Daily Bulletin

Lectures challenge "new order" -- St. Jerome's broadens debate on IT

Compassion and Solidarity: The World We Want, is the theme of this year's talks which bring together "scholars, artists, and activists" to address ways of working for the common good "through social work, global justice, education, ecology, peace or information technology."

Ring Road reconstruction from the University Avenue entrance, circling west to Needles Hall is underway, with traffic being rerouted in the work area. The roadway is scheduled to reopen by September 9, although finishing touches of asphalt may require temporary closings after that date.

"Too concerned about our own decline in purchasing power, our own insecurity, our own future, we quickly lose sight of the poor, the marginalized, the excluded -- the real victims of this new order and the culture of self-centredness it promotes," explains David Seljak, religious studies professor and Centre director.

The lectures begin on Friday, September 17, with a talk by "political and cultural theorist, author and critic," Mark Kingwell, University of Toronto philosophy professor and author of Dreams of the Millenium. Kingwell and UW president David Johnston (who speaks on November 18) comprise the Information /Technology + Society Series Lectures, sponsored by the St. Jerome's Centre for Catholic Experience and St. Jerome's math department.

The new mini-series was introduced last year "out of our concern that on the UW campus -- heavily concentrated on information technology -- there isn't a wide debate on the contribution of information technology to the public good," said Seljak. Like all power, it can be used for good or evil, he added, and the series is "an attempt to get people, thinking about those possibilities.

"For many students in computer science, information technology is simply how they're going to get rich. They're often up front about that fact. Others are worried that their jobs will not be fulfilling. This is a way to get students thinking about how they can use their skills for the public good, for democracy, to introduce them to the wider possibilities."

Other speakers in the lecture series include:

• October 15, the 1999/2000 Ignatian lecture by Philip D. Shano, "Ignatian Spirituality and the Ecological Crisis: The Spirituality of Simple Living"
• November 16, a joint lecture with the Waterloo Catholic District School Board by Paul-Andre Duroucher, "Spirit-Filled Leadership: Considerations for Catholic Institutions"
• November 26, Howard Dyck, "Music that Makes a Difference: The Consort Caritatis"
• January 21, Nancy Nason-Clark, "Betrayed Trust: Sex, Violence and the Christian Church"
• February 16, a joint lecture with the Waterloo Catholic District School Board by Elizabeth Schuller, "The Jewish World of Jesus: The Evidence of the Dead Sea Scrolls"
• March 3, the 1999/2000 Separate School Boards' lecture by Kieran Bonner, "Parenting and Power: An Analytic Story about Power and Powerlessness"
• April 7, the 1999/2000 Devlin lecature by John Wilkins, "The Next Pope: The Papacy in the New Millennium"

The lectures are free, and most will be held at 7:30 p.m. in Siegfried Hall at St. Jerome's University. For more information, phone St. Jerome's at 884-8111, ext. 259.

TRELLIS upgrade begins today

"During the upgrade, there will be acces to a backup Web version of TRELLIS," says Linda Teather, coordinator of UW library systems support services. "Users will not be able to place holds or recalls, but otherwise access should be normal."

Web services such as journal indexes, electronic journals, ILL forms, or subject-based Web sources which are accessed from the TUG Web page should not be affected, she adds.

On Monday, circulation services will be available through staff at the circulations desks, but self-charge will not be available until the upgrade is completed. Full service is expected to be restored before the end of the day on Monday.

Volunteer help wanted

Child and Parent Place, which facilitates exchanges or visits of children following a separation or divorce, is looking for "non-judgmental, open-minded volunteers" to provide support and supervision.

Volunteers can also assist Kitchener Public Library Foundation with special projects to enhance library services by providing administrative support, collecting items for a silent auction, or planning and assisting with a special event.

To learn more about these and other volunteer opportunities, contact the Volunteer Action Centre at 742-8610.

Barbara Elve
bmelve@uwaterloo.ca

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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