The Student Success Office is hosting the All About U Fair today in the multi-purpose room in the Student Life Centre, from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Students can learn about the services available to them on campus, ask questions of staff members, enjoy free swag and enter a draw for prizes, including a chance to have $50 added to their WatCard. This is part of the spring Orientation program for students who are beginning their Waterloo studies in May, but all students are welcome.

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Bidding farewell to Alan George

Alan George (left), the "undisputed champion" of long service in the top ranks of the university's administration, will be celebrated at a farewell reception later this month as his term as Associate Provost, Information Systems and Technology comes to a close this summer. The reception will be held on Thursday, May 24, starting at 3:30 p.m. in the Festival Room of South Campus Hall.

George's position as associate provost (IST) is just one part of a streak of administrative appointments stretching back to 1980, when he first became Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics. At times, he's worn more than one leadership hat. As near as I can figure, his administrative career goes something like this:

He joined the University of Waterloo in 1971 and by 1977 was a full professor. He became dean of the Faculty of Mathematics in 1980 and served until 1986, when he took up a position at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville for two years. Returning to Waterloo in 1988, he served as Vice-President, Academic and Provost from July 1988 to June 1993. In late 1997 he became the interim Dean of Mathematics, becoming the full-fledged dean in 2000 and serving until 2005. At the same time, he held an interim post as Vice-President, Academic and Provost between January and July 2001, filling in for the retiring Jim Kalbfleisch, and in July 2003, became interim Associate Provost, Information Systems and Technology. He continued in the role of associate provost (IST) in 2005 while serving as interim Vice-President, University Research from January 2006 to June 2007, and was the last person to hold the position of Dean of Graduate Studies before the role was renamed Associate Provost, Graduate Studies (also on an interim basis) between October 2007 and June 2009. Still with me?

There is little doubt that George's service has made an impact on many segments of the university community, and all are invited to the reception. Please RSVP by Friday, May 18, to Michelle Mank, ext.36448, or by emailing mank@ uwaterloo.ca.

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Register now for Campus Walk 2012

a news release from the Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Last year over 400+ campus employees walked over 96,000 kilometers! (That’s Kitchener to Dubai about 8 times)! An amazing feat —or feet, as the case may be— we can all be proud of … So, let’s do it again!

Talk to your colleagues and friends, put your on walking shoes, and start counting. You can participate individually or as part of a team. The campus walk takes place from Monday, May 14 to Friday, June 8, 2012 and has been organized by your Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

To participate, register as team or individual through the EAP website and begin tracking your steps or kilometres. Feel free to bring a pedometer to use, or you can utilize online tools, such as mapmyrun.com. With mapmyrun.com, you can create a profile that maps your walking/run area to give you a precise result. Also, mapmyrun.com has great mobile apps for iPhone, Blackberry, and Google Android. Just turn on your phone's GPS feature, and then start walking.

Last year, 82 campus teams, comprised of 373 walkers took part. The Dubai campus had 21 teams with 113 Walkers! Let's see those numbers rise!

For more information, or to register for this event, visit the EAP website.

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The push is on for Congress volunteers

From May 26 to June 2, Congress 2012 of the Humanities And Social Sciences will be taking place in Waterloo, with the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University co-hosting the event, which is the largest annual multidisciplinary academic gathering in Canada. Crossroads: Scholarship for an Uncertain World, the theme of Congress 2012, explores the real-world impact of the humanities and social sciences.

Congress relies heavily on knowledgeable volunteers to keep everything running smoothly and to ensure that visitors have the best delegate experience possible," writes Waterloo's academic convenor James Skidmore. "Staff members may volunteer for Congress as part of their normal workload as long as their supervisors agree to the arrangement. Students have been invited to volunteer as well, so please pass the word!"

To volunteer, visit the University of Waterloo Congress portal.

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Canada Day committee seeks members

Applications are open for the University of Waterloo Canada Day Celebrations Steering Committee. Position descriptions are available online, and the application deadline is Monday, May 7.

The Canada Day celebration, held annually on July 1, is a community event held on the Columbia Lake fields that includes children's games and activities, live musical entertainment, an arts and crafts fair, museums, and a popular fireworks finale. More than 50,000 people attend each year.

Email canadaday@ uwaterloo.ca for more information.

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Wednesday's notes

There's a week to go before the Spring Town Hall, which will be held in the Humanities Theatre on Wednesday, May 9, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Humanities Theatre. The event will feature remarks from Feridun Hamdullahpur and from the new Vice-President, Academic and Provost Sallie Ann Keller, as well as a question & answer period.

Questions can be emailed to townhall@ uwaterloo.ca for consideration. The event will be webcast and the conversation can be followed on Twitter by using the #uwth hashtag, with updates coming live from the event from the @uWaterlooLIVE account.

Nominations are still being sought for the vacant full-time staff position on the university's Board of Governors for a term running until April 30, 2015. Forms are available from the Secretariat (x36125) and can be downloaded, with at least five nominators required in each case. Nominations should be sent directly to the Secretariat in Needles Hall, Room 3060, no later than 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 16, 2012. An election will follow if necessary.

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