The Engineering Jazz Band performed in sun and wind on the north campus on Canada Day (photo by Sylvia Wu) but will get to go indoors for its concert Saturday night. The show starts at 7:00 tomorrow evening in the Humanities Theatre. Tickets are $10 at the Engineering Society office or at the door (cash only). Proceeds go to benefit the Food Bank of Waterloo Region.

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Arts offices will move into new wing

by Lynne Jelokhani-Niaraki, faculty of arts

The expansion of the Psychology, Anthropology, and Sociology (PAS) building connecting to the Environment building is now in the final stages of construction. Flooring, tiling, and other finish work is nearing completion.

The second floor of the extension will contain the various offices of the Dean of Arts: the Dean’s unit itself, the Arts Undergraduate Office, the Arts Graduate Office, and the Arts Co-op and Special Programs unit. There will be more than 25 people involved in the relocation. The new space allows the dean’s group to come together from various locations in Modern Languages and Hagey Hall and promises to be a busy centre for arts administration and planning, student recruitment, and academic advising. The Arts Advancement group is also located within ready access to the unit, on the first floor of PAS. Moves are tentatively scheduled for the weeks of August 12 and 19.

The second floor of the expansion also includes research and collaboration space for graduate students and visiting researchers for the Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience. Faculty from Biology, Applied Mathematics, Psychology, Engineering, Philosophy, Computer Science and Statistics are involved in the Centre. They work on theoretical questions regarding the function of neural systems and construct detailed neurobiological models of specific brain areas. Director of the centre is Chris Eliasmith, a Canada Research Chair.

The first floor of the extension has been developed for animal care use.

Arts is engaged in a review of existing departmental space and possible relocations to the space in Hagey Hall and Modern Languages that will be vacated by the moves. An open house for the new office space will be scheduled for September; details are to come.

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Faculty association president speaks

Excerpts from articles by David DeVidi, president of the UW faculty association, in the last two issues of the association’s newsletter.

The lack of faculty consultation about, input on, and influence over important decisions on campus is an issue that FAUW has been making noise about consistently — publicly in the Forum in recent President’s Messages, indirectly in the Editorial in the last issue, and behind the scenes through mechanisms like the Faculty Relations Committee — because we know it is important to our members. Judging by some remarks in the announcement of the reappointment of President Johnston for an abbreviated third term, faculty members also made this message known in the reappointment process.

To their credit, the key administrators of the University seem to have recognized that there is a problem here. They have asked the Faculty Association to suggest ideas to them about ways to ensure appropriate input and influence for faculty in the decision making process, and mechanisms to ensure better communications between Needles Hall and (so to speak) the rank and file. . . .

In the past few weeks I have been invited to a number of emergency meetings of the St. Jerome’s University Faculty Association. . . . The discussions at these meetings made it very clear that a large proportion of the faculty at SJU are deeply concerned about recent developments there. . . The SJU faculty are not averse to change that will improve the University. But the principles of academic freedom guarantee the right to criticize the institution, and in particular to follow their conscience when it tells them that they must speak up against change that is not in the interest of the University. . . .

I have resorted to generalizations because the FAUW members at SJU feel that it is in the best interests of SJU (and so of its faculty), at this stage, to provide the greatest possible latitude for constructive engagement with the SJU Administration and Board of Governors on these matters, and that going into details now limits that latitude. . . .

I have many times heard colleagues suggest that the real business of Senate at UW is to rubber-stamp initiatives hatched in Needles Hall. Attending Waterloo’s Senate meetings could certainly leave you with that impression. Questions are rare; pointed questions are rarer still, and usually come from one of a few pain-in-the-neck Senators (a category, incidentally, I aspire to). . . .

In the past couple of years some programs have been approved by Senate without having gone through one of the usual faculty-based approval procedures. The two cases in question are both ‘joint degrees’ with church colleges, and both are essentially theology programs. . . . All Waterloo faculty have an interest in ensuring that the way these two programs were approved is not regarded as setting a precedent. . . .

As a second example of material reaching Senate arguably without due consultation or consideration, in January Senate approved revisions to the Guidelines for Academic Program Reviews. While the revisions as a whole were said to be necessary to implement an agreement among all Ontario universities, Waterloo added to extra conditions of its own that our undergraduate programs ought to meet. . . . Senate has in effect committed many units on campus to a significant restructuring of their programs, without serious consultation and without any idea whether ‘experiential and applied opportunities’ are the appropriate ways to teach undergraduates in those fields.”

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A Warrior Weekend, and other notes

“Friday and Saturday, come out to Warrior Weekends,” says Katie Warner, who coordinates the monthly weekend festivities for UW’s student life office. “Friday there will be a bonfire at the ES firepit that will have hot dogs, veggie dogs and smores.” Back at the Student Life Centre, “Shawnathan the magician will be doing a show at 9:30 p.m., then ‘Forbidden Kingdom’ will be playing at 11:00. Saturday night we will be playing bingo starting at 9:00 and will be playing the movies ‘The Ruins’ at 9:00 and ‘Street Kings’ at 11:00. There will also be pizza. As always, there will be crafts both nights, sponsored by alumni affairs. Come on out — it’s all free with your WatCard!”

Fudge-lovers will converge on the BUGS office in the Earth Sciences and Chemistry building at noontime today, where at least six flavours are on the menu. • Allan Babor, president of the Arts Student Union, is circulating a memo inviting applications for grants from the Arts Endowment Fund this fall. • Conrad Grebel UC has announced plans to host “Sound in the Lands 2009” next June, a sequel to its 2004 conference and festival of Mennonite music.

News from the Centre for International Governance Innovation: “Distinguished Fellow Ramesh Thakur has won a prestigious Friends of ACUNS book award, which is presented annually to an author who has demonstrated outstanding research and writing on the United Nations. The United Nations, Peace and Security: From Collective Security to the Responsibility to Protect examines the transformation in the UN operations and analyses its challenging role and structure. It asks why, when and how force may be used and argues that the growing gulf between legality and legitimacy is evidence of an eroded sense of international community. In his recent review of the book, Sir Marrack Goulding, former UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping and Political Affairs, wrote, ‘If you think the UN needs reform, you should read this book; if you doubt whether reform is impossible, it is essential that you read it.’ Lauded by the critics, Dr. Thakur has established a formidable reputation as one of the world’s foremost commentators on the United Nations. The Friends of ACUNS book award is funded from the income of an endowment which was established to ensure the financial future of the Academic Council on the United Nations System and the continuation of its programs.” Thakur also holds a post in UW’s department of political science.

As noted in this space a few days ago, the department of fine arts is inviting artists among UW’s faculty and staff to donate a piece of artwork to an Alumni and Faculty Art Exhibition and Silent Auction that will take place during Homecoming this fall. The art will be on display in the Modern Languages gallery and available for viewing and bidding for three days, leading up to a reception on Saturday afternoon, September 27. “If you are interested in donating work,” says a memo, “please contact Jane Buyers at jgbuyers@gto.net or Lesley Hartley at lhartley@uwaterloo.ca. We welcome artwork in any media or size as long as it is manageable by one person and ready for hanging or installation. All funds raised will go towards the fine arts endowment fund, to add to the learning environment within the department including enhancements to teaching and facilities.”

Promising “a sunny Saturday”, the Graduate Student Association has organized an outing tomorrow to the scenic Elora Gorge Conservation Area north of Waterloo (the trip is sold out). • There’s a bicycle on display at the Needles Hall pastry counter, ready to be won by somebody in a draw for purchasers of “any Coca-Cola beverage” before the end of the month. • Lighting along pathways in the vicinity of the rock garden, Student Life Centre and nearby buildings will be reduced for the next week or two as a result of preparations for digging at the Quantum-Nano Centre construction site.

CAR

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