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Wednesday, July 8, 1998
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Comdex trade show
As of April 1, the province only funds full eye examinations every 24 months for anyone between 20 and 64. For those 19 and under or 65 and over, annual exams are still covered. "My hunch is we aren't too far away from when we're not not covered at all," Sivak now predicts.
He says the impact on the school of optometry's Eye Care Clinic could be significant, not only in reduced revenues, but in the availability of hands-on clinic experience for optometry students. "The program has to depend on patients to educate students," said Sivak. And it depends on OHIP fees to cover most of the clinic costs.
To date, the main impact of the change in funding has been the mountains of red tape clinic staff have processed as they tell clients about the changes and discuss options. Since exemptions to the every-24-month rule can be made for "limited aspects of ocular and systemic disease management", staff often need to phone OHIP to determine if a client may be eligible for an exemption allowing an annual exam. "It's been very complicated and difficult for staff," he said.
Annual eye exams are "essential in ensuring optimal vision and early detection of disease", the local optometric society is saying in newspaper ads urging patients to keep coming every year. And if patients are not willing to pick up the tab for their own annual eye exams, career opportunities for optometry graduates could shrink, Sivak is predicting.
The cost of an annual check-up at the UW clinic is about $50. "In some cases, third party insurance or extended health plans may provide coverage," the optometrists say. But the UW staff and faculty health insurance plan is among funding sources that will not pick up the tab for the annual check-up, meaning it's up to the individual to pay, or to wait two years between examinations.
While the profession embarks on a campaign to educate the public about the benefits of paying for an annual exam, Sivak and UW provost Jim Kalbfleisch are asking the province to consider a system of block funding for the school's clinic, similar to that provided for Sick Children's Hospital in Toronto. Although Sivak has yet to hear details of how the plan might work, he believes the province would give the school a lump sum payment instead of paying a fee for each patient. "It frees the institution from worrying about the ups and downs of funding," he said.
"This statement," he says, "follows months of discussion and debate at the GSA council, including a presentation by a TA union steward from York University. The GSA executive reported to the GSA council that the GSA has been successful in TA negotiations with the university in the past, considering commentary that UW TA rates are among the highest in the province."
At least one representative was strongly in favour of a position in support of unionization, he said, but the council voted no. "Until new evidence that shows unionization is the best route, GSA council will focus on the serious issue of tuition and student aid in the months ahead."
As it turns to other matters, the council meets this evening and is expecting a visit from Andrew Telegdi, member of Parliament for Waterloo. Telegdi will speak on federal initiatives affecting post-secondary education and answer questions about the role of the federal government in graduate studies, McLean said.
Tonight's meeting starts at 6:00 in Needles Hall room 3004.
This week's Positions Available list from the human resources department includes these staff jobs:
The staff association has been mounting a big membership campaign, as I noted in the Bulletin a few days ago, and president Charlene Schumm reports "terrific news! We have 44 new members as of July 3! I am so pleased with the response we've gotten from UW staff. Not only are we getting plenty of new members, but we have many existing members recruiting their friends." There's a draw for recruiters and new members alike, with the big prizes coming October 7 and some early bird prizes awarded already. Winners drawn on Monday morning were Katherine Jackson of chemistry and Clifford Blake of management sciences, each of whom takes home a $25 gift certificate from Jack Astor's Bar and Grill.
The American Association of University Professors, the leading faculty union in the United States, has issued a policy statement on post-tenure review of faculty members; for the first time, the AAUP is accepting that reviews of tenured faculty may have their place, although "post-tenure review ought to be aimed not at accountability, but at faculty development."
I was sorry to hear of the death on June 28 of Ruth Miller, who was a colleague here in information and public affairs when I first came to work at UW. She was one of the pioneers at the university, starting work in 1959 as secretary to the "superintendent of buildings and grounds", and later transferring to the department that was then called "information services". I remember her doing everything from stuffing envelopes to typing news releases and tucking invaluable information into files where I still often spot her typescript when I'm looking for details of UW's history. Ruth Miller retired in 1978.
The chemical engineering department presents a seminar today by Robert Koros of Exxon Engineering in New Jersey. He'll speak on "Transients in Chemical Reaction Systems, the Challenges in Coupling Reaction Engineering and Reactor Safety", at 3:30 in the Doug Wright Building (Engineering I) room 2517.
The Student Life Centre is announcing a used book sale on Thursday, July 16. "Donations of books can be left any time at the turnkey desk," says SLC assistant manager Nancy O'Neil. "All money will go to a non-profit organization." The sale on Thursday of next week will start at 11 a.m. And that evening, starting at 8, the SLC will host a coffee house and bake sale; groups and individuals who might be interested in performing should have a word with somebody at the turnkey desk by this Friday.
A number of surplus items are available through central stores, for departmental use only. If your office has use for a couple of Apple PowerMacs, a Macintosh Performa 6200CD, a Hewlett-Packard 560C Deskwriter, any of various bookcases and tables, or single and double pedestal desks, you should call Ed Goodwin at ext. 2262.
"This document," the page begins, "outlines a proposal for a mission to locate the tombs of Pharaoh Akhu En Aten and his Queen Nerfert Iti employing a novel technique of sonic imaging." It's the work of two people associated with UW's Pattern Analysis and Machine Imaging group, and is put on the web by a former graduate student, Reda Fayek.
Fayek, whose home is in Egypt, did his PhD thesis on "3D Surface Modeling Using Hierarchical Topographic Triangular Meshes" -- some of the theoretical background that would, indeed, be used if the Kings' Valley project were ever carried out. People from several countries and several disciplines are interested, the web site makes clear, including researchers at the University of Alberta whose expertise is more often applied to the search for oil.
"There are hands-on openings," the project organizers promise, and they're also looking for financial sponsors. The web site describes the project, and includes a few drawings and a reproduction of an ancient sculpture showing the mysterious and captivating Akhnaten (as he is more often spelt) and Nefertiti.
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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