'Supersized' UW Magazine: Why not?

The biggest-ever issue of the UW Magazine goes into the mail to alumni this week, delivering 72 pages of 50th anniversary celebration, campus history, community-building and big plans for the future.

Along with a timeline of UW’s development since 1957, the souvenir issue includes a portrait of several families that have been deeply involved with Waterloo over the decades, and an overview — by editor Kelley Teahen — of where the Sixth Decade plan will take the university after 2007.

"Thanks to generous support from the many 50th-anniversary sponsors,” says Teahen, “we were able to 'supersize' the University of Waterloo Magazine to create a keepsake issue that not only recounts Waterloo's past, but celebrates its present and looks forward to the future.” She notes that a typical issue runs to just 40 pages. “The magazine goes out to our alumni, of course, but also to government officials, selected media, our on-campus community of faculty and staff, and other friends and supporters of the university.”

This issue’s cover (right) provides a variation on the motif that’s been used on 50th anniversary banners and web pages, with the university’s gleaming silver mace shown against a black background. It also repeats the words from George Bernard Shaw that are a favourite of UW president David Johnston and provided the anniversary motto: “You see things, and you say, why? But I dream things that never were, and I say, why not?”

In a page-long letter that opens the magazine’s souvenir issue, Johnston (left, photo by Bryn Gladding) builds on the why-not theme. “Why not,” he writes, “was the question on the minds of this school’s founders, Gerald Hagey, Ira Needles and many others, who instead of only seeing fields of mud and temporary buildings envisioned a vibrant, expanding campus.

“It was the question on the minds of the first 74 brave souls who accepted offers of admission to an untested educational experiment and entered those temporary classrooms in 1957, sowing the seeds for an alumni family of more than 130,000 now spread around the globe.

“It was the question on the minds of men such as Les Emery, who championed the idea of co-operative education in the face of skepticism from his peers. Why not fuse theory and practice together, putting lessons learned in the classroom into practical applications in the workplace, and build a university based on that idea? Co-operative education grew from an untested idea in Canada to the cornerstone of University of Waterloo’s educational mission, to answer the call for a highly skilled workforce to ensure that Canada remains competitive in the knowledge economy.

“The spirit of why not is the spirit of reaching higher, going further, and achieving excellence, and it has driven Waterloo to become one of Canada’s premier universities. That same spirit, I believe, will propel us to even greater heights in the decades to come.”

Watch for more about the riches in the UW Magazine’s spring issue in the Daily Bulletin over the next few days.

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New benefits in student health plan

a news release from the Federation of Students

The Federation of Students, University of Waterloo, is pleased to announce new benefit enhancements to the Undergraduate Health and Dental plans, set to begin in the Fall 2007 Term.

As of September, the Health Plan will include both Accidental Death and Dismemberment coverage, and will add Gardasil vaccinations to the list of medications covered by the plan. Similarly, the Dental Plan will increase its Basic Services coverage to 70%, up from 50% in previous years. In addition, it will now cover composite fillings for all teeth.

"At the end of each year, we review both plans with our Studentcare partners, and representatives from the Graduate Students' Association. Together, we look for areas in which we can offer improvements to the services each plan tenders for those enrolled," Federation of Students' Vice-President, Administration and Finance, Del Pereira observed.

Students will see only a minute rise to the Health Plan fee they are assessed each term, set at just under $6 per term for both Regular and Coop Students. The Dental Plan fee remains fixed at the 2006-07 rate.

"The Federation of Students strives to ensure that any increases to student fees are done in a manner that balances delivering quality and increased value to students, at an affordable and manageable price," said Federation of Students' President, Kevin Royal. "The changes to the Health and Dental plan reflect that sentiment: enhanced services at an reasonable cost."

"Securing Gardasil as a medication covered by our Health Plan was something we identified as a top priority," both Royal and Pereira pointed out. "It's something our students have been asking for, and we're pleased to have delivered on that request," continued President Royal.

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Volunteers teach in Central America

A two-week excursion to Latin America could not only change your life, but could have a lasting effect on kids in El Salvador. In a country with a huge demand for the English language, its projection in local schools — when it comes to things like pronunciation and vocabulary — is not always 100 per cent. But a UW-based organization has been working since November 2005 to help.

Can-Teach International offers those interested an opportunity to travel to El Salvador and assist both students and teachers. “The idea is to spend time in the classroom and try and iron out some of the teaching wrinkles,” says Can-Teach founder and UW staff member Scott Murie.

Using existing connections with six schools in San Salvador (the city's capital), volunteers work with a variety of age groups while helping teachers deliver more effective English lessons. Although no experience in education is necessary, volunteers must be outgoing with an ability to adjust — and a good command on the English language, of course.

The two-week trip costs about $1,500 including basic food, travel and transportation. Murie said once Can-Teach has received charity status — soon, he expects — some of the expense will be tax deductible.

Can-Teach also has ties with schools in Apopa and Guazapa to which they deliver donations collected year-round. The agency has visited El Salvador three times and hopes for another four trips in 2007, with two already planned for this spring.

CAR

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