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Effective leadership at Waterloo requires understanding how decisions are made, how policies are developed, and how authority flows through our institution. As a large and complex public university, our governance structures affect all aspects of our operations, from daily delivery of academic programming and research to the development of major strategic initiatives and change.  

Join University Secretary Genevieve Gauthier-Chalifour and members of the Secretariat for an interactive exploration of university governance. You'll learn how the Board and Senate function, understand the legislative framework in which we operate, and consider the critical role of Policy in your day-to-day leadership.  

This session will equip you with the governance knowledge you need to navigate decision-making processes and lead more effectively within Waterloo's institutional structure. 

Coffee and tea provided.

Attracting and admitting students is an essential function at the University, and the current environment is particularly challenging. Join us for this essential ALP session with the teams responsible for UW's brand, marketing, and recruitment strategy, and admissions.  

Learn how our brand identity shapes our external messaging, explore the undergraduate recruitment pipeline from first contact to enrolment, and understand the mechanics of our admissions processes. You'll hear directly from leaders of Admissions, Marketing and Brand Strategy, and Marketing and Undergraduate Recruitment (MUR) about the evolving challenges in student recruitment and the strategic responses we're implementing. 

This session will help you understand the recruitment and admissions landscape and how your leadership role connects to Waterloo’s broader recruitment and retention objectives. 

Breakfast will be provided prior to the session at 8am.

Freedom of expression is among the most important, and the most difficult, issues that universities have had to deal with. Open engagement and free expression are at the core of our academic mission, but the combination of new technologies and a fractured political context has created an environment that can be hard for academic leaders to navigate.  

In this session, the co-Chairs of the University’s Taskforce on Freedom of Expression, Christine McWebb, (AVP Faculty, Planning and Policy) and Scott Kline (Department of Religious Studies), will help academic leaders understand the issues around freedom of expression, and the  work of the Taskforce. They will give an overview of the University’s recent guidance on freedom of expression and institutional neutrality, and lead scenario-based discussions. This session will leave you with a better understanding of your role in supporting freedom of expression, and more confident in your decision making. 

Coffee and tea provided.

Navigating the role of Department Chair and School Director can be daunting. Fortunately, our colleagues have lessons to share about their time and experience navigating these roles. Join the Academic Leadership Program on Wednesday, October 29, 2025 from 12-2pm EST and hear from colleagues from across the university who have previously held Department Chair roles. Lunch will be provided.

Attend the Academic Leadership Program's breakfast session on Waterloo's Tenure, Permanence, and Promotion Process. 2025 is an interesting year to be a Department Chair at Waterloo as it is the first time Chairs will receive files for permanence and promotion of teaching stream faculty. 

Please secure your spot for this session by registering.  

Join us for two sessions with Dr. Liane Davey, psychologist and expert in workplace dynamics. Liane is the author of The Good Fight: Use Productive Conflict to Get your Team and Organization Back on Track, and many of you expressed your appreciation of Liane’s two sessions last year on managing conflict. She is a UW alum and knows us well. We have invited Liane back to help support our academic leaders in times of change.

Among the legislated responsibilities of the university, we are required to provide a safe environment for learning and working and one which is free from discrimination, harassment, and violence and to accommodate students who have a disability. It is important for leaders of academic units and supervising employees, and those working directly with students to understand what it means to meet these obligations. In this session, we will learn about two sets of responsibilities. Kate Windsor, Director of Safety will discuss the role of units in ensuring compliance with legislation, programs and standards, particularly Policy 34 and the Health, Safety and Environment Management System (HSEMS). Jennifer Gillies, Vice Associate Provost, Campus Support and Accessibility will build awareness around our obligations stemming from the Ontario Human Rights Code, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, and other statutory requirements, noting the supports available to uphold these requirements, describe our duty to accommodate as defined by the Ontario Human Rights Code, and the limits to student accommodation. Both will be available to answer questions and to direct you to additional supports. Breakfast provided.

Join us for two sessions with Dr. Liane Davey, psychologist and expert in workplace dynamics. Liane is the author of The Good Fight: Use Productive Conflict to Get your Team and Organization Back on Track, and many of you expressed your appreciation of Liane’s two sessions last year on managing conflict. She is a UW alum and knows us well. We have invited Liane back to help support our academic leaders in times of change.

As we formulate a plan to bring the operating budget back to balance, we know that there are questions and uncertainty. We want to support academic leaders in making decisions and responding to their colleagues’ questions and concerns and to hear about the issues that leaders are facing in their units. Join Martin Cooke and Mark Weber for an open discussion and mutual support in this challenging moment. Light lunch provided.

Among other things, December is the month that chairs’ and directors’ minds turn to the faculty performance review process. Join us for breakfast with supportive colleagues and a Q&A with experienced chairs/directors and FAUW. Topics will include writing effective comments, supporting pre-tenure and teaching stream faculty members, and recognizing service contributions.