NEWSWIRE

York is U ends the year with celebration
York is U held its eighth pinning ceremony to mark the end of another successful year for the organization. The ceremony was a celebration of the 2006-2007 membership, for all of their hard work and dedication throughout the year. This past year York is U successfully hosted campus-wide events to help students enjoy their time at York. “I am so pleased at how it all turned out,” said Michelle Wong Ken, York is U membership director and a fourth-year environmental studies major, who organized the evening with help from volunteers. “We took a lot of risks and tried many new things and the members loved it."

Osgoode team takes every top prize at US tournament
Three York law students – Shabir Amlani, Jennifer Brent and Daniel Cole – walked away with the three top prizes at the fifth annual National Law School Mediation Tournament in Chicago two weeks ago. It was the first time a non-American team had participated in the mediation tournament and the first time a single law school had won all three awards.

Cleaning up for Earth Day
York's Facilities Services has some big plans to make the Danby Woodlot on the Keele campus free of litter as part of the City of Toronto's 20-Minute Makeover. Members of the York community are invited to come out to the Danby Woodlot at 2pm Friday.

York's chemistry whiz kids win awards
Students from York's Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science & Engineering, won four awards at the 35th Southern Ontario Undergraduate Student Chemistry Conference at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in Oshawa. York chemistry Professor Robert McLaren encouraged the students to attend.

Students and clubs recognized for enriching student life
The Council of Arts Student Associations presented a variety of awards to individual students and student associations for outstanding contributions to the enrichment of Faculty of Arts undergraduates' experience, at a ceremony March 21. 

The Finish Line is only the beginning
It’s the end of term and the finish line is nearly in sight in more ways than one for York film students. Over the next four weeks, they will premiere their new productions in The Finish Line, the Department of Film’s annual year-end screenings. Running over 10 evenings, the program showcases 170 productions in a variety of cinematic media created by up-and-coming filmmakers at all levels, from first to fourth year.

Filmmaker Albert Karvonen to visit York
Celebrated Canadian filmmaker Albert Karvonen will present a special lecture and screenings, titled "Imaging Animals and Filming the Wild: From the Mountains to the Editing Room", Tuesday, from 2:30 to 4:30pm, in the Mirkopoulos Cinema, 004 Accolade East on the Keele campus.

Creative Ensemble stages a musical comedy about the Internet
York University’s Creative Ensemble is set to spotlight its talents in InfiNet, a dark musical comedy about the Internet and how people interact with it. The production will be staged in the Joseph G. Green Studio Theatre from April 17 to 19.

Alternate space designated for worship during renovations
The Scott Religious Centre, a meeting place for the many religious groups active on the Keele campus, will be renovated this summer. The centre, which contains a non-denominational chapel, meditation room and several student religious group offices, will be closed from May 1 to Aug. 17 in order to accommodate the renovations.

York professor receives a grant
from the Gates Foundation
Atkinson Professor Joseph Mensah has received a grant of $170,000 from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to study Ghana's national health insurance system. The grant will help him conduct one of 21 collaborative studies evaluating health programs in developing and transitional economies.

Kinesiology TA wins University-Wide Teaching Award
York teaching assistant Mike Vesia has won a University-Wide Teaching Award this year. The doctoral student in kinesiology has been conducting undergraduate labs since 2001 when he started his master of science degree at York.

Sharing memories of James Mavor Moore
Arts pioneer, cultural icon and York Professor Emeritus James Mavor Moore touched the lives of many people as a colleague, friend, teacher, mentor, actor and author during his long and extraordinary life. His daughters are collecting personal memories, anecdotes and stories about Moore which will be displayed at a May 7 celebration of his life.

Weinstein garners another accolade
For a quarter of a century, filmmaker and York alumnus Larry Weinstein (BFA ’80) has been in the vanguard. In a cultural environment dominated by pop music and celebrities, Weinstein has set new standards by directing and producing experimental documentaries on classical music and composers.

Writer Camilla Gibb opens doorways at York
As a child with a typical British upbringing, Camilla Gibb was told that she was meant to be seen and not heard. A well-meaning high-school teacher later reinforced that message by telling her to "have a life" before attempting a writing career.

Documentary industry honours Rudy Buttignol
April has been a momentous month for York film grad Rudy Buttignol. The former TVOntario executive director of documentaries was named as interim president and chief executive officer of the Knowledge Network, British Columbia's public education broadcaster, and he will receive the first industry achievement award at the 2007 Hot Docs Canadian Intenational Documentary Festival in Toronto.

Glendon gets a facelift
Prospective students and visitors will have a new and highly improved first impression of York's Glendon campus, when a breezeway redevelopment is finished this fall. Projected for completion for the start of the fall term, the ground-level space below York Hall’s B-Wing will be enclosed, providing a whole new area which will be used as common space for the Glendon community.

Nature observed 'An hour from the city'
York social sciences and women’s studies Professor Linda Briskin adopts a different role this week with the debut of an exhibit of her work at the Goldfarb Centre Gallery. The exhibit, a collection of photographs taken by Briskin during her numerous trips into the wilderness, is titled, "An Hour From the City".

Grad studies names two top lecturers
His lectures are "energetic, engaging and learned, hers are "challenging and thought-provoking": Meet kinesiologist David Hood and psychologist Adrienne Perry, winners of teaching awards this year from York's Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Conference marks graduation of first sexuality studies class
York University's sexuality studies program marks the graduation of its first class with a conference today, showcasing the research of its faculty. "Sexuality studies is increasingly being recognized as an important area of study," says program coordinator Marc Stein.