Events

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.

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.

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.

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.