Summer 2020 issue

» Sheila Ager, Dean of Arts

Well, here we all are – about to embark on the final academic term of 2020. The Lost Summer of 2020 seems to have raced past us, or at least that’s how it feels to me. Rather strange that a time when we’re coping with monotony should pass so quickly – maybe it’s all the time spent inside? I have been going out, of course, but less so than usual, and sometimes it feels as though the summer has simply been a video that I watch out my window. My new companion (as of a few months ago) certainly seems to think so – she spends a great deal of her time gazing wistfully out the window at the world to which I in my cruelty have denied her access.

As you can see, she also spends time on my desk while I’m working, pretending to an innocence she does not fully possess.

Much of the rest of her time is spent under my desk, biting my ankles in retribution for paying her insufficient attention. I will say for her, though, that she’s the only cat I’ve ever had who actually likes to have her belly rubbed and who scratches only scratching posts (really).

In any case, the summer is pretty well behind us, and what lies ahead? I’d be less than honest if I failed to acknowledge that the fall term will probably bring us more challenges, although perhaps by now they are challenges that we’re becoming familiar with. Most of us will still be working from home for a while; we’ll be teaching remotely; our research activities will continue to be bumpy; and we’ll all be doing our best to serve a student body that is going to be facing its own set of unusual challenges. Our newest Associate Dean, Anna Esselment (AD, Graduate Studies), has a piece in this issue that offers some helpful perspective on that front.

Also in this issue is a piece on our 60^th anniversary – the Faculty of Arts first opened for business in the Fall of 1960. As then President Gerald Hagey wrote, “The rapid development of the University through its previously established faculties of science and engineering obliges this institution to offer a fully balanced academic programme which meets the standards of other universities in this province.” The University’s Quarterly Report (September 1960) proudly proclaimed the hiring of more than 20 faculty – all male, all white, but oh well, it was a start.

Transcript: Arts Faculty formed: First Courses in Arts to Begin This Fall

A third faculty - The Faculty of Arts - has now been formed at the University of Waterloo. The new faculty will offer the first of its arts courses this fall. Both a three year General Course and four year Honours Course will be available. The first year of studies will be common to both General Course and Honours students. Classes in the upper years will begin in 1961.

A 60 per cent average in nine grade 13 papers will be required for admission to the new courses. An illustrated brochure describing the arts programme and the University’s facilities is available upon writing to A.P. Gordon, Registrar, University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON. Tuition and fees for the arts courses will be $418 annually.

Dr. Keith Thomas has been appointed acting Dean of Arts. Dr. Thomas was formerly chairman of the English Department at Acadia University. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto where he obtained his PhD degree and also served on the faculty.

» Alexandra Kale, ARBUS Co-op, Theatre and Performance major

Working in creative arts is always full of surprises. My experience working primarily in theatre has shown me the importance of expecting the unexpected. As a stage manager, I have had to fix costumes, replace lost props, handle venue cancellations and so much more. Others working on creative projects will undoubtedly have similar stories of unanticipated obstacles they faced.

That being said, no one could have predicted the challenges faced by the global community this past March. When the University closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, hundreds of co-op students did not have a placement. Many of us were left without a light in the dark.

The first flicker of hope for us came a month after the pandemic began. The University announced they were hiring more than 300 students from across all faculties as either Senior Online Learning Assistants (SOLA) or Online Learning Assistants (OLA). Both roles involve assisting professors to create course content suited to online learning this Fall. My role as a SOLA also involves a managerial element as peer leaders for a group of OLAs, working alongside their faculty supervisors.

Becoming the digital content experts

The beginning of the term was full of rapid changes. Over a period of a few weeks, I went from unemployed to learning university policies to training others online. I was then leading a group of fourteen OLAs and working with them to shape their work term. This process of mentoring and answering questions increased my own knowledge about the process of course design. Becoming the digital content experts puts all of us a step ahead as the world moves evermore online. Our expertise also eased the minds of the professors we supported, especially those who were apprehensive about the change in their course delivery.

Online learning is a daunting world that all of us are diving into headfirst. We are all working toward creating an engaging experience for the students studying this Fall term. A sense of camaraderie has emerged between the co-op students, professors, and supervisors as we work toward this massive goal. There is a deep-rooted understanding that our work will be in the hands of students mere months from now. The Arts community at the University of Waterloo has banded together to make a significant change – and it’s working.

Across the three teams I am working on, the OLAs and I have worked with over 30 professors on their Fall courses. We have created assignments, edited content, redesigned course layouts, and creatively solved a variety individual challenges faced by each professor. We were able to utilize our unique perspective as students to advise professors on which online approaches will be best for their students this Fall.

Each and every one of us has made an impact on what academics will look like for Arts students and instructors. Though our names may not be on some of the content, we will know the significant impact we have had. We know our work is meaningful, which is an incredible opportunity for a co-op student. I am looking forward to utilizing the skills of digital design, leadership and teamwork from my time as a SOLA as I move forward in my Arts career.