![[University of Waterloo]](/images/logobars/goldbar.gif)
| Yesterday |
Thursday, February 17, 2005
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Editor: Chris Redmond credmond@uwaterloo.ca |
Geography prof is mournedChristian Dufournaud, professor of geography at UW since 1980, died Monday, the geography department confirmed yesterday. A specialist in topics including the economic development of Asian and African countries, he![[Dufournaud]](/images/2005/0217dufournaud.jpg)
was on leave for this academic year and serving as an associate dean at the
United Arab Emirates University.
"Christian collapsed and went into a coma about a week ago and was taken to
hospital, but never regained consciousness," says a message from
department chair Phil Howarth. Dufournaud was 55.
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"My aspiration is that we be the knowledge capital of Canada," Johnston told the Record editorial board during a meeting last Friday in which he and his counterparts from Wilfrid Laurier and the University of Guelph stressed what their institutions can do for Waterloo Region as long as the money is available.
"The university presidents said Waterloo Region and Wellington County are in the enviable position of having three top universities and a No. 1 college, all of which receive strong support from their communities," the paper reported February 12.
![[High angle on three men with neckties]](/images/2005/0217record.jpg)
Front-page photo in the February 12 issue of the Record: Robert Rosehart of Wilfrid Laurier University, UW's David Johnston, and the University of Guelph's Alastair Summerlee. |
It goes on to ask whether Johnston's ambitions are "impossible". The answer: Harvard did it starting in the 17th century, and Waterloo can do it now. "There's no reason Johnston's dream can't become a reality. Not when two university campuses are planned for downtown Kitchener . . . not when you see the top minds coming here to work at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics and the Centre for International Governance Innovation.
"The gains from all this are obvious."
The presidents' comments about the planned downtown campuses -- health sciences for UW, social work for Laurier -- got front-page coverage in the Record, while their remarks about the Rae report were displayed on the first page of the Local section. Kitchener mayor Carl Zehr was quoted with proud comments about the health sciences campus at the corner of King and Victoria Streets, which -- in addition to the pharmacy school -- is expected to include an optometry clinic and a family medicine teaching centre.
Opportunity for exchange study"Would you like to study at another university in Canada?" asks a memo from Darlene Ryan in UW's international student office. Here's an opportunity: "Waterloo is a participant in the Canadian Universities Student Exchange Program (CANEX). This is an opportunity for UW students to live and study in a different environment while enhancing their academic, professional and personal goals and gaining a wider perspective of Canada. The exchange is open to undergraduate students who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or international students."Other partners in CANEX are McGill, McMaster, Queen's, Laval, Montréal, Alberta, British Columbia, Toronto and Western. UW students can apply to any of these universities -- except UBC, which isn't currently accepting applications -- and scholarships are available for participants at most campuses. To be considered for the CANEX program, students must have a minimum 70% overall average, possess language skills "at a level that will allow full and successful participation in the academic and extra-curricular life of the host institution", and be eligible to receive credit at the home institution for courses completed at the host institution. The application deadline for fall 2005 and winter 2006 is March 1. Ryan (e-mail darlene@uwaterloo.ca) has application forms. |
At both the Physical Activities Complex and the Columbia Icefield gyms, "A germicidal detergent has been added to the spray bottles which are used to wipe off the gym equipment and floor mats prior to each use. This solution should be sprayed onto a clean cloth and then the equipment wiped down. By spraying the cloth and not the equipment, the electronics are less likely to be ruined.
"The gym equipment is also washed down by the staff at the end of each shift.
"The action of wiping down the equipment with this agent prior to each use should help to minimize the transmission of viruses and/or bacteria to the user.
"The PAC and CIF's have containers with clean cloths available for use. They also have a container to hold the used (dirty) cloths. These cloths will be washed and reused. Some gyms use paper towels rather than cloths. However, paper is expensive and it is not recyclable."
The memo adds some general-purpose advice on preventing the spread of germs and resisting disease:
| WHEN AND WHERE |
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'Making the Most of March Break: Ideas for Family Fun in
Waterloo Region', sponsored by Employee Assistance Program,
12:00, Davis Centre room 1302.
Career workshops: "Interview Skills, the Basics" 2:30, "Preparing for Questions" 3:30, Tatham Centre room 1208. Arriscraft Lecture by Christopher Sharples, of Sharples Holden Pasquarelli, "Retooling", 7 p.m., Architecture lecture hall. Pension and benefits committee Friday 8:30 to 12, needles Hall room 3004. Haptics technology: "A New Design Paradigm for the Rapid Development of Sense-of-Touch Applications over Networks", presented by Handshake VR, Friday 2:00, Davis Centre room 1304. Introduction of ProSense Virtual Touch Toolbox; discussion of a possible working group on haptic and telehaptic applications. "Ain't Misbehavin'" presented by Caribbean Canadian Association of Waterloo, Friday and Saturday 7 p.m., Humanities Theatre, tickets 888-4908. Roy Romanow, chair of the Royal Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada, speaks at St. Jerome's University, Friday 7:30, Siegfried Hall. |
As announced over the past few weeks, the Quest student information system will shut down at midnight tonight, not to reappear until February 28, when it'll have both a new graphic look and a new software package behind it. "We thank you for your patience and understanding during the upgrade process," says an information page from the registrar's office. Students have been told that, although the deadline for dropping courses falls during the Quest downtime ("The last day to drop a course and receive a 50% tuition refund is February 21"), they can do that by e-mail if necessary. Staff and faculty have been assured that the Winq inquiry system will still be available during the 11-day outage, although data in it won't be updated after today. "Waterloo Inquiry will be replacing WINQ and regular data updates will resume on February 28."
Today's the last day of voting in the Federation of Students election, which is choosing a president and three vice-presidents to take office on May 1. Also to be filled are several seats on the university senate, plus an arts seat on students' council. And undergraduate students are invited to vote on two referenda: a question about a proposed dental insurance plan, and a question about a refundable $100 fee that first-year students would pay to cover the costs of orientation week. On-line polls close at 8:00 tonight; live polls in the Student Life Centre and eight other campus buildings are open from 9:00 to 4:00 today.
Today is also the last day of "first cycle" interviews for spring term co-op jobs. Employers have been coming to campus since January 31, meeting thousands of students, and for those who got interviews, it's time now to rank the jobs and hope for a congenial match with employers' choices. Rankings open tomorrow morning and close at midnight Sunday; match results will be announced next Tuesday. Then some students, at least, will be able to head off for "reading week" (arts, AHS, ES and science) or the two-day "reading period" (engineering and math) with the job anxieties gone. For others, postings of new jobs will start early next week, as additional "cycles" of interviews begin. Need I add: the co-op and career services department is always looking for additional student jobs, and is delighted to hear from employers.
CAR