Where's...oh wait, there he is: Recreation and Leisure Studies students Amanda Vos (left) and Yoonjung Lee (right) interact with children at Waterloo West NeighbourFest on Saturday, November 23. The day-long event, organized and run by students in Troy Glover’s REC 220 course, encouraged local families to come out and make connections in the community through a variety of family-friendly activities.

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Safety measures in place at construction site

a message from Safety Director Kate Windsor and Director of Police Services Dan Anderson.

With two large construction projects – Needles Hall addition and Science Teaching Complex now in full swing, and the arrival of winter with snowy roads and pathways, additional pedestrian safety measures are being put into place to reduce the risk of injury to students, employees and visitors.

With the removal of sidewalks to accommodate construction fencing, temporary pedestrian/cyclist crossings have been installed at each end of the construction zone, in front of Needles Hall and Biology 2.

Pedestrians and cyclists must remain on the outer side of the Ring Road, and motorists will stop at each of the designated crossings to allow pedestrians to cross. The new stop signs will be monitored and enforced by UW Police.

Pedestrians and cyclists are not permitted on the service roadway leading from Ring Road to Dana Porter Library, and signage will direct them toward alternate routes.

Motorists and pedestrians alike are reminded to heed flag persons controlling traffic when construction vehicles are in the vicinity.

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Astronaut-in-residence touches down Tuesday

Colonel Chris Hadfield, retired Canadian astronaut and recently appointed Adjunct Professor of Aviation at the University of Waterloo, will be delivering a guest lecture tomorrow from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Humanities Theatre.

As Commander of the International Space Station, Hadfield captivated the world with stunning photos and commentary from space. In his first book – An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth – Hadfield offers readers extraordinary stories from his life as an astronaut, and shows how to make the impossible a reality.

In October, the University of Waterloo announced that Hadfield was joining the university as an adjunct professor of aviation. His first role on campus is to conclude his participation in research on heart health in space with professor Richard Hughson. Professor Hughson is looking into why some astronauts are prone to fainting spells when they return to earth by predicting how they recover from rapid changes in blood pressure. The research, known as BP Reg, will not only help understand dizziness in astronauts, but also have direct benefits everyday on Earth – particularly for elderly people predisposed to falls and resulting injuries.

In addition to his involvement with heart health research, professor Hadfield is expected assume some teaching and advising responsibilities in aviation and related programs from Fall 2014. Waterloo's offers two undergraduate degrees in aviation, a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Environmental Studies.

Tickets to the event sold out rather quickly, but a livestream of the lecture will be available. Those of you who were not able to secure tickets but are still interested in the chance to hear Col. Hadfield's lecture live are invited to join the wait line located in the foyer of the Humanities Theatre. Available seating will be based solely on late or unclaimed ticketing, so admittance from the wait line isn't guaranteed. Overflow space in HH 1104 will be available for those not admitted.

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Strategic plan, parking discussed at Town Hall

The university community came together at 3:00 p.m. Thursday in the Theatre of the Arts, on Twitter, and via the web for the University of Waterloo's Fall 2013 Town Hall.

President Feridun Hamdullahpur and Vice-President, Academic & Provost Geoff McBoyle kicked off the meeting with a twenty-minute update about university events in the community, national and international rankings, the recent Economic Impact Study, and the implementation phase of the university's Strategic Plan initiative.

The president and provost enlisted several senior administrators, including Vice-President Administration and Finance Dennis Huber, Associate Provost, Students Chris Read, Registrar Ken Lavigne, Dean of Arts Doug Peers as questions came in from Twitter, email, and from the floor.

The questions were diverse: would the university switch its fleet of vehicles from gas-powered to electric? (answer: when the technology matures and is practical for heavy load-bearing vehicles that make up the majority of the university's fleet.) Will scholarships be adjusted to take into account tuition and cost of living increases? (answer: the student assistance fee is tied to cost of living and tuition, needs-based scholarships have their schedules updated regularly, and first-year entrance scholarships are about to be reviewed for, among other things, the degree to which they have kept pace with economic changes.)

Space was another issue that was raised, and Geoff McBoyle informed the community that a number of initiatives were underway, including the TechTown building, donated to the university last summer, which would be home to expanded research space in kinesiology, international tobacco research and the Games Institute. "I think there's always need for more space," he said.

And of course, it wouldn't be a strategic plan if the parking question wasn't brought up at least once. "Sometimes I think we're seven universities—the main university and six faculties—held together by one common interest: parking," quipped McBoyle, who conceded that it's always an issue, especially as parking is often reduced as new buildings go up. "There's always X Lot, for anybody who's up there," he said. "It's better than nothing." He noted that parking construction is part of the campus master plan, but that is "down the line."

A recording of the event is available for those who were unable to attend or watch it live.

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Vigil to mark events of December 6, 1989

This Friday marks the 24th anniversary of the shooting deaths of 14 women at École Polytechnique in Montreal on December 6, 1989. 14 others were injured.

The incident has been the focus for remembrance and reflection ever since, both about gender-based violence and about the representation of women and men in technical fields of study and work.

In 1991, the federal government designated December 6 designated a National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

The University of Waterloo recognizes the significance of the event annually, and this year, the Office of the President, the Faculty of Engineering, the Department of Women's Studies and the Federation of Students' Women's Centre have partnered to present a commemoration event to be held in the Sedra Student Design Centre in Engineering 5 on Friday, December 6 at 11:30 a.m.

RSVP for the event online.

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Notes on the last day of lectures

Human Resources is reporting that retiree Armando DaSilva died November 23. DaSilva started working at the university in October 1984 and was a Custodian in Plant Operations. He retired in November 2006. He is survived by his spouse, Maria.

Feds Used Books has posted its hours for the remainder of December. Monday to Friday hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and they will be open Saturday, December 7, Saturday, December 14, and Saturday, December 21, also from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday, December 21 will be their last day open in December. Stay tuned for January 2014 hours.

Friends and colleagues of Avril McVicar are invited to a retirement celebration marking her 33 years of service at Waterloo. The event will take place at the Centre for Extended Learning at 335 Gage Avenue in Kitchener on December 19 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Please RSVP by Monday, December 9.

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