![[University of Waterloo]](/goldbar.gif)
| Friday |
Monday, October 28, 2002
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Editor: Chris Redmond credmond@uwaterloo.ca |
![[Don Irish]](/images/2002/irish.gif)
UW pioneer Donald Irish
died on Saturday, following a battle with cancer. Irish was with the university from the day it opened its doors on July 1, 1957, until his retirement 39 years later, on July 1, 1996. Irish was chair of the chemistry department from 1977 to 1983, and was named distinguished professor emeritus in 1999.
Known for his commitment to chemistry education, Irish served as executive director of the science foundation on campus, and received a distinguished teacher award in 1987 for his "ability to engender enthusiasm for his subject" and for being "kind, caring, and compassionate." In 1990, Irish was honoured with Union Carbide Award for Chemical Education which is given annually by the Chemical Institute of Canada to "recognize a person who has made outstanding contributions in Canada in education at any level in the field of chemistry or chemical engineering." Irish's family will receive visitors at the Edward R. Good Funeral Home at 171 King St. S. tomorrow from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m. A memorial service will be held at First United Church (at King and William Streets) on Wednesday, October 30, at 2:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the First United Church Organ Fund or St. Paul's United College would be appreciated by the family. |
Entitled Trends in Higher Education, the 94-page report notes that, by 2011, universities will face a projected 20 to 30 percent increase in enrolment, or up to 200,000 new students. They also will need to hire as many as 40,000 new faculty members to respond to enrolment growth and to replace retiring professors. At the same time, universities will be expected to perform significantly more research if Canada is to reach the federal government's objective of being one of the top five countries in the world for research and development.
| Backgrounder gives more figures |
"All the studies show that more and more children want a university education, and this is being echoed by their parents," notes Herb O'Heron, AUCC's senior analyst and principal author of the report. "Universities are trying to respond to this demand and have managed to make room so far. But classrooms are often overflowing and the growing teaching and research requirements, coupled with static or shrinking faculty numbers, cannot be sustained," he says.
"Without new money, particularly for the core teaching function, there is little more that universities can do. But with new resources, we can increase accessibility by expanding capacity and also improve the quality of the education experience."
Building on previous editions of Trends, the current report uses data from Statistics Canada and other sources to give a comprehensive view of the current state of higher education and a detailed look to the future. Among some of the highlights this year in Trends:
His recent appointment as adjunct professor on the main campus "pleases him immensely," the profile reports.
"Professor Niccoli's passion for French literature and culture began in grade 5 with his studies in elementary school. He was born and spent his childhood in Cosenza, in southern Italy, where ties with French culture are far reaching. In the 1950s and 60s there were no English studies in Italian schools. Historically the French were considered to be Italy's cultural cousins and it was felt that French culture should be embraced almost as closely as Italian. The deep love he describes for French literature and culture followed him to Canada when he was 16, and he began winning academic awards for French and Italian studies from high school onward. . . .
"His great-grandfather and grandfather worked in the mines in British Columbia, sending money home to one of the few fortunate families in an otherwise impoverished region at the time. Now very much a Canadian, Gabriel maintains ties with Italy and boasts having married a local girl from his home town (Grimaldi) where the couple keeps a summer home."
As a professor, the web site continues, Niccoli is best known on campus for his teaching, and the enthusiasm and inspiration it generates. Winning the Distinguished Teacher Award in 1998 for Italian 291, he was named a "teacher of consummate skill and considerable compassion." His working career began with teaching high school French, following his MA studies and an education diploma, in 1974. But it was his passion for research that drew him back to do his PhD.
"I had wonderful professors," he says, specifically of his friend and mentor, Harold Knutson, now professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia. Knutson followed him through his university career from his BA to supervision of his PhD, and instilled in him the ideals of honesty and passion in research. Knutson's specialty is 17th-century French literature. Two other great mentors were Danilo Aguzzi-Barbagli, a Renaissance specialist, and Dante Della Terza, professor of comparative literature at Harvard.
Despite the laud and honour he has received for his teaching skills, Gabriel points out that it is not his background to teach Italian language, culture and literature alone. Of his appointment as adjunct professor to the department of French studies, he says he has found a niche that connects his love of teaching with his training in Italian, French and English 16th and 17th-century comparative literature. It completes the satisfaction of his work at St. Jerome's with his hope to be able to direct graduate students on campus to do interesting, original work. Having co-supervised masters and doctoral students in Italy and in Canada, Gabriel has the tools and know-how to assist and guide them to become passionate researchers.
"Research," he says, "is a most passionate enterprise. The purpose of research is to get to the truth of things, to dispel any kind of myth or misunderstanding. It is one of the most honest and fulfilling endeavours, if done well."
Niccoli's third book, The Courtesan as Literata, is expected early in 2003.
The Kitchener Public Library's Ideas and Issues Series features a lunch-hour lecture by David Russell of UW's continuing education department. Russell's talk begins at noon, and is entitled "Walking Tour of Governors House and Gaol."
Also today, at 2:30 p.m. there will be a political science and Canadian studies lecture entitled "Uncle Sam and U.S.: September 11th's Impact on the Canadian-American Relationship," by University of Toronto professor Stephen Clarkson. Clarkson is the author of Uncle Sam and U.S.: Globalization, Neo-Conservatism and the Canadian State. The lecture will take place in DWE 1501, and will be followed at 4:15 p.m. by a seminar with professor Clarkson on the subject of "Global Governance and the Democratic Deficit: NAFTA and the WTO as Canada's Secret Constitution." Information is available from Gerry Boychuk at ext. 2900.
The Muslim Students' Association will hold its regular Quran Study Circle beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the Student Life Centre clubs lounge. For information, please contact the club's executive by email at msaexecs@yahoogroups.com.
This evening, beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the Heritage room at Kitchener City Hall, the UW department of fine arts and the Waterloo regional arts council present visiting artist Robert Youds.
Avvey Peters
TODAY IN UW HISTORYOctober 28, 1999: The 26th annual symposium of the Ontario Archaeological Society is held for the first time at UW. |