Thursday, November 2, 2017

New Residence Building named Claudette Millar Hall

A message from Waterloo Residences.

Waterloo Residences is proud to announce that the New Residence Building, which opened this September to students, has officially been named Claudette Millar Hall.

The residence is located in the heart of UW Place, and the name strives to support the history and tradition of the surrounding residence buildings while providing a meaningful historical reference within the local community. Claudette Millar Hall is named to profile a woman for her leadership and contributions to our local community. The two existing towers at UWP are named after men for their historical contributions to our region. Minota Hagey was the first residence on-campus named after a woman.

Best known for her political career, Millar became the first mayor of the City of Cambridge in 1974, a position she held for the next 10 years. In the late 1980s, Millar went on to become a member of the Ontario Municipal Board and travelled across the province hearing appeals on planning issues and assessments. In 2003, Millar was elected to the position of Regional councilor, representing Cambridge, and held this role until late 2014.

The name, Claudette Millar Hall, was approved by Senate Executive Committee, Senate, Buildings & Properties Committee, and Board of Governors. Waterloo Residences also received feedback from approximately 50 Waterloo Residences Staff, 20 Waterloo Residences Student Staff, and the Feds Executive team.

Built with community in mind, the new building was purposefully designed to maximize interactions, providing students with multiple spaces to study and socialize, creating a welcoming, comfortable and vibrant community where students feel at home. With its amenities serving all residents of the greater UW Place community, Claudette Millar Hall has become the hub of the UW Place community.

Features of Claudette Millar Hall include:

• 539 beds
• 16 full bathrooms per floor
• 5 lounges on each floor
• Moveable furniture to promote personalization of space
• Rooms are carpet free to help minimize indoor allergens
• Electronic controlled access to each floor

Claudette Millar Hall will be open for tours during the Fall Open House on Saturday, November 4 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

Provost gives update on organizational changes

"Further to the memo of May 25, 2017 from Ian Orchard, I’m writing to provide an update on organizational changes in the Provost’s office associated with winding down the Associate Provost Resources role," writes George Dixon, the interim Vice-President, Academic & Provost. "Effective November 1, 2017, the Manager of Space Planning will report to the Deputy Provost, Integrated Planning and Budgeting, and the Director of the Academic Leadership program will be folded into the portfolio of the Associate Vice President Academic."

The announcement of the phasing out of the Associate Provost, Resources position was announced in May along with a number of other organizational changes within the Office of the Vice-President, Academic & Provost, including the establishment of the Deputy Provost, Integrated Planning and Budgeting. Professor Susan Tighe was appointed to that position effective July 1, 2017 for a two-year term.

"To complete the transition of responsibilities, Beth Jewkes (former Associate Provost, Resources) has been appointed Special Advisor to the Deputy Provost on Space Planning until the end of April, 2018," the provost writes. "Beth has been with the University for 30 years and during this time she has served in many capacities and has always put the welfare and best interest of the University first. I am delighted that she has agreed to continue to serve the University in this capacity."

New medical leave award for graduate students

A message from Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs.

Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA) is pleased to announce that a Graduate Student Medical Leave Award has been created for eligible research-based master’s and doctoral students who must go inactive for medical reasons (e.g., physical or mental health) and, as a result, may have their current university funding discontinued. Effective January 1, 2018, eligible students may receive a one-time award valued at a maximum of $5,000. 

To protect students’ private medical health information, and to ensure compliance with Ontario Human Rights, all medical documentation verifying the need for a medical leave (and possible award) will be collected and reviewed by AccessAbility Services.

The University of Waterloo is committed to creating an environment that promotes students’ well-being in every way possible.  We anticipate that this new medical leave award will provide support to our eligible inactive students as they return to health, allowing them a timely return to their studies and the University Community.

Public lecture looks at staying afloat on populist waves

The University of Waterloo Stratford Campus, in partnership with the Stratford Public Library, is hosting a community dialogue event entitled "The Trump Era: Surviving the Populist Wave."

Join the Stratford Campus on Thursday, November 9 for "an important opportunity to discuss the political climate south of our border" featuring author, historian and independent journalist Gwynne Dyer.

Dyer has worked as a freelance journalist, columnist, broadcaster and lecturer on international affairs for more than 20 years; he received degrees from Canadian, American and British universities, finishing with a Ph.D. in Military and Middle Eastern History from the University of London. He served in three navies and held academic appointments at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and Oxford University before launching his twice-weekly column on international affairs, which is published by over 175 papers in some 45 countries, including the Stratford Beacon Herald.

This free lecture will follow the same format of the Autonomous Cars and Truth and Reconciliation lectures held in March and June, with a frank discussion on the Trump Era, what the populist movement means for Stratford and Canada, and an informal question and answer period.

The event takes place at 6:00 p.m. at the University of Waterloo Stratford Campus on 125 St. Patrick Street in Stratford.