Daily Bulletin

VP (administration and finance) is named

The vice-president (academic) will continue to be "provost" and "the senior academic officer and chief operating officer" of the university, says a memo from president David Johnston announcing the change. As of January 1, Alan George, currently dean of mathematics, will be VP (academic) and provost, while a search goes on to fill that post on a long-term basis.

There are two other vice-presidents: university research (Carolyn Hansson until December 31, Paul Guild as of January 1) and university relations (James Downey is "acting" in that role while a nominating committee does its work).

Says Johnston's memo, addressed to members of the UW board of governors and executive council:

Following on Jim Kalbfleisch's announcement that he would retire from the position of Vice President, Academic & Provost, I thought it important to review the position to determine how best to fill the very large role which Jim has played during his remarkable and successful tenure.

In coming to an organizational decision, I have reflected on the report of the 1994 President's Advisory Committee on the Central Administrative Structure, which consulted broadly and concluded that, while UW was unique in the breadth of the VPAP portfolio among the 16 comparators chosen by the Committee, the then present structure should be retained given that the President and Vice-President, Academic & Provost were in place and the organization appropriate in the circumstance. I have also met with almost three dozen individuals and have heard from many others with views on the portfolio. From these discussions a consensus emerged with which I agree: that UW's structure should be altered to one more similar to that of comparably sized universities.

I have concluded, therefore, that we will retain a Vice-President, Academic & Provost (VPAP) who will be the senior academic officer and chief operating officer of the University. The seven Deans, the Associate Vice-President Academic, and three Associate Provosts (Academic and Student Affairs, Human Resources and Student Services, and Information Systems and Technology) will continue to report to the VPAP.

An enlarged portfolio for the Associate Provost General Services and Finance has been created by adding the Director of Business Operations to the other department heads (Finance, Plant Operations, Purchasing, Central Stores, Waste Management, and Bookings) already reporting to Dennis Huber. Effective January 1, 2001, Dennis will assume the new title Vice-President, Administration and Finance, and will report to the President, as do the VPAP, the Vice-Presidents, University Relations and University Research, and the Secretary of the University.

Dennis has an Honours BBA from WLU (1980), completed the Industrial Engineering Program at Conestoga College (1983), and is a Certified Management Accountant (1988).  He joined the Plant Operations Department in 1986 and in 1996 was appointed Associate Provost, General Services and Finance. Prior to coming to Waterloo, Dennis worked for several manufacturing firms located in southern Ontario.

He added thank-yous to the people who commented on the university's structure, and to the "small committee" that helped him make the decision. "What is clear," says his memo, "is that we have a wonderfully committed group of people here who care deeply about the University and who will provide the help and goodwill to ensure that the senior leadership of the University will cherish the opportunity to serve."

The retiring provost is feted

Tribute after tribute was paid to Kalbfleisch (right), who will end his term as vice-president (academic) and provost on December 31 and take early retirement.

President David Johnston was master of ceremonies, in a room decorated beyond recognition with thousands of white fairy lights. As well as presenting gifts and introducing members of Kalbfleisch's family, the president mentioned the creation of a Jim Kalbfleisch Scholarship Fund. Admirers are being invited to contribute to the fund, through the university secretariat or the development office.

Former UW president James Downey was the first of four speakers on the after-dinner program. He told the audience that his choice of Kalbfleisch as provost in the summer of 1993 was "the crowning decision of my career as a president" at three Canadian universities, and paid tribute to Kalbfleisch's "immense gifts of mind, character and personality".

Other speakers were Steve Brown of the department of statistics and actuarial science, where Kalbfleisch was successively a graduate student, a lecturer, a faculty member and department chair, before becoming dean of math in 1986; Shirley Thomson, executive assistant to the provost for a time and now to successive deans of math; and Robin Banks, long-time dean of arts and acting provost in 1987-88. "The term 'retirement' just doesn't seem to fit," said Banks, who said Kalbfleisch had been stunningly successful in his work through "his intelligence, his wisdom, and a great deal of grace".

The various speakers traced Kalbfleisch's career; praised his wit and kindness and courage and ability to make complicated issues simple; and, over and over again, teased him about his fierce cigarette habit.

Jokes about smoking also turned up repeatedly in a video, created by the audio-visual centre, in which people from various UW departments said their goodbyes to Kalbfleisch in a succession of goofy ways.

At the end of the evening Kalbfleisch himself spoke, devoting most of his brief remarks to a series of thank-yous. He acknowledged his family, particularly Rebecca and his brother Jack, who later followed in his footsteps as dean of math; his co-workers and the support of staff, faculty and students all over the university; and the people who created last night's celebration, masterminded by university secretary Lois Claxton and associate provost Catharine Scott.

"I'm finding it hard to believe that all this is happening," he said. "It's been a great 37 years at a great university, and there's more greatness ahead. Believe me, I'm going to be watching with great interest from the other side of Westmount Road."

Christmas buffet, champagne evening

"First we offer our traditional Christmas luncheon buffet from Wednesday, December 13, through to Friday, December 22. Also, on Wednesday, December 20, we will be enjoying an evening with Anne Murray at the Centre in the Square. And finally, we end this month and year with an Evening of Elegance, our New Year's Eve celebration."

Food for the season Need more to eat? Food services is offering a Christmas buffet in the Festival Room of South Campus Hall, noon to 2 p.m. on Tuesday through Friday this week. The price is $10.95 per person plus taxes, and reservations can be made at ext. 4700. "Also," write Jeannie Watt of food services, "a private room is available for groups of 30 or more." Need less to eat? UW nutritionist Linda Barton will give the second of two talks on "Fighting Fat After 30" on Wednesday at 12 noon in Davis Centre room 1302; it's sponsored by the employee assistance program.

The lunchtime buffet is a pre-Christmas tradition at UW, and will be available weekdays from this Wednesday through to the end of next week. "We have limited space available," Brice said yesterday. "I strongly recommend reservations." The menu includes roast turkey with cornbread and dried fruit stuffing, rosemary roasted mini red potatoes, lemon and dill steamed baby carrots, bok choy and wild mushroom strudel with caramelized onions, and so on, all the way down to Christmas pudding with rum sauce.

The New Year's Eve event is described as "an evening of elegance" and carries a price tag of $100 per person. It includes live entertainment by the Ross Daly Trio, "an elegant five course dinner featuring Cornish game hen served with raspberry red wine sauce [and] Filet mignon with truffle madeira au jus", and midnight toasts.

This month's issue of the newsletter, The Lion and the Laurel, also includes mention of special events in the new year (there's a South African wine evening on January 26) and some notes about traditional and ancient Christmas food, from gingerbread figures to (for the true gourmet) gilded peacock. Reservations for University Club events: 888-4088.

Fees due this week; other notes

And those who are wondering about fall term results need only wonder until mid-January; grade reports will be mailed the week of January 15. (Full-time students who are on campus again in the winter term will be able to pick up their grade reports starting January 18; watch the Bulletin for details as the date gets closer.)

The computer store will be holding "customer appreciation night" tomorrow from 5 to 7 p.m., with refreshments and, no doubt, other attractions. Jason MacIntyre of retail services would appreciate RSVPs (mjmacint@uwaterloo.ca) from those who are planning to attend.

What would the Christmas season be without "The Nutcracker"? The Ontario Ballet Theatre has a production at UW's Humanities Theatre, at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.

Tomorrow at the LT3 centre: Bernie Roehl of engineering computing will talk about "3-D Virtual Worlds", at 10:30 a.m. in the FLEX lab, Dana Porter Library room 329.

Later in the week at LT3: an open house and demonstration of two web course management systems, Wednesday from 1 to 3 p.m.; a talk on business and entrepreneurship education, by Barry Bisson of the University of New Brunswick, Thursday at 9:30 a.m.

Thursday brings the annual carol sing in the Modern Languages lobby, sponsored by the faculty of arts and led by now retired administrator and choral director Jake Willms. The music starts at 12:15 Thursday for this 16th annual event; everyone is welcome.

And . . . the trivia contest in Friday's Daily Bulletin is now closed; I'll announce the results tomorrow morning.

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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