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Grad students can use Quest As of today, graduate students can use the new Quest student system to add or drop courses. Later in August, the graduate studies office says, grads will be able to use Quest to update their mailing addresses and e-mail addresses, view their student accounts, and look at "unofficial grades". To find out more, graduate students and graduate studies administrators are invited to any of a series of presentations about Quest. They'll be held in Davis Centre room 1350, today at 1:30, August 22 at 9 a.m., and September 5 at 9 a.m. Each session lasts about 90 minutes.

Alumni have jobs and pay debts

Some information is still being awaited, says Bob Truman, director of institutional analysis and planning. He said universities across the province will publish full information on their web sites when figures are calculated in a third category -- the percentage of first-year students who go on to finish their degree programs.

For the past couple of years, the Ontario government has required each university to calculate graduation rates, employment rates and loan default rates and make them public. And those figures are used in allocating a share of the money provided to universities by the government each year, the so-called "performance-based funding".

Employment rates are determined through surveys of graduates, asking them whether they had a job six months after graduation and two years after graduation. The figures issued this spring are for 1998 graduates.

The employment rate for UW graduates was 95.8 per cent after six months, and 98.2 per cent after two years. That compares with an Ontario-wide rate of 94.6 per cent after six months and 97.2 per cent after two years.

Grads from math, the sciences, computer science, optometry, architecture, and fine and applied arts all reported 100 per cent employment rates by the time they'd been out of university for two years. The lowest figure was for humanities graduates, with a 96.3 per cent employment rate.

The default rate on student loans -- the percentage of students who owed Ontario Student Loan money and hadn't kept up their payments -- was 7.1 per cent across Ontario universities, and 3.5 per cent for Waterloo graduates. There were no architecture or optometry grads in default. The rate for both engineering and math grads was 1.7 per cent, and for humanities grads 11.1 per cent.

That's Student Life 101 director Becky Faist modelling one of the yellow T-shirts that will mark volunteers for the day. Think you'd look good in yellow? Heather FitzGerald in the student affairs office would like to hear from more would-be volunteers -- phone ext. 6876.

Monday brings immersion for new students

"It's entirely possible we'll have six thousand," says Catharine Scott, associate provost (human resources and student services), looking at preregistrations for Student Life 101, which starts at 9:00 Monday morning. As of Friday, she said, about 2,200 new students had signed up for the day -- "half the freshman class!" -- and they'd put enough parents and siblings to make the total preregistration 5,831.

Just five years ago, the first SL 101 day drew some 350 people.

"It just shows how interested people are," said Scott, "how much students and parents want to be reassured about student life." The emphasis in Monday's programming is on campus life rather than academics. There are tours, displays, and sessions under such titles as "Take the Bridge to Health" and "Making the Transition".

New students can also pick up their WatCards, buy their textbooks, meet people from the faculty they'll be in, and sample Waterloo coffee.

From noon to 2:00 in parking lot R, next to Federation Hall, there will be a barbecue. In previous years, the food has been free. This year, with numbers grown so large, there will be a token charge, and the event is being billed as "Waterloo's famous $2 lunch".

Displays are open for the day inside Fed Hall, and that's where the campus tours start from. Events are scheduled in rooms all over campus, listed in a bright flyer that was mailed to all students who will be entering UW in September.

The highlight of the day is expected to be a "feature presentation" on student life at UW, which runs from 11 a.m to noon in the Physical Activities main gym. Ringmaster for that event is optometry student Matt Iley, in his third year in the role.

Staff positions open this week

"Due to the number of applications received, we regret that we can not respond to external applicants who apply to the vacancies listed below unless an interview is scheduled."

And then comes a list of currently available jobs:

• Special Events/Operations Assistant, Institute for Computer Research, USG 4: High school graduate or equivalent education and experience with proven ability to handle multiple tasks in a busy office environment. Strong computing skills are required with proven experience with both Macintosh and PC environments and demonstrated proficiency with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Filemaker Pro, Web-based programs, Eudora and Synchronize. Must have excellent interpersonal and organizational skills, including the ability to interact in a professional manner with visitors from industry, faculty, staff and students. Proven aptitude for detail and accuracy. Must be able to work independently, manage time effectively, set priorities, and work as part of a team. Demonstrated ability to handle confidential information with discretion. This position is contingent on funding.
• Manager, External Relations and Senior Development Officer (Faculty of Engineering), Office of Development & Alumni Affairs, USG 11/12. Several years of experience and demonstrated results and success in management and in external communications, alumni programs, direct fundraising and volunteer management or closely related experience required. University degree (preferably from UW) or equivalent combination of education and experience required. Proven ability to manage others and to communicate (both written and oral) with a wide range of individuals. Excellent interpersonal, organizational, analytical and research skills. Sound judgment, tact, diplomacy and demonstrated problem solving skills are required as is an understanding of and commitment to higher education's mission. Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work independently and as a team member in a fast-paced, highly computerized and challenging environment. Willingness to travel.
• Research Grants Administrator, Office of Research, USG 6/7. University degree or equivalent education and experience. Extensive administrative experience within a university environment. Strong interpersonal, organizational and analytical skills. Excellent communication skills, both oral and written. Aptitude for accuracy and attention to detail is essential. Proven ability to work independently and as part of a team with the capacity to work under pressure from competing deadlines and priorities. Broad knowledge of University policies and procedures relating to research grants management. Experience in the use of word processing and spreadsheet packages and web and database searching techniques. Prior exposure to legal agreements and/or health research related activity an asset.

"The university welcomes and encourages applications from the designated employment equity groups: visible minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and aboriginal people." More information: phone ext. 2524.

A little more of this and that

For some students, spring term exams (which wind up this week) mean the end of an undergraduate career. Finished that degree at last? The registrar's office advises that undergraduates who expect to graduate at fall convocation on October 20 should fill out an intention to graduate form "as soon as possible".

With first-year university classes for next month just about filled up, the Ontario Universities Application Centre is reporting that it's processed applications from a total of 23,352 Ontario high school students -- an increase of 2.4 per cent from last year's figure. UW received a total of 2,327 first-choice applications, up by 9.9 per cent from the figure a year ago. OUAC has also had applications from 7,185 "non-secondary" students (including those from other provinces), a number that's up by 9.5 per cent from last year; UW's non-secondary applications are down 0.9 per cent.

The library sends word that its Trellis computer system will be out of operation from 6 p.m. tomorrow until Monday morning, August 13, for a software upgrade. "During the upgrade," a memo says, "a backup web version of Trellis will be available."

UW-crested backpacks (right) are on sale at the UW Shop (in South Campus Hall) for $15.99 and $20.99 "while quantities last" as a back-to-school special.

But don't hope to pick up your backpack tomorrow morning. Staff in the retail services department will hold their annual general meeting then, so all their stores will be closed, opening for the day at 1 p.m. That means the UW Shop, the bookstore, and Techworx in South Campus Hall, Techworx in the Student Life Centre, and the computer store in the Math and Computer building. (But the Bookends coffee shop, just inside the bookstore, will be open for business tomorrow morning as usual.)

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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