February 27, 2002

Wednesday, February 27, 2002

Waiting for government decisions
Staff warned: protect yourself
Sexual assaults just off campus
Still more about PhD orals
And a little of this and that

Editor:
Chris Redmond
credmond@uwaterloo.ca

University of the Arctic gives its first course

Change of plans, academically speaking
With the advent of the Student Information System (that's Quest and its less visible companions), the traditional "preregistration" period is a thing of history. Instead, students get "class enrolment", which for spring term courses is scheduled for March 4 through 29, with online appointments now scheduled. (Class enrolment for the fall term will take place in June.) Meanwhile, March 4-8 is something new "Plan Modification Week", dedicated to those who want to select or change their major subject or add a minor or option. Forms to do such stuff are available on the web. That's the form to use if you're hoping to transfer into an architecture program, the school of architecture notes, adding, "Check with the Registrar's Office to determine if any supporting documentation is required."

Waiting for government decisions

As universities in Ontario face a "rising tide" of would-be students, there's no final word on how the government plans to pay for educating them, UW's senate was told on Monday.

Any decision on funding is "in limbo until the new leader is announced on March 24", president David Johnston told the senate. With premier Mike Harris on his way home to North Bay, five of his cabinet ministers are vying to become leader of the provincial Progressive Conservatives and premier. Once the party chooses its leader, a new cabinet will settle into office, and then maybe some policy decisions will follow.

The government did announce last spring that it would increase its university grants by 1.6 per cent in 2001, 3.9 per cent in 2002, and then 13.2 per cent in 2003-04, the year the "double cohort" was expected to put sudden enrolment pressure on the campuses. But enrolment went up 3.4 per cent last fall, not just 1.6 per cent, and universities have been asking for more money as a result.

Mary Thompson of the statistics department, who is UW's "colleague" at the Council of Ontario Universities, brought a written report to the senate meeting. "It has become clear," she wrote, "that the demand for places in Ontario universities in the first part of this decade is greater than had been forecast." The government was counting on an increase from 229,000 students in 1998-99 to 287,000 by 2004-05, and now it looks like the number is on its way to 308,000.

"Under the new projections, full cost funding for all students in the system will require a commitment to increase the annual base allocation ($1677 million in 2000/01) by an additional $30 million this year and a further $50 million (in current dollars) by 2003/2004, beyond the $216 million (over 2000/01) the government has already promised. An additional $30 million dollar requirement to reach an enrolment plateau around 2005/06 is also projected. . . .

"A letter in January to the Minister of Finance had asked for a reaffirmation of the commitment to full funding for growth in 2002, whatever the numbers might be. No reply had been received at the time of the Council meeting of February 15. . . .

"The main new ingredient since December is the release of the application figures from Ontario secondary schools, showing an increase of 9,461 individuals, or 15.8%, over last year. It is not known, of course, how many of the applicants will end up in the Ontario system. However, a sharp increase in the number of 18 year old applicants from 5,073 to 10,558 suggests a very plausible explanation of the figures. The number of applicants applying to more than three universities is up as well. This combination of circumstances will make it difficult for universities to predict the numbers their offers will yield. Living up to the government's promise of a place in Ontario for every willing and qualified student may not be possible in Fall 2002. . . .

"A letter . . . will be sent to the leadership candidates from the COU Chair, asserting that 'we are at a crossroads', and asking a series of pointed questions on public support of teaching and research. Responses received will be posted on the COU website.

"The executive heads will hold a retreat before the leadership convention to plan next steps, in the expectation that the issue of university funding will receive attention as soon as the new premier is in place. Issues around tuition fees are expected to be on the agenda as well."

[Red placards]
The lions around Nelson's Column in London's famous Trafalgar Square kept watch as students from all over Britain paraded February 20 to demand an end to recently-introduced tuition fees and an improvement in grants. A major newspaper estimated 4,000 participants; organizers from the National Union of Students said 10,000. The "Big Ben" tower of the Parliament buildings is at rear, and Canada House just out of the picture at right.

Staff warned: protect yourself

A startling page-long article in the current issue of Staff News, published by UW's staff association, warns that people can lose their jobs at the university suddenly, maybe even unfairly, and gives advice on what to do about it.

Says the article, signed by the association's executive committee: "Recent incidents on campus -- long-service employees at the University being offered buy-outs or leaving precipitously -- have left some staff quite concerned. Understandably so. Your Staff Association has even had concerns expressed to it by people who have worked at the University for years, who are by most measures 'high up' in the University -- folks most would consider secure. They have voiced worries that 'if it can happen to them, it can happen to me.'

"Absent all the facts, it is impossible to say what has happened in any of the instances we are aware of. It may be that all the incidents about which people are talking have a reasonable explanation and affairs have been conducted in a fair and upright manner. Nevertheless, the Staff Association is concerned. Although we will be pursuing these matters with the Administration of the University, it seems prudent to take this occasion to offer advice to the staff community."

Among the advice the article gives:

"We suggest that all Staff at UW familiarize themselves with University policies; especially Policy 18 (Staff Employment [including discipline]), and Policy 36 (Staff Grievances). Don't wait until you think you need to know this stuff: do it now."
"If you are having problems with your manager, it is important that all lines of communication between you and your manager be used in an effort to clear up any misunderstandings and resolve the situation so that everyone is satisfied. To advise you and to help you achieve this, there are resources available to you: the Staff Association's Member Advisory Committee; the University's Conflict Resolution Support Program; trusted friends and advisors; HR; and lastly it may be advisable to consult legal council."
"Keep in mind that while HR is there to advise you, they are also there to advise your manager. HR is also charged with advising the University's Senior Administration. Additionally, HR provides guidance to committees, such as Committees of Inquiry, which operate under provisions of Policy 36. All of which is to say that you should always keep in mind that HR has a variety of obligations and is not working just for you. Most, if not all, administrators of the University will likely feel constrained in much the same way that HR is -- that is to say they will be protective of the institution."
"Document everything. Take notes in all meetings, especially those with your supervisor."
"Consider keeping copies of all emails, memos, and other documents at home. You may find yourself in a situation where you no longer have access to resources at the University (computer accounts, paper files, etc.)."

The article goes on: "The SA is confident that most staff on campus are working to create and maintain a good, happy, and safe work environment. Further, we are confident that where problems exist, hard work and dedicated effort on the part of all parties can resolve difficult situations to everyone's satisfaction. . . .

"We are not advocating paranoia, we are not advocating a climate of fear; we are advocating that staff take prudent measures to safeguard themselves. We do not see great malice in the current situation; we see occasions where things appear to be handled poorly. We are confident that with good will on the part of all parties and hard work, the 'collegial model' will prevail."

Sexual assaults just off campus

Says a "major incident summary" issued by the UW police yesterday: "On the evening Monday, 25th February 2002, two separate incidents occurred in the Hazel Street/ Albert Street area of Waterloo. Both incidents involved the male suspect approaching and grabbing hold of the lone female victims. The suspect fled when the victims screamed.

"Suspect: Male, White, late 20's, 6', medium build, shaved blonde hair wearing a dark coloured toque and navy waist length jacket.

"Any person with information about these incidents is requested to contact Waterloo Regional Police Service, #3 Division detectives, at 653-7700 ext. 333, or Crime Stoppers, 1-800-222-8477."

The police offer the customary advice: walk in groups, keep to well-used areas, bear in mind the Walksafe and Ridesafe programs (phone 888-4949).

Still more about PhD orals

I wrote the other day about a PhD oral examination that's about to be held with the student at the far end of a videoconference connection, and several comments have arrived since then, casting doubt on my blithe remark that this event would be a first-ever. On Monday, for example, I quoted Pat Aplevich of the French department about several previous cases where the external examiner, at least, has been present only in video form. Trouble is, I got the wrong Aplevich -- that note came from Dwight Aplevich in the department of electrical and computer engineering. My apologies.

And now I have a note from a faculty member who had best remain unidentified: "I thought I should share these brief comments about an entertaining PhD teledefence that I chaired a number of years ago, when an external examiner was unable to make the trip to UW.

"Although I have forgotten the names of the characters involved, for obvious diplomatic reasons, I will never forget the sight and sound of the venerable external examiner, sitting all alone (and evidently very tired) in his own studio in some distant university, since he fell asleep and began to snore loudly as soon as the questioning had passed on to the next member of the examining committee. I believe that I expressed some serious reservations about the value of this technological innovation in my subsequent report to the grad studies office."

And a little of this and that

With snow falling and the temperature a few jeroboams lower than it was this time yesterday, today brings the deadline in the weather station's guess-when-spring-comes contest. The idea is to predict the date and time when the temperature first hits 20 Celsius. (Winning time last year would have been April 8 at 12:15 p.m.) The deadline for entries, on the weather station web site, is 2:00 this afternoon. By the way, I said yesterday that coordinator Frank Seglenieks was in electrical and computer engineering; he is in fact in civil engineering, the department that co-sponsors the weather station along with geography.

On-line voting continues for faculty members (on proposed articles in the Memorandum of Agreement, about potential faculty layoffs) and for undergraduate students (on leadership of the Federation of Students, and other student offices, for 2002-03).

About 100 young people are on campus today shadowing undergraduate engineers. The Shadow Day program, sponsored by the Engineering Society, pairs high schoolers with UW students to attend lectures, have lunch on campus, and learn about the co-op program. Students will have an opportunity to find out about extracurricular activities and admissions procedures, and faculty members will provide information about each engineering department at information seminars.

Some other events of the day:

Career development workshops on letter-writing, resumé writing, and business start-ups through UW Innovate. The career resource centre in Needles Hall will have the details.
Lunch with Samsung, at 12 noon in Davis Centre room 1302 (lunch reservations: e-mail n2fernan@uwaterloo.ca).
A free 12:30 concert in the chapel at Conrad Grebel University College: "Jazz, Sweet Jazz", featuring Michael Wood on vibraphone.
An income tax workshop for international students, from 1:30 to 3:30 in Needles Hall room 3001.
The regular diversity discussion group sponsored by Gays and Lesbians of Waterloo, at 7 p.m. in Humanities room 373. Topic tonight: "AIDS and the LGBT community".
Ernie Regehr, director of Project Ploughshares (based at Conrad Grebel University College), speaks at 7:00 in the great hall at Grebel: "Responding to Terrorism and Global Violence".
Pub night in Calgary for UW alumni, at the Bow River Barley Mill.
David Kirk, retired professor of sociology, gives this year's Spinoza-Meir Lecture at 8:00 in Needles Hall room 3001:"Pierre Van Paassen (1895-1968): Canada's Anti-Nazi Journalist and Champion of the Jewish People".

The Holocaust theme will continue tomorrow, by the way, when the speaker in the weekly architecture lecture series is faculty member Robert-Jan Van Pelt, on "The Case for Auschwitz" (7 p.m., Environmental Studies room 286).

Also Thursday, the student newspaper Imprint presents a free showing of the documentary "The Frank Truth", about "the most-hated and often-read publication in Canadian politics and media", at 7 p.m. in Physics room 145.

And a reminder that this week brings to an end the exhibition "The Expatriate Gods", photographs by architecture professor Anu Banerji showing places of worship across Canada. It's been on display in the Modern Languages gallery since early January.

CAR

TODAY IN UW HISTORY
February 27, 1980: The IBM 360/75 computer is unplugged after 13 years.