UBC News Digest

Mar 14, 2003

The UBC News Digest is a weekly summary of news stories about UBC
people, research, learning, community, and internationalization
initiatives. News Digest past
issues are also available on-line.

Mar. 14, 2003

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Government Passes Cooling Off Legislation

The Government of BC on Wednesday passed Bill 21, the University
of British Columbia Services Continuation Act. The Act orders a
cooling off period in the labour dispute between the University
and CUPE Locals 2278 (teaching assistants) and 2950 (clerical &
library staff). The legislation also requires striking workers to
return to their jobs and compels the parties to return to collective
bargaining.

On Thursday and Friday the unions responded by placing pickets
at most university gates. For the latest information on the labour
situation, go to www.ubc.ca.

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Economics Professor Rewarded for Leading-edge
Research

Economics Prof. Michael Devereux has received one of the first
two Bank of Canada Fellowship awards for 2003. The Bank’s Fellowship
program was designed to encourage leading-edge research and to develop
expertise in Canada in the fields of macroeconomics, monetary economics,
international finance and the economics of financial markets and
institutions (including issues related to stability).

Devereux is recognized around the world for his work in the field
of international economics. He is one of the foremost experts in
the area of new Keynesian open-economy models. Prof. Devereux’s
current research focuses on two areas — exchange rates and pricing,
and macroeconomic issues in emerging-market economies.

He has taught at UBC since 1992. He has also taught at the University
of Toronto and Queen’s University and has held visiting posts at
University College, Dublin, the Chinese University of Hong Kong
and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Devereyx has made frequent visits to central banks and international
organizations, including the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, the
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, the German Bundesbank
and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority.

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Nominations Sought for McCreary Prize for Interprofessional
Teamwork in the Health Professions

The McCreary Prize recognizes and promotes interprofessional teamwork
in the health and human service professions. Named after Dr. John
F. McCreary, the first Coordinator of Health Sciences at UBC, the
prize is intended to draw attention to his vision of interprofessional
collaboration in clinical work and education and the value of a
work-based team approach in meeting the health care needs of British
Columbians. The prize consists of $1,500 and will be presented to
the representative of a group / hospital / organization.

For more information nominations for the McCreary Prize, visit
the Web site for UBC’s College of Health Disciplines at www.health-disciplines.ubc.ca.

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Health Disciplines Principal Honoured for Distinguished
Service

John Gilbert, principal of UBC’s College of Health Disciplines,
has been awarded the BC Institute of Technology (BCIT) distinguished
service award.

Gilbert, who joined UBC in 1966, was honoured for outstanding service
and leadership to the allied health educational community in B.C.
and for supporting BCIT’s health sciences programs.

The award recognizes his role as a catalyst and leader in bringing
government, industry, and academics together. Chair of the Health
Sciences Committee of the BC Academic Health Council (formerly Council
of University Teaching Hospitals), Gilbert also chairs the Deans
and Directors of Health Science Programs in BC. He has contributed
significantly to planning and collaboration within the health-care
industry as well as to issues arising from the significant clinical
practice component in health science education.

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UBC Faculty Members Named Killam Research Fellows

Three UBC faculty members have been named Killam Research Fellows
for 2003, out of 10 individuals selected Canada-wide.

Economics Prof. Michael Devereux, English Prof. Sherrill Grace
and Veronica Strong-Boag, a professor of Educational Studies and
Women’s Studies, each received a fellowship that allows for two
years full-time research and writing.

The fellowship of $53,000 is used to pay the salary and benefits
of the person(s) replacing the fellow in their teaching duties.

Among Canada’s most distinguished research awards, the fellowships
support scholars engaged in research projects of outstanding merit
in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, health sciences,
engineering and interdisciplinary studies within these fields.

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Help for Students Who Want to Quit Smoking

Health Canada has provided funding to the Institute of Health Promotion
at UBC for a program designed to help university students stop smoking.

The UBC Smoking Cessation Program, led by Dr. David Aboussafy,
is customized to meet each client’s needs when quitting smoking.
In-session work focuses on education about what improves chances
of quitting successfully; building motivation; planning for a stop
date, managing withdrawal symptoms and relapse prevention.

Follow-up data from a similar program where Dr. Aboussafy targeted
Vancouver area smokers with health problems indicated that more
than 34 per cent of participants had quit smoking three months post-treatment.
Of those who did not become smoke free during the program, nearly
60 per cent said they were now ready to attempt to quit, a fourfold
increase from before the program. Dr. Aboussafy is confident he
can achieve similar results among the UBC population.

For more information or to sign up for the program go to http://www.psych.ubc.ca/clinic/smoking_cessation.htm
or e-mail stopsmoking@psych.ubc.ca.

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Medicine Report to the Community Available

The Faculty of Medicine’s 2001/02 Report to the Community
is available both on-line and in print.

Visit the Web site at www.med.ubc.ca
to view the report and learn about the Faculty’s activities and
accomplishments over the past year. Call 604.822.5664 or e-mail
kmore@med.ubc.ca to have a
printed copy mailed to you.

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UBC Nursing Group Funds Bursary

The UBC Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society
of Nursing (Xi Eta Chapter) has given $18,000 to the Registered
Nurses Foundation of BC to administer a bursary for BC Registered
Nurses who are enrolled in nursing studies at the baccalaureate
level. Money for this bursary was raised from fees, revenue from
annual Research Forum, fall and spring dinners, workshops, door-prize
draws, and fund-raising events. The Chapter strives to foster excellence,
scholarship and leadership in nursing.