Daily Bulletin

University of Waterloo -- Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

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Tuesday, February 20, 1996

Honouring those who retire

A university-wide ceremony to honour the 338 staff and faculty taking early retirement will be held May 21, the president announced last night.

Said the president, James Downey, at last night's senate meeting:

As a result of the precedent-setting number of people taking the early retirement package, the university was faced with the question of how to recognize and thank people for their very significant contributions to the university. A small committee was struck composed of representatives of the FAUW, Staff Association, Union, grounds/custodial, as well as a couple of the faculties which have a large number of people retiring. Informal consultation also took place to see if the majority were in favour of one large university-wide celebration or whether it should be left to individual faculties/departments to plan their own. The overwhelming feeling was that one university-wide celebration was desirable. . . .
A special ceremony will be held in the PAC on Tuesday, May 21st, at 4:00 p.m. at which each of the retirees will be recognized and presented with a certificate. The event will be for the university community as well as retirees' families. The retirees will process into the PAC and will be seated with their departments. Each will come forward to be recognized by the president and vice-president and be presented with a certificate. The ceremony will be patterned on convocation with music, a tribute to the retirees and a response from them. . . . Following the formal ceremony a reception will be held -- hopefully outside.

The president also told the senate meeting that there will be a special history project to capture as much of the "institutional memory" as possible. Ken McLaughlin (the university historian) is heading it up with Susan Bellingham of the library's rare books room assisting.

More about early retirement

A letter from the human resources department has gone out to everyone who's leaving under the Special Early Retirement Program, talking about "what happens next" in the pre-retirement paperwork.

"Possibly you are unsure at this point," says the letter, "whether you should take a University of Waterloo pension or transfer out your pension value." Special sessions led by David Gillians, a bank trust manager and financial columnist, are being scheduled (tonight, March 5 and March 7) to "provide an unbiased, objective description of the alternatives". Anne Wagland at ext. 2078 can provide more information about those meetings.

There will also be "an informal meeting to answer some questions about the feelings" many people experience at retirement, the letter says; it will involve UW's counselling services and the Retirees Association, and is scheduled for next Tuesday evening. Again, Wagland at ext. 2078 is taking reservations.

And the letter notes that "The University has requested that the Federal Government approve SERP as a Workforce Reduction Program. If approved, individuals on the SERP who are looking for employment would be able to apply for" Unemployment Insurance benefits.

Finally, it says arrangements are being made for retirees to have computer accounts to send and receive e-mail, if they want them.

Senate discussion of the future

At last night's senate meeting there was a general discussion of budget cuts, reorganization and the way UW is facing changing times. Downey noted that each major area in the university has been asked to plan for a 7 per cent budget cut in 1996-97 and, tentatively, another 4 per cent in 1997-98. The numbers are a "guess at this stage" toward meeting the "financial challenges" of an $18 million to $19 million loss in annual income from the provincial government (and the possibility of another cut next year).

Some early retirement savings will help establish a "Central Reinvestment Fund" of $3 million. That will allow "strategic" action to fill replacement positions or such things as acquire equipment. In hiring replacements, Downey said, "We have to move quickly and we have to get it right. We might not know if we were successful for another 10 years." Priorities in filling positions? "Decisions at Waterloo are made historically at the department or faculty level," said provost Jim Kalbfleisch.

He said a review of the administrative organization is under way "to see what new structure makes sense" in the wake of retirements by four senior executives and many department heads. Plans are to begin advertising for key positions next month.

Gail Cuthbert Brandt, principal of Renison College, asked about hiring more women. Said Kalbfleisch: "We will make sure we search out women candidates, and we expect to see a significant increase in the number of female appointments." (There are now many more available and qualified women candidates than 20 or more years ago when many of the retirees were hired, he explained.)

Said the provost: "We want the government to know we're hurt and are going to lose a lot of people," while at the same time letting prospective students know UW continues to offer a high-quality program.

Cuts announced at Guelph

At hand is a news release issued by the University of Guelph after a public announcement by its president late last week. Says the release, in part:

University of Guelph administrators estimate a $19.6 million shortfall in the University's 96-97 operating budget. . . . New revenues represent about $4.1 million of the solutions; reorganization and budget reductions, $9.8 million; and other strategies, about $5.0. . . .
As part of the reorganization and reduction proposal, which includes position reductions, the operating budgets of teaching units are being reduced by an average of 5% and the non-teaching units by an average of 8%. It is estimated that 91 of the approximately 121 positions to be eliminated will be accomplished through voluntary buyouts and the cancellation of vacant positions. Regrettably, the balance of about 30 positions will be layoffs.

U of G vice-president (finance and administration) called the layoffs "very painful".

On Mardi Gras, pancake Tuesday

No carnival at Waterloo! Things are pretty quiet today, as February "reading period" continues. Quiet except in the first-floor lobby of Needles Hall, that is, where co-op job interviews for the spring term continue at a feverish pace.

Muslims also celebrate today

The feast of Eid begins, as Nabil Rehman of the Muslim Students Association writes: "Yesterday was the last day of Ramadan, the month of fasting for Muslims. Today is Eid-ul-Fitr, the feast after the fast. Muslims gather together early in the morning for special Eid prayers, and then visit each other's homes throughout the day. Sweets are served and children exchange gifts. Eid prayers in Waterloo were held at 8:00 a.m. this morning at Rink in the Park and also at the Phoenix Roller Sports Centre.

"The Muslim Students' Association is planning an Eid Dinner for Sunday, March 3, in cooperation with other student organizations. More information will be available on the MSA homepage, or e-mail muslim@watserv1."

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

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