While you were gone

Photo courtesy Cougar Athletics. Tino Fusco will replace the great Ian Fuge as coach of the women's soccer team.
5. New coaches added to Cougars’ pack
Three new faces will man the benches as the Cougars kick off 2009-10 ACAC action.
Sandra Lamb, who has served as an off-campus coach for the Cougars women’s volleyball team the past nine seasons, was promoted to an on-campus position for the fall as the Cats look to get back on the podium after a disappointing finish last year.
Troy Flannery has been rehired as the interim head coach for the men’s soccer team. Flannery was the helm of the team previously from 2005-2007, leading the Cougrs to a 15-3-2 record and an ACAC bronze medal.
Finally, Tony Fusco has replaced 14-year legend Ian Fuge as coach of the women’s soccer team. Fusco spent one year with the men’s soccer team during the 2006-2007 season and served as an assistant behind Fuge during the lady Cougars’ run to ACAC bronze last year.
“Ian really empowered the players to play at their best potential. He was able to connect with them on a personal level,” Fusco told The Reflector in May. “Now I have got to get in there and earn their trust and respect.”
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4. College awarded over $17M for infrastructure
The first major investment of the summer was aimed at improving the college’s infrastructure, most notably in the science and nursing departments.
The announcement — to the tune of $17.25 million — was made through the Knowledge Infrastructure Program announced as part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan. Overall $26.9 million in grants were announced, with Bow Valley College receiving more than $5 million and SAIT more than $4 million.
“We have been at this for a long time, all three of these institutions,” Calgary-Centre MP Lee Richardson told the crowd on hand for the announcement in Ross Glen Hall in May. “I am finally delighted that the federal government has finally stepped up to the plate and joined their provincial colleagues, for a change, in really supporting Calgary colleges.
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3. Fall Parking Passes Sell out in record time
Under a new “free-for-all” pricing structure and with a limited number of spaces due to planned construction of a parkade in lots V1 and S7, parking passes at Mount Royal for the fall semester sold out in four days. General passes went on sale July 2 and by the 6th only carpool and evening/weekend passes remained.
“It went a little faster than I thought it would, but I did anticipate them selling out a lot sooner than normal,” said the college’s manager of parking and transportation services Stefan Durston. When questioned about the matter in the following days, MRC President Dave Marshall said “My message to everybody, even those that have parking passes, is find alternative ways to get to campus because this is not going to go away and to a certain degree I am not going to apologize for it.”
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2. Levels of government join forces to grant $40M for Conservatory
The Alberta and federal governments each pledged $20 million towards the construction of the $60-million “state-of-the-art” Mount Royal Conservatory of Music in July, providing the City of Calgary footed the remaining third of the bill. The massive facility will include a 650-seat performance all and approximately 82 studios.

Image courtesy Mount Royal External Relations. These are some concepts being looked at for Mount Royal's Conservatory of Music.
“This is an investment for today, it is also and investment for tomorrow to ensure that dreams continue to be realized here at Mount Royal,” Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach said in a speech. “Collectively our support and passion for arts and culture can help build the society that sustains the individual, social and economic well-being of the province.”
Calgary city council would later agree to put at least $8 million towards the conservatory.
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1. First bachelor degrees awarded
A sea of blue packed into Kenyon Court back in June as Mount Royal officially handed out its first 29 baccalaureate degrees to students in criminal justice, communications, arts and business administration.
Class of 2009 valedictorian Meghan Stalker, a graduate of the applied ecotourism and outdoor leadership program, borrowed from influential German educator Kurt Hahn in her speech.
“There is more in us than we know. If we can be made to see it, perhaps, for the rest of our lives we will be unwilling to settle for less.”
Business admin bachelor grad Leslie Dovichak — who had called Mount Royal home for the previous six years — said it was an “amazing feeling” to be finished school and apart of such a historical day for the institution.
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