Wilfrid Laurier University, UW's neighbour down the street,
     announced in August that it will do a study this fall "to
     identify administrative efficiencies and cost savings to be
     realized through restructuring and streamlining the
     organization".
 
          A special committee set up by WLU's new president, Dr.
     Lorna Marsden, is to report in December.
 
          "It is important," Marsden said, "for Laurier to have a
     plan that is both comprehensive and thoughtful to guide it
     through the financial challenges of the next few years."
 
          The announcement said that an important part of the
     committee's work will be "to help the personnel department
     enhance career paths for non-academic staff and to develop
     training and development strategies for employees".
 
          Chairing the committee is Jim Wilgar, formerly
     associate vice-president (personnel and student affairs) at
     WLU. The departments that reported to him will now report to
     Laurier's two vice-presidents, and Wilgar has been given the
     new title of associate vice-president (institutional
     projects).
 
          The organizational study "will be directed by a
     commitment to enriching the skills and work experience of
     employees", the announcement said, "and by the principles of
     total quality management, which holds that quality of
     service and effectiveness may be improved concurrently with
     the realization of cost savings".
 
          Besides Wilgar, the study committee will include
     representatives of student, faculty and staff groups.
 
          The "transition assistance" for universities, announced
     last week by the Ontario government, included some funds to
     help pay for the "operational audit". WLU received a total
     of $375,000 in transition funds, including some money for
     energy conservation work as it shifts from hydro to gas
     heating.