![[University of Waterloo]](/images/logobars/goldbar.gif)
| Yesterday |
Friday, February 25, 2005
|
Editor: Chris Redmond credmond@uwaterloo.ca |
"I am very pleased to announce the award recipients," provost Amit Chakma says in a memo listing them, "and would like to take this opportunity to congratulate them for their outstanding contributions to the University of Waterloo."
The awards involve "special permanent salary increases" based on performance ratings for 2004.
Award winners include 3 faculty in applied health sciences, 16 in arts, 16 in engineering, 4 in environmental studies, 13 in mathematics and 12 in science.
![[Young woman in beret]](/images/2005/0225dimensions.jpg)
Ip writes: "We have added several interviews starting from this issue, with one specified on interviewing with a prominent and influential person from the University of Waterloo. To start off this, we interviewed President David Johnston.
"President Johnston talked about the school of pharmacy and the school of architecture, as well as the recently launched MBET program. He compared MBET with the successful MBA for Science and Technology from Queen's University, emphasising that our MBET would focus more on practical training. With the commercialization practicum component, President Johnston believed that the MBET program would fully levitate our school's advantages as the world's largest co-op school.
"President Johnston also told us that he had already visited China more than ten times. When he was asked whether UW might offer joint programs with universities in Hong Kong and China, he said that UW had already established contacts with several universities in Hong Kong and it was highly possible to offer joint programs with them. He personally was very interested in offering such joint programs." (A Daily Bulletin last summer reported on Johnston's thoughts following a major trip to Asia.)
Ip goes on: "Another interview was with Mr. John C. Tsang, JP, the secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology in Hong Kong. Mr. Tsang visited Toronto to foster closer economic and trade ties between Hong Kong and Canada. During his stay he spoke to a group of university students to promote Hong Kong and encourage students to work there. It was our pleasure to interview Mr. Tsang after the talk. He gave us an insight on the latest developments in Hong Kong, including the effect of the recently signed Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement.
"This issue also features an interview with a Hong Kong celebrity, Samantha Lam, as well as hottest news in areas such as technology, life, and fashion. We have also included photography tutorial, articles promoting Chinese culture, and creative writings that received compliments from the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office (Canada)."
He notes that to help promote Chinese culture, students involved in Dimensions will be bringing "Chinese food and snacks" to Monday's "cultural caravan" in the Student Life Centre, part of International Celebration Week. "We are also going to participate in a few community volunteering activities hosted by Mong Sheoug, a local Chinese charity. In addition, we will be providing assistance in hosting film stars from Hong Kong in the coming International Film Festival in Toronto."
The issue also includes a list of recent retirees, an announcement of an "Employee Wellness Fair" (a repeat of last year's event) on April 25-27, and an introduction of Tammy Marcinko, a new staff member in human resources.
A front-page note offers a reminder that staff performance appraisals are under way. "Please note," managers are told, "that the deadline for submitting performance appraisals is March 15."
The front page also says the HR department "have concluded that it is time for a facelift" for the newsletter. "We believe," it says, "that the current format provides articles which are too long and makes for very dry reading. It does not contain enough information about the UW community and the exciting things that are being done to make the University of Waterloo the dynamic workplace it is.
"So this is the last time you will see the HR News in this format. We are changing the way we provide information to you. We will be using email to point you to items of specific interest on the web so all university employees can easily access the information they need such as pension, benefits, performance appraisal, policy and procedure change etc. These emails will be sent on an as needed basis.
"In addition, at least twice a year we will be profiling the lives/work/activities of HR's customers -- you, the faculty, staff and students at UW. We will send an email with a link to a section of our HR website which will focus on UW people. In so doing over a period of time, we will be celebrating the continuing support and dedication of all of UW's dedicated employees.
"For those who do not have access to computers in the normal course of their work, this information will also be provided for posting on notice/bulletin boards."
| WHEN AND WHERE |
|
'Research Works' UW-based child literacy initiative
holds
annual meeting at Kingbridge Centre, King City; 11 a.m.
media event and presentation on single-sex schooling.
Hagey Bonspiel annual curling event Saturday, Ayr Curling Club. 'Let's Dance Showcase' Sunday 1 p.m., Humanities Theatre. Sharcnet 'overview and update' for current and potential users of Shared Hierarchical Academic and Research Computing Network, Monday 3:00, Davis Centre room 1302. Health informatics information sessions for students, faculty and staff: Tuesday 12:30, Optometry room 309; Tuesday 5:30, Physics room 145; Thursday 12:30, Rod Coutts Hall room 308. More information online. David Orchard, former candidate for Progressive Conservative Party leadership, speaks Tuesday 8 p.m., CEIT room 1015, on "What Kind of Canada Does the World Need?" Sponsored by UW Campus Greens. |
UW president David Johnston added another honour to his collection last night -- this year's "community leader award" from the Greater Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce. Johnston was recognized as "a practical visionary who has the tremendous ability to bring people together and cut through barriers to make things happen", such as UW's north campus research and technology park, a partnership of multiple levels of government and the private sector. Also last night, as the Chamber held its awards gala, it was announced that UW's Centre for Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology is sponsoring a new award in the program -- for "Young Entrepreneurship" -- to be awarded for the first time a year from now.
"Blogging and Academic Life" is the topic Monday as the "iWeb" group in the Centre for Learning and Teaching Through Technology holds the first half of a two-part program. Peter Goldsworthy of LT3 writes: "Have you heard of blogs, wikis and RSS feeds, but wonder what they are, how they work, and what they have to do with teaching and learning? If you are curious about these increasingly popular web tools for self-publishing and how they are being used to open new channels of communication among students and faculty, please mark your calendar and register for this LT3 event. You will experience blogging first hand -- sharing your opinions, ideas, and web links with others using free (no-coding) tools. Our main objective, however, is to bring you up-to-date with the experiences of some of the folks already using these tools. We'll look at creating online communities, and independent study spaces, examples of both student and instructor reflections and examine the impact on course design including management issues."
February winners in the monthly Keystone donor draw have been chosen, a memo from the development office advises. The current group of winners, receiving gift certificates and similar tokens from Keystone sponsors, are Steve Breen of information systems and technology; Amy Chan, retired staff member; Christine Dupont, faculty member in biology; Jiahua Chen, statistics and actuarial science; and Lydia Neufeld-Harder of Conrad Grebel University College.
Here's a reminder of the session on "Understanding Copyright in Canada: A Practical Perspective" being offered March 3 by UW's technology transfer and licensing office. The speaker is Amber Lyons of McMaster University, who aims "to better inform Waterloo students and faculty about important copyright issues which may affect their intellectual property rights"; in particular she'll touch on how copyright affects technology-enhanced learning materials. The two-hour session starts at 1:00 next Thursday in Davis Centre room 1302. Advance reservations are required -- phone ext. 3300 or e-mail zadilsky@uwaterloo.ca.
Terrorism speaker tomorrowPhotojournalist Linda Panetta will speak Saturday afternoon (1 to 3 p.m., Arts Lecture Hall room 113) on "School of the Americas and the War on Terrorism". The talk is sponsored by the Waterloo Public Interest Research Group. "Linda is a powerful, thought-provoking advocate of international human rights," says Raj Gill of WPIRG, "particularly relating to the School of the Americas and the US-led 'war on terror'. She lectures world-wide, using extraordinary photography to connect her audience's minds and hearts with the human price paid for freedoms promised by US foreign policy." Panetta is director of SOA Watch Northeast. |
The OUA playoffs in men's hockey continue after the Warriors suffered a 3-2 loss to Laurier on Wednesday night. The rematch is tonight at 7:30 at the Waterloo Recreation Complex, just south of campus, where WLU plays its home games. If UW evens the series, the deciding game will be played Saturday at 7:30 at the Columbia Icefield. Because it's OUA playoff action, season tickets don't apply at either game and there's a charge for all spectators: $6 students, $8 general admission.
Meanwhile, the men's basketball Warriors captured first place in the OUA West by defeating the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks 68-66 last weekend. That gives them a 19-3 record in league play and puts them too into playoffs, starting with a game Saturday at 3 p.m. in the Physical Activities Complex in which they'll face the Lakehead Thunderwolves. Three Warriors were named OUA all-stars yesterday: Graham Jarman, who led the team in scoring with 15.3 points per game during the regular season, was named to the First team, and fifth-year forwards Dave Munkley and Mike Sovran make the Second team.
The women Warriors are also playing for a league title, and have an OUA quarter-final game Saturday night at Brock. Other out-of-town sports action this weekend has the swim team in Edmonton for the national championship meet, and the track and field squad at the OUA championships in Windsor.
CAR