'Trick or Eat was a huge success,' says Carly Heung, one of the organizers on behalf of the UW Meal Exchange organization that sponsored the Hallowe'en event. "Thanks to you, 332 UW students helped us raise over 6,800 pounds of food," which she says took an hour and a half just to load onto the Food Bank's truck afterwards. Participants also raised $1,800 in online donations. The photo was taken by UW library staff member Melanie Watkins when a Trick or Eat crew came to her door.

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Latest figures on co-op employment

There aren't many jobless co-op students this term, says a memo from Peggy Jarvie, who heads the co-op education and career services department: "The final Fall 2008 employment rate, all in, is 99.6%, with 15 participating students left unemployed, the majority being senior engineering students. This was the first or second work term for only about a quarter of the participating students, leading to the usual high employment rate in the fall term. This fall, almost 300 more students are employed on work terms than this time last year. Participating students were up in all Faculties; the biggest increase is in Science, with the first Pharmacy work term."

As for the term ahead, says Jarvie, "The current employment statistics for Winter 2009 show 5,214 students scheduled for co-op work terms, with 2,732 (54%) employed after the main match run on October 20. This is an increase over Winter 2008 of about 160 students scheduled for work terms. This employment rate is roughly similar to this time last year. The continuous round of interviews began yesterday. To date, we have seen little impact of the economic uncertainty on co-op hiring, though we continue to monitor the situation closely. One negative indicator is the number of open positions cancelled due to budget reasons. As of yesterday, the total number of cancelled openings is up slightly over spring this year, and the proportion reported cancelled due to budget reasons has doubled to 14.5%. CECS is forming a marketing working group, to assess techniques used in past economic downturns, and develop an integrated strategy to support field co-ordinators and involve others in the university in addressing co-op employment challenges. Continued and accelerated UW hiring of co-op students is very important; CECS appreciates the commitment of the rest of the university in this regard."

In other news . . . the on-campus campaign for the United Way has ended in success, as organizers report that the $175,000 goal for this year has been surpassed. “We have currently raised $177,183.53,” says Joanna Niezen at the United Way office in a memo to campaign volunteers. “With your help we have reached 523 donors with a corresponding participation rate of 10.8%.” Cheques and pledges are still welcome, of course — the need doesn’t go away at the many agencies that the United Way supports, from Parents for Community Living to the Canadian Hearing Society. In addition, says Niezen, money will likely still be arriving from special events that were held across campus, including a minigolf tournament with attitude that was held last Friday morning here on the third floor of Needles Hall. A further announcement: “There is going to be a prize draw for all donors who have their pledge forms in by November 7. The lucky winner will get a $100 gift certificate to the University Club. The winner's name will be drawn on November 12, which coincides with the United Way Buffet being held at the University Club from 11:30 to 2:00 (all gratuities collected from this lunch will be donated to the UW United Way campaign).”

Marc Aucoin of the chemical engineering department is off to Cambridge, Massachusetts, this weekend as advisor to a team of some fifteen UW students taking part in the annual iGEM Jamboree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He explains: "iGEM stands for the International Genetically Engineered Machine competition, which is an undergraduate Synthetic Biology competition. It began as a summer competition at MIT with 5 teams in 2004. This year, 84 teams with over 1,000 participants from 21 countries across Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the US are participating. These teams have specified, designed, built, and tested biological systems made from biological parts for a wide range of applications from bacteria that can add to artificial blood. The Waterloo team, consisting of students in Actuarial Science, Applied Math, Biochemistry, Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Chemical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mathematical Physics, and Nanotechnology Engineering, will be heading to MIT to present their entry: a Genome-free Bacterial Bioproduct Factory (code name, The Headless Chicken Project)."

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Progress on 'document management'

a memo sent to UW departments by provost Amit Chakma

Recognizing the many benefits to maintaining records electronically wherever possible, the University recently selected Hyland Software, Inc. to provide a system (OnBase) to enable the University to capture and store electronic documents, to convert paper records to electronic images, and to use workflow and other tools to improve business processes. The pilot project for this system, the Graduate Admissions Project, will “go live” over the next few months.

There are numerous units within UW where very significant benefits would accrue from the use of the document management system. In order to assist in setting priorities, and guiding and monitoring its deployment, I am establishing a Document Management Steering Committee with the following mandate:

1. To develop a long-term strategy for document management; i.e., what will the system have achieved for UW 5 or 10 years down the road?

2. To develop criteria consistent with the overall objectives against which to evaluate projects. These might include:
• Improved services to students and other internal and external clients (e.g., more self-service opportunities, ability to respond more quickly to client needs)
• Improved business processes (e.g., automating manual tasks, integrating autonomous processes into a managed enterprise process)
• Enhanced sharing of enterprise information both internally and externally
• Enhanced efficiency (e.g., reduced duplication and redundancy; reduced need for paper, filing, and paper storage; improved compliance with record-keeping, privacy, and security requirements; increased staff time for value-added tasks)
• Ability to meet challenges (e.g., requirements of external agencies, need for signatures, need for long-term retention)
• To evaluate and recommend to Executive Council the initiation of document management projects.

3. To monitor progress towards enterprise-wide document management.

I am grateful to the following people who have agreed to serve on the Document Management Steering Committee: Lois Claxton, Carolyn Dirks, Alan George (Chair), Dennis Huber, Geoff McBoyle and Roy Wagler. They will, of course, engage many others on campus as they proceed with their work.

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Other shreds of news on a Friday

Still on the subject of documents, here's a memo that went out this week from Carolyn Dirks, the university's records manager: "Since the University’s confidential shredding procedures were introduced in May, a number of departments have asked about secure methods of collecting small amounts of confidential documents until there is enough for pickup by Central Stores. The University’s Records Management Committee endorses the following solutions: Purchase a personal under-desk console with lock (this type is suitable for administrative assistants and people working in individual offices to collect small amounts of confidential documents); purchase a single locked console to be placed in a central location, such as a mailroom or general access area; or collect in a box or file folder kept in a locked filing cabinet or cupboard under similar security afforded other confidential documents. In all cases, the department is responsible for packing and labelling the contents for collection by Central Stores. While purchasing departmental shredders is not the preferred practice, departments that choose this option should be sure to purchase robust cross-cut (sometimes called confetti) shredders. Using strip cut shredders or shredders that cut large pieces may allow the records to be reconstructed. They are not recommended for confidential materials."

The UW Web Advisory Committee is studying methods for improving content management of UW websites. A project is underway to review web technologies in use at UW as well as future needs for web content management. “People who maintain UW websites will be contacted over the coming months to discuss their web maintenance practices and needs,” says Megan McDermott of Communications and Public Affairs, who will be heading the needs assessments for this project. “Getting a better understanding of the web content management needs of UW website maintainers will help us assess the suitability of web content management technologies.” To coincide with this project, McDermott adds, the web.uwaterloo.ca site has been re-launched in a new format. The blog will include news and information, web design tips and techniques, usability and writing help, and more. “We expect this to become a go-to place for information about web design and development at UW. Anyone working on websites should check the site regularly.” Regular updates about the content management project and WAC’s activities will be posted at there as well. Questions or comments about the content management project can be sent to WAC member Pat Lafranier, e-mail pllafran@uwaterloo.ca or phone ext. 36433.

Gloria Eid of the Arts Student Union sends word that the ASU "is implementing a Student and Professor of the Term Award that provides an opportunity for students and professors in the Faculty of Arts to nominate and acknowledge classmates, friends or colleagues for their contributions in the classroom, on campus or within the community. If you know a student or professor deserving of this award, please fill out the nomination form online at asu.uwaterloo.ca/awards no later than November 21."

World Town Planning Day is scheduled for Monday — a day, says Karen Hammond of UW's planning, school, that "celebrates the role of the planning profession in creating livable communities. It is celebrated annually in more than 30 countries. For its part, the School of Planning is hosting a charrette on Monday. All members of the school are invited to participate. As well, we are expecting over 70 students and teachers from local high schools." She explains that a charrette is "an exciting, intensive brainstorming session focused on solving a design issue. All participants work together in small groups to develop solutions." Monday's event runs from 12:30 to 4:30 in Environment II room 2002. It'll focus on improving the Victoria Street corridor in Kitchener, "currently lined with strip plazas, fast food restaurants, and auto dealerships. However, in the near future it may look dramatically different. Charrette participants will explore how the corridor might change with the introduction of bus rapid transit, and develop ideas to make this stretch more transit-oriented and pedestrian-friendly . . . a greener, more vital and attractive street, integrated into a denser urban fabric."

And . . . Meg Beckel, one of UW's vice-presidents, holds the portfolio of "external relations" and not, as yesterday's Daily Bulletin managed to say, "external affairs". Beckel likes to joke about a certain kind of blunder, or candour, being a CLM ("career-limiting move") — like getting the boss's title wrong, for example?

CAR

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