The Ontario Government is investing $171,621 toward a Lakehead University research project by Drs. David Law, Peter Lee, and Joseph Carney. These researchers are developing new technologies to protect the quality of Ontario's waterways.

The funding comes from the Ontario Research Fund (ORF) " Research Infrastructure Program, which helps ensure that Ontario researchers have the tools they need to lead in their respective fields. The funds will be used to buy equipment, identify problems with water quality, and more accurately measure discharge from the mining and pulp and paper industries, among others.

(L-R) Dr. Stevenson, Dr. Carney, MPP Gravelle, Dr. Lee, and Dr. Wang celebrate today's ORF funding announcement

Lakehead University's Aquatic Toxicity Research Centre is one of only four accredited aquatic toxicity testing facilities in Ontario, and our researchers have been testing effluent for over 30 years. In fact, the main test that is used to measure water toxicity levels nationwide was developed right here at Lakehead University.

The ORF funding is particularly timely given the new legislation that will be put in place in the near future, which will require all municipalities and first nations communities, in addition to major industries, to test and regulate their respective waterways through this testing process. Essentially, this means our water will soon be safer.

To learn more, visit MPP Gravelle's website to read More Research Funding for Lakehead University.

Dr. Brian J.R. Stevenson, President and Vice-Chancellor, Lakehead University, is already taking full charge in his first week. Dr. Stevenson spent the week touring various areas of the campus, meeting with faculty, staff, and administration, and settling into his new position.

"This is a truly exciting time for me and my family as we join the Lakehead University community, as well as the communities of Thunder Bay and Orillia," says Dr. Stevenson.

As the 6th president and vice-chancellor of Lakehead University, Dr. Stevenson notes the significance of following a roster of illustrious and dedicated individuals known for their commitment to the sustainable progress of the institution. He too shares the priority of focusing on the ongoing development of the communities served by the University.

Dr. Stevenson notes that universities fill a profound need " not just to educate future generations for social and business leadership, but also to help foster economic development and environmental stewardship. "Institutions such as Lakehead serve as centres for our culture and art, as well as for social and political advancement."

The new president says he believes that institutions of higher learning are responsible for producing the next generation of leaders who will be the catalysts by which our nation can continue to progress. He makes special mention of the northwest and Lakehead's responsibility to advance the educational needs of both northern and Aboriginal communities, enabling all citizens to participate fully in innovation and diversification.

Dr. Stevenson is thankful to have the opportunity to serve Lakehead University, its people, and the broader communities from which the University draws its support, strength, and inspiration. He looks forward to working closely with various constituent groups in learning how Lakehead can continue to achieve its mission and goals.

"My family and I are thrilled to become immersed in the great communities of Thunder Bay and Orillia, and we thank all of you for welcoming us so warmly."

MEDIA: For more information, please contact Communications Officer Heather Scott at 807-343-8177 or commun@lakeheadu.ca.

About Lakehead
Lakehead is a comprehensive university with a reputation for innovative programs and cutting-edge research. With a main campus located in Thunder Bay, Ontario and a campus in Orillia, Ontario, Lakehead has over 7,700 students and 2,250 faculty and staff, and is home to the west campus of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. In 2006, Research Infosource Inc. named Lakehead University Canada's Research University of the Year in the undergraduate category. For more information on Lakehead University, visit www.lakeheadu.ca

"Quality assurance of university academic programs has been adopted around the world and is widely recognized as a vital component of every viable education system. I'm pleased torepresent Lakehead University and Ontario in my role on the Council," says Dr. McPherson. "I hope to use the knowledge and experience I gain to continue to assist Lakehead's programs in achieving and maintaining the highest possible standards of academic excellence."

The Quality Assurance Framework has three major components: procedures for the approval of new academic programs, procedures for the review of existing programs, andanauditof each university's quality assuranceon an eight-year cycle.The framework was developed by a special task force, which worked closely over a two-year period with academic vice-presidents, consulted with the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, and received support from the Executive Heads of Ontario Universities.

"The system is designed to support continuous quality improvement, and demonstrate that programs at Ontario universities are well developed to meet defined learning outcomes," says Bonnie M. Patterson, President of the Council of Ontario Universities. "With the evolution of the quality assurance system, Ontario universities are positioned on the leading-edge internationally."

"This position is a natural fit forDr. McPherson," says Dr. Laurie Hayes, Vice-President (Academic) & Provost, Lakehead University. "Moira is well versed inthe nuances of academic planning and program review, and I'm confident she'll have a tremendous impact on the success of this Council during her three-year term."

"¨Alongside Dr. McPherson, seven other representativesfrom Ontario have been appointed to the Quality Council.The Council's first item of business will be to review and approve the quality assurance processes at each university.

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MEDIA: Dr. McPherson is available for media interview today. To arrange interviews, please contact Heather Scott, Communications Officer, at 807-343-8177, 807-472-9113, or commun@lakeheadu.ca; or Eleanor Abaya, Director of Communications, at 807-343-8372 or eabaya@lakeheadu.ca.

About Lakehead
Lakehead is a comprehensive university with a reputation for innovative programs and cutting-edge research. With a main campus located in Thunder Bay, Ontario and a campus in Orillia, Ontario, Lakehead has over 7,700 students and 2,250 faculty and staff, and is home to the west campus of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. In 2006, Research Infosource Inc. named Lakehead University Canada's Research University of the Year in the undergraduate category. For more information on Lakehead University, visit www.lakeheadu.ca

A student must be registered and have a balance owing in order to use this method of payment. A student can log into myInfo at www.lakeheadu.ca, view his/her account and make a payment by using the options listed under Financial Profile.

First Canadian LEED ^?Platinum campus ready for classes this fall

(July 28, 2010) Construction is on schedule for Lakehead - Orillia's new academic building on University Avenue, and the Lakehead community is eagerly anticipating the expansion into new quarters this fall. The facility is Canada's first and only Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED ^®) Platinum university campus.

For the past year, Brian Jeffs, Lakehead's Assistant Vice-President of Administration and Finance, along with colleagues and other members of the project team, have overseen the development of the state-of-the-art facility. "It has been a non-stop project and the action won't slow down once the building is constructed," says Jeffs. Jeffs will continue to work alongside his colleague Kevin Schlyter, architects Moriyama and Teshima, project consultants MHPM, and the Ellis-Don construction team to ensure the facility is ready for the start of classes this September 13.

As construction on the exterior and interior nears completion, the team is busy making sure all systems are ready to go. "Preliminary testing is now taking place," explains Jeffs. "During the next few weeks, we will be checking all the systems within the facility, including mechanical, air quality, and classroom and lab technology." Beginning mid-August, the group will also coordinate the delivery and assembly of all interior furnishings, which need to be ready for use by faculty and staff by August 25.

The landscaping of the grounds is also underway, as is noticeable by the numerous trees now lining the campus entranceways. Native tree species, which have been planted throughout the grounds, offer sponsorship opportunities as part of the Your Bright Future community fundraising campaign. Those who sponsor a tree will be commemorated with a plaque and inscription of the donor's name at a permanent dedication area.

On top of getting the new Academic Building ready for the start of the upcoming school term, the Orillia campus is also embarking on its next construction project - the student residence building. Contractors are now on site, preparing for a groundbreaking that is expected to take place within days. The new residence building, which will accommodate more than 250 students, is located adjacent to the academic building. It will open its doors at the start of the 2011 academic term. Plans are also in place for the construction of a new food services (cafeteria) facility, which will also open in 2011.

While most of the undergraduate students will study at the new University Avenue Academic Building, professional programs including the one-year Bachelor of Education, Masters in Business Administration, and the professional year of Social Work, will continue to be offered at Lakehead - Orillia downtown.

"In August we will be renovating the space at our Heritage Place and 27 West Street locations in order to increase classroom sizes for these programs," notes Jeffs. "The downtown location is a good fit for these programs because it is close to the many centrally located businesses and social service agencies connected with the programs."

Watch for further updates in the coming weeks about the new campus opening event, as well as opportunities to tour the new University Avenue facility.

Fourth-year students will complete their course work as of July 30, and will then complete their community-based practicum assignments (typically in their home communities) during the fall/winter 2010 academic term.

Lakehead University's Native Language Instructors' Program helps protect the vitality of native languages. It serves as a means of community capacity building and attracts students of all ages " Native and non-native alike. While some students come to Lakehead specifically to study Native language, others discover how the study of Native language complements their chosen program/field.

Lakehead University - Orillia business students release results of Municipal Performance Comparison study

(July 22, 2010 - Orillia, ON) An interesting and unique research report has recently been released by Lakehead University - Orillia's Business Administration Program. The Comparative Municipal Performance Measurement Project report compares the municipal performance of the Cities of Orillia and Barrie and the County of Simcoe with that of other similar municipalities.

The project studied data that is collected under the province's Municipal Performance Measurement Program (MPMP), a reporting system that promotes local government transparency and accountability. It provides municipalities with useful data to make informed municipal service decisions, while optimizing available resources. The Lakehead research project takes this information one step further.

While the data is based on reports that municipalities are required to submit for service areas such as roads, water, waste management, parks and recreation, police and fire services, the province does not compare the statistics among municipalities.

"By comparing statistics, we can help taxpayers understand if they are paying a little and getting a lot, or vice versa," explains Professor Herman van den Berg, who assigned the project to his finance students.

"We assume the municipal services in our communities are the standard; that they would be comparable to those in any similar municipality, but this is not necessarily the case," says van den Berg. For example, according to the report, police service expenditures in Orillia are in line with those of the peer group, yet the violent and property crime rates are very high. In Barrie, the report shows that transit costs are fairly high, while the efficiency of service level falls well below the median. In Simcoe County, the operating costs for paved roads are high when compared to the median, while library costs are substantially lower than those of the municipalities in its peer group.

"We would normally expect a direct relationship between the value of level of benefits provided by a municipality and the cost of providing them," says van den Berg. Although the students' work does point out some notable anomalies, van den Berg cautions that they should not necessarily be accepted at face value, but as an indication that further investigation may be warranted. "There are often other factors that may explain the report's findings," he says. "What the report does is help to point out areas that may need improvement and other areas that can be considered best practices."

The project allowed students to focus on an area of finance not commonly found in their textbooks. "Much of our textbook learning focuses on profit-seeking organizations, shareholder values and the bottom line," says Jacquie Kent, one of the student authors of the report. "In this project, we were able to examine the social benefits of non-profit organizations and see how the research has practical applications."

Download the full report here.

For more information about the report or to arrange a presentation of the findings, please contact Professor Herman van den Berg at herman.vandenberg@lakeheadu.ca.

Various representatives from Thunder Bay's financial and innovation sectors will choose the best submission, which Shads will present at the national Shad Cup, to take place in Waterloo in October 2010.

This event can be attended in person or via webstream:
Date: Tuesday, July 20"¨
Time: 6:30 p.m."¨
Location: ATAC 5035
Webstreaming address: http://streaming.lakeheadu.ca/shad

Please note that one last Shad Musical Ensemble will also be held:
Date: Wednesday, July 21
Time: 12 noon " 1:00 p.m.
Location: Agora

All members of the University and broader community are welcome to enjoy various guitar, vocal, piano, and saxophone performances by this year's Shad students.

(L-R) Mark, Lisa, and Kerisha perform "I Never Told You."

Lakehead's 2010 Shads gathered in the Agora yesterday to share their eclectic mix of musical talents with members of the University and broader community.

The Agora was abuzz after Shads presented a number of piano, guitar, viola, saxophone, and vocal acts.

Yehyah Hamandi plays "Vehicle" on his saxophone

For those who weren't able to attend but who wish to see the Shads in action, an additional musical ensemble takes place from 12 noon " 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 21. "¨Everybody is invited, and parking is free.

(July 9, 2010 " Thunder Bay, ON) Following receipt of a $36,000 NSERC PromoScience Grant, Lakehead University is pleased to offer another series of BioTrek Biotechnology Outreach workshops over the next three years. Researchers involved in the BioTrek program will travel to classrooms throughout the Northwestern Ontario and Orillia regions to deliver interactive, hands-on science workshops to students in Grades 7 through 12. The overall goal of the program is to further generate students' interest and engagement in the field of biotechnology.

The broad range of applications BioTrek researchers present will further build on existing school curricula. Students will have the opportunity to participate in experiments involving the collection and analysis of data as well as the operation of technical equipment and supplies that are typically unavailable to most classrooms.

This is the first year an NSERC PromoScience Grant has been used to fund Lakehead's BioTrek program. It was previously funded by Ontario's Youth Science and Technology Outreach Program (YSTOP).

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MEDIA: Dr. Schraft is available for media interview from 1:00 p.m. " 5:00 p.m. today. To arrange interview times, please contact Heather Scott, Communications Officer, at (807) 343-8177 or commun@lakeheadu.ca.