![[University of Waterloo]](/goldbar.gif)
| Friday |
Monday, September 27, 2004
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Editor: Chris Redmond credmond@uwaterloo.ca |
![[Goyder]](/images/2004/0923goyder.gif)
The sociology
department has a new chair: John Goyder took on that role July 1,
taking over from Jim Curtis.
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The study is the latest attempt to work out how students from UW and Wilfrid Laurier University will be housed, mostly in the city of Waterloo, with a minimum of distress to other city residents with different kinds of needs. It builds on the "height and density study" done in 2003, and other housing studies that go back through the years.
It's a partial success, says Bud Walker, UW director of business operations and the point man on the housing issue. He'll speak at tonight's open meeting, telling city council that what's missing is an incentive for developers to house thousands of students in high-density buildings in the Phillip Street area, within walking distance of the main campus.
Says the city's report, written by a 17-person committee: "There is a concern that there is a shortage of safe, affordable, suitable housing for students near the Universities. The shortage of housing is attributed to increasing university enrolment and a lack of new rental housing construction in Waterloo, especially in areas near the Universities. Second, there is a concern that neighbourhoods near the Universities are experiencing negative impacts related to increasing numbers of houses being converted from owner occupied housing to rental housing targeted at the student rental market.
"The strategy of the plan is to accommodate students in areas near the Universities and at the same time retain and stabilize the low density residential neighbourhoods near the Universities. To accomplish this, the Plan encourages more apartment development in Nodes and Corridors near the Universities. The Plan also discourages further conversion in low density residential neighbourhoods by limiting the number of lodging houses, accessory apartments and duplexes."
When he speaks tonight, Walker is expected to commend much of what's in the report. "Clearly," say the notes for his remarks, "the role of the universities in contributing to the culture and economic prosperity of the City of Waterloo were major considerations, and are reflected in the report, and we're pleased to see the recognition of our students as bona fide but unique residents of the community.
"Tremendous progress has been made through the realization that converted family homes i.e. lodging houses, duplexes, accessory apartments and second units, are generally not suitable accommodation for students. . . . Though there is an abundance of converted houses in Waterloo currently aimed at the student market, there is not a glut of housing that is appropriate for students." In fact, "UW would welcome stronger restrictions on converted private homes used as student housing."
But Walker will go on to say that not enough is being done to build housing where students want it: close to campus. "The report envisages accommodating an additional 10,000 -- 12,000 UW students within a block or two of the University/Phillip and Columbia/Phillip intersections, and contemplates relocating hundreds of students currently living in converted private homes in the Lester/Sunview neighbourhood to that same area. Three-storey triplexes and the like are developing under the existing regulations, with the capability of housing a few hundred additional students in the area, not 12,000.
"Without a plan that would require larger residential buildings in the University/Phillip, Columbia/Phillip area, lower density housing will continue to be the norm near the campus. Lodging houses and their counterparts will increase in number and spread into more single-family neighbourhoods. . . .
"Over the next few years large, high density structures must appear in the University/Phillip/Columbia neighbourhood in order to accommodate thousands more students in suitable off-campus accommodation -- the feasibility of the proposed restrictions on converted private homes in the report is predicated on this need."
The city council meeting starts at 7 p.m. at City Hall on Regina Street.
A memo explains: "Several months ago, the Staff Relations Committee met with the Chair of the Employee Assistance Committee to discuss the program and to update the Policy (Class FS) to more accurately describe how the program has been operating in recent years." As a result of the meeting, the committee is proposing some rewriting to bring the policy up to date. A text, showing what's new and what is being deleted, is on the university secretariat's web site.
![[EAP logo]](/images/2004/0927eap.gif)
Comments are due by October 18 to Trenny Canning in the
secretariat (tcanning@uwaterloo.ca). She said the posting process is
officially from the staff relations committee, but comments from faculty
members will also be received.
Says the new draft of Policy 67: "The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) exists to help employees with personal difficulties which, if unresolved, could have a negative impact on personal health, family relationships or work performance. Difficulties may include family, personal, interpersonal, financial, drug or alcohol problems.
"The program is based on the belief that many problems can be successfully resolved if the employee is willing to seek help and appropriate assistance is provided. This includes the continuation of normal salary and benefits while an employee pursues treatment which has the prospect of being successful in a reasonable length of time."
It goes on: "All employee dealings with EAP are considered confidential except in situations where counsellors have legal obligations (e.g., summons to witness, suspicion of child abuse/neglect or imminent threat of physical harm to self or others). No information is shared with supervisors or co-workers. . . .
"UW employees may access EAP directly through on-campus or off-campus services. On-campus assistance is available at Counselling Services and Health Services. Help is also available through local support services, indirect access for which may be made through Counselling Services and Health Services. Services on campus are available at no cost to employees; costs for services in the local community are borne by the employee who then seeks reimbursement for eligible expenses through the UW Extended Health Care program. Dependents of employees can access EAP services but they must use off-campus services."
There's more information about the EAP on its web site.
Today's workshops"Making the Career Fair Work for You", 10:30; "Personality Dimensions", 3:30, both in Tatham Centre room 2218. |
More information and registration are through the career services web site.
At the same time, the counselling services department is holding career workshops, open to UW students and staff. Two diagnostic tools are offered: the Strong Interest Inventory and the Myers Briggs Type Indicator.
The Strong Interest Inventory is done to find out how personal interests relate to specific vocational opportunities; the Myers Briggs Type Indicator helps participants discover how their personal strengths relate to their working behaviour.
Counselling services sessions are free, but there's a charge for materials. To register or get more information, visit Needles Hall room 2080, or call ext. 2080.
Simon Guthrie, vice-president (corporate affairs) of the Graduate Student Association, writes thus: "We will be holding a referendum on dental coverage for grad students later this term, and our council meeting this week will work out many of the details. It will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 29, in CEIT room 1015. GSA Council meetings are open to all grad students."
| WHEN AND WHERE |
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Work and Study Abroad Fair, 11:00 to 3:00, Student Life
Centre, more
information online.
Midnight Sun solar car recruitment meeting, 5:30, Rod Coutts Hall room 302, students from all faculties welcome. 'Spoken Word' with Heather Majaury, performance by UW artist sponsored by UW Recreation Committee for all employees, Tuesday 12:05, Davis Centre room 1301. Toronto alumni luncheon, Tuesday, Delta Chelsea Hotel, details online. Austrian Cultural Forum: Dietmar Goltschnigg, Karl-Franzens University, Graf, "Die Mörike-Vertonungen von Hugo Wolf", Tuesday 2 p.m., Humanities room 373. Accounting Students distinguished speaker: Peter Currie, Royal Bank of Canada, "Creating Value by Challenging the Status Quo", Tuesday 4 p.m., Theatre of the Arts, reception to follow. Golf tournament sponsored by Graduate Student Association, Tuesday, Rockway Golf Club. Career fair with more than 170 employers, Wednesday 10 to 3:30, RIM Park, Waterloo, shuttle bus from Humanities building starting at 9:30, more information online. |
Youth in Motion, an agency that provides young Canadians with education and career opportunities as well as scholarships and bursaries, has selected a UW student -- Aakarsh Nair of computer engineering -- as one of its "Top 20 Under 20" winners for this year. Following a mugging in his troubled Rexdale (Toronto) neighbourhood, Nair formed the group Rexdale Youth Advocates, which organizes events to give young people a sense of responsibility for the community where they live.
"All students expecting to graduate at fall convocation, October 23, must submit an Intention to Graduate Form," says a memo from the registrar's office. (And in fact they should have done it before now, but maybe there's still time.) "Forms are available from the registrar's office website or the graduate office website. If you submitted a form earlier in the year for fall 2004, do not submit a new form. If you submitted an Intent for spring convocation but were unable to fulfil degree requirements, you must submit a new Intention to Graduate form for fall 2004. The address to which convocation information will be mailed is the 'mailing' address recorded in Quest. Please note that this is the address to which diplomas will be mailed for students who do not attend the ceremony. (Graduate studies: mailing is to the 'home' address after convocation, or 'mailing' address if no 'home' address exists.) Ceremonies for applied health sciences and arts begin at 10 a.m.; engineering, environmental studies, independent studies, mathematics and science begin at 2 p.m."
The Graduate House "is establishing a free book exchange for its members", said a memo last week, "and is looking for donations." . . . The local Extend-a-Family agency "is looking for reliable, energetic and committed individuals in the Waterloo Region to support individuals with a developmental and/or physical disability" (e-mail dlobe@eafwr.on.ca for information). . . . Jana Cerny, cataloguing and information service associate in the UW library, will retire as of October 1, ending a UW career that began in 1974. . . .
CAR