The Board of Governors approved 36 merit awards in March after a three-year suspension of the annual faculty and librarian recognition for exceptional performance in teaching, research and/or university service.

        Merit awards were suspended during the Social Contract from 1993 to 1996. Restored in the current three-year contract, these are the first merit awards to be approved following that period and were for the academic year 1996-97. The current Trent University Faculty Association agreement stipulates that 33 merit awards shall be allocated per contract year. Retroactive to the beginning of the academic year in which they are recommended, the awards amount to a step increase on the salary grid.

        Chairs of departments and programs recommend merit awards to the dean of arts and science, who, after consulting with the committee on academic personnel (COAP), passes them to the president for final board approval.

        The board approved merit awards for exceptional performance in all three areas -- research, teaching and university service -- to Joan Sangster (History), Alan Slavin (Physics) and Chris Tindale (Philosophy).

        For research and service, merit awards were approved for John Burbidge (Philosophy), John Fekete (Cultural Studies), Alena Heitlinger (Sociology), Barbara Marshall (Sociology), Don McCaskill (Native Studies), Mark Parnis (Chemistry) and David Sheinin (History).

        Research and teaching merit awards were given to Robert Carter (Philosophy), Ivana Elbl (History), Sarah Keefer (English), Doug McCalla (History), Mark Neufeld (Political Studies), James Parker (Psychology), Jim Struthers (Canadian Studies) and Christl Verduyn (Canadian and Women's Studies).

        David Poole (Mathematics) received a merit award for teaching and service.

        Librarians Janice Millard and Barbara Znamirowski received merit awards for library duties and university service.

        The board approved merit awards for research to Mak Arvin (Economics), James Buttle (Geography), Keith De'Bell (Physics), Doug Evans (Environmental and Resource Studies), Paul Healy (Anthropology), Stephen Katz (Sociology), Peter Kulchyski (Native Studies), Peter Lafleur (Geography), Don Mackay (ERS/Chemistry), Ray March (Chemistry), James Neufeld (English), Michael Peterman (English), Andreas Pickel (Political Studies) and Bing Zhou (Mathematics).

        John Bishop (Administrative Studies) received a merit award for teaching.

        COAP is currently considering merit awards for 1997-98. The results will be published next term.