Weekend storm broke all-time snowfall record

The Big Snow of March 8, 2008 will go into the record books as the most snow ever to be dumped on Waterloo Region in a 24-hour period, reports Frank Seglenieks of the UW Weather Station. Conditions were so bad on Saturday that the campus was closed for part of the day: the library shut down and any scheduled classes were cancelled. The 32 centimetres that fell between midnight Friday and midnight Saturday brought the 2007-08 season’s total for the region to 246 centimetres – beating the previous record of 245.3 centimetres set in 1923-1924. The extreme weather won this photo a place in the BBC’s online gallery; it was taken by CPA staffer Barbara Elve in her Waterloo neighbourhood.

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New finance graduate program updates old

A new interdisciplinary master’s degree program in quantitative finance was approved by Senate at its February meeting. Subject to approval by the Ontario Council on Graduate Studies (OCGS), the program will begin admitting students in September 2008. (The application for this fall deadline has passed.) This program will be of interest to students with very strong quantitative skills and a background in disciplines such as mathematics, statistics, actuarial science, computer science, and economics.

The program is not completely new. It will replace the Collaborative Master’s in Finance, a coursework-based program established in 1995 in both arts (accounting) and mathematics (statistics and actuarial science). Enrolment in that program grew from eight in the early years to 27 in 2007.

“Quantitative” was added to the program’s name to “more accurately reflect the expertise of its graduates,” says the program’s submission to OCGS. Also new: it will offer a thesis option as well as a coursework option, reinforcing its research side. As in the old program, students will also serve a one-term internship in the financial services industry.

The new program will have an expanded academic base, being offered in co-operation with the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science as well as the School of Accounting and Finance and the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science. The degree earned will be the Master of Quantitative Finance (MQF) no matter to which school or department the student applies. The program and the application process will be co-ordinated by the Centre for Advanced Studies in Finance.

“The world of finance has become increasingly sophisticated in recent years, with many innovations stemming from the direct introduction of new theoretical models into everyday practice,” says the report. “The discipline now entails the study of financial theory, econometrics, probability theory and stochastic processes at the highest level of graduate studies. … This program develops the conceptual framework to study modern financial economics and has a distinctive analytical focus. Graduates are equipped for positions with financial institutions, corporations and government organizations as well as further academic study.”

The prospects for these students look bright: the 2007 grads of the Collaborative Master’s in Finance were all employed in their field before convocation.

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Nominations asked for President's Circle Awards

From Catherine Scott, the associate provost, human resources and student services, comes an early notice inviting nominations for the 2008 President's Circle Awards.

The President’s Circle is a committed group who annually contribute $1,000 or more to the University of Waterloo. The President’s Circle members play an important role in the development of the University, not only directly through their contributions to UW, but indirectly through the example they set for corporations, foundations, alumni and other individuals. It is through their generous support that the President’s Circle Awards for Volunteerism and Leadership have been established to recognize the significant volunteer contributions made by students to UW and the local community.

The President’s Circle Awards for Volunteerism were established in 1997 to recognize the significant contributions of students in volunteer work both within the University and the community at–large. The awards honour the extra–curricular contributions of students in a variety of service areas, some of which may not be highly visible but nonetheless important to the community. Normally, up to ten recipients are selected for awards of $250 each.

The President’s Circle Awards for Leadership were established in 2007 to acknowledge the outstanding performances of student leaders at the University of Waterloo. The awards recognize students who have left a lasting impression on the UW campus through encouraging student participation, acting as a role model, enabling others to become leaders, or taking initiative to lead by example to make the university community better. Normally, up to ten recipients are selected for awards of $250 each.

Nominators may be students, staff, or faculty of the University or member of the community at–large. Nominators are encouraged to work with the student to ensure that the information submitted to the Selection Committee is complete.

Students may self-nominate for the President’s Circle Award for Volunteerism and are very much encouraged to apply, since this work often has a low profile. Please note: students may not self-nominate for the President’s Circle Award for Leadership.

Once again, I ask that you make these awards known to deserving students and consider nominating some of our extraordinary volunteers and leaders, yourself. Application/nomination forms are available online at www.pca.uwaterloo.ca, at the Student Awards and Financial Aid Office (Needles Hall 2001), the Graduate Studies Office (Needles Hall 2072), the Federation of Students (Student Life Centre 1102), and the Student Life Office (Needles Hall 3006).

Applications and nominations forms, as well as reference forms and supporting materials, must be returned to John Trinh, Student Life Coordinator, (Needles Hall room 3006), by October 3, 2008. For more information, including eligibility requirements, contact Heather FitzGerald, director, Student Life, ext. 36876, emailhafitzge@uwaterloo.ca], or John Trinh, student life coordinator: communications and special projects, ext. 35632, email jdtrinh@uwaterloo.ca.

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Happening on campus, and off

The “Bridging the Gap” program at Kitchener’s Rockway Centre will be running again this spring, says a note from the human resources department. It offers six two-hour sessions on retirement planning, including such issues as “changing roles and relationships”, health, finances and housing. “If you are interested in registering,” writes Wanda Speek of HR, “please contact Wendy Fifield at the Rockway Centre, 519-741-2576.” The program will run on Tuesday evenings, starting April 15, and the price is $47.70 for one person or $79.50 for a couple.

“The Arts Endowment Foundation,” writes Brandi Gillett Woods from the dean of arts office, “is proud to announce the grant recipients for this Winter 2008. A number of quality proposals were submitted to support new and powerful student initiatives across the Faculty of Arts. A total of $75,500.86 was distributed to over fourteen projects.” Here’s a bare-bones list of the projects approved: Engineers Without Borders Think Tank on International Development; Legal Studies undergraduate Penitentiary trip; Psychology Society office improvements; English Society trip to Stratford Festival's Hamlet; Harvard Social Enterprise conference delegates; Laurel Centre "Bootcamp Intensive" Program scholarship; Political Science Student Association lounge improvements; Fine Arts Department Print Press; Global Forum of the Universities on the Power of Peace Network; Arts Student Union office improvements; St. Jerome's University Students Union Morning Show; Fine Arts Fourth Year Undergraduate Exhibition; Human Cargo CBS Mini-Series on Refugee Issues; Arts Lecture Hall computer workstations. Says Gillett Woods: “The Arts Endowment Foundation is accepting proposals throughout the year and is always looking for new and innovative initiatives that benefit the Arts undergraduate student body.”

A note from Susan Wismer, director of the Independent Studies program, reports that after nearly 40 years in the lower reaches of the Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology Building, the IS facilities “are being moved to interim offices in Modern Languages. While the new space is much smaller than the previous offices, it boasts direct sunlight and it has the distinction of being in close proximity to the Modern Languages cafeteria …. Please bear with us during March when we will be in transition between the two locations. If you want to meet with IS staff and advisors during the next few weeks, please call (ext. 32345) to confirm the best location to find us. We expect to be fully moved by March 28. Meanwhile, do drop by ML 104 while we unpack, to visit and view the new facilities.” She adds, “It is the hope of many of us that these ML facilities will be but a temporary stop until proper facilities are established for us. That ‘temp’ time, however, may be as much as a year.”

CPA Staff

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