Daily Bulletin

Thursday, October 9, 1997

University of Waterloo -- Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

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UW tries for federal money

In Needles Hall and across the faculties, people at UW are working on proposals that might bring funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation. Provost Jim Kalbfleisch said yesterday that Alan George, who was provost before him and is now a computer science professor, has been named to coordinate UW's CFI proposals and projects, assisted by Grahame Farquhar of the civil engineering department.

Kalbfleisch noted that planning is at an early stage, but that undoubtedly information technology and computer networking is an area where UW would put in strong proposals. "Obviously," he added, "a major theme for us is going to be environment, and another theme for us has to be health; manufacturing and materials; there may be others."

The CFI, announced in last winter's federal budget, is an independent corporation established "to strengthen Canadian capability for research. The Foundation will achieve this objective by investing funds over the next five to 10 years in the development of research infrastructure in Canada. The mandate of the Foundation is to increase the capability of Canadian universities, colleges, hospitals and other not for-profit institutions to carry out important world-class scientific research and technology development."

With a billion-dollar endowment, the CFI is expected to provide 40 per cent of the funding for most of the projects it chooses. "Another key part of the work," Kalbfleisch said yesterday, "is going to be raising the matching funds that are required!"

Poet speaks on Christianity

Poet and lecturer Luci Shaw of Regent College in Vancouver is this year's featured speaker at the Pascal Lectures on Christianity and the University, with the main lecture set for tonight. "The Light That Dazzles Gradually: Metaphor and the Christian Imagination" is the topic of her public lecture, at 8 p.m. in the Theatre of the Arts.

Shaw gave a chapel talk at Conrad Grebel College yesterday and will give a seminar on "Journal Keeping and the Creative Process" at 2:30 this afternoon, also at Grebel.

"Luci Shaw is a vibrant writer and speaker who has published numerous books of poetry and has lectured on poetry and the creative process, the poetry of C.S. Lewis, and Christian spirituality," says Karen Simons of the Pascal Lectures Committee. Currently writer-in-residence and adjunct faculty member at Regent College, Shaw was the English stylist for the Living Bible and the New International Version of the Bible.

The Pascal Lecture series was established to create a forum for Christian issues in an academic environment. It is financed by donations from interested individuals and organizations and royalties from published lectures.

Memorandum negotiations start

Negotiators for UW management and the faculty association will meet today to begin talks about revising the 12-year-old Memorandum of Agreement between the university and its professors.

The Memorandum acknowledges that "The Faculty Association of the University of Waterloo represents all regular faculty members in regard to faculty salaries and benefit programs and to policies governing terms and conditions of employment" and describes how faculty salary negotiations are conducted. The association has long wanted a revision of the agreement. After an unsuccessful attempt to negotiate changes two years ago, the association called for union certification instead, but the proposal was defeated in a vote by professors and librarians.

Negotiating on behalf of the association are John Wilson and Terry Downey, both of political science, and Ed Vrscay of applied mathematics. Negotiators for the administration are John Thompson (dean of science), Geoff McBoyle (dean of environmental studies), and Mary Thompson of statistics and actuarial science.

[*]
Last year's Miss Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest starts with protest

The first big event of Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest is scheduled for tonight -- the Miss Oktoberfest pageant at the Centre in the Square in downtown Kitchener. It's going to be just like old times, the days when the pageant was held in UW's Humanities Theatre: a contingent of protesters from the UW women's centre plans to be on hand to take some of the attention away from the beautiful competitors and the jolly kegmeisters.

"The pageant is looking for an ideal all right, but it's not just about physical beauty. It's about stereotypes," says Brenda MacLeod of the women's centre. "If you are sick of people using a checklist to judge beauty, protest."

The contest chooses a representative of the annual "Bavarian festival" who takes part in the events of the next ten days, then helps spread the word of gemuetlichkeit across North America. Coming up for the rest of Oktoberfest: the nationally televised parade on Monday (starts 8:45 at King and Erb), the Women of the Year awards next Thursday, events for antiques and archery and bocce and gambling and ballet, and, naturally, the festhallen with beer and music.

Oktoberfest publicity notes, for the historically minded, that the UW library holds an archive of Oktoberfest documentation.

The talk of the campus

"Are you an entrepreneur?" asks a seminar to be held tonight (Davis Centre 1304, 7 p.m.) by Mentortech, an organization that offers advice and mentoring for the next generation of people with big ideas. "We are ready, willing and able," the publicity says, "to help you vet your ideas, develop a business plan and management tools, and help you find financing to get you started."

Tomorrow has been proclaimed dress-down day to raise awareness -- and a little money -- as the United Way campaign on campus gets started. Not much information about the campaign is available yet, but I understand it should be around next week.

The UW spinoff firm Research in Motion has announced a wine-and-cheese reception on campus next Thursday for graduating engineering and computer science students: "Learn from RIM's hardware engineers, software developers, business development and sales & marketing representatives how you can take advantage of the rewarding career opportunities offered by high tech and the wireless data communications industry." The party runs from 5 to 7 next Thursday, October 16, at the University Club.

The repair work around the front entrance of the Dana Porter Library is seemingly endless, and I note today that the entire front steps have been blocked off -- folks have to use the side route over by the Physics building, then follow the promenade back to the front door.

A nature-lover phoned yesterday to say that the Dorney Garden, outside Environmental Studies II, is at its most gorgeous right about now. Those who appreciate the colours of Ontario fall foliage might want to drop by.

Finally, I have to apologize for reversing the names of two $5,000 scholarship winners in yesterday's Bulletin. Elizabeth Parry is receiving the first-year scholarship, and Joelle Pineau the final-year scholarship, from the Canadian Engineering Memorial Foundation.

CAR

TODAY IN UW HISTORY October 9, 1971: Folksinger Melanie appears in concert in the Physical Activities building.

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