![[University of Waterloo]](/images/logobars/goldbar.gif)
| Yesterday |
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
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Editor: Chris Redmond credmond@uwaterloo.ca |
'Come on, everybody, count with us,' a cheerleader shouted, and the
numbers went past $260 million. Photo by Barbara Elve.
![[Megaphone, lusty voices, VIPs on the stage]](/images/2005/0615megaphone3.jpg)
"Let's just keep going!" said campaign chair Bob Harding. "We still have some unfinished business," donors who want to support UW and projects that still need funding. And with the help of UW's cheerleaders, he and president David Johnston announced a new goal: $350 million in gifts to Waterloo by the time UW reaches its 50th birthday in July 2007.
"We take great pride in our tremendous accomplishment," Harding told several hundred people in the great hall, many of them holding black and gold pom-poms to add to the Waterloo spirit. He thanked "42,000 organizations and individuals" who have already supported the campaign. He also made a point of recognizing vice-president (external relations) Laura Talbot-Allan, Campaign Waterloo director Linda Kieswetter, and the staff who support them: "It's really their work that's got us here."
The rain . . . and the lakeThe heat wave is over, the smog alert has been cancelled, and so much rain fell in last night's storm that there are even a few puddles in Columbia Lake, drained for landscaping work. Frank Seglenieks of the UW weather station says 29.6 millimetres of rain fell on the north campus last night -- "more than all of May". As for the lake dredging, things have been "going well thanks to generally dry conditions", Tom Galloway of plant operations said before the deluge. "Once the contractor switches from the west side of the lake to the west side, the walking trail on the east side of Laurel Creek, from Bearinger Road to the South Service Road extension, will be closed for a month or so."Elsewhere on the north campusGalloway also warns that contractors are starting to install a sewer along the Bauer Road, which runs up the east side of the north campus. "This means that both pedestrians and vehicles coming or going to the Bauer Warehouse or Bearinger Road will be rerouted down the roughed in portion of Wes Graham Way that goes to the Great Circle on Hagey Boulevard. It should take less than two weeks. In general, work for the final servicing phase of the R&T Park is on schedule. Most underground work is completed and most roads are roughed in, including both connections to Bearinger. A third storm pond is under construction on the golf course property and the two existing ponds are getting their ultimate configuration. Most work should be completed in September."'Front desk security' trainingA noontime session on "front desk security" is offered for staff members on June 23 (12:00, Davis Centre room 1304). Neil Murray of the human resources department says the session "is designed for staff who work in the reception areas of their departments and are physically isolated from the rest of their department. The session will feature a discussion by Sgt. Alan Binns of UW Police, regarding what you can do to make your physical surroundings more secure, and Dr. Tom Ruttan, Director of Counselling Services, who will provide information on how to recognize people in distress." All interested staff are welcome -- no need to register. |
"Thank you" was the phrase of the day. "We thank you," said Lawrence Lam, a vice-president of the Federation of Students, acknowledging what donors have done for the quality of education and student life at UW. "I just want to thank everybody," echoed Michael Makahnouk, president of the Graduate Student Association. "Thank you for all your support," said Mike Lazaridis, UW's chancellor and the single biggest donor to the campaign, who drew prolonged applause when he was introduced. "Thank you," said Johnston to Lazaridis.
"UW is our Waterloo, and it's what we make it," said Kathy Lithgow of the distance education office and LT3, the staff co-chair of the campaign's on-campus Keystone wing. "We truly are changing the world here at Waterloo," said Johnston. "There's something amazing that's happening here," Lazaridis told the audience.
And Michael Higgins, president of St. Jerome's University, who is not famous for understatement, described change and enrichment "cascading, almost uncontrollably, across the landscape" as a result of $260 million in support from alumni, friends, foundations and companies. Donors had been invited to attend the afternoon event, and an invited group of them celebrated along with some of UW's leaders at a "gala dinner" at Johnston's farm last night.
The generosity of donors was key, with 181 donors contributing gifts of $100,000 or more, including 37 donors who have given gifts of $1 million or more. To date, more than 42,000 donors have contributed to the campaign and 65 per cent of these are alumni.
"We are elated by all of the magnificent support," says president David Johnston. "On behalf of the entire university and our campaign leadership, I extend my heartfelt thanks to our donors, volunteers, alumni, students, staff, faculty, retirees and friends for their overwhelming generosity. . . . Together we are making history, at Waterloo, in Canada and around the world."
And it's not over yet. Compelling needs and new opportunities are emerging as a result of the creation of the Institute for Quantum Computing, the Nanotechnology program, the School of Pharmacy, the Health Sciences Campus and the School of Architecture; and donor and community support and interest in these initiatives and others have encouraged campaign leaders to push on. "We have determined we can raise an additional $90 million. As we move ahead, we will focus on enhancing graduate studies, building capacity for leading-edge research and providing a learning environment that is second to none," says Bob Harding, Chair of Campaign Waterloo.
The campaign has already helped to transform the campus, with 23 buildings affected by new construction, additions or renovations. It has also built the endowment for student scholarships, chairs and professorships by more than $74.5 million. The impact is being felt far and wide as contributions from all sources, both private donations and related public support and matching funds, have resulted in an almost $500-million investment in UW's future.
| POSITIONS AVAILABLE |
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On this week's list from the human resources department:
Longer descriptions are available on the HR web site. |
"Our goal of building a talent trust is becoming a reality. Today we celebrate a milestone that would have been impossible without the hard work, dedication and commitment of our talented campaign team," he said.
Launched publicly in 2004, Campaign Waterloo -- Building a Talent Trust was developed around four pillars: Attracting and rewarding talent; Enabling talent; Making room for talent; Creating a culture where talent will flourish. As the campaign moves ahead, it will remain committed to its four pillars.
They're the first among some 3,767 students -- subject to last-minute changes -- who will receive degrees or diplomas from UW this spring. Today's valedictorian, speaking briefly on behalf of the students, is Tricia Jansen, graduating with a degree in recreation and leisure studies (therapeutic recreation).
Receiving an honorary degree today, and giving the convocation address, is Ronald Schlegel, formerly a UW faculty member -- in fact "the architect and prime mover of Waterloo's Department of Health Studies and Centre for Applied Health Research", a citation says. Schlegel left the university in 1991, to pursue entrepreneurial activities in the field of long-term care for seniors, and heads the Winston Park complex. Says the citation: "He remains, for the past 13 years, an invaluable member of CAHR. He was instrumental in facilitating the establishment of the Murray Alzheimer Research Education Program and the innovative Functional Abilities Program."
It also says that "Quality of care and quality of life define the pervasive thrust in any of his eight long-term care facilities for seniors across south-central Ontario. . . . Dr. Schlegel is a citizen of the world who has made exemplary contributions to academic, business and charitable communities."
Convocations later this week |
| WHEN AND WHERE |
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Last day of interviews for fall term co-op jobs; rankings
open Friday.
Staff orientation session announced for today has been cancelled and will be rescheduled in the fall term.Web common look and feel update session organized by Web Operations Committee for web creators, 9:30, Davis Centre room 1302. Career workshop: "Successfully Negotiating Job Offers", 3:30, Tatham Centre room 1208. Muslim Students Association presents Egyptian scientist Zaghloul El-Naggar, "Scientific Miracles in the Qur'an", 4:00, Coutts Hall room 101. Centre for Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology presents Dean Hopkins, Cyberplex, "What University Doesn't Teach You about Being an Entrepreneur", 5:30, Davis Centre room 1302, reservations ext. 7167. Web design and software development volunteer meeting for a Federation of Students project to support clubs, 5:30, Math and Computer room 2035, information ext. 3780. Society of International Students "country presentation": Pakistan, 6:30, Coutts Hall room 308. Classical Dance Conservatory, 7:00, Humanities Theatre. Boggan burgers for sale to support UW concrete toboggan team, Thursday 11:00 to 1:00, Carl Pollock Hall main entrance. Mayor's Celebration of the Arts Friday evening, Architecture building, Cambridge, details online. Matthews Golf Classic Monday, Grand Valley Golf Club, details online. |
"Murray put the UW Library on the map. . . . The Tri-University Group of Libraries is nationally lauded as a fine example of institutional co-operation, as is the joint storage facility, and the electronic library that was implemented just as he was stepping down. Colleagues sought him out, nationally and internationally, to discover how Waterloo delivered on the cutting edge. His resume attests to this; and he's still being sought out, and still delivering on how to move a library forward, but always based on the one informing and fundamental principle he was faithful to: that the true measure of a library is client service."
Robert Jan Van Pelt, of the school of architecture, will be installed as one of UW's rare University Professors. The citation for him notes his contributions in the fields of architectural theory and Holocaust history. One testimonial called him "a standard-setter for Canadian academic research and publication, originality and the communication of research results beyond the academic community." Another described him as "one of the most thorough scholars for his research and exactness and one of the best lecturers I have heard." Van Pelt is co-author of Holocaust: A History as well as author of a more detailed book on the architecture of the Auschwitz death camp.
Alumni gold medals for top graduating students will be presented to Kevin Foley (kinesiology and pre-health) and Susan Dupej (geography and tourism). The alumni achievement award for the faculty of health sciences will be presented to Donald Weber.
The Distinguished Teaching by a Registered Student Award goes to Esther Cheung, receiving a master's degree in architecture, and Patricia Fitzpatrick, receiving a PhD in geography.
And more awards: President's Circle award for volunteerism to Meagan Dilworth and Jessica Steinmoeller; AHS awards for distinguished academic achievement to Peggy De Jong (health studies), Kevin Foley (kin), and Carrie Anderson (rec); ES awards for distinguished academic achievement to Conrad Stanley (environment and resource studies), Susan Dupej (geography), and Jessica Wu (planning).
CAR