During its first meeting of the 2010/2011 academic year on Thursday, U of G’s Board of Governors welcomed five new members: two students, a staff member, a professor and a former politician.

Guillaume Blais is a fourth-year bachelor of science student studying biomedical science and political science. He serves on the University Senate, co-chairs the student senate caucus and plays several campus sports.

Mary Anne Chambers was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2003 until 2007. She served as Ontario’s minister of training, colleges and universities from 2003 to 2005, and as minister of children and youth services from 2005 to 2007. She is a retired senior vice-president of Scotia Bank.

Effie Gatsinos is U of G’s assistant registrar of student recruitment. She has represented U of G on provincial admission and recruitment committees, and served as chair of the Ontario Universities’ Fair steering committee.

Majid Hassas-Roudsari is a PhD student in the Department of Food Science and a former member of the University Senate. He hosts a Guelph radio show, has sung in the University’s symphonic and chamber choirs, and plays violin and viola.

Prof. Chris Whitfield chairs the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and holds the Canada Research Chair in Molecular Microbiology. He has served on editorial boards for international peer-reviewed journals and received numerous research awards.