Daily Bulletin

University of Waterloo -- Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Yesterday's Bulletin | Previous days | UWevents | UWinfo home page

Wednesday, November 27, 1996

The president's pep talk

UW president James Downey yesterday challenged Waterloo's people to look at how this university came from nowhere to being the university with the best reputation in Canada, all in less than forty years. "It's important for us to remember," he said, "because we're being asked to do it again."

That's what the situation amounts to, he said, as UW deals with shrunken budgets and the departure of more than 300 staff and faculty who did so much of the work and held so much of the knowledge. "We are weaker than we were a year ago," he admitted in his speech, given to some 250 people in the Theatre of the Arts as part of UW's "first annual general meeting".

"The speed and pervasiveness of change across campus give rise to feelings of helplessness and exasperation," he also said. But he went on: "Failure is not an option. We all know that this is Waterloo! . . . The challenge, now that we are respectable, is to sustain the spirit of radical adventure."

He said he is "not optimistic that there will be much immediate relief" for UW's financial troubles, but "we are neither immobilized nor intimidated by the magnitude of the challenge we face. . . . The process of institutional renewal is well begun. . . .

"It is my overwheleming sense that, despite the vagaries and vicissitudes of the present, Waterloo is keeping faith both with its fine past and with its even finer promise."

The full text of Downey's speech is available on UWinfo under "Documents". He was the last of three speakers at yesterday's meeting. First on the program was Peter Sims, chair of the board of governors, with a brief description of the board's role and main activities; then Jim Kalbfleisch, the provost, recapitulated the current financial situation, including this year's deficit of $1.1 million and the uncertainty of grant and fee income for next year. I understand that his presentation is to be available on UWinfo soon.

Two sexual assaults reported

Two women were sexually assaulted -- grabbed by a man -- on the periphery of campus yesterday. Both got away without physical injury. One assault happened about 7:30 a.m. on the "trail" along the railway tracks near Engineering III, and the other about 10:00 on the pathway from Waterloo Park to parking lot C, says UW police chief Al MacKenzie. The assailant in both cases is described as in his early 20s, of medium height, with a pockmarked face, wearing a dark hooded jacket. The description, and the style of assault, would seem to match several assaults committed last month by a man riding a bicycle; a Waterloo man has been charged in those cases, but they have not yet come to trial.

Details of student's death

The student who died after falling from a balcony of the Waterloo Towers high-rise on Monday has been identified as Matthew Main, who was in his third year in political science.

He died at Hamilton General Hospital, where he was taken after falling nine storeys about 1 a.m. Monday. "We are ruling it as an alcohol-related accident," said sergeant Jim Doyle of the Waterloo Regional Police. Although the accident happened off campus, UW officials will discuss it and see whether something more might be done about alcohol education for students, said the university's director of information and public affairs, Martin Van Nierop.

Main's family will receive visitors at the Dreisinger Funeral Home in Elmira, north of Waterloo, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 tomorrow. The funeral service will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at Elmira Mennonite Church.

Bookstore does a survey

Here's a note from Brendan Beasley of the UW bookstore:

The Bookstore and UW Shop will be conducting a study of their operations from November 27 to December 12. Students, staff and faculty will be surveyed in an effort to gain insight into the degree of success these services offer. The aim of course is to pool this feedback, understand it and use it to rework our model for the future. Some will appear in mailboxes across campus. If anyone happens to receive a survey in their mailbox, please fill it out and return to the Bookstore no later than December 12.

Happening today at Waterloo

It's macarena day -- organizers of the United Way campaign are looking for at least 300 people to do the popular dance at 12 noon in the Student Life Centre. The idea is to donate $1 to take part (that's how the United Way benefits) and for UW to get more people dancing than Wilfrid Laurier University, which issued the macarena challenge. (Final note: "If you don't know the macarena, we'll teach you.")

The Women's Association of UW (WAUW) is sponsoring a presentation today by Stuart McGill of the department of kinesiology, on "Reducing Lower Back Problems for the Sedentary Worker". McGill is well known for his research on the mechanics of lower back injury and the development of strategies to reduce the risk of such injuries. This presentation will discuss specific injuries and syndromes of the lower back associated with prolonged sitting and will provide instruction on how to reduce the associated risks. It runs from 12 noon to 1:30 in Needles Hall room 3004. Everyone is welcome ("bring your own lunch; juice will be provided").

The new play "Pass the Sugar, Honey", about sexual harassment, has a performance at 5:30 tonight in the cafeteria of Ron Eydt Village (formerly Village II). Tomorrow, the show hits Conrad Grebel College at noon at St. Jerome's at 5:30.

A "Christmas magic and musical extravaganza", sponsored by the Lions Club, is being performed in the Humanities Theatre at 1:00, 5:00 and 8:00 today (and that's all the information I have about that one).

It may seem a little early for Christmas dinner, but that's what is promised tonight at Ron Eydt Village; meanwhile, Brubakers in the Student Life Centre has an "end-of-term gourmet dinner". If you don't like turkey, other items on the food services menu today range from beef with oyster sauce (at Chopsticks in the Davis Centre) to spanokopita (vegetarian option at REV).

And one other note about food, looking ahead to tomorrow: the people who will be travelling south for Geography 475, the field course "Regional Geography of the Lower Rio Grande" have a fund-raiser planned. They'll be selling Tex-Mex food ("excellent home baking") starting at 9:30 a.m. in the Environmental Studies I courtyard.

CAR

Editor of the Daily Bulletin: Chris Redmond
Information and Public Affairs, University of Waterloo
credmond@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca -- (519) 888-4567 ext. 3004
Comments to the editor | About the Bulletin | Yesterday's Bulletin
Copyright 1996 University of Waterloo