Daily Bulletin

Fee for co-op building Chris Farley, president of the Federation of Students, told students' council yesterday that there will be more "consultation" before he delivers a student answer to a request for UW officials that they help pay for the planned new co-op building. "We made a mistake and screwed up," said Farley, explaining why the request wasn't made public sooner. Federation leaders have been asked to endorse a $25-a-term increase in the co-op fee (currently $400 a term) to pay for the part of the building's $8.7 million cost that isn't covered by a government grant. "This is an administration proposal, not a Federation of Students decision," Farley pointed out yesterday. "The administration can make this increase without any student consultation." But he's hoping that student input will be listened to. UWstudent.org has a report of yesterday's meeting.

Programming team places fourth

The ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) contest was won by St. Petersburg State University -- one of four teams that received told medals for solving all six of the problems. St. Petersburg State had 728 penalty minutes. In second place came Virginia Tech of the United States (850 minutes). Third spot went to St. Petersburg Institute of Fine Mechanics and Optics, also from Russia, with 935 minutes. And UW was fourth with 963 minutes.

The UW team members were Donny Cheung, a recent graduate of combinatorics and optimization; Jeff Shute, fourth-year computer science; and Graeme Kemkes, third-year CS. Reserve member Gordon Chiu, first-year computer engineering, and team coach Gordon Cormack of the computer science department accompanied the team.

The finalists, 64 teams of three students each, relied on their programming skills and creativity during a five-hour battle of logic, strategy and mental endurance.

More than 13,000 of the world's top computer science and engineering students and faculty from 70 countries around the world competed from last September through December in preliminary and regional contests to secure a spot at the World Finals. UW's team made its way into the finals by finishing a close second at the East Central Regional Contest, held last November at Case Western Reserve University. UW won the world championship in 1994-95 and 1998-99.

Families tour campus tomorrow

The faculties will mark their presence with balloons tomorrow to make navigation easier for visitors. Applied health sciences will be decked in red, arts in purple, engineering in yellow, environmental studies in green, mathematics in pink and science in black. The church colleges? Green and gold.

The visitors will have an opportunity to learn more about academic programs, campus life and student services, finding out about everything from residence food to scholarship possibilities.

"We've planned an exciting day with lots of information to help students decide which university is best for them," says Heather MacKenzie, coordinator of the Visitors Centre, which is operated by the registrar's office. "Our students tell us that visiting the campus was the best way to see for themselves what the University of Waterloo has to offer."

Most activities begin around 9 a.m. and some continue until 4 p.m. Students and their parents can start at the Visitors Centre in South Campus Hall or at the Student Life Centre to pick up a Campus Day newspaper, which details the day's activities. Campus tours start from both locations any time between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The SLC will have more than a dozen booths showing off campus services, from the police to athletics and the library. Elsewhere on campus, the residences, health services, the PAC, the libraries and career services are offering tours all day.

Special presentations in the Humanities Theatre will answer questions about financing a university education (1:15 p.m.) and about co-operative education and career services (2:15).

UW's six faculties will each hold program-specific activities, tours and information sessions, and the church colleges are also offering tours and special events.

Visitors will be parking in any available space around the edges of campus. Current students, staff and faculty are being urged to leave the car home tomorrow if possible to make more room for the visiting students and families.

From March break to summer camp

Kids can go on field trips, sit around campfires, perform in theatre productions, or "explore new horizons" in computing, engineering and science at UW this summer.

Meanwhile, Engineering Science Quest is holding its annual March break camp this week, a preview of the kind of thing that will go on from July 2 through August 22. Now in its 11th year, ESQ is a member of ACTUA of Canada, winner of the Michael Smith Award for excellence in the promotion of science to young people across Canada.

The student-run program seeks to explore new horizons in engineering and science by giving children an opportunity to see, touch, invent, design, create and experiment in 12 distinct camps for Grades 1-12. Three ExXtreme Camping programs focus on the world of computers and technology. Summer prices are $175 for each five-day week ($225 for the ExXtreme Camping programs). More information is available from coordinators Bill Baer and Wendy Stokkermans, phone ext. 5239.

Also this summer:

Arts Computer Experience: A summer day camp for children seven to 12, with emphasis on learning while having fun. The camp offers instruction in art, computers, drama and music, as well as outdoor activities and swimming. ACE runs four two-week sessions throughout July and August. Cost is $265 for sessions I and III (shortened by holidays) and $285 for sessions II and IV. The program begins July 3. Camp hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Contact: Karen Nofer, ext. 5939, ace@uwaterloo.ca.

Hildegard Marsden Day Nursery Summer Camp: A program full of fun outdoor activities is offered, emphasizing the intellectual, physical, social and emotional growth of children from 2 1/2 to seven years. Activities include science projects, swimming, large and fine motor activities, songs, cooperative games and field trips. The child-staff ratio is eight campers for each childhood educator, with a maximum of 16 campers a week. Minimum weekly sessions are offered for July and August. Cost is $135 for each five-day week; $125 for each four-day week. Register early. Camp hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Contact: Alicia Smith, ext. 5437.

Klemmer Farmhouse Co-operative Nursery Summer Program: A fun-filled weekly program for children from 2 1/2 years to five years. Campers can get involved in crafts, water play, music and games, as well as field trips and outdoor play programs. Children may register for one or more weeks. Hot lunch and snacks are served. The child-staff ratio is eight children for each early childhood education teacher. Camp hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Cost is $125 for each five-day week camp; $115 for each four-day week. Contact: Melodie Lee, 885-5181.

Ontario Mennonite Music Camp: The camp, August 12-24, is aimed at young people from 12 to 16 with a love for music and some music training. They can participate in choir, instrumental music, private coaching, a musical theatre production, outdoor activities, campfires and field trips, as well as camper planned chapels, concerts by professional artists and a concert for family and friends. Now in its 18th year, the music camp receives campers from many Christian denominations. Campers and university-trained counsellors are housed in the residence rooms of Conrad Grebel College. Cost is $475, plus a non-refundable deposit of $50 (after June 17, $75). Contact: Julia Richards, 885-0220 ext. 226.

The extra $9,999,990 Really, I know better, and so do you. It's not $10 that supporters in Cambridge have to raise in order to entice the UW school of architecture there, it's $10 million. I got it wrong in Friday's Bulletin; we'll try to have the figure right in the Gazette on Wednesday.

The talk of the campus

Bonnie MacLachlan, classical studies professor at the University of Western Ontario, speaks on "Sappho and Her Legacy", 4 p.m. in Humanities room 139.

The student Math Society today launches a weeklong "Math Marathon" that's perhaps better imagined than described. People will be spending the week in glass cases, there's nickel cotton candy at one point, "Pint with a Prof Day" bodes well for faculty members, and I understand there will be a lot of pink ties on Friday. Might ask a photographer to stop by before it's all over. . . .

The staff association sends word that its office will be closed this week. "Two executive committee members will be available to take SA calls: Anne Jenson, ext. 3893, and (until Thursday) Ed Chrzanowski, ext. 6487."

The library will offer one of its periodic sessions on "Keeping UP with Your Research Literature -- Electronically", tomorrow at 9:30 in the Dana Porter Library. The two-hour session is slanted to graduate students and faculty, and anybody wanting to take part should register on-line.

A series of three hockey games, starting tomorrow night, will determine who gets to go to the national championships later this month as host team -- Guelph, Laurier, or UW's Warriors. The advance "mini-tournament" starts Tuesday night at 7:30 at the Kitchener Auditorium, with a matchup between Guelph and Laurier. UW will play the loser of the first game on Wednesday night and the winner of the first game on Thursday night, and somebody will do the arithmetic to see who ends up champion. Tickets for each of the three games are $5 from UW's athletics department or from the Auditorium box office downtown.

Scheduled for Wednesday: a panel session on "The Craft of Research Writing: Exploring the Process". It's sponsored by the teaching resource office, and will run from 12 noon to 1:30 in Engineering Lecture room 211. Faculty members from English, psychology and computer science will be on hand "to discuss their own research writing strategies", an announcement says.

March 18 -- the middle of next week -- will be the deadline for applications to live next fall in the residence portion of the UW Place complex, which is available for upper-year students. Application happens on-line; the housing office at ext. 2679 can provide more information if necessary.

Finally, I have a number of announcements to pass along pretty much verbatim. First, Mary Stanley in the library office is looking a bit ahead and sends this notice:

UW authors, artists and musicians who have had worked published or exhibited in 2000 are invited to celebrate their achievement at the annual Authors Event hosted by the Friends of the Library. If you would like your book or art included in this event, please contact Mary Stanley at 6019 or mstanley@library.

The Authors event, now in its ninth year, provides us with an opportunity to showcase the works of our UW community while celebrating the creative process. Over the years, we have exhibited the work of more than 200 authors.

This year's event will be on Wednesday, May 9, at noon in the Theatre of the Arts.

To help launch our new website, the Retail Services department is holding its first-ever Oscar Contest! We invite faculty, staff, and students to try their hand at predicting this year's Academy Award winners -- for a chance at winning a VCR from the Computer Store and a copy of Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide from the Bookstore! Details about the contest, along with a downloadable version of the entry form, can be found online.

Career Services is looking for students to fill a variety of volunteer positions. Depending on the position you will gain valuable job search, marketing, and/or career-related skills by either promoting events and services or by helping other students in their career planning and job search. Open to regular and co-op students who are creative and possess strong interpersonal and communication skills. Applications available in the Career Resource Centre, NH 1115, or from our web page. Deadline is March 23.

CAR

Editor of the Daily Bulletin: Chris Redmond
Information and Public Affairs, University of Waterloo
credmond@uwaterloo.ca | (519) 888-4567 ext. 3004
Friday's Bulletin
Copyright © 2001 University of Waterloo