Geoff at Mount Allison

The Argosy hosts a debate of candidates for the Students' Administrative Council at Mount Allison University

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Campbell) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:44:00 +0000

The Argosy just wrapped up hosting a debate of all the candidates for the SAC executive on Sunday and I was there live-streaming it to those who weren't there. If you missed it you can watch it here:

Argosy Hosts SAC Debate

Mount Allison University plans website redesign

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Campbell) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:15:00 +0000

As you may know, the University is undertaking a redesign of mta.ca. I'm on the Web Advisory Group which is providing input to the project. I talked to the Tony Frost, my boss and contact person for the project for more information. It's a vitally important project for the school and I'm excited to offer whatever helpful input I can.

I'll let you know more as the project progresses.

From The Argosy:

If everything goes as planned, Mount Allison will have a brand new website this summer. The website redesign comes at the heels of the now-complete branding project and will easily incorporate the school’s new visual identity.The project, a joint effort between Marketing and Communications and Computing services, will involve contracting a web design firm to create a website created with input from students, faculty, staff, and alumni. The website has become an important communication tool for new students and it is important the site meet the expectations of a range of audiences, not least of which is perspective students. Marc-Alexandre Chartrand, a fourth year international relations student said that when he was considering coming to Mt. A, the website was the only outlet he had to find out more about the school. He said he found it difficult to navigate and was concerned that the current graphics and layout of the website would not impress current students looking at it. Others were more concerned about navigability and ease of use. Geoff Hutchinson noted “It needs to be easy to find what you’re looking for. It needs to be streamlined. It needs to be intuitive.” Current students are not alone. According to the 2011 E-Expectations Report by Noel- Levitz, one in five students said they removed a school from consideration because of a bad experience on an institution’s website. The administration, for its part is taking online communication seriously. In his community-wide e-mail in December, President Campbell seemed in agree in his e-mail, “As many in our community appreciate, a university’s web site is integral to the way it communicates internally and externally, to making a good first impression, to strengthening our reputation... Each year our community and audiences expect more from our web site, and we must be able to deliver on those expectations if we are to achieve our mission.” Julie Stephenson, VP Communication for the SAC thought it was a step in the right direction. “The website redesign project shows Mt. A is interested in developing their online presence and the services they can provide to students.” Tony Frost, Director of Marketing and Communications noted that the new website is needed for a number of reasons, to make needed upgrades, to integrate the new brand elements, and the ability to publish content on the website more easily. He said...

The Argosy hosts a SAC all-candidates debate

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Campbell) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 22:47:00 +0000

The Argosy will be hosting a SAC all-candidates debate at 7pm tonight in the Wu Centre (Dunn Building). Tune in here if you can't make it in person:

Watch live streaming video from theargosy at livestream.com

Norovirus Hits #NASH74: A Case Study in Crisis Communication

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Campbell) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:59:00 +0000

As many of you have heard, including from the school administration a few of us from Mount Allison went to the 74th Annual Conference of the Canadian University Press. There were many great presentations from journalists and other experts, helpful round-table discussions from those at other papers from around the country, and inspiring, informative, and sometimes hilarious keynote addresses. However, all you heard was probably something like this headline: Painful norovirus infected 75 people at Victoria conference
Thankfully I left unscathed by the virus. however many others didn't. While it must have been a nightmare for organizers, by most accounts they did an excellent job communicating with delegates throughout the ordeal. I find myself in the majority but there are those who claim that the way in which they communicated (e-mail, door-to-door checks, and Twitter) was inadequate. I collected the most relevant posts from throughout the night and asked the interwebs (but primarily the others who were at #NASH74) what they thought. Below is that story.

Canadian University Press Archipelago (74th Annual National Conference)

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Campbell) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:56:00 +0000

I got in yesterday to the Canadian University Press' 74th Annual National Conference known as Archipelago (as each member paper is like an island in an archipelago). Anyway it was a long flight in but it has been a great conference so far. I'll be writing more specifically about what I've learned later this week for my report/presentation to the Argosy Editors' meeting on Wednesday but right now I'll provide some information on the presentations I've appreciated/learned the most from so far and the ones I'm most looking forward to tomorrow and Saturday.

So far:

And still to come:

and a professional critique of Argosy.ca by Josh O'Kane, a web editor for the Globe and Mail:

It has been really busy couple of days and I'll be exhausted and I'll have a lot of academic and other work to catch up on when I get back but I think it'll have been worth the time and energy coming out here to meet with hundreds of other people working for student newspapers and to learn from working professionals.

There will be more posts as I process everything over the next few days. Between now and then you can follow me @GeoffatMtA. I'll be mostly @ replying @CUPnash so I don't spam everybody not at the conference so if you want to see everything in your feed you'll have to check my profile or follow CUPnash as well.

Flying back to Canada for the last time (?)

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Campbell) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:41:00 +0000

I just finished a bit of self-reflection over the break including writing a narrative about my life. I thought about coming to the US from Canada and not really thinking about going back to live in Canada until I visited Mount Allison and I may not be back to live here for a number of years. Only time will tell.

It's been an interesting experience to have my preconceived notions about what's best (and even what's acceptable in terms of prices, customer service, competition, the role of government, cultural protectionism, etc) which has led to many spirited debates with friends who agree to continue believing the other is completely wrong.

To give you an extent of the price-gouging I've experienced, witness the frozen pizza for $13.69. That's one of the few things which most people there agreed was over-priced.

But right now I'm not worried about food prices. Due to the joy of scheduled posts, right now I should be on a plane from Boston to Halifax going through Canadian customs one last time.

Today's flight will be the last time I'll be flying 'back' to Canada for the foreseeable future (albeit at that point I can only see to May, after which I'll be attending graduate school in Syracuse (NY), New York City, Boston or Los Angeles). At this point it is up to four separate groups of admissions professionals which of those options I'm able to choose from. That's a bit nerve-wracking but... no it's pretty much entirely anxiety provoking. There is a small sense of relief after submitting the applications.
However, even knowing it's partly a numbers game (and I've got higher than last year's class average for GPA and GRE scores) and partly qualitative analysis (who has the best references, best personal statement, who seems like they'd be a good 'fit') for the school and that there's very little I can do at this point to positively affect their decisions I and millions of others awaiting graduate school decisions won't exhale until we receive that fat envelope (or long e-mail).

Although this upcoming semester will again be incredibly busy (5 courses, 2-3 PT jobs, volunteer work, and hopefully some fraction of a social life) I'm feeling rested and prepared for it. The break has given me ten days off of most the hectic pace of everything this past semester. I was able to catch up on sleep, detox from excess stress and caffeine, and finally finish a book given to me last January.

A week from today I'll be off to represent The Argosy at the 5-day annual conference of the Canadian University Press along with two co-workers. Then I'll be putting what I learned there into practice creating roughly bi-weekly content for the paper, providing input to Mount Allison website redesign project, and (pending the final okays) starting a 3rd social media-related side-project.

For right now thought, I'm probably listening to a song like the one below trying to get some shut-eye on the short trip to Halifax:

It may be a while until I'm able to post again. For now I wish you all the best in the new year.

"Top Ten" Break-Up Songs

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Campbell) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 01:35:00 +0000

Breaking up with someone or being broken-up with is rarely an enjoyable experience. As with most things in life, some good music can come in handy to speed recovery

It was about 20 months ago that I last posted a break-up song list so I figure I should provide an update in case there's anyone out there in need of a musical outlet and hasn't found the hundreds of other lists very helpful (Spoiler: I looked elsewhere first too).

I tried to include balance weepy with more optimistic music and avoided repeating any of the songs from the previous list. I also avoided angry songs but there's always Bens Fold Five, Stroke 9, The All American Rejects, or OK GO if you're feeling a need to be bitter.

Here's ten of my favorites in the order you might listen to them over a few day. What would you change from this list if you had to limit it to ten?

Bright Eyes - A Perfect Sonnet
The Postal Service - The District Sleeps Alone Tonight
The Rolling Stones- Paint it Black
The Mountain Goats - Woke Up New
Foo Fighters Times Like These
Elliott Smith - I Better Be Quiet Now
Johnny Cash - 'Hurt"
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Scar Tissue
Cat Stevens - Wild World
OK Go - This Too Shall Pass

Welcome to Gryffindor House...err...I mean Mount Allison

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Campbell) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 22:05:00 +0000

So I mentioned earlier, Mount Allison's colours closely resemble those of Gryffindor/Hogwarts and the new scarves only highlight the similarity. Now there's a new poster alluding to Mount Allison's resemblance of a certain fictional school. Small class sizes? Check. Independent learners? Check. Professional Quiddich team? No...not yet anyways...

Edit: Mount Allison University does, in fact have a Quidditch team. Their official, SAC approved Mandate is to "Have a bloody well good time learning and playing the muggle quidditch."

What do you think? Is Mount Allison anything like Hogwarts?

A better orientation

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Campbell) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 18:17:00 +0000

I was just walking downtown from campus (near the corner of Landsdowne and York) and someone drove up and asked me where Convocation Hall was. I pointed right behind his car at the gigantic building with the big letters saying "CONVOCATION HALL" on it in big block letters.

It was a pretty dull interaction in and of itself but it got me thinking of my goals lately and how I've always been close to what I want but I just didn't have the right orientation to find it. Kind of like being on a railroad track that doesn't quite reach the station. You have to just be facing the right way to find what you've been looking for.

All over but the waiting...

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Campbell) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:43:00 +0000

I just confirmed with my three top graduate schools (in no particular order: S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse, New York University's School of Continuing and Professional Studies and USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism) that they have received my completed application and that there's nothing for me to do at this point but wait for a reply that will come 'in the coming weeks' or more concretely "on or before March 15th, 2012".

I put a lot of time and effort into finding graduate schools which fit my career goals and even more time in explaining to the admissions staffs through my resume, personal statement, and writing samples why I would be a great fit for each of their programs. This is the point I like least- the waiting. I know there's absolutely nothing I can do now to impact the decision of the admissions committee. Even this semester's remaining classes, while important, only make up less than 6% of my total grade and pales in comparison to the last three years of academics and other experiences.

I found the questions asked the material requested from each school reflected the fact that GPA or GRE score alone does not define whether a person has the experience and aptitude required to succeed in graduate study. It also reaffirmed my strong belief in the liberal arts experience at Mount Allison. While there are trials and tribulations at whatever undergraduate institution (I'm going to have to work on reverting back to 'college' when I move back to the US) you attend, I think the mixture both an expectation of academic excellence while also encouraging extra-curricular involvement is a great combination that will help prepare students for graduate work or full-time employment after graduation. While not everybody will be as fortunate as I have been to work on graduate-degree related work during the summer and school year I believe the quality and quantity of opportunities offered gives anybody the opportunity to be a competitive graduate school applicant in many fields.

While from doing research I know my GPA and GRE scores are very competitive for the above schools and I've found/began initiatives on campus most closely related to what I want in graduate school (doing communication-related work for the school, Amnesty International, ATLIS, The Argosy, and two really-cool-wish-I-could-tell-you-now campus-wide initiatives starting next semester), it is simultaneously a nerve-wracking and powerless feeling when you're graded based solely on the content of a few pages of text.

I guess that's about it for now. I've noticed over time my posts have turned from "this is what you may experience at Mount Allison" to "this is what I'm experiencing" and finally to "this is where coming to Mount Allison has gotten me".

I hope that I've provided something of value to people reading this. I've been trying to tie my experiences back to Mount Allison but everybody uses their time here in a different way to create a foundation for what they're doing afterwards. If you're looking for advice you may want to look at the archives on the right because I think I've shared everything useful I can think of about this school and from here on in this blog may read like more of a personal narrative even more-so than it already does.

Mount Allison's 50th Rhodes Scholar: Rebecca Anne Dixon

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Campbell) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 19:42:00 +0000

I recently received an e-mail from a parent of a prospective parent who was worried by, among other things, rumors she heard that Mount Allison graduates don't perform do well enough to make it to graduate school. I wish I had waited another hour to respond to her:

via mta.ca:

Rebecca Anne Dixon is Mount Allison's 50th Rhodes Scholar
2011-11-28 14:47:18
Mount Allison University is proud to announce that Rebecca Anne Dixon, from Ottawa, ON, is the recipient of a Rhodes Scholarship. Valued at over $100,000, the scholarship is one of the oldest and most prestigious in the world. Dixon is the ninth Mount Allison student in the past 11 years to receive the award, and brings the University’s number of Rhodes Scholars to 50, more per capita than any other institution in Canada.
"This is an incredibly overwhelming, joyous, and humbling experience for me," says Dixon. "The opportunity to study and live in a place as vibrant and intellectually stimulating as Oxford is just thrilling and I am so grateful to all of the people who have supported and encouraged me throughout this experience."
"I am delighted for Rebecca," says President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Robert Campbell. "She is an exceptional student and this is a truly outstanding achievement. I also congratulate our faculty and staff for making Mount Allison an environment where students like Rebecca can flourish in learning, thinking, and understanding our fast-changing world and preparing for a rewarding future.
Dixon came to Mount Allison after spending two years in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program at Schule Schloss Salem in Ueberlingen, Germany. She plans to study an MPhil in Development Studies at the University of Oxford next fall.
"It's a strong program that offers an excellent grounding in the foundational economic, political, and social topics in development, as well as reviewing the history and internal debates of the discipline."
In her third year at Mount Allison, Dixon was awarded a prestigious Killam Fellowship — a unique exchange program between Canada and the U.S. She spent her semester abroad at American University in Washington, D.C., where she took classes in American Foreign Policy and Sustainable Cities at the University’s School of International Service. She also interned with the South Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies — a think tank based in D.C.
"My studies there were very formative in defining my research interests for my thesis."
At the age of 10 Dixon won a UNESCO award for her work to help children in Ukraine affected by floods. In high school, she travelled to India volunteering in a government public school in Mumbai. For her university honours project, Dixon spent the summer in India researching what platforms exist for public consultation in urban development. More recently, she won a coveted Canada's Famous Five Award for a project to educate children about their rights.
In addition to her studies, Dixon has been involved in many community activities and projects on and off campus including: ATLIS (Atlantic International Studies Organization); the Argosy (Mount Allison’s independent student newspaper); Oxfam Mount Allison; the Cumberland North Academy Mentorship program (reading and literacy volunteer program in a local elementary school); the Mount Allison German Club; MOSAIC (Mount Allison’s international students society); and Global Brigades Mount Allison (an international network that provides communities in developing nations with sustainable health care solutions in Honduras).
"I think the Mount Allison community fosters the skills, experiences, and confidence in students to apply for opportunities such as the Rhodes Scholarship," she says.
Following her time at Oxford, Dixon hopes to work at the logistical level of a development organization abroad. She says she would like to eventually return to Canada to work.
"It has been my professors, friends, and extracurricular activities at Mount Allison that have given me a renewed appreciation of Canada."
Rhodes alumni include Liberal leader Bob Rae, former Premier Danny Williams, and former U.S. President Bill Clinton.

- 30 -

Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Sheila Watt-Cloutier to give a public lecture at Mount Allison on the human dimensions of climate change at Mount Allison

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Campbell) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:34:00 +0000

via mta.ca:

Visiting Scholar Sheila Watt-Cloutier to lecture on human dimensions of climate change
2011-11-24 12:31:20
Sheila Watt‐Cloutier, an Inuk climate change advocate and Nobel Peace Prize Nominee, will be giving a public lecture at Mount Allison on the human dimensions of climate change. The lecture will be held on November 29 at 7:00 p.m. (Atlantic Time) in Convocation Hall.
Entitled "Not the Time to COP Out," the lecture will mark the second day of the international UN COP-17 climate negotiations in Durban, South Africa. This is the final opportunity for global governments to agree on a binding international framework to address climate change that will replace the Kyoto Protocol, which is set to expire in 2012.

As former international Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council, Watt-Cloutier has worked extensively at the UN level to advocate on behalf of Northern and Inuit peoples, who are disproportionately affected by climate change. She was amongst the first to link climate change within a human rights framework and, as a result, was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

This is Watt-Cloutier’s first and only public lecture in New Brunswick and as a Visiting Scholar at Mount Allison.

There will be the opportunity to ask moderated questions through Skype during the talk. Questions may be summarized and asked on your behalf, or you might actually be projected live to personally ask Sheila Watt-Cloutier. To ask a question, connect with Skype address: isumatvwebcaster

Read more about Watt-Cloutier and the upcoming event in HereNB.
If you are unable to attend the event, watch the live web cast at http://www.isuma.tv/

Amnesty International campaigner visits campus

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Campbell) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 18:30:00 +0000

Last Thursday, Amnesty International Mount Allison Hosted Craig Benjamin, Amnesty International Canada's Human Rights Campaigner for Aboriginal Peoples. I organized the visit and the Centre for International Studies provided much appreciated funding. I think it was an important event so I wrote about it for the Argosy. Below is a snippet. You can read the full story at http://argosy.mta.ca/index.php?q=article/amnesty-international-campaigner-visits-campus

Photo Caption: (from left to right) Advait Vij, Geoffrey Campbell, Craig Benjamin, and Aya Al-Shalchi in front of a poster in support of disappeared Columbian indigenous leader Kimy Domicó

Amnesty International (AI) recently stated that, “globally, Canada’s standing as a reliable human rights champion has dropped precipitously.” This is due to a number of actions that the Canadian government has taken to undermine universal human rights principles, chief among them respect for the human rights of Aboriginal Peoples. On November 17, Craig Benjamin addressed Mount Allison students, shedding light on this issue.

Peter Mansbridge on Social Media for Journalism

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Campbell) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:30:00 +0000

On October 21, 2011, as part of the Atlantic Regional Canadian University Press Fall 2011 Conference, the Argosy hosted an informal Q&A with Peter Mansbridge via Skype. The question: Is social media an important journalistic tool or is it just a passing fad? For the answer, press play.

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Results and Grad. School Applications

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Campbell) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 05:01:00 +0000

So as I earlier mentioned, I took the GRE back in August. I got the score back this week and I did pretty well. I spent a lot of time with Barron's new GRE test prep book and I can honestly say I wasn't surprised at any of the types of questions which were included. If you're taking the exam I highly recommend the book and any other supplements if you feel there's an area you need special attention.

I'm in the midst of completing my fourth graduate school application to yet another very impressive US Master's program in Public Relations in which I could see myself enrolled (yes, two l's. I need to revert back to US spelling for all of my personal statements). I'm disappointed but not surprised to discover there are really no comparable programs in Canada (even at McGill, which only offers a graduate certificate) so it looks as though the decision as to which country I'll live in has been made for me.

To everybody who is in the middle of taking/preparing for/anxiously awaiting the results of graduate admissions tests I wish you the best of luck. To everybody who is applying to PR programs in the US remember, the deadlines aren't until next year so wait until then to worry about applying...please?

The Association of Colleges and Universities of Canada's (AUCC) Ursula's visit to Mount Allison University, Storified

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Campbell) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:57:00 +0000

What's the point?

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Campbell) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:32:00 +0000

Blogging. Really? You write a blog. Haha. Alright...

That was what I figured most people were secretly thinking when I told them I was starting to write a blog for the school way back in August 2008, even before the first day of class here at Mount Allison University.

At times I've wondered if anybody reads this. I mean, anybody besides the random person who looks for something on Google that I happen to have written about but who has no interest in Mount Allison. It turns out that even in the first few months people around campus seemed to recognize me and asked if I was Geoff and if I wrote a blog. It kind of helped, I suppose, that I chose the unoriginal name of Geoff at Mount Allison for a title. It was a pretty good feeling that some people actually got something out of what I was writing or it was at least mildly informative or entertaining.

Fast forward three years it's Friday, November 4, 2011 and I'm getting some coffee in between classes and someone I had never met before (details left out for privacy) came up to me and said
"Hi...umm...are you Geoff at Mt A?"
"Yeah"
"Well... umm...I'm (name) and I'm from (foreign country) and I read your blog"

I haven't written here regularly for quite a while partly out of busy-ness but also because I feel as though I've written on just about everything I can think of that would interest a perspective student looking at Mount Allison. The next part of this four-year narrative is about activities I'm involved in right now and then applying to graduate school which I'm also doing right now.

Long story short, I haven't been writing a lot lately so it was surprising to have someone tell me they had been reading my blog and it was important enough to them to tell me so. He said that over the time he was deciding to come to Mount Allison/waiting to come here he had read almost all of my posts (400+) and that the information and perspective I provided had factored in his decision to come here. We sat down to talk for a minute about why he came here and what he thinks about it so far. He eventually told me he's pursuing a specially approved major and when I started to say how it's great to be able to take classes from different disciplines he cut me off...he had read my blog.

So, not to say that everything I write on here is a gem , but if I helped someone learn more about what it's like here on a personal level and that influenced him (even slightly) then I feel as though it has been worth it to do all of that writing because coming here has been the best decision I've ever made.

In addition to any impact it has had on other people I honestly feel as though (and you can see for yourself by scrolling down and looking on the right-hand side) writing publicly has helped to dramatically improve my writing ability. Although a few times I have not been quite as diligent in proof-reading posts on here as say, my term paper; knowing that other people are going to read this makes it worth taking a second look. I encourage all of you to start blogging and I'm going to urge the school to encourage people to write about it (through the Student Blogger program I joined as a part of) because it was reading what other people wrote about Mount Allison (in whatever small way) that encouraged me to come here and helped allay my fears of coming out to what President Robert Campbell jokes is "not Manhattan".

Here's Seth Godin and Tom Peters on why you should start blogging:

Atlantic Regional Canadian University (ARCUP) Press Fall 2011 Conference, Storified

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Campbell) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:58:00 +0000

Over the weekend I was busy helping to cover the Atlantic Regional Canadian University Press Fall 2011 Conference on MiniDV and on Twitter. Dru Oja Jay's presentation on Journalism as Humanitarian Intervention is now online and other presentations will be up soon. Below are the highlights from Twitter about the conference. I'll be adding more information and videos as they become available.

If there's anything in addition to the videos which I'm in the process of editing and uploading please e-mail me via my Google+ profile (directly underneath the profile photo) or on Twitter.

Atlantic Regional Canadian University Press (ARCUP) Conference Fall 2011 at Mount Allison University hosted by The Argosy

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Campbell) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:30:00 +0000

The Argosy, Mount Allison University's Independent Student Newspaper Since 1875, is hosting the Atlantic Region Canadian University Press (ARCUP) Fall 2011 Conference. The conference will begin tonight at 7pm and will run throughout the weekend.

I will be live-tweeting the some of the proceeding via the Conference's Twitter feed @ARCUPConference recording many of the event presentations which will be available on YouTube and embedded on our the Argosy's Online Only Section in the coming days and weeks.

Tonight we will be featuring a special guest speaker who will answer questions from ARCUP delegates. This portion of the conference will be available live via UStream. Be sure to check back here, the Argosy Website, or the UStream page itself to see the event as it unfolds.

Live video by Ustream

Here's a little bit about the conference from the Argosy's Editor-in-Chief John Brannen:

The Argosy hosts ARCUP

This weekend, The Argosy will welcome dozens of student journalists to Sackville for the Fall Atlantic Region Canadian University Press Conference (ARCUP). The three-day event will feature guest speakers, lectures, and workshops on journalistic issues and best practices. Newspapers from across the region will send upwards of forty delegates to participate in this year’s conference.

The Canadian University Press (CUP), a national co-operative of student newspapers, helps to fund regional conferences held across Canada in the Fall and the Spring. CUP is the oldest student newswire service in the world and the oldest national student organization in North America. The Argosy has been a longstanding member of CUP, joining when the co-operative was founded in 1938. The Newsire allows articles, stories, and photos to be shared amongst CUP members to enhance their newspaper’s original content.

This is not the first time that The Argosy has hosted ARCUP. In 2007, then Editor-in-Chief William Wolfe-Wylie, along with his staff, hosted the Spring ARCUP. The Argosy placed a bid to host the conference in June of this year and consequently won. Numerous speakers will be in attendance including notable Mount Allison and Argosy alumni William Wolfe-Wylie, Dru Oja Jay, and celebrated Sports writer Michael Grange. Other speakers include a professor of journalism, a communications and marketing director, and The Argosy’s printer company, Acadie Presse. Several CUP staff will be on hand including the CUP president and national bureau chief.

A lot to be thankful for

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Campbell) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 23:13:00 +0000

It's Canadian Thanksgiving today and I just wanted to share a few thoughts. This semester, seemingly like the previous few is shaping up to be one of the most hectic and stressful semesters of my four years here. However, I feel extremely fortunate to be in the position I am now. However difficult this term is, it's worth going through because I feel I'm on the right track.

With all of the coverage of Steve Job's death I felt compelled to watch his 2005 Stanford Commencement speech. As it did for many others, one section stood out to me:

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, some day you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "no" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything – all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

While if I took this advice literally I may have dropped out by now it's important to realize that while it's not possible to live each day like its your last it is important to see each day as a step to something larger.

I'm thankful because I realize the stress and hard work is meaningful and that it'll be worth it in the end. In that sense I do wake up, most days, wanting to do what I'm about to not because the work is always rewarding but because it's important to getting what I want out of life. So I'd just like to express my gratitude to well, mostly my parents for helping me to get to this stressful but meaningful time in my life. I hope all of you can find something to be thankful for.

Geoff

A final word on demolition of Windsor Theatre/former University Centre/former Memorial Library

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Campbell) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 20:27:00 +0000

I've said that I'd refrain from posting about the kerfuffle about the University's decision to demolish the former University Centre in order to replace it with a badly needed Fine and Performing Arts Centre. However, with the Board of Regents giving its final approval to the project and a judge this morning rejecting a request by two alumni. (These alumni were representing only themselves and a small group of protesters and not any larger group of student, faculty, staff, or alumni as has been reported).

I certainly objected to many things that were said and done by the small group of protesters in recent months after their argument failed and the decision was made to replace the former University Centre. In a desperate attempt to block the University from doing its job and especially in its attempt to embarass and shame its administrators into doing what they want the group itself actively tried to damage the reputation of the University I love and support.

They've claimed the support of over 1,500 alumni. They've claimed that this decision will somehow tarnish the University's reputation and will lead less students to come to Mount Allison. None of those are true.

There have been many clearly biased media report which do not take into account all of the factors which led the University to make this decision. The University has made the right decision and has been proven correct every step of the way. The only real measure of student opinion done was student Board of Regent representative Sean McGilley's informal consultation with students from Windsor Theatre, the Fine Arts Department, and the Drama department. This consultation of fifty to seventy-five students led him to conclude "There was a significant movement [within this group] to have a new building in place of the Memorial Library." The vast majority of students I've spoken to are in favour of the project as are a number of alumni who wrote their opinions in response to the Globe and Mail and other articles.

In addition, many students in favour of the project did not feel compelled to write letters themselves. The only independent student opinion piece that I know of was written by Gregory McLaughlin. In it, he writes that while the decision wasn't easy, the University's is serving the greater good for future students.

One such writing is by Dave Rose, the President of Mount Allison Federated Alumni. His article is perhaps the most well-reasoned and thoughtful ones on this months long debate that unfortunately had to with a judge reaffirming the Board of Regent's legal right to proceed with the planned Fine and Performing Arts Centre. I will leave you with someone who has thought more about this issue and has a more nuanced approach than those on either extreme. I hope you enjoy reading it. I know I did.

Geoff Campbell
Mount Allison University Class of 2012

A Matter of Balance
There will always be polarizing issues. There will always be different ways of solving problems. There will always be emotion. One thing is constant, however: Mount Allison must be better off by our collective hand.
Article | October 5, 2011 - 10:33pm | By Dave Rose

I listen carefully to Alumni when they make their position known on matters concerning Mount Allison. Likewise, I listen carefully to the Administration’s position on those matters. Through direct consultation with Alumni as well as open discussion at our AGM, our Board of Directors seeks input on which to base their own opinion. We participate in the administration of the university through membership on the Senate, Board of Regents, and several committees. Through these teams, and regular discussions with the University executive, we work together with a common purpose: the advancement of Mount Allison University.

There will always be polarizing issues. There will always be different ways of solving problems. There will always be emotion. One thing is constant, however: Mount Allison must be better off by our collective hand.

It is often easiest to approach an issue when you isolate it for close examination. If money were no object, the decision is an easy one. If space and real estate were limitless, the decision is an easy one. If future enrolment was guaranteed, the decision is an easy one. Once returned to context, however, the scope of analysis broadens. The matter is no longer as facile as some would have you believe. The decisions are no longer easy and we must execute our responsibility to Mount Allison carefully. While we must certainly consider the passionate pleas of those with special interest in an issue, we cannot let our decision be ruled by emotion alone. We must rationally consider all of the information available to us. As stewards, all of us in the Mount Allison community share this responsibility.

On the matter of campus buildings, Mount Allison has a balanced record of preservation, re-purposing and replacement. Trueman House has been lovingly preserved and repurposed into an architecturally interesting new student centre. Palmer Hall, on the other hand, was replaced with a functional, new residence. These were not easy decisions. There were those who believed that a new building should take Trueman’s place. The repurposing of the building was certainly a more expensive option. Likewise, some believe that Palmer Hall should have been repurposed.

The decision on the Memorial Library is no easier. A small but vocal part of the university’s family would like to see this building preserved. Their voice has not gone unheard. It is, however, only one of several factors which go into the decision when taken in context. They would have you believe that their voice has been dismissed, that their opinion has been censured. Nothing could be further from the truth. They have suggested that those that don’t share their opinion are incompetent. Nothing could be further from the truth.

A great many minds have been brought to bear on this issue. Numerous solutions have been considered at length. Can we locate the new facility elsewhere? Can we incorporate the building wholly within the new? Can we maintain the building envelope and repurpose within? Can we relocate the building to another site and reassemble it? Can we preserve a façade as a backdrop to an outdoor performance space? Can we ensure the university has functional, capable facilities to offer the students of the future? Can we emphasize the link between war and art through the work of Alex Colville? Can we ensure the memory of those who fought and died for our future is reflected in all that we do?

After lengthy consideration, deliberation, and emotional discourse a decision was made which reflects our common purpose and does most for the advancement of Mount Allison. The Fine and Performing Arts Centre will be a huge stride forward for the Mount Allison community and will help the University be competitive in attracting the next generations of Allisonians from a continually shrinking pool of potential applicants. The memorial plaques have been relocated to a much more prominent location where they can be seen by all on a daily basis. The amphitheatre will give new life to the façade of a beautiful building which has fallen into disuse. It’s a balanced approach to an incredibly complex issue.

Dave Rose
President, Mount Allison Federated Alumni

NPR Facebook Page Mentions, Storified

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Campbell) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 14:58:00 +0000

Here's another story I curated on Storify. There's so much more multimedia content that can be used. I'll be creating a storify collection(?) for what I worked on over the summer that will incorporate some these really cool features. For now here's a summary of the NPR story from last year. I can't really explain what happened in any better format than this:

20 Tips for Mount Allison University Storify Collection

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Campbell) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 18:07:00 +0000

I don't know how many people outside of technology/social media/journalism circles have used Storify but it's become an incredibly useful tool for journalists and others to collect mentions across the web to create a narrative surrounding an event. It's a website where anybody can write and publish stories by curating social media content.

The story I curated below is very basic. If you want to see a incredible narrative and a stunning example of why Storify has become so popular then you need to take a look at the story of the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia curated by NPR's Andy Carvin.

For now, though, I'd like to share the positive reaction to Mount Allison's video series for incoming students that I'm really proud I was a part of. Before I share, however, I have to note that it was a group effort and a lot of time was spent by others in the Communication office in the initial planning stages and especially by the school's eCommunications Coordinator Nadine LeBlanc in filming and editing the videos that were so well liked. Anyway, I hope if there's a story found on social media story you're interested in telling you take a close look at using Storify.

New Brunswick Health Council invites student input on the qualty of healthcare in the province

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Campbell) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 20:30:00 +0000

I'd like to share with you an important event happening on campus on Thursday September 29th brought to my attention by Christine Paré, Director of Communications for New Brunswick Health Council.

The following is an important opportunity for youth to provide feedback on the quality of health services in the province. All Mount Allison students are invited to participate. More details are available to those who register at http://nbhc.ca and are chosen to participate. Here is more information:

The New Brunswick Health Council (NBHC) is an independent organization created in 2008 that is mandated to measure, monitor and evaluate population health and health service quality in the province of New Brunswick while informing the public on the health system’s performance. It is also mandated to implement mechanisms to engage the citizens of New Brunswick for the purpose of improving health service quality in the Province.

In the spring of 2010, the NBHC hosted Our Health. Our Perspectives. Our Solutions. The process highlighted what people value most with regard to the provincial health system, how the system can be strengthened and what can be done to improve provincial health outcomes. Although a wealth of information was provided by participants, it was clear the process was not appealing to younger people. As a result, the youth voice was not included in the overall findings.

Because of this, we are visiting eight university campuses around the province to gather the perspectives of students when it comes to health. Our goal was to invite 40 students to join us for a free dinner and for a conversation on the topic of health. This event will be held on campus next Thursday, the 29^th. The first 40 participants to register online at www.nbhc.ca will have a guaranteed spot in at this session.

Reminder- Susan Greenfield to speak about 'Mind Change' at Mount Allison University on Monday, September 26th 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Campbell) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 19:12:00 +0000

A reminder about Susan Greenfield's talk on Monday night courtesy of Laura Dillman. I'm going to do my best to attend and so should you.

Baroness Susan Greenfield to deliver Jonah Lecture — Monday, Sept. 26, 7 p.m. Convocation Hall

Acclaimed University of Oxford pharmacology professor, neuroscientist, writer, and broadcaster Baroness Dr. Susan Greenfield will launch Mount Allison University’s Year of Science and Discovery as the first speaker in the President’s Speakers Series and the 2011-12 Wilford B. Jonah lecturer. Her talk entitled, Mind Change: The New Climate Change? will take place on Monday, September, 26, at 7 p.m. in Convocation Hall. Everyone is welcome and there is no admission charge.

Greenfield’s Mount Allison talk will address the evolution of the human brain to adapt to our changing technological circumstances, especially screen technology. During her lecture she will speak to the question, “If the 21st century environment is changing in unprecedented ways, will the minds of upcoming generations also be changing in ways that are unprecedented?”

This lecture will be relevant for the sciences and the humanities alike, as it will address key issues in our evolving world of information technology and human cognition.

For more information please visit www.mta.ca/ysd