On Earth Day: Elliot Wand and Anne Grant of the environment faculty's ecology lab, along with a dozen volunteers, spent some time on April 22 cleaning up the Dorney Garden outside the Environment I building. They cleared out garbage and debris, but stayed away from weeding: unlike other gardens on campus, the Dorney is kept "as natural as possible", says Grant.

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Revised budget on its way to senate

Provost Feridun Hamdullahpur brought a new 2010-11 budget to the senate finance committee yesterday, showing how he plans to use an extra $17 million that the Ontario government is providing to cover the costs of enrolment growth.

He said the extra funding, announced in the provincial budget on March 25, was “quite delightful” and would let the university cancel cuts to budget lines such as the academic development fund and the quality improvement fund that had been trimmed as part of this year’s budget-balancing process.

The provost actually has more like $19 million in additional money to distribute, since the revised budget is also showing a reduction of $2.3 million in the funds that had been shown for May 1 salary and wage increases. Hamdullahpur said the tentative allocation for pay increases that's still in the budget is based on merit and “progress through the ranks” only, with nothing for scale increases, because of the province-wide salary freeze.

A major effect of having extra money to spend is that the provost can trim the university-wide “expenditure reduction” from the planned 3.5 per cent to just 2 per cent — from $9.8 million to just $5.6 million.

“The Sixth Decade Plan calls for an expenditure reallocation of about 2 per cent every year,” Bob Truman, the director of institutional analysis and planning, pointed out. But Deep Saini, dean of environment, said he didn’t think it was right to call the 2 per cent cut a “reallocation” since it isn’t being explicitly reallocated.

Another result of having more money in the income column is that the deficit predicted in Hamdullahpur’s previous budget, to the tune of $2.8 million, is being replaced by a $600,000 surplus.

The former budget was approved by the senate finance committee in March, and by the university senate a few days later. But the provincial freeze and extra funding announcement came along at the end of March, and the provost didn’t ask for budget approval at the quarterly board of governors meeting on April 6.

In his revisions, Hamdullahpur is adding $7.8 million to the “supplies and expenses” line in the budget — much of which, he acknowledged, will later be distributed to other lines, including salaries and specific projects. That allocation includes $1.5 million to cover the “shortfalls” in the earning from UW’s endowments, which have not brought in enough interest income lately to pay for the scholarships, chairs and other projects they’re supposed to support.

Other “supplies and expenses” funding will cover the utilities and maintenance on some of the university’s new buildings, the provost added.

Under the new budget, total operating income for 2010-11 stands at $477.1 million and total spending at $476.5 million. The finance committee approved the budget, despite one faculty representative’s caveat that “you’re juggling this around to show a deficit.” It will go to the university senate later this month and then the board of governors in the first week of April.

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Committee seeking next dean of arts

The committee that will choose the university’s next dean of arts — someone to follow Ken Coates, whose term ends in June 2011 — has started its work.

“The nominating committee, constituted under the terms of Policy 45 is now in place, has held its first meeting and has begun the process of identifying Dean Coates’ successor,” says a memo issued yesterday by provost Feridun Hamdullahpur.

He wrote to faculty and staff members in arts: “Over the next month, committee members intend to consult broadly, including individual interviews and/or meetings with small groups within the faculty. Notwithstanding, you are invited to convey your views on matters concerning the deanship to any member of the nominating committee (identified below).

“The committee especially invites you to consider the following questions and seeks your input and feedback: What are the issues, challenges and opportunities facing the Faculty of Arts? What are your aspirations for our faculty? Where would you like to see us go over the next five years? What advice do you have for the search committee as to the background, credentials, qualifications and leadership style we should be seeking in our new dean? Do you have any suggestions as to individuals to whom we should speak about this opportunity?

“If you prefer to respond in writing, your submission should be directed to Lois Claxton, Secretary of the University (by mail, c/o University Secretariat in Needles Hall; by e-mail, lclaxton@ uwaterloo.ca; or by fax 519-888-6337). Your input and feedback will be very important in shaping the position profile and informing the direction of the search. Comments are due no later than June 4, 2010 and will be held in confidence within the committee.”

A list of the nominating committee members:

• Feridun Hamdullahpur, chair, 519-888-4766; provost@ uwaterloo.ca
• Lois Claxton, secretary of the university, 519-888-4012; lclaxton@ uwaterloo.ca
• Sharon Adams, staff member, psychology, ext. 32032; sladams@ uwaterloo.ca
• Jim Barnett, faculty member, accounting and finance, ext. 35143; jbarnett@ uwaterloo.ca
• Monica Chamberland, undergraduate student, 226-747-6422; monicachamberland@ live.ca
• Joan Coutu, faculty member, fine arts, ext. 32671; jmcoutu@ uwaterloo.ca
• Mike Dixon, faculty member, psychology, ext. 32877; mjdixon@ uwaterloo.ca
• Marlene Epp, faculty member, Conrad Grebel University College, 519-885-0220 ext. 24257; mgepp@ uwaterloo.ca
• Sally Gunz, faculty member, accounting and finance, ext. 36524; sgunz@ uwaterloo.ca
• Shelley Hulan, faculty member, English language and literature, ext. 36867; shulan@ uwaterloo.ca
• Lynne Jelokhani-Niaraki, staff member, dean of arts office, ext. 32011; lynnejn@ uwaterloo.ca
• Devon McDonald, graduate student, English language and literature, 226-339-2350; d2mcdona@ uwaterloo.ca
• Terry McMahon, external faculty member, dean of science, 519-888-4591; mcmahon@ uwaterloo.ca
• François Paré, faculty member, French studies, ext. 33394; fpare@ uwaterloo.ca
• James Skidmore, faculty member, Germanic and Slavic studies, ext. 33687; skidmore@ uwaterloo.ca

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Food and stress and diversity (and tweets)

The spring term is in full swing now, and that means a lot of hungry mouths and thirsty throats. Food services will look after them at more than a dozen locations, including an outdoor outpost: the "Brubakers BBQ Cart" that will be stationed, weather permitting, outside the Student Life Centre from 11:00 to 1:30 each weekday. Indoors, most cafeterias and coffee shops are open for their customary hours — but not the Modern Languages café, which is under renovation, and not Festival Fare in South Campus Hall. Food services is now listing Subway in the SLC as a separate outlet; it'll be open from 10:00 to 7:00 Monday to Friday, overlapping the 9:30-to-3:00 hours for the adjacent Brubakers.

A number of workshops operated by the counselling services department will be starting next week, including "Stress Management" and (not the same thing, apparently) "Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction". The latter will be available in two different series: Tuesdays in the late afternoon aimed at staff members, and Wednesdays aimed at students. There's also "Mindful Eating", intended mostly for staff; Beth Bower of counselling, who will be leading the group, promises "strategies to manage stress and emotional eating" as well as "cultivation of self-acceptance and body acceptance". A flyer, which is reproduced on the counselling web site, notes that there are no official writing skills or study skills workshops this term: "To make an appointment for individual study skills help please come to Counselling Services, NH 2080."

Registration for intramural sports in the campus recreation program is under way this week. • Vicky Lounder of the field hockey Warriors was honoured as one of the Ontario University Athletics "women of influence" at an awards luncheon in Toronto on Friday. • The staff association is inviting its members to apply for two positions on the association's Finance Review Committee and one seat on the university-wide Advisory Committee on Traffic and Parking.

"Nominations are requested," writes Bev Seibel of the university secretariat, "for one faculty member of the university to be elected by/from members of the faculty of the university, as a faculty-at-large representative on the senate, term to April 30, 2012. The nomination form is online. At least five nominators are required in each case. Nominations should be sent to the Chief Returning Officer, Secretariat, Needles Hall, Room 3060, no later than 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 12. A by-election will follow if necessary."

"The One Waterloo Campaign will see some exciting changes in the next month," says Johnny Trinh of the student life office. He writes that "As of May 1, the One Waterloo Diversity Campaign will be under the sole management of the Federation of Students. The campaign was created in 2005, and has been a joint partnership between the Federation of Students and the University of Waterloo through the Student Life Office. The One Waterloo campaign offers events and programs designed to educate students about diversity and promote inclusivity on campus. Since its creation, the campaign has experienced continued progress which can be credited to its student leaders and volunteers who assist with ongoing campaign management and program develop. The Federation of Students will continue to provide opportunities for students to get involved in the campaign. The Federation of Students hopes for the continued support from various stakeholders within the student body and the University of Waterloo."

Waterloo has a good-sized presence in the Twitterverse — or, to put it another way, keeping an eye on Twitter provides a lot of glimpses of life at this university. For example, late last week: “Will be slowly making my way to the 'loo tomorrow for yet another term at #uwaterloo.” • “Breaking news!! :-) The DC library just got a colour printer... copies are 40 cents per printed side.” • “Watch how Prof. Whitney Lackenbauer is part of sovereignty operation in the Canadian arctic. http://ow.ly/1EDgf.” • “An attractive woman smiled at me while I was gawking....at the QNC tower crane dis-assembly.” • “Somebody's going to need a car wash tonight! http://tweetphoto.com/20483469.” • “Submitted my thesis for display a few minutes ago!” • “Cameron Piron from Sentinelle giving keynote address at Engineering alumni event. http://twitpic.com/1jhm52.” • The Daily Bulletin also has a presence on Twitter (@uwdailybulletin), and that now includes a growing gallery of TwitPics that have been submitted by interested readers.

CAR

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