Daily Bulletin

University of Waterloo -- Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

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Thursday, November 7, 1996

Know any good teachers?

Each year some of UW's best teachers are honoured through the Distinguished Teacher Award program, which began in 1976, and nominations for the 1997 awards are now being invited through the teaching resource office (TRACE). Usually there are four DTAs each year: three for regular faculty members and a fourth for a "non-regular" instructor such as a laboratory staff member.

TRACE offers this description of how to submit a nomination:

A nomination can be made in a typed or legible handwritten letter, approximately 1 to 2 pages in length, addressed to: Dr. James Kalbfleisch, Chair, Selection Committee, Distinguished Teacher Awards, c/o Teaching Resources and Continuing Education (TRACE), Math and Computer Bldg. Room 4055, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1. Nominations may be mailed, hand delivered or faxed into the office. We can not accept nominations that have been e-mailed; a letter must include a signature. If a return address is appended to letter, an acknowledgment letter will be provided. It is important to note that if a number of people intend to sign a single letter, a comment must be included by each person who signs the letter in order to verify their support for the person being nominated for the Distinguished Teacher Award. A sample letter is not available as every professor and experience are unique.

Documentation about the awards also notes that "Quality of nominations is more important than quantity. That is, supportive letters from a number of persons are more indicative of the nominee's favourable and lasting influence than a single letter with hundreds of signatures appended. Serious consideration for awards is usually limited to files containing a great deal more cumulative evidence and support than the required minimum." In short, it's wise to have a look at TRACE's full description of the nomination and selection process.

The nomination deadline this year is February 7. More information: TRACE at ext. 3132.

[PLAYING CARDS]
Brad Bart, Drew Gillen, Matt Walsh and Kevin Purbhoo of the UW Bridge Club begin a 24-hour bridge marathon at 9:30 this morning, in the Math and Computer comfy lounge. "We're doing it to entertain people who are interested in the game of Bridge," says Bart. "I trust we'll be exceptionally entertaining from the twelfth hour until the end. We are also getting pledges for this special event." Welcome are cash pledges for the club, non-perishable food donations for the local Food Bank, or "perishable food donations, with proceeds going to the players".

Local volunteers are wanted

Many requests this week from the Volunteer Action Centre:

A recording secretary for "an agency that provides support to Alzheimer patients and their families", to attend meetings and take minutes "four or five hours a month". Listing 128-1778.
Board members for "Core Literacy, an agency that matches volunteers with adults who want to learn to read and write", to attend decision-making meetings five to ten hours a month. Listing 140-1219.
Conference volunteers to help with child care and registration, or as small group facilitators, at "Homelessness, It's Everybody's Problem" on November 29 and 30. Listing 083-1777.
A pony groomer ("equestrian training or experience grooming, exercising and feeding horses") to visit and care for three ponies in Waterloo Park every Saturday morning. Listing 119-1176.

For more information, and many more volunteer opportunities, the VAC can be reached at 742-8610.

On a damp November day

Preregistration for the spring 1997 term continues today and tomorrow, and there are more than a few other things going on:

The annual Arts and Crafts Show continues in the Student Life Centre.
The fifth annual Clothing Exchange, organized by environmental studies students, runs today and tomorrow, 10 a.m to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., in the courtyard of Environmental Studies I.
A workshop on "Walking, Hiking and Tourism: Making Ontario an International Destination", sponsored by the Heritage Resources Centre, runs all day today in the Davis Centre.
The "Taiwan Cinema" series organized by the fine arts film society continues with "Five Girls and a Rope", a 1992 movie, at 7 p.m. in East Campus Hall room 1219.
Halifax architect Richard Kroeker speaks at 8 tonight in the architecture school's Arriscraft Lecture series ("green room" of Environmental Studies II).

And then there's the excitement in the UW Computer Store, where the buzzes and clangs of new Microsoft games were filling the air yesterday. The "Play This Tour" continues today. The store has changed considerably in recent weeks, by the way: manager Marty Sokoloskie reports that "We took out twenty-one tables!" to clear more display space.

Looking ahead to tomorrow

There's an hour-long presentation on WHMIS, the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System, tomorrow at 10 a.m. in Davis Centre room 1302, for the benefit of staff, faculty and graduate students who haven't passed UW's WHMIS requirement yet. Information: the safety office, ext. 6359.

Then tomorrow all the festivities of Homecoming get going -- including the Naismith basketball tournament, which kicks off at 12 noon (York vs. Laurier), and the Red Green Show in the evening.

CAR

Editor of the Daily Bulletin: Chris Redmond
Information and Public Affairs, University of Waterloo
credmond@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca -- (519) 888-4567 ext. 3004
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Copyright 1996 University of Waterloo