Dear faculty, staff and graduate students,
By now, many of you are aware of the Blue-Ribbon Panel Report on Post-secondary Education Sustainability that was released by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities on November 15. This coincides with the University’s announcement of a $15M deficit projected for this year (see the Provost’s article in The Record), which could rise to $100M by 2027 if unmitigated. Some of you may have also attended the Operating Budget Town Hall this week to understand the context. While Ontario universities pressure the provincial government to act on the recommendations of the Blue-Ribbon Panel Report, there are some immediate strategies the Faculty of Health can engage in:
- Meet domestic undergraduate enrolment targets. Our actual enrolment dipped in 2019 and 2020, but has since slightly exceeded or met targets in the last three years. We should continue to be vigilant at meeting our enrolment targets for each program in our Faculty.
- Increase international undergraduate enrolment. Since 2018, our Faculty has not met our international enrolment targets, despite decreasing these targets year over year. For example, in 2018, the Faculty of Health enrolled 39 international students (with the target being 41). This year, we enrolled eight (out of a target of 19).
- Help graduate students complete their studies within term limits, increase enrolment in course-based programs (revenue could be used to support enrolment in research programs) and increase external funding to graduate students. Even modest amounts of external funding can replace University operating funds in support of students.
- Fundraise to advance our Faculty’s priorities. In the current and future fiscal climate, it is imperative that have a clear vision of our advancement priorities to support our undergraduate and graduate students and research. I see our Faculty coming together to lead the Health Futures in Waterloo At 100 Futures Framework. I am excited about the principle of “lead globally, act locally” through our vision to create a healthy campus and world. I am also cognizant that a successful fundraising campaign begins with a strong culture of philanthropy internally.
Thank you for all the high impact work that you do for our students and communities!
Lili Liu
News I Events I Did you know?
NEWS
2023 Grad Mentorship Awards announced
The Faculty of Health Graduate Mentorship Award recipients this year are Dr. Jason Au (Kinesiology and Health Sciences), recipient of the Emerging Graduate Mentorship Award; Dr. Karla Boluk (Recreation and Leisure Studies), recipient of the Mid-career Graduate Mentorship Award; and Dr. Heather Mair (Recreation and Leisure Studies), recipient of the Senior Graduate Mentorship Award. All are recognized for making a meaningful impact in the mentorship of graduate students. Thank you for all that you do for scholars of the next generation!
Dr. David Hammond receives Trailblazer Award
Dr. David Hammond (School of Public Health Sciences) received the 2023 Science for Policy Trailblazer Award by the Canadian Science Policy Centre (CSPC). Hammond's career highlights include providing scientific evidence to influence policy and regulations, particularly in the area of tobacco control. Read the full story to learn more, and to hear his acceptance speech, which emphasizes the importance of health warnings, product labels, public health law and more.
SPHS researchers among top-cited in the world
Two researchers affiliated with the School of Public Health Sciences — Dr. Sharon Kirkpatrick and Dr. Geoffrey Fong (cross-appointed with Psychology) — made the Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers list again this year, meaning they rank in the top one per cent by citations in their field. Clarivate is a global analytics firm that identifies individuals who have demonstrated significant and broad influence in their fields. In total, 12 researchers from the University of Waterloo were recognized in 2023.
Grad student on Canadian Public Health Association board
Amy Nahwegahbow (MPH, '23), now a current PhD Public Health Sciences student, has been elected to the Board of Directors for the Canadian Public Health Association, starting January. Congratulations!
2022 graduation statistics available
The Faculty of Health graduation statistics for the undergraduate class of 2022 included 571 graduates — 180 Health Sciences, 207 Kinesiology, 57 Public Health and 127 Recreation and Leisure Studies. Check out the full report to see what they're up to in their current pursuits, or take a look at surveys from previous years.
Thank you, Fall Open House volunteers
At our annual Fall Open House on November 25, nearly 1,000 people attended our Faculty program presentations, with 200 visitors touring our buildings and an additional 200 touring our Kinesiology labs. Thank you to the more than 120 students, staff and faculty volunteers who helped make this event a success!
AHSUM end-of-term lunch
For more than a decade, the Faculty's Dean has invited the Association of Health Students Undergraduate Members (AHSUM) executive team to an end-of-term lunch at the University Club. This meal acts as a small thank-you on behalf of the Faculty for the work that AHSUM does to serve our undergraduate students throughout each term. Pictured here are Dean Lili Liu, Associate Dean Leeann Ferries and Student Relations Officer Vivienne Hang, along with members of AHSUM.
Faculty hosted Soup and Bannock lunch
Members of the Dean's Office teamed up with the Waterloo Indigenous Student Centre (WISC) to host a free soup and bannock lunch this month. Bannock (fry bread), classic beef chili, pumpkin soup, veggies, fruit and brownies were on offer. The event provides a welcoming environment for Indigenous students, staff, faculty and allies to connect and meet new people, and is held every Thursday at WISC during the fall and winter terms from 12 to 1 p.m.
Dean's Office staff changes
Undergraduate recruitment specialist Alecz Nieboer has accepted a one-year secondment with Marketing and Undergraduate Recruitment as manager, marketing and communications strategy beginning November 20. Miriam Rusu’s contract to support website migrations ended at the end of this month, and Irfan Mohammed, who has been covering a secondment position as our social media specialist, will be taking a long-term contract in Engineering. We wish them all the best in their future endeavours. Also, please give a warm welcome to Mustafa Ezzy, who joins the Dean's Office at the front desk for the remainder of this term and next.
December Wellness Bingo prize is $50 to Gold Leaf Botanicals
Everyone in the Faculty is encouraged to play Wellness Bingo in an effort to promote healthy habits and behaviours. When you complete a line, send a picture to health.wellbeing@uwaterloo.ca to be entered for a monthly prize draw. This month, it's a $50 gift card to Gold Leaf Botanicals. Download the December bingo card here. Congratulations to the November winner,Liza Boyar! Wellness Bingo is organized by the Dean’s Advisory Committee on Health and Well-being.
UPCOMING EVENTS
2023 Shaw-Mannell Award and Lecture: December 1
"Place-making for protected areas: searching for stability in the face of climate change" is the title of this year's Shaw-Mannell Lecture, featuring Leisure Research Award recipient Dr. William Stewart from the University of Illinois. Hosted by the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, the free presentation will take place in the Sun Life Auditorium (LHS 1621) on December 1, from 2 to 4 p.m., followed by a short reception in the Fireplace Lounge.
Holiday send-off: December 5
Faculty of Health students, staff and faculty are invited to kick off the holidays on December 5 from 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. in the Expansion (EXP) second floor foyer. We'll celebrate with warm beverages, cookies, prizes and fun! You are strongly encouraged to bring your own reusable mug or thermos. Come by to socialize and de-stress!
Kin Lab Days 50th anniversary: December 6-8, 11-15
The Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences is celebrating their 50th anniversary of Kinesiology Lab Days, an annual event where high school students come participate in live lab experiences related to the science of human movement. Balance, muscle activation, cardiovascular testing, sensory input, injury taping and musculoskeletal exploration are some of the types of labs students take part in, all led by current undergrad and graduate students. The event takes place from December 6-8 and December 11-15, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Getting started in LEARN: December 6, 11
Instructors can join Jason Thompson from the Centre for Teaching Excellence and Stephen Tosh from Information Systems and Technology for an introduction to LEARN (D2L Brightspace), Waterloo's learning management system for presenting course activities and resources. You can register to join in-person at MC 2036 on December 6 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., or register to attend online on December 11 from 1 - 3 p.m. You will learn to navigate and communicate with your students on LEARN, organize your course material, set up course assessments and more.
Cooking Club for grad students: December 8
Join the Dean's Advisory Committee on Health and Well-being on Friday, December 8 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. for Cooking Club! Graduate students and postdocs in the Faculty of Health can come together in the CCCARE kitchen to prepare several recipes (all meatless) and enjoy their meal together. Bring containers to take home leftovers! This program is free and all materials and ingredients are provided but registration is required and space is limited. If you have any questions, please email Gaby McInnis.
Exploring Turnitin's AI detection tool: December 11
If you are interested in learning the basics of how to use the Artificial Intelligence detector in Turnitin, including the pros and cons of using the tool, register for the hybrid workshop session on December 11 from 10 - 11:30 a.m. You can join through MS Teams or attend in person at MC 2036. Some case examples will be shared to highlight how some departments and programs are currently using this tool.
DID YOU KNOW?
Health and Well-being activities feedback needed
The Dean’s Advisory Committee on Health and Well-being has set a goal for 2024 to bring staff, faculty, students and postdocs together and build a strong sense of social community in the Faculty. We are seeking your feedback on types of events that you may be interested in participating in. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Committee Chair Mark Ferro or Administrator Gaby McInnis.
Nominate an instructor for the Fall 2023 Teaching Award
Has one of your Faculty of Health instructors inspired you? Did they go the extra mile? Make course content come alive? Change the way you think, learn, or live? If so, please consider nominating them for the Fall 2023 Faculty of Health Teaching Award. It is a great way to honour the hardworking, dedicated teachers in our Faculty. Simply tell us who you are, who they are, and why they were such a terrific instructor. More details and a nomination form can be found online.
Best teaching practices for post-pandemic course design
In 2022, Elena Neiterman, Jennifer Yessis, Natalie Chow, Josh Edmondstone and Zara Rafferty received a LITE Seed Grant for their project capturing student and instructor insights on best teaching practices for post-pandemic course design and delivery in the Faculty of Health. A key deliverable from this project was the creation of a document and an infographic outlining these best practices. If you are interested in taking a look at these resources, please contact Elena Neiterman.
Do you have a news item to share? Please email it to Eugenia Xenos Anderson.