Seneca in the news: July 28, 2010

A Caribana parade float created by Seneca's Visual Merchandising Arts students was profiled on CP24 on July 28, 2010. First and second-year students from the program created the float on behalf of Toronto Police Services. The float titled "Diversity in Motion" appeared in the Junior Carnaval Parade and will be featured during the Scotiabank Caribana Parade.

Posted at Thursday Jul 29, 2010

Seneca in the news: July 19, 2010

Tackling Canadian financial crime
Seneca’s new Canadian Institute for Financial Crime Analysis highlighted on CBC Radio’s Metro Morning on July 19, 2010. Here is a portion of the transcript:

MATT GALLOWAY (CBL-FM): …A new program at Seneca College is aiming to teach students how to sniff out financial and white-collar crime. The Canadian Institute of Financial Crime Analysis is a joint effort between Seneca and Williams McGuire, which is a financial-crime consulting firm in Markham. Matthew McGuire is the company’s director of financial intelligence. He is with me in studio...

MATT GALLOWAY: For people who aren’t familiar with white-collar crime, describe what it is that we’re talking about here. How do you define white-collar crime and financial crime?

MATTHEW MCGUIRE: Well, to me, financial crime, white-collar crime, is simply crimes that are committed with and for money, so we’re talking about debit- and credit-card fraud; we’re talking about mortgage fraud, money-laundering, terrorist-financing, and crimes that fit within that realm.

MATT GALLOWAY: Interesting that you mention terrorist-financing, because a lot of people might think well, this is just benign; it’s money moving from one place to another, and it’s obviously a tragedy if you have your money taken away. But there can be larger ramifications as well.

MATTHEW MCGUIRE: Quite right, and you know, we've seen in, for instance, the Air India report, which was recently released by the Air India Commission… by the Major Commission, terrorist-financing in Canada is particularly poignant. We've been listed as a terrorist haven by everyone from… from CSIS to the Secret Service.

MATT GALLOWAY: Based around our seeming lack of enforcement in white-collar crime?

MATTHEW MCGUIRE: Lack of enforcement. The other point that was brought up in the Air India report was the lack of training for people in intelligence and people in financial crime analysis…

MATT GALLOWAY: Now education is also a piece in this in trying to get people educated around what this is and how they can deal with it. Tell us a bit about the program that you wanted to establish at Seneca and why you wanted to get involved in this.

MATTHEW MCGUIRE: Well, you know, recognizing the significant problem of financial crime, we also recognize that these financial-crime battles are no longer fought in branches. They're fought in electronic battlefields, where the banks and the other financial institutions are looking at analytical systems that generate alerts – indicators, red flags – for financial-crime analysts, who end up being the first responders to financial crime, that give them some hint about what's going on. What we found was that there's no training program out there to help these people understand how to do their job, and no collective research to help them see what has happened and what the new and emerging trends are in financial crime…

MATT GALLOWAY: So what will the course actually teach, then?

MATTHEW MCGUIRE: The… The course is teaching them about, first of all, financial crimes look like; how to research financial crime; how to conduct data-analysis; and how to communicate their results to be able to accomplish the ends, which are one, to prevent, detect and deter financial crime.

MATT GALLOWAY: Who do you see signing up for a course like this?

MATTHEW MCGUIRE: We’re looking for people who have some sort of financial-services background and a knack for problem-solving…

MATT GALLOWAY: Matthew McGuire, the director of financial intelligence at Williams McGuire. This is a financial-crime consulting firm based in Markham. The company has partnered with Seneca College to start the Canadian Institute for Financial Crime Analysis. Students will learn how to spot and track down financial and white-collar crime. The program begins in September…

Posted at Monday Jul 26, 2010

Seneca in the news: July 13, 2010

Financing your education
An article by Seneca Student Ambassador Jacqueline Hansen appeared in Metro on July 13, 2010 (Putting your best foot forward for scholarships)

How important is a scholarship application?

“It’s like going for a job interview,” says Sharon Tracy, Manager, Financial Aid and Scholarship/Bursary Plans at Seneca College.
Scholarships are non-repayable awards given to students to recognize the high level of excellence they’ve achieved. Some scholarships are automatically part of the admissions process for a college or university, while many others require separate and criteria-specific applications.

Tracy says applications are an opportunity for students to “sell themselves” in order to stand out and benefit from the financial assistance that comes with an award.

Many scholarships are based on more than academic achievements; they also require school and community involvement, or leadership qualities. When applying for scholarships you probably won’t have the opportunity to meet whoever does the evaluating, so your application must reflect you as best as possible - from your interests to your accomplishments, your work and volunteer history to your extra-curricular participation. Be aware of the clarity of your handwriting, spelling and general presentation; but most importantly, be sure to answer questions fully and in a focused way.

To help transform experiences into thoughtful writing, try creating an inventory of strengths and write examples that illustrate each one. Scholarship applications typically ask about your personal experiences, whether that means overcoming obstacles or showing initiative. Rather than waiting until your applications are due, start now and add to your record on an ongoing basis. This can help you to be more reflective of your experiences and less likely to overlook anything important.

Well-developed writing will interest and involve the reader. If you are allowed 1,000 words to describe why you are the best candidate, use all of them to your advantage. Tracy says, “If we have two applications for scholarships and they’re of equal merit, then it is the one who provides additional information to support their application that will tip the balance in their favour.”

Posted at Monday Jul 26, 2010

Seneca in the news: July 8, 2010

Student receives honour for success at Seneca
Seneca’s 2010 winner of the Seneca Cup was highlighted in the Guelph Tribune on July 8, 2010 (Tops at Seneca College)

A Guelph native has received the most prestigious award handed out at Markham-based Seneca College.

Angela Yabut, a graduate of the college's recreation facility management and recreation, and leisure services programs, was president of the Seneca Athletic Association. She led the association through a major project to raise financial support for a college initiative designed to create new sports and recreation facilities at all of its campuses in the not-too-distant future, a news release said.

She received the 2010 Seneca Cup, which is awarded only when there is a candidate of suitable quality, it said. To win the award, a student must show excellence in academic achievement and demonstrate an active commitment to improve the quality of student life. 

Posted at Monday Jul 26, 2010

Seneca in the news: July 2, 2010

Leading the way in the fight against financial crime
Seneca’s new Canadian Institute for Financial Crime Analysis was profiled in the Markham Economist and Sun and on yrmg.com on July 2, 2010 (Program targets white collar crime)

…While many people across Canada are employed by government and the private sector to probe financial crime, there is a lack of co-ordination and standardization among them, according to Matthew McGuire, a former intelligence officer at FINTRAC (Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada) - Canada's financial intelligence agency - who is now a financial crime director of Williams McGuire, a financial crime consulting firm in Markham.

…The company has partnered with Seneca College to establish the Canadian Institute for Financial Crime Analysis.

Through a six-course certificate program, students will be provided with training, applied research in financial crime methods and trends and online access to networking opportunities and industry information, among other things.

"Everywhere out there, you can find anecdotes about what fraud looks like," Mr. McGuire said.

But nowhere has anyone created an exhaustive list of fraud types and put them together with actual transactions that show the tell-tale signs of those frauds.

Financial crime is big business in Canada.

Last year, $500 million in debit and credit card fraud was recorded in Canada, Mr. McGuire said.

"That's the thing that keeps our interest rates high," he said.

Billions of dollars were also laundered through this country in the last 12 months, he added.

"Think about how the profits of that money is furthering organized crime."

First responders to financial crime are often the people working for debit and credit card companies and the program was designed with them in mind.

Dr. David Hicks has been appointed professor and chairperson of the institute. Dr. Hicks, who has spent his academic career researching and teaching about organized crime, money laundering and community safety, has been tapped to co-ordinate the academic and research programs…

"Without a systematic sharing of information at a strategic level, you're sort of stuck with leaving these gaps wide open for offenders," Dr. Hicks said.

He cited marijuana grow operators, who may be involved in or affiliated with organized crime, purchasing large homes in neighbourhoods with mortgage documents that may have been obtained through identity theft.

…The Town of Markham has been supportive of the institute, said Stephen Chait, the town's director of economic development.
The town hopes its support of the institute will help establish Markham as a destination for financial services training and certification, he said.

Enrollment for the program will begin this month and classes will start in September, said Seneca's Samky Mak…


Training students to excel in their field
Seneca programs relating to the ICT field highlighted in Vantage magazine in the Spring/Summer 2010 edition (Educational Excellence: Fusion of technology and business savvy are the hallmark for the GTA’s world class educational institutions)

…Since Seneca’s annual Free Software and Open Source Symposium began in 2002, Open Source has become an integral part of the education offered at Seneca’s School of Computer Studies. New courses and partnerships with Open Source leaders such as Mozilla and Red Hat Inc. expose Seneca students to in-demand careers and create opportunities for students to get involved in large Open Source software development projects.

Seneca’s Business Administration – Information Systems diploma program provides education in business administration and information technology systems. Graduates hone their technical and computing skills to find careers in everything from Business Operations and Analysis to Web Design and e-Business.

Seneca’s Electronics and Computer Engineering Technology programs integrate current technology into labs and courses, ranging from ZigBee wireless control through WiMax to Ethernet LAN/WAN and Multi-OS server systems. Accredited through the Canadian Technology Accreditation Board, these diplomas are internationally recognized and provide hands-on experience for today’s technology.

Posted at Monday Jul 26, 2010

Seneca in the news: June 28, 2010

The value or real-world experience
Seneca graduate Aaron Orchard profiled in 24 Hours and on eedition.toronto.24hrs.ca on June 28, 2010 (Co-op grad gives back to next generation)

He already had two years of college under his belt when he completed a co-op placement with a role model in sustainable operating practices and portfolio strategy. Recent graduate Aaron Orchard's only regret was not taking advantage of the chance to complete another placement earlier in his program.

"I highly recommend co-op or field placement to any student looking for an edge to get ahead of the competition," says the 29-year-old Scarborough resident. "You build a list of references and gain related experience and also earn money. It's a win-win."

Orchard completed his placement with Brookfield LePage Johnson Controls (BLJC) last summer. He worked there on a part-time basis while completing his diploma in mechanical engineering technology -- building sciences at Seneca College in Toronto and continues to work there on contract.

The program teaches the theory and practice of heating, air conditioning, refrigeration, air handling, electricity and control systems. Students learn about emerging renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency principles and are trained in building systems software.
Graduates examine and manage the integration of a building's distinct business feature with supply and demand strategies for its energy systems, both traditional and renewable.

"Everything about this program appealed to me," says Orchard, pointing to Al Gore's documentary An Inconvenient Truth as an inspiration. "This program is about helping to conserve the environment and reducing your energy consumption."

Orchard worked in BLJC's energy and sustainability department on a team that included the director of energy, director of sustainability, project manager, building performance specialists and energy co-ordinators.

"My primary responsibility was data entry, verification, and interpretation of data," he says.

"I really enjoy working as part of a team because I have an opportunity to learn from experienced people, which speeds up the learning process. This co-op experience has allowed me to get my foot in the door," Orchard says. "My work was regularly recognized through prominent employer appraisals which reassured me that my efforts were significant."

BLJC regularly hires co-op students. "Co-op helps a student subsidize the cost of their post-secondary education and helps them put some great experience on a resume," says director of energy services Joe Bile.

After having completed a co-op himself, he understands firsthand the benefits of gaining work experience while in school. "School can't be all things ... There's a difference between running to class and being in a workplace with deadlines and working with other people whose priorities aren't the same as yours -- getting to understand that there are humps and troughs in the workplace and sometimes everybody has to put their shoulders together and push forward."

Posted at Monday Jun 28, 2010

Seneca in the news: June 27, 2010

Making the most out of troubled music festival
Seneca Independent Music Production graduate Iman Wain highlighted in the City Centre Mirror and on insidetoronto.com on June 27, 2010 (Musical roots run deep despite G20)

At the same time all hell was breaking loose in downtown Toronto, another event that had vowed to go ahead through the G20 weekend was getting underway blissfully unaware. The Toronto City Roots Festival is slated to run both Saturday and Sunday at the Distillery District, which is somewhat isolated from the G20 related events in the heart of the city.

Just before 1 p.m. Toronto brothers, Ken and Chris Whiteley, with a lengthy musical pedigree that includes performing with Leon Redbone on Saturday Night Live, kicked off the festival with bassist Victor Bateman.

Soon into their set, the music was completely drowned out by three rather large military helicopters flying over, presumably ferrying world leaders to the G20.

"We tried to get in tune with the sound of the whirlybirds," quipped Chris Whiteley following the performance.

The world leaders could have done no worse for entertainment then to have touched down and taken in the set of these world class roots/blues vets.

"It might be energizing and enlightening for them to hear some good roots music," said Howard Gladstone, the festivals organizer, also a North York musician...

Gladstone said he didn't think twice about having his festival compete with the G20…

The festival had given the Seneca College music program an early afternoon slot for their students, including a lovely performance by Iman Wain, accompanied by Mitch Clark on guitar.

"I took the subway in," said Wain, following her set. "I was coming in from Mississauga, I was a little bit leery but it wasn't too bad." 

Posted at Monday Jun 28, 2010

Seneca in the news: June 25, 2010

The future of financial planning
Expert commentary from Financial Services Practitioner program co-ordinator Sam Albanses appeared in the National Post on June 25, 2010 (Industry suffering as advisors age; Small firms hurt)

Attrition is thinning the ranks of independent financial advisors in Canada, a seemingly inexorable trend that's forcing many firms to find and retain star performers to make up for a smaller head count.

On average, financial advisors are getting older and new entrants to the profession are ending up almost exclusively at big, global firms, said William Holland, CEO of CI Financial, the only one of Canada's top five fund companies that is not a global player.

…While CI has the resources to cherry-pick top advisors, many smaller firms do not, said Sam Albanese, program coordinator of the Financial Services Practitioner program at Toronto's Seneca College.

In the past 10 to 15 years, the number of people joining those firms has shrunk, he said, while many are facing serious succession problems.

…The average insurance agent in Canada is 58 years old and the average wealth manager is 53, said Mr. Albanese.

Part of the reason he sold his insurance brokerage firm in 2004 was because he was getting older and he saw the need to get more people into the industry.

"We saw an opportunity, basically, to try to reverse the trend," he said of the four-year-old Seneca program.

The advisors that come out of the program "are already licensed and they've already got a number of the courses, so we give them a well-trained individual."

Still, most fledgling advisors seek the security that the big firms have to offer. Even if they have the training, they might not have the street smarts to start off on their own.

The Seneca students are also snapped up by aggressive recruitment campaigns by big industry players before their eight months of classes are even finished.

Firms that have been really ramping up their recruiting efforts include Royal Bank of Canada, the country's biggest bank; BMO Nesbitt Burns; Investors Group, a member of IGM Financial Inc.'s group of companies; Desjardins; London Life; and Sun Life Financial, Mr. Albanese said.

The allure of those companies for new entrants is that they often foot the bill for further training, which some smaller and medium-sized firms don't have the resources to support… 

Posted at Friday Jun 25, 2010

Seneca in the news: June 24, 2010

Inspiring the next generation of female hockey players
Angela James highlighted in the Globe and Mail and on theglobeandmail.com on June 24, 2010 (James plays familiar role; Breaking into all-boys club familiar role for Hockey Hall of Fame-bound women's pioneer)

On Sunday nights, Angela James wanders into a Toronto arena and knocks a puck around with a bunch of middle-aged players with names like John.

It was the same way when she was growing up on the outdoor rinks of north Toronto, playing shinny with her brothers and other boys from the neighbourhood.

"It's just hockey," James said. "It doesn't matter who I play with."

So this week, when the 45-year-old mother of three became the first Canadian woman to be inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame, breaking into an all-boys club felt like a familiar move.

"It's the pinnacle of hockey for any player, male or female," she said.

The historic decision to induct James, along with American star Cammi Granato, smashed a gender barrier that had existed since the Hall of Fame began venerating male players in 1945.

Of the 247 inductees, two are now women.

…Growing up, her first hockey hero was a man who skated on the outdoor rinks of Flemingdon Park. He was deaf, and they never spoke, but James would secretly copy his skating style; even the way he grunted.

"He just had this grace about him," she said.

By the time she was playing women's hockey for Seneca College, she was scoring with such force that some were calling her the "Wayne Gretzky of women's hockey." Over the next 20 years, she would dominate at almost every level of the sport, helping Team Canada to win four gold medals at consecutive world championships and scoring 22 goals in 20 tournament games.

…By 1999, other priorities were pulling her away from the game. At the Three Nations Cup in Montreal, her six-week-old son, Christian, was in the stands when she scored in a 3-2 shootout victory in the finals over the arch-rival United States. It was her last tournament before retiring from the national squad.

Since her competitive hockey days, James has coached at the provincial level and also refereed. She's a director in the athletics department at Seneca College, where she also runs an adult hockey school. She limits herself to a game of pick-up hockey with a bunch of guys, once a week.

As a hockey parent, she tries to instill the same values she had growing up: "Just keep it simple and have fun."

Christian plays for a rep team, and idolizes Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin. His sister and brother, four-year-old twins Toni and Michael, play Timbits hockey.

Toni will have plenty of other female role models if she continues to pursue the game, James says.

"In my days, where weren't a lot of female role models to compare [yourself] to," she said. "Today, you see kids out there playing and they're wearing Cassie Campbell and Wickenheiser jerseys. They have their female role models now. Gillian Apps and Kim St-Pierre. You can go on and on."

Still, she jokes: "She better have a James jersey." 

Posted at Thursday Jun 24, 2010

Seneca in the news: June 23, 2010

James breaks down barriers, makes history
Senecan Angela James profiled in the North York Mirror and on insidetoronto.com on June 23, 2010 (Angela James among first women in Hockey Hall of Fame)

Angela James is once again breaking new ground, or would that be new ice?

Seneca College's senior sports co-ordinator, who has had an illustrious career on the ice, is one of the first two women ever being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

On Tuesday June 22, it was announced that James and American star Cammi Granato are to be the first women to ever be enshrined in the Toronto institution at 30 Yonge St. at Front St. The ceremony is expected to take place in November.

Considered the first Canadian superstar of women's hockey as both a player and advocate, James spearheaded efforts for women's hockey to be recognized locally, nationally and internationally.

She played for Canada for seven years and was a member of the women's gold medal world championship teams in 1990. 1992, 1994 and 1997.

She has already been inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame and the International Ice Hockey Hall of Fame, where she was among the first female players ever to be enshrined.

Last year, the city renamed North York's Flemingdon Arena in her honour.

She is credited with paving the way for today's female hockey celebrities such as Hayley Wickenheiser.

Now, 45, James works at Seneca College, where she went to school in her youth.

Seneca president, David Agnew, called her an inspiration.

"Angela spent her career breaking down barriers, setting records and inspiring the next generation of female hockey players," he said.
"She has dedicated her life to sport and we congratulate her on this historic achievement and well-deserved recognition. We are so pleased to have such a high caliber athlete involved in Seneca sports and we are proud to call Angela a Senecan."

James attended Seneca's recreation facilities management program in the early 1980s.

She was a three-time Ontario College Athletic Association scoring leader and most valuable player, earning the distinction of scoring 50 goals in the 1984-85 season while playing defence.

She was twice named Seneca Female Athlete of the Year. When she graduated, the college retired her number 8 jersey and inducted her into the Seneca Varsity Hall of Fame.

In 2004, she was presented with the Seneca College Distinguished Alumni Award.


Angela James headed to the Hockey Hall of Fame
Seneca’s Sport Co-ordinator Angela James’ selection for the Hockey Hall of Fame profiled on thestar.com on June 23, 2010 (Angela James going to Hockey Hall of Fame). Similar stories appeared on theglobeandmail.com, torontosun.com, and in The Globe and Mail, Toronto Sun, Toronto Star, Waterloo Region Record, and Time & Transcript (Moncton) on June 23.

Hockey’s longest shutout streak has ended. Women are finally being welcomed into the game’s ultimate old boys’ club — the Hockey Hall of Fame.

In an historic breakthrough, two female players — including Toronto’s Angela James — will be inducted into the shinny shrine at a ceremony this November, the Hall announced on Tuesday.

James, a four-time gold medallist for Canada at the first women’s world championships in the 1990s, will be joined by American star Cammi Granato. Once fierce rivals, they are now linked as pioneers, entering the hockey Hall that has been venerating men since 1945.

“This is a day I never really thought would ever happen,” said James, who now lives in Richmond Hill. “I look at this as being a great day for female hockey.”

The Hall added just one man, Sarnia’s Dino Ciccarelli. He became the 245th male player honoured…

“It’s almost unfathomable for a woman,” she said.

…the downtown Toronto Hall actually changed its selection procedure this year to be more female friendly.

While women have always been eligible, they previously had to compete with men for the four spots open to athletes each year. Now two women can be inducted annually, their accomplishments judged on their own merit.

The induction of James and Granato, selected by an 18-member, all-male committee, won’t be just a one-off, token gesture, said Bill Hay, chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame’s board of directors.

“It’s time for females to be in,” he said. “Changing the voting regulations . . . really fits with our long-range plan.

In addition to her heroics on the international stage, James was a medallist at 12 national championships, earning MVP honours at eight of them.

Posted at Wednesday Jun 23, 2010

Seneca in the news: July 22, 2010

Angela James makes hockey history
Seneca’s Sport Co-ordinator Angela James’ selection for the Hockey Hall of Fame profiled by Sports Illustrated on si.com on June 22, 2010 (Cammi Granato, Angela James make Hockey Hall of Fame history). Similar stories appeared on usatoday.com, espn.com, tsn.ca, globaltv.com, citytv.com, nationalpost.com and in Metro, North York Mirror on June 22.

The Hockey Hall of Fame is no longer just for male inductees.

Cammi Granato and Angela James changed that on Tuesday when they became the first women elected to be enshrined in Toronto. Along with former NHL All-Star Dino Ciccarelli, Granato and James will go in as part of the players category during an induction ceremony in November…

"This is a day I never really thought would ever happen," James said. "I'm really honored to represent the female hockey players from all over the world."

…James was a four-time world champion with the Canadian women's team. She starred in the 1970s and early '80s in the Central Ontario Women's League.

"On behalf of everyone in women's hockey, I am truly honored," the Toronto native said. "As a kid I went to the Hall and was in awe of those who had been inducted. I am delighted to be able to join them."

…Chairman Bill Hay said he wasn't worried about a perceived imbalance of male and female players entering the Hall this year when there are so many retired NHL players lined up for induction.

"The selection committee at no time are concerned about the new inductees," he said. "It's time for females to be in. Changing the voting regulations to accommodate under the player category for two women, and the maximum of four players who are male, really fits with our long-range plan."

James, dubbed "the Wayne Gretzky of women's hockey," was the top scorer for eight seasons and MVP for six in the Central Ontario Women's League. James was also MVP at eight Canadian championships.

She recorded 34 points for Canada in 20 games over the first four world championships in 1990, 1992, 1994 and 1997. James scored 11 goals in the inaugural tournament in 1990 when the Canadian women wore pink jerseys to market their game.

"Back in the days when we wore pink uniforms, we did what it took to get our game on the map," James said. "We didn't care if we were wearing polka-dots, we just wanted to play."

James is now a mother of three and works as a sports coordinator at Seneca College in Toronto.

…Granato, James and Canadian defenceman Geraldine Heaney were the first women to enter the International Ice Hockey Hall of Fame two years ago. Granato was also the first female player inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame…

Honoring a community leader
Chief Armand La Barge’s receipt of an honorary degree from Seneca highlighted on yrmg.com on June 22, 2010 (College honours La Barge)

Chief Armand La Barge says he was surprised to receive an honorary degree from Seneca College.

But after nearly four decades in policing, he owes much of his success to the training he received at the college, the chief said.

He received an honorary bachelor's degree at Seneca's convocation in King Township, Thursday.

The chief, who already held a bachelor of arts honours degree and a master's from Trent University in Canadian and Native Studies, called the Seneca degree more of an acknowledgment of his work in the community.

"It was an honour," he said.

Joining policing after graduating Grade 13, Chief La Barge attended Seneca in the early 1980s as a mature student studying investigative sciences, management studies and policing in a multicultural society - a course he called one of his favourites.

There is a strong relationship between York police and Seneca as several officers have taught at the college part-time, he said.
Chief La Barge has always put the community first, David Agnew, Seneca's president said.

The college is proud to not only call the chief a distinguished graduate, but also to work with him to ensure Seneca's law enforcement programs are responsive to the needs of the field, Seneca president David Agnew said.

The chief also mentioned a proposed training facility at the King campus could be shared between police, fire and paramedics. The idea has been discussed for several years, but has encountered funding difficulty and development issues related to the Oak Ridges Moraine.
Chief La Barge is currently in his final year of policing. He has announced he will retire on Dec. 12.
 

Tools for reading and writing
Article by Senecans Sherri Parkins and Kevin Reinhardt appeared on closingthegap.com in the June/July issue of Closing the Gap Solutions (Budget boosters! Software to Support Reading, Comprehension, Writing and Studying for less than $50!)

…Every day people with learning disabilities wage a battle to understand and to be understood. The disability can impact not only the times that they are in school or work, but also their social and recreational lives as well.  Individuals struggling with literacy are often in environments with restrictive budgets. We set out on a mission to seek and find software that cost less than 50 dollars. We categorized the software we were seeking under reading, comprehension, writing, and studying supports. We wanted to be able to support both online and day-to-day activities such as using a word processor, writing and reading email, filling in forms, etc. We also considered whether the program could run independently from the Internet. We recognize not everyone has Internet access.  Sometimes in our search we found a multitude of programs. To make this as useful as possible in this article we discuss who the “winner” was and who the “runner up” was in each of the categories. An accompanying grid will list all software we felt worthy of note.

Reading (Text-to-speech)
When a student’s reading efforts are totally invested in decoding words, there’s little energy, attention and/or working memory available for comprehension. Perfetti (1985) explains that inaccurate word reading can impact understanding by interfering with the quality of information processed. Text-to-Speech tools support decoding. Since the development of reading programs that used speech as an important part of their methods, such as Heckelman’s neurological impress method in 1969, the value of text-to-speech has been recognized (Heckelman, 1969). Our searches for Text-to-Speech programs focused on students being able to utilize text-to-speech with any with selectable text.

D-Speech
Photo 1 D-Speech (D-Speech runs in its own interface.)  
D-Speech was our Text-to-Speech winner. It is free, reads with highlighting and uses the best voice you have installed on your computer. It is available from: http://dimio.altervista.org/eng/.  D-Speech has a unique feature that allows you to have the voices change while reading. Any text that is in quotations can be read by one additional voice. You can only have two voices; one for quoted text, one for unquoted text. You also lose the highlighting of the words as it reads when this feature is engaged.  The navigation interface is a bit confusing with options of Speak, Speak from Cursor, Speak Previous Line, Speak Current Line, and Speak Next Line. We discovered that Speak from Cursor provided the best control although it would start reading from the beginning of the line that the cursor was in. In addition to reading text you can also insert voice notes into the document. You could use these voice notes to prompt a reader to find some information, or even to prompt them to see if they are still attending! D-Speech uses its own interface and so text must be copied and pasted into the interface or opened from a text file. It will not display pictures…

Posted at Tuesday Jun 22, 2010

Seneca in the news: June 21, 2010

Summer of skill building
Seneca’s Social Service Worker – Gerontology program and Gaming Summer Institute highlighted on schoolfinder.com on June 21, 2010 (Making the most of the summer months)

…Many college programs offer co-op, internship and work placement opportunities as part of the curriculum. While many of these placements must be completed during the fall or winter semesters, they may lead to summer employment opportunities. For example, Seneca’s Social Service Worker – Gerontology program has field work as a part of the curriculum in three of the four program semesters. While this gives students great experience, a summer job in the field can bolster your resume even further.

If you are looking for experience in a human or social service agency, some summer student jobs are funded by Human Resources Skills Development Canada. Notice of these positions will often be forwarded to the coordinator of the college program for posting on job boards. Darlene Jean Paes, who has just completed her first year in the Social Service Worker – Gerontology program at Seneca, will start one of these positions at an adult day centre in June.

“I know that having as much experience as possible in the field before graduation will help me start my career on the right foot,” said Darlene. “This is the type of position I hope to start my career with, so I am hoping it will help me hone my skills and learn to better communicate with seniors.”

Seneca also offers summer programming that builds student skills and presents invaluable industry connections and networking opportunities. For example, Seneca’s Gaming Summer Institute ran for the first time in summer 2009. The Institute formed a partnership with Bedlam Entertainment and three students in the Institute helped with the development of the game “Scratch” for PS3 and Xbox. These three students were later hired by the studio full-time.

As the Summer Institute begins its second run, Bedlam Entertainment has approached Seneca about taking on another five to 10 students over the summer months…

Posted at Monday Jun 21, 2010

Seneca in the news: June 19, 2010

New pathways to rewarding careers
Seneca’s new Bridging to Green Careers program was profiled in the Era Banner and on yrmg.com on June 19, 2010 (Province bridging skills gap for newcomers)

Newly arrived professionals in York Region will have the opportunity to fast track their training and upgrade credentials through Seneca College's Bridging to Green Careers program.

Designed to help internationally trained immigrants develop skills needed for a career in Canada's environmental sector, the province announced a $733,000 grant Wednesday for Seneca's Applied Arts and technology to develop the three-year program.

The funding is part of the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration's $29.5 million province-wide training plan.

Up to 40 students will be accepted per eight month semester, Seneca workforce skills development dean Stan Talesnick said. The college will use the money to develop curriculum for its first formal certification course, which begins in September.

With a focus on two streams, the built and natural environment, students will gain functional and professional knowledge to better prepare them for the workplace, he said.

The program launches with built environment studies while the natural environment begins in autumn 2011.

Participants will receive eight months of intensive environmental training, occupation-specific language classes and employment counseling, Mr. Talesnick said. Students will also receive mentoring and job search assistance.

Participants must be able to work in Canada, be a skilled immigrant living in Canada for less than five years and be unemployed and lacking in professional Canadian experience in their field of training in order to be eligible…

"With this particular program we're on the leading edge," Mr. Talesnick said. "We're conducting the courses at our Newnham campus (North Toronto) within the engineering program where our labs are located. Very few are doing what we're doing."

While students will be responsible for their $3,874 tuition, the course can be a spring board for new arrivals, he said…

Posted at Monday Jun 21, 2010

Seneca in the news: June 18, 2010

From Distinguished alumni to a Fellowship Designation
Seneca alumnus and Distinguished Alumni award winner Phil Russo highlighted on cim.ca on June 18, 2010 (People and Companies in the News)

It is with great pleasure we announce that the CIM Toronto Branch President, Mr. Phil Russo, has been awarded the prestigious Fellowship Designation (FCGA) from CGA Canada, in recognition of the invaluable contributions he has made not only to the CGA Association but to the community at large.

Phil feels deeply honoured and humbled to be awarded this Fellowship.

Please join us in congratulating Phil Russo, FCGA!...

Posted at Friday Jun 18, 2010

Seneca in the news: June 17, 2010

The hotly debated housing market
Expert commentary from Seneca’s Real Property Administration program co-ordinator appeared in the Era Banner and on yrmg.com on June 17, 2010 (Market correcting, not cooling: realtors, Last month's dip due to external factors,professor says)

The recent dip in GTA property sales, as reported by the Toronto Real Estate Board, is a market correction, not a cooling, York Region realtors and industry professionals said.

Despite 9,470 home transactions in May, sales dropped 1 per cent compared to May 2009.

But don’t panic, Seneca College real property administration professor Paul Sloggett said.

Factors impacting buyers and sellers are numerous and normal, he said. Mortgage interest rates have climbed a few points and the harmonized sales tax has people rethinking major purchase decisions.

Traditionally, summer isn’t strong for real estate, particularly for families with children who want to be settled well before a new school year.

“There’s a dip, yes,” said Mr. Sloggett, who writes for Canadian Real Estate magazine and is a regular appraiser for Home and Garden Television’s Income Property show.

“It’s an indication that we’re slowing down, but not way down. It’s still a strong market and this is simply a correction.”

The new sales tax, applicable only on new homes above $400,000, isn’t a factor for first-time buyers, he said.

That demographic buys in to the $300,000- plus range.

The 13-per-cent tax will add to the cost of legal, home inspection and moving fees but isn’t enough to deter buyers…

Posted at Thursday Jun 17, 2010