Spring term ends with exam whimper

The last spring term exams are being held today and tomorrow. We pause here for a shout-out to the students of Physics 112 (“simple harmonic motion, electrostatic force and potential”, and so on) who are among the elite group writing their exam in the very last slot available, Saturday night at 7:30. With exams ending on the weekend, unofficial grades will begin to appear in Quest on Monday; grades become official September 19.

And then, well, the campus grows quiet for a while. It won’t, of course, be deserted: research and administrative work goes on in August as in every other season, and under the surface, the ducks are paddling frantically in preparation for the September rush and the fall term. From the academic departments to the bookstore, just about everybody is affected; and as one Twitterer said yesterday, “No one in regular stream knows someone repaints the yellow safety stripes on the steps every summer.”

John Cunningham, manager of the WatCard office, says he and his colleagues expect to issue close to 7,000 new cards as the fall term begins. The summer’s Student Life 101 sessions provided a head start, as about 1,000 new first-year students were issued with cards. Another 1,200 newcomers have e-mailed their photos so their cards can be prepared in advance, and more pictures are coming in every day — in part because anybody who submits a photo in July or August gets entered in a draw for an iPad.

The library’s extended exam-time hours end Saturday, with the Dana Porter Library closing at 11 p.m. and the Davis Centre library at midnight. For the ensuing four weeks, both libraries will be open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. (but Porter will be entirely closed August 20 because of electrical work, and both libraries will be closed on Labour Day, September 5).

The Physical Activities Complex will be closed for recreational use as of tomorrow, reopening the day after Labour Day. The Columbia Icefield will be open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Mudie’s cafeteria in Village I will close as of tomorrow evening, and until early September the food services choices on campus will be limited indeed: Bon Appetit in the Davis Centre (only the Jolly Chef, and only at lunchtime); Browsers in the Dana Porter Library; Pastry Plus in Needles Hall; and Tim Hortons in the Davis Centre,  South Campus Hall, and Student Life Centre, all with Monday-to-Friday daytime hours.

Most other offices and services are operating on normal schedules, though I notice that the Humanities box office is taking a summer break. And it goes without saying (I hope) that there’s no change to some vital services: the university police (519-888-4911) will be at work around the clock, the Student Life Centre (519–888-4434) will be open 7/24, and the central plant will monitor campus buildings (maintenance emergencies, ext. 33793).

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They've done it again: the latest product of the UW Film Creators Club is ready. "This one's about super villains and super heroes (and heroines)," writes Jeremy Choo, a leading spark of the club, which previously created "Speed Dating at the University of Waterloo" and "Jolly Zombie Christmas", among other hits. Titled "Über Heist II", the new video runs 5 minutes 24 seconds on YouTube.

Friday notes, digital and otherwise

Siggraph, the big annual International Conference on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques, has been running this week in Vancouver, and Waterloo Region has had a considerable presence, organized by the Canada’s Technology Triangle business promotion group. “Waterloo Region has a great story to tell, and Siggraph is the right place to tell it,” says Karen Gallant, formerly of the university and now of Communitech. Among the participants in the CTT booth in Vancouver is Waterloo’s Games Institute. Says the institute’s director, English professor Neil Randall: “We’ll be showcasing our multi-disciplinary focus on games research, with demos from graduate students in engineering and computer science, and information — running on a digital table. We’re thrilled to be representing the university’s integrated role in the region’s strong and growing digital media economy.”

The Stratford Campus relaunched its website yesterday, adding a new look and feel to echo the main university site, as well as a photo and video player “that better reflects the activities and brand of the campus,” a memo from Stratford says. Says marketing manager Jodi Szimanski: “Because the University of Waterloo Stratford Campus focuses on digital media, using digital tactics only makes sense — we want to move the website into the future by combining creativity and technology. To attract the best and the brightest students, lecturers, faculty and staff, we need to support our brand of being digital media experts.” The relaunch also includes a blog where staff and faculty members can share experiences and knowledge about digital media, Stratford events and the work of the Master’s of Digital Experience Innovation students. Website visitors can then participate in the conversation. “We look forward to not just updating our audiences, but also to have a place to share our thoughts on the digital industry and welcome comments and debates from our readers,” says Kayleigh Platz, social media specialist for the Stratford campus.

The site includes an announcement of the “Communities That Thrive” workshop series that the Stratford campus will host this fall. “This workshop series,” says Szimanski, “is designed to equip community leaders in Ontario with the tools and skills they need to leverage and adapt to the rapidly changing social, technological, economic and cultural landscape. It’s based on a collaborative education model — we invite input from participants in advance of the actual workshop, so that instructors can develop a targeted curriculum around to attendees’ interests and current needs.” The first workshop, on “Sustainable Development and Municipal Government Success”, is scheduled for October 6, to be repeated November 17, and will be led by Olaf Weber of the school of environment, enterprise and development.

Carole Gray, administrative assistant in the political science department, officially retired August 1, ending a Waterloo career that began in 1991. • The athletics department is advertising for “a highly motivated and organized individual” to serve as head coach of the Warrior cross-country team “on an honoraria basis”. • The Daily Bulletin of August 3, listing faculty members receiving new funding from the Ontario Research Foundation, misspelled the name of Joanne Atlee of the school of computer science.

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Kids are keen about Grebel peace camp

based on a news release from Conrad Grebel University College

“Our son is still raving about his first day at Peace Camp,” a mother wrote after the first day of Peace Camp this past Monday. “He told me all about how to do mediation on the way home!” The boy had just practised some peer mediation skills with Fae Samuels, a retired educator who specialized in bringing peer mediation into the schools in Toronto throughout her career as a principal.

Peace Camp, for a group of 18 young people aged 11-14, is a new initiative at Grebel to get kids to think about peace and social justice issues, but with fun and games and lots of guest speakers. On Tuesday, they watched a drama put on by the student Sustainability Project group about choices and food issues. They also heard about Zambia from Daryl Good, who recently returned from a Mennonite Central Committee volunteer experience in that country. On Wednesday, Herb Goldstein of Toronto told about his experiences in high school during the holocaust. In response, one camper said, “It’s different hearing someone’s story out loud than reading about it in a book.”

The “jam-packed and interesting program” was developed by Devon Spier, a fourth-year peace and conflict studies and religious studies student.  Her staff team is very diverse. “It’s an amazing experience to be a student from a Jewish background and be able to coordinate a Peace Camp with a wonderful team of two Muslims and a Catholic, hosted by a Mennonite institution,” she says.

The camp, which also involves hearing about refugee issues, playing “Peace Camp Jeopardy,” and playing a Risk Game on nuclear weapons and disarmament, brought by Scientists for Peace, winds up today. Everyone is welcome this morning at 11:00 for an art show in the Great Hall at Grebel, where parents and the community can see and hear from the youth about their experiences.

“In light of recent events in England where concerns about youth are being expressed, it is even more important that we make and take opportunities to inspire our young people with the idea that they can make positive changes in their world,” says Lowell Ewert, director of the peace and conflict studies program, which sponsored the Peace Camp. It was co-sponsored by Mennonite Savings and Credit Union, House of Friendship, and Interfaith Grand River, and assisted with a grant from Service Canada.

CAR

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