Tuesday, September 1, 2015


New student transition: Reflecting on summer, looking ahead to Orientation

A message from the Student Success Office.

Almost 800 new students and over 1,000 family members attended their faculty day (AHS 101, Engineering 101, Environment 101 and Science 101) this summer and 95 per cent would strongly recommend the experience to a friend.

"It made me feel welcomed, not just a number, but an addition to the school who matters!"That’s just some of the positive feedback from incoming students who attended one of the new faculty-specific transition programs this summer. These students came to campus to take part in events that included attending their first lecture, learning about on-campus supports, meeting their peers, advisors and professors, and taking part in community building.

Other feedback from student attendees included:

  • “It made me feel welcomed, not just a number, but an addition to the school who matters!”
  • “I definitely feel more prepared to attend university in the fall than I did before.”
  • “It really helped me to understand the difference between high school and university and I know more what to expect.”

"I definitely feel more prepared to attend university in the fall than I did before."These faculty-specific transition programs are just one example of the strategic and integrated model that is needed to ensure our students receive targeted and timely support.  A more detailed program report will be available in the fall term.

3 sleeps until Orientation

  • Orientation programming for all new students (international, undergraduate, transfer, exchange and study abroad, and graduate students) takes place from September 4-12.
  • Registration snapshot as of August 31: International 530; Undergraduate 5,035; Transfer 125; Exchange or study abroad 190; Graduate 750

"It really helped me to understand the difference between high school and university and I know more what to expect."Stay tuned to the Daily Bulletin for more Orientation updates later this week.

Thank you

The cooperation and support of the campus community has been critical in providing transition programs for our new students. We want to thank everyone who has played, or will play a role in ensuring the incoming class is ready for their time at Waterloo.

We welcome your feedback, questions and comments as we continue to work with our campus community on strategic new student transition initiatives. Please contact Heather Westmorland.

Want to learn more? Read the previous new student transition updates: May 2015 update, March 2015 update

New and improved graduate funding and awards database

A message from the Graduate Studies Office.

Over the last several months, the Graduate Studies Financial Aid and Awards team in the Graduate Studies Office (GSO) has been working closely with teams from Information System and Technology (IST) and Student Awards and Financial Aid (SAFA) to overhaul the Graduate Funding and Awards Database to assist graduate students in finding funding opportunities administered by the University of Waterloo.  With enhanced search options like “keyword search”, “award type” and “affiliation”, students can narrow their search by various categories specific to their needs. An “application deadline” feature is now available for awards requiring an application, and the search output has been improved. There is also a new comprehensive “how to use the database” sidebar to help students narrow down their search results. With Fall term just around the corner, students are encouraged to start searching for graduate awards!

Registration open for SEW fall courses

Information Systems and Technology (IST) has announced that registration is now open for the fall Skills for the Electronic Workplace (SEW) workshops. 

To register, sign up for these workshops through MyHRinfo. Attendees can view available spaces in workshops, register online, view your registration history and status, and receive immediate registration e-mail notifications. Register for courses through the Learning and Development module of the Self Service menu (where you view your payroll and benefit information).  A walk-through of the registration process is available if you are unfamiliar with the procedure.

The course line-up includes multiple sessions of the Waterloo Content Management System (WCMS)

Courses include:

Registration for these courses is maintained by Linda Rowe Moakler of Organizational & Human Development at extension 30238. Questions about the courses, course materials, or the facilities can be directed to Heather Wey, IST, at extension 45878.  

Tuesday's notes

Dates for the next round of English Language Proficiency Exam (ELPE) have been posted on the Writing Centre's website.

Warriors football player with Guelph team closing in.The Warriors football team opened their season with a 78-7 loss to the Guelph Gryphons on Sunday at Warrior Field. They next face the Carleton Ravens on Sunday, September 6 in Ottawa. Check the Athletics website for the team's full schedule.

On another athletic note, this year's Black and Gold Day will feature women's rugby on Saturday, September 12. The annual sporting event has been a trademark event for first-year University of Waterloo students for many years. The women's rugby team will take on the Western Mustangs at 1:00 p.m. at Warrior Field.

Link of the day

30 years ago: Titanic wreck discovered

When and where

Advisor Coffee Chat: Understanding and Engaging our Students, Wednesday, September 2, 8:45 a.m., MC 4042.

International Orientation event, Friday, September 4 to Sunday, September 6.

Single & Sexy open performance, Friday, September 4, 10:00 a.m., Humanities Theatre.

Family Welcome events, Saturday, September 6 and Sunday, September 7, 8:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

Family Send-Off events, Saturday, September 6 and Sunday, September 7, 2:30 p.m.

Orientation Week, Saturday, September 6 to Saturday, September 12.

Labour Day, Monday, September 7, most University operations closed.

Single & Sexy, Tuesday, September 8 to Thursday, September 10, Humanities Theatre.

Engineering presents ExpecTAtions Teaching Assistant Workshop, Wednesday, September 9 and Thursday, September 10, J.R. Coutts Engineering Lecture Hall.

Making Exam Marking Easier, Thursday, September 10, 1:00 p.m., QNC 1502. Register by sending an email to cmadmin@uwaterloo.ca by Wednesday, September 9.

Lean in Higher Education Conference, Thursday, September 10 to Friday, September 11, Federation Hall.

Lectures begin, Monday, September 14.

School of Computer Science Distinguished Lecture Series featuring Mike Stonebreaker, MIT and Turing Award winner, "The Land Sharks are on the Squawk Box (How Riding a Bicycle across America and Building Postgres Have a Lot in Common), Monday, September 14, 2:00 p.m., Humanities Theatre.

Centre for Career Action presents Rock the Technical Interview, Monday, September 14, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., TC 2218

Faculty of Science Graduate Scholarship Information Session, Monday, September 14, 4:00 p.m., Humanities Theatre.

Weight Watchers At Work registration session, Tuesday, September 15, 12:15 p.m., PAS 2438, info ext. 32218.

Waterloo Innovation Summit, Wednesday, September 16 to Friday, September 18.

UWRC Book Club featuring Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (One Book One Community Selection), Wednesday, September 16, 12:00 p.m., LIB 407.

Noon Hour Concert: Earth Voices, Wednesday, September 16, 12:30 p.m., Conrad Grebel University College Chapel.

Writing Centre Open House, Wednesday, September 16, 1:00 pm to 4:00 p.m., South Campus Hall second floor.

Gustav Bakos Observatory Tour, Wednesday, September 16, 9:00 p.m., PHY 308.

Translating Academic Experience to Industry, Thursday, September 17, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., TC 1208.

Mathematics graduate studies information night, Thursday, September 17, 4:30 p.m., MC 5501.

Faculty of Science Graduate Scholarship Information Session, Thursday, September 17, 5:00 p.m., Humanities Theatre. (Note: attendees only need to attend one of the two sessions).

Medical School Applications (OMSAS), Thursday, September 17, 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., TC 1208.

Take Back the Night 2015, Thursday, September 17, 6:00 p.m., Kitchener City Hall.

Résumés for Graduate Students, Friday, September 18, 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., TC 1208.

Hack The North, Friday, September 18 to Sunday, September 20.

Doors Open Waterloo Region, Saturday, September 19, HockeyTech demonstration at the Columbia Icefield Arena, 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Quiet Research, Loud Results! Saturday, September 19, 10:00 a.m., TechTown building.

Conrad Grebel presents Peace Week, Monday, September 21 to Saturday, September 26. 

It’s All About Your Skills, Monday, September 21, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., TC 1112.

Senate meeting, Monday, September 21, 3:30 p.m., Needles Hall.

Velocity Science: Brainstorming, Tuesday, September 22, 7:30 p.m., QNC room 1506.

WPIRG presents September Slam: Humble the Poet & KWPS, Thursday, September 24, 7:00 p.m., Humanities Theatre.

The Birth of Homeopathy out of the Spirit of 1800: Medicine as Cultural History, Friday, September 25, 7:00 p.m., Location TBA. Presented by the Waterloo Centre for German Studies.

Ontario Universities' Fair, Friday, September 25 to Sunday, September 27, Metro Toronto Convention Centre. 

Hack4Health, Saturday, September 26 to Sunday, September 27, Waterloo Accelerator Centre.

Annual Traditional Pow Wow, Saturday, September 26, 12:00 p.m., Waterloo Aboriginal Education Centre, St. Paul's University College.

The Ceremony of Induction into Professional Planning Education, Saturday, September 26, reception and registration in Environment 3 Atrium, 9:30 a.m., ceremony in Theatre of Arts, 11:00 a.m.

University of Waterloo Research Talks featuring Professor Heather Keller, "Finding solutions to nutritional vulnerability in older adults," Friday, October 2, 12:00 p.m., DC 1302. Register online, seating is limited.

English Faculty Research Series: Mediated Bodies, Friday, October 2, 1:30 p.m., HH 373.

40th Anniversary Mathematics Reunion - Class of 1975, Friday, October 2 to Saturday, October 3.

Reunion 2015, Saturday, October 3.

AHS Annual Fun Run, Saturday, October 3, 8:30 a.m., BC Matthews Hall.

Further Education Boot Camp, Saturday, October 3, all day, RCH.

Fall Teaching Week, Monday, October 5 to Friday, October 8.