UNews - ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Regina

Nicol appointed ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Librarian

trevor.kenney — Fri, 05 Jul 2013 16:11:57 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has named Dr. Christopher J. Nicol as its new ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Librarian, an appointment that took effect on July 1, 2013.

Nicol, the former Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science, had been serving as Acting ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Librarian since Sept. 1, 2012. He took that position in the wake of former ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Librarian Alison Nussbaumer's move to the role of Interim Dean, Internationalization.

"Chris Nicol's service to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge as Dean of Arts and Science has been both remarkable and exemplary," says Bob Boudreau, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Vice Provost. "His contributions in advancing the Faculty of Arts and Science will be felt for years to come. Building on this legacy, we are absolutely thrilled that Chris will continue to serve and lead the U of L in his new role of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Librarian."

A native of Scotland, Nicol earned his master's and PhD in economics at Queen's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Kingston, Ont., before spending 16 years as a professor of economics at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Regina. He arrived on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge campus in 2001 and assumed his duties as a professor in economics while also serving as the Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science. He will continue on as a professor of economics in the Department of Economics while serving as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Librarian.

An esteemed researcher, Nicol's interests are in econometrics, applied econometrics and the theory of consumer behaviour. He is also keenly interested in macroeconomic policy debates, especially those arising in the wake of the financial crisis of 2008.

Nicol is also an accomplished swimmer, having competed internationally and at the post-secondary level for Queen's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. In 1985, Nicol won both the 100-metre and 200-metre breaststroke events at the inaugural World Masters Games in Toronto.

Horns hockey schedules finalized

trevor.kenney — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:09:12 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns men's and women's hockey teams open their 2013-14 Canada West hockey schedules in early October, and with both teams coming off non-playoff seasons, will need a quick start to get off on the right foot.

The Horns women's team hosts the first home game of the season when they welcome the defending Canada West champion ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia T-Birds to Nicholas Sheran Arena on Oct. 4-5. That weekend will mark the start of a stretch that sees the Horns host seven of their first eight games at Nicholas Sheran.

The following weekend (Oct. 11-12), the Regina Cougars come to town, before a home-and-home set with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary Dinos follows. The streak of home games concludes Oct. 25-26 when the Horns entertain the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan Huskies. Of course, with so many home games ot start the season, the U of L will be forced to play the majority of its road schedule in the season's second half, and will host just four home games after Christmas.

On the men's side, the Horns will play the opposite schedule of their women counterparts, opening the season with seven of eight games on the road, including an Oct. 11-12 series at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Regina that marks the beginning of their conference schedule.

The U of L will open on home ice Oct. 18 with the front end of a home-and-home series against the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary Dinos.

During the first half of the season, the Horns will only skate on home ice six times, hosting the defending Canada West champion ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta Golden Bears (Nov. 8-9), Mount Royal ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ (Nov. 22) and UBC Thunderbirds (Nov. 29-30) in addition to the Dinos.

After the holiday break, the Horns will play eight of their remaining 12 games at Nicholas Sheran Arena. Puck drop for all homes games at Nicholas Sheran Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m.

For season tickets, call Pronghorn Athletics at 403-329-2681. Check out the full schedules at gohorns.ca.

Horns basketball releases 2013-14 schedule

trevor.kenney — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 21:12:04 +0000

The 2013-14 Canada West conference basketball season will begin for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns men's and women's basketball teams with a road swing into the lower B.C. mainland with match-ups versus the Fraser Valley Cascades and Trinity Western Spartans,
Nov. 1-2.

The following weekend, the 'Horns host the Manitoba Bisons in a pair of games for the first home games of the new season.

One change 'Horns fans will see this season is in the start times for Saturday night games. Moving away from the traditional 6 and 8 p.m. starts for women's and men's games respectively, the Horns will now play at 5 and 7 p.m.

Also visiting the 1st Choice Savings Centre during the first half of the season will be the UBCO Heat, Thompson Rivers WolfPack and Regina Cougars.

In the New Year, the 'Horns will host an action packed set of games, welcoming traditional rivals ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta, UBC Thunderbirds and Victoria Vikes, before closing out the conference schedule with a home-and-home series versus southern Alberta rival Calgary Dinos. The series with the Dinos kicks off at the 1st Choice Savings Centre Friday, Feb. 14 before concluding the regular season the next night in Calgary.

The Canada West best of three quarter-final series is scheduled for Feb. 21-23 with the Canada West Final Four being hosted by the highest remaining seed the following week. The CIS Final 8 will be hosted by Carleton ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Ottawa, Mar. 7-9, 2014.

On the women's side, the opening round is scheduled to start a week later but could move to the same weekend as the men's quarter-final if a scheduling conflict is created with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Regina and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary hosting the CIS Volleyball Championships. The Canada West Final Four will be hosted by the highest remaining seed, Mar. 7-8 and the CIS Final 8 will be hosted by the three-time defending champion ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Windsor.

Once again this season, all Canada West basketball games will be webcast on www.canadawest.tv.

U of L joins PIMS as full member

trevor.kenney — Thu, 31 May 2012 20:45:33 +0000

The Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences (PIMS) is pleased to announce that the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Alberta has joined the PIMS consortium as a full member.

The site has been a PIMS affiliate for many years and has had significant participation in PIMS activities.

Dr. Chris Nichol, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, will represent the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ on the PIMS Board of Directors. Dr. Amir Akbary has been appointed as interim PIMS site director and will begin on July 1, 2012.

With the incorporation of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, the PIMS consortium now has nine full members, including all the major research universities in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Washington State.

In particular, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge joins the Universities of Alberta and Calgary, in further strengthening PIMS' partnerships in Alberta, where a significant number of PIMS activities take place.

"We are delighted that Lethbridge has become a full member of the PIMS consortium, as they have valuable strengths in a number of areas in the mathematical sciences - number theory is a good example. Through our collaborative research groups, summer schools, postdoctoral opportunities, broadcast seminars and educational activities, Lethbridge faculty and students will be important contributors to PIMS activities," said PIMS Director, Alejandro Adem.

Background

The Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences (PIMS) was founded in 1996 by a consortium of five universities in Alberta and British Columbia (the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia, Simon Fraser ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Victoria). Later they were joined by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Washington in the United States and more recently by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Regina and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan and finally the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

The mandate of PIMS is to:

- promote research in and applications of the mathematical sciences of the highest international caliber

- facilitate the training of highly-qualified personnel at the graduate and postdoctoral level

- enrich public awareness of mathematics through outreach

- enhance the mathematical training of teachers and students in K-12

- create mathematical partnerships with similar organizations in other countries, with a particular focus on Latin America and the Pacific Rim.

Shaping the future

trevor.kenney — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 22:36:04 +0000

Town Hall meeting to discuss development of complex Jan. 18

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge campus has undergone significant change over recent years with the addition of a number of prominent buildings – but the biggest project is yet to come.

A proposed 300,000 square foot complex that will transform the Faculty of Arts & Science in particular and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ as a whole is just now in the planning stages and one of the U of L's newest employees, Chris Eagan, is at the forefront.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's new executive director of Facilities looks at the $255 million project as an opportunity for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to take a major step forward, one that will further define the U of L as a leading comprehensive research institution.

Chris Eagan, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's new executive director of Facilities, will play a key role in the development of a complex that could cost more than $255 million and add 300,000 square feet of building space to campus.

"We're at that natural point where the space that was built in 1969 is ready for renovation," says Eagan. "We've changed as a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the things we're doing now, the old space doesn't fit us well. It is now constraining us fairly significantly and most seriously in the science labs, where safety is a major factor."

Eagan comes to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ from Lethbridge College, where he spent the last three years. Prior to that, the Nova Scotia-born but Saskatchewan-raised engineer worked six years as the director of planning, design, and construction for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Regina.

He sees many similarities between the U of R and the U of L and brings to Lethbridge experience with the construction of Regina's Research and Innovation Centre (RIC).

"I built one of these facilities at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Regina that's very comparable in terms of scope to what we're planning," he says. "So, to some degree I've taken this journey before but it's always a learning experience. It's a great feeling to have an opportunity to be generally familiar with the process."

To put the U of L project into context, 300,000 square feet is equivalent to adding two-thirds the size of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall to campus. And that's just the start.

"The new construction is just one part of the project," says Eagan. "Part two, or the second domino, is the renovation of the vacated space in UHall and the repopulation of that space. The third domino is the infrastructure required, such as roads, heating plant and all that's needed to keep the campus functioning."

Eagan loves the complexity of a major development and revels in the responsibility his team has in setting the direction of a project.

"Winston Churchill used to say that for a short time we shape buildings and for a long time, they shape us," says Eagan.

"Everybody has lived in a home or office environment that doesn't really work for them. Bad environments make people work harder, not smarter."

A typical project of this magnitude, Eagan says, lasts 15 years. To get to this point there's been a lot of essential work already done, laying the foundation for where the project is at today, in its first phase of planning. This initiation phase is largely strategic planning work defining what the project needs to do for the institution.

"It's not super prescriptive at this point and is designed to make sure the project works in terms of schedule, budget and scope," says Eagan, who expects to move onto phase two, predesign feasibility and planning, by February.

The final piece of the puzzle is implementation, design, tender and construction.

"We want to make sure that in the first two phases that our needs are well understood, well discussed and well defined because the consultants do an excellent job of translating our needs into the physical spaces and organizing those spaces, that's what architects do well," he says. "They love it when we show up with binders of needs and know what we want, because then they don't have to guess."

He stresses that the consultation phase will be comprehensive, all in an attempt to construct a complex that will satisfy the needs of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ for years to come.

"Whatever we don't do we own and fight with for the next 40 years, so that drives us to get it right," he says.

GET THE FACTS

· In September 2011, the Alberta government pledged $2.3 million in planning funds for a new complex on the U of L campus

· A Town Hall meeting to discuss the progress to date on the initiation phase of the new complex will be held Wednesday, Jan. 18 from 2 to 4 p.m. in C674

· A best-case scenario timeline for the project includes starting construction in March 2013 and moving people into the new space by spring 2016

· Eagan, who holds a bachelor of engineering (civil) degree from Dalhousie ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, is married and a father of four children

This story first appeared in the January edition of the Legend. For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

U of L leads way in establishing ACCRU

trevor.kenney — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 19:44:35 +0000

This story by Léo Charbonneau appeared in the Sept. 12 edition of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Affairs. It is re-posted here with their permission.

There is a new university group in Canada: the Alliance of Canadian Comprehensive Research Universities.

Created at a meeting in Ottawa in June, ACCRU brings together the vice-presidents, research, of the smaller comprehensive universities in Canada that have "a strong commitment to research," said Dan Weeks, vice-president, research, at ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

The creation of the alliance is in part a reaction to the group known as the U15, which advocates on behalf of what it calls "Canada's 15 leading research universities."

A graphical representation of ACCRU.

That group, previously called the G10 and then the G13 before it expanded to its current 15 members, has given those institutions "a strong unified voice for consultation and lobbying activities on their behalf," said Dr. Weeks.

However, ACCRU is not meant to be a lobbying group, he stressed. Rather, the aim of the new alliance is to discuss the challenges and issues that these smaller universities face, and to pool resources and best practices with like-minded colleagues.

"If we do have advice and things that have policy implications, the route would be through either AUCC [Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada] or our individual presidents," he said.

Dr. Weeks set the ball rolling for the new group with a letter he sent to colleagues this past January.

The letter reads in part: "There are a number of unique challenges associated with conducting world-class research at Canada's small institutions. Effectively meeting these challenges and ensuring that research investments made in our institutions are of maximal benefit to all Canadians prompts me to suggest that Canada's 'small' research universities might benefit by informal discussion of the merits of forming a group or forum. This would give us the opportunity to discuss and react collectively to issues we face now or that will arise."

The response was "absolutely fantastic," said Dr. Weeks. "Everybody was excited about getting together." The respondents agreed on a date and venue for the event, and of the 25 universities initially contacted, 19 sent representatives to the Ottawa gathering – in most cases, either the vice-president or associate VP research.

While stressing that membership in ACCRU is "meant to be inclusive," Dr. Weeks acknowledged he had to come up with "some sort of algorithm" to choose who to invite.

He and William Bridger, a former vice-president at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Western Ontario, devised a plan. First, they said the university had to describe itself as a comprehensive university.

Second, they did a rough calculation of the percentage of tri-council funding that each university receives, and "there was a pretty obvious breakpoint, and so we invited everybody below that line," said Dr. Weeks.

But he added, "I really wouldn't put too much stock in this 'who's in, who's out' type of thing. It's really more about the scope of your operations and would you benefit from being at these discussions."

The attendees to the Ottawa meeting "talked a lot about faculty recruitment and, related to that, the general perception of small universities by the public and by other institutions," said Dr. Weeks.

They also discussed research ethics, infrastructure, animal care, research centres and institutes, contracts, "and all the things that we have to fulfill in terms of policies and regulations" but often with far fewer resources than the larger universities, "so we have to be more clever about how we get some of these accomplished."

Katherine Schultz, vice-president research at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Prince Edward Island, attended the meeting and said the conversations "were frank and open." She noted that, unlike vice-presidents, academic, there is no national meeting for VPs research, so this group "fills a gap that many of us perceived. … It's a forum for information exchange that didn't exist."

André Manseau, dean of research at Université du Quebec en Outaouais, said it was "very enriching" for him to have his colleagues share their experiences. "We face many similar issues," he said. "Our offices are of relatively modest size and we don't have a lot of specialized personnel."

The ACCRU members agreed to meet again in Ottawa in early December, before the annual Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council's leaders meeting (of senior university administrators who serve as points of contact with the council).

The alliance also created three working groups that will report at the December meeting: one looking at best practices, one on governance of the group itself, and a third tasked to craft a mission statement.

Universities represented at the ACCRU meeting in June:

* Acadia ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ
* Bishop's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ
* Brandon ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ
* Brock ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ
* Cape Breton ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ
* Lakehead ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ
* Nipissing ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ
* St. Francis Xavier ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ
* Saint Mary's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ
* Thompson Rivers ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ
* Trent ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ
* Université de Moncton
* Université du Québec en Outaouais
* ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge
* ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Northern British Columbia
* ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Prince Edward Island
* ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Regina
* ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Windsor
* Wilfrid Laurier ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ

Fitzpatrick accepts Regina post

trevor.kenney — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 17:57:23 +0000

Dr. Dennis Fitzpatrick, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry and the Vice-President Research Emeritus at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, has accepted a position as the Vice-President, Research at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Regina, beginning in July, 2011.

Fitzpatrick joined the U of L in 1999, and significantly expanded the research footprint of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in many directions.

"This is an excellent opportunity for Dennis. His contributions here were significant, and we wish him well in this new role at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Regina," says U of L President Mike Mahon.

During his time at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Fitzpatrick made a significant contribution to expanding the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's research beyond grant management to include strategic planning, team building, project development and the funding of numerous large institutional research initiatives in all three of the Tri-Council research domains.

Notable successes included the development of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's first industry partnership with the Alberta Terrestrial Imaging Corporation, the funding of the Albert Ingenuity Centre for Water Research, a SSHRC Community ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Research Alliance Grant, an NSERC Capacity Development Grant and the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research Polaris Award.

Prior to becoming Vice-President (Research) at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Fitzpatrick held a series of academic and administrative appointments at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba. He began his academic career at that university after graduating in 1981 with his PhD from Rutgers ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in New Jersey.

Saucier to leave U of L for dean appointment

trevor.kenney — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 21:25:54 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's Dr. Deborah Saucier, professor and Chair, Department of Neuroscience, will be leaving the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ next year after accepting the position of Dean of Science at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT).

Saucier has been at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ since 2006, joining the U of L as a Canada Research Chair and associate professor. She then progressed to the position of professor and then Chair of the department in 2009. Her appointment at UOIT begins July 1, 2011.

"On behalf of her many colleagues on campus, I would like to congratulate Dr. Saucier on her prospective appointment and wish her the best for her family and her future career in this new role," says Dr. Chris Nicol, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science.

Nicol says Saucier has been an outstanding colleague since joining the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

"She has served as director of the Canadian Centre of Behavioural Neuroscience and, more recently, as Chair of the Department of Neuroscience. In addition to a prodigious record of achievement as a scholar and teacher, she also has distinguished herself with recent service to the Faculty Association as Chair of the Academic Welfare Committee. She will be greatly missed on our campus."

Located in Oshawa, Ont. and founded in 2002, UOIT hosts more than 7,500 undergraduate and graduate students on two campuses.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) is delighted to have Saucier join its team.

"Dr. Saucier has a proven track record of attracting research funding, investing wisely in her department and ensuring its success by providing opportunities for everyone to succeed, regardless of where they are in their career," says Dr. Richard Marceau, UOIT Provost. "We are looking ahead to Dr. Saucier's arrival at UOIT as our second dean of the Faculty of Science."

Saucier is a Tier II Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Neuroscience. She received her PhD in psychology from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Western Ontario (UWO) in London, Ont. and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Neuropsychology at UWO in 1995.

Saucier spent three years as a faculty member in Psychology at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Regina and then in 1999 she accepted a position at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon where she was an associate professor of Psychology.

Swimming at the heart of Nicol family

trevor.kenney — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 18:57:52 +0000

Rarely a day goes by when Dr. Chris Nicol does not have a busy schedule. And yet, in between the phone calls, meetings and deadlines, Nicol makes a point to keep one window of time open for just himself – call it pool maintenance.

You'll find Nicol in the U of L's Max Bell Regional Aquatic Centre pool nearly every lunch hour, swimming his customary two kilometres before getting back to his duties as dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science. Go a little earlier in the day and you'll likely catch his son, third-year history major, Jeffrey, training with the Pronghorns swim team. It wasn't too long ago that Nicol's wife Lorraine, a research associate in the Economics Department and PhD student in water management, was also a pool regular.

Swimming has been at the heart of everything the Nicol family has done for the better part of the last 15 years, and with Jeffrey (20) just hitting his prime and younger sister Rachel (17) blowing up on the international scene this past summer, it promises to be a central focus moving forward.

"There wasn't really any grand design to turn them all into competitive swimmers," Chris says of his children. Don't forget 19-year-old Alastair, who also swam competitively before turning his focus to music. "At an early age though, because Lorraine and I were quite often at the pool, it was an obvious family activity to do."

Lorraine Nicol, left, Jeffrey Nicol, centre, and Chris Nicol, right, have been able to balance the demands of both athletics and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

It runs in the genes, as Chris was a highly competitive swimmer in his native Scotland before coming to Canada to compete for Queen's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ while achieving his master's and PhD degrees. A breaststroker, Chris placed third in the Ontario university championships in the 100m breast and would later win both the 100m and 200m breast events in the inaugural World Masters Games in Toronto in 1985.

By the time he met and married Lorraine, they were working at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Regina and swimming had become a big part of both of their lives. The kids naturally took to the water and when competitive swimming called, the parents, just as naturally, worked it into their routine. When the couple moved to Lethbridge 10 years ago, Lorraine set aside certain career aspirations and made swimming the focus. She was president of the L.A. Swim Club for four years and a member of the board for a total of six.

"For parents who are so connected to their kids through a sport like this, the act of parenting, I think, becomes exceptionally easy," says Lorraine. "I can't remember when I've ever had an argument with my kids.

"You spend so much time with them that they know how much we've supported their sport. I wouldn't call them sacrifices but if I'd made other career choices, I would not have had that flexibility to spend 30 to 40 hours a week with them and their swimming."

The sport has literally taken them around the globe. Switzerland, Luxembourg, England, Spain, Costa Rica, and just this past summer, Singapore and Hawaii, have all been visited to attend various meets and training camps.

"I don't think we've ever taken a holiday that hasn't been connected to a swim meet," says Lorraine.

All the while, the couple has had to balance their own academic careers and instill a work ethic in their children that speaks to both athletics and studies.

"You get efficient at using your time," says Chris. "These guys have picked up on that, having seen how we operate, in terms of if we have work to do, you get down to it."

Jeffrey, who achieved personal best times in each of his long course swims in Victoria this past spring, says the student-athlete balance isn't always easy.

"I'd say the hardest year was Grade 12 when I really had to bear down and focus on my ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ," he says. "My swimming suffered that year, I didn't post any best times, but it paid off in that it got me the marks I needed to get into a good university."

The discipline of elite competitive swimming transfers well into the world of academia.

"You don't always see immediate results in the work you put in," says Chris. "Sometimes you have to put in a bit more time than you thought but you have to stick at it and not give up. They've obviously learned that with swimming. When it comes to the academic side, maybe we have to do a bit more convincing, but I think they're getting the message."

Whether Rachel keeps tradition alive and comes to the U of L next fall remains to be seen, but with Jeffrey still going strong with the Horns and both Chris and Lorraine busy with their roles at the U of L, expect to see the Nicol family as regulars in the pool area for the foreseeable future.

"I can't even describe how incredible a journey this has been, and it has helped both Chris and I grow as individuals and as parents as well," says Lorraine. "And to hear them still say, after so many ups and downs and injuries and highs and lows, that they are still excited to swim – I love hearing that, because then we know the journey is just beginning."

GET THE FACTS

· Jeffrey made huge strides with the Horns program last season. "From my perspective, he made a major transition and ramped things up to a whole new level," says Chris, as Jeffrey jumped from top-20 status to top-10 in the national 200m breaststroke rankings. "In terms of where he was last year to this year, he's gone to another tier on the national scene."

· Rachel exploded as an international star this past summer, winning three medals (gold, two bronze) at the Youth Olympics in Singapore.

· Both Jeffrey and Rachel benefit from work with sports psychologists, while Chris and Lorraine have provided the pair with tutors, many of which are Education students at the U of L, to help with schooling.

· Chris has been dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science for 10 years. Lorraine, who has two master's degrees, is currently in her second year of a PhD studying biosystems and biodiversity.

Waldner, Patterson are athletes of the week

trevor.kenney — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 21:45:30 +0000

Derek Waldner and Crystal Patterson were named Pronghorns Athletes of the Week after boosting their respective teams to strong weekends in CanadaWest play.

The Pronghorns men's basketball team is on its first two-game winning streak of the season, thanks in large part to Waldner's influence, while the Horns women's hockey team has gone 3-0-1 in its last four games with Patterson backstopping the charge.

Waldner, a third-year post, was a key cog in the Horns' weekend sweep of the Thompson Rivers Woflpack. He combined for 25 points and 23 rebounds in the two wins in Kamloops.

On Friday night, Waldner recorded a double-double with 18 points and 17 rebounds, also scoring the game-winning basket with less than a minute remaining in the Horns' 68-65 victory. The next night, Waldner added seven points and six rebounds, a block and an assist in the Horns' 85-81 win.

Patterson, a first-year goaltender, made a combined 74 saves as the Horns earned three of a possible four points against the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Regina.

Friday night, Patterson was named the game's first star after making 37 saves in the Horns' 4-3 overtime win. The next night, she made another 37 saves as the Horns fell 6-5 in overtime.

Patterson has been in net for all three of the team's conference wins this season and has a 4.24 goals against average and .878 save percentage.

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Nicol appointed ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ Librarian

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