Elegant art flying off the walls

Concordia’s offices could become the city’s biggest art gallery if employees respond to Laurel Smith’s invitation to display work by our own artists.

Smith, the Student Life Assistant in the Faculty of Fine Arts, was asked by the Office of Research Services for some artwork by Concordians to display on the 10th floor of the Guy Métro Building. She not only acquired beautiful pieces for the ORS office, she turned the idea into something much bigger.

Smith sent out a call for contributions to students, faculty and alumni in Fine Arts, and got an excellent response, particularly from alumni. She has identified about 18 works of art for the ORS offices, and most of them are now in place. Each work is accompanied by its title, the name of the artist, some biographical information, and the artist’s own asking price.

Smith says that for some of the artists, it’s their first opportunity to put a dollar value on their work. “I advise them to take their time and their materials into consideration, and to think of what the work is worth to them.”

For the “gallery owners,” it may be their first crack at choosing a piece of art. People tend to think of the art as decoration for boring office walls, Smith conceded, but they soon learn to look critically at the works, and discriminate among them. “It’s a great education to think of your office as an art gallery,” she said.

Anja Nopper, Assistant to the Director of the ORS, agrees. “We have people from all over the world coming into our office. We’ve had many favourable remarks from visitors, and we’ve already had offers to buy. Concordia has a strong and vibrant visual arts component, and we’re delighted to give it a presence.”

If you would like to acquire artwork for your department, please contact Laurel Smith at laurels@alcor.concordia.ca or 848-4701.

Honorary Doctorate nominations sought

Honorary degree nominations are being sought for the 2003-2004 academic year convocation ceremonies.

All members of the Concordia University community (faculty, students, staff and alumni) are invited to submit nominations. Please note that current members of the faculty, the administration, or the Board of Governors are not eligible to receive honorary degrees.

Every nomination must include a detailed curriculum vita and a succinct statement explaining (a) why the candidate is worthy of the honour, and (b) what makes the candidate an appropriate Concordia honorand.

To request a nomination form or a copy of the criteria used in selecting honorands, please contact Heather Adams-Robinette, Secretary to the Graduation Ceremonies Committee, at heather.adams-robinett@concordia.ca or 848-4853. Completed nominations may be sent to the above at the University Secretariat, S-BC 319-1. The deadline to receive nominations for convocation ceremonies to be held in the upcoming academic year is March 28, 2003.

JMSB Briefs

MBAs on TV
Watch for Concordia MBA students on PBS television this Saturday evening at 7 p.m..
The Economist Business Challenge is a show that pits senior business students against one another as they tackle tough questions about economics and geopolitics prepared with the help of The Economist magazine.

The competition is moderated by David Johnston, former principal of McGill University, and participating universities in this year’s edition of the program include American schools Harvard, Yale as well as Queen’s, McGill, and the Université de Montréal, among others.

The winning team on each program receives $3,000, the runner-up team $1,000, and there’s a special $1,000 prize for the outstanding individual player.

UFE students excel again
Results in the 2002 Uniform Final Examinations (UFE) of the Order of Charter of Accounts of Quebec show that Concordia’s first-time success rate of 76.8 per cent surpasses the Quebec first-time success rate of 75.8 per cent and the national first-time success rate of 71.7 per cent.

Concordia’s Jason Manel ranked sixth in Quebec and 18th in Canada in this crucial exam, which is essential for the chartered accountant (CA) designation, and Marie-Pierre Gadoury ranked eighth in Quebec. Congratulations go out to both students.

Undergraduate competitions
The Undergraduate Business Games and the Commerce Games will take place Jan. 17-19 in Ottawa and Hull, respectively. The Undergraduate National Case Competition will be organized and hosted by Concordia Feb. 6-8. Keep reading the CTR for coverage of these events in future issues.