![[University of Waterloo]](/goldbar.gif)
| Yesterday |
Tuesday, February 11, 2003
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Editor: Chris Redmond credmond@uwaterloo.ca |
| Today was supposed to be the last day of regular interviews for spring term co-op jobs, but . . . "Employer interviews that were to end on February 11 have now been extended by one day until Wednesday, February 12," Naese writes from the co-op and career services department. "This was done to accommodate employers who had to postpone their interviews from earlier dates or who simply could not make it here before February 11." |
"As this venture moves ahead in carefully administered steps, CECS.online project managers have determined that a beta test should be conducted using a small, independent group of co-op students before releasing it for use by greater numbers."
So CECS.online will be introduced, "sometime in May", in the two programs that are already administered separately from the rest of co-op, with different deadlines and a pretty much self-contained set of employers and jobs. Says Naese: "The risk associated with the roll out of a new, custom-developed, but unique and complex, product is high, and CECS.online project team wants to ensure that the chance of complications is kept at an absolute minimum."
In the meantime, he added in a memo, the CECS.online project team "is investigating the possibility of making available pieces of CECS.online to students prior to a full activation. At the moment this means that students could begin using the resumé building component in August 2003. The following stream of students should experience a fuller implementation in the fall of 2003."
More information about the CECS.online project is available on the co-op department's web site.
A "Procurement Bulletin" circulated at the end of last week notes that "The travel industry is in a constant state of change. . . . Periodically, it is important to test market competitiveness not just for the products the University purchases, but also the services that we contract for.
"We have recently formed an evaluation committee who will weigh and s measure bids received in response to our pending Request for Proposal (RFP) for travel agency services.
"Thomas Cook Ltd. has been our long standing travel agency and their recent departure from the campus is not related to the pending RFP process. Until the committee has completed its work, and perhaps long after, Thomas Cook Ltd. remains our agency of choice and the direct billing arrangement with Finance will continue.
"Any comments or suggestions for the evaluation committee are welcome." Members of the committee looking at the bids will be Judi Carter of applied health sciences; Judie Lankowski of information systems and technology; Tony Munro of co-op education and career services; Ingrid Schugardt of athletics; and Cook himself.
The memo also has these points:
"Our colleges have demonstrated their ability to deliver new high quality programs that prepare students for highly skilled jobs in today’s economy,” said Cunningham. “By allowing more choice among colleges, we are helping them build on their success and respond to employers’ needs for advanced training.”
As part of their planned diversification, three of the colleges will be known as Institutes of Technology and Advanced Learning (ITALs) and will offer more applied degrees as part of this programming mix than other colleges. Their names will be:
“To be globally competitive, Ontario needs to constantly reassess the educational choices we provide to our students,” said Cunningham. “In announcing differentiation for four colleges today, we are building on the strength of our college system. All colleges of applied arts and technology, including ITALs and Georgian College, will continue to be key players in the government’s strategy for skills and learning."
| Conestoga's own news release |
The government has approved these approaches to provide more choices and anticipates that other colleges may respond in the future with approaches that make sense for those colleges and their communities.
The approval for increased specialization at colleges follows a highly successful pilot program in 2002 where Cunningham approved 34 applied degree programs at 18 colleges to offer students a wider range of choices for postsecondary education.
Women Warriors mark first victoryThe Warrior women's hockey team recorded its first-ever league win on the weekend, defeating the Brock Badgers 6-3 on Saturday night in St. Catharines. Says Chris Gilbert of the athletics department: "After a great week of intense practice, the Warriors entered Badger territory ready to enter the win column." The Warriors came out strong in the first period, and strong goaltending by Bethany Stuart and excellent team play resulted in Julie Schmalz scoring her first goal of the game at 12:37 to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead at the intermission.After a second-period goal by Sarah McNaught, Brock scored twice to tie the game -- but then the third period was all Warriors. "They managed to take the lead and force the play continually with strong fore checking and great teamwork," Gilbert reports. Two goals by Stacey Grigiel and one by Julie Schmalz forced Brock to pull their goalie with 1:27 left in the game, resulting in an empty net goal by Nicole Jones to round out the scoring. The Warriors, who are definitely in a "building" year in the first season of play, will face the division leaders, Laurier's Golden Hawks, Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Columbia Icefield. |
Voting continues today, both online and at polling booths, in the Federation of Students election. . . . The senate research council and graduate council will hold a joint meeting today, at 9:30 a.m. in Needles Hall room 3001. . . . The undergraduate council meets at 12 noon in Needles Hall room 3004, with an agenda that includes UW admission requirements for 2004. . . .
Three top UW officials -- president David Johnston, provost Amit Chakma, and university secretary Lois Claxton -- will make a trip to Toronto today to attend a board of governors meeting at the Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences. The agenda: discussion of possible closer links between Michener and UW, as first proposed last fall. There are already two joint degree-diploma programs involving UW and Michener, which offers specialized training in various health professions.
Down the road, Wilfrid Laurier University is holding "the university's annual meeting" at 11:30 in the Paul Martin Centre.
The credit union presents a session on "Personal Tax Strategies" at 12:15 in Davis Centre room 1304. . . . Richard Schabas, chief of staff at York Central Hospital, speaks at 12:30 in the Clarica Auditorium (Lyle Hallman Institute, Matthews Hall) about "GI Cancers: Opportunities for Preventive Oncology". . . . The arts faculty council will meet at 3:30 in Humanities room 373. . . .
"Caring for Babies" is the topic, as the "Women's Health Series for Newcomers to Canada" continues (1 p.m. at the community centre in UW Place).
The Graduate Student Association council will meet at 6 p.m. in Needles Hall room 3001.
Coming tomorrow is a special session from the LT3 technology centre on "Designing Innovative Learning Spaces":
This special LT3 event looks at how new learning spaces should be constructed and it also investigates how existing learning spaces should be remodelled for the highest quality student learning experiences. Mark Valenti, principal of the Sextant Group, will be a special guest speaker at this event. Mark has been involved in a number of innovative learning space projects at major U.S. universities including Carnegie Mellon, Western Kentucky, Ohio State and Penn State Universities. Time for discussion will be included. For more information on this event, please contact Tracy Penny Light at tracy@LT3 or call ext. 3899.It all starts at 9 a.m. in the Flex Lab in the Dana Porter Library. Participants should register online.
Also tomorrow:
CAR