Thursday, January 27, 1994

A WINTER'S DAY:  Here's hoping for good weather the rest of the day,
although the forecasts sound rather ugly.  The UW news bureau, which is
responsible for advising the president's office about weather, is on the
alert, manager Jim Fox says. 

If UW should close during the workday on account of a storm -- today or
any day -- the message would be passed to departments by telephone, and
would also be announced through a UWinfo "Flash" and on the newsgroup
uw.general.  And if bad weather does come, whether or not UW is closing,
Joan Wiley of telephone services has a request: please stay off the phone
as much as possible, so lines aren't tied up when they're needed for
emergency messages.

Particularly hoping for a temperate day are the participants in the
eighth annual awards banquet for the faculty of mathematics, being held
tonight in the Festival Room of South Campus Hall.

BUILDING IS NAMELESS:  Today's the day, and 12 noon is the time, for the
official opening of the new athletics complex on the north campus.  All
are welcome to attend the ceremony and have a look at the building, which
is largely student-funded.  A name for the complex was supposed to be 
announced during the ceremonies, but that won't be happening.  Wally Delahey, 
director of athletics, says the name selected as the winner of the recent
contest hasn't received official approval.

CONSTRUCTION FUNDING:  UW may be able to spend $4,597,200 as its share of the
"Canada Ontario Infrastructure Works Program" announced by federal and
provincial governments on Tuesday.  The program involves spending of more
than $2 billion across Ontario on construction projects that will create
short-term jobs.  

The $4,597,200 figure for UW is apparently based on a two-for-one matching
formula, meaning that the governments will actually be handing over about
$3 million if UW can find $1.5 million of its own.  "Finding our one-third
will be the challenge," says the associate provost (general services),
Bob Elliott.  He said UW also doesn't know what the rules for spending the
money will be, or even what kind of projects are eligible.  If some of it
can go on big capital projects, such as a new home for the school of
accountancy, that's one thing; if it has to go on labour-intensive smaller
jobs, such as the brick replacement done under a similar government program
two years ago, that's a different thing.  "At the moment it's very unclear."

FORUMS ON FEES:  Catherine Coleman, president of the Federation of Students,
has announced three "forums" at which students (both undergraduate and
graduate) can offer their opinions, and get some information, about current
proposals that UW start charging new fees for student services.  Coleman
and the president of the Graduate Student Association, Duncan Phillips, sit
on a committee that's been studying such "ancillary" fees.

The first of the forums is tomorrow (Friday) starting at 9:30 a.m. in
the Campus Centre great hall.  Subsequent forums are Monday starting at 
10:30 in Engineering Lecture 105, and Tuesday starting at 10:00 in
Davis Centre 1301.

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