Drama students Whitney Allen (as Dorine) and Michael Albert (as Orgon) are among the stars of Molière’s “Tartuffe”, being staged by the department of drama this week in the Theatre of the Arts. The 17th-century classic sees the religious hypocrite Tartuffe entrenched in the home of wealthy patriarch Orgon who, charmed by his seeming piety, is duped into bequeathing to the impostor all of his earthly belongings, including his money, his house, his daughter, and (almost) his wife. Performed in a contemporary translation by Ranjit Bolt, “Tartuffe” will be directed by Toronto's Soulpepper Theatre Company director Jim Warren. There’s a VIP preview performance Tuesday night, with public performances Wednesday through Saturday at 8:00 and Saturday at 2:00. Tickets are $12, $10 students and seniors, from the Humanities box office.

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University in quest of quick contacts

UW officials are collecting students’ cell phone numbers through Quest, just in case, as this recent e-mail memo indicates: “Occasionally, a circumstance may require that all members of the university be contacted as quickly as possible. UW is considering a comprehensive response strategy that utilizes several methods of communication, one of which is text messaging to the personal cell phones of as many people as possible. In anticipation of implementing this strategy over the next 4 months, we need you to provide us with your personal cell phone number, if you have one. Please log on to Quest and record your personal cell phone number. The navigation is: >Quest Login >Personal Portfolio >Phone Numbers >Add a Phone Number. Like all your personal information, this information will be held in confidence and used only by authorized UW personnel in emergency situations. If you change your cell number, please update the number in Quest so that this communication strategy remains effective for you.”

Some details have been announced for the April 1 “Friends of the Library” lecture, this year to be given by John Manley, former deputy prime minister of Canada and a member of UW's board of governors. He’ll speak that day at 4:00 in the Theatre of the Arts. “The event is open to everyone,” says the library’s web site. “However, seating is limited so registration is required. Call 519-888-4567 ext. 32281 or e-mail ckieswet@library. . . . As part of the event, we will honour members of the university community who, in 2007, authored a book, composed a musical score, were recognised for their design or photography work, or mounted an art show. Participants are publicly recognized during the event and their work is on display.” Anybody who would like work included in the display should contact Cheryl Kieswetter in the library by March 19.

James C. (Jim) Wilson, a key administrator for UW in the 1980s, died on March 5, aged 69. Wilson (right) worked in the “coordination and placement” department, later renamed “co-operative education and career services”, for 24 years, and served as its director for a decade until retiring in 1993. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 this morning at the Erb & Good Funeral Home on King Street in Waterloo. Memorial donations to the Salvation Army are suggested by the family.

Advance warning from information systems and technology about a shutdown at the end of the winter term: “In order to upgrade UW-ACE from version 7.1 to version 7.2, the system will be down from 6:00 pm on Monday, April 28, until 8:00 am on Wednesday, April 30. Instructors who have used UW-ACE should find the move to the new version to be relatively seamless as no significant changes were made to the interface and navigation. Several new features and enhancements have been added, including a new e-mail interface, in-line HTML editor with easy access drop-down menus, wikis, blogs, assessments and course syndication for RSS feeds and podcasts. Instructors who use UW-ACE will receive a follow-up e-mail in the next few days with a one-page overview of the changes and a list of training sessions being offered in their respective Faculty. If you have any questions, please contact Andrea Chappell at ext. 33779 or chappell@uwaterloo.ca.”

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Young visitors throng to campus

The campus will be hectic tomorrow as UW welcomes thousands of future students and their parents to the annual March break open house. It's described as the best day for applicants to visit the campus and learn more about UW's academic programs, campus life and student services.

"We've planned an exciting day with lots of information to help students decide which university is best for them," says Kim McKee, manager of the Visitors Centre in South Campus Hall. "Our students tell us that visiting the campus is the best way to see for themselves what the University of Waterloo has to offer."

She adds that students who have applied to UW, and need to make a yes-or-no decision in the next few weeks, will find the day helpful, as it showcases the university's academic strengths, world-leading co-op program, student life and leadership opportunities. They will also be able to experience UW's strong sense of community, she promises. "We are also expecting some younger students," those whose applications to UW are a year or two away, McKee added.

"We've put a lot of effort into creating student energy and excitement," she said. Most activities begin at 9 a.m. and continue until 3 p.m., with the epicentre being at the Student Life Centre. Students and family members can pick up an event guide when they arrive at the SLC, and can also visit information booths before taking a walking tour of the campus. Residences and other student services departments are offering tours or drop-in visits all day.

At noon, the SLC will feature performances by the UW cheerleaders, Warrior band and Social Dance Club, among others. Special presentations will answer questions about financing a university education, as well as the workings of undergraduate co-op programs.

UW's six faculties will each hold program-specific activities, tours and information sessions. The colleges — Conrad Grebel, Renison, St. Jerome's and St. Paul's — are also hosting tours and special events. And a separate open house will be held for students and parents interested in UW's school of architecture in Cambridge.

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Pixels in the big picture

Three civil and environmental engineering graduate students have won American Water Works Association awards this year, the engineering faculty’s e-newsletter reports. Jianping Zhang placed first in the best doctoral dissertation category, and Quinn Kathleen Crosina placed first and Jeffrey DeLoyde second in the best master’s thesis category. It was previously announced that civil and environmental professor Peter Huck, one of the grad students’ supervisors, won the AWWA 2008 A.P. Black Research Award.

The human sexuality studies lab in UW’s psychology department is seeking volunteers, aged 25 or older, who have been living with or married to a partner for at least two years, to participate in an online study of sexual thoughts. • “Orientation is an irreplaceable experience,” writes Reemah Khalid, one of the organizers of this year’s arts orientation week, who says Friday (March 14) is the deadline for upper-year students to apply to be orientation leaders (e-mail artsorientation@uwaterloo.ca). • Members of the faculty association received a call for nominations the other day, as the association prepares to elect is 2008-09 president and five members of the board of directors, and are reminded that the nomination deadline is 4:30 today.

John Bussman, who died February 21, worked at UW as a building serviceperson in plant operations from May 1978 to his retirement in April 1984.

“Do you have an innovative idea (device, process, or method) that could solve, mitigate or avoid an environmental problem?” environmental studies students were asked this winter as the Jack Rosen Memorial Award for Environmental Innovation was announced. “During his successful career as an entrepreneur, businessman and waste management professional in Waterloo Region, Jack Rosen developed and introduced the world's first ‘Blue Box’ recycling program. This award, sponsored by the Jack and Honey Rosen Charitable Foundation, is intended to reward and encourage innovative, ‘outside-the-box’ ideas aimed at solving environmental challenges and issues. The Jack Rosen Award, valued at $2,500, will be awarded on or about October 1 to an undergraduate or graduate student in the Faculty of Environmental Studies. Interested students will declare their interest in submitting an idea through an online form and will prepare a poster or display that describes their environmental idea. An independent panel appointed by the Dean will determine the winner based primarily upon creativity.” Entries are on display in the Environmental Studies I courtyard, today through March 20.

The UW Sustainability Project is selling “fairly traded” T-shirts in the Student Life Centre this week to help mark Green Week. • Here’s a reminder that this Friday, March 14, is the deadline for staff performance appraisals to be filed with the human resources department. • A memo has gone out from the HR department reminding anybody across campus who hires students that the Ontario minimum wage will rise from $8.00 an hour to $8.75, effective March 31.

Two custodians in UW’s plant operations department are retiring. Donna Kowalski officially retired March 1, ending a 20-year career at Waterloo. Maria Correia will retire April 1; she has been working in plant operations since March 1982.

Updating what was said in this space on Friday, UW’s Clean Snowmobile Team, the Silent Sledders, will compete in the annual SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge, today through Saturday the 15th in Houghton, Michigan.

Finally . . . I'm starting a couple of weeks' vacation as of today. While I'm away, my colleague Pat Bow will be looking after the Daily Bulletin, and e-mail to bulletin@uwaterloo.ca will reach her promptly.

CAR

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