The word, from Lloyd Axworthy

On Thursday, Nov. 25, The Uniter sat down with the University of Winnipeg communications and the office of the president for our annual dialogue.

Past years have involved PowerPoint presentations by Senior Executive Officer Dan Hurley, but this year we enjoyed a very casual Q & A with a relaxed president. (Hurley was absent, which was unrelated to Axworthy’s casualness, I imagine).

Here’s what was discussed, in point form. All quotes are from Lloyd Axworthy.

- Lloyd Axworthy was not aware of the recent health problems shared by the employees in Student Central, where they believe there is something in the air. See next week’s issue of The Uniter for more on this story. Fixing air quality can be costly, and it took $14 million to fix the air systems in Wesley Hall, which includes the new hybrid heating system.

- The Winnipeg Free Press story on the university’s interest in building affordable housing was “more speculative than real.” There is interest in a project like this, but nothing has been settled. If it happens, it could go on top of the parking lot behind the Buhler Centre.

- “The ANX is a bit of an issue.” The book store is completed but they’re working out a lease with a food and beverage provider. Diversity Foods was not interested in taking this up, as they are working on a new program to provide good snacks to the students at Wii Chii Waa Ka Nak on Ellice Ave. (This information has yet to be released to the public, making this a Uniter exclusive). The pub will be open some time in January, and will be a venue for performing arts as well as performing drunks (my wording).

- The Richardson College building is on time and on budget, to be open in summer 2011.

- The university got a $6 million commitment from the municipal and provincial governments to expand the Duckworth Centre grounds, which will include fields for outdoor sports.

- The university has recognized that it needs more parking. The parkade above the ANX “is not sufficient,” and local residents have spoken up about the glut of cars invading their streets during the day.

- The Institute of Urban Studies will be moving into the Richardson building.

- The top three floors of The Bay have been offered to the university, and while they are working out the legalities, long term goals include potentially creating a culture centre and Aboriginal archives.

- “We are no longer an undergrad university.” We now have 500 graduate students.

- Jeff Martin, a physics faculty member, got a $4 million research grant in accelerator technology.

- “We get less money than any other university” in the province, from the province. We get less money per student than every other university in Manitoba. The grant from the government didn’t cover salary increases for professors. For that, they had to look at tuition and building revenues.

- The university has saved a million dollars on printing costs by “centralizing.”

- The disability resource centre will be moving into the chemistry department, when they move into the Richardson building and when they do a thorough cleaning of all chemical residues.

This was the third of these luncheons I’ve attended, and it’s always great to be able to sit down with the university president and ask some direct questions.

Myself and other staff asked questions related to stories we’re working on, so check out future issues of The Uniter for follow ups.