Daily Bulletin

A sixth on the Maclean's list

"I just wanted to let you know," said an e-mail message last evening, "that a friend of mine, Whitney Lackenbauer, was also mentioned. He was a history grad and is the smartest guy I have ever met."

And word came from Lackenbauer himself: "While I am now working towards a PhD at the University of Calgary, I am proud to have completed my undergraduate at UW less than a couple of years ago." He received his BA in applied studies co-op history in May 1998, and in addition to his doctoral study is serving as a research associate at Calgary's Centre for Military and Strategic Studies.

Other UW alumni on the Maclean's list, as yesterday's Bulletin noted, were Diane Cameron and Kate Hoye. The list included three current students: Shaun Chen and brothers Jack and Mark Nowinski (pictured at right). All three are in first-year engineering.

Book summarizes the Holocaust -- by Michelle T. Lehmann

The book targets those interested in learning about the details leading up to and surrounding the terrible events that occurred between 1933 and 1945, but whose only knowledge of the Holocaust comes from such sources as The Diary of Anne Frank or the film "Schindler's List".

Aubrey Diem, who has taught at UW since 1960, divides his book into separate sections that disclose the facts and explain the situations. He uses themes, chronologies, and lexicons to divulge a "holistic account of one of the most terrifying events of the 20th century."

Graphics of Holocaust statistics, maps, diagrams, and photos of concentration camps and other Holocaust icons, taken by Diem himself, provide visual support for this account.

Descriptive passages help readers gain insight into the systematic killing of an estimated six million Jews in Nazi Germany. Diem begins his book with the simple yet profound claim that there is no single reason why the Holocaust occurred. Instead, he outlines a "number of historically diversified factor that converged to bring about the event". Looking back to before the First World War, Diem investigates the conditions and uncovers the reality that 11 million European Jews faced.

The book is an analysis of the origins and occurrences that embody this period in modern history. A chronology, incorporating specific timelines, gives readers a thorough understanding of how this sordid period unfolded from the time Adolf Hitler became the absolute dictator of Germany in 1933 until his suicide in Berlin in 1945. Finally, the itemized lexicon works to explain key figures, essential places, and prevailing terminology used during the Holocaust years.

Diem's book retells the events that happened more than half a century ago in the form of a dictionary or reference text. It is a factual, well-delineated work that captures the essence of the Holocaust and brings it to life for another generation.

Diem's self-published book sells for $39.95.

Staff needed for two bodies

Charlene Schumm, past president of the staff association, chairs the nominating committee this year, and sends word of these positions needing to be filled:

• A staff representative on the UW Pension and Benefits Committee. The committee consists of staff, faculty, retirees, senior administrators and board of governors members who administer the pension plan and benefit packages for employees -- including the creation and enforcement of rules and regulations for the plan; resolution of questions concerning the plan and eligibility to participate in the plan; computation of the amount of benefits or other payments; recommending changes in pension and benefits plans to keep them current; making policy decisions about the administration of benefits plans and changes to comply with legislation, changes in medical fee schedules and insurance rates; and recommending investment policy for the fund to meet the costs of pensions and benefits. This position involves a three-year term of office beginning May 1, 2000.
• A replacement representative on the Joint Health and Safety Committee. An advisory group of staff, management and student representatives, this committee meets 10 times a year to discuss and identify hazardous conditions and make recommendations on health and safety issues. Members are expected to conduct one or two workplace inspections per year. The replacement representative will take over immediately, a current term that ends April 30, 2001.

"We want to encourage all staff members from across campus to consider this opportunity and submit their application. Individuals interested in providing representation who are not members of the University of Waterloo Staff Association may join by contacting Barb Yantha (ext. 3566 or e-mail at staffasc@mc1adm)."

She also announced the reappointment of Angelo Graham (safety office) and Sue Fraser (kinesiology) and the new appointment of Lisa Szepaniak (physics) to the nominating committee itself, as of January 1.

Some of what's happening at UW

Auditions for this year's FASS musical comedy, to be staged February 3-5, wind up this evening -- from 7 to 9 p.m. in Humanities room 378. Tradition is that everybody who tries out for FASS gets a role of some kind, and there's also plenty of backstage work to be done. Faculty, Alumni, Staff and Students are all welcome, hence the acronym.

A planning meeting for the Canadian Undergraduate Technology Conference, to be held at UW in March, will start at 3:45 on Sunday afternoon in Student Life Centre room 2134. "There is lots to be done still," says CUTC chair Jonathan Kwan, a third-year computer science student. He mentions "publicity, intercampus marketing, banquet, technology exposition", and adds that "you don't need to be in CS or engineering," as students from all fields are welcome.

Warrior teams are starting to get back into action after the holiday break. The women's basketball team play at Laurier at noon on Saturday, and the men's team faces WLU in the same gym at 2 p.m., after its discouraging 95-59 loss to McMaster on Wednesday night. The hockey Warriors host Brock tonight at the Icefield (7:30) and Ryerson on Sunday afternoon (2:00). The indoor track and field team heads for the Toronto Open this weekend.

The human resources department sends word of "a unique retirement workshop series", Bridging the Gap, that will be offered this spring and might be of interest to staff and faculty nearing retirement. "Topics include finances, health, housing, leisure, changing roles and community resources." The series runs on six Tuesday evenings, from February 1 through mid-April, at the Rockway Centre in Kitchener. "For information on how to register, please call Rockway at 741-2507. Bridging the Gap is a non-profit group sponsored by Kitchener Parks and Recreation."

A few weeks ago, staff from UW's grounds crew put tags on a number of bicycles that seem to have been abandoned in campus bike racks. "We'd like to start removing them," says grounds supervisor Les Van Dongen. So he's asking people who may have their bikes parked somewhere on campus, and haven't moved them for a while, to take appropriate action. Bikes that are removed from racks will be stored by the UW police for the time being.

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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