![[University of Waterloo]](/goldbar.gif)
| Yesterday |
Friday, May 2, 2003
|
Editor: Chris Redmond credmond@uwaterloo.ca |
As of the end of last week, says director of admissions Peter Burroughs, UW had sent out 7,100 offers, which is twice as many as had been mailed by the same date a year ago. "All faculties have made a considerably larger number of early offers this year," he writes.
"The Admission Committees have also set relatively high admission average ranges for these early offers with the goal of admitting applicants who are clearly very well-qualified for admission. These averages could be slightly lower as the Admission Committees begin to evaluate OSS applicants for the final round of offers later in May."
So far, students who are getting offers are those with high school marks in the 90-95 range for mathematics, 88-97 for engineering, about 90 for software engineering, 85-90 for science, 78-90 for applied health sciences, 77-95 for arts and 75-85 for environmental studies, Burroughs indicates in a table attached to his memo.
UW is aiming to take in 5,142 new first-year students this fall -- 432 in AHS, 1,307 in arts, 979 in engineering, 402 in ES, 5 in independent studies, 1,140 in math, 775 in science and 102 in software engineering. Another 100 first-year students will come into math in January 2004.
"For the most part," says Burroughs, "the early decisions were based on a mix of final and/or interim grades. . . . The final round of decisions in late May will include the results of second semester mid-term grades."
Allan Rock, minister of industry and minister responsible for the SSHRC, used a news release to explain the basis for grants in such fields of study: "Whatever the issue -- health, language, work, trade, ethics, biodiversity, terrorism -- social science and humanities research is fundamental to our ability to understand the world around us, and to make informed decisions as individuals and as a society. Today's investment will ensure that we continue to generate the ideas Canada needs to advance."
Researchers at more than 60 universities across Canada were awarded $73 million in funding through national peer-review competitions. They will draw on the talents of hundreds of students to carry out 835 research projects.
At UW, the following faculty members (and co-investigators) received Standard Research Grants, totalling $794,986:
And Enns, himself renowned as a composer, says he's giving audiences a rest from his own work: "This is a totally Enns-free concert."
But it'll include the work of alleged classical composer P. D. Q. Bach, as well as "Shakespeare with jazz piano" and "a special guest appearance by The Eclectics". Compositions of a more conventional kind are also on the program, from Benjamin Britten ("Five Flower Songs") to British Columbia's Stephen Chatman.
More than a few of the choir's members have UW connections, and have come up through the Grebel chapel choir -- which Enns also directs -- and other ensembles based in the music department at Grebel. Most of its music is sung a cappella (without accompaniment), so the jazz piano is a particular novelty. "Perfectly tuned and balanced chords seemed to spring instantly from silence, bringing songs to full flight without the usual uncertainties that hamper less confident and capable groups," said a review in the Waterloo Chronicle last year.
Tomorrow night's concert -- "A Spring Bouquet: Music to Lift Your Spirits" -- starts at 8 p.m. at the Church of St. John the Evangelist in downtown Kitchener. Admission is $15, students $10.
The Showtime Dance Competition will be held Saturday and Sunday in the Humanities Theatre. . . . Electrical power will be shut off in Biology II from 7:00 to 11:00 Saturday morning. . . . Coaches, trainers and young players will be in the Ron Eydt Village conference centre over the weekend for several clinics sponsored by the Ontario Hockey Association. . . .
Off campus: A "planting extravaganza", a head start on planting 10,000 new trees in Waterloo this year, begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday. The starting point is the city service centre at 265 Lexington Court. Information: 886-9939.
The K-W Gem and Mineral Club will hold its annual show and swap Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Waterloo Community Arts Centre, 25 Regina Street South. Admission is free.
Participants in the annual Ontario Youth Orchestra Festival, who are staying in the Ron Eydt Village conference centre for the weekend, will give their big concert Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Centre in the Square.
On Monday: The spring term begins, and the campus, quiet for the past few days, will be hopping once more. I don't have information about beginning-of-term Clubs Days yet, but I do know that registration for campus recreation classes is scheduled for Wednesday, May 14.
The big event Monday afternoon will be the official opening (and naming) of the Co-op Education and Career Services building, starting at 2:00, in the lobby of the new, landmark building. "There will be speeches by dignitaries," says Olaf Naese of the CECS department, "unveiling of donor recognition plaques, an announcement with the name of the new building, a ribbon cutting, and self-guided tours of the building. Light refreshments will be served." Everyone is invited.
And Monday brings a one-day workshop on "Achieving Our Goals for Urban Woodlands", sponsored by the school of planning and held at Ron Eydt Village.
CAR