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Monday, December 11, 1995
Dashing through the snow
If you think it's wintry here, check out places to the north and
west. In Sault Ste. Marie, for example, it's been snowing for a week,
and Algoma University College has closed down along with much of
the rest of the city.
And of course there's a rumour out there this morning that Waterloo
has done the same thing.
No, the University of Waterloo is not closed today.
In the face of the strike
The
University of Western Ontario isn't
closed either, but its operations are certainly being curtailed by the
one-day strike that's been called across the city of London. The
Ontario Federation of Labour is organizing the strike as a protest
against the policies of Ontario's Progressive Conservative government
and premier Mike Harris.
A
memo from UWO's vice-presidents a few days ago said Western faculty
and staff who wanted to join the strike were welcome to use a vacation
day or -- here's an irony -- a Social Contract day to do so,
as long as the essential work can get done. Said the memo:
It is important that student needs are
met and the security and safety of University people and property are
maintained. However, Deans, Chairs, Budget Heads and supervisors are
encouraged to be flexible and permission should not be unreasonably
denied.
The memo also noted that managers "should take into account that
faculty and staff may have difficulty getting to work" because of the
strike -- bus service is shut down and traffic is expected to be a mess.
Exams that were supposed to be written at Western today were rescheduled
for Saturday, the day before yesterday. The president of the University
Students' Council said she had had some "irate phone calls" from students
who lost two study days because of the rescheduling, but noted that
"there were no good options in this situation at all."
New staff training program
A memo from Catharine Scott, director of human resources, says
a new "comprehensive training program on Team Effectiveness and Team
Leadership" is being launched. "The program is complementary to the
Frontline Leadership, Working and Non-Management Professional programs
which have been offered to University of Waterloo staff and faculty
for the last five years."
The Team sessions will be available starting in the winter term. They
cover such topics as "the basic principles of teamwork", "raising
difficult issues with your team", and "helping your team reach consensus".
Says Scott:
Even in work groups that do not define themselves as teams and may have
no plans to do so in the future, the concepts of Team Effectiveness
will help to crate a more participative and supportive workplace.
Grad student board meets
The board of directors
of the Graduate
Student Association meets at 6 p.m. today in Humanities room
334. All interested graduate students are welcome to attend, says
corporate secretary Derik Hawley. "The agenda includes university
budget cuts, GSA elections, the women's issues committee."
Why not get your card?
The time between now and the Christmas holiday would be an
"excellent" time, says John Cunningham, for staff and faculty members
to pick up a
WatCard,
the all-purpose UW identity card. Cunningham manages the WatCard
system for the food services department, which administers it as a way
of selling meal plans and providing discounts on your morning coffee.
(The card is also used by the library and the registrar's office, and
just last week the Student Pharmacy and Apple Two hairstylists, both
in the Student Life Centre, also started accepting it for payment.)
You can get your card at the WatCard office in the General Services
complex -- facing the ring road a little way north of the Davis
Centre -- during business hours.
Students who are arriving for the winter term can't get their cards
yet, though, says Cunningham; the necessary database information won't
be arriving at food services until December 21.
Welcoming the newest Canadians
A "citizenship court" will be held on campus tomorrow -- 9:30 a.m. in
the Humanities Theatre. The ceremony involves the swearing-in of
immigrants who are becoming Canadian citizens. Prominent people
including local mayors and member of Parliament Andrew Telegdi are
expected to be on hand. Hosting the ceremony at UW is the local
chapter of Sigma Chi fraternity.
Chris Redmond
Information
and Public Affairs, University of Waterloo
(519) 888-4567 ext. 3004
credmond@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca
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