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Students have been buying their fall term books at the
UW bookstore
since mid-August this year. "It started with Student Life 101," says
textbook manager Helen Hirsch. "We had a tremendous response to buying
textbooks that day [August 11], and that really took the pressure
off." This week,
she says, most of the store's customers are still first-year students.
Next week the lineups are bound to be longer, with upper-year students
eager to get their books once their schedules are final and classes
have started.
The September rush accounts for close to half of the year's business for the bookstore, says May Yan, director of retail services. She notes that although UW has registration three times a year, the fall enrolment is biggest and there are many students, especially in such fields as accounting and optometry, who will be using the same specialized textbook through both fall and winter terms.
Something new this fall, says Hirsch, has been a "textbook reservation program" that lets students order their books in advance -- by mail, by fax, even with a form on the Web -- and pick them up in a bundle in the South Campus Hall concourse this Saturday or early next week. About 50 students used the service under a pilot project this fall, she says, and will be completely spared the usual SCH lineups.
Also new in the store are "shelf-talkers", signs that give up-to-date information on availability if a book is out of print, was ordered late or hasn't arrived from the publisher yet. "I've noted fewer questions," Hirsch says.
The store will be open until 7 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week to help spread out the textbook rush.
There's also something else new in retail services: what was formerly the stationery department of the bookstore is turning into a "second location" of CompuScape, the computer supplies outlet which the department also operates in the Student Life Centre. Yes, Yan promises, the store will still sell traditional school and office supplies, "staples" in both senses. But there will be a new emphasis on computer goods, and some software and hardware will be available in the main store in SCH. To clear out some room, she says, she's thinking of moving art supplies out of the main store and finding a way to sell them instead in East Campus Hall, convenient to fine arts students.
Science students may be just a little more serious -- they're taking assessment tests this morning, and will also hear a welcome-to-campus from dean John Thompson. Oh, and arts students are running a charity car-wash this morning in the Canadian Tire parking lot.
The season's final performances of "Single and Sexy" are scheduled for 11:00 and 1:30 in the Theatre of the Arts.
It's registration day for undergraduates in mathematics (morning) and applied health sciences (afternoon). Tomorrow, "all students unable to register as above" can make their payments at the Physical Activities Complex; Monday, registration will still be in the PAC but the price goes up, with late fees starting at $10 and rising steadily.
The English Language Proficiency Exam is scheduled for tomorrow, also in the PAC: engineering students at 9:30, arts at 11:30, science at 1:00, and math, applied health sciences and environmental studies at 2:30.
Of study took he utmost care and heed.Probably a good example, from Chaucer's clerk. To help new teaching assistants at UW emulate the clerk, most departments and faculties are offering training this week.
Not one word spoke he more than was his need;
And that was said in fullest reverence
And short and quick and full of high good sense.
TAs in computer science, for example, are gathering today from 9 to 11:30 in a classroom in Math and Computer, for sessions on how to mark student assignments. Tomorrow they'll convene again for a "welcome", a presentation from something calling itself "The Math Faculty Players", a briefing on sexual harassment policies and issues, and group assignments. Pizza will follow.
Similarly, engineering TAs are spending today and tomorrow at ExpecTAtions; TAs in English have a briefer session today, starting at 10; TAs in French and in Germanic and Slavic will meet from 10 to 4 today; and so on. The science faculty, uniquely, is holding its TA training later in September.
This fall sees the introduction of Polaris, described by the information systems and technology folks as "a replacement for the venerable Watstar network. . . . While most new students will be using Polaris right away, staff and faculty users will slowly be converted over the next two terms. . . . A project as ambitious as Polaris (upgrading 2,000 machines, 20,000 users and retaining backward compatibility) requires a lot of planning." At their regular Friday "professional development seminar" tomorrow, IST staff will hear from colleague Steve Carr about "Polaris: A User's Perspective".
The local Volunteer Action Centre is looking for track coaches and other volunteers to help disabled athletes (listing 101-1854) and for somebody to work from home making fund-raising phone calls to businesses in support of an Alzheimer's disease agency (listing 128-2000). More information: 742-8610.
Scott Spidell, technical director of the Theatre of the Arts, frequently moonlights as an actor for television and film, and reports that he'll be shooting a commercial for Casino Rama this evening, "some high-tech number with spaceships and stuff".
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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