Victoria's makeover: While workers rebuild the foundations supporting the granite stairs of the Strathcona Music Building, the distinctive statue of Queen Victoria stands firm, if a little ghostly in her protective white plastic shroud. Only her head and her right hand, holding the sceptre, are visible. "We left her head so that she could breathe," chuckled site foreman Bernard Dubuc. Victoria has been a part of McGill's landscape since 1899, when the British monarch's daughter, Princess Louise, presented it to the University to mark the naming of the Royal Victoria College, McGill's college for women. PHOTO: OWEN EGAN

Budget blues lifting DANIEL McCABE The news on the financial front is a pleasant surprise -- McGill is almost $2 million better of than it had expected to be. Still, there are storm clouds looming. The University's deteriorating physical plant has to be addressed and McGill's professors are underpaid. Campus renewal on track DANIEL McCABE The University received some urgently needed repair and renovation work over the summer months. But thanks to the lingering effects of the ice storm, many of those leaky roofs will be with us for another year. Leading the charge against AIDS SYLVAIN COMEAU Dr. Mark Wainberg, the new president of the International AIDS Society says it isn't enough for him to be a scientist in the war against AIDS. He has to be an activist too. Als thrive at Molson SYLVAIN-JACQUES DESJARDINS There's no doubt about it -- the Montreal Alouettes' first season at McGill's Percival Molson Stadium was an unqualified success. Now the Als and the University have to decide where to go from here. Teaching treasure gets his due BRONWYN CHESTER With an armful of McGill teaching awards to his credit, David Harpp's prowess in the classroom was no secret on campus. Now, thanks to a national teaching award, Harpp is getting the widespread credit he deserves. Ex-mayor chosen to lead physical plant BRONWYN CHESTER Réal Tessier has experience in managing hundreds of buildings and political abilities honed by a 10-year stint as the mayor of Val-David. He'll need both for his new job -- he is McGill's first executive director of facilities management and development. New chair is first of its kind SYLVAIN-JACQUES DESJARDINS Library and information studies professor Andrew Large is the first scholar in his field to be appointed to an endowed chair in Canada. An expert on digitized data, Large was wired before there was a Wired. Putting parents fears to rest BRONWYN CHESTER Where will my kids live? Where can they turn if their marks take a nosedive? Is Montreal safe? Parents of new McGill students have plenty of questions and concerns. An orientation program aimed at them hopes to put their minds at ease.

Editorial Note Kudos At issue Now interactive! On Campus News from the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research