Le@Gtl@tesw can Editor’s note: THe follow- ing letter was received by The Gem Nov.24 but got lost in the shuffle of changing editors. We apologize for the late printing of this letter. Dear Editor: I agree with the views ex- pressed in the lead article in your issue of Nov. 20 (“Re- search and Development Com- mitment Cut’’), but from a university point of view the problem is not so much the woes of the National Research Council as those of the grant- ing councils, NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Re- search Council) and SSHRC (Social Sciences and Humani- ties Research Council). These are the main sources of fund- ing for basic research at Can- adian universities. While the details of the fed- eral government’s program of contributions to the granting councils have yet to be released, the federal policy is well known and should be cause for con- cern at this and other smaller institutions. Briefly, govern- ment intends to freeze the base funding of the councils and, starting in 1987-8, increase funding by up to 6 percent CAREERS IN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY one of the fastest-growing health professions in Canada ACCELERATED DEGREE PROGRAM BScOT in 23 months (based on two years’ previous university) Application deadline: 1 March 1987 for details write or phone Department of Occupational Therapy University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2G4 (403) 432-2499/5949 annually but only by ways of . matching contributions made to the councils or to universi- ties by the private sector. Pri- vate sector grants may be con- ditional in respect of research areas or universities. In gen- eral, tax incentives to contrib- utors under the program will be more accessible to suppor- ters of the “hard” sciences than the social sciences and human- ities. There are two potential problems of concern to UPEI. First, in common with other universities, we may see a pro- portional diversion of funds away from the social sciences and humanities and towards the “hard” sciences as private sector contributions become important. Second, to the ex- _ tent that private contributions are conditional, we may see research grant dollars directed away from here and applied more to the larger, well- established Canadian univer- sities that already receive the | lion’s share of support. Thus, even though the total budgets of the granting coun- cils may increase, we may see a diminishment of funds avail- able to us. The challenge for UPEI wil] be aggressively to seek out private research sup- port where it has been lacking in the past, and to do so more effectively that our neighbor- ing institutions. John DeGrace Director, Research Development Office ~ Poem I am by no means a writer but I wanted to write about my boyfriend Andy MacDougall. Andy always said that Writing was good for the soul. - My dear Andy, I am struggling with the pain, It hurts so much I can’t explain, I am trying to cope with the reality of the loss, Life seems to me to drag on, With each revolution of this earth turning into another day. I pray to God to let this be my last moment, To help stop this never ending misery, So I can be with you again, To feel your love again, To hold you again. My dear Andy, I am dying a little more each day, How can life go on without you? I often think you were the wings of life, And if you left I may die. Can’t you see how much I love you, need you, and miss you? We had our problems, but we had true love. You always told me you loved me, even in anger. I'll never forget how, before you left this world, How you came to me unexpectedly, and told me how much y loved me, How you held me, and kissed me, And how that very last night you loved me. God was good in giving us almost three years together. You were always there for me, You were the breath of life for to me, You brought me hear to show me a better way of life, You were always looking on the brighter side of life, Always helping people, always wanting what was best. I'll always remember how good you were to me, Cute nicknames you used to call me. And how you would bundle me up in winter, How you took care of me when I was sick, How you and your family gave me love and a home, Something I had never known before. How you would clean your windshield in winter, While you made sure I was safely warm in the car. Oh how the memories keep flowing through me, Remember baby fluff (our cat) who had kittens in July, And the tiny kitten died in your hands, Oh how that kitten must have felt your warmth and love, As it breathed its last breath. Andy you are so loved, . Did you know we were all there at your side, At the end, your family and I? : Andy, you were wrong when you said you hadn’t many friends, So many people from school were there and they all love you, And your family and I. Nobody will ever replace you, Nobody could ever be as loving and patient as you. I feel your love my dear Andy, even as I am writing, For real love never dies. My heart at this very moment is warm and full of love. I will try hard in life for you to be proud of me. As you look down from heaven, Please know, Andy, that I love you and we will meet again. All my love eternally, Colleen I would especially like to dedicate this from the bottom of my heart, to Andy’s family. Frank, Verna, Todd, Coleen, and Chris- tine, whom I love as my own family. Also to anyone who knew or loved Andy. To his friends, teachers, and especially to Kerry Lafferty for helping to submit this.