Daily Bulletin

John English of UW's history department has been named a Member of the Order of Canada, the federal government announced yesterday. English, a specialist in Canadian history and biographer of Lester B. Pearson, is a former Member of Parliament for Kitchener and currently chair of the board of the Canadian Museum of Civilization. Says his Order of Canada citation: "He has, through his writings, contributed to the knowledge and understanding of our rich political heritage. Demonstrating strong leadership in his profession and in his community, he shares his knowledge and expertise through his involvement in professional organizations and public and private institutions."

UW markets courses in Hong Kong

The students have been recruited by the Institute for Advanced Learning, being launched by a UW graduate and a graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University, says Don Kasta, UW director of distance and continuing education. "They're aggressive young folks that have started a business doing this." Some 49 applications were received, he said, and 25 students have qualified and finished the paperwork in time to take three courses apiece during the fall term.

"The education market in Hong Kong is absolutely crazy," Kasta commented, noting that universities from Australia, Britain and other countries are competing for business from students who can't find space in the former Crown Colony's own eight universities. UW will become the first Canadian university offering undergraduate courses in Hong Kong, he said.

(The Chronicle of Higher Education this week spotlighted the Open University of Hong Kong and its ambitions to serve the rest of China -- "what will certainly be the world's largest market for higher education" -- as well as Hong Kong itself.)

Students in Hong Kong will be able to take most of UW's roughly 250 distance courses, Kasta said, although "fifty or sixty" courses aren't available for use outside Canada because of copyright restrictions on the course readings or other materials.

Traditionally, UW's distance (correspondence) courses have been offered mostly to Canadians, although Kasta said there has been nothing to prevent an overseas student from signing up, as long as the postal service will carry the course materials back and forth and other practical problems can be worked out. ("We charge them extra money, because there are huge costs in shipping to these countries.") But with more courses being offered over the Internet rather than through the mail, those problems should be shrinking, he noted.

An effort to market UW courses in the Middle East last year came to nothing, he noted, but the Hong Kong project looks more successful. "We've been doing what we can to try to contribute to the internationalization of UW. Maybe we can help attract some graduate students later on."

'We're so proud of you, son," as a university rejection letter arrives: cartoon in The Times to accompany news that British universities are assessing a proposal to increase fees to £6,000 a year.

No Elderhostel here this year

Grebel normally offers two Elderhostel programs each summer, one in June and one in August, with 20 to 35 participants in each, says CGC Elderhostel coordinator Cheri Otterbein.

Enrolment for the educational programs -- for adults who are retired or about to retire -- tends to build gradually over the winter and spring months, she adds. But this year, Elderhostel Inc. cancelled the programs at the college because enrolment figures were not high enough back in January.

Instead of the week-long programs it usually offers, Conrad Grebel is running a one-day Elderhostel sampler in August as an opportunity for former participants to enjoy a reunion, and to pique the interest of future students.

On Wednesday, August 9, a session on memoir writing and storytelling will be offered by Mary Eileen McClear, an overview of Canadian literature will be conducted by Gayle Goosen, and Peter Russell will offer a tour of the Peter Russell Rock Garden at UW.

"We're planning to have our regular two programs back on track next summer," says Otterbein. Canadian Elderhostel programs are now being offered through Roots to Learning, a Canadian company subcontracting to Elderhostel Inc. All registrations are conducted through the Boston office of Elderhostel Inc.

Anyone interested in the one-day Elderhostel program at Grebel is invited to phone Rebecca Steinmann at 885-0220, ext. 224 for information or to register.

On campus and in the community

The Jewish Students Association offers "The Middle East Meets the Far East" tonight, "a Shabbat dinner featuring Chinese cuisine", starting at 6:30 p.m. in the third-floor lounge of the PAS (Psychology) building.

It's a busy weekend for summer events in Kitchener and Waterloo:

• "Cruisin' King", a parade of several hundred vintage cars through downtown Kitchener this evening, with '50s rock music at both ends of the route.
• The Uptown Waterloo Jazz Festival, tonight and most of tomorrow, with outdoor stages on Regina Street and at the corner of Erb and Caroline.
• The "Move This Mountain" festival of country music at Bingeman Park, Kitchener, tonight, Saturday and Sunday, in aid of the Special Olympics. ("Lace" highlights tonight.)

Dragon boats race next week

The Festival was originated by the Elmira Kiwanis Club in 1998, and is now an annual event at Laurel Creek Conservation Area just north of UW's north campus.

A news release explains that "Dragon Boat racing is North America's fastest growing water sport. Dragon boats are the largest flatwater racing canoes in the world. A crew of 20 paddlers, paced by a drummer at the bow and guided by a steerperson at the stern, combine power and rhythm over a 500-metre course. A well-synchronized team is not only visually spectacular, but almost always defeats a stronger, less coordinated competitor."

Organizer of the college and university race is Lloyd Heywood of UW's department of recreation and leisure studies. "This event historically generates huge excitement among the college crowd," says Heywood. He can provide more information about team entries, as can other UW-based organizers, Nancy O'Neil in the Student Life Centre and Jane Varley in the campus recreation office.

Says Heywood: "There has never been a provincial championship at the college and universities level, so the Waterloo Region Festival has a genuine first. We expect 25 to 30 teams to participate this year, and we're going to see fierce competition as the college and university teams battle it out to become the first provincial champion. The college and university competition will undoubtedly become an important part of future festivals, and there's going to be a huge honour at stake to become the first to win it."

Last year's Dragon Boat Festival attracted 48 teams and some 5,000 spectators. This year there should be 90 teams and double the crowd, organizers are promising.

"This is an all-day event," says Darryl Moore, Kiwanis Club president and chair of the Festival. "Besides the races, we've got food and refreshments, arts and crafts, a beer tent, clowns, buskers, live music, picnic areas, and sponsors' displays. And we're located at the Laurel Creek Conservation Area, so there's certainly lots to do."

The Colleges and Universities Championship is scheduled to start at noon on Friday, July 21. The traditional portion of the festival will run on Saturday, July 22. Racing begins at 9:00 a.m., with opening ceremonies, including the Lion Dance, at 11:00 a.m. Proceeds of the festival support local charities and community service projects.

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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