News
UW’s Homecoming Narmeen Lakhani news editor
The University of Waterloo’s Homecoming celebrations will be held on September 28 and 29, with a special focus on UW’s 50th anniversary. Alumni Affairs describes Homecoming as “a day of celebration for all UW alumni, students, faculty, staff, retirees and the K-W community. The purpose of UW’s Homecoming is to maintain a connection with alumni and promote this connection to current students.� Chantel Franklin, the University of Waterloo’s alumni officer, students and young alumni, discussed the special plans in store for this year’s Homecoming with Imprint. She believes that in honour of the 50th anniversary, this year is going to be distinct from past years because Alumni Affairs has “invested a lot more in it.� Some new events include a cake walk for alumni to get to know the newer buildings such as the William M. Tatham Centre, many more alumni reunions, and a cake-cutting
ceremony with President David Johnston. Franklin further elaborated on the ties that Homecoming has to current students at UW. Many of the events, especially Warrior Weekends, will be geared towards these students and give them “the opportunity to get involved ‌ [and] get a sense of what life after graduation is likeâ€? from the alumni. The Office of Alumni Affairs has also been recruiting volunteers for various events throughout the celebratory weekend to encourage students to attend. When questioned about how this year’s Homecoming will be a reflection of Waterloo’s accomplishments, including being awarded Intelligent Community of the Year for 2007 by the Intelligent Community Forum, Franklin expressed a different approach to the event. “I see Homecoming as being more of a celebration of connection, spirit, and pride ... an opportunity to show the whole package,â€? she explained.
Alumni Affairs expects a greater involvement and “more excitement and interest than in the past from alumni, students, staff and faculty.� Franklin believes that there is also a greater anticipation from people due to 50th Anniversary publicity. There is even expected involvement from the City of Waterloo, the official sponsor of UW’s 50th anniversary, and events to draw the wider community. This will be an opportunity to facilitate interaction between the university and the rest of the city. As Imprint took the topic of Homecoming to various students in the SLC, the general response reflected a lack of knowledge about the event. The upper year students interviewed had not heard about Homecoming, but some were aware of Warrior Weekends. Laura McEachnie, 3A social development studies, expressed that students could use “a good explanation of what the events are.� Students can access more information at http://homecoming. uwaterloo.ca. nlakhani@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
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Imprint, Friday, September 14, 2007
Construction boom continues at UW Work begins on new buildings this fall Duncan Ramsay staff reporter
Construction continues unabated at UW, as the university reports significant progress on both the new Quantum-Nano Centre and a planned expansion of the School of Optometry building. These releases come in sharp contrast with reported delays at the School of Pharmacy building currently undergoing construction in downtown Kitchener. UW has recently confirmed that construction of the new Quantum-Nano Centre will begin this October. According to an Iron Warrior report, the centre, located on the B2 green, will be “the new home of the nanotechnology engineering undergraduate program as well as cutting-edge research on nanotechnology, biology and
chemistry, in addition to physics in conjunction with the Institute for Quantum Computing.� This announcement comes after a year’s delay, mostly due to design changes. Construction will begin with the extension of a service tunnel running under the SLC, connecting the future building to the heating plant at Central Services. The construction of the tunnel will require that the Bomber patio be excavated to a depth of six meters before the tunnel may be built and the hole filled in again, and should be finished in time for spring term of 2008 and the majority of patio season. The new building will stand eight storeys high, and will encompass some 261,000 square feet of space. It is expected to cost over $100 million. The groundbreaking ceremony will take place next March, and the building should be completed sometime in 2010. In addition, last Friday saw the groundbreaking ceremony for a new extension on the School of Optometry. According to a UW press release, the extension is expected to cost some 12.4 million dollars, $6.5 million of which have already been raised, including a $500,000 donation from alumni Dr. Marta Witer and Ian Ihnatowycz. These funds will go towards both the expansion of the building as well as supporting the subsequent programs held within. When completed, the extension “will accommodate the school’s surge in enrolment to meet the high demand for eye care professionals across the country.� Since 2001, the faculty has seen a 50 per cent increase in student body without any relief from new facilities. The space will house “a 125-seat lecture theatre, the Witer Learning Resource Centre, a new home for the Museum of Vision Science, as well as student study rooms and computer areas. It will also provide expanded space for the TLC laser centre and a new Founders’ Hall.� The groundbreaking was held Friday June 8, at 11:15 a.m. Construction is expected to begin this fall term. —With files from Iron Warrior. dramsay@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
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