities for expansion, he says, are numerous, with a track record of success already established.

"We have developed internationally recognized strengths in the areas of neuroscience, epigenetics and water research, and we've more recently moved into the study of demographics and population with the creation of the Prentice Institute," says Mahon. "Now we're searching for our next niche research areas that we can build capacity in, and how they will also integrate with our academic programs, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels."

The recent opening of Markin Hall, a building that houses the Faculties of Health Sciences and Management, provides a fertile ground for collaborative research efforts, and is a perfect example of the interdisciplinary focus at the U of L. Simply by putting talented minds together, it creates a conversation from which great synergies can emerge.

"Markin Hall is going to be very much like the Alberta Water and Environmental Science Building (AWESB)," he says. "When you bring people from different, yet related, disciplines together under the same roof, you start to see some interesting areas of research develop."

Mahon recognizes that the U of L can only move forward with a people-first, student-first approach. It begins by creating an atmosphere where a positive work/life balance is celebrated.

"I want to see us build an institution that is committed to people and to creating that balance for our people, and that means students, staff and faculty. If I'm not a role model on that front, it's hard to preach that this is a direction we should go," says Mahon, who is regularly spotted in the 1st Choice Savings Centre gym, beginning the day with a run on the treadmill or a workout in the weight room.

Having been on campus since July, Mahon has gained an understanding of what makes the U of L engine run – its people. He says the liberal arts ideals that founded the institution, coupled with a student-first learning environment, will continue to be central themes as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ advances.

"Whether it is in academic programs and research, how we recruit and orient our students, our class sizes, our residences, recreation and sport opportunities, health services, or the environment of our campus, we must ensure that we bring to life this concept of student-first," he says.

Part of that is recognizing and celebrating how integral a place the U of L occupies in southern Alberta.

"I've learned that the U of L is a real treasure, and it's because of our people," says Mahon. "We have staff and faculty who are committed to the success of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and to the experiences of our graduate and undergraduate students. Combine that with where we are situated, our beautiful campus, small class sizes and world-class faculty – and this is truly a premier university."

This story originally appeared in the Fall 2010 issue of SAM. For a look at the full issue of SAM in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Mahon assumes leadership role

trevor.kenney — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 18:30:52 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is officially under the leadership of Dr. Michael James Mahon.

On Friday, Oct. 15, Mahon was officially installed as the U of L's 6^th President and Vice-Chancellor. He begins his tenure as President by addressing the students, staff, faculty and supporters of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. Following is his Installation address.

Presidential Installation Address

Welcome and Greetings

YOUR HONOUR Chief Justice of Alberta Catherine Fraser, CHANCELLOR

New ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Michael James Mahon.

RICHARD DAVIDSON, BOARD CHAIR ROBERT TURNER, SPECIAL GUESTS, MEMBERS OF OUR CAMPUS COMMUNITY, VISITORS TO OUR CAMPUS, and EVERYONE WATCHING ON THE WEB

It is an honour and a pleasure to stand before you today as the sixth president and vice-chancellor of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Thank you for being here as we celebrate the future of our great ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. In doing so, we reflect on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's past, the foundation the institution was built on and the many people who have contributed to the emergence of this world-class institution.

Our history begins with the Blackfoot people and the sacred land on which the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ sits. I would like to begin my address with a thank you to the Blackfoot community and the role they have played in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's rich history.

To the Blackfoot People:

NIII TSI KSI NII YII TSI PA, NII TSI TA PII WAH SINI

(Loosely translated, this means "I am grateful and thankful for the Blackfoot way")

Since its founding in 1967, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has evolved from a small and very successful primarily undergraduate university to a research-intensive, comprehensive university with a focus on both undergraduate and graduate studies.

This is a place where ideas ignite thanks to inspired teaching combined with superior research. A place where a collaborative community of scholars and researchers has built a culture of support – for students, both undergraduate and graduate, for each other and for the broader communities of southern Alberta and beyond. Everyone at this university and in this community contributes to our success.

Today, more than 8,500 students from approximately 85 countries call the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's campuses in Lethbridge, Calgary and Edmonton home. Our student-body has grown by more than 50% in the last 10 years. Despite this growth, we have remained true to who we are – a community focused on the student and grounded in liberal education.

There is no doubt that the history of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is one of community.

The success of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is a reflection of the many people who have played a role in its development. More than four decades of students, faculty, boards of governors and senate members, administrators, employees, community supporters and 32,000 alumni have contributed to the emergence of a world-class institution.

Without question, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has exceeded the expectations of its most optimistic founders.

As I begin my first year as president, I assure you, our university will continue to provide each and every student with the most vital and engaging learning environment in the country.

The last four months have validated all of my impressions of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the southern Alberta community. The experiences my wife Maureen and I have had have brought the U of L to life for us. As part of my introduction to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, I was given the opportunity to meet with every unit on campus and participate in activities that form part of their daily lives. I spent an early morning with the dedicated staff in care-taking vacuuming and cleaning classrooms. I drove a street-sweeper, delivered a baby and got lost in a corn maze, we visited classes in drama, critical thinking and poetry and learned to line dance again, which brought back memories of our disco years in the 70's. Through these experiences, Maureen and I have been made to feel very quickly that we are members of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge family.

I am struck by how often that term is used as people reference the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge – family. This has truly reaffirmed our decision to join the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, as family is foundational to us.

I was born in Winnipeg into a very close-knit family of five children. My mother Lucille and two siblings Susan and Patrick are here today and my dad Jim and siblings Kathy and Paul are watching on streaming-video back in Winnipeg.

Growing up in Winnipeg I came to appreciate cold, heat, wind, rain and snow. During our first summer in Lethbridge we have experienced all of this and thus feel right at home.

Maureen and I met in Edmonton in 1981 and have been married for 27 years. Our careers have led us to Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and North Carolina. I have however, lived in Western Canada for all, but three years of my life, and as a result have a fundamental and deep-rooted connection to the West.

We are fortunate to have three wonderful children in Katie, Brennan and Seann, who are here today, as are a number of Maureen's family members including her mother Cathy.

The support of Maureen, our children, and my extended family has enabled and empowered me throughout my career. I will bring this fundamental belief in the multiple contributions of a family to my new home.

My parents were dedicated to education, volunteerism and diversity. They were role models to me as volunteers, dedicated to community building and in particular supporting the needs of those who are vulnerable. This commitment to service has been instilled in me since my childhood. I believe I am here to support and serve the people who make up this ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. I believe in collaboration, in trust, in foresight, listening and empowerment. My first commitment to you as President is that my role as leader of this ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ will be to serve and to help enable the dreams and aspirations of all who work, learn, create, and study, at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. I make this same commitment to the community that we as a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ serve and are accountable to.

The foundation of our culture and identity as a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is a commitment to this community of people. Regardless of whether they are students, faculty, staff or alumni, people form the basis of our strength. They define the character of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. As we strive to realize our aspirations as a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, we cannot lose this defining feature of who we are and what we value.

I believe this includes creating an environment that supports healthy living and balanced lifestyles for students, faculty and staff and takes seriously its role in promoting this in the broader community.

Since its inception, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has made a promise to provide a very personal experience to our students. This promise will be continued and indeed enhanced as we go forward.

We must commit all aspects of our university to taking a Student First approach.

Whether it is in academic programs and research, how we recruit and orient our students, our class sizes, our residences, recreation and sport opportunities, health services, or the environment of our campus, we will all ensure that we bring to life this moniker of the Student First.

A note I received in September from a parent of one of our first year students' sums up the essence of our Student First approach and the value of the people who make up this ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ:

This Mother Wrote –

"From the first contacts we had with the university last fall through the orientation day, each and every piece of correspondence and every phone call, I have been overwhelmingly impressed with the caliber of the individuals and the overall feeling of satisfaction I have with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge as an institution and a community … I remain a proud parent of an alumnus and a student at an institution that is, in my mind, a national treasure and truly committed to the individual student thriving in and beyond your campus."

Individual people working towards a common goal are an important theme at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. It is the story of our founding, and it is the story that has and will continue to lead us to greater success. Much of this success has been rooted in the principles of interdisciplinary collaboration. It is this concept that Dr. Arthur Erickson sought to foster through his design of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall.

And it is this concept that U of L faculty have used to build research teams and conduct their works of creativity and inquiry. The importance of research across the academy and the potential for multiple disciplines working together to unlock many of the important questions in our world and to contribute to the furtherance of our society cannot be emphasized enough. Our future as a comprehensive university will continue to be rooted in interdisciplinary research and discovery across the academy.

It is the bridge however between teaching and research - to both inform and support undergraduate and graduate education - that is the underlying principle of a comprehensive university.

I arrive at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, with an abiding respect and enthusiasm for working across our academy, to build our capacity as a comprehensive university but to do it in a way that is respectful of our history and identity. We must rededicate our university to high quality, student-centered undergraduate liberal education. In doing so we must also encourage and nurture the research aspirations of our colleagues and their graduate students.

The U of L grew up as a primarily undergraduate university renowned for the quality of its teaching, but has provided thousands of undergraduate students with research experience and the opportunity to work with our world-class faculty researchers - an experience that is reserved for masters and doctoral students at most other universities, and one we should continue to embrace. Recently, the U of L has also dedicated itself to creating more opportunities for graduate education. We must use our experience and commitment to excellence in undergraduate education as a springboard for the development and improving access to graduate level programming.We must however ensure that our commitment to and successes in graduate education and research are balanced across all disciplines. There is no model I look to that will guide us in this achievement, we will continue to create our own .

My entire educational experience was rooted in the philosophy of liberal education. These liberal education roots are the same as those of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. This includes a fundamental belief in the importance of community service learning outside of the classroom. I was in grade 11, during a community service-learning experience, when I had a life changing and career-focusing experience. As part of a school-based volunteer requirement, I worked at an institution for children and adults with severe intellectual disabilities. This experience was the impetus for 33 years of work dedicated to understanding and supporting people with disabilities.

My high school volunteer experience and subsequent career in disability studies had a significant influence on my philosophy of education. In keeping with that philosophy, it is my goal to ensure that during my tenure as President and continuing thereafter, each of our U of L students has an opportunity to complete at least one community-based experience during their undergraduate program. We are committed to building a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ culture that promotes social responsibility and community engagement. We have an obligation to give back to the community that supports us, and our students have an obligation to give back to the community that welcomes them and enables their education.

Abigail Adams, an advocate of women's rights and the abolishment of slavery in the 19^th century United States, summarizes this obligation very well by saying, "If we do not lay out ourselves in the service of mankind, whom should we serve?"

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is a treasure: a treasure that is recognized throughout the province and across the country – approximately 70% of our students come from outside of our city. While this is an impressive measure of our reputation, one of our goals must be to ensure that the citizens of Lethbridge and southern Alberta continue to take great pride in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge as their university. That it be the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of choice for their children. At the same time it is important to recognize the opportunity and need to continue to promote the U of L as a university of choice for students from across Canada and indeed the world. Every student we bring from outside Lethbridge, makes significant contributions to this community.

During my tenure as President, I wish to see the U of L truly recognized as a premier Canadian comprehensive university dedicated to providing a second to none student experience for both undergraduate and graduate students. To achieve this vision, we must continue to build our capacity to house students on campus, by increasing residence space. In turn, this will ensure increased access to affordable housing in the city for Lethbridge residents. We must promote ourselves and continue to vocally and publically celebrate the successes of our colleagues in the faculty and staff ranks, of our students and of our graduates and alumni.

We must ensure that we no longer hear that we are, "One of Alberta's best kept secrets." Instead, we will hear that we are one of Canada's top destination universities.

Our journey forward will continue to recognize the importance of internationalization. With over 85 countries represented in our current student population, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is already an international campus. Our goal of becoming a destination university will be achieved in part through our ability to continue to attract international students. These students contribute immeasurably to our campus. They must be made to feel welcome at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and in the city of Lethbridge. Internationalization is also about providing opportunities for Canadian students to grow through an international experience offered as part of select academic programs and to be exposed to an international, multi-cultural campus.

Our Strategic Plan provides an exciting vision for our university; one that has been embraced by our campus community and a vision I completely endorse. As I have heard repeated, it is a path we have chosen to follow, not a set of railroad tracks that will dictate where we will end. It is not a directive – it is a vision we collectively must contribute to or we will be unsuccessful in achieving it. Each of us has a unique role to play in this endeavor. I am committed to doing my part to get us there.

There is a wonderful promise outlined in the academic calendar of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. With slight modification, today I make this promise to you,

To our students, to our faculty and staff and the community of supporters of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, I make a promise:

· A promise to do my best, so you can be your best.

· A promise to foster exploration, to share ideas and information, to teach but also to learn.

· A promise to help build the buildings, acquire the technology, cultivate the partnerships, and welcome the people essential to advancing an environment that excites and ignites learning, teaching, research and creativity, while contributing to the sustainability of the environment within which we live.

· A promise to create an environment where professors and students are colleagues and everyone grows together, an environment that recognizes the power of every student's dream. And helps that dream come true.

We will have many new challenges ahead us but I know we are ready to take them on. Along the way we will be guided by our roots epitomized in the ever-changing light of the prairie landscape. Fiat Lux- Let there be light!

Improving health care through service

trevor.kenney — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 19:11:40 +0000

Working part time as an ER nurse, Dr. Claudia Steinke (MSc '01), assistant professor for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's Faculties of Health Sciences and Management, sees firsthand the strengths and weaknesses of our health care system. Through her professional and personal experience, Steinke became less than enchanted with the delivery of service in health care.

"I decided to apply a service management perspective to the design of services in health care when I realized that the system isn't designed to provide an exceptional service experience to people. I view the design of health services from a structural, process and outcome perspective, and at the organizational level, there is a lack of attention placed on developing the structures needed to provide for high levels of service quality in health care.

Dr. Claudia Steinke is passionate about designing health care services that are individualized, humanistic and forward thinking.

This in turn affects the process (i.e. individual actions) by which services are delivered," says Steinke.

"The whole mentality and culture in health care needs to change," says Steinke, whose award-winning dissertation explored staff and patient perceptions of the service experience in emergency rooms. "Even the physical design of an emergency room makes a considerable difference to the service experiences of patients and staff. In addition, there are studies that show the impact of the built environment on the health outcomes of patients. For example, studies show that patients who have a bed overlooking a window have shorter lengths of stay, require less analgesic, and are less irritable," explains Steinke.

Steinke is a member of several different research teams within various organizations, educational institutions and committees, including the Government of Alberta; the Vancouver Board of Trade; the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Victoria, Faculty of Business; the Vancouver Island Health Authority; Cohos Evamy integratedesign; and the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. She has gained a reputation for research excellence, winning an Academy of Management Award in 2009 for her paper on "Empowering Patients through Service Design."

"My research lies at the intersection of five main fields of study: service management, organization theory and design, human resource management, architecture and health care. My focus is largely on designing for climate for service in health care. This starts with the leadership and designing high quality structures for staff because in order for service excellence to be delivered to the end-user (patients), service deliverers (nurses, physicians, etc.) must receive the support of those who serve them," says Steinke. "In my teaching, I teach students to focus on their presence at work, to attend to the built environment and, to anticipate the needs of patients and their families before they ask because those are tangible things that can set the stage for a great service experience."

Steinke is passionate about designing health care services that are individualized, humanistic and forward thinking. She believes the physical design of the service setting plays an important role in this. Integrating her management and health sciences background, Steinke believes her research can influence the quality of services in health care. The 'service' aspect of health care is an area that is poorly understood, insufficiently explored and deserves a much higher presence. "I hope my research brings to light a new way of looking at things. There are many things we can do to improve the system and the quality of services being delivered, but we have to go beyond the boundaries of health care. By integrating different fields, industries, and sectors, we can find innovative solutions to some of the problems we that we currently face in the system," says Steinke.

Inclusive education a measure of quality

trevor.kenney — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:09:35 +0000

Dr. Noella Piquette-Tomei has filled out countless report cards over her years as an educator, but it's safe to say she's never handed out grades on a worldwide scale. That's just the opportunity she and 500-plus colleagues had recently at the Return to Salamanca: Global Inclusion Conference.

Invited as one of only a handful of Canadians, Piquette-Tomei and her brethren were in Spain to review the Salamanca Accord, an understanding signed by all members of the United Nations that pledged to further inclusive education, providing all children the opportunity to learn.

"The point of this conference was to basically look at it as a report card, 15 years later, and ask where we are," Piquette-Tomei says.

The results, while encouraging at the administrative level, are less than satisfactory at ground level, where millions of children worldwide still do not have access to education, and especially those with disabilities.

"The desire, the intent to improve education for students is there, especially at the grassroots level," she says. "There just isn't the necessary financial support from governments because there are so many things that they are trying to do simultaneously."

The topic of inclusion has been at the forefront of Piquette-Tomei's teaching career virtually since day one. The Alberta native and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary graduate taught special education for 11 years in the Calgary Catholic school system. She came to the
U of L because she was so impressed with the Faculty of Education's undergraduate program and saw a niche where she could educate students on the importance of incorporating special needs students into the mainstream.

"We don't separate individuals once they are out of this artificial school environment, so why are we doing it in schools?" she asks. "Why are we not allowing students with and without various special needs to intermingle and learn from each other and about each other? For me, personally, this conference was a real motivator to continue pushing that thesis."

She admits the Salamanca experience was eye opening and while her focus here is on inclusion strategies for special needs students, the fact that basic education is unattainable in many countries is disappointing.

"We have a lot of complaints here in Canada about accountability, about funding, about support, but the humbling part really hit me when I heard teachers, administrators and community support workers from around the world talking about all the issues they face," she says.
"In this day and age when we know that education is the only way to access everything we talk about related to freedom, it's really disturbing."

It has reinvigorated her desire to continue to push Canadian educators.

"The quality of education should be measured by the quality of education that we provide for our most vulnerable populations," she says.

GET THE FACTS

• Piquette-Tomei has been at the U of L for six years and is currently on sabbatical.

• As a result of the Salamanca conference, she has been asked to contribute to a case study book that will be used across Canada by pre-service teachers and community workers for strategies when facing various disabilities.

• A total of 56 countries were represented in Salamanca with presenters from the United Nations, UNESCO, UNICEF, Canadian Human Rights Commissioner, The World Bank, OCED and the Minister for Education: Spain.

• A total of 77 million children worldwide are currently out of school; 25 million of them have a disability.

• More than 85 per cent of students worldwide with special needs do not have access to school, health services or even basic sanitation.

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