Daily Bulletin

University of Waterloo -- Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

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Friday, February 16, 1996

Reading week? What's that?

It's a period when classes are cancelled: all next week in four of the six faculties, just Monday and Tuesday in the faculties of mathematics and engineering. So the campus will be a trifle quieter than usual.

But any students (or faculty members) who think that "the university is closed" during February reading week should think again. Offices will be open as usual, staff will be working as usual (and so will most faculty, presumably, on research if not at lecturing), services will be in operation. The university senate meets Monday night. Yes, there will be a Gazette, as well as Daily Bulletins.

Still, if you're heading away -- like the Habitat for Humanity folks who are off to Ohio to help with house repairs -- have a good trip and a safe trip. See you back here soon.

Travelling for a challenge

A team of top UW computer science students heads to the finals of an international computer-programming contest this weekend after winning at the regional level for the fourth year in a row.

Team coach Jo Ebergen, a professor of computer science, describes the Association for Computer Machinery (ACM) championship as the major programming competition for university students. More than 40 teams from all over the world, including one from last year's winner, the University of Freiburg, are expected to be in Philadelphia for the event on Saturday.

The competition is being held in conjunction with a computer programming conference organized by ACM. "I expect it will be a big circus," says Ebergen, referring to the heavy press attendance and much promotion on the part of the sponsor, Microsoft.

First-place winners will share scholarships amounting to $15,000, and runners-up will also win prizes. Another major benefit of a good showing in the competition is the chance to impress potential employers, says UW team member Michael Van Biesbrouck. But he adds that he's involved primarily for the joy of meeting a challenge. Teammate Chris Hendrie agrees. "I'm an extremely competitive person," he says. "I look forward to the chance to show my stuff."

Members of the team are Hendrie, second-year computer science; Van Biesbrouck, third-year computer science; and Ka-Ping Yee, third-year computer engineering. Yee was on last year's second-place team in the regionals, and was a member of the UW team that won the world championship two years ago.

Hendrie says he believes a place in the top three is not inconceivable -- or even the number one spot. In the spring of 1994 UW won the world championship; in 1995, Waterloo teams did well in the east-central regional competitions.

Also this chilly weekend

The teaching resource office presents "Promoting Student Learning in Science Classrooms", with a panel of three science faculty members, this afternoon at 1:15 in Math and Computer room 5158.
The drama department's "A Berlin Cabaret" has its final performances tonight and tomorrow night at 8 in the Humanities studio theatre. Tickets: ext. 4908.
Waterloo Showtime presents "The Number 14", a mime theatre performance for children, tomorrow at 1:30 in the Humanities Theatre.
The Intercollegiate Peace Fellowship Conference takes place at Conrad Grebel College, tonight through Sunday. Theme: "(Sub)Versions of Peace: Gathering with Intention".

And on Sunday afternoon and evening, the Chinese Students and Scholars Association presents a big new year's party in Federation Hall, with a buffet dinner, entertainment, children's activities and karaoke. Among those selling tickets are Qiang Huang (qhuang@neumann) and Xu Ruixian (xruixian@civil, phone ext. 3844). So . . .

 
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Chris Redmond
Information and Public Affairs, University of Waterloo
(519) 888-4567 ext. 3004
credmond@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca

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