Daily Bulletin

Concrete achievement going downhill

Last year in Ottawa, UW civil engineering students won the top and third prizes with their two entries in the race, which attracted about 400 engineering students from across Canada, the United States and Europe. Previously, UW teams placed first in 1995 and third in 1996.

"It was a lot of work, a major exercise, to design and build our two entries for this year's competition," said Andrew Berube, a fourth-year civil engineering student and one of 28 members on the UW team, called Arctic Fire. "This is a student project and it's all our responsibility. It's a great way for us to share and test our knowledge."

The competition calls for a toboggan with a concrete running surface, a total mass of less than 136 kilograms (300 pounds) and space for five riders. The toboggans are equipped with a braking system and other safety features. The race is a timed run on a straight course, at the Wintergreen Ski Resort near Calgary. Points are awarded based on technical merit, such as mix design and brake design, plus race performance, including top speed, braking performance, team spirit and most spectacular run.

Today, teams will participate in a technical exhibition to display their toboggans to the public. As well, teams are required to present a technical paper outlining innovative aspects of their entries.

The students are responsible for managing the project from the design stage through to the fabrication of two technically innovative toboggans. For example, one of UW's two entries this year is a round toboggan, constructed with a concrete and fibreglass mix.

New staff leaders are named

Taking office that day, to serve as president for the coming year, will be Charlene Schumm of the registrar's office, who was elected last year. Becoming president-elect this year -- and president in 1999-2000 -- will be Paul McKone of engineering computing, who was acclaimed as nominations for the executive closed a few days ago.

Also acclaimed to office were Cathy Hale (research office) as vice-president; Alice Pelkman (registrar) as treasurer; Chris Henderson (purchasing) as secretary; and Michael Hunt (faculty of science) and Kelly Wilker (registrar) as directors. They'll be joined on the association executive by Rita Cherkewski (psychology) and William Rowe (development), finishing two-year terms as directors, and Karen LeDrew (registrar), becoming past president.

On the agenda for the March 2 meeting are changes to the association's constitution, including one that emphasizes its role in negotiating with UW management. The current clause that says this

This constitution and the implementation of it must always aim to improve a staff member's position and must preserve the individual staff member's basic freedom to negotiate salary and working conditions directly with the University Administration.

The Staff Association Executive Committee's mission is to provide a unified channel of representation and communication to non-unionized support staff which will allow the members of the Staff Association Executive Committee to play a role in discussing with University senior administrators all matters of mutual interest, including pension and benefits, policies, compensation, salary ranges and working conditions. . . .

'Visual identity' rules explained

"It is intended that the shield and typography be used together as one graphic unit," says a letter from UW president James Downey that introduces the Visual Identity Guidelines. "For this program to have greatest impact, it is important that all of us follow it consistently and carefully. . . . The new graphic identity will now be registered and will become UW's mark under Canadian law. It is only to be used on materials comprising official business of the University and is not to be altered in any way."

The guidelines show how to use the symbol in colour and in black-and-white, discuss type styles that go properly with the symbol, and illustrate its use on stationery and other items ranging from T-shirts to signs. There's also a "Things to Avoid" section, pointing to weird colours, shapes and distortions of the logo.

Events of the day and weekend

Today is the deadline for submitting nominations for this year's Distinguished Teacher Awards.

"Worthwhile Initiatives? An Appraisal of Canadian Mission Diplomacy" runs today, starting at 2:30, and all day tomorrow, sponsored by Project Ploughshares and other groups. Speakers will discuss such world issues as land mines, the Helms-Burton legislation in the United States, and the crises of Rwanda and Nigeria. Today's sessions take place in Humanities room 373; tomorrow's, at Conrad Grebel College. Registration fee is $35 ($15 for students) at the door.

Several Christian "fellowship clubs" on campus are sponsoring a lively event in the Theatre of the Arts tonight. "There will be live bands, dramatical presentations, free food and a motivational speaker," Tanya Thorvardson tells me. "The topic is 'The Race of Life: Winning When It Really Counts'. Everyone is welcome."

Half an hour later, at 7:30, there's a quieter take on Christianity. Sister Margaret Brennan, of Regis College, Toronto, speaks at St. Jerome's College (7:30, Siegfried Hall) on "Jesus, at the Heart of the Struggle to Be Church". Says Brennan: "Can we liberate Jesus from the margins of our own journeys and allow him to be once more at the heart of our consciousness?"

An "ACM-style programming contest" takes place tomorrow, starting at 10:30, in Math and Computer room 3006. For registration, see the Computer Science Club in MC room 3036 "by Friday, or 10:00 a.m. Saturday at the latest".

The Outers Club has a couple of things going, starting with kayaking in the Physical Activities pool on Sunday, 8 to 10 p.m. "$3 gets you all the equipment you need and a chance to work on your paddle moves with our session leaders. Beginners welcome." Monday and Friday at 4 p.m., there are "bouldering wall orientations" at the club's new wall in the PAC.

The rest of the story

Student elections continue, with nominations due by today for positions on students' council. Statements by the 18 candidates for Federation of Students executive positions are available on the Federation's web site; voting is Tuesday and Wednesday.

Sports at home this weekend: none, so far as I can tell. Basketball, hockey, squash, volleyball, curling, skiing and badminton athletes are all competing elsewhere.

CAR

Editor of the Daily Bulletin: Chris Redmond
Information and Public Affairs, University of Waterloo
credmond@uwaterloo.ca -- (519) 888-4567 ext. 3004
Copyright © 1998 University of Waterloo