University of Waterloo Faculty of Mathematics
Encyclopedia
The Faculty of Mathematics is one of six faculties of the University of Waterloo
in Waterloo, Ontario
. As of Fall 2010, it has 5,741 undergraduate students and 629 graduate students, 200 full-time professors, and offers over 500 courses in mathematics
, statistics
and computer science
.
The Faculty also houses the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science
, which was formerly the faculty's computer science department.
The faculty was founded on January 1, 1967, a successor to the mathematics department in the Faculty of Arts
. Initially located in the Physics building, it was moved in May 1968 into the newly-constructed Mathematics and Computer (MC) building.
One of the professors at this school at this time, Ralph Stanton, became legendary among students for wearing gaudy ties. This inspired the students to drape a gigantic pink tie over the MC building on the occasion of its opening, which later became an official mascot of the Faculty.
At the time of its founding, the faculty included five departments: Applied Analysis and Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Combinatorics and Optimization, Pure Mathematics, and Statistics. In 1975 the Department of Applied Analysis and Computer Science became simply the Department of Computer Science; in 2002 it became a semiautonomous School, now the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science
. The Statistics department also was later renamed to Statistics and Actuarial Science.
The third floor of the MC building houses some recreational space and offices for student organizations: the Mathematics Society (MathSoc), the primary student organization serving and representing undergraduate math students; mathNEWS, and a number of clubs oriented to specific programs.
The Tie Guard is a yearly tradition at the University of Waterloo. A group of senior math students volunteer for the position each year, and are selected by the University of Waterloo Federation of Students
representatives from the Faculty Of Mathematics. It is expected that the appointed Tie Guard volunteers will be on hand at the guard station 24 hours a day for the duration of the orientation week.
The Tie Guard is located outside the Faculty of Mathematics
building every September during orientation week at the university, as well as any special occasions when the faculty mascot is hung, and is there to serve two purposes. Firstly, and according to any mathie student you ask, they are there to guard the Faculty of Mathematics' mascot, a huge 40 foot pink tie which hangs off the side of the building.
Secondly, the Tie Guard acts as a 24-hour first aid
station and information centre to support the ongoing activities of the Frosh Week. There is always a member of the Guard present who has been trained in First Aid by a recognized authority such as the St. John's Ambulance or International Committee of the Red Cross
. Students from all faculties routinely stop by the guard station to get directions, have questions answered or simply pay homage to the mascot and the Guard.
In truth, it performs both of these tasks largely by its mere presence. By having people present outside the mascot 24 hours a day, it discourages would-be student pranksters from both damaging the tie; or, more likely given the Pink Tie's precarious position on the side of the building, it prevents students from injuring themselves or others in an attempt to capture the mascot.
The Tie Guard was founded in 1994 after several previous attempts on the Pink Tie resulted in both damaged mascots, and injuries to students, the most notorious of which the Tie Liberation Organization (TLO) kidnapping in 1988. According to urban legend at the university, the dean at the time of the last attack in 1993, proclaimed that if there was another incident involving the mascot, it would be taken down and not put up again. Thus it was, that in 1994, The Tie Guard was founded by then student Marco Koechli, who maintained a vigil by himself for the entire week, encouraged by other students and supporters on the Faculty and Dean's office. In more recent years the tie guard has expanded and now several students are appointed to man the Guard each year.
in Computing and Innovation and the Faculty of Mathematics Alumni Achievement Medal.
University of Waterloo
The University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff...
in Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is the smallest of the three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and is adjacent to the city of Kitchener....
. As of Fall 2010, it has 5,741 undergraduate students and 629 graduate students, 200 full-time professors, and offers over 500 courses in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, statistics
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
and computer science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
.
The Faculty also houses the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science
David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science
The David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science is the School of Computer Science at the University of Waterloo. Part of the Faculty of Mathematics, the school comprises 77 faculty members, nearly 300 graduate students, approximately 2100 undergraduates, and 55 staff members.-History:In 1965,...
, which was formerly the faculty's computer science department.
History
University of Waterloo Faculty of Arts
The Faculty of Arts is one of six faculties at the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.- Departments :The faculty presently houses sixteen academic departments and the School of Accounting and Finance.Academic Departments:...
. Initially located in the Physics building, it was moved in May 1968 into the newly-constructed Mathematics and Computer (MC) building.
One of the professors at this school at this time, Ralph Stanton, became legendary among students for wearing gaudy ties. This inspired the students to drape a gigantic pink tie over the MC building on the occasion of its opening, which later became an official mascot of the Faculty.
At the time of its founding, the faculty included five departments: Applied Analysis and Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Combinatorics and Optimization, Pure Mathematics, and Statistics. In 1975 the Department of Applied Analysis and Computer Science became simply the Department of Computer Science; in 2002 it became a semiautonomous School, now the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science
David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science
The David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science is the School of Computer Science at the University of Waterloo. Part of the Faculty of Mathematics, the school comprises 77 faculty members, nearly 300 graduate students, approximately 2100 undergraduates, and 55 staff members.-History:In 1965,...
. The Statistics department also was later renamed to Statistics and Actuarial Science.
Departments
The faculty presently has four departments: Applied Mathematics, Combinatorics and Optimization, Pure Mathematics, and Statistics and Actuarial Science. Management responsibilities for Waterloo's Software Engineering program are shared between the Mathematics and Engineering faculties.Student life
Undergraduates in the Faculty are frequently colloquially called "Mathies". As the faculty is a large one with many distinct programs, there is no overall cohesive structure to undergraduate student life.The third floor of the MC building houses some recreational space and offices for student organizations: the Mathematics Society (MathSoc), the primary student organization serving and representing undergraduate math students; mathNEWS, and a number of clubs oriented to specific programs.
Tie Guard
University of Waterloo Federation of Students
Federation of Students, University of Waterloo represents over 22,000 full-time undergraduate students at the University of Waterloo. They market themselves on-campus as the Feds. They have an office in the University's Student Life Centre, and have nearly 20 full-time staff members. They help...
representatives from the Faculty Of Mathematics. It is expected that the appointed Tie Guard volunteers will be on hand at the guard station 24 hours a day for the duration of the orientation week.
The Tie Guard is located outside the Faculty of Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
building every September during orientation week at the university, as well as any special occasions when the faculty mascot is hung, and is there to serve two purposes. Firstly, and according to any mathie student you ask, they are there to guard the Faculty of Mathematics' mascot, a huge 40 foot pink tie which hangs off the side of the building.
Secondly, the Tie Guard acts as a 24-hour first aid
First aid
First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care...
station and information centre to support the ongoing activities of the Frosh Week. There is always a member of the Guard present who has been trained in First Aid by a recognized authority such as the St. John's Ambulance or International Committee of the Red Cross
International Committee of the Red Cross
The International Committee of the Red Cross is a private humanitarian institution based in Geneva, Switzerland. States parties to the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977 and 2005, have given the ICRC a mandate to protect the victims of international and...
. Students from all faculties routinely stop by the guard station to get directions, have questions answered or simply pay homage to the mascot and the Guard.
In truth, it performs both of these tasks largely by its mere presence. By having people present outside the mascot 24 hours a day, it discourages would-be student pranksters from both damaging the tie; or, more likely given the Pink Tie's precarious position on the side of the building, it prevents students from injuring themselves or others in an attempt to capture the mascot.
The Tie Guard was founded in 1994 after several previous attempts on the Pink Tie resulted in both damaged mascots, and injuries to students, the most notorious of which the Tie Liberation Organization (TLO) kidnapping in 1988. According to urban legend at the university, the dean at the time of the last attack in 1993, proclaimed that if there was another incident involving the mascot, it would be taken down and not put up again. Thus it was, that in 1994, The Tie Guard was founded by then student Marco Koechli, who maintained a vigil by himself for the entire week, encouraged by other students and supporters on the Faculty and Dean's office. In more recent years the tie guard has expanded and now several students are appointed to man the Guard each year.
Alumni Awards
The Faculty of Mathematics awards two medals annually in recognition of the accomplishments of alumni: the J.W. Graham MedalJ.W. Graham Medal
The J.W. Graham Medal in Computing and Innovation is an award given annually by the University of Waterloo and the University of Waterloo Faculty of Mathematics to "recognize the leadership and many innovative contributions made to the University of Waterloo, and to the Canadian computer...
in Computing and Innovation and the Faculty of Mathematics Alumni Achievement Medal.