Thursday, September 9, 1993

IN MOURNING:  The flags at the University Avenue entrance to campus
are at half-staff today in memory of David Chandler, glassblower in
the chemical engineering department, who died Monday.  The funeral
service is being held at 11:00 today at the Ratz-Bechtel funeral home
downtown.

PENSION COMMITTEE:  The pension and benefits committee of the board of
governors meets tomorrow morning (9 to 12:00, Needles Hall 3004) with
a long agenda.  The big and controversial item is II.A, "Pension
Contribution Levels" -- a reconsideration of the committee's decision in
July that the amount paid into the pension fund by UW and by individual
faculty and staff members can be reduced over the next three years.
The reduction is intended to save money, for both employer and employee,
during the "Social Contract" financial squeeze.  Experts said in July 
that the fund's surplus is large, and that temporary reductions in the
contributions can be made without threatening the stability of the fund
or the value of anyone's pension.  There were second thoughts later,
especially over the exact way in which UW will make use of the funds it
saves through the reduction.  Some good arguing can be expected tomorrow
morning.

AUTUMN ACTIVITIES:  It's volleyball at the Graduate House tonight (from
5 p.m.).  Undergraduate orientation continues, with a mixture of academic
and social events; first-year science students get their WHMIS training
today (that's Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System).

Chris Redmond
Information and Public Affairs
credmond@watserv1    ext. 3004