![[University of Waterloo]](/greenbar.gif)
| Yesterday |
Tuesday, December 9, 2003
|
Editor: Chris Redmond credmond@uwaterloo.ca |
![[Willms in full flight]](/images/2002/1212willms.gif)
Carols
will ring out in the Modern Languages lobby at noontime today, continuing
a tradition that began in 1985. Jake Willms (left), now retired
from the dean
of arts office, will lead the music, doubtless including the "Calypso
Noel" that's a popular highlight. Everyone is
welcome to come and sing. The music starts at 12:15, and there will be
light refreshments.
|
The "Guidelines for the Application of the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act" will be on the university secretariat's web site shortly, says the secretary of the university, Lois Claxton.
The document gives some background to the law, dubbed PIPEDA: "In 1995 the European Union directed its member states to conduct business only with countries that had adequate privacy protections in place. In response, the federal government enacted PIPEDA in an attempt to regulate the collection, use and disclosure of personal information and thereby promote and enforce 'a unified privacy principle' across Canada.
"In January 2001 PIPEDA became law for federally regulated organizations. This legislation anticipated that PIPEDA would also apply to provincially regulated organizations in provinces that failed to enact provincial legislation in the spirit of PIPEDA. Ontario has been unable to meet this deadline and, as a result, most provincially regulated organizations, including universities, must comply with PIPEDA effective January 1, 2004.
"Anticipating the absence of provincial legislation, the Council of Ontario Universities and the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada obtained a legal opinion on the applicability of PIPEDA to universities. The opinion found that because most university activity is educational rather than commercial, PIPEDA is likely to have only limited applications in universities. (Until such time as PIPEDA legislation is tested in the courts, it is not possible to make definitive statements about its applicability to activities.)
"At Waterloo, PIPEDA appears to apply to those activities where personal information (only name, business address and business telephone number are not considered personal information) is provided to a third party for the purpose of generating income/profit (e.g., affinity programs, personal benefits providers) for a commercial rather than educational purpose. Before Waterloo can make such personal information available to the third party, PIPEDA requires that UW must secure the individual's informed consent."
So here's what UW is doing about it: "UW's Commissioner for Protection of Privacy and Freedom of Information shall be responsible for the interpretation and implementation of these guidelines which are to be used in concert with UW policies, procedures and guidelines. The Secretary of the University will be responsible for receiving complaints arising from the interpretation or implementation of PIPEDA.
"Before engaging in a 'PIPEDA activity,' the University administrative officer responsible for that unit shall submit the reporting form [Appendix A overleaf] to the University Commissioner, following which a consultation will occur. That officer must ensure the unit: identifies the purpose for which the personal information is collected; obtains consent from the individuals; limits collection to what is required for the purpose; limits use and disclosure to the purpose for which it was collected/consented to; retains personal information only for so long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected; ensures accuracy; safeguards/protects personal information; provides an individual access to his/her own information."
The team was recently awarded funding of up to $666,500 from the AUTO21 Network of Centres of Excellence and several industry supporters.
Li said the team is investigating proton exchange membrane fuel cell components to develop the best design in a cost-efficient manner. A life cycle analysis of the environmental benefits will also be conducted to determine how the design can be optimized and performance enhanced. "The fuel cell power system and all of its components will be thoroughly reviewed to develop future variants of fuel cell vehicles," he said.
"The project aligns with our significant work in automotive research at the University of Waterloo," said Paul Guild, UW's vice-president (university research). "The work on the fuel cell technologies ultimately addresses air pollution, a key issue surrounding the automobile of this century."
"We are pleased to support this innovative project that will advance the hydrogen economy," said Peter Frise, CEO and program leader of AUTO21. "In addition to the technical knowledge created, the project provides an excellent training opportunity for seven students at the five universities to work with expert researchers and also collaborate with industry representatives. This experience will help develop the students into the innovators of Canada's future automotive sector."
The project is one of seven new research initiatives worth a total of $6.5 million being supported by the AUTO21 Network of Centres of Excellence and industry. AUTO21 is a federal program that supports 28 auto-related R&D projects at 33 universities across Canada, with combined federal and industry funding of more than $8 million a year. The new projects add 32 researchers and 53 student researchers to the AUTO21 investigative team.
Columbia Street work planned"Notice is hereby given," says an ad placed by the city of Waterloo, "that the municipality is proceeding with the detailed design to reconstruct and widen Columbia Street to four lanes with provisions for an on-road cycle path and auxiliary lanes at the major intersections."The work is to run from Phillip Street, just east of the campus, to Spruce Street, just this side of King -- a major approach to both the university and the new research and technology park, and a frustratingly slow, narrow road in its present state. An open house about the plans will be held Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Northdale building of Waterloo Collegiate Institute on Hickory Street. "Plans will be presented detailing the extent of the road reconstruction, construction staging, road closure, water and storm/sanitary sewer improvements, hydro location and tree removal." |
Meanwhile, the senate undergraduate council meets at 12 noon today (Needles Hall room 3004). And Ontario Ballet Theatre does children's performances of "The Nutcracker" at 1 and 7 p.m. in the Humanities Theatre, with another show tomorrow.
A session titled "Introduction to UWone Gradebook" will be offered on Thursday morning, and again on the afternoon of December 18, by the Centre for Learning and Teaching Through Technology. Explanation: "This feature of UWone provides a facility for instructors to maintain a gradebook for each course they teach. Marks can be collected from on-line (and off-line) quizzes, homework dropboxes within UWone and assignments submitted outside of UWone. Course requirements/marks can be organized into weighted categories that are then used to compute an overall grade for each student. Grades can be imported from another program (i.e., Examproc used for multiple choice exams at UW) into Gradebook and exported from Gradebook into a spreadsheet or database. These sessions are appropriate for both current and future UWone course instructors." Registration is through the LT3 web site.
A staff orientation session is scheduled for Friday morning, says a note from Neil Murray, director of staff and labour relations in the human resources department. He says it's aimed for "all new staff hired since March 2003" (but not unionized staff, and not faculty members). As at a similar session held last spring, he says, "the presentation will be made jointly by HR and UW staff association executive members. A letter is going out to the new staff members and another letter to their managers encouraging them to make time for them to attend." The event will run from 8:30 to noon on Friday in Rod Coutts Hall room 307.
A note from Ann Barrett, manager of the English language proficiency program, says that grades from last week's English language proficiency exam are ready "and can be found in undergraduate offices and outside our office, PAS 2082. Students who did not pass should consult the UW Calendar, their academic advisors, or us."
And . . . Susan Schaefer of UW Graphics sends word that "special edition 2002 wrapping paper" is on sale now at a bargain price: "$1 per package of six sheets -- buy one package and get one free! No tax, limited quantities, printed right here on campus on 100% recycled paper." The wrap is available from all Graphics outlets.
CAR