Daily Bulletin

Two deans likely named today

Also in the confidential session, the board will hear a report from the building and properties committee; the agenda doesn't say what it's about.

And a report is expected on UW's involvement in the "Access to Opportunities" program, the government-financed expansion of enrolment in computer science and electrical and computer engineering. Provost Jim Kalbfleisch is scheduled to give that report in the confidential session, but said last week that he might move it to the public section of the meeting.

Agenda items for the public part of the meeting include an update on the current year's budget; financial statements for 1997-98; a "quality improvement report" to the government telling what use UW has made of the revenue from tuition fee increases; changes to the way staff are represented on nominating committees; and a presentation on the working of UW's "ancillary", or self-supporting, departments, such as residences, food services and retail stores.

The board of governors meeting begins at 2:30 this afternoon in Needles Hall room 3001.

Library unveils Seagram collection

UW acquired the material last year when the Seagram Museum, previously based in downtown Waterloo, closed and its collections were dispersed. UW acquired the museum's 1,200-volume rare book collection as well as its early archival collections. "The finely bound and carefully assembled collections on distillation and the beverage alcohol industry provide unique resources for the study of early and well-known industries of the Waterloo area," says a news release about the collection.

One of the earliest imprints in the rare book collection is Konrad Gesner's famous book on distillation, De Secretis Remediis aut Potius Thesaurus, printed in Zurich in 1554.

Archival collections, comprising the papers of the Seagram family and the early (pre-1928) records from the Joseph E. Seagram and Sons Ltd. Waterloo plant, add significant resources to the library's existing manuscripts and papers documenting the local and urban history of the Waterloo area.

Other parts of the Seagram collections were given to the City of Waterloo, Brock University, Wilfrid Laurier University, the Canadian Museum of Civilization, Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame and the Royal Ontario Museum. Some of these institutions will be taking part in the opening at UW today.

The news release from UW notes that this university "has been fortunate to receive support throughout its 41-year history from both the Bronfman family and the Seagram Co. In 1957, the company made a donation of $250,000 toward the construction of Seagram Stadium, giving the fledgling university its first permanent campus facility. In more recent years, more than $2 million has been pledged from the Samuel and Saidye Bronfman Family Foundation, the Charles Bronfman Foundation and the Bronfman family to help establish two important initiatives on campus -- the Centre for Cultural Management and the Chair in Jewish Studies."

Heritage preservation is tonight's topic

"The renovation industry, for example, creates more jobs and generates more income nationally that does new construction," Shipley says. "There are also many misconceptions about the costs of heritage. Designation, for instance, does not cause property values to fall."

Shipley also notes that tourism, one of the prime industries in Canada, depends on both the built and natural heritage environment. "But when we engage in these arguments we must also be aware that there are downsides, pitfalls and economic minefields ahead of us. To get through these dangers, we need to keep our priorities straight and our values clear."

As a faculty member in UW's school of planning, Shipley has done groundbreaking research on the property values of historic buildings. He is currently engaged in a project that will enable heritage groups to compile information about the heritage resources in their own communities. He has also researched the use of "visioning" in planning within his broader interests of strategic planning and how people think about the future.

Tonight's presentation is open to the public as part of a series of heritage-related talks being given this fall. Organizers say they would appreciate hearing in advance from anyone who plans to attend (phone ext. 2072).

Volunteerism awards, and more

The "Chew on This" series for co-op employers continues today, as interviews for winter term co-op jobs continue. Today's noontime speaker is Alan George, dean of mathematics, addressing a piquant question: "Why Would Anyone Want to Solve a Million Equations?"

Bruno Preiss of the electrical and computer engineering department will speak this afternoon on "C++ and Java: Comparing Apples and Oranges". His talk is sponsored by the local branch of the IEEE, and starts at 5:30 in Davis Centre room 1304; all are welcome.

Three special events are happening at St. Jerome's University this week:

• Barbara Dunn-Prosser will perform "Wood-Notes Wild: A Gentlewoman in Upper Canada", a dramatic portrait of Anne Langton, today at 1:00 p.m. in Siegfried Hall. Admission is free. A dramatic portrait of Anne Langton -- author, artist, teacher, musician, and settler in southwestern Ontario -- is based on her original letters and journals, with popular songs of the day from the Canadian Musical Heritage collection. The portrait was devised and will be performed by Barbara Dunn-Prosser, and accompanied by Paul Shilton.
• The St. Jerome's Reading Series presents Toronto poet, editor, and publisher Heather Cadsby, tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. in the Common Room at St. Jerome's. The reading is free, and all are welcome.
• As part of the Canadian Children's Literature course, Kathy Stinson, a well-known children's author, will read at St. Jerome's Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. in the Common Room. All are welcome to join the class and the discussion.

CAR

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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