Daily Bulletin

They're here and they're sexy

Today, for example, students in applied health sciences are lunching with dean Mike Sharratt; environmental studies students get "Workshops on Neat Stuff"; arts students get a "secret agent training session"; science students meet dean John Thompson and begin laboratory safety training; math students had breakfast with dean Alan George and will lunch with faculty members; and engineering students spend most of the day on "5 Principles of Engineering", which I suspect isn't all deadly serious stuff.

And performances of "Single and Sexy", UW's annual play about the issues of adult life, begin today and continue all week. Mary-Lou Schagena, writing for the UW news bureau, notes that "This insightful -- often humourous -- play depicts the lives and experiences of first-year students who are living away from home for the first time. Thought-provoking, the one-hour production delivers a lot of straight talk about sex and sexuality in all its complexity. It also presents other touchy subjects, such as racism, plagiarism and substance abuse. Non-judgmental, the play helps frosh get off to a good start at university by making them more aware of these issues. As well, it directs them to on-and-off-campus resources that might help deal with them."

More from Schagena's report on "Single and Sexy", now in its 11th annual production:

Energetic and excited about the new opportunities that await them at university, first-year students are indeed single and sexy. However, they have a lot to cope with too -- living independently, meeting new challenges, often struggling to meet expectations, retaining their values, and building new relationships and support system, says Denise Angove, UW's assistant nursing supervisor.

"There is still an expectation that you have to drink a certain amount, otherwise you're not a bona fide university student," she adds. Also, they have to study, develop effective time management skills and prepare for a career. With all these demands, it is normal to be confused and doubtful, straying from smart choices.

The cast of eight senior-level students -- from a variety of academic disciplines -- not only acts in "Single and Sexy," but also rewrote the script to keep it fresh and timely. They are: Jamey Rosen, Margaret Milne, Paul Moukperian, Jessica Kwik, Trevor Martin, Amy Jongerius, Chris Goddard and Vincent Hui.

This year's production is sponsored by Wyeth Ayerst, Smith Kline Beecham, Ortho McNeil, Organon, Parke Davis (pharmaceutical companies) and the UW personal safety committee. Receiving national and international acclaim, earlier scripts have visited the University of Toronto, York, Queen's and universities in Australia and New Zealand.

Dear Mom: please send money

"Many experiences would appear to be almost universal," writes Jane Britton of the library staff, who has been looking through those documents to put together an exhibition. "Students away from home," she writes, "are always short of money, sleep and time to study, while enjoying their new-found independence and social lives. Parents worry about that very independence, and issue streams of anxious advice on sleep, food, friends, studying, and anything else they no longer fully control. And, yes, the parents also usually do send money."

The exhibition includes the diary of Elizabeth Smith, a medical student at Queen's University in 1882 who described a late-night raid on the landlady's kitchen:

We forage, & where she bestows the finer foods, any dainties such as pies or cake is a mystery to us however bread & butter, syrup & meat, suffer tonight. When we went down last night we found two chairs barricading the pantry & two the cupboard & over the bread can was a tin pan placed so as to bang & the bell on top, but we are obtuse to such gentle hints & gained access to the bread & studied very innocently after then 'doin nothin'.

I will enclose express money order for twenty five dollars. I do not think it is at all healthy to sleep in an alcove even if the curtains be drawn back, but if the curtains be left in front it's exceedingly unhealthy. I want to advise you to draw the bed out at night to get the full benefit of the air in the room. Will explain in more detail when I see you.

The exhibition opens today on the first floor of the Dana Porter Library, and continues until the end of October.

Six profs send help to Cuba -- by Barbara Elve

"I know you've got a temper and a bit of a reputation as a bully and for sucking up and kicking down," the Princess Warrior told Alberta premier Ralph Klein in one episode. Members of the award-winning Canadian satirical TV news show have confronted other public figures, including the prime minister. For the Cuban students, "it's an eye opener," says UW Canadian studies director and economics professor Bob Needham. "They're utterly amazed at such criticism of government officials."

Students at the Universidad de Oriente in Santiago de Cuba are viewing the "22 Minutes" videos thanks to an "informal voluntary collaboration" with six faculty members at UW. As part of the program, Waterloo professors are providing the fledgling Canadian studies program with not only videos about Canada, but maps, texts, travel literature, magazines and office supplies.

The initiative was launched by the late Reg Friesen, through his links with the chemistry department at the Cuban school. Other UW faculty who have contributed by donating teaching time in Cuba or other resources include Wendy Mitchinson (history), Judith Miller (English), Richard Helmes-Hayes (sociology), Don MacKay (fine arts), and Jack Kersell (political science). Costs have been borne by the participants, with funding from the federal government and from the UW faculty of arts, the vice-president (academic) and Renison College. Although most of the benefits flow south, Needham believes the outreach program contributes to the positive perception of Canada in the world, as well as "getting Cuba back into the world economy and the community of nations.

"Cuba has been trying desperately to overcome the results of Russia being involved" in that country through the development of the tourism industry, he added. Graduates of the English language and Canadian studies programs at the Universidad de Oriente can contribute as candidates for jobs in tourism.

As for the allegations of human rights abuses in Cuba that have made headlines recently, Needham contends, "Cuba can be criticized, just as Canada can. Cuba is going to have to change, no doubt about it, if it is going to be part of the world community. Efforts to change the situation have to go on at many different levels." While the Canadian government applies pressure to end human rights violations, "we can make a contribution by showing Cubans about life in Canada. We're taking a view of Canada abroad, a view that's very positive."

Notes as the fall term gets going

UW president David Johnston will host a reception at 10:00 this morning to install a plaque in the Davis Centre and mark the completion of a $2.7 million project funded under the Canada/Ontario Infrastructure Works program. Says an announcement: "The work involved laboratory renewal projects to provide modern facilities for teaching and research, and utility renovations for improved air quality and reduced energy consumption." Speaking at the event in the Davis Centre "fishbowl" will be Elizabeth Witmer, Ontario minister of health and long-term care and MPP for Kitchener-Waterloo, and Andrew Telegdi, MP for Kitchener-Waterloo.

The executive committee of the UW senate will meet at 3:30 this afternoon in Needles Hall room 3004. On the agenda: business for the September 20 meeting of senate itself.

The key control office, usually open mornings and afternoons but not noontimes, will have extended hours from now through September 30 -- it's open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

An information meeting about the Weight Watchers At Work program will happen today at 12 noon in Math and Computer room 5136. Brenda Sokolowski at ext. 2433 can provide more information.

The information systems and technology department is offering eleven short computing courses in September to UW faculty, staff and students:

• IST Services
• Using Microsoft Word to Create a Resume
• Creating Equations in Microsoft Word
• Using Eudora for Electronic Mail
• Introduction to Systat
• Creating a Web Page Using HTML
• Introduction to JavaScript
• Using Flash to Create Animated Web Pages
• Using WebBoard for Class Discussions
• TUG Data Resources Web Retrieval
• Mathematical Computations Using Mathcad

CAR

Editor of the Daily Bulletin: Chris Redmond
Information and Public Affairs, University of Waterloo
credmond@uwaterloo.ca | (519) 888-4567 ext. 3004
| Friday's Bulletin
Copyright © 1999 University of Waterloo