![[University of Waterloo]](/goldbar.gif)
| Friday |
Monday, February 25, 2002
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Editor: Chris Redmond credmond@uwaterloo.ca |
An arbitrator, working under the grievance procedure in the Memorandum of Agreement between UW and the faculty association, ruled in favour of the faculty member. The faculty association is pleased with the outcome: "The case has confirmed that the University has a contract with the professoriate," says a report from the association's academic freedom and tenure committee, published in the latest issue of the Forum newsletter.
The professor involved in the grievance had returned to part-time work at UW following a period of disability leave, and as he approached retirement, late in 1999, was being paid 40 per cent of his salary plus 60 per cent of a disability benefit. The difficulty was that these sources of income would end at two different times:
But the disability payments stopped right after his birthday. With the support of the Canadian Association of University Teachers, the professor filed a grievance, arguing that "the refusal of the University to ensure continuation of the benefit portion of his compensation contravened Article 7 of the Memorandum of Agreement in that it failed to treat him equally in his continued employment and discriminated against him in respect to benefits and salary by reason of age or physical disability."
The arbitrator has ruled that the professor is correct: "the action of the University in refusing to extend the grievor's LTD benefits constituted discrimination. . . . The University is directed to compensate the grievor in respect of losses suffered."
The initiative, led by mechanical engineering professor Jan Paul Huissoon, involves Kuntz Electroplating Inc., of Kitchener, which donated precision robotic calibration equipment valued at $300,000, and Materials and Manufacturing Ontario, one of the four Ontario Centres of Excellence supported by the ministry of energy, science and technology, which provided $200,000.
![[At the podium]](/images/2002/0225kuntz.gif)
"Supporting excellence in university research and making connections
between that research and the needs of Ontario industry is what MMO
is all about," said Geoff Clarke, president and chief executive
officer of MMO, in Friday's
ceremonies (left). "Professor Jan Huissoon, a veteran MMO-funded
researcher, has an excellent track record of delivering results to
industry."
"This particular project is going to help us to optimize the use of the polishing media on the robots," said Paul Kuntz, president of Kuntz Electroplating, one of North America's largest producers of steel and aluminum wheels, bumpers and other auto parts. Says Kuntz: "My family has always believed in and supported our community, especially healthcare and education. We are very pleased to have the opportunity to do so again."
Huissoon said the research team will investigate and develop state-of-the-art robotic polishing technologies.
Kuntz is a leader in polishing and chrome plating of alloy wheels and other components for the auto industry. To develop and market in-house robotic polishing technologies, a new division, Kuntz Logic Systems Inc., was established in 2001. "The electroplating process is traditionally labour intensive, with extensive preparation of the cast components being required to obtain a high quality plated finish," Huissoon said. "Currently, much of the preparation process is performed manually using die grinders and various abrasives, and while effective, it creates an unpleasant working environment."
For some time now, Kuntz Electroplating has been applying robotic technology in an effort to improve the work environment. "The aim is to not only understand how a robotic system performs, but also to be able to have the system react and compensate for changes dynamically as it performs its task," Huissoon said. "This ability to predict and adjust gives the robot an element of skill, much like an experienced worker."
As well, with an understanding of how a robotic system will react, the use of "offline programming" -- in which robotic programs can be completely defined away from the live system and loaded when needed -- can be explored and implemented. Huissoon said the offline programming technologies will have applications in many areas of robotics, besides polishing and material removal. Working with Fanuc Canada (who provided an M-710i robot and R-J3 controller) and PushCorp Inc. (supplier of the active force control system and polishing spindle), Kuntz Electroplating has donated a precision measurement and calibration system to UW.
The equipment has been installed in UW's robotics laboratory, where graduate and co-op students will do experiments to evaluate automated polishing conditions, as well as develop robot path control strategies for a new generation of robotic polishing technologies.
Special guests will include Karolyn Smardz speaking on the history of the "Underground Railroad" in Canada, Caribbean student Asha Stewart, and local author Adwoa Badoe, who will read selections from her book The Pot of Wisdom and lead an African dance workshop.
Smardz is currently completing her PhD in the history of race and slavery. She is the former director of Toronto's Archaeological Resource Centre and led the excavation of the Thorton and Lucie Blackburn site on the ground of Toronto's historic Sackville Street School in 1985. This dig remains the only archaeological research ever conducted on a Canadian Underground Railroad site.
Fourth-year student Asha Stewart arrived from Trinidad and Tobago in 1998. She is the current president of the Association of Caribbean Students as well as an international student Country Representative. Stewart will be speaking about her first eight months in Canada.
Adwoa Badoe is a Ghanian physician, storyteller and author of several picture books, including Crabs for Dinner and The Queen's New Shoes. She also teaches African dance and has led workshops for school children on African dance, plays and stories.
Jean Herzog, former registrar for Renison College, will dedicate the day's celebrations to the memory of personal friend James T. Harris, former associate professor of social work at Renison. Copies of his monograph Yea, I Have a Goodly Heritage: My Faith, My Life and Racism are currently available in the bookstore.
The postponed Federation of Students election is under way. On-line voting continues, 24 hours a day, until 4:30 p.m. on Friday, and there will be polling stations in nine campus locations during the day Tuesday through Friday.
Many co-op students will get the job news today, as match results for the initial interview phase will be posted in Needles Hall and electronically. Listings of students who were not matched should be up by noon, and information for students who were matched (including the time for a coordinator meeting to do the paperwork) will be up by 3:00, the co-op department says. And check the bulletin boards for information about meetings and the continuous interview process for students who are still looking for spring term jobs.
Friday's Bulletin reported on a PhD oral planned for next week that will connect the student and two of her examiners (in British Columbia) with the rest of the panel (in Waterloo) through videoconferencing. I said it was a first, but I wasn't exactly right, according to Pat Aplevich in UW's French department, who reports that "We've had oral exams by videoconference at least as far back as 1994 or 1995, when the facilities were first installed. If I recall correctly, the first occasion was when an external examiner had last-minute travel difficulty, and attended by video. There have been relatively routine similar exams since, with permission of an Associate Dean or the Dean of Graduate Studies." Fortunately, she adds that "I can't recall one where the candidate and part of the committee were attending together, from a distance," so the coming event is still a first to that extent.
The pension and benefits committee is meeting this morning (Needles Hall room 3004, 8:30 to 11:30) to discuss matters that range from investment managers' reports to "Xenical and Dental Implants".
Today's noon-hour speaker at the main branch of the Kitchener Public Library will be Sharon Campbell of UW's Centre for Behavioural Research and Program Evaluation. Topic: "Cancer and Cancer Prevention".
The university senate will meet at 4:30 in Needles Hall room 3001. Agenda items include a report on entrance scholarships, as well as the usual briefings from the president, provost and vice-president (university research) on what's been happening.
Alasdair Roberts of Syracuse University will speak tonight on "Code of Silence: Government Secrecy and Access to Information" (3:30 p.m., Davis Centre room 1304). The talk is sponsored by the political science department and its student association.
Today is the application deadline for this term's Learning Technology Innovation grants -- the LT3 technology centre can provide more information.
Tomorrow brings a talk in the Distinguished Lecturer Series sponsored by the Guelph-Waterloo Centre for Graduate Work in Chemistry. Melissa Franklin of Harvard University is the speaker, at 4 p.m. in room 113 of the University of Guelph's MacNaughton Building. Topic: "Measuring This Particular Elegant Universe: From Top to Bottom".
The registrar's office sends word that undergraduate students expecting to graduate at the spring 2002 convocation must submit a "Notice to the Registrar of Intention to Graduate" form. Forms are available on the web, and hard copy forms are also available from the registrar's office or departmental offices. Spring convocation dates are June 12-15.
Finally, a note from Nancy O'Neil, assistant manager of the Student Life Centre: "I wanted to let you know that I have a box placed outside my office (room 1112A). I am collecting eye glasses for Share the Gift of Sight. If anyone has any questions they can contact me at ext. 6283."
CAR
TODAY IN UW HISTORYFebruary 25, 1984: The basketball Warriors lose to Western 93-88 in triple overtime, but still advance to the preliminary round of the national championships. |