Daily Bulletin

University of Waterloo -- Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

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Monday, January 6, 1997

Thick and fast they came at last

Classes have begun, and so has registration: in Needles Hall for graduate students, in the Physical Activities Complex for undergraduates. There was a modest queue at the bookstore before 8:30 this morning. In short, the winter term is in full swing.

Also happening today: a "professional development day" for staff in the co-op education and career services department.

The building that isn't

There's a meeting today of the senate executive committee, at 3:30 in Needles Hall room 3004. The agenda includes the usual routine reports for this month's meeting of the full senate, to be held January 20. And attached to the agenda for today's meeting are the minutes of the committee's last meeting, December 2, including this paragraph of note:

Centre for Environmental Science and Engineering. In response to a query, the President indicated that while the government "postponed" funding for the project, indicating that it would be revisited in two years, it appears unlikely to be "resuscitated"; notwithstanding the disappointment at the government's action, UW did not have its own funding for the project secured and would have been unable to raise it in the allotted time. Since the needs and goals which drove that project remain, Jim Kalbfleisch, [John] Thompson and [David] Burns are looking at other possibilities to address these needs; one possibility is a more modest facility which, if the Federal government's infrastructure II program allocates a portion for universities, would be a prime candidate for funding. It was suggested that a report to Senate on this matter would best be deferred until concrete plans for proceeding are in place.

UW seeks a vice-president

This university has three vice-presidents:

The VP (academic) and provost, Jim Kalbfleisch. A nominating committee is being set up to decide whether he should be reappointed when his term ends next year, or to find the next VP to replace him; look for an announcement of the committee's membership any day now.
The VP (university research), Carolyn Hansson.
The VP (university relations) -- and here's the news about that one.

The position has been vacant since last summer, when Roger Downer took early retirement from UW. It's now about to be filled. An ad inviting nominations and applications will be in the Gazette next week.

UW president James Downey says that appointing a new VP (university relations) is "consistent with the recommendation made" by a consultant who recently reviewed the office of development and alumni affairs. D&AA is one of two departments that report to the vice-president, the other being information and public affairs.

Downey himself is chairing a search committee for the post. Other members of the committee are provost Jim Kalbfleisch; Peter Sims, chair of the board of governors; Jack Kalbfleisch, dean of mathematics; Catharine Scott, associate provost (human resources and student services); Pat Cunningham of the development office staff; Kelly Foley, vice-president (education) of the Federation of Students; and Lois Claxton, university secretary.

Said Downey: "Aware of the keen competition by organizations for top people in this field, the Committee has engaged Janet Wright of Janet Wright & Associates as consultant. Janet Wright has extensive experience and contacts in the field of not-for profit executive recruitment. The Committee has also determined that the search will proceed both internally and externally and simultaneously."

And these other notes

Four student seats on the UW senate are currently open for nominations. Three are for two-year terms: an undergraduate from engineering, one from mathematics, and one "at-large" (from any faculty). One is for a one-year term, for an undergrad from science. All the terms begin May 1. Nominations are due January 17, and details are available from the university secretariat.

The UW police plan to become more "user friendly" this year with major renovations to their communication centre. Currently, anyone wishing to speak to police must stand in line at the parking services desk and speak first to the parking staff before being directed to the police. With the renovations, a police area will be created allowing visitors to speak directly with the police. Renovations are expected to begin by the middle of January.

A guest on CBC radio's "Morningside" on Friday told host Peter Gzowski that Microsoft czar Bill Gates has been personally telephoning top graduates from UW's computer science program to offer them jobs. Not sure I believe it, but the very idea that people would spread such a rumour says something impressive about Waterloo, doesn't it?

In Thursday's Bulletin I made a bad joke about a UW department with "a skeleton staff", namely the chiropractic clinic -- chiropractors, skeletons, get it? Matthew Hill, never one to let an opportunity to by, writes thus:

Please be advised that Anthropology (now half of the world's only department of Classical Studies and Anthropology, another UW first) has an articulated, though not articulate, skeleton staff on duty at all times as well as disassembled bits and pieces.

I'll try not to commit such a boner again.

CAR

TODAY IN UW HISTORY
January 5, 1976:The Federation of Students takes over management of the Campus Centre pub, which was previously operated directly by the university.
January 6, 1986: Ira G. Needles, first chairman of the board of governors, dies at 92.

Editor of the Daily Bulletin: Chris Redmond
Information and Public Affairs, University of Waterloo
credmond@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca -- (519) 888-4567 ext. 3004
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Copyright 1997 University of Waterloo