Daily Bulletin

University of Waterloo -- Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

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Wednesday, March 19, 1997

Another term on the board

Barry Scott of the research office has been elected to another term as staff representative on the UW board of governors. He topped the polls in recent voting, the university secretariat announced yesterday, receiving 372 votes, compared to 184 for John Sellens (information systems and technology), 117 for Peter McCarthy (food services), and 91 for Joe Szalai (library user services).

Scott's new term runs from May 1, 1997, to April 30, 2000. He's been on the board since 1994 as one of two staff representatives. The other staff seat is currently held by Sharon Adams of the psychology department.

Westhues says penalty is ended

Ken Westhues, of UW's sociology department, has a letter in the Gazette this morning to announce the beginning of a "new day". He says the chair of his department wrote to him earlier this month to say that the restriction imposed on him three years ago as a disciplinary measure -- no involvement in graduate teaching -- has been removed. It was to have been in effect at least until 1998. "The next day," he writes, "I received a letter from President Downey saying he hopes 'there is now a basis for reconciliation and a new beginning'." The removal from graduate teaching was one consequence of actions taken by Westhues in a controversy over a graduate student's oral examination in the fall of 1993.

Ambassadors to plant a tree

The SAA isn't the Student Alumni Association any longer -- make that the Student Ambassador Association.

And this week the SAA will be making itself known on campus, as it works to add a tree to Alumni Lane as a gift from the graduating class of 1997. "As little as $1" or "whatever you can afford" is invited from each student who will be graduating this year. Drop boxes for Alumni Lane contributions can be found at student society offices, the Federation of Students office in the Student Life Centre, and the development and alumni affairs office in South Campus Hall.

"Alumni Lane," the SAA's publicity explains, "is a beautiful arbour of trees representing graduating classes since 1962. The lane stretches from the Math and Computer building to Burt Matthews Hall. Your class tree will be planted the week of spring convocation."

There's more to the SAA than trees, says the group's vice-president (communications), Jo-Anne Gittens, explaining the change from "Alumni" to "Ambassador". "We are students, not alumni," she points out. "We are sponsored by the alumni office. We try to provide a connection between the past, present and future students. We also try to increase Waterloo university spirit in students and alumni alike. We are involved in such projects as Alumni Lane, Final Exam Survival Kits, Homecoming and Campus Day. . . . We act as ambassadors for the university by attending and organizing receptions, tours and special events."

Students who join the SAA can expect "a unique opportunity for self-growth and the chance to excel in leadership roles", she says. "Members enjoy special occasions to interact with prominent alumni and key university administrators throughout the year, plus meet thousands of other university students at conferences."

Anybody interested in getting involved can call ext. 4626, drop by the SAA office in Student Life Centre room 2122, or e-mail pounce@watserv1. The group's end-of-term meeting will be held Monday at 5 p.m. at the University Club.

Strike deadline near at York

Today at 1 p.m. has been set as the strike deadline for unionized professors and librarians at York University in Toronto. Negotiations continue, but if there's no settlement by this afternoon, members of the York University Faculty Association will be on the picket lines tomorrow morning at 7, the union says.

A statement from York management says its goal in a new contract with the faculty union has been "improving faculty and librarian compensation and increasing York's competitive position", though that has to be done "within the financial realities". The union's statements emphasize power-sharing as well as pay increases. (One of the union's demands provides a slogan every bit as catchy as the famous British "Rectify the anomaly!" What does YUFA want? "No increase in management prerogatives or decanal discretion.")

Labour troubles continue elsewhere as well. "The strike at the University of Windsor effectively shut down the school Tuesday as picketers held their most boisterous rally since the strike began Feb. 19," says the Windsor Star today.

The events of St. Joseph's Day

A Multi-Cultural Festival gets going at midday today in the Student Life Centre, with food, music, and things to look at. Starting at 5:00 the festival moves to Federation Hall and turns into a "party" with a $6 admission fee ($7 for those who aren't Federation of Students members). The headline act is the Brazilian band "Maracujah".

A workshop on taxes for international students runs from 2 to 4 this afternoon in Needles Hall room 3001. "If you received any Canadian funds in the 1996 calendar year, you are required to file an income tax return by April 30," Darlene Ryan in the international student office reminds everyone. A representative from the local tax office will be on hand this afternoon to show how it's done.

The drama department's production of "Cloud 9" opens tonight. "A wicked carnal romp," the portable sign outside Modern Languages is calling it, and certainly you'd have to go far to find anything wickeder than that poster of Queen Victoria with the fishnets. The play runs tonight through Saturday at 8:00 in the Theatre of the Arts.

Fountain Ministries, formerly the Laymen's Evangelical Fellowship, presents a talk tonight on "Moral Relativism and the Culture of Feel" -- the attitude of "if it feels good, do it!" Speaker Hendrik van der Breggan, a graduate student in the philosophy department, will repeat a "refutation" of that attitude that he gave last month at a talk for another campus Christian group, the Navigators. Tonight's talk is at 7:30 in Davis Centre room 1304.

CAR

TODAY IN UW HISTORY
March 19, 1980: Jim Leslie and Ted Dixon of the physics department, who founded UW's correspondence program, resign from heading it in a dispute over the appointment of a registrar's office official.

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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