The University of Waterloo is one of the few institutions in Canada to administer a language proficiency exam as a degree requirement. Although the university has used the test since 1976, students’ writing problems just appear to be getting worse. “What we do know is that our pass rate is declining,” said Ann Barrett, managing director of the English language proficiency exam at Waterloo.
Author: Admin
STANDing tall against genocide
Since 2003, a reported 400,000 murders have taken place in Darfur, Sudan, at the hands of the state-sponsored militia, the Janjaweed, and their campaign of ethnic cleansing. While the main violence has ended – there are few villages left to burn – the atrocity has displaced over 2.
Martlets hold on for wild win over hot-shooting Citadins
What do Shakespeare and the McGill women’s basketball team have in common? In most cases, not very much. But at this point in the year, “all’s well that ends well” is becoming an increasingly useful descriptor for the way the Martlets’ season has progressed.
Carabins carve up Redmen in three sets to spoil seniors’ night
A straight-set loss to the visiting Montreal Carabins wasn’t the result the McGill men’s volleyball team had hoped for, but for the team and the fans, Friday night’s match was about far more than a small shift in the standings. It was about sacrifice, determination, growth, and an increasingly optimistic future.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Foucalt you, Ricky. Re: “Piñata Diplmacy: James McGill – Turning in my grave” by Ricky Kreitner (22.09.09) What up, James McGill, Michel Foucault here (also conveniently undead for the time being). I am writing to clear up certain misconceptions you seem to have regarding my personal area of expertise: cultural studies.
Concordia hits buzzer-beater, defeating Redmen in see-saw affair
The McGill Redmen men’s basketball team’s 67-65 loss to the Concordia Stingers on Saturday had it all: lead changes, mental lapses, great defence, and a dramatic game-winning shot. After a dismal second quarter – in which the Redmen scored a measly two points – McGill slowly clawed their way back to lead by four in the final minutes.
OLYMPIC PREVIEW: Ski Cross
The newest event in Vancouver could perhaps be the most exciting. The field is pretty wide open, with plenty of emotional storylines. Multiple Canadian women have come out of the woodwork this year, and have a great chance at more than one medal. Mother of two Ophélie David is a pioneer in the sport, and will likely retire after this year.
U of T prof discusses AIDS
Despite the heavy snowfall outside, students and professors showed up last Friday to hear Antoinette Handley discuss how the AIDS epidemic has shaped the moral and political economy in South Africa. Handley, a political scientist at the University of Toronto, is well-known for her research on the subject.
OLYMPIC PREVIEW: Skeleton
Remember the name Melissa Hollingsworth: you’ll be hearing a lot about her this month. The Alberta native finished third in Turin, but is the consensus favourite to win gold in Vancouver. Canada has more than one medal threat in this event as well – Amy Gough has slid her way onto the team by posting strong times at World Cup events.
As more students opt out, campus groups face budget shortfalls
Last Thursday concluded the Winter 2010 student fee opt-out period, which had begun two weeks earlier on January 14, and the current academic year has seen the highest level of opt-outs ever. Each semester McGill gives students a two-week window during which they can, through the online Minerva service, opt out of several fees that support Students’ Society and faculty association groups and funds, as well as a pair of independent student groups: the McGill chapter of the Quebec Public Interest Research Group (QPIRG) and Radio CKUT.