This term's co-op interviews were held in Needles Hall. A year from now, it'll be the new co-operative education and career services building, now under construction between South Campus Hall and the Dana Porter Library. Photo by Barbara Elve.

People are talking about co-op

The idea is that the present batch process -- a month of interviews, after which employers and students rank each other and the co-op department matches them up -- will come to an end. Instead, things will look more like the current "continuous phase" of interviews, in which jobs and students are matched up whenever an interview brings a meeting of minds.

The change would have pros and cons, and I imagine we'll be hearing much about them. The web site 'uwstudent.org' has announced an ingenious way of illuminating the issues:

Director of CECS Bruce Lumsden has agreed to respond to the ten best questions posed to him about the need to change the current co-op process. So, pose your questions. uwstudent.org will select the ten best questions, send them to Bruce and post his replies.

"As of November 9," says Olaf Naese of co-op education and career services, "4,601 co-op students were scheduled to be on a work term for January-April 2002. Of these, 1,090 students had indicated that they were either returning to a previous employer or arranging their own job.

"As a result of the computer match for the initial phase of interviews, ending November 2, 1,809 students achieved employment. This means that 63% of all co-op students (except those in Architecture and the Teaching Option) scheduled to be on a work term for January-April now have employment. Last year at the same time the percentage employed was 74.5%."

The difference between this year's results and those of last year, he says, "clearly indicate the reality of job availability and the challenge facing co-op students and CECS in finding work term positions." The 1,513 students who were still jobless when that count was made still have many opportunities to find winter term positions, first of all through the "continuous phase" interviews, which are still going on.

Job matches for architecture and teaching students are made in a separate process, and were announced last week: 100 per cent of the teaching students who need jobs for the winter term have them so far, and 49.1 per cent of architecture students, with 84 of that group still looking.

Referendum results So far, there aren't any. Polls closed yesterday afternoon in the Federation of Students referendum about a proposed "Campaign Waterloo" fee -- $13.80 a term to pay for expansion of the Columbia Icefield and the Student Life Centre -- but voting results have not been announced.

Some advice from the safety office

• Electrical Cords -- During inspections the Joint Health and Safety Committee has noted the improper use of electrical cords. The Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) under the Electrical Code does not permit the use of electrical extension cords on a permanent basis on appliances and lab equipment (a power bar for computers and small office equipment is acceptable). If found during an ESA inspection the department responsible could be fined. Check your area and replace any such extension cords with electrical outlets through a Plant Operations work request.
• Christmas Trees -- Check out link on Safety Office website for requirements of fire authorities.
• Renovations -- Recently a person on campus found themselves locked in a room apparently due to the door lock not being changed after some renovations. Whether or not you have had recent renovations check your doors, especially the ones used infrequently, to ensure they allow egress.
• Injury/Incident Report Form -- Enclosed is a revised form for reporting employee, student and visitor injuries. The form is also available from Safety Office website.

Happening today and on the weekend

The Touring Players will bring one of their children's shows to the Humanities Theatre at 10:00 and 1:30 today: "A Whimsical Day with the Stories of Marie-Louise Gay".

Philosophy professor Paul Thagard will speak at 2 p.m. in PAS (Psychology) building room 3005. Title of his colloquium: "The Passionate Scientist: Emotion in Scientific Cognition". A reception will follow. Everyone is welcome.

The tourism research lecture series continues with a talk at 2:30 by Dave Fennell of Brock University (Environmental Studies I room 132). Title: "Ecotourism Program Planning".

The WatCHI group -- CHI standing for "computer-human interaction" -- presents a panel this afternoon about faculty research and how it's connected to CHI, also known as HCI. Speaking will be Carolyn MacGregor (systems design engineering), Richard Wells (kinesiology), Les Richards (LT3 learning centre), Randy Harris (English), and David Goodwin (English). The panel starts at 3:30 in Davis Centre room 1304.

The UW stage band will give its end-of-term concert tonight, under the title "College Jazz". The music starts at 8:00 in room 156 of Conrad Grebel University College. Tickets are $8, students and seniors $5.

"Office Hours", a play by Norm Foster ("a Canadian comedy") is being presented by the Engineering Society, tonight at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 2:00 and 8:00, in Environmental Studies II room 284. Tickets are $6, on sale now at the EngSoc office (sorry, Orifice) in Carl Pollock Hall.

A series of bands will be playing tonight in the Bombshelter pub (in the Student Life Centre) to raise funds to buy blankets for Afghan refugees through the Mennonite Central Committee. (Donations are suggested.) The music starts at 9:00, with Lucerin Blue, Kristine Martin (who had the idea for the show in the first place), and The Crush.

Tomorrow brings a "mock LSAT", or Law School Admission Test, offered by the legal resource office of the Federation of Students. "Taking this practice test under timed conditions," says Shannon Macri of that office, "helps to estimate the amount of time one can afford to spend on each question." Anybody interested can call the LRO at 888-4634 to sign up for tomorrow's test.

Saturday night brings a semi-formal dinner-dance sponsored by the South Asian Students Association, being held at the Phoenix banquet hall in north Waterloo. Tickets will be on sale at midday today in the Student Life Centre.

The UW Choir gives its end-of-term concert, "Music of the Masters", Sunday afternoon at 3:00 at St. Louis Roman Catholic Church on Allen Street. Tickets are $8, students and seniors $5.

The volleyball Warriors have games today and tomorrow, the only home events for UW teams this weekend. Tonight they host Ryerson, with the women's teams playing at 6:00 and the men's teams at 8:00. Tomorrow the visiting team is Toronto; the women play at 1 p.m., the men at 3 p.m.

The (other) talk of the campus

Here's news from the school of architecture: "On Thursday, November 22, the students at the UW school of architecture present a cheque for over $1,200 to K-W Habitat for Humanity. The funds are the proceeds from the annual Architecture Hallowe'en party, which took place in the architecture studios on October 27. Over 500 people, many in elaborate costume, attended the event, which saw the second floor of ES II transformed into a circus complete with giant elephants, clowns and dancing. The decision to support Habitat for Humanity reflects the fact that the architecture students have become increasingly involved with the organization. Students participated in several builds this past summer. The school of architecture is organizing elective courses that provide hands-on construction experience in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity." The cheque presentation yesterday was made just before the weekly "24 Academic Positions" architecture lecture.

The World Solar Challenge is probably over as I write these words, although a final report from UW's Midnight Sun solar car team is yet to arrive. Here's the news as of last night, from somewhere in south Australia: "Tonight we are camping about 184 km from the finish line, in 12th position, under completely overcast conditions. Tomorrow will be a very interesting day indeed. Tomorrow morning's charge session will be critical to maintaining our position. Although we may be going slower than we want, we will hopefully complete Waterloo's second running of the World Solar Challenge."

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan continues; here's a reminder that for the convenience of Muslims who are not allowed to eat during daylight hours, the Village I cafeteria is open to provide breakfast starting at 5 a.m. each day through Ramadan.

Andrew Telegdi, member of Parliament for Kitchener-Waterloo, has close UW links and is proud of the place, so it's not surprising that he rose in the House of Commons on Wednesday to celebrate UW's top placing in the Maclean's magazine rankings for this year. Not surprising, either, that he saved some of his praise for the other two institutions of higher education in his riding, Wilfrid Laurier University and (the Waterloo campus of) Conestoga College.

And finally: for anybody who really didn't understand the point yet, the Record has a front-page story today making it clear that UW will not, repeat not, be doubling its first-year intake in 2003, the year of the "double cohort" of applicants. Apparently building on Wednesday's Daily Bulletin report about admission plans, which quoted what provost Amit Chakma had said at senate on Monday, Luisa D'Amato of the Record speaks of "fierce" competition, "a flood of applications" and the need for top grades. "That means," she writes, "local students with good grades, who normally would get into UW, will be left out. They'll get into university somewhere in Ontario, but it may be at a less-popular institution." She notes that the number of applications won't be literally doubling in 2003, since not all students in the new program will finish high school in the nominal four years. "Most analysts expect a 30 per cent enrolment increase across Ontario in 2003." The article now appears on the web site of the Record's sister paper, the Star.

CAR