Daily Bulletin

Flu shots more urgent this year -- by Barbara Elve

Barbara Schumacher, medical director of health services, gets her jab from nurse Linda Grant.

After the toll taken by last year's flu season, UW health services staff are no longer just encouraging people in risk groups to be immunized.

They're recommending the influenza vaccine for otherwise healthy individuals who don't want to chance losing a week or more of their school term, as well as for anyone who may be in contact with someone in a risk group.

"We've changed our philosophy," says nursing supervisor Carole Hea. Not only were the flu deaths at a local seniors' home an eye-opener for the community, the impact of the flu on students was significant, she adds.

Free shots are available for students who meet the following criteria:

• anyone with chronic heart, lung or kidney disease
• anyone who lives or works in a nursing home or other chronic care institution
• anyone with diabetes, cancer, a blood disorder or an immune problem
• children and teenagers (aged six months to 18 years) who have been treated with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) for long periods

In addition to the free flu shots provided on campus for students in risk groups, a series of clinics will offer immunization -- for a nominal fee -- to anyone else who wants protection this winter.

Health officials are also recommending that anyone in contact with a high risk person -- at home or at work -- should consider immunization to avoid passing the virus to someone who is vulnerable. Among those in high risk categories:

• anyone 65 or older
• any adult or child suffering from a long-term illness
• anyone who has required hospitalization in the past year
• anyone with a medical condition requiring close supervision of a physician
• women who will be in the second or third trimester of pregnancy during the flu season

Tickets on sale for new raffle

Besides the first prize of $2,000, to be drawn in January, and ten monthly $1,000 prizes (February through November), the third annual Dollars for Scholars has an "early bird" prize in the form of a $2,500 travel voucher from the Thomas Cook Travel agency based in South Campus Hall. The draw for that prize will come December 15.

Tickets for the year 2000 raffle are on sale now, and until January 17, or until the available 700 tickets are gone. They cost $60 apiece, two for $100.

Ticket order forms were sent to faculty and staff members this week, says Bonnie Oberle in UW's office of development and alumni affairs, which administers the raffle. They'll be mailed to the home addresses of retirees next week.

Profits from the raffle go for scholarships and student award funds. ("It's a winning combination for you and our students!" says a testimonial from Ian Williams, kinesiology professor and long-time chair of the senate committee on scholarships and student aid.)

Meanwhile, there are still two draws to come in the 1999 round of Dollars for Scholars. UW president David Johnston will be making the next prize draw, on October 20, and the October winner will be asked to make the November draw.

Alumni get career counselling -- by Michelle T. Lehmann

Alumni need a specialized combination of career counselling and lifestyle decision-making, says Julie Ashley, alumni career counsellor in counselling services. "Sometimes when you have to go back to square one, it requires testing and assessments," said Ashley. "That's why we are qualified to do career inventories, testing and interpreting of results."

She said the service was designed for alumni, bearing in mind that these people may have held a career for some time, and have bigger financial obligations -- perhaps children, or a spouse not working. "It can get complicated. We're trying to make the service as user-friendly as possible."

The counselling service is available every Friday, but she said the department is willing to be flexible, and if the demand increases, the service could expand.

Seminars will offer alumni the opportunity to re-examine their career direction, said Ashley, who has more than 15 years experience with career counselling in both public and private sectors.

Ashley, who is experienced with out-placement counselling as a result of corporate mergers and downsizing, explained that although the idea of a career change can be alarming to some, it can also be exciting. She believes trends are changing; it's now acceptable to change jobs or go back to school because people are no longer locked into one position. "That's why we have to be on our toes, as far as staying abreast with things happening in the marketplace."

She defined career counselling as a dialogue -- a time to sit and talk with someone about the things they like about their current position, why they are motivated to change at this time, what are the limits they must operate within. The counsellor has to examine their temperament closely and then guide them through the whole process.

Once they understand what they're about, Ashley helps them identify their options, ways to pursue new avenues and learn who is hiring. "It's exciting to see all of the options for people and help them find something they'll love, but were never aware of."

Alumni interested in individual career counselling (free) or the popular career assessments (there's a nominal fee) can contact Julie Ashley in counselling services at ext. 2655, e-mail jashley@admmail.

Thankful for a long weekend

• UW police: on duty 24 hours as always, 888-4911.
• Student Life Centre: open 24 hours, turnkey desk 888-4434.
• Maintenance emergencies: phone ext. 3793, 24 hours a day.

This weekend also brings the Oktoberfest hockey tournament hosted by UW's Warriors and the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks. Games start today at 4:30 at both the Columbia Icefield and the Waterloo Recreation Complex, and continue Saturday and Sunday, with the championship game happening at the Rec Complex at 3:00 Sunday afternoon. (The Warriors play at the Icefield at 8:00 tonight, against Conestoga College, and tomorrow at either 3:00 or 6:30.)

Several other varsity teams are in action over the weekend. The volleyball teams are hosting Windsor at the Physical Activities Complex both tonight (women at 6:00, men at 8:00) and tomorrow (women at 1:00, men at 3:00). And the football Warriors (the "run-first, pass-later Warriors", as Christine Rivet of the K-W Record called them last week) host Western's Mustangs at 2:00 Saturday afternoon, at University Stadium. Out of town, the cross-country team competes at Western, and men's and women's soccer teams are at McMaster on Saturday afternoon.

A Harvest Thanksgiving worship service will be held Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at the Renison College chapel. The University Catholic Community will hold its usual weekend services at St. Jerome's University, except that there will be no evening service on Sunday.

Just a few other matters today:

Tom Brzustowski, president of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, visits UW today to discuss the recommendations of the controversial federal report on "Public Investment in University Research: Reaping the Benefits". He'll meet with senior officials privately, then hold an open meeting from 11:00 to 12:30 in Needles Hall room 3001.

And on Tuesday, Henry Friesen, president of the Medical Research Council, will be here to talk about big changes in federal funding with the creation of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. His open meeting on Tuesday will run from 10:00 to 11:30 in Needles Hall room 3004.

I have to make a correction to information that appeared in the Daily Bulletin on September 30, and in this week's Gazette, about a "prototype development/demonstration project" announced by the technology transfer and licensing office. We said there was $480,000 to be spent on such projects. In fact, that's the total three-year budget for UW's involvement in the current phase of the Intellectual Property Management Program funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. The actual amount of money available for prototype/demonstration projects will be $25,000 per year for three years, 2000 to 2002, says TTLO director Jerry Gray. The $480,000 budget includes TTLO staffing and other activities.

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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