The Students' Union presented 13 University of Calgary professors with Teaching Excellence Awards at the 21st annual ceremony, Sun., Apr. 24. The awards honour professors who improve the profile and importance of high quality undergraduate teaching at the university.

"As the sole award given out based on the merits of teaching, the Teaching Excellence Awards have become a very coveted honour for faculty and teaching staff alike," said Paige Forsyth, Vice-President Academic for the SU.

Craving a double-double and a Snack Pack of Timbits? No need to leave campus, Tim Hortons' sugary caffeine-infused goods are just one of the changes coming to campus in the near future under the management of Chartwells.

University of Calgary President Dr. Harvey Weingarten would be lucky to make academic probation--at least according to grades given to Weingarten by a recent U of C Faculty Association survey.

Respondents graded Weingarten's overall performance with a grade point average of 1.54, or C-.

University administration condemned the survey as representing only a small portion of campus views.

Last month, the University of Calgary Faculty Association conducted a survey pointing out the poor performance of the university's president, Dr. Harvey Weingarten. Despite obvious grievances from the faculty, he has failed to adequately address the issues raised by the survey.

Spring convocation

Spring Convocation for the faculties of Law, Medicine and Graduate Studies will be held at the Jack Simpson Gymnasium Thu. May 12 at 2 p.m.

An honorary degree will be given to Jack Major, who is also delivering the convocation address. The Order of the University of Calgary will also be welcoming Johan van de Sande as a new member.

New center, new degree

Ollie Yacyshen was recently honoured at a University of Calgary long-time service dinner for her 25 years of service as an events planner in the Food Services Catering Department. As of May 1, Ollie Yacyshen's position with the university was terminated, leaving her with a long-time service award but no job, and no pension.

Hollywood seems more comfortable with psychopaths dressed in leather and underage slut bombs than issues of race. After all, they don't want to risk the bottom line by making audiences uncomfortable. Give it the patronizing pat on the head and have the issue overcome in just under 90 minutes with Julie Andrews winking at the Negro children before flying out of a technicoloured ghetto; coloured folk restored to their proper place.

Servers and burger-flippers rejoice! On September 1, the Alberta government will increase the province's minim- um wage from $5.90 to $7.00 per hour.

"Increasing the minimum wage is one way of ensuring Albertans get a better start in the workforce," said Alberta Human Resources and Employment Minister Mike Cardinal. "Most Albertans, including employers and employees, agree that the minimum wage should be increased."

But Mom, I don't want to practice!"

The piano soundtrack to youth has punctuated the lives of almost every middle-class kid, who has been subjected to some form of a love/hate relationship with the classical instrument.

This same soundtrack has been captured in an audience-pleasing blend of emotion, humour and, of course, the classical music of two dueling grand pianos in Alberta Theater Projects' latest play, 2 Pianos, 4 Hands, directed by Bob White.

Suicide is a touchy subject. There's an exhaustive list of reasons why someone would choose to take their own life, reasons often too unbearable to mention. The grief over losing someone who died by their own hands lingers--­the stigma attached to suicide can haunt the friends and family of the deceased. Very few people wish to confront the matter of suicide, so when it becomes the subject of an art form, or at least part of it, people can get apprehensive.