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Downey added: "The credentials of those who have joined us are tremendously impressive, and their arrival has given a lift to our spirits." He went on to say, "I feel a surge of movement ahead this year for the first time in the years I've been here." And Kalbfleisch said UW has moved from "mourning" at the time of the Special Early Retirement Program last year to "a spirit of rebuilding" now.
The provost told yesterday's open meeting -- attended by about 200 people in the Theatre of the Arts -- that Waterloo has come through "a hectic and chaotic year" with retirements, hiring, people learning new jobs, and departments overhauling their curriculum. In addition, there have been new efforts in recruitment, work on computer systems, and cooperation with Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Guelph that will create "essentially one library" when a new system is introduced in the new year.
Kalbfleisch reported briefly on plans to implement recommendations from the Fifth Decade Plan. There are 38 recommendations, many with several subsections, he pointed out, adding, "We have action well under way on about half the recommendations."
Some things have been done already, he said, such as work to improve student recruitment, and reorganization of the office of development and alumni affairs. Others are coming along. For example, one recommendation calls for measures to help graduate students develop teaching skills. The dean of grad studies and the director of the teaching resource office are working on a plan, "which we hope will be ready to look at in the winter term", he said. Similarly, a "discussion paper" on teaching and learning technology -- from the associate provosts for "academic and student affairs" and "information systems and technology" -- will be ready soon, Kalbfleisch said.
And he said a program will be announced shortly for research support to help new faculty members get started in their work.
The latest information will be posted on the OUAC web site, and as of this morning OUAC's "What's New" page has this brief word: "At this time the Application Centre will not be adjusting its December application deadline for Teaching Education or Undergraduate Studies. . . . Secondary School applicants are advised to contact their guidance office for further information."
OUAC is expecting about 56,000 applications from Ontario high school students by the target date of December 12. They come in bulk from the schools' guidance offices, generally by courier, and won't be much affected by the mail strike. Individual applications from students who aren't in high school do come to Guelph by mail, but deadline dates for those don't come until midwinter at the earliest.
Other parts of the university are also making special arrangements. During the postal strike, the library will phone patrons with off-campus addresses who have had books recalled from them, says Alex McCulloch of the user services department. "The hold and recall service will be largely unaffected, therefore, with the possible exception of notices that were mailed out in the first part of this week. Patrons with off-campus addresses who rely on notices to know that their recall is now available should call the circulation desks for information instead, during the strike. The library will phone these patrons as time allows.
"Overdue notices will not be sent to patrons living off-campus during the strike. Fines will accrue as usual; anyone who is not sure when their books are due back may call one of the circulation desks to inquire." Phone numbers are ext. 5544 for the Dana Porter Library, ext. 6913 for the Davis Centre, ext. 2795 for the University Map and Design Library.
A total of 40 institutions, including four in Canada, have now said they're buying the Student Administration System (SAS) from PeopleSoft, Mason reports. The software is due for general release next month.
"As the initial Canadian site, the University of Western Ontario has been working with PeopleSoft to develop a set of requirements focused on Canadian issues," he says. "PeopleSoft is verifying these requirements with the other three Canadian institutions." That kind of work has been keeping members of the SIS project team at Waterloo busy for the past few weeks, he says.
And more: "In early October, the current members of the project team received their first formal training in four of the modules which have been delivered: Admissions, Financial Aid, Student Records and Student Financials. . . . Beginning in January, we will start to measure the 'fit' between what has been purchased and the ways in which the University prefers to handle business with its students. As gaps are identified, we expect to consult with the Undergraduate and Graduate Operations Committees, as well as other stakeholders."
A report from Mason and his SISP colleagues is available on the Web, and will be published in next week's Gazette. The December 4 information session will be offered at 9:30 and again at 1:30 in Davis Centre room 1302.
During some 22 years at UW, he supervised nearly 70 graduate students, and served as dean from 1975 to 1983. Although he officially retired in July, Nelson continues to run the Heritage Resources Centre, receiving grants, conducting research, organizing conferences and workshops, supervising graduate students and teaching a course. According to Phil Howarth, geography department chair, "It was primarily through Gordon's efforts that the Grand River was designated a Canadian Heritage River." Nelson has received a number of major awards over the years for his conservation efforts and academic work.
Students, colleagues and friends are invited to attend a reception for Nelson tonight from 7 to 9, also in the Davis Centre.
CAR
November 22, 1990: Votes from a two-day referendum are counted: UW students have turned down a proposal to pay a new fee for the building of a Student Life Centre. Proponents of the project go back to the drawing board.
Editor of the Daily Bulletin: Chris Redmond
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