[University of Waterloo]
DAILY BULLETIN

Yesterday

Past days

Search

About the DB

Friday, September 24, 2004

  • New leaders for Keystone Campaign
  • Honorary degrees at fall convocation
  • Professional development courses listed
  • And a whole lot of other things
Editor:
Chris Redmond
credmond@uwaterloo.ca

Yom Kippur begins at sundown


[Three smiles]

Keystone co-chairs: Lithgow, Banks, Armitage

New leaders for Keystone Campaign

Two newly-appointed co-chairs will be helping to lead the next stages of the Keystone Campaign, the segment of Campaign Waterloo that's seeking to raise $4.5 million from staff, faculty and retirees by 2007.

And the goal is in sight: Bonnie Oberle, manager of the campaign, said this week that gifts and pledges to Keystone have now passed $4 million, or 92 per cent of the target. "A special thanks," says Oberle, "to the more than 1,500 donors, approximately 200 volunteers, and more than 60 sponsors who have made this tremendous progress possible."

Highlight of the Keystone year is the mid-summer social event -- this year held June 9 at Federation Hall. The campaign's profile is raised again near the end of the calendar year when a reminder is sent out in time for faculty and staff to make a donation and get a timely tax break.

Oberle announced that Katherine Lithgow and Robin Banks are becoming co-chairs of Keystone, representing staff and retirees, "for the duration of the campaign, ending in 2007". They join accounting professor Howard Armitage, who continues as the faculty co-chair.

Banks is retired as a faculty member in psychology and long-time dean of UW's arts faculty. He takes over as Keystone co-chair from Jim Kalbfleisch, former statistics professor and provost of the university 1993-2000.

Lithgow is a staff member whose duties are split between the continuing education office and the Centre for Learning and Teaching Through Technology. She is the widow of Ian Lithgow, who did much of the preparatory work for Campaign Waterloo as UW's vice-president (university relations) from 1997 to 2000.

She's taking over from Shirley Thomson, assistant to the dean of science, as the staff co-chair for Keystone. Oberle added "very special thanks" to Thomson and Kalbfleisch: "Their leadership added tremendously to the campaign's progress to date."

She also noted that the names of the nine September winners in the monthly Keystone donor draw have now been posted on the campaign's web site.

[A little snug, but big grin]

The jacket still fits after 30 years, as Dave Richardson, a 1974 civil engineering graduate, demonstrated at the engineering alumni reunion held earlier this month. He was MC at a dinner for a total of 170 grads from 1964, 1969 and 1974, held at the Four Points Sheraton.

Honorary degrees at fall convocation -- from the UW media relations office

A leading expert in ergonomics, which is all about making work healthy, is among the three honorary degree recipients at the University of Waterloo's fall convocation to be held Saturday, October 23.

William Marras, Honda Chair in Ergonomics at the Ohio State University, will be presented with a Doctor of Science (DSc) degree. He will receive his award and address the ceremony for graduates in applied health sciences and arts, beginning at 10 a.m. in UW's Physical Activities Complex.

Marras, whose work links design with the causes and prevention of work-related low back injuries, has found that certain types of people are more apt to incur injuries than others, even though they are performing identical tasks. His research has led to safer workplaces and improved the health of workers.

At the convocation ceremony for graduates in engineering, environmental studies, independent studies, mathematics and science, beginning at 2 p.m., Ross Prentice, one of the top contributors to statistical methodology and practice in public health sciences, will receive a Doctor of Mathematics (DMath) degree and address the graduates.

Prentice, a UW mathematics graduate, has served at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre and the Department of Biostatistics at University of Washington since 1974. He has authored more than 200 scientific papers, including several with UW faculty members.

[Fahidy] Also at the afternoon ceremony, Brian Tighe, who has made major contributions to the area of contact lens materials and dry-eye team film analysis, will receive a Doctor of Science (DSc) degree. An expert in polymer science, Tighe is Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Aston University in Birmingham, England and Director of the Aston Biomaterials Research Unit. Since 1971, his research work has developed new contact lens materials and provided the industry with advice to explain the signs and symptoms observed during their use.

At the afternoon ceremony, UW will present the "Distinguished Professor Emeritus" title to Tom Fahidy (left), who joined the university in 1965 as a faculty member in the Department of Chemical Engineering and who published a widely quoted textbook on electrochemical engineering, among many other research accomplishments.

Professional development courses listed

"Professional development in a fast-paced world is the aim of the latest University of Waterloo continuing education courses," says a release from UW's media relations office.

The public can sign up for offerings such as Project Management Applied Tools and Techniques, Art of Influencing Difficult People, Accounting Fundamentals for Non-Financial Manager, Juggling Multiple Projects, Training Effectiveness, Fundamentals of Public Relations, and Writing for Public Relations and Marketing.

"Education @ the Speed of Life" is the new tag line for the continuing education courses, said Dean Perkins, program coordinator. "It reflects our focus on providing formal learning that fits the busy schedule most of us experience daily. We offer professional development courses to assist people in their career development."

Students can choose from 18 classroom and more than 70 online courses, the news release says. Among the online courses are Fundamentals of Supervision and Management, Conquer Your Stress, Project Management Fundamentals, Effective Business Writing, Write Like a Pro and Achieving Success with Difficult People.

[Pick]

A retirement party will be held October 1 for Roy Pick (left), long-time professor in mechanical engineering, who officially retired July 1. A specialist in applied mechanics, whose research included work on pipeline fractures, he had been on the UW faculty since 1968. Next Friday's celebration includes a reception at 3 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 at the University Club. Priya Mehta (ext. 3343) has dinner tickets and can provide more information.

And a whole lot of other things

Training is under way today for volunteers across campus who will operate the United Way campaign during October. The university's campaign is part of the broader United Way of Kitchener-Waterloo, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich, which is seeking to raise $5.3 million for local charities and social agencies. Organizers hope $165,000 of that will come from UW faculty, staff, retirees and students -- through direct donations and, as in the past, a myriad of special events. A complicated e-mail bingo program, with 60 per cent of the proceeds going to the United Way, is getting rolling in the faculty of engineering (e-mail kldubois@engmail for details).

Users of Bookit -- UW's new software for scheduling meetings -- need to know about a change that's coming on Monday. "This applies," says Carol Vogt of information systems and technology, "to the desktop client, the web client, Outlook Connector and the Palm Synchronization tools. You will no longer use your Bookit password, but must instead use your UWdir password. (This is the password that you use for logging into Quest, myHRinfo, and that many of you use for logging into your work-station or email). Therefore, when you log into Bookit on the morning of Tuesday, September 28, you must remember to enter your UWdir password, if it is different from the one you set for Bookit." Some users, particularly those who get at Bookit through the web, will have the password stored in their systems and will have to change it -- details of how to do that are available online. Says Vogt: "Why are we doing this? When a Bookit account is created, a default password is set, and that password is the same as the userid. Some people are not changing this password, resulting in a security hole. Most people are changing the password, but there is nothing on Bookit to enforce password rules, so some people may be setting insecure passwords. After the UWdir password change goes into effect, the ability to change passwords in Bookit will disappear. (UWdir passwords can be changed.)"

WHEN AND WHERE
Ontario Universities Fair, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, today 9 to 7, Saturday 9 to 6, Sunday 10 to 5, more information online.

Career workshops: "Letter Writing" 2:30, "Resumé Writing" 3:30 today; "Thinking About Med School", 6 p.m. Saturday, Tatham Centre room 2218; details online.

Centre for International Governance Innovation panel, "The Responsibility to Protect: Protecting the Innocent or Promoting Self-Interest?" 3 p.m., CIGI, 57 Erb Street West.

Renison College Alumni Council, first annual general meeting, 5:30 at Renison.

UW Recreation Committee events: Kitchener Rangers hockey game tonight, Grand River luncheon cruise Sunday, details online.

Destined for Greatness student leadership training announced for this Saturday postponed, will be held later in the year.

Sundance Pow Wow, first annual Aboriginal event, all welcome, Saturday noon to 5, St. Paul's United College, $5 at the door.

Programming contest, in preparation for this year's ACM competition, Saturday 1 p.m., details online.

High Tech Battle of the Bands with bands from six local companies, Saturday night at Federation Hall, doors open 7:30, advance tickets $10, students $5, sponsored by 2Do.

Downey Tennisfest (11th annual event), Sunday, Waterloo Tennis Club, information ext. 4074.

All Access Club Night Sunday, Federation Hall, all ages welcome.

Student accommodation study public meeting, Waterloo City Hall, Monday 7 p.m.; report is available online.

[Green] The kinesiology department is hosting a symposium today in honour of faculty member Howie Green (right), who is retiring. Its title: "Adaptive Response Strategies to Perturbations in ATP Homeostatis in Muscle". Keynote speaker for the event (being held in Davis Centre room 1302) is Dirk Pette of Germany's University of Konstanz, who will speak at 1:15. A number of the day's other speakers are Green's former PhD students.

"Planning students are not like ordinary university students," says an announcement of something both solemn and interesting, "and the School of Planning is not like all other university programs. Ours is a Professional School that educates people to become full members of the Planning Profession, after which they may use the letters RPP (Registered Professional Planners). . . . To celebrate and mark the occasion of beginning this educational experience," first-year students and their parents have been invited to a "Ceremony of Induction" on Saturday. The day includes ceremonies at 11:30 in the Theatre of the Arts; lunch in Environmental Studies I; and lectures and demonstrations from 1:30 to 3:30. The special day "is made possible", the announcement adds, "through the generous support of one of Canada's leading Planning firms, MacNaughton, Hermsen, Britton, Clarkson."

The sixth annual "WSANet International Opportunities Fair" will be held Monday in the great hall of the Student Life Centre. "This event is held in conjunction with other Work/Study Abroad Network (WSANet) Fairs at other universities in Southern Ontario," says Maria Lango of UW's international programs office. "There are 40 educational agencies participating, representing institutions from the Australia, United States, Europe and Canada. Several interesting possibilities exist for Canadians/UW students to become involved in international volunteer/work and study abroad programs. In addition to study abroad opportunities, UW currently offers 105 international student exchange programs throughout the world."

Hsiao-Chien Lin of the UW Debate Society writes that the group "is holding its first major event of the term this weekend: Novice Training Day will take place in CEIT 1015 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. It will be run by Michael Currie and will feature seminars and guest lectures by seasoned debaters. This is an inter-University event, so the opportunity exists to meet debaters from all over Ontario. It's true that you can learn everything you need to know about debating by debating, but this workshop will be the equivalent to the knowledge and experience you would gain from doing ten debates -- if you're a beginner or have never debated before, this is solid gold. Furthermore, a debater's oratorical and critical thinking skills are invaluable in a number of situations: job interviews, presentations, asking for a loan, etc. So if you're a novice with some interest in debating, come out to see what the UW Debate Society has to offer, and hopefully learn a thing or two about how to present an argument convincingly."

Sports this weekend

Women's hockey vs. Mississauga, exhibition, 7:30 tonight, Icefield, and Sunday at Brock. Women's rugby vs. Queen's, Saturday 1 p.m., Columbia Field. Men's volleyball vs. Team Canada Masters, exhibition, 8:00 tonight, PAC. field hockey on Sunday, two games at University Stadium, noon (McGill) and 5 p.m. (Toronto).

Baseball: double-header at Brock tomorrow; double-header Sunday vs. Laurier, 1 and 3 p.m., Jack Couch Park, Kitchener. The Warriors have a good chance at the OUA playoffs next weekend if they win at least two of this week's four games.

[Arnald in singlet] Women's volleyball over the weekend at University of Maine. Women's tennis at York Tournament; men's tennis at Toronto crossover tournament. Cross-country at Western Open tomorrow. (Scott Arnald (right) was UW's male Athlete of the Week this week for his performance with the cross-country team last weekend: first university finisher in the 8-km race at the Don Mills Invitational, held at UW.) Football at Queen's tomorrow. Women's soccer at Ottawa tomorrow, at Carleton Sunday. Men's soccer at Carleton on Sunday. Men's rugby at McMaster on Sunday.

I'd like to remind people that in addition to the Daily Bulletin, an important way of publicizing events on campus is the UWevents web site. Like the Daily Bulletin, it's operated by the office of communications and public affairs. Organizers can input their own event information through a form on the web site, and generally it'll appear for the world to see within a few hours. The events calendar can be displayed in various formats, and goes far into the future -- skimming it I learn, for instance, that the drama department is doing a production of "The Tempest" in mid-November.

And among the coming events on campus is this year's edition of the annual Tourism Lecture Series, drawing on experts from the environmental studies faculty and the department of recreation and leisure studies, as well as people from farther afield. The series begins this morning (9:30, PAS room 1229) with a talk by Jennifer Lynes of ES, on "The Environmental Commitment of Scandinavian Airlines" (looks as though I managed to announce the wrong title yesterday). Subsequent Friday lectures will be about Aboriginal tourism, parks marketing, and "food, place names and tourism destinations", among other topics. Everyone is welcome.

The second annual WatITis conference, for computer support staff across campus, is scheduled for December 7. . . . Wilfrid Laurier University students and friends will try to "set a world record for the largest simultaneous whoopee cushion sit" during halftime at tomorrow's Homecoming football game, Laurier vs. McMaster. . . . The "In Town Without a Car" week of special activities, sponsored by the Waterloo Public Interest Research Group, is continuing. . . . Hard to believe in the last week of September, but there's a smog advisory for Waterloo Region today. . . .

CAR


Communications and Public Affairs, University of Waterloo
200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1
(519) 888-4567 ext. 3004
bulletin.uwaterloo.ca | Yesterday's Daily Bulletin
Copyright © 2004 University of Waterloo