The letter describes the political background to the financial crisis UW is currently facing, and says something about the way it will be handled. Excerpts:
Since it appears unavoidable that the number of faculty and staff positions will need to be reduced, two steps have been taken. First, hiring has been frozen to maintain maximum flexibility until the budget situation is known. Second, an early retirement program is being designed for consideration by the Board of Governors in December with eligible employees having until March to indicate their intentions. By that time we should be able to estimate tuition-fee income for next year and be in a position to conclude salary negotiations with employee groups.The full text of the letter will be in Wednesday's Gazette.The 15% of the budget spent on non-salary items will also be reviewed. All managers are being asked to examine their expenditures and make savings wherever possible. We shall seek to increase non-tuition-fee revenues wherever we can. We shall also seek opportunities for mutually-beneficial collaboration with neighbouring universities. We welcome ideas and suggestions on these and other matters.
There are, however, some things we will not do. We will not change the fundamental way the University is organized or makes decisions. Deans, associate provosts, and departmental chairs or heads will continue to play the essential roles they have always done in our generally decentralized management structure. If services or programs have to be eliminated, the decisions of which and how will be made on recommendations of those academic or support managers responsible after appropriate consultation with all directly concerned. . . .
While it is not yet clear what the magnitude of the crisis will be, it is clear that it will take all of our competence, courage, and creativity to see our University safely through. It will also take sacrifice from everyone -- faculty, staff, students -- both those who remain and those who leave.
The morning speaker is Mary Jo Leddy, prominent Roman Catholic writer and social activist; the afternoon speaker is architectural historian Kenneth Frampton. Several other honorary degrees will be presented, as well as alumni gold medals to two graduate students with the highest standing in master's and PhD programs for this year. And (at the afternoon ceremony) former president Douglas Wright will be made "president emeritus".
Her research in Borneo has been under very difficult conditions. She literally had to hack her research station out of jungle and swamp, and she must contend on an ongoing basis with poisonous snakes, predators, poachers, and tropical disease. In spite of these hardships her devotion to the cause of research on and preservation of these primates has not wavered, and she has spent much of her time in North America lecturing and fund-raising in order to finance her research and conservation activism.A reception on her honour will run from 4 to 6 p.m. today in Humanities room 373; everyone is welcome.
Chris Redmond
Information
and Public Affairs, University of Waterloo
(519) 888-4567 ext. 3004
credmond@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca