![[University of Waterloo]](/images/2004/HLWNbar.gif)
![[Bat]](/images/2004/1029bat.gif)
| Yesterday |
Friday, October 29, 2004
|
Editor: Chris Redmond credmond@uwaterloo.ca |
Delegations from Wilfrid Laurier University and Conestoga College, as well as some community representatives, are also part of this morning's conversation, being held at WLU.
![[UW submission underway]](/images/2004/1029slide.gif)
Key points in the UW brief to the Rae review -- PowerPoint slide presented to UW's board of governors earlier this week |
They'll have a range of opinions on some issues, such as tuition fee levels, but likely all ten can get behind some of the main points that are expected to be stressed in UW's official brief to the Rae review, such as the value of co-op education and the need for more government funding to cover the costs of a year-round campus.
Talbot-Allan briefed UW's board of governors on Tuesday about the issues that seem closest to Rae's heart and the points UW made in its preliminary brief and will repeat in the final brief, which will be submitted in mid-November.
Rae was appointed last spring as an "advisor" to the government, and will hand in his report to the premier and the colleges and universities minister in January.
His "discussion paper", published a few weeks ago as the current round of meetings began, tells readers that "Higher education is . . . at once a social good, a personal opportunity and an economic investment. We have an obligation to make sure it is genuinely accessible to ever-growing numbers. We have an equal obligation to make sure our colleges and universities can achieve excellence. When I went to university, I was part of a group of less than one in ten. We now have close to 42% of people between 20 and 24 years of age in university or college. As we go forward, that number will grow even more. . . .
"The financial gridlock for institutions cannot continue. We should be able to find a more productive formula based on the strong traditions of public transfers, donor generosity and reasonable tuition fees.
"There needs to be a much greater capacity for collaboration between institutions -- and much clearer pathways for students. This coordination should probably not be carried out directly by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, but by a new agency that would bring colleges, universities and their stakeholders together.
"Public support for higher education is skewed by a tax system whose benefits go mainly to those with higher incomes. We need to be more creative to ensure that more financial help goes to people who need it most.
"The system of student assistance is too complicated and provides too little support to lower and middle-income students. Student aid is badly broken."
![[Bedouin Soundclash tonight at the Bombshelter]](http://www.feds.ca/graphics/bedouinsoundclash-WEB-PREVI.jpg)
David L. Emerson, federal minister of industry, announced the winners of the awards given to "celebrate Canadian success stories in R&D collaboration between universities and industry. Collaborations such as these make this country one of the world's most innovative and ensure our future prosperity and quality of life."
SCG and Maplesoft was one of several partnerships singled out for national recognition. The others ranged from a "plant root simulator" developed at the University of Saskatchewan to pulp and paper research involving McGill, the Ecole Polytechnique and the University of British Columbia.
The Symbolic Computation Group and Maplesoft were recognized for "the development and successful marketing of the Maple computer algebra system, which has transformed the way engineers and scientists use technology and is regarded as the best commercial computer algebra system in the world."
SCG, in the school of computer science, involves five faculty members and, according to its web site, "has as its primary goal the research and development of algorithms for computer algebra, including both symbolic computation and hybrid symbolic-numeric computation. The algorithms developed are incorporated into the Maple computer algebra system." Director of the group is CS professor George Labahn.
"These prizes celebrate and recognize effective partnerships that connect our university-based research leaders with those in the private sector who can deliver research results to the marketplace," said NSERC president Tom Brzustowski. The Canadian university prize-winning teams will each receive a $25,000 research grant.
| WHEN AND WHERE |
|
Work reports marked by coordinators available for pickup in the
Tatham Centre.
Job rankings for winter co-op jobs close for accounting students; rankings open for architecture and teaching. Blood donor clinic 10:00 to 3:00, Student Life Centre; also Monday, 10 to 4. Hallowe'en luncheon Friday 11:30 to 2:00, University Club, $13.95, reservations ext. 3801. Hallowe'en costume contest sponsored by Math Society, Friday 12:30, Math and Computer third floor -- participants from all faculties welcome. Candy for all. Chicago alumni dinner: UW hosts 18th annual All-Canadian University Alumni Dinner, Friday evening at Chicago Athletic Association, details online. You @ Waterloo Day for future students and their families, Saturday 9 to 3, details online. Engineering Society bonspiel Saturday at the Granite Club, draws at 9:00 and 11:00. Women in Mathematics speaker series: Lisa Jeffrey, University of Toronto, "Hamiltonian Flows and the Stationary Phase Approximation", Wednesday, November 3, 4:30, Math and Computer room 5158, aimed at upper-year undergrads and graduate students. Fit Challenge, an attempt to set the record for largest indoor fitness class in Canada", Wednesday 4:45, Columbia Icefield. |
Says a news release: "Dr. McFague questions the central tenet of market capitalism that assumes we as individuals must obtain everything we can get and proposes instead that we are God's co-workers -- members of a vast, complex community of creatures -- all of whom need the basics for living. She argues that, despite vast differences, no religion endorses greediness; there's recognition across the board that who eats and who does not is a justice issue."
Former dean of the divinity school at Vanderbilt University, McFague is an Anglican and now teaches at the Vancouver School of Theology. Her many books include Life Abundant: Rethinking Theology and Ecology for a Planet in Peril (2001).
She will also be the keynote speaker at the 2004 Challenge for Change Event, a one-day ecumenical forum to be held on Saturday at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Kitchener.
Human sensitivity to climate and weather, tourism and culture, sustainable cities, and cybercartography: these are some of the topics to be discussed at the annual meeting of the Ontario Division of the Canadian Association of Geographers, being held at UW tonight and tomorrow. "CAGONT 2004" will be attended by more 200 geographers, with more than 100 papers being presented. The Ontario Association for Geographic and Environmental Education is also holding its conference in Kitchener this weekend. Delegates from both meetings will hear a keynote address tonight ("Putting Geography in its Place in Canada") from Stuart Semple, chair of the Canadian Council for Geographic Education. Saturday afternoon, there will be a special session to mark the 10th anniversary of the Grand River as a Canadian Heritage River. This session is organized by Gordon Nelson, former dean of the faculty of environmental studies. Contributors to the book Towards a Grand Sense of Place will discuss the natural and cultural heritage, land uses, landscapes, conservation and planning in the Grand River watershed.
Here's a memo from Douglas Dye of the UW safety office about training that's being offered: "As part of UW's commitment to promoting a healthy and safe working environment under Policy #34 and to meet provincial regulations, the Safety Office is presenting a safety orientation session for new employees. The session is also open to existing UW employees that would like to learn more on the included topics. Departments may arrange group training sessions covering the same topics to meet their obligations under UW's Health, Safety and Environment Management System. Topics covered during this session will include: UW Policy #34 and the Health, Safety and Environment Program; Occupational Health and Safety Act -- what you should know; Reporting health and safety concerns; Emergency procedures; WHMIS awareness. The WHMIS component of this session will satisfy UW requirements that all employees must have WHMIS training. However, the WHMIS component offered here is only intended for those employees that have minimal contact with hazardous materials. Employees who have attended a WHMIS session previously do not need to attend this session." Sessions will be held Monday at 2:00, or November 10 at 10 a.m., in Davis Centre room 1302. Questions? Dye is at ext. 5613.
Several Hallowe'en parties are planned on Saturday night, including a massive costume party in the atrium of the Architecture building that will attract some 400 costumed architecture students and their friends. Federation Hall is also holding a Hallowe'en party, of course, with prizes for costumes. Getting a start on the season today will be the little people in the Early Childhood Education Centre, who I understand will be trick-or-treating through parts of the PAS building.
Sports this weekend: Women's soccer, OUA quarter-final game vs. Carleton, 3:00 today, Columbia Field (with the potential of a playoff game Sunday at either Western or Queen's). Women's volleyball, tonight vs. Brock and tomorrow vs. Ottawa, 7:00, PAC main gym. Badminton vs. York, Saturday 10 a.m., PAC. Men's hockey at Western tonight, then Western here on Saturday, 7:30 at the Icefield. Swimming vs. Laurentian, Sunday 10 a.m., PAC pool. Cross-country championships at Toronto tomorrow; field hockey championships at Western all weekend; men's rugby semi-finals at McMaster tomorrow afternoon; women's hockey at Queen's tonight, at York tomorrow afternoon.
CAR