Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - June 17, 1997, Winnipeg, Manitoba Brian Cole 6977044 focus Winnipeg free press a a o june 1997 i o u of m vision a mix of research excellence enriched environment a key the task Force on strategic plan Ning for the University of Manitoba recently released a report on phase 1 of its entitled taking Stock what the task Force in this University of Manitoba pres ident Emoke Szathmary addresses the question what makes a University great and then discusses the University Mission and greatness in a University is a Quality that comes from substantive contributions to creative and performing and from the delivery of a High Standard of undergrad uate and graduate a reputation for greatness is really a byproduct of and Many in the University assume that a Good reputation automatically follows sub As in most reality is More Complex than for academic the essential Mark of greatness is achievement in the area broadly called Many will have heard of one or two ins Titu Emoke Szathmary tons that Are known across the continent for their outstanding under graduate programs in which the Quality of teaching and the learning environment is the Mark of for most outside the the University of Manitoba responsible interaction with the local Community and local satisfaction with the University teaching function May override All other criteria that University people consider Marks of there is truth to the notion that a University establishes and sustains its reputation when its academic and support staff provide an outstanding educational experience and research qualifying such As this level of achievement is the Best that a University human and financial resources generally impress no they Are seen As excuses for not performing in a Man Ner consistent with the faculty capacity for students contribute to a University reputation when they participate fully in their education and subsequent to they become recon productive members of Sci the u of like All is a Community of highly gifted and creative people at every level Stu academic staff support the potential contributions these people can individually and to the Good of the whole institution is the extent to which the creative Energy of its staff and students is harnessed will be vital to the University response to the uncertainties of the future and the sustainability of an out standing As an academic the mis Sion of the u of m is what it should stated it is to pre serve and communicate knowledge contribute to the Cul social and economic Well being of the people of Canada and the this fundamental purpose provides the reason for the universe Tys changing times and circumstances do not change this mis but they do Challenge us to determine the Best Way to remain True to where the Mission state ment delineates identity and the vision statement describes what the University wants to the development of a common vision must engage the peo ple within the University who under stand educational issues the who know the proper definition of subjects and and Are More Likely to have a sense of intellectual frontiers 1990 or people external to the uni who Are con Sumers and benefactors of the scholarly also have views that need to be they Are the ones who can judge whether what has been Learned Here serves Best the needs of their and the citizens of should the citizens of Manitoba expect of this University in the 21st Century the task Force proposes that the u of in the next few years will provide outstanding education in undergraduate and selected professional and graduate produce scholarship and creative work that is recognized nationally and local provide an equitable environment focused on enhance a Strong tradition of Community and professional by enhancing opportunities for Stu dents and staff to learn and to work in an enriched by focus ing on Superior achievement in schol arly inquiry and research by its and by increasing and elaborating Community and professional the u of m will be act ing in the interest of the people of this letters to the editor let grownups take Over City Hall Susan Thompson says Shes thinking of running for a third term As in my that a poor she let herself be fooled by the Good work she did during the flood she certainly did an excellent Job of Reading somebody else press being cheerful and just being there Day after Day on to and but after whats happened in her two terms in she must know in her heart of hearts that press releases and a cheerful countenance Are not enough to make a Good she just Doest have solid ideas of her the ability to inspire Good ideas in others or the leadership qualities required to put such ideas into very few people have these Quali myself but Winnipeg desperately needs someone who does a mayor who can pull together the informed and energetic men and women who May yet save our foundering perhaps the private sector can rally round and find mayor Thompson a Public relations something with a How to reach us the free press welcomes letters from letters must be signed and should include a clearly printed address and Telephone names will be published but not All letters May be edited for style and Short letters Are less Likely to be please address letters to letters to the Winnipeg free 1355 Mountain Winnipeg r2x letters can be sent to our fax number letters May be submitted through the internet at . Letters sent via the internet obviously cannot be but must include Home address and Telephone Nice office and a just As Long As she gets out of the mayor business in a its time for grownups to take Over at City Marion Lepkin Winnipeg province lacks real sustainable commitment following a province wide outcry last Manitoba proposed sustainable develop ment act was placed on recent we received a letter from the minister of natural resources updating us on the act and stating that there is widespread support for the principle of sustainable develop a major Factor in Public opposition to the proposed act was Public perception that Manitoba govern ment was More intent on stifling criticism and opposition to develop ment than on sustainable develop the provincial government could reassure the Public and gain support for its sustainable develop ment act if it were to unilaterally begin to practise the principles of sustainable development it is doing just the oppo consensus building through stake Holder consultation is a Cornerstone of sustainable two recent actions by the provincial government raise serious doubts about this governments commitment to a fundamental principle of sustainable development one of these actions is the encouragement of Pine Falls paper aspiration to construct a new pulp Mill that will double its Wood Fibre the company would not seek financing for the development and continue to build a Road into the area North of the blood vein River on the East Side of Lake Winnipeg with out government Assurance of a Wood the most Likely Wood Supply would be the area North of at Kaki wilderness if not the Park past practice in Manitoba is to inform the Public about Forest management licences on Crown lands after they have been so there has been no Public information about the implications of this Mas Sive let alone Public even with the first nations people who live in the area that will be most heavily the second recent government initiative that flies in the face of sustainable development principles is the planned cottage subdivision on Hecla present plans Are for 65 cottage but this is Likely the tip of the iceberg there May be Many in March after much Public a management plan for was adopted that excluded new cottage lots from Hecla Island and identified nearby Grindstone Park As the appropriate site for the Public comment relating to cottage development contained in the Progress report and final objectives was unanimously opposed to Cottaging on the manage ment plan specified that there would be no cottage development on Hecla and stated that Grindstone Provin Cial Park was established essentially to accommodate Cottaging and associated recreational a cottage development that will occupy two Kilometres of Public waterfront on one of Manitoba 10 most visited Parks is a significant the renew Able leases for the cottage Sites in a permanent removal of land base from a provincial although the lots Are set Back 20 metres from the the Beach is effectively inaccessible to the pub if the two instances described above Are any indication of this governments interpretation of sustain Able Manitoban have Good cause for Harvey Williams Pierre the Winnipeg International childrens festival was staffed by helpful festival volunteers Dar Unsung heroes i am writing in appreciation of the 15th Winnipeg International childrens i brought my Fivey Earold sister and it was fabulous the entertainers were the Unsung heroes were really the Small activity stations and people unaccustomed to Young Chil Dren dont realize just How hard it can be to maintain their the festival had so Many the Chil Dren didst have the Chance to become Craft tables a cardboard fort and the Megg Opolis were just some of the attractions that occupied the Little the volunteers were very kind and it was Clear that these people truly enjoyed children and have the patience any Parent would Melissa Huston Winnipeg loss of arable land increasing threat growing your own vegetables seems like the hip new Hobby for Urban but in Many developing coun its the Only Way to put food on the table and its being every year around the an area the size of Nova Scotia turns into desert and can no longer support crops or the United nations has declared today As world Day to com Bat desertification and in recognition of a convention adopted at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit and signed by Over 75 including Cana desertification is a ongoing problem and needs Lon term in agriculture based people need employment alternatives to reduce their Reliance on the they need information and technical support to alter practices like overgrazing and deforestation that cause desert Ifica we need renewed political and Finan Cial commitment from All convention signatories to assist the 900 million people whose health and economic Sta Tus is jeopardized by the continued loss of arable As canadians witnessed during the Manitoba we can accomplish amazing tasks when we All work encouraging implementation of the convention to com Bat desertification is a Good first Nancy Bennett Toronto red Light runners deserve photo ticket i was angered by Martin Weirich complaint red Light cameras strictly Cash free june per haps he Hast spent enough time As a pedestrian on our streets recently or even As a for that but for have noticed a drastic increase in cars running red lights among other bad just the other the Light had two lanes of cars had already and i was starting to Cross Portage Avenue when the car in the second Lane flew right through the red if i had not been i would have been right in his path and id probably be singing with the choir eternal right about in really beginning to resent feeling so Vulner Able whenever i venture out on our so these cameras will raise some the police should do something to rectify our shoddy Dri ving i Only Hope the Revenue goes Back into the they can afford to dedicate even More equipment and manpower to this and similar Harris Winnipeg bar breast ruling lacks common sense Here we go taking one More step Down the secular humanist Road to the Ontario provincial courts decision to allow women to walk the streets Bare breasted is so smacking of so politically yet so devoid of common sense one can truly wonder just what our society is coming Radical feminists and libertarians would have us believe that any step Forward in the area of Equality represents but from my Reading of history and cultural bar breasted women can Only be found in the most primitive of Pagan of i forgot we Are no longer supposed to consider ourselves a Christian but with the likes of what we As a society seem prepared to put up with and bequeath to our Chil Dren it is with Good Ryan Sandulak Pilot Mound doonesbury by Garry Trudeau ;