UW to make financial aid commitment

The statement amounts to a guarantee that students who are admitted to UW will get the financial support they need to come here and stay here. Here's the full text of the document:

"The University is committed to ensuring that all qualified students admitted to full-time undergraduate programs have adequate financial assistance to complete their studies.

The senate meeting The meeting begins at 4:30 p.m., Needles Hall room 3001. Other agenda items include a presentation on "current and future issues" for co-op education and career services; an update on proposed enrolment increases; the usual "environmental scan" from the president; the planned move of the architecture school to Cambridge; motions from Federation of Students president Yaacov Iland asking for more information about academic workload and enrolment planning.

"Students will have access to resources needed to meet their needs as assessed by OSAP (the Ontario Student Assistance Program) or by another Canadian provincial government student aid program.

"Students are expected to seek financial support from all sources, including family, employment and government support programs.

"Who is eligible for this commitment? Undergraduate students who meet the following criteria: are Canadian citizens or permanent residents; maintain a cumulative overall average of 65% or greater; are studying on a full-time basis leading to a degree or diploma; have a demonstrated financial need; have applied for and are eligible for OSAP or other provincial government student assistance programs or have not applied for or are not eligible for OSAP or other provincial assistance programs but who have documented emergency or extenuating financial circumstances which may arise during the course of a school year.

"Who is not eligible for this commitment? International students. Students whose credit history makes them ineligible for OSAP or other provincial assistance programs. Students who do not apply for assistance from provincial student aid programs. Part-time students. [Although the University has limited funds to assist students studying on a part-time basis, part-time students experiencing financial hardship are expected to apply for the government student aid programs available to them.] Students enrolled in a full cost-recovery program.

"Note: This statement is subject to periodic review and revision."

Current events The career development workshop series continues. Today at 6 p.m.: "Making Polished Presentations". The career resource centre in Needles Hall has more information. A blood donor clinic runs today through Friday in the Student Life Centre, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Appointments can be made at the turnkey desk. Today's noontime speaker at the Kitchener Public Library is Ian Shulman of UW's psychology department. Topic: "Beating Workplace Stress". The Jewish studies program presents a major lecture tonight by Stephen Berk of Union College. He'll speak at 7:30 in Siegfried Hall, St. Jerome's University, on "A Terrible Anniversary: 60 Years Since the Wannsee Conference to Implement the Final Solution". Admission is free; a reception follows the lecture. Note from the plant operations department: chilled water will be shut off in Engineering III tomorrow from 8 a.m. to noon. And tomorrow brings the grand opening of the UW Sustainability Project, noon to 3 p.m. at its office in the Student Life Centre.

Down to 413 unemployed students

While 413 is still a large number, it's down by more than half from the estimate of 900 unemployed students that was reported just before Christmas. In fact, it's down from the figure of 421 that I mentioned in the Bulletin on Friday.

"The challenge remains in math and engineering," said Olaf Naese of the co-op staff. Those are the two largest co-op programs, with 1,404 and 1,593 students scheduled to go out to work this term. Naese reported that math had 223 unplaced students on Friday and engineering had 144. In both cases, about two-thirds of the unemployed students are in their first year.

There was also a scattering of unemployed students in all the other co-op programs, which are significantly smaller than engineering and math. The third largest co-op program now is accounting, with 414 students due for jobs this term, and all but 3 of them employed.

Percentages of unemployed students ranged from 15.9 per cent in math to 0.6 per cent in AHS (one student out of 196).

Burning gas while you sit still

"The great majority of Waterloo Region residents surveyed understand 'idling' as letting an engine run while a motor vehicle is not in motion," says a news release from UW's news bureau this week. "They disagree, however, on the length of time that constitutes idling. Most of the drivers surveyed (65 per cent) admitted to idling sometimes. Males, persons with more education, and younger drivers were more likely to indicate that they idle."

It also says that over half the people surveyed agree with imposing a $100 fine for idling. "Even more popular anti-idling measures were signage and a public education campaign -- each of which is supported by more than 80 per cent of residents surveyed."

The survey was conducted over a 10-day period last fall by students from three courses. A total of about 180 undergraduate students from a health studies course in behaviour change, a geography transportation course, and a planning course in social research methods conducted the survey, which also asked the public's views about how effective various anti-idling measures would be and how those measures might affect their own behaviour.

The $100 fine was judged likely to be the most effective measure -- 45 per cent of respondents considered it would be "highly effective" on a five-point scale. Stickers placed inside vehicles were considered the least promising -- only 12 per cent felt stickers would be highly effective at reducing idling. Almost three-quarters felt that a $100 fine would make them reduce their own idling.

The intercept survey interviewed a sample of 1,059 adult pedestrians in public parking places in Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge. Survey results were presented to the Citizens' Advisory Committee on Air Quality (Waterloo Region) at its meeting on Wednesday night.

The talk of the campus

Millie the duck was the talk of Friday's issue of Imprint. The student newspaper says the unusually coloured Muscovy duck, who spends much of her time in a clearing outside the Health Services building, "is missing. Well, sort of." It's an unusual story, as told by Natalie Carruthers.

The Canadian Undergraduate Technology Conference is over, and Elaine Lee, its communications chair, sounds euphoric in an overnight e-mail message: "Aside from sleep-deprived organizers, the CUTC was a huge success! Media was crawling all over the premises during the three days, including reporters from the Toronto Star, CityPulse 24, Space Channel, globetechnology TV, ROB TV and Canoe.ca. However, more importantly, feedback from the delegates themselves was most encouraging. Even the sponsors admitted that they were impressed with the calibre of speakers and delegates we'd amassed. As evidence of our success, we've already received notice from many new technology companies wishing to take part in sponsoring next year's conference on top of increased sponsorship from our present sponsors." And now, back to class?

Bob Kerton, UW's dean of arts, has been much in the news recently as a result of his other life, as an executive of the Consumers Association of Canada. The current issue: the interest rates charged on bank credit cards. The federal government's new junior finance minister, John McCallum, says rates are "grotesquely high", banks say no they're not, and Kerton is sought out for comment on behalf of consumers.

In the latest issue of its electronic newsletter, the UW library announces that the papers of former faculty member and computing industry pioneer Wes Graham are now open to researchers. "Donated to the Library by his Estate, the archival collection occupies over 100 linear feet of shelf space and is complemented by several hundred books. . . . The archival collection contains files which document the wide variety of Graham's working life including his early employment at IBM; a move in 1959 to the 2-year old University of Waterloo; activities as a consultant, expert witness, speaker, and author; and an administrative and teaching career at UW from 1959 to his retirement. Also included are files revealing his entrepreneurial activities as well as the early history and development of computing activities at the University of Waterloo. . . . The book collection, which contains copies of works authored by Graham and his colleagues, also includes a wide and early variety of computer software and hardware manuals -- the type of literature which while seemingly common, is usually discarded as newer technology evolves. They will be an important resource for those seeking information on computer science and its development."

Health services gave thousands of flu shots last fall, but if you didn't get one then -- away on work term, perhaps -- it's not too late. "There are still benefits to having one," says nurse Linda Grant, who notes that shots are available at the clinic any time, no appointment needed.

The planned move of the architecture school to a new site in Cambridge is "firmly on the track", says Rick Haldenby, the school's director. Last week, Waterloo Regional Council voted to "nominate" the architecture project to the provincial government. "This virtually assures us of a $4.15 million contribution from the Ontario SuperBuild Programme," says Haldenby. "We will soon be in discussion with federal officials with the aim of acquiring matching funding from Ottawa. The City of Cambridge has been remarkably supportive and will certainly maintain its $7.5 million contribution." He mentioned a recent editorial in the Record in which the school of architecture is listed as one of five "reasons for hope" in Waterloo Region. "I find it virtually impossible," says Haldenby, "to believe that such a thing has ever been said anywhere about a school of architecture."

Finally, a note from the provost's office: UW will send up to four people to attend two senior management courses being offered by the University of Manitoba at the Banff Centre this summer. The Senior University Administrators Course and the University Management Course "are designed to broaden and deepen participant skills in recognizing, meeting, and handling current and emerging issues". Some detail appeared in the Notices column of last week's Gazette, and more information is available from Anne Wagland, awagland@admmail.

CAR

TODAY IN UW HISTORY January 21, 1985: The Centre for the New Oxford English Dictionary opens on the first floor of the Dana Porter Library.