ANTIGONISH, NS --- It's a revolutionary step forward for StFX and some faculty members say it will open doors for students that even they can not anticipate.
StFX technical minds have been working non-stop and plugging in to produce a new computing environment that will exceed faculty and student expectations. "As far as we know it will make StFX the first educational institution in Canada to encompass OpenSource software for desktop computing on an enterprise-wide scale," says Duncan Macpherson, StFX Chief Technology Officer.
The WebFX OpenSource initiative is an alternative to the WebFX Classic (Microsoft Windows) environment that has been the standard for the past eight years. WebFX OpenSource will offer three essential components to the growth of StFX's technology. It will fit into the existing Microsoft environment and offer many new programs for course work and for research study. After hours, WebFX OpenSource will act as a high performance computer (HPC), offering students and faculty access to some of the most powerful computing resources available in Atlantic Canada. The WebFX OpenSource GRID will capture overnight idle resources on the 350 WebFX OpenSource Computer Lab machines. The team will harness its power between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. daily, more than doubling the High Performance Computing resources currently available at StFX.
But maybe the most ingenious part of this new state-of-the-art teaching and research tool is that its capital cost was zero dollars. "This was a major initiative we knew we could pull off with no capital cost to the university" says Duncan Macpherson, Chief Technology Officer.
Macpherson, who spearheaded the project, says the configuration is "pure" OpenSource - all of the software is covered by OpenSource licenses and was downloaded free from the Internet. TSG employees Aaron MacDonald, John DeLorey, Mike Fox, and Lori Flynn were major players in achieving the successful configuration and integration.
WebFX OpenSource will soon be installed on 350 desktop computers in computer labs, classrooms, and faculty offices throughout the campus. The configuration includes Linux, OpenOffice, Mozilla Web Browser, and many other applications.
This new initiative responds directly to the needs and desires of the science faculty. But now faculty members in other departments are finding WebFX OpenSource programs to be useful tools. Recently the TSG team held a surprise showing of WebFX OpenSource to faculty. 'Their reaction was overwhelming," says Macpherson.
"I was completely floored today by your (WebFX) OpenSource initiative. It was fantastic. It provides a valuable resource for all students at StFX to learn a new operating environment, and develop marketable, high-tech computer skills. Your efforts ... have been superb and I strongly support and endorse the StFX OpenSource initiative," stated physics professor Rob Wickham in an email to Macpherson. "It is imperative for a university to foster an intellectual environment at all levels, hence the introduction of OpenSource, particularly Linux, as an alternative operating system on all computers at StFX is a timely advance," stated Dean of Science Bill Marshall in an email to Macpherson.
Nicholson Hall may sport new ceilings and floors in its corridors and a fresh coat of paint, but there is much more to these renovations than meets the eye.
A new ventilation system, along with major mechanical and architectural renovations in Nicholson Hall have created a fresh, more accessible learning environment for faculty, staff and students. The renovation project started June 1 and was completed last week.
The ventilation system is now supplying fresh air at all times. Air handling units were sterilized and sealed, all ductwork was cleaned, and new ductwork was installed in the corridors.
The thorough sterilization continued with all surfaces in the main mechanical room sterilized and washed with anti-fungal agents. Other devices were also installed to reduce the potential of future mould contamination. All known asbestos above the ceilings was removed and the building is now centrally cooled similarly to more modern facilities.
The classroom renovation project is now being scoped by an architect with funding and timing still to be determined. The classroom section of the building was not the main focus of this renovation project. The classrooms themselves were essentially left untouched with the exception of sections of ceilings removed and re-installed to accommodate the new mechanical systems, and the textured ceilings have received a fresh coat of paint.
The biggest improvements visitors will see upon entry are the revitalized corridors. New flooring and paint was added throughout the corridors and stairwells with vibrant colours and patterns adding new life and energy to the facility. New acoustical tile ceilings over the classroom doors and new lighting fixtures were also installed.
To set the floors apart, each corridor has its own set of identifying colours. A new vestibule was added inside the basement entrance to control the amount of outside air entering the building, and the exterior door system has been replaced as well. The lower steps and landing on the north stairwell have been replaced, which were rusting due to salt exposure.
The accessibility project provides much needed access to the lecture theatres, which will enable persons with disabilities to participate independently with the general public. This project provides accessibility to the theatres by way of a lift and ramp. The upper lecture theatre "B" Room 138 is accessed via a new lift from the ground floor level, while a ramp provides a non-mechanical solution to accessing the lower theatre "A" Room 033 from the basement level.
The project was completed on budget and on schedule. TSG and other staff who were displaced during the renovations moved back to their professional environments on August 22nd, as promised. In summing up the impact of the project, Dr. Mary McGillivray, Academic Vice President stated her satisfaction with the outcome. "The Nicholson Hall project has been a long awaited and important phase in the improvement of the learning environment at StFX. On behalf of the campus community I want to thank the Facilities Management Project Team and Rideau Construction for a job well done."
For photos and more information, see:
Nicholson Hall Ventilation and Accessibility Upgrade (pdf)
ANTIGONISH, NS --- The St. Francis Xavier University Archives, Angus L. Macdonald Library, in partnership with the Department of Celtic Studies, has been awarded $17,870 for the creation of a digital Gaelic folklore project.
Funding was provided by the Canadian Memory Fund through the Department of Canadian Heritage's Canadian Culture On-Line program.
"The funding for the digitization project will help in developing an on-line portal through which people can view biographies, photos of the Gaelic speakers and the transcripts of the tapes as well as the translation into English," says Lynne Murphy, Head Librarian for StFX's Angus L. Macdonald Library.
The project will continue a previous initiative of preserving on tape, folklore, songs, hymns, stories and poetry in the Gaelic language, making this one of the most important oral Gaelic Language collections in Atlantic Canada, says Murphy. All Gaelic information was collected by Dr. John Shaw who interviewed Gaelic speakers from across Cape Breton.
"In the future, we hope to continue adding to this portal for the purpose of keeping both the language and the tales alive for future generations," says Murphy.
ANTIGONISH, NS --- Dignitaries, family, friends and the public will pay tribute to the life and times of Angus L. Macdonald at St. Francis Xavier University on August 11th.
The Angus L. Macdonald symposium will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the StFX library that bears his name. The event is planned for August 11th at 1:30 p.m. in the Hall of Clans at StFX's Angus L. Macdonald Library. This event will be held in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Canso Causeway.
The Dunvegan, Cape Breton native was a long-time provincial Premier and Leader of the Liberal Party of Nova Scotia. For five years during the Second World War, he served as Canada's first Minister of National Defence for naval services. Macdonald graduate from StFX in 1914 and was a life-long supporter of the university. He also received an honorary degree in 1946.
Gaelic entertainment, along with a light lunch will complement the event.