Daily Bulletin

Wednesday, January 21, 1998

Looking ahead to September

Under a new system developed by the provost's advisory committee on orientation last fall, full-time students who wish to work as orientation leaders must complete four modules of the training package: principles of orientation, alcohol and drug awareness, diversity and harassment, and hazing and initiation. The training program is mandatory for would-be leaders, but it doesn't guarantee a position as a leader. Students who have completed the program must then apply to their faculty, college or residence orientation committee for a leader position.

Training sessions will be held on evenings and weekends, starting in February. Full details, including information on how to sign up for the free sessions is available on an orientation leader training web page from the student services office.

Catharine Scott, associate provost (human resources and student services), who chaired the orientation committee, expects some 800 students to go through leader training between now and the end of July.

At an open meeting last week to discuss plans for the training program and other changes made by the committee, Scott said the response so far has been "overwhelming, very positive. Students want orientation to work," she added. She said significant changes recommended by the provost's advisory committee and endorsed by UW administration include these:

• a structure -- a "cooperative partnership" -- for planning and implementing orientation activities, including a Federation orientation committee, made up of students, which will report to the orientation advisory committee, consisting of several senior UW officials and two Federation leaders;
• mandatory training for leaders;
• elimination of all-you-can-drink events and other "unacceptable practices", including hazing.

Province to promote apprenticeship

There are currently about 48,000 young people in apprenticeship programs in Ontario, and 517,000 people have used the apprenticeship programs to qualify in 67 "skilled trades" as anything from electricians to cooks.

"Some employers are desperate to hire skilled workers, yet 14.5 per cent of young people are still unemployed," said education minister David Johnson. The apprenticeship program is to be overhauled by "giving industry a stronger role", "eliminating unnecessary government regulation", and "introducing a new funding strategy", which includes the introduction of tuition fees for the classroom part of an apprentice's training.

PACS offers 'awareness' films

Two of the films are being shown today. At 12 noon, in Grebel room 267, it's "After the Montreal Massacre", a 27-minute study of the 1989 killings at the Ecole Polytechnique. At 7 p.m., in Grebel room 156, it's "Blockade", a 90-minute documentary about "Natives and whites fighting for the clearest manifestation of self-determination: control of the land" in the wooded valleys of northern British Columbia.

The series continues January 28 at noon ("The Battle for Moser River").

A Wednesday in winter

An open meeting will be held at 12:15 (in Needles Hall room 1001) to discuss the proposed policy statement on Use of UW Computing and Communications Facilities. From the draft:

Access to these facilities is granted to University students, faculty members, staff members, and recognized visitors, who in turn are required to make responsible use of these resources to carry out the research/instructional/administrative tasks expected of them as members of the UW community. . . . Inappropriate behaviour includes . . . use of a facility in support of private or commercial purposes, without making prior arrangements with the University.

A memorial service for Peter Swann is scheduled for 12:15 today in the chapel at Renison College, with a light lunch to follow. Swann was at various times a scholar of Oriental art, the director of the Royal Ontario Museum, founder of Waterloo's Seagram Museum, and director of the East Asian studies program at Renison. He retired as professor emeritus, and died December 25.

The Canadian Federation of Students yesterday confirmed the plans for its national day of action next Wednesday against rising tuition fees and student debt. There will be various demonstrations, including a rally at Queen's Park, but it's not clear how many students will skip classes for the day to take part, because of "a climate of fear" on campuses, said Jennifer Story of the CFS. The organization represents students at many Canadian universities and colleges, but not at UW, where the Federation is a member of the rival Canadian Alliance of Student Associations.

Maureen Grant of environmental studies continues to collect funds for ice storm relief in southern Québec and eastern Ontario, money that will be forwarded to the Red Cross at the end of the week. "Obviously, I cannot issue tax receipts," she says, but is now able to add that "for a donation of $10 or over made by cheque" a receipt is available on request from the Red Cross.

The Toronto Star reports this morning that "The first steps toward the creation of a global university for indigenous peoples on the Internet have been taken during the Team Canada trade mission. Indians from Canada, Aborigines in Australia, the indigenas from South America or the Maori of New Zealand could learn about each other by taking courses from professors located in other countries." The proposed institution would be based at the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College.

CAR

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