Wednesday, February 16, 1994

YES, IT IS the 16th, in spite of this morning's Gazette, which through
some fault of hand-eye coordination is dated the 19th.  Today is
Wednesday the 16th, Ash Wednesday, on which the Christian tradition
begins the season of Lent.  Services marking the day will be held at
12:30 and 7 p.m. at St. Jerome's College (Roman Catholic), 4:30 p.m.
at Conrad Grebel College (Mennonite), 7 p.m. at Renison College (Anglican).

As for Pancake Tuesday yesterday, Mark Murdoch of food services called to
advise that pancakes would, indeed, be available at supper time at the
Village cafeterias.  And an apparently satisfied customer let us know
that Bon Appetit, in the Davis Centre food fair, was serving banana
pancakes earlier in the day.

STUDENTS VOTE:  Federation of Students voting winds up today, with the
polls open from 9 to 4:30 in various campus buildings.  Besides a
president and two vice-presidents for the Feds, students have the chance
to elect an at-large undergraduate senator.  Arts students will also
choose a senator from that part of the university, and math students will
vote on a proposed fee and endowment fund.  Returning officers are
hereby asked to make sure we have the results in time to announce in
the Daily Bulletin tomorrow.

BUDGET TALKS: The senate finance committee meets at 3 p.m. in Needles Hall 
3001.  On the agenda: "Overview of UW's General Financial Structure" and 
"Review of the 93-94 Budget".  Latest word on that budget, according to 
material sent out with the agenda, is that tuition fee income is up slightly 
for this year from what had been expected, thanks to higher enrolment.  But
UW's income from miscellaneous sources, especially overhead on research
grants, is notably down.  Estimated deficit for the current year, which
ends on April 30, is $334,000.

A DISCUSSION on sexual harassment, led by Linda Kellar of counselling
services, runs from 12 noon to 1:30 today in Humanities room 334.  It's 
sponsored by the Professional Women's Association.

NEWSGROUP FORUM:  Perhaps not many minds were changed at the "forum on
newsgroup banning" conducted yesterday afternoon by the Computer Science
Club, but some 200 people came out to hear the speakers, and all views
received polite applause.  The issue is whether UW authorities were right
in blocking access to five raunchy "newsgroups" through UW computers.  
Among the statements made: 

	Jim Kalbfleisch, UW's provost: "We've never been under the illusion 
	that we could prevent anybody from reading anything they want to 
	read.  But the university will not assist."

	Prabhakar Ragde, computer science: "The administration is
	trying to transfer responsibility to the individual. That might
	not hold in a court of law, but would probably hold in the
	court of public opinion, which is what the administration is
	really concerned about."

	Sally Gunz, chair of the ethics committee: "We are fully aware
	that it's a hit-or-miss process.  We act on complaints."

	Jeff Shallit, computer science: "A university teaches people to
	be responsible for their actions, and that is what we must have."

Practically everybody also confessed to being heartily "tired" of the whole
subject -- in spite of which, we'll probably have a full report in next
week's Gazette.

Chris Redmond
Information and Public Affairs
credmond@watserv1    ext. 3004