Mt A researcher looking for more responses to neurological disease survey, joins call for more study
On today’s Tantramar Report, we talk with Dr. Matthew Betti of Mount Allison, who is surveying New Brunswickers in an effort to narrow down the potential causes of New Brunswick’s mystery brain disease. Betti has recently joined a call for provincial and federal involvement in studies to help determine what’s been harming the over 200 patients currently reporting undiagnosed symptoms.
… Continue
Radio Documentary Celebrating Ray Legere
We’re very excited to announce a special program dedicated to local legend Ray Legere who was recently awarded an honorary degree from Mount Allison University during the 2023 Convocation ceremonies earlier this year.
Both local radio stations, CHMA and CFTA, aired this special hour long feature on July 29th, 2023 with an introduction from Bluegrass Legend Wilson Moore.
Wilson Moore intro:
Full Documentary:
A special thanks to Ray and Janet Crawford for making the documentary possible.
“A world-renowned fiddle and mandolin player, Ray Legere has travelled the world recording with top musicians in a variety of musical genres. He has toured internationally with artists such as Rita McNeil, John McDermott, the virtuoso violin group Bowfire, and Michelle Shocked. From hard rock to roots players, Legere is a well-known and respected artist known for his musical versatility and Acadian background.
He has seven solo albums to his credit, featuring some of his own compositions, and can be heard on over 500 recordings as a session player. Legere performs with both anglophone and francophone artists in the region and is a regular member of the band for Quebec hit television shows Pour L’amour du Country and Tout Simpliment Country. In 2017, he worked on a genre-crossing project with the professional woodwind quintet Ventus Machina, arranged by Mount Allison professor James Kalyn, involving classical, pop, Acadian, and bluegrass tunes that celebrated the musical cultures of New Brunswick.
Legere operates his own recording studio from his home in Sackville, NB, the place he has called home for over 25 years.… Continue
Mount A summer camps are open to kids with special needs, thanks to one-to-one program created by 3rd year student
Ben Broadbent spent last summer working with kids at McMaster University’s Marauder program, a support system that makes it possible for kids with exceptionalities and special needs to attend the school’s summer day camps. The third year Mount Allison student liked the job so much that he decided to do it again, this time at Mount A. But although Mount Allison runs a successful summer camp program each year, there was no equivalent to McMaster’s Marauder program. So Broadbent decided to create one.
“I loved every moment there,” says Broadbent. “So I figured, with my internship, why not bring that sort of thing here.”
Over the winter Broadbent pitched his idea to Tabatha Carter, Mount Allison’s co-ordinator of events and summer camps, and through a partnership with the school’s Experiential Learning program, the Mountie Program was born.
Broadbent dropped in to CHMA studios last week to talk about the Mountie program, and how it works alongside Mt A summer camps.
The Mountie Program is for kids who might not normally be able to attend summer camp on their own, or who can benefit from extra help to thrive. Broadbent provides an extra layer of support for kids, shadowing them through activities and stepping in when needed. “I don’t want to overstep, but I want to be there when they turn around and need that extra hand to complete an activity,” says Broadbent.… Continue
Hennessy appointed president of Acadia, Mt A starts search for a new interim president
Mount Allison is losing another president.
Dr. Jeffrey Hennessy, who has been serving as interim president since June 30 when Dr. Jean Paul Boudreau’s term ended, has just been appointed president of Acadia University in Wolfville.
Hennessy came to Mount Allison from Acadia in 2020, and served just over three years as Provost and Vice President Academic before taking on the role of transition officer and interim president.
Dr. Jean-Paul Boudreau announced in March that he would not be returning for a second five year term
According to an announcement from Acadia, Hennesey’s new tenure in the school’s top job will start on September 1.
In an emailed statement, Mount Allison University says they have hired a search consultant to help find a new interim president to take over on September 1.
Dr. Vicki St. Pierre has taken on the job of acting Provost and Vice-President Academic for a one-year term starting July 1, and the Dean of Libraries, Rachel Rubin, is filling in for St. Pierre as Dean of Arts.
Mount Allison’s statement also reads:
… Continue“Mount Allison University congratulates Dr. Hennessy on his well-deserved appointment as President and Vice-Chancellor of Acadia University. We thank him for his invaluable contributions to Mount Allison over the past three years. Dr. Hennessy’s assistance during the leadership transition at our University has been greatly appreciated, and we are eager to continue collaborating through our Maple League of Universities connections.”
‘Disappointment’ over latest round of tuition hikes; University posts $2M deficit, says costs rising faster than revenue
The students’ union at Mount Allison has expressed “disappointment” after the university released a budget with a three per cent tuition hike.
The increases bring overall tuition to more than $10,000 annually for domestic students, following a $290 increase, and more than $20,200 annually for international students, with a $590 tuition hike.
“Any increase will impact a student’s ability to attend university, whether that’s big or small,” said Mount Allison Students’ Union president Alivia Warr.
A statement from MASU acknowledged that some “key budgetary requests” were addressed – notably $100,000 for physical accessibility projects on campus – but it said the student union is “deeply disappointed” with the tuition hike.
Asked about how the government should ensure accessibility to post-secondary education, Warr said MASU doesn’t have a political stance.
“We just want to work with all parties who can impact accessibility and affordability of students’ education.”
In addition to the general increase in tuition fees, there are separate increases for new aviation students, and also for residence fees and meal plans.
During legislative hearings on post-secondary education earlier this year, Mount Allison administrators said costs are rising faster than revenue, especially with rates of inflation that broke records going back four decades when they reached 8.1 per cent last year.
Last month, Statistics Canada reported that the country’s annual rate of inflation had reached 4.4 per cent.
The university’s operating budget is based on a two per cent increase in a grant from the provincial government.… Continue
The Great Tantramar Turtle Mystery: researchers aim to fill knowledge gap about presence of turtles in region’s waterways
A group of Mount Allison researchers are setting out to find out if there are turtles living in the waterbodies around Tantramar. Recent Mount Allison grads Issac Acker and Alexia McCormick are setting up traps around the Sackville Waterfowl Park this week, in hopes of catching and documenting the presence of the aquatic reptiles.
“There is currently a lack of scientific information regarding the presence of turtles in the Sackville/Tantramar area,” says McCormick. “And so we are hoping to gain knowledge from community members to help us basically find turtles and close the gap.”
Hear McCormick and Acker on Tantramar Report:
The hope is to find some populations of snapping and/or painted turtles in the region. “We expect the populations to be pretty low just based on there being limited sightings around,” says Acker.
Populations of snapping and painted turtles have recently declined in Nova Scotia, but there’s no information on what’s happening to the creatures in New Brunswick. “There’s been almost no studies done on them,” says Acker, “although they are present in parts of western New Brunswick, such as around Fredericton.”
Along with the understanding of the populations comes possible protections, says Acker. “That’s why we want to see if these turtles are actually present here, so that we can help further protect them as they’re starting to do in Nova Scotia.”… Continue
Some students snub former diplomat honoured by Mount Allison; Lyons responds, says work ‘misunderstood’
In a silent protest during this week’s convocation ceremonies, some Mount Allison graduates turned their backs on a former high-ranking Canadian diplomat as she received an honorary degree from the university.
Deborah Lyons, Canada’s former ambassador to Israel and Afghanistan — and former head of a UN mission to Afghanistan — received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Mount Allison on Monday.
She also gave a speech to the graduating class, saying her actions as ambassador and UN mission leader had been “misunderstood.” The speech can be viewed in full here.
Critics accuse Lyons of whitewashing human rights violations by the State of Israel and fault her for cooperating with the Taliban while Afghanistan collapsed in 2021.
As she delivered her speech on Monday, a number of students rose from their seats and turned away from the stage, according to people who were present at Convocation Hall.
“As you may know, and as may be obvious at the moment, there are some students and faculty who aren’t so happy that I’m speaking to you today,” Lyons said in her remarks.
In video from the event, someone can be heard heckling Lyons at the beginning of her speech, prompting scattered applause.
Protesters aren’t visible in the video but photos from the event appear to show at least 30 people standing with their backs turned against the stage. … Continue
Former football Mounties Lucas Cormier and Reece Martin in training following CFL draft
Two athletes from Mount Allison University are in training after being drafted into the Canadian Football League.
The 22-year-old athletes join the league through the Mounties football program.
Sackville-born defensive back Lucas Cormier was drafted in the second round by the Ottawa Redblacks, as the 10th overall pick.
Reece Martin, a defensive lineman, was chosen by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the fourth round as the 31st pick overall.
CHMA reached out to both players and spoke to Cormier this weekend, between practices in Ottawa. Cormier said he always aspired to join the CFL, and he believes the Grey Cup is within sight this year.
Listen to the interview from CHMA:
Protest expected as Mount Allison goes ahead with plans to honour ambassador
Activists plan to hold a protest on Monday as Deborah Lyons, Canada’s former ambassador to Israel and Afghanistan, receives an honorary degree during convocation ceremonies.
A peaceful demonstration will take place outside of Convocation Hall, while inside the building, “students and faculty will also be making their opposition known,” according to an update from Lara Khattab and Krista Johnston.
The two Mount Allison professors launched an online petition last month demanding that Mount Allison rescind the honorary degree.
CHMA’s interview with Lara Khattab and Krista Johnston:
The petition states that, as ambassador, Lyon helped whitewash human rights violations by the State of Israel.
It also criticizes her for cooperating with the Taliban when she represented the United Nations in Afghanistan. The petition had gathered 1,181 names by Sunday afternoon.
University to abide by decision
A spokesperson for Mount Allison confirmed this week that the university is following-through with a decision by its Senate to honour the career diplomat.
The Senate selects recipients from a list recommended by its Honorary Degrees Committee, according to acting media relations officer Renée Belliveau.
That committee “consists of representatives of Senate, students, and Board of Regents,” according to the university website.
“Deborah Lyons was nominated in 2020, and her nomination received the support of a majority of Senators, as required under the procedures,” Belliveau said in an email. … Continue
Listen in: ‘Telling it slant’: Robert Lapp delivers Mount A’s (and his) Last Lecture
Every year, members of the graduating class at Mount Allison University choose a professor they would like to hear from one last time. It’s called “The Last Lecture” and this year, that last lecture was delivered on April 4 by Robert Lapp, head of the Mount Allison English Department.
Lapp began by noting that this literally will be his last lecture since he’s retiring this spring after 25 years of teaching at the university.
In this radio piece produced by local journalist Bruce Wark, we hear excerpts from Robert Lapp’s last lecture called “Telling it slant, How to tell the truth.” We’ll also hear his thoughts on retirement, how poetry helps us to see the truth and, also, how eco-poetry helps us to cope with the often unpleasant and paradoxical truths of climate change.
Robert Lapp was introduced by Mount Allison graduating student Erin Dumville: