![[University of Waterloo]](/goldbar.gif)
| Yesterday |
Wednesday July 21, 2004
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Editor: Chris Redmond credmond@uwaterloo.ca Information and submissions: bulletin@info.uwaterloo.ca |
Students attending the University of Waterloo for the first time this fall will gather on campus this Saturday to explore their brave new world, far away from home. The annual event, known as Student Life 101, is an all-day orientation program "designed by students for students" to help with the transition to university life before the fast-paced weeks of classes early in the fall term.
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Photo by Karyn Nelson From left, Student Life 101 coordinators Graeme Canivet, Laura Henderson, Lyn Garrah, Katie Eley, Bridget Pereira, and Stephen Young. |
Heather FitzGerald, UW's student life coordinator, said the event will "show students the ropes and help prepare them for university life." Now in its eighth year, the event is organized by FitzGerald, who relies on 200 student volunteers. The summer-time orientation event was created to relieve student and parent anxiety and reassure them that UW is a warm and friendly place, she said. "We want to let them know that there are a lot of people and services here to help them and to make their years here fun."
A key presentation, "Student Life at UW," will be held at 11 a.m. in the Physical Activities Complex for students in Applied Health Sciences, Arts, and Science as well as Architecture and Software Engineering, and at 12:15 p.m. for students in Engineering, Mathematics, and Environmental Studies. The presentation informs students of services and resources available to help them throughout their university careers.
As well, Architecture students will be attending an academic session and introduction to the new School of Architecture in Cambridge, starting at 2:30 p.m.
Also on the agenda is "Meet our People," an opportunity for visitors to discover the services available on campus and talk to the people running them. They include Athletics and Recreational Services, Co-operative Education & Career Services, Counselling Services, Distance and Continuing Education, the Student Life Office, Food Services, Housing and Residences, Information Systems and Technology, Library Services, the Office for Persons with Disabilities, Walksafe, Retail Services (Bookstore, Computer Store and UW Shop), and Student Awards (loans and scholarships).
Afterward, at the Student Life Centre, "the living room of the university," they can visit information booths and learn about the Federation of Students, academic rights advisers and off-campus dons, as well as clubs and student associations.
Other presentations will offer information on: health and the Health Service Centre; services available to students with disabilities at the Dana Porter Library's Adaptive Technology Centre; the co-op system and career services; combining academics and extracurricular activities; easing the move from home to campus; managing the details of government loans and other financial concerns; and finding accommodation off-campus. In addition, each faculty will host a presentation on the academic support available to students during their first year. Students can also visit UW's federated and affiliated colleges: St. Jerome's, Conrad Grebel, St. Paul's, and Renison.
![[Dennis]](/images/2004/0706dennis.gif)
Staff member writes two spare-time booksTwo privately-published books are now available based on spare-time interests of one of UW's co-op education staff members.
The author is Peter Dennis (right), who is based in suburban Toronto as one of the "416" team of coordinators. He works particularly with accountancy students and their employers.
A web page notes that Dennis has degrees in commerce and education, plus an MBA, and "has a background in both business and education. He is a Past President of The Richmond Hill Chamber of Commerce, The Windsor and District Personnel Association, and The Ontario Chapter of the International Graphoanalysis Society. Peter has worked as a College Professor, High School Teacher, Public Speaker, Handwriting Analyst, Personal Coach, Management Consultant and as a Human Resources Executive with major business organizations including a ten-year term with one of Canada's largest CA firms."
The two new books, written in 2003 and published early this year, are Handwriting Analysis: An Adventure in Self-Discovery, third edition, and Metaphysics: An Adventure in Self-Discovery.
Dennis writes: "Both books are a product of courses I teach. The former, because I am a graphoanalyst (handwriting analysis) and teach the subject. Metaphysics, because I teach meditation and, in the course of these classes, metaphysical/spiritual subjects always come up in discussion.
"In both cases, after preparing lesson plans, handouts and discussion documents, I realized that I had the making of books."
A publicity sheet for the handwriting book, which is priced at $14.95, says it "explains all you need to know about handwriting analysis in order to produce a comprehensive profile of anyone's personality." It also "delves into the darker side of human personality and shows you how you can identify 65 diffferent signs in handwriting that signal potential danger and dishonesty." Dennis says it's the only book on handwriting analysis written by a Canadian.
As for the metaphysics book ($12.95), "this book provides clear explanations for many of the concepts that are important to understanding our own spiritual nature, e.g. the densification of energy, past life regression . . . and a whole host of others. . . . We can glimpse the beauty, order and magnificence of the divine plan."
Both books are available at the UW bookstore and from other sources, including Dennis's personal web site.
A water shut-off notice for DC 2544, 2546, 2560E, and 2567: the chilled water will be shut off to cooling units in these rooms today, 8 a.m. to noon, although the fans will continue to run.
TRACE workshop Freeing Your Voice, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., MC 5158.
The Graduate Student Association is holding a “Town Hall” discussion meeting at 3:30 at the Grad House to get feedback on proposals for changes to the roles of the executive.
“Poverty in Waterloo” will be the topic under discussion tomorrow, 10 to 11:15 a.m., in ML 216. Sanjay Govindaraj and Chris Cowie will present facts and figures on poverty in the region and talk about some projects and organizations aimed at preventing and reducing it, including Opportunities Waterloo Region. The session is part of Geography 474, but everyone is welcome.
Mu Zhu, an assistant professor in Statistics and Actuarial Science, will speak tomorrow on “The Evaluation of Information Retrieval Systems.” The talk deals with the difficulties of precise retrieval from large databases. “Using a decision-theoretic argument, we introduce the notion of ‘optimal stopping recall’ and use it to evaluate a number of algorithms for drug discovery,” says the abstract. Location is MC 5158: time 3:30 p.m. Thursday, with refreshments and discussion to follow.
This from Patti Cook: UW SustainabilityProject (UWSP) is planning a litter clean up event today from 3 to 5 p.m. Students and others will clean the culvert at Parking lot B near the Davis Centre. (Please bring rubber boots if you have them.) After clean up there will be a pizza dinner and movie. Garbage bags and equipment will be provided. Bring yourself, your friends and anyone else that is interested. We will meet at DC by Ring road at 3 p.m.
A reminder to all those students visiting Waterloo for Student Life 101: Saturday will be the last day for first-time students to enroll. Open enrolment begins July 26. Details are at the Registrar’s Office.
Also happening as part of Student Life 101: The Bookstore is hosting a “Blowout Sale” on general interest books on Saturday in the concourse at South Campus Hall. New students can also drop in and browse the academic and course materials.
C&PA
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