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Daily Bulletin
University of Waterloo -- Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
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Tuesday, December 10, 1996
Of fillets, medals and snow
It's beginning to look a lot
like Christmas, so I decided it was time to
decorate the Daily Bulletin for the holiday season. (To readers of the
Bulletin through uw.general and uw.campus-news: sorry, you lose. Check
out the Web page sometime, , to see
what you're missing.)
The Christmas eating season gets into high gear this week. The
University Club, for example, launches its "famous Christmas buffet"
tomorrow; it continues through December 21. Lunch is served from 11:30
to 2, Monday to Friday, at $13.95, and dinner from 5:00 to 8:00, Monday to
Saturday, at $16.95. On the menu: seafood of the day, two chef's
specials, cold poached salmon fillets, beef vegetable stroganoff,
meatless lasagna, salads, cheese, chef's rum pudding, and so on and on.
Reservations: 888-4088.
What's this about medals? I see that today is the 100th anniversary
of the death of Alfred Nobel, and accordingly
the Nobel prizes will be
awarded today. Among the recipients: chemist Robert Curl of Rice University,
who spoke at Waterloo just the other day.
Today's meeting on pensions
The "annual community meeting" of the UW pension plan will start at
12:15 today in Needles Hall room 3001. All members of the faculty and
staff pension plan are welcome.
Says a memo announcing the meeting:
UW has a defined benefit pension plan. At retirement, pensions are
based on average earnings near retirement and on years of
participation in the pension plan. Various forms of pension are
available to suit personal circumstances. A calculation is done at
retirement to determine whether the member's own
contributions with credited interest exceed one-half of the
pension value, and if so the excess contributions are refunded.
Members' required contributions are a fixed percentage of base
pay. The University is required to contribute an amount
sufficient to fund the pensions promised, and must at least
match the total of all members' contributions. Currently, the
contribution rate for the University is 120% of the total
contributions by members.
The pension fund is invested primarily in stocks and bonds
through four Investment Managers. The Pension and Benefits
Committee sets investment guidelines, chooses the Investment
Managers, and carefully monitors their performance. A
valuation of the pension plan is carried out annually by an
independent actuary. After allowing for commitments under the
Special Early Retirement Program, the pension plan still had a
funding excess at the end of 1995. Investment returns in 1996
have been strong, and the pension plan continues to be in
excellent financial health.
Also, the learning showcase
Even as we speak, the "learning technologies showcase" sponsored by
the teaching resource office is under way in the Davis Centre. It's
a day for showing off technological ways of supporting the work of
teachers and students. This morning sees two panels -- one on "Evaluating
the Impact of Learning Technologies" at 9:00 and one on "Making Online
Content (and Online Students) Come Alive" at 10:45. This afternoon,
from 1:30 to 4, there will be a display of innovations in learning
technology, ranging from scientific animations to complete courses
available on the Internet. It takes place in DC room 1301; all are
welcome.
Two big issues in health
UW's
Centre for Applied
Health Research holds its annual meeting this afternoon, and
everybody's invited to hear two speakers on hot health issues:
- Gavin Grimson, executive director of the Waterloo Region District
Health Council, on "Integrated Health Delivery within the Province:
Implications for Regional Hospital Restructuring". Just maybe he'll
bring some light to the heat that's been generated in discussions of
whether St. Mary's Hospital in Kitchener should be closed.
- Mike Sharratt of UW's kinesiology department, the director of
CAHR, about the 1996 report of the surgeon-general of the United
States on
Physical Activity
and Health.
CAHR will also have a brief business meeting, and there will be
refreshments and a cash bar. The event starts at 4:00 in the new
lecture theatre in Matthews Hall, room 1621.
Thanks to Waterloo's givers
The annual pre-Christmas reception for UW's major donors -- members
of the President's Club, who give the university at least $1,000
a year, and of lesser "clubs" whose gifts are still substantial --
is set for this evening, starting at 7 in Federation Hall. "A warm
and festive spirit seems to touch everyone," said the invitation
sent out by UW's
office of
development and alumni affairs. "President James Downey is
pleased to invite you to attend a seasonal celebration for
family and friends of the University of Waterloo. . . . Hors
d'oeuvres and a complimentary drink will be awaiting you. . . . The
University of Waterloo is proud to recognize its supporters through
events such as this reception."
Three thousand miles away, there will be another gathering of
Waterloo people, as alumni in Vancouver are holding a "Christmas
cheer evening".
Registrar's office will close
A note from the second floor of Needles Hall: the registrar's
office will be closed Thursday morning for a meeting. It will be
open from 12 noon until the usual 4 p.m. closing time.
CAR