![[University of Waterloo]](/goldbar.gif)
| Yesterday |
Tuesday, July 6, 2004
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Editor: Chris Redmond credmond@uwaterloo.ca |
![[McCormack]](/images/2004/0701mccormack.gif)
Eric McCormack,
professor of English at St. Jerome's University since 1970, officially retires
July 1. Originally a specialist in 17th century writing, he also taught Canadian
literature and then wrote it, as author of four novels and a collection of
short stories. "There is something of the genial genius in him," says the
St. Jerome's alumni newsletter in reporting on his retirement, "and something
of the mad scientist too . . . more storyteller than scholar." He's making
his home in Kingston, but will return to do some part-time teaching, the
newsletter promises.
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He noted that "bank stabilization work" was starting yesterday at the two lakes along Laurel Creek on the south campus -- Laurel Lake, below Conrad Grebel University College, and the Health Services pond. "We're losing three or four inches a year to erosion," he said. A plan has been drawn up and a contractor is using "naturalized methods", rather than the out-of-style wire baskets full of rocks, to make the lake edges stable.
Further upstream, a bigger project is on the books for Columbia Lake. There's water in the lake now, after a long spring of being pretty much a mudflat, but it's not as full as in the past, Galloway points out. Just enough water has been allowed to stay in the lake, which is controlled by a dam at Columbia Street, to cover the water intakes connected to the north campus sprinkler system. So the playing fields can be kept green with lake water over the summer as usual.
This fall, the lake will be drained completely, apart from a narrow stream path, and a major dredging operation will change its shape and size, Galloway noted. The eastern shore of the lake will be much as it is now, but "the western edge will be changed drastically," he said. The goal: a smaller, deeper lake with faster water flow, which is expected to be good for Laurel Creek water quality and aquatic life.
When work is finished next year, the lake will have two islands, Galloway added.
He also reported on a change to the timing of some of the work to connect the north campus road system. The east-west street in the research and technology park, Wes Graham Way, is scheduled to connect to the city's Parkside Drive at its eastern end, providing a paved road past UW's Bauer Warehouse. That piece of work was originally scheduled to be starting now, but it's looking as though it will be postponed until next year, Galloway said. Also scheduled for next year is a connection of Hagey Boulevard to Bearinger Road at the north end of the R&T park.
Back on the south campus, Galloway is taking definite pride in the landscaping work that was recently completed around the Tatham Centre. "We basically did it ourselves, with the help of some subcontractors," he says.
"Ourselves" would mean the university's grounds crew, part of the plant operations department. Supervisors Jerry Hutten and Les Van Dongen did the design for the Tatham landscaping, he said, since a landscape design wasn't provided with the building itself.
Delaying the work until this year made it possible to take into account the routes that pedestrians seem to be choosing in the area of the building -- either clearing the preferred routes as formal paths, or blocking them to direct traffic elsewhere, whichever seemed best as part of the overall design.
2,264 have fall jobs alreadySome 58.4 per cent of co-op students who need jobs for the fall term have them at this point, says a memo from the co-op department.There are 3,878 students looking for jobs, says Olaf Naese of CECS, and 2,264 had found a job as of June 29, "leaving 1,614 still needing employment". In engineering, the program with the most students looking for co-op jobs, the placement rate stands at 59.8 per cent. In math, which ranks second, it's 55.9 per cent. Enrolment is up this year from last year, with 369 more students looking for fall term jobs, Naese said. He notes that job postings and employer interviews now continue daily until August exam season. "After leaving campus following exams, co-op students who still need employment can continue to use JobMine to apply for available positions. . . . CECS will also implement its referral plan which will use an online inventory of students' skills and interests to match candidates with job openings." |
The new titles don't mean a change in organization, according to a memo from CECS director Bruce Lumsden. "This structure is similar to other academic student service units in the University," he writes. "These changes are effective July 1, 2004."
CECS -- one of UW's largest departments -- also has three associate directors: Cathie Jenkins for "student services", Keith Kenning for "field services", and Dave Thomas for "systems and employer services".
Adding the rank of "assistant director", says Lumsden's memo, "reflects a broader responsibility and approach to the role of management in the department. . . . The establishment of this category recognizes the growth in the department both in size and complexity and is in line with other recent changes in the organization over the past few years."
Kerry Mahoney becomes assistant director for career development. "This change reflects a growing awareness of the importance of career development for all students and alumni at the University of Waterloo. The University is committed to prepare all students for the world of work after their academic career and recognizes that career preparation is an integral part of a University education. Kerry will join the senior management group at their bi-weekly meetings."
In addition, he said, four people who have been titled "program administrator" now become assistant directors. "These positions are a critical link between the individual faculty members and the CECS department. The Assistant Director will continue to represent the department to the Faculty and the Faculty interests to the department. These positions will continue to report to the Associate Director, Student Services."
Becoming assistant directors in that category are Linda Davis (for arts, architecture, environmental studies and the teaching option); Scott Davis (for mathematics and accounting); Rick Roach (for applied health sciences and science); and John Westlake (for engineering).
| WHEN AND WHERE |
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Engineering Society election: voting 8:30 to 3:30, Carl Pollock
Hall foyer.
Sandford Fleming Foundation debates, faculty of engineering, continuing through Wednesday, 11:30 to 1 p.m., Engineering II room 3324. Finals Friday noon. Career workshops: "Letter Writing", 3:30; "Resumé Writing", 4:30, Tatham Centre room 1208. Open forum on JobMine, 4:30 to 6:00, Rod Coutts Hall room 101. Co-sponsored by co-op education department and Federation's co-op student council -- an opportunity for student comments on the new JobMine system and suggestions for improvement. TalEng, Engineering Society talent show, 8 p.m., Bombshelter pub. 'Adapting to Student Diversity'. Workshop sponsored by teaching resource office, Wednesday 12 noon, Math and Computer room 5158, details online. 'The August 2003 Northeast Blackout', electrical and computer engineering seminar, Claudio Canizares, Thursday 12 noon, CEIT room 3142. Power of Punctuation Workshop. Part of the counselling services workshop series, Thursday 1:30, information online. Blood donor clinic July 12-16, Student Life Centre, signup booklet available at the turnkey desk. |
In the olden days, such as the 1970s, the first week of July would see a boom in activity on campus, as spring term students were joined by those who came for the brief "summer session". Many of them were secondary school teachers, upgrading their qualifications with courses packed into a six-week period that would start right after what was then called Dominion Day. The summer session is pretty much history, but a few of what are now called "block courses" are being offered in July and August, some of them squeezed into as little as a week, and generally still aimed at teachers. Three are in progress right now: a Renison College course in "child maltreatment: identification and prevention", July 5 to 9; a Renison "advanced seminar in family violence", July 5 to 16; and a Conrad Grebel University College course on "creative conflict resolution in the schools", July 5-16.
And some future students are hard at work this week on an eight-week intensive English course, offered by Conestoga College, that will prepare them for regular courses in UW's faculty of mathematics this fall. Toni Aston, coordinator of special programs in the math faculty, explains: "The program is designed for students who have been admitted for September 2004, but whose English language skills are below those required for direct admission to full-time regular studies. The program runs from July 5 through August 27, 8:30 to 4:30 Monday to Friday, and successful completion meets the English language (TOEFL) requirement."
Michelle Robinson of the campus recreation program writes from the Physical Activities Complex: "The PAC pool will not be closed for the summer as of this week, as was originally planned. We had planned to close the pool on Sunday, July 11, for the remainder of the summer to allow for repairs to the pool. These repairs have been put on hold. So we have extended the hours of the pool for the rest of July and the start of August. Rec and fitness swims will be available throughout the week, depending on lifeguard availability. Schedules for the pool will be posted on-line."
The parking office says fall term parking permits will be on sale starting August 9, a later date than originally announced. . . . Mary Freiheit, a food services assistant who's been working at UW since February 1987, officially retired July 1. . . . This year's cost-of-living increase in UW pensions, received by pensioners effective July 1, was 2.77 per cent. . . .
CAR