Daily Bulletin, Wednesday, October 5, 1994

THE RUMOURS have been around for days and weeks, and today we should
find out whether some of them are true.  The federal minister of human
resources, Lloyd Axworthy, is scheduled to release his "social policy
reform paper", outlining proposed changes to Ottawa's social programs,
including health, welfare and education.

What affects universities directly is the "Established Programs Financing"
transfers from Ottawa to the provinces to support higher education -- a
combination of taxing power and $2.6 billion a year in cash.  Leaks and
speculation say that Axworthy will propose eliminating those transfers.

That would have the effect of cutting the money that provincial governments
have available for the universities (by about one-quarter to one-third,
in Ontario's case).  This morning's Star quotes a leaked version of the
Axworthy paper as predicting that the provinces would quickly cut their
university grants, and that universities would respond by raising their
tuition fees -- to double the current level by 1997.  It doesn't speculate
on what would happen if a provincial government refused to allow the
institutions to raise their fees.

Some of the money saved by Ottawa would be put into an "income-contingent
repayable" loan plan for students.  Such loans have their repayment based
on a student's income after graduation.  High-paying job, big loan payments.
No job, don't pay at all.  A conference talking about ICR loans was held
in Toronto late in September, and heard support for the idea from Ottawa,
from university leaders and from some provincial governments, including
Ontario's -- except that Ontario education minister Dave Cooke said it
would not be "acceptable" to use ICR loans as an excuse for "boosting"
tuition fees.  Student leaders are divided on the idea.

Today's Axworthy document is a package of proposals.  Specifics and action
would mostly come in a federal budget next spring.

JOBS WITH IBM:  Students with backgrounds in computer science or electrical
and computer engineering who are graduating this April are invited to
an "information exchange" with IBM Canada today. The purpose of this session 
is to discuss available positions at IBM and to answer student questions.
The meeting will start at 5:30 in the psychology lounge, PAS room
3005.  "There are a lot of interesting positions up for grabs," says
one interested student, Chris Berberick, "and this would be an excellent 
opportunity for many graduating students."

AND WHAT ELSE is happening on the day we're watching Ottawa?  Jiri Vlach
in electrical and computer engineering is having a birthday.  The annual
reception for mature students is happening from 4 to 6 p.m. in Humanities
room 373 (last-minute information, ext. 2147).

Tomorrow, the Needles Hall elevator will be out of service from 7 a.m. to
1 p.m. for repairs.

LETTER TO THE BULLETIN:  "I am a Bermudian graduate of Waterloo (BA 1988,
PSci) now lecturing at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland," writes Gemma
Donnelly-Cox by e-mail.  "I enjoy your daily news which I pick up on the
Internet.

"I share your longing for Bermudian weather; while Dublin is not in the
snowbelt, the frosty mornings do leave me longing for the sunbelt!  As
Kevin Mayall is closer to home, I suppose the knowledge that a sunny
Christmas is only 10 weeks away keeps him circumspect.  One reservation:
should UW relocate to Bermuda, would I be able to pick up your daily
reports?  I fear not!

"On October 5, Trinity is half way through Freshers Week.  No bus pulls,
pink ties or visits to the creek here!  Rather, students run a gauntlet
of university 'societies' (clubs) as they walk through front gate.  The
idea is to get Freshers to sign up for as many things as possible from
the start."

Chris Redmond
Information and Public Affairs, University of Waterloo
888-4567 ext. 3004      credmond@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca