FASS celebrates 50 years

The university's amateur theatre company, FASS (Faculty, Alumni, Staff and Students) has been making the campus laugh ever since the first show all the way back in March of 1963, and this year's installment — FASS: The Neverending Story — is taking on special significance as the troupe celebrates 50 performances.

Over the years, the show has evolved from a group of disconnected skits into a night of musical comedy. Each year's show is written, produced, and performed by members of the university community. Every show is themed and features parodies of popular music performed by a full stage band.

The organization takes pride in its inclusivity. "Indeed, it is written into our constitution that anyone who auditions will receive a part in the show," writes FASS 2012 producer Colleen Colbeck. "In FASS we work to build a sense of acceptance and community among our members from the technical crew, to actors, to band members, to the Production Team."

"In celebration of our 50th year, FASS is performing an irreverent re-telling of it's own history, mostly made up, that nevertheless catches the true spirit of the company," Colbeck continues. "The message is delivered in classic FASS style with jokes about life at UW, life in general, and just about everything else!"

FASS: The Neverending Story is being performed at the Humanities Theatre. Showtimes are Thursday, February 2 at 8:00 p.m., Friday, February 3 at 6:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., and Saturday, February 4 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased over the phone at (519) 888 - 4908, online, or at the door.

Colbeck concludes with a word of caution: "In keeping with FASS tradition, the Friday Late show is designated for audience participation, and is not for the faint of heart! This is a night when previous FASS members, or people who have been coming to see FASS for years can come and participate in the show by making jokes throughout the play, and trying to get the actors to break character."

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Treat-a-Grams to make February sweet

a message from the Office of Development

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, it’s once again time to order your Keystone Campaign Treat-a-Grams for colleagues and friends at Waterloo! Watch for the flyer about this tasty annual program in your mailbox soon.

Back by popular demand, Food Service’s bite-sized brownies decorated with Swedish berries are available for only $3. For those with special dietary needs, chocolate- and vegan/gluten-free options are available. New this year – an online order form will make ordering your treats more convenient and environmentally friendly. Online orders will be accepted by credit card. For other payment options, please visit the Keystone website.

The deadline for ordering is Wednesday, February 8. Treat-a-Grams will be delivered on Tuesday, February 14 between 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. to uWaterloo offices, residences, federated university and affiliated colleges, the Centre for Extended Learning, the Stratford campus, and the Schools of Pharmacy and Architecture.

Keystone is Waterloo’s faculty, staff, and retiree annual giving campaign. All proceeds and additional donations to the Treat-a-Gram program will be directed to supporting student scholarships through the UW Endowment Contribution Match Program (formerly the Senate Scholarship Fund).

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Notes on salons, hotel rooms, and pensions

Students and faculty are invited to meet at the Critical Media Lab today at 4:30 p.m. for an exciting informal research sharing session on the topic of collaborative projects in the field of digital media.

"We all know that English at uWaterloo is unique in Canada, but here is a chance to see it for yourself, up close and personal," writes Fraser Easton, Chair of English. "The digital projects of my colleagues in English are cutting-edge examples of research-creation and digital experimentation that integrate technology with the literary and rhetorical enterprise. They are also examples of collaborative work that takes place not only across disciplines but also faculties here at uWaterloo."

The salon will feature presentations by PhD student Lauren Burr and professor Sarah Tolmie.

Students and faculty will have an opportunity to share details about their own past and current research, field ideas for digital media projects, and discuss research questions or methodologies.

This event is being co-organized by Danielle Stock, a PhD candidate in English, and Farah Yusuf, a candidate for the MA in English--Experimental Digital Media.

More information about the event can be found on the English Department website.

The Critical Media Lab is located at 158 King Street West in Kitchener.

St. Paul's University College offers year-round hotel-style guest rooms for visiting professionals, parents, guest lecturers, students, and other campus visitors. There is an online request form to make registration convenient.

For more information, call the guest room line at 1-885-1465, extension 203 or email gueststpauls@ uwaterloo.ca.

The Pension Advisor has made the following announcement regarding RRSP contribution limits to all faculty and staff in the UW pension plan: "The contributions you make to a personal Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) are affected by the pension you earn under the UW Pension Plan."

"Each year a Pension Adjustment (PA) is reported to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) on your T4 slip. CRA uses the PA to calculate your total available RRSP contribution room and provides this figure on your personal income tax assessment sent to you each year in the Spring. The PA is the value of the pension benefit that you earned under the UW Pension Plan in a particular year."

More information about the RRSP contribution limits for the 2011 and 2012 tax years can be found online and questions regarding pension adjustments can be directed to pensions@ uwaterloo.ca.

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