January 21, 2010
BIKE CO-OP SOUGHT
A survey is being conducted to assess interest in a bicycle co-op on campus. EnvironWestern is asking students to complete the Purple Bikes Survey at www.surveymonkey.com/s/Q5J9BJY. Organizers want the information to build a case for approaching University Students’ Council for “a low-cost bike rental and repair service on campus.” EnviroWestern will hold a general meeting and free movie night Jan. 21 at 6 pm in the UCC council chambers. The movie is FOOD INC. Bring your own dinner/refreshments in reusable containers.
ALL TOGETHER NOW
The new Western Student Recreation Centre pool will get a workout Feb. 6 as the university plays host to the Canadian University Synchronized Swim League National Championships for the first time in a decade. The event runs 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Western’s team will be competing for the national title. The admission fee is adults, $6; students, $3; and children under 10, free.
CALLING ALL FACULTY AUTHORS
Faculty members at Western are invited to participate in the fifth annual Faculty Authors’ Reception on March 24 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at The Book Store at Western, University Community Centre.
Faculty authors who have published books recently and are interested in participating should contact Carolyn Young ccyoung@uwo.ca or 519-661-3520 ext. 88251. The deadline is Feb. 15.
Due to limited space, The Book Store will not be able to include books edited by Western faculty.
UPGRADE COMPUTER SKILLS
Now’s the time to get a better grasp on some of those computer programs. Information & Technology Services has published its list of spring computer courses at: www.uwo.ca/its/courses/spr2010-broch.html Courses run February to April. Register using the following link: www.uwo.ca/its/courses/register-spr2010.html.Courses will be presented in Room 4230 of the Support Services Building.
NOMINATE A GRAD
Nominate an outstanding Western alumna or alumnus for a prestigious Alumni Award of Merit. The Alumni Association offers this annual awards program to recognize alumni who have made outstanding contributions to their professions or communities. Awards will be presented during Homecoming weekend. The deadline is March 31.
TRAVEL INTO SPACE
When science fiction writers want their characters to travel in space, they just say: make it so. The rest of us have to deal with the laws of physics. Physics and Astronomy Professor Paul Wiegert will delve into the practicality of space travel with a Jan. 28 lecture entitled: “The prospect for interplanetary and interstellar travel.” He plans to explore current capabilities and where technology might take us in the future. It takes place at 1 p.m. in Physics & Astronomy 215.
TEACHING FELLOWSHIP
The Fellowship in Teaching Innovation award has supported a number of exciting new approaches to university teaching. Check out a story on Page 3 about how one Dentistry faculty member is supporting new approaches with help from the fellowship. A call for applications from full-time faculty is underway with a deadline of March 1.
HOMESICK
A Statistics Canada study shows 1.5 million employed people were absent from work in November because of H1N1 and seasonal flu, nine per cent of workers. On average, they lost 19.6 hours of work each. About 600,000 people, many in the health sector, put in extra hours because of the flu. The impact was comparable to the time lost during the Ontario-U.S. power outage in August 2003. More women than men and parents with children reported time lost. The age group most affected was 30 to 44.