Monday, November 23, 2015

Have your say on Waterloo's brand refinement

You’re invited to share what University of Waterloo means to you, as part of the University’s brand refinement project. Join the discussion and help identify what defines Waterloo.

From November 23 to December 4, visit on-campus kiosks and the campaign website to provide your input. Your responses will help inform the guidelines, messaging, visuals and tools that will communicate Waterloo’s stories to the world.

Kiosks this week will be set up at the following locations:

• November 23 - Student Life Centre great hall, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.; School of Pharmacy 1^st Floor, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm, Grad House, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
• November 24: Stratford Campus, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., South Campus Hall, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
• November 25: Environment 3, Williams Fresh Café, 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
• November 26: South Campus Hall, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Cambridge School of Architecture, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.; 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., Science Teaching Complex Starbucks, 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., Grad House, 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
• November 27: Student Life Centre marketplace, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Davis Centre, 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., BC Matthews Hall, 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

#UWCeilingBreakers: Challenging the status quo

Sometimes, we don’t know what we’re missing until we look.

A missing umbrella is no big deal until it rains. An executive panel full of male faces may be accepted without a second thought, until someone has the audacity to question the absence of diverse voices.

Unintentional bias is like that. It’s a part of our culture that feels so comfortable that we tend not to notice. It becomes engrained in our social norms, so that non-normative items or individuals are overlooked, dismissed or somehow seen as lacking.

The Fall 2015 issue of Waterloo Magazine is part of a growing wave of initiatives aimed at changing and challenging norms that have for too long excluded more than half of the population.

“Changing the face of STEM education,” looks at efforts taking place across campus and beyond to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed — especially in areas like science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

“Building a better workplace,” features experts who discuss how employment equity remains elusive — and why businesses that support change stand to benefit.

This issue also celebrates the extraordinary contributions of established and emerging Waterloo researchers —who also happen to be women — in “Ceiling-breakers.” And, from the head of the Royal Canadian Mint to an aspiring astronaut, you’ll find outstanding examples of leading alumni in the Alumni Profiles.

Hopefully, this issue of Waterloo Magazine helps you look at the world in a different way. It’s a conversation we need to have, and one you can join on social media, using the hashtag #UWCeilingBreakers.

Principles of Inclusivity program wins award

A program at the University of Waterloo that promotes a culture of inclusion has received a national award.

The Institute of Performance and Learning awarded the Silver Award for Training Excellence to the Office of Organizational & Human Development for the Principles of Inclusivity program, a seven-part certificate program that develops and reinforces inclusive behaviours and skills. Organizational & Human Development is Waterloo’s non-academic support unit dedicated to personal and professional learning and development.

The program, launched in 2011, consists of an experiential introductory workshop to promote communication skills and create a facilitated learning dialogue about the behaviours, actions, and attitudes that support inclusivity. It also includes six additional workshops to cover the dimensions of diversity, such as age, mental and physical ability, ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation.

“The Principles of Inclusivity program is a cornerstone of staff learning and development at Waterloo, and ties into the sound value system that is a key component of the University's strategic plan," said Katrina Di Gravio, director of the Office of Organizational & Human Development at Waterloo. "We are excited to receive this honour, and proud to contribute to the culture of excellence, innovation and inclusiveness at Waterloo."

In 2009, a committee was formed to develop a framework to meet the diverse needs of culture of the University of Waterloo. From that committee, the principles of inclusivity were created to acknowledge, communicate, and promote an understanding of the complexity and uniqueness of the campus community. Organizational & Human Development created the supporting program, which was launched in autumn 2011, to further promote and embed the principles in the campus culture. 

The Institute of Performance and Learning is Canada’s largest association dedicated to training and employee learning and development. Judges consider six criteria for this award: needs analysis, learning objectives and evaluation, design, quality of material, impact and originality.

South Common redevelopment open house this week

The landscape of the University's south campus is set for a change, beginning next year.

As part of the 2009 UW Campus Master Plan update, various landscape areas on the main campus were recommended for review and reconstruction.

The first of those areas, the South Commons, has been under such a review, and a proposed reconstruction has been prepared, according to Tom Galloway, director of custodial and grounds services.

The South Common refers to a stretch of the University's south campus that includes the Graduate House and green spaces near the library and science quad. The area is surrounded by buildings from four faculties —Arts, Science, Engineering and Environment—and academic support units like Co-operative Education and Career Action (CECA) and the Student Success Office inside South Campus Hall.

"By preserving one of the last large open spaces within the Ring Road, the South Common secures room for a wide range of uses for all members of the university community," says the campus master plan. "The common also celebrates the unique topography and agricultural roots of this historic site and creates an opportunity to enhance the quality of the landscape."

The Campus Master Plan defines four potential landscape zones within the South Common: the Plateau, Hilltop, South Court and Science Quad. "Each is unique and requires a subtly different approach to the enhancement of landscape, rationalization of pedestrian circulation and siting of (re) development," says the plan. When combined with the planned South Gateway to the University, these zones help frame a dramatic campus entry that will lead pedestrians into the heart of campus.

The first phase of the South Common redevelopment is scheduled for construction beginning next spring. The areas where landscaping will take place include the Plateau and Hilltop areas, and the proposal has the hill behind the Graduate House substantially removed, with a large decked area for casual seating in its place.

In order to receive comments on the proposed plan, an Open House has been organized for Tuesday, November 24 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in DC 1301.

Representatives from GSPGroup, the landscape consultants for the project, will be on hand with display panels to help explain the proposal.