Daily
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UW reacts to US terrorism horror

This morning, the university's flags are being lowered to half-staff to mourn the thousands who died in a stunning series of terrorist attacks on the United States. The World Trade Center was destroyed, the Pentagon damaged, and illusions blown away in billowing black smoke.

Other aspects Web site about yesterday's disasters, from UW math student Tushar Singh New York University, in lower Manhattan Government of Canada site about the crisis

For some watchers yesterday, the concern was abstract, a fear for the fragility of world peace. For others, it was directly personal, an anxiety for relatives and friends in the United States -- in some cases, right in lower Manhattan, the business district of New York, where the World Trade Center was hit by two hijacked aircraft and fell to rubble.

Among those most affected was history professor Andrew Hunt, himself an American as well as a specialist in contemporary history. He was interviewed for an eight-page special edition of the Record published late in the day.

A CKCO television crew came to campus in the afternoon and spoke to students, including one who had spent the morning frantic about a brother who works near the World Trade Center. She had just learned that he was safe.

This morning's Record has comments from Abe Elmasry, professor of electrical and computer engineering who is the acknowledged leader of Canada's Muslims. He says women in traditional headscarves were being harassed on Waterloo streets yesterday, called "terrorists", on the assumption that Muslims must have been behind the attacks. In fact, he said, Islam teaches that people who would commit such violence "are sinners who will end up in hell fire".

Staff in the department of co-op education and career services turned to telephone and e-mail to check on the safety of co-op students who have just started fall work terms in New York. There are 21 such students -- ten in architecture, eight in math, two in arts and one in engineering. By early this morning, all 21 had been located, despite overloaded phone circuits and a clogged Internet. Co-op director Bruce Lumsden said his staff were also calling students' parents to say their children had been reached and were fine.

One co-op student, Peter Chiu of computer science, was actually in the lobby of the World Trade Center when the first airplane crashed into the building's upper storeys yesterday morning. "Got singed by a fireball," he said in an e-mail message quoted in 'uwstudent.org', "but should be all right."

University president David Johnston issued a statement at midday expressing "shock at the dreadful events unfolding in the United States": "We are shocked and horrified at these very tragic events," said Johnston. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and with any of our campus community who may be affected or have family members in harm's way in these terror attacks in America."

He said the campus remains open and classes continue as scheduled, "although professors have the option of devoting them to discussion of the news events and tragedy. UW chapels will be open for those who want to pray or have a quiet place to reflect and UW counsellors are on standby for those who may need assistance."

Catharine Scott, associate provost (human resources and student services), repeated that point. She said both counselling services and health services were making counsellors' time available on short notice for students and others who are particularly affected by the disaster and need someone to talk to.

One source of expertise about terrorism at UW is the cluster of peace and conflict agencies based at Conrad Grebel University College, which put out this news release last night:

The Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies condemns the attacks of terror committed today in the United States. We grieve with the families and victims of this tragedy as they come to grips with the enormous losses that they have suffered. We are also aware of the wide ranging ripple effects that this tragedy may have for people throughout the world.

These apparent terrorist attacks are a sobering reminder that we live in a world in which everyone is vulnerable and interlinked. The attacks must compel us to work even more fervently to find peaceful resolutions to conflict. We encourage our leaders to demonstrate wisdom by pursuing all available peaceful means to respond to these terrorist actions, in order to prevent the potential for an unprecedented escalation of hatred, violence and destruction.

Open house for recreation facilities -- from today's Gazette

In addition to "demos and information," there's a chance to win a Campus Recreation registration and other prizes. The event -- from 3 to 7 p.m. in the small gym and in the Student Life Centre parking lot -- kicks off the fall 2001 programs at the PAC.

Descriptions of instructional programs, league activity, and information on facilities, membership, registration and job opportunities are also contained in The Incredible Guidebook, published by Campus Recreation.

To make fitness more fun, a new Budd-e-Board has been installed across from the PAC equipment desk. Students can sign up individually for any sport listed, or as a team looking for competitors. Staff members check the board weekly to match up those interested in playing the same sport.

As well, students can bring a friend along to check out fitness programs, instructional classes, or clubs during Buddy Week, October 22 to 26.

Registration for instructional programs will be held Tuesday, September 18, to Thursday, September 20. Programs start Monday, September 24. Details on registration for competitive and recreational leagues -- from ice hockey to rec innertube waterpolo -- are available in the Guidebook and on the web.

For those looking for less-structured fitness opportunities at no cost, a number of activities are available on a drop-in basis or on a more flexible schedule. Students can borrow basketballs, volleyballs, soccer balls, footballs, badminton nets, baseball gloves, softballs (bats and bases), and goalie equipment for ice and ball hockey. As well, students who want to squeeze some exercise in between classes can visit the golf course, squash courts, Waterloo Tennis Club, weight and conditioning rooms and swimming pool.

Conditioning room staff offer a free orientation to equipment and are available to answer any questions.

Also free are a series of exam period step live, ak-wa-fit and energy express classes -- from December 4 to 15 -- to ensure peak performance during finals.

Happening as the term gets rolling

Books borrowed from UW's libraries on term loan are due today. They can be renewed electronically.

It's pizza day, as special events at the Graduate House continue all week. "Get your pizza slice for a buck, with coupon, noon till 2 p.m.," the Graduate Student Association says. Tonight: "Mango Tango grooves at the Grad House. Come and enjoy the reggae beat." The music starts at 9:30 p.m.

A second information meeting about jobs, aimed at graduating students, is scheduled for 4:00 this afternoon in the Humanities Theatre. It'll provide details about what UW's career services can do to help.

Lisa Fischer of Vienna will speak at UW this afternoon, sponsored by the Germanic and Slavic department, the sociology department, women's studies, and the Austrian embassy. Her topic is "Gender Asymmetries in Viennese Modernism"; the talk begins at 4:00 in Humanities room 373.

An information meeting about NSERC and OGS scholarships for graduate study in mathematics is scheduled for tomorrow, from 3:30 to 4:30 in Davis Centre room 1302.

The Weight Watchers program on campus is scheduled to begin next Monday -- maybe. "We need more people or else it will not happen," a message yesterday said. "I can't believe we can't get 20 people from this entire campus!" Apparently only nine people showed up at Monday's preliminary meeting. Anybody else who's interested can call Karen Stephenson of WW at 886-3262.

Sports scheduled today, subject to change like everything else: baseball vs. Laurier at 7 p.m. at Jack Couch Park; field hockey vs. Guelph, on the Columbia fields; men's rugby, at Guelph.

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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