Daily Bulletin, Friday, October 14, 1994

A NEW BUILDING for "environmental science and engineering" has moved from
dream to plan, as the Ontario government yesterday announced a grant of
$25.2 million (over four years) for its construction.  The promise came
from premier Bob Rae, who drew strong applause from invited guests and
onlookers in the Davis Centre great hall.

Rae said the Waterloo Centre for Groundwater Research, which will be a
major occupant of the building, "is making an enormous difference in the
life of the province".  The building will also be home for the Institute
for Risk Research, parts of the Biotechnology Research Centre, the
geological and environmental engineering programs, the environmental
science program, and environmental hydrogeology.

Total size of the building is to be 13,800 square metres, or about 148,000
square feet -- the size of the present Psychology building.  Its total
budget is $31.5 million, including furnishings and equipment, plus $7.5
million in an endowment fund for maintenance and operational costs.  The
money not provided by the provincial government will come from private
sources through Campaign Waterloo.

Work is to start "next year" and take 18 to 24 months.  There wasn't a word
yesterday about the site for the building, but the longstanding gleam in the
eye of David Burns and John Thompson (deans of engineering and science,
respectively) has been for a building on the site of the present B1 parking
lot, linked to Chemistry and Engineering 3.

MEN IN SUITS were the order of the day yesterday, as Rae's visit -- a
VIP event if ever there was one -- came just hours after UW's hearing with
a committee of the Ontario Council on University Affairs, looking into
university funding in the province.

Tinkering with the formula for handing out grants isn't what Ontario needs,
UW president James Downey and several colleagues told the hearing.  And
repeating the chant of "accessibility" isn't the answer either.  Said Downey:
"It is not just a question of how many can we get into universities, but
a question of how many should we educate?"  And Jim Brox, president of
the faculty association, added: "The real issue is the quality of what
is taught."

Stephen Codrington, president of the Federation of Students, said he had
"no qualms about asking the government for more money, for what it's
worth."  That brought some laughter.  Other than that, the discussion 
steered away from the bottom line.  Some OCUA members showed a keen interest
in talking about the fine points of how grants are calculated, and how
"perceived inequities" between universities might be fixed.

SPORTS FANS, deprived of hockey and the World Series, can turn to some
lively university action this weekend.  In particular, Saturday afternoon
brings "the battle of Waterloo '94", with the football Warriors facing the
Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks at 2 p.m. tomorrow at Seagram Stadium.  It's
a home game for Waterloo.

And the undefeated Warrior varsity rugby team hosts Toronto at 1 p.m. 
Saturday at Columbia Field.  "A win would ensure the division title and 
gain entry to the OUAA semi-finals," says assistant coach Peter Keir,
who's a graduate student in kinesiology.  "Rumour has it that our rugby 
team is the only undefeated team in the OUAA (all sports).  I don't have 
proof of this but it sounds very good.  Fan support is much appreciated."
He adds that the junior varsity team, also undefeated, plays at 2:30.

The athletics department holds its Hall of Fame dinner and inductions
Saturday evening in the Festival Room of South Campus Hall.

ALSO THIS WEEKEND, the drama department's production of "Tough!" continues
in Studio 180 in the Humanities building.  Oh, and the Heritage Resources
Centre, based in environmental studies, holds a workshop today on "The
Role of Parks and Protected Areas".

Chris Redmond
Information and Public Affairs, University of Waterloo
888-4567 ext. 3004      credmond@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca