The Santa Claus parade through Waterloo and Kitchener on Saturday morning included a few elves from UW's SAE Baja and Clean Snowmobile student teams. Jason Phung is seen at the wheel of the Baja car. Photo by Duane Cronin, mechanical and mechatronics engineering.

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'School of Accounting and Finance'

UW's School of Accountancy has a new name: the university senate was told last night that the arts faculty council has voted to rename it the School of Accounting and Finance.

A news release from Hagey Hall, where A&F is preparing to move into a new wing next year, boasts that it "has delivered outstanding educational experiences and research activities oriented primarily towards the accounting profession. The new name reflects recent changes and the School’s strategic direction, which is to serve both the accounting and finance professions."

It notes that "The breadth of the School’s programming increased four years ago to combine Financial Management — management accounting and finance streams — with its outstanding public accounting stream into the Accounting and Financial Management program. Then two years ago the School and the Faculty of Mathematics introduced a joint Bachelor of Computing and Financial Management program. These changes broadened the scope of the educational experiences offered through the School, which prompted the need for a more appropriate name."

Jim Barnett, director of the school, observes that the new title "reflects our core objective of providing students with the competencies, professionalism and practical experience they need to be leaders in the fields of accounting and finance. In addition, it will help us attract accounting and finance faculty who want to be part of an outstanding teaching and research environment where we deliver competency-based education and provide insights into the key issues facing the accounting and finance professions. This broader name will increase our visibility and showcase the breadth and depth of our programs, students and faculty.”

Among other developments at last night's senate meeting:

Admission requirements for undergraduate students entering UW in the fall of 2009 were approved; they're unchanged from the 2008 requirements.

Federation of Students leaders Kevin Royal (president) and Jonah Levine (vice-president, education) briefed senators on the Feds' priority issues, one of which is a student concern about the loss of "study and social space" across campus. Royal noted that he'll be meeting with arts students today to discuss the issue as it affects that part of the university.

Without opposition, senate approved changes to the details of the undergraduate curriculum in optometry and in the environment-and-business program.

UW president David Johnston chaired the senate meeting, thereby demonstrating that he wasn't in Asia as expected. At the last minute Johnston cancelled his involvement in the Singapore leg of the UW tour that's currently in progress; he'll fly over later this week in time for a series of meetings in Hong Kong.

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Libraries reported busier than ever

UW’s libraries are “a hot-spot of activity”, says the new issue of the library’s e-newsletter: “How busy is the Library? The general sense from students and staff is that it is busier than ever.”

University librarian Mark Haslett notes that “from day one of the fall term our locations have been buzzing with energy and activity.” The numbers are backing this observation up, says the newsletter: “According to library statistics, activity has increased across the board — in all areas, from the information desks to the website.” Some statistics:

There has been an 18 per cent increase in the number of questions asked at the Dana Porter Library’s information desk during the first six weeks of classes compared to last year. Similarly, there was a 20 per cent increase in the number of questions asked at the Davis Centre information desk over a two-week trial period.

At the Musagetes Architecture Library in Cambridge, branch head Michele Laing notes that there were more people in the library than previous years, and that not all of these people are looking for resources. “Quite a few people come in just to read quietly or do work on their laptops.” She even describes how, on occasion, instructors hold informal classes within the library space.

The special collections department saw a 27 per cent increase in the number of researchers this October from the same month last year, with class visits from upper year English, history, and literary studies playing a significant role.

At the Map Library, attendance at user education sessions has increased 50 per cent, reaching an additional 400 students this year compared to last. The Map Library has also seen an increase in the number of geospatial questions asked. Statistics already show an 18 per cent increase from 2006.

There has been an increase of more than 50 per cent in the number of questions librarians have received through the Instant Messaging service since last year, and users have already started taking advantage of the newly offered Skype service. Virtual visits to the library are also worth noting, with a significant increase in the number of home page visits from the previous year. In September and October alone, the library’s website had more than 830,000 visits, with well over 2 million page views.

“Why the increased activity?” the newsletter asks. “On pure speculation, increased library activity could be linked to a number of factors, most notably to the increase in the number of students on campus. It has also been suggested by Wish Leonard, manager of circulation services and resource sharing, that increased traffic is connected to the installation of the Library’s RFID security system, which permits people to come and go freely, without having to have their bags checked when exiting the library.

“One thing is certain though – if the busy study areas in Davis and long lines at Browsers Cafe in Porter are any indication, activity in the library shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.”

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Keystone has 'real impact'; other notes

The fall issue of It's Our Waterloo, newsletter of the Keystone Campaign, hit campus the other day, with photos of some of the staff, faculty and retiree donors who have brought Keystone to its current level of $7.2 million raised for Campaign Waterloo. "Your generosity has had a real impact on this campus," writes UW president David Johnston. The four-page newsletter also includes a profile of fourth-year student Krishna Mistry, who has been working part-time for Keystone in between a breathtaking load of volunteer involvement and classes. And there's the latest in a series of articles by Bud Walker, UW's director of business operations, who regularly profiles groups of staff and the contributions they make to the life of the university. This time he looks at staff who also volunteer in the community — as minor sports coaches, fund-raisers, leaders of ethnic and neighbourhood associations, cogs in the machinery of Meals on Wheels and the United Way, and so on. The full newsletter is available online in PDF format.

"We now have vaccine again," says Ruth Kropf of health services, after last week's four-day clinic providing flu shots in the Student Life Centre. Next step, she says, is a visit to Cambridge, offering flu immunizations at the Architecture building between 2:00 and 3:30 this afternoon. "For those who missed the main campus clinic, they may receive their flu immunization at Health Services Monday to Friday for the remainder of this term, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on a walk-in basis, no appointment necessary."

"We are still searching for applicants to fill part-time positions for the winter term," writes Kathryn King from retail services — the department that operates the bookstore, the UW Shop, TechWorx and the Campus TechShop. wanted are cashiers, floor staff, and security and door patrol staff (especially, I'd think, for the beginning-of-term rush). "You can apply as soon as your class schedule is available," she says, noting that "applicants must be available for interview," and those who are chosen must be available for training in early December. Applications (with resumé and class schedule) should go by e-mail to woodhall@uwaterloo.ca; questions, call ext. 37504.

Gordon (Bob) Pearce, one of UW's pioneers, died November 5, aged 90. It was August 1, 1957 — a month after the institution's very beginning — that Pearce, equipped with BSc and MSc degrees in mechanical engineering and with experience in the air force and in missile manufacturing and heavy equipment testing, officially came to Waterloo. By 1959 he was not only teaching in mechanical engineering but also working in the "coordination department" (now co-op education and career services) connecting engineering students with work term jobs. Records say that in 1960 he was appointed an assistant professor in the mechanical engineering department. Much of his work in later years involved engineering design and graphics (he was the author of an early book on the use of computers in drawing) and he drew publicity for his work in improving snowplow designs in the 1970s. He retired at the end of 1986. A memorial service was held November 10 in Victoria, and a service in Hamilton is planned.

Some 20 graduate students who are part of the Certificate in University Teaching program will spend this morning in a workshop on the creation and use of teaching dossiers. • The UW Recreation Committee is selling poinsettias this Christmas season (e-mail UWRC@admmail for an order form). • Gillian Maxwell of the Warrior women's basketball team is the current Athlete of the Week for Ontario University Athletics after she "led the Warriors to two impressive road wins over Carleton and Ottawa".

CAR

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