Environment 3, JobMine, TEDx, and more

The Environment 3 building is in use now, but even the staff, professors and students in the environment faculty aren't used to it yet, so maps were handed out to visitors at a "family opening" event held September 16. "Along with our new building we have a new dean, André Roy," says communications officer Betty Bax, "and it was a great opportunity for ENV faculty and staff to meet him. Along with acknowledging the people involved with the building, introducing the new faculty and staff, Dr. Roy talked about his vision for the Environment Faculty. As seen in the photo, refreshments followed in the Minto Atrium." Photo by Joe Bevan.

There was more than a little trouble with JobMine, the online system for co-operative education and career services, when students started using it this week to apply for winter term co-op jobs. If the system didn't actually crash, it slowed to a crawl, producing many grumbles and even a Facebook protest group. "The performance issue came to our attention pretty quickly," says a memo that staff in CECS say they'll be issuing to students this morning. "The initial configuration settings for the underlying application server and web server processes were determined to be the issue and were fixed late in the afternoon on Monday." The job application deadline was postponed by 24 hours — as much as was possible since the first employer interviewers are booked to arrive on campus next Monday, the memo says. The CECS memo will also announce next steps in the long and tortuous process of replacing JobMine, which was introduced in 2004.

It’s really happening, says science student Prashanth Gopalan. “For the first time at the University of Waterloo, a student team is bringing the world-renowned TEDx conference series to campus.” Just 100 spots will be available to attend the live event on November 12, and anyone interested must apply for tickets. “We want the audience to be just as passionate about the power of ideas to create real and meaningful change, as the speakers we’re putting on stage.” says Gopalan, a key organizer. The original TED (“Technology, Entertainment, Design”) is an annual conference, and TEDx events are local spinoffs, promising “some of the most talented and brightest innovators, entrepreneurs and thought leaders. In line with the mandate of making the event as accessible as possible, a live video feed of the entire event will be available. We embarked on a journey to bring the TEDxUW experience to campus because we knew it would be the opportunity of a lifetime for uWaterloo students. This is about showcasing some of the best ideas that have come out of our university, and we thought the best way to do that would be through a global phenomenon that’s spreading across the globe in way that’s never really been seen before.” Speakers will include local entrepreneur Natalie MacNeil, physicist Krister Shalm of the Institute of Quantum Computing, economics professor Larry Smith, and the founder and CEO of Desire2Learn, John Baker. Supporters of TEDxUW include the president’s office, the student success office and the Federation of Students.

Researchers from Waterloo and two neighbouring universities will take part in a "Digital Humanities Workshop" at the end of this week — a tech fair session on Friday at the Communitech Digital Hub in Kitchener, then speakers in two sessions at the University of Guelph on Saturday. "Over the past several decades," says a web site, "the various disciplines in the humanities have been incorporating the tools and methods of computers into all facets of their work — from research and preservation to teaching and more general dissemination. This two-day event aims at bringing together practitioners who use the digital humanities in Southwestern Ontario and beyond." Speakers will include Ian Wilson, former chief librarian of Canada, now associated with Waterloo's Stratford Institute, and Christine McWebb of the French studies department, the director of academic programs at the Stratford campus.

A first-year science student, Austin Montgomery (right), has made the only successful Canadian entry in an international contest on “How to Make the Smart Grid Smarter”. Montgomery’s submission was chosen by IEEE SmartGridComm experts as one of the top 13 videos, from among entries received this summer, and those 13 are now available for public vote. Votes cast from now through Friday will select the top three, and from these the winner will be chosen by the expert jury. Montgomery reports that he wrote up his idea, scripted it, collected props and approvals, and had a friend shoot the creative 3-minute video clip. His video describes a proposal to use new energy monitoring technology to expose details of building energy consumption and enable occupants to conserve energy. Additionally, Montgomery suggests “fun social competition” to encourage people to reduce their carbon footprint. All the submissions can be viewed online.

And . . . advance polling for the Ontario election is under way today and tomorrow in the Student Life Centre and at other locations. The Waterloo Public Interest Research Group has announced a rally for 12:30 today, starting in the arts quadrangle, in support of "green energy" — a key issue in the October 6 vote.

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Choosing an associate provost (students)

A search is under way for someone to fill the recently established position of associate provost (students), says a memo that was e-mailed yesterday to students, staff and faculty across the university.

“The Associate Provost, Students Nominating Committee is now in place and has held its first meeting,” said the memo, adding, “The work of the committee is informed by the Report of the Associate Provost, Students Working Group, dated June 10, 2010. A comprehensive position profile and advertisement will be added to this page once finalized by the committee.”

The associate provost’s job is currently held on an interim basis by Bud Walker, who was previously the university’s director of business services — a job that included responsibility for the residences. His predecessor was Catharine Scott, who retired in 2009 from a position as associate provost (human resources and student services).

The associate provost (students) is a senior executive of the university whose responsibilities include the student success office, the residences, food services, health, counselling, athletics and several other services.

Says the memo, distributed by the university secretariat: “Over the course of the next month, the committee will be consulting with members of the university community in order to define the mandate and responsibilities of the Associate Provost, Students, as well as the experiences, skills and attributes required for success in the role. In particular, the committee invites your feedback on the following:

• What are the major issues, challenges and opportunities facing the new Associate Provost, Students in the short and long term?
• What would you consider to be the essential mandate and short and long term priorities of the new Associate Provost, Students?
• In your opinion, what background, skills, qualifications and leadership/management style are required for success in this role?
• Do you have any suggestions as to individuals to whom the search consultants should speak about this opportunity?

“Please send your comments to any member of the Committee (see below), to our search consultants (see below) or to the Committee Secretary, Rebecca Wickens (rebecca.wickens@ uwaterloo.ca) by October 24, 2011. All comments will be held in complete confidence.”

The nominating committee is chaired by the provost, Geoff McBoyle. Its other members are undergraduate students Allan Babor and Jeffrey Bunn, graduate student Krista Mathias, faculty members Bruce Muirhead (history) and Mark Seasons (planning), and staff members Linda Brogden (health services), Pam Charbonneau (student success), Alex Piticco (housing), Christine Stapleton (athletics) and May Yan (retail services), as well as Walker.

The memo lists four consultants from the firm of Odgers Berndtson who are working with the search committee, headed by managing partner Paul Stanley.

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United Way campaign begins next week

As the launch of this year’s on-campus United Way campaign gets close, five people from Waterloo spent a day last week volunteering together to better the Kitchener-Waterloo community and help those that depend on United Way support services.

Melissa McNown of housing and residences, Donna Sutherland of the school of accounting and finance, Marilyn Thom of the Centre for Contact Lens Research, Richard Wells of kinesiology, and co-op student Marina Selioukova joined in the community-wide Day of Caring on September 21.

The Day of Caring “is an opportunity for volunteers to get into their communities, help a United Way agency and have a positive impact on their neighbours,” says Kirsty Budd, staff member in the Federation of Students office, who’s helping to handle publicity for the United Way campaign this year.

The five people spent the day at the Kitchener office of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind “creating packages of information about CNIB and making tactile boards to help children with vision loss and other developmental difficulties,” Budd said. “The tactile boards are just one of the tools the CNIB uses to help children learn about regular household objects through touch." (Sutherland, Wells, and McNown are seen at the CNIB headquarters in the photo at left.)

Says Budd: “The Day of Caring is a great opportunity to make a difference in the community beyond just dollars, but dollars are still a crucial part of the puzzle.”

Across Kitchener-Waterloo, United Way givings are in the millions (the agency is currently partway through a three-year cycle with a total goal of $21 million). The university’s campaign, which begins October 1, is part of that. “We want to raise the bar from last year,” says Budd. “We have a goal of $210,000 and we need your help to reach it. We're hoping to increase our participation rate from last year and we have some fabulous prizes for those who get involved!”

Fund-raising events organized by many of the university’s departments, such as raffles and lunches, are the most high-profile part of the campaign, but most of the funds come from individual donations. Staff and faculty members can contribute by cheque or by payroll deduction. Retirees are also canvassed for donations, and contributions from students are accepted as well.

Says Budd: “The United Way focuses on Children and Youth, Families, Newcomers, Neighbourhoods, and Economic Security, and they are the largest funder of social service programs outside of government. While it may appear that members of the K-W community are in a good position, there are still many issues within the community that need to be addressed with the help of the United Way.”

CAR

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