Television was never the same...
CFS holds general meeting in Ottawa
!rom UW News Bureau With a flick of a Canadian-made ;witch, a new era in interactive video .lducation in North America is under NdY. Electrohome The $1 -million Zlassroom/Guelph-Waterloo Educaion Link represents a new approach ‘0 both joint study and distance education. The microwave-based system will allow classes to be taught simultaneously in identical elecTonically enhanced classrooms at the Jniversity of Waterloo and the -University of Guelph campuses, 26 cilometres apart. “The Guelph-Waterloo link rep*esents an innovation in Ontario >ostsecondary teaching and intermiversity colIaboration,” says Dr. 3rian Se&al, president of the Univer,ity of Guelph. “It is an example of low new technology can be put to Ise to deliver the curriculum across Joundaries without losing the mmediacy of the classroom situaion.” Dr. Douglas Wright, president of he University of Waterloo, says the ethnology allows students to access he wealth of talent and expertise available at both university cam>uses. “I’d specifically like to thank Elecrohome for its involvcmcnt in proriding the video equipment. What a pleasure it is to work with a local comlany to bring this outstanding project o fruition. It’s all made possible, of our-se, by the grants each university ras received from the Ministry of Colleges and Universities,” he adds. “I’m very pleased to say that the Iniversity of Guelph and the Univer;ity of Waterloo each received a tworear grant of $400,000 from the ninistry to establish a Guelph/ lYaterloo video, audio and data micsowave link,” says James MacKay, director of the ministry’s university *eIations branch. “These two institutions should be Tongratulated for the efforts of co-operation collaboration and Yvhich have made this link a reality. Sharing the teaching and research expertise of faculty members through oint programs in graduate studies Dffers exciting opportunities for students at both campuses while at :he same time demonstrates responsible management of resources.”
by Paul Done Imprint staff Over 200 delegates from the 76 member schools of the Canadian Federation of Students are attending the Fall General Meeting this week (November 4-9) in Ottawa. While the bulk of the meeting is devoted to the business of CFS, there is an air of celebration and selfcongratulation as this meeting marks the tenth anniversary of the organization’s foundation. The University of Waterloo has a three-person delegation attending the conference: Federation of Students’ President John I-eddy, who will be joining proceedings on Thursday; Vice-President University Affairs Lisa Brice; and External Affairs Board Chair Paul Done, who arrived Sunday night.
UW p&dent demonstrated.
Doug
Wright
looks
on as
ekCtroniC
link
is
Photo by Peter Brown
Graduate students enrolled in joint programs at the universities are the first to use the system. Previously, the 235 students and faculty invotved in the Guelph-Waterloo Centre for Graduate Work in Chemistry and the for Guelph- Waterloo Program Graduate Work in Physics travelled back and forth to classes. However, those days are past. “Travelling was not a productive use of time,” says Guelph physics Prof. Jim Hunt, project manager. “Now students can still benefit from the expertise of professors at both universities, with more time available for their research. The aim was to make the distance between the two campuses appear as short as possible.” John Pollock, president and chief executive officer of Electrohome Ltd..
says the Guelph/Waterloo link is a “win-win-win” project for his company. “First, while helping to satisfy some of the aims and objectives that the two universities wish to derive from the project, we’re able to discharge, in part, our mandate to assist universities and colleges in Canada,” he says. “Second, and perhaps selfishly, we employ especially from the University of Waterloo - graduate students in our commercial electronics laboratories. And finally, we have world-class color projection systerns and monitors that I feel should be part of this world-class education link between the two universities. “To these ends, I’m certain all participants will be major benefactors in the months and years to follow,” Pollock adds.
Several issues have dominated discussion at the conference: the current Canadian constitutional crisis, the decline in funding and quality of post-secondary education, the Stewart Smith and Cook-Bennett Governmental reports on postsecondary education, issues of student rights and equality on campuses, and discussion and planning of current and future campaigns. After breakfast, registration, and orientation, the conference began with the Opening Plenary a gathering of all attending institutions. The members ratified the week’s agenda, and then approved the status change of two prospective member institutions, Trent University and North Island College, to full-member status. Five schools were welcomed into the Federation as prospective members: Lethbridge Community College, Augustine University, Northern College, New Brunswick Community College (St. Andrews), and DeVry Institute of Technology (Alberta) - the first private institution to be admitted to the Federation. Much of the business of the
Financial planning concerns CCU by Teresa Kennedy Imprint staff
The recent clawback of funding by the Ontario government has prompted 18 university board chairs across the province to request a meeting with Premier Bob Rae to discuss the importance of long-range financial planning for universities. The Council of Chairmen of Universities, which is affiliated with the Council of Ontario Universities, is still waiting for a response to its letter of October 29, according to COU Director Pat Communications Adams. “We are extremely concerned that our universities, burdened by twelve years of inadequate funding and increases, massive enrollment regulated as to income and pricing are so weakened financially that they
will be unabIe to accomplish their basic mission of teaching and research, let alone move forward on the social equity agenda our members share with government,” the letter stated. It went on: “Ontario continues to occupy ninth place among the provinces in terms of grants per student. We feel the government’s recent inyear reductions to operating grants have unfairly penaIized the university and college sector, which was the
only sector to have experienced a real budget cut.” “This is not a symbolic gesture,” said Michael Garvey, chairman of the
University of Waterloo’s board of governors and one of the 18 signers. Garvey said that the ietter was a direct result of clawbacks last month of $13 million from 1991-92 transfer payments to Ontario universities. Adams says that the council is doing everything possible to make the Premier aware of the urgency of the situation, and that the council is hopeful of a response. The NDP government has also faced heavy criticism in recent weeks from Hans DaigeIer, Liberal Critic of Colleges and Universities. “It is our information that a working group in the Treasury is looking at ways to turn OSAP into a loans-only program, wiping out grants to tens of thousands of students,” Daigeler told the provincial legislature last month. Figures released by the government indicate that $176.4 million dollars in
grants were @ven to 62,579 students in the 1990-91 fiscal year. Daigeler has also criticized the NDP government for cutting $13 million dollars from college and university budgets, refusing to implement any policy that would limit tuition fee increases, eliminating the Ontario Scholar program, and for eliminating programs providing Ontario youth and students with more than 1,000 jobs. Along with tuition fee increases, students have also had to cope with a three-per-cent tax on student loans introduced by the federal government. Daigeler
is concerned
that
govtrn-
ment policies will discourage all but the wealthy from pursuing higher education and that students will be forced to pay more while benefitting from fewer services and a lower quality classroom experience.
General Meeting involves examining and voting upon the massive number of motions which are put forward by CFS member organizations. This year’s Notice of Motions package contains over 100 motions filling 58 8”~ 11” pages. A few days before the opening of the GM, the National Executive meets to forward recommendations regarding these motions: whether they should be passed, defeated, referred to plenary, or to one of the ten standing committees (Operations Directive, National Education, Student Rights, et cetera) for further discussion. The members of the standing committees are selected from provincial caucuses, large and small institution caucuses, and Constituent Assemblies (Women’s, Francophone, Gay/ Lesbian/Bisexual, Disabled Persons, Art Students, Aboriginal, International Students). The committees examine many of the most important and problematic motions, and then make non-binding amendments and recommendations for the closing plenary sessions.
over
100
motions
put jhward These committees met extensively on Tuesday and Wednesday, some meetings lasting from 3 pm to 5 am, with only two recesses - one for supper, and another one out of mercy. Brice sat on the Student Rights Commiltee and Done chaired the National Education Committee; both Waterloo representatives were named to committees through the Ontario Provincial Caucus. These
committees dealt with regarding the three-per-cent student loan administration fee, other changes to student loan programs, underfunding crises, tuition increases, and free trade, among many others. motions
Considering the many differing interpretations of student issues versus non-student issues, and ideological differences, debate was lengthy. Nonetheless, an attitude of cooperation and consensus-building remained intact throughout proceedings. The CFS general meeting wiH continue through tomorrow (Saturday), with many more important issues and meetings on the agenda. Among these are lobby meetings on Parlhmerit Hill, a general session examining the past and future direction of CFS, and the Closing Plenary session during which the motions taken to committees will be discussed and voted upon by the entire membership. A fuller report will appear in next week’s paper. If you have any questions regarding the Conference, feel free to contact &a, John, or Paul in the Fed Office, CC 235, ext. 4042.