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Wednesday, September 27, 1995

On the day of the Throne Speech

Rumours -- most of them about billion-dollar cuts -- continue to seep out from Queen's Park, but there are no new hard facts about how the province of Ontario is going to reduce its public-sector spending. A few hints could come in today's Speech from the Throne, as the Ontario legislature begins what's expected to be a raucous session. But more likely the Throne Speech will concentrate on policy matters, such as changes to the Labour Relations Act. Specific talk of dollars, percentages and fees will come in November from the minister of finance.

For the record, here's the text of a memo issued by UW's provost yesterday, confirming his announcement of a hiring freeze:

Operating grant and tuition levels for 1996-97 are still unknown, but it now seems very likely that significant budget cuts will be required. Accordingly, a hiring freeze will take effect immediately and will remain in place until we know the extent of the problem and have plans in place to deal with it. The freeze applies to all faculty and staff appointments exstending beyond April 30, 1996, in academic, support and ancillary departments. Appointments contingent on external research funds are excluded from the freeze.
Exceptions to the hiring freeze will be made only in very special and compelling circumstances, and will require my approval.
Thank you for your cooperation and assistance.

Happening on a sunny Wednesday

A "healthy eating" seminar starts at 12:30 in the Health Services building. Last-minute information: ext. 2424.
The Centre for Applied Health Research sponsors a public session on "Pain and Pills: Do They Mix?" from 3 to 5 this afternoon at Kitchener-Waterloo Hospital (which has a new name that nobody much is using yet). Information: ext. 6884.
The UW Retirees' Association holds its annual wine and cheese reception from 4:30 to 6:30 today in Davis Centre room 1301. "Come and quaff a glass of wine, have some munchies, and greet old and new friends in that special warm atmosphere we retirees can generate," says the newsletter sent to Waterloo's hundreds of retired faculty and staff. I suppose the retirees' association can look for a big jump in its membership after the introduction of the "early retirement window" that's expected as part of the university's new cost-cutting measures.
Job posting #2 for the winter term is up today and tomorrow in the co-op department. Employer interviews begin October 10.
And looking ahead to tomorrow: the team behind UW's Midnight Sun solar car will be showing slides of this summer's Sunrayce, Thursday from 12 to 1 in Davis Centre room 1304.

Award for research partnership

A project in UW's chemical engineering department has won a national award for a research and development partnership that led to the creation of high-performance materials for the automobile industry.

UW also received an honorary mention for a groundwater initiative at the University-Industry Synergy Awards, presented last week in Toronto. Sponsors for the award program are the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Conference Board of Canada.

Garry Rempel, chair of UW's chemical engineering department, received the award for work in partnership with Bayer Rubber Inc. in developing rubber products with a higher resistance to heat and oil. Hydrogenated nitrile-butadiene rubber was introduced in 1988. The honourable mention went to the Solvents-in-Groundwater Research Program, for work by a consortium looking at the behaviour, fate and remediation of chlorinated solvents in groundwater. The program was started in the mid-1980s by UW earth sciences professor John Cherry and several colleagues.

Positions open on senate

Under a recent bylaw change, elections to seats on UW's senate are to be advertised not only in the Gazette -- see page 2 of today's issue -- but also announced "through the World Wide Web or other appropriate computer media". The first such announcements are out today, and can be found on the university secretariat's home page through UWinfo.

Chris Redmond
Information and Public Affairs, University of Waterloo
(519) 888-4567 ext. 3004
credmond@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca

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