The summer is often the busiest time of the year, but this is not well understood. I also wish to thank staff members for their good work over the past two semesters. For them, the summer season represents an opportunity to catch up, improve systems and develop news ways of doing things. An example of the latter is MUNet 2, the installation of new hardware and software to improve communications on the campus. However, I want to extend special thanks to all those members of the university community who helped make the Spring 2000 Convocation a fine success.
Convocation is always a team effort.
As you know, we faced serious challenges since the St. John's Arts and Culture Centre was unavailable due to the Viking Exhibition. There were some students and others who expressed concern that the gymnasium in the Physical Education Building could simply not provide the graduation experience that student and families had come to expect. Faced with this challenge, university employees from numerous units collaborated and transformed the gym and the former food court in the Thomson Student Centre into two fine spaces. I was impressed by the motivation and effectiveness displayed at all levels. The students, their parents and friends who came to the St. John's Campus and Sir Wilfred Grenfell College said that they went away with wonderful memories of graduation.