![[University of Waterloo]](/images/logobars/goldbar.gif)
| Yesterday |
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
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Editor: Chris Redmond credmond@uwaterloo.ca |
![[Collage]](/images/2005/1025conv-collage.jpg)
Mother and son
on this side, a couple with a different kind of relationship over
there -- and everywhere the joy of a journey completed. The stars of
the Ninety-First Convocation were the graduating students, but also
featured were VIPs (including mathematician Dianne O'Leary, centre right,
who gave one of the convocation addresses) and UW's own faculty
(including Hannah Fournier, lower right, being installed as Distinguished
Professor Emerita).
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The committee, which represents management, human resources and the staff association, sent the memo to staff members across campus. Here's what it says:
"According to Policy 5, Salary Administration, University Support Staff, the policy of the University is to pay competitive salaries within the limits of its financial situation. One of the methods used to find out if UW's salaries remain competitive is through periodic salary surveys. What follows are the parameters and results of the Committee's 2004 survey.
"As its first step, the Committee identified employers of a similar size and scope as UW to be surveyed: Conestoga College, City of Kitchener, City of Waterloo, City of Cambridge, Region of Waterloo, Manulife, Sunlife/Clarica, Grand River Hospital, University of Guelph, McMaster University, University of Western Ontario, WLU, Queen's University and the University of Ottawa; other employers in the community were asked to participate but chose not to.
"The Committee agreed to survey benchmark positions at the USG 4, 6, 8, 11 and 12 level, which represents 49% of staff positions across campus; hourly rates were used to allow for varying work weeks and Job value (or equivalent) was used in cases where positions had salary ranges. UW Human Resources Staff Relations Coordinators conducted site visits to augment the data provided (e.g., ensure appropriate comparisons).
"At the request of employers surveyed, data are provided in aggregate form only. Data for the University employers were drawn from the 2003 AOUHRP (Association of Ontario University Human Resource Professionals) survey and adjusted for 2004 range increases provided by the individual university."
The survey collected salary figures for 2004, and "most of" any differences that do exist should disappear once this year's 3.3 per cent salary increase is taken into account, says the memo, since the Consumer Price Index increase was only 2.74 per cent.
A chart shows the "hourly job value" for five UW classifications: USG 4, $18.27; USG 6, $21.86; USG 8, $26.19; USG 11, $33.90; USG 12, $36.97.
For local employers, the average figure was USG 4, $17.64; USG 6, $24.02; USG 8, $26.34; USG 11, $33.07; USG 12, $36.11. And for universities, the average figure was USG 4, $18.19; USG 6, $22.45; USG 8, $26.86; USG 11, $33.57; USG 12, $35.83.
The survey's conclusion: "UW matched well at all levels, and exceeded in some, with the exception of certain non-administrative support positions in USG 6; these positions are already under review."
A half-million-dollar gift from Peter and Betty Sims, announced last year, was used to transform the third floor of Porter Library, where the reading room is being opened and where yesterday's event took place. Peter Sims is a former chair of UW's board of governors, and also served for some 35 years with Economical Insurance Group, recently retiring from its board of directors.
The company, too, has been a major donor to UW. Its first gift was directed to the Centre for Environmental and Information Technologies building, home of the departments of earth sciences and electrical and computer engineering. The $150,000 gift created The Economical Insurance Group Classroom, a venue for graduate student classes and seminars, research group meetings, and gatherings with industrial partners, and the Peter Sims Lounge, located next to the classroom and used by students, faculty members, and visitors.
A second gift of $150,000 from Economical is providing the Sims Student Galleria in the Davis Centre Library as part of the recent renovations there.
At yesterday's event, university librarian Mark Haslett and UW president David Johnston expressed appreciation to the Sims family and the Waterloo-based insurance company -- "a family and a company that have been so important to this community and to the university", Johnston said. He noted that Peter Sims's father, Kenneth, was on the founding board of governors of UW; Peter himself joined the board of governors in 1986 and was chair from 1994 to 1997.
A plaque installed yesterday in the library recognizes "outstanding friendship and support of the Library" from Peter and Betty Sims, and their "enduring commitment to higher education" as well as support of local hospitals, schools and other organizations. "We are so fortunate," said Johnston, "to have friends like you."
Noel Walpole, president of Economical, spoke briefly about why the company has supported UW, and called on Peter Sims himself to say a few words.
There are plenty of numbers in the 26-page brochure that includes financial summaries for operating funds, research funds, capital funds, trust and endowment funds, and "ancillary" businesses -- although those categories aren't much used in the annual statement.
| WHEN AND WHERE |
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Bookstore sale today through Thursday, South Campus Hall concourse.
Used books sale organized by mature student services, 9:00 to 2:00, Modern Languages lobby. "Hard-to-resist prices" on texts, children's books, "an impressive collection of fantasy and mystery". Scanning probe microscopy workshop organized by WatLabs, morning session 9:00, Math and Computer room 5158, followed by lab visits. Blood donor clinic today and Wednesday 10 to 4, Thursday 9 to 3, multipurpose room, Student Life Centre, appointments now at the turnkey desk. Chili lunch in support of the United Way, noon, Math and Computer room 5158. Call ext. 2696 for tickets if still available. Waterloo Region new official plan open house 1:30 to 4:30, Environmental Studies I courtyard. Sharcnet tutorial 2 to 4 p.m., Rod Coutts Hall room 108, aimed at new and potential Sharcnet users. Sociology colloquium: Lorne Tepperman and Jennifer Reynolds,, University of Toronto, "Doing Sociology on Problem Gamblers and Their Partners: A Study in Progress," 3:00, PAS room 2030. Waterloo Centre for German Studies lecture: Mathias Schulze, Germanic and Slavic studies, "Sprechen sie Deutsch? Status und Veränderung des Deutschen in der Gegenwart," 3:30, Humanities room 334. Career workshops: "Interview Skills: Preparing for Questions" 3:30, "Are You Thinking about an International Experience?" 4:30, Tatham Centre room 1208, registration online. Hallowe'en food drive: collect food for the hungry instead of trick-or-treating, sign-up and information session 5:30 today, Arts Lecture Hall room 105. Café-rencontre: Tara Collington, département d'études françaises, "Les Mamelles de Tirésias: la transposition d'une pièce surréaliste en opéra bouffe," mercredi 14h30, Tatham Centre salle 2218. Smarter health seminar: Diane Beattie, London Health Sciences Centre, "Getting to Filmless: Implementing a Shared Services Approach to Digital Diagnostic Imaging," Wednesday 3:00, Davis Centre room 1302. Federation of Students annual general meeting Wednesday 4 p.m., Student Life Centre great hall; all undergraduate students are members. Helen Caldicott, peace activist, "The New Nuclear Danger," Sunday 4 p.m., Centre for International Governance Innovation, 57 Erb Street West, free admission, sponsored by UW department of philosophy. |
Altogether during 2004-05, the university had $517,579,000 in income and $504,048,000 in expenditures, for "excess income" of about $13 million. (Last year it was $32 million.) Almost exactly half the spending, or $250.2 million, went for salaries, and another $48 million for employee benefits. Among other categories of spending: scholarships and bursaries, $34 million; municipal taxes and utilities, $13 million.
A "statement of cash flows" indicates other changes in UW's financial condition, such as amortization of buildings and equipment and some $22.5 million invested in new capital assets built or bought during the year. Another section of the report notes that $120 million of UW's assets are "restricted for endowment" -- invested so that the interest, but not the principal, can be spent year by year.
A balance sheet lists UW's assets as $629,146,000 as of April 30, 2004, up from $542,042,000 a year earlier. The total includes a little less than $100 million in "cash and cash equivalents" and $253 million in "investments", as well as $252 million in capital assets -- land, buildings, furniture, library books and so on. The pension fund is not included.
The financial statements come to the board of governors from its audit committee, as item 10(a) on a long agenda. The board will also hear an update on the current year's budget, discuss the recent report on the future of co-operative education and career services, and vote on a proposal to build an addition to Hagey Hall of the Humanities for the school of accountancy.
The meeting is being held in the third-floor "loft" of the Architecture building on Melville Street in Cambridge. It starts at 2:30 this afternoon, with the open session scheduled to end around 4:45.
CAR