Daily Bulletin

Dues proposal 'a matter of fairness'

Here's the text of the letter, dated October 1:

The new Memorandum of Agreement between the UW Board of Governors and the Faculty Association calls for a separate vote to be held by October 15 on the question of Faculty Association dues. Specifically, the proposition is that all those represented by FAUW in negotiations on salaries and other conditions of employment will pay FAUW dues, but will not be required to become members of the FAUW. Anyone with a bona fide religious objection may direct the payment of such dues to a registered Canadian charity acceptable to both the individual and the FAUW.

If the proposition receives majority support, then payment of FAUW dues (or an equivalent amount to a charity) will become a condition of employment for all those faculty members at the University of Waterloo who are eligible to be represented by the FAUW.

The FAUW represents all regular full-time and some part-time faculty members, but at present only about two-thirds contribute to the costs of representation by paying FAUW dues. We believe that, as a matter of fairness, all those represented by the Faculty Association should pay their fair share of the costs incurred in their representation.

Most Canadian universities with non-certified faculty associations already have similar dues arrangements in place, although in some cases only new faculty members hired after a special date are required to pay dues. McMaster and Guelph have introduced such provisions within the past year or so, and Toronto is in the process of bringing in such an arrangement.

A mail ballot on this proposition will be sent out by the UW Secretariat during the week of October 5, with a closing date of October 15 for its return. We urge you to give this proposition your serious consideration, and to cast your vote prior to 3:30 p.m. on October 15.

Young people surveyed about jobs

"This is a multi-dimensional study featuring two of the most important players in the drama," said CFIB president Catherine Swift, "employers of youth and youth themselves. Our research has shown us that small business owners are very interested in hiring youth, and that youth want to work for small businesses."

"Youth employment is not, fundamentally, a macro-economic problem where employers and employees are viewed in blocks. Instead the issue is of a micro-economic nature where individual youths are hired by individual firms. By bringing together the views and experiences of employers, employees and prospective employees, a clearer picture emerges about what influences the hundreds of thousands of individual decisions that go into the hiring of Canada's youth."

The CFIB listed some "key findings" from the study, titled Hire Expectations:

• "Small business is considered a source of good jobs. Youth cite the dynamism and growth of smaller businesses, where there was more opportunity to 'get involved', 'provide ideas', 'be valued', and 'make a difference', as the chief reasons they are attracted to small business. They have a tendency to view larger companies as 'less flexible' or 'less able to integrate new ideas', more 'political', and 'unappreciative' of their employees."
• "Youth have mixed feelings about the usefulness of education in their job searches. While youth don’t feel that schools have prepared them well for the school-to-work transition, when they do not find work they like, going back to school is their first choice as a solution. When asked what they could be doing to improve their opportunities for finding work, youth overwhelmingly emphasize further education and upgrading their skills. This emphasis on more education is contradictory, and suggests that many students may be abandoning their job searches too soon, and returning to school as an alternative career choice."
• "Culture shock hits most graduates when they move from school to the job market. The second most common cause of youth unemployment, according to small business respondents, is that the education system is not teaching skills well enough. Employers also cited a mismatch of youth skills to job opportunities among the key causes of youth unemployment."

Local volunteers are wanted

• Help street youth: R.O.O.F. is seeking dedicated, caring, open-minded individuals willing to donate 5 hours a week to assist kids. Help provide the care and support homeless youth require to stay alive, believe in themselves and move forward. Learn new skills in a supportive team environment. Opportunities include administrative assistance; hands-on work with youth; drama, art and sports groups; lifeskills training; or fundraising/ development work.
• Hearty speakers needed: The Heart and Stroke Foundation would like to hear from creative energetic individuals with great presentation skills and an interest in or knowledge of heart health. Volunteers will be trained as health promotion speakers who will promote and provide heart health education to elementary school children. Key areas include physical activity, nutrition and tobacco-free lifestyles. Training will be held on Saturday, October 17. If you are interested in heart health but do not want to be a presenter, you could help develop resources, join a promotion committee or provide administrative assistance.
• Handiperson, one time only. Project Read needs your handy skills for just 6-8 hours to help them set up their new office. They need boxes moved, shelving put together, hooks put in and racks put up. Just a few hours of your time will make all the difference and will be greatly appreciated.
• Swim partner needed. A woman who uses a walker would love to have a volunteer provide some assistance and support to enable her to go swimming once a week. A caring volunteer who is sensitive to adults with disabilities is needed once a week for 1 1/2 hours.

While Ruth Witmer marks a birthday

At 12:30 today, in Math and Computer room 5158, the teaching resource office presents a talk and demonstration about KnowledgeForum and WebKnowledgeForum, described as "new tools for supporting the development of knowledge building communities through online discourse". John Thompson and Mary Lamon of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, will present their work. Everyone is welcome. After the talk, at 1:45, "further discussion" will continue in the nearby TRACE office library.

A new book by Michael Higgins, president-designate of St. Jerome's University, will be launched tonight with a reception at the college. Heretic Blood: The spiritual Geography of Thomas Merton continues Higgins's work on the Trappist theologian and philosopher of the 1950s. The event, which starts at 7:30 in the fireside lounge of Sweeney Hall, will include the premiere performance of "Song: Contemplation" by local composer and conductor Alfred Kunz.

The Vietnamese Student Association will hold its "Autumn Nights" semiformal dinner and dance tonight at the Do-Thanh Restaurant in downtown Kitchener.

East Asian matters take centre stage again tomorrow, when the Renison College festival winds up with a day of "cultural demonstrations": acupuncture, kite-making, origami, bonsai, martial arts, calligraphy and such. They'll run from 10 to 3 on Saturday in the Renison great hall and chapel lounge.

A one-day workshop on "The Whole Kit 'n' Kaboodle" of career planning happens tomorrow -- covering "self-assessment, occupational research, resume and letter writing, work search, networking", and so on and on. Don't know whether there are still spaces available, but the career resource centre would have all the information.

The first of two programming contests this month will be held on Sunday, starting at 10:30 and running through late afternoon pizza time. (The second such event is scheduled for Saturday, October 17.) "The results of these contests," explains coach Gordon Cormack, "will be used to select two teams to represent Waterloo at the East Central Regional contest, November 13 and 14," as UW moves towards the Association for Computing Machinery international programming contest. Contest participants should register on-line today.

This year's Lung Association Hike for Life is scheduled for Sunday at the Laurel Creek Conservation Area just north of campus. The hike begins at 1:00, a "celebrational barbecue" with family activities at 2:00. More information: 886-8100.

Sports this weekend: lots. The undefeated football Warriors will play at (also undefeated) Western on Saturday afternoon. Baseball: Brock at Waterloo (actually at Bechtel Park) tomorrow at 1:00, UW at Guelph on Sunday. Women's basketball: preseason alumni game at 2:00 Saturday afternoon. Cross-country: the Waterloo invitational, starting tomorrow at 11. Field hockey: three games in Ottawa over the weekend. Hockey: the pre-season York University tournament. Rowing: the Head of the Trent regatta at Peterborough. Rugby: both men and women play at Guelph tomorrow. Soccer: both men and women play at Windsor on Saturday and Laurier on Sunday. Swimming: a meet at Brock on Sunday. Tennis: the men are off to McGill for a weekend tournament, while the women host McMaster tomorrow at 9 a.m. Men's volleyball: a tournament at Laurier. Women's volleyball: hosting Seneca College tonight at 7:30.

The Federation of Students sends word that it's interested in nominating candidates to the board of the federal government's Millennium Scholarship Foundation. Vice-president (education) Robin Stewart can provide more information -- phone ext. 2340.

The University of Toronto will hold its annual U of T Day open house tomorrow.

And finally . . . among the commercial movies opening tonight is "Antz". I have a note from someone who has seen it:

This film, by Pacific Data Images and SKG DreamWorks, is completely computer animated. "Toy Story" from a couple of years ago was good; this one is amazing. I was lucky enough to attend the world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival. There's a UW connection -- the lead software R&D person from PDI is a UW alumnus with a master's in math from the computer graphics lab. And his wife is one of the producers of the movie.

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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