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Tuesday, August 28, 2001

$6.1 million to be spent on buildings
A third of engineers have no debt
Chemistry prof continues as editor
Other notes as the skies clear

$6.1 million to be spent on buildings

Snipping a ceremonial ribbon in front of the Modern Languages elevator are UW president David Johnston; recent psychology graduate Peter Hulme; Rose Padacz, coordinator of services for disabled students; MPP Elizabeth Witmer; and Bob Rosehart, president of Wilfrid Laurier University.

Dozens of improvement projects in UW buildings are on the agenda as UW prepares to spend a total of $6,155,480 in special funding bearing the Ontario government's "SuperBuild" label. The allocation was officially announced yesterday as cabinet minister and local MPP Elizabeth Witmer visited campus.

She helped cut a ribbon in front of the new Modern Languages building elevator -- one of the projects paid for with the special funding -- and then visited the adaptive technology centre in the Dana Porter Library. During her UW visit she also announced funding of $2.1 million for Wilfrid Laurier University.

The minister's announcement was no surprise to UW officials, says Gene Starchuk, director of business operations for UW's plant operations department. "We've known about it for months," he said, and the projects it's paying for are "either under way or starting soon".

He said the $6.1 million includes Waterloo's usual annual government grant for maintenance projects -- almost $1.8 million -- plus $4.3 million that was allocated to UW from a one-time fund announced in the Ontario budget this spring.

Accessibility is a major feature of what's being done with the cash. "The University of Waterloo has a tradition of leadership in providing facilities and improvements for disabled students," said president David Johnston. "The latest upgrades to several campus buildings continue that tradition and underscore our commitment to make UW accessible to all."

UW currently has 850 students who have indicated they have a disability, and the installation of the elevator at Modern Languages (one of UW's oldest buildings, dating from 1962) means that all levels of all the teaching buildings are now classed as accessible.

Beyond that, a large amount of it will be spent on heating, ventilation and air conditioning improvements for some of UW's oldest buildings, Starchuk says. That includes the Doug Wright Engineering Building (UW's first academic building, erected in 1958), as well as most of the science buildings, Environmental Studies and Modern Languages.

Other allocations will go to improve electrical supply -- allowing some buildings, mostly in science and engineering, to draw more power -- and to repair walls and roofs. And there will be interior renovations in several parts of campus, with funding made available to the deans of faculties for their priority projects. "There's going to be some moving of walls, some lab benches, some new seating," Starchuk said.

The UW news bureau issued this breakdown of how the money is being spent:

Mechanical improvements -- $2,384,000: Improvements to heating, cooling and ventilation systems in many older buildings as well as an increase in cooling capacity at UW's central plant.

Electrical improvements -- $1,435,000: Upgrades to high-voltage power distribution between buildings as well as power supply and emergency power within buildings.

Elevator improvements -- $487,000: Completion of the installation of an elevator in Modern Languages and replacement of obsolete elevator cylinders across campus.

Building envelope improvements -- $536,700: Replacement of leaking roofs/flashing and failing brick across campus.

Building interior improvements -- $1,395,000: Installation of door openers and renovation of washrooms to provide access for the disabled; asbestos removal and stair repair; and refurbishment of labs and classrooms to enhance teaching and research efficiency.

Site improvements -- $25,000: Re-laying pavers to improve safety and accessibility.

SuperBuild is being described as "a $1.8-billion investment by the Ontario government and its partners designed to help universities and colleges modernize existing buildings and use existing space more efficiently to create room for additional students".

A third of engineers have no debt

One in ten engineering students expects to graduate carrying a debt of more than $20,000, according to a survey conducted during the spring term.

The survey -- a follow-up to similar studies done over the past two years -- was organized by the dean of engineering office and the student Engineering Society. Kristina Hotz, spring term vice-president (education) for EngSoc, reported on it in the July 20 issue of the Iron Warrior.

The results reported are based on 522 responses to a survey that was sent to 1,400 students on campus during the spring term.

Hotz says 10 per cent of those answering the survey said they expected to owe more than $20,000 by the time they graduate. Another 18 per cent estimated they'd owe $10,000 to $20,000; 21 per cent, $5,000 to $10,000; and 17 per cent, $1,000 to $5,000.

But 3 per cent said they would have debts totalling less than $1,000, and 31 per cent expected to have no debt at all when they leave UW.

Chemistry prof continues as editor

Just two days before retirement, chemistry professor Lew Brubacher received one more award reflecting his work to link university chemists with their high school counterparts. He was one of four people to be given the Irwin Talesnick Award for Outstanding Service to ChemEd Conferences, presented on July 30 at the ChemEd 2001 Conference at York University.

"It has special meaning to me," says Brubacher, "as a symbol of the appreciation teachers have for theChem 13 News magazine." The newsletter, published by the chemistry department for high school science teachers, has been one of Brubacher's most prominent contributions at UW. He has edited it since the retirement of its founding editor, the late Reg Friesen, and just last year was honoured with a medal from the Royal Society of Canada for his work in "public awareness of science".

Brubacher says he was one year early when he officially retired on August 1. "With children and grandchildren in Ohio and Michigan," he writes, "and other family even further afield, this gives us freedom to be gone for a week or two at a time. But I'll continue as editor of Chem 13 News for the next while, so I'll be in my office on an irregular-regular basis."

Says Brubacher as he retires: "I've appreciated the interest at UW in keeping in touch with high schools. This has faded substantially over the years, with a greater emphasis on research, and especially the financial cutbacks by the Ontario government. I think it is important to maintain those contacts, and I hope we can find ways to do so."

At UW, he says, "I've had a great group of colleagues who have been supportive, sometimes eccentric, stimulating, and with wide-ranging interests that continue to amaze me. I'm proud of the University of Waterloo and what it has accomplished. The existence of the church colleges, and excellent functioning relationship between them and the main campus is a special feature as well.

"A word about students. It has been a pleasure to work with them, both in class and as an undergraduate officer for biochemistry. They are stimulating, creative and very accepting and affirming. It's exciting to see them mature and go on to make their own contributions to society. Being among perpetually young people helps keep one on his toes!"

Brubacher was born on a farm just 25 kilometres from what's now the campus, and grew up (through high school) in this area and the Niagara Peninsula, "so ever since I arrived here I have viewed Waterloo as mine! The fact that it is still partly bordered by farmland helps make it seem like home. (Brubacher House was built by a brother of my great-great-grandfather.)"

He did his undergraduate work at Goshen College, earned his PhD at Northwestern, and taught for a time at Eastern Mennonite College before coming to UW in 1969.

Other notes as the skies clear

Hot water will be shut off today (and tomorrow morning) in all the buildings inside the ring road, from South Campus Hall to Matthews Hall up in the northern tundra. Building heat is also turned off. "This shutdown is to perform maintenance on steam mains," says a memo from the plant operations department. Not affected are various buildings outside the ring road, including the residences -- oh, and the Graduate House, which isn't connected to the heating pipes.

UW's Carousel Dance Centre will hold an open house tonight from 6:30 to 8:30 at its studios in East Campus Hall. "Our unique program offers children a well-rounded dance experience," a flyer says. Open house sessions will be held again at the same hour on Thursday and on September 5.

Lovell (Andy) Hodge, a graduate student in systems design engineering, will reach the summit of his career tomorrow with the oral defence of his PhD thesis, at 11 a.m. in Engineering II room 1307C. Thesis title: "An Adaptive Framework for Sensor Planning in a Coordinated Multi-Agent Environment". Supervisor: Mohamed Kamel.

CAR