College's name takes a U turn

Renison College has a new, longer and more upscale name, the UW-affiliated institution announced late last week.

Says a news release: “Renison University College, as it will now be known, recently received approval from the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities to add the University College designation.

“Interim Principal Dr. Bob Rosehart notes that the new name offers enormous benefits in terms of providing greater recognition of academic standards, an enhanced profile, and the ability to recruit new and international students.”

Rosehart is pictured along with Lynn Schumacher, chair of the Renison board of governors, unveiling the new name on a sign in the college’s concourse. The interim principal says the change “will definitely strengthen the reputation and identity of the institution with international partners. It also reflects the reality that, as it approaches its 50th anniversary, Renison has evolved into a more classically structured institution.”

As a University College, says the release, “Renison plans to build and grow Social Development Studies, the Bachelor of Social Work, East Asian Studies, and the English Language Institute – popular programs for which it is known. Degrees will continue to be conferred by the University of Waterloo, and Renison University College, a learner-centred institution and member of the University of Waterloo family, will continue to deliver a first-rate, post-secondary education.”

In making the name change, it’s following in the footsteps of Conrad Grebel University College, which added the U-word to its title in 2001. The other two institutions just west of Laurel Creek are St. Jerome’s University (formerly the University of St. Jerome’s College, and before that just St. Jerome’s College) and St. Paul’s United College, which these days is calling itself just St. Paul’s.

The four colleges are all church-affiliated: Renison is Anglican, Grebel is Mennonite, St. Jerome’s is Roman Catholic and St. Paul’s is United Church.

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Associate VP leaves for consul's job

a release from UW's media relations office

The University of Waterloo and Institute for Quantum Computing are congratulating David Fransen (right), executive director of IQC, on his appointment as the new Consul General of Canada in Los Angeles.

"The federal government has appointed a consul general with impressive talents and experience to this important post," says David Johnston, president of UW. "He will be an asset in furthering relations between Canada and the U.S., particularly in the area of scientific and technological innovation."

"David has played a critical role in bringing IQC from a nascent institute to a full-fledged one that now comprises more than 100 researchers," says Ray Laflamme, director of IQC. "His help has been critical in putting in place its administrative backbone, increasing collaboration with government agencies and insuring the success of the future IQC building. IQC thanks him profusely and wishes him the best in his new challenge."

Fransen came to UW in January 2006. He has spent the bulk of his time as executive director of IQC, but he has also served as associate vice-president (strategic initiatives), providing leadership in establishing strategic relations and partnerships with key industry sectors and firms, research institutes and economic development leaders.

"I have felt deeply privileged to be part of 'the UW experience' in general, and IQC in particular," says Fransen. "The latter is an extraordinary initiative that is destined to bring enormous benefits to Waterloo. IQC researchers are not only transforming this field of science, their research is going to transform information and communications technology.

"Thanks to the vision and staggering generosity of Mike Lazaridis, combined with the charismatic leadership and brilliance of IQC's director, Ray Laflamme, I firmly believe that IQC, UW, and Waterloo are truly going to have global impact. It is a message that I will be only too happy to spread in California."

Before accepting the UW and IQC positions, Fransen was the assistant deputy minister of policy at Industry Canada and director of Investment Canada. He was also a member of the founding board of governors of the Council of Canadian Academies, a member of the board of the Standards Council of Canada and the secretary of the Minister's Expert Panel on Commercialization.

He has served as director general of the Centre for Healthy Human Development at Health Canada. He previously held a variety of senior policy positions at Industry Canada. He received a bachelor's degree in theology from Canadian Mennonite Bible College, bachelor's and master's degrees from UW, and a doctorate in history from the University of Toronto.

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Notes on getting back to work

My thanks, first of all, to colleague Brandon Sweet, who's looked after the Daily Bulletin in the first part of July, enabling me to take a few days away from campus and another few days back at the desk but working on other matters. We've tried to coordinate things so that all the requests and news tips of the past few weeks have been handled, or will be handled, by one or other of us, and nothing will appear in the Daily Bulletin twice that doesn't need to.

I was out of town, in fact out of the country, on Canada Day, so I missed the smash success of the annual celebrations on UW's north campus, which I'm told drew record crowds and produced universal satisfaction. "Entertainment was a big part of the day," the Iron Warrior tells me, "with class acts like the Engineering Jazz band, Knock Knock Ginger and headliner Kreesha Turner who rocked the house and turned heads with her skin tight spandex pants." And this important note about the Engineering Society's steel mascot: "After much controversy last year, the Tool was in attendance this year with the bearers sporting Canadian bandanas. Children were encouraged to dress like a bearer and sport their own mini tool while posing for a picture. Some people were confused about the presence of the tool but friendly EngSoc President Amanda Hoff was present to explain everything to all who were confused. Some ringed parents didn't pass up the opportunity to touch the tool creating jealousy among volunteers."

My own Canada Day was spent at the Chautauqua Institution, a place I frequent every summer, and I can report that "O Canada" was sung by a large crowd in the historic Amphitheater, accompanied on the century-old Massey Memorial Organ. I was also at Chautauqua for the Fourth of July celebrations, which included an old-fashioned band concert and fireworks over the lake.

Returning to Waterloo, I see an influx of T-shirted kids across campus, with the beginning of the Engineering Science Quest and Arts Computer Experience day camps for this year. I also see that the Modern Languages cafeteria and the CEIT Café have closed for the season — spring term classes have two and a half weeks yet to run, but the summer doldrums have definitely set in.

And I see that Waterloo has been honoured for the "planet friendliness" of some of its academic programs, and Waterloo is among several Ontario universities whose presidents' employment contracts have been made public through the efforts of the Spectator newspaper, and Waterloo has joined the World Community Grid. And, in short, it's a happening place here. What's not happening? Well, the human resources department hasn't started its scheduled move to East Campus Hall, pending some repairs to the air conditioning system; I'm told that the move should begin round about next week. It's expected to last three months or so, while renovations are done to the department's permanent quarters in the General Services Complex.

Finally, how many water researchers can you fit on a footbridge? That's the question of the day today, as everyone involved in water research at Waterloo — there are around 100 professors identified as such in a recent survey — is invited to meet at the footbridge over Laurel Creek for a photo session. The resulting picture will illustrate a major story focusing on water research in the fall issue of the UW Magazine. Editor Kelley Teahen says she has e-mailed every researcher identified in that survey, inviting them and their post-doc or graduate student teams. "It's July, and many people are away, but we hope the photo will show the volume — the quantity as well as the quality — of research into water issues at Waterloo." Response has been enthusiastic so far, Teahen reports. Said James Craig, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering: "I'll be there with four or five grad students in tow." If, inadvertently, you didn't get an e-mail invite but do water research, you can just show up at the footbridge (the one closer to the water-pumping station, across from Needles Hall) at 4:30. Hip waders are optional.

CAR

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