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Today is Random Act of Kindness Day
Today is the Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation’s Random Act of Kindness Day, and the University has participated in the event since 2014.
Join in as the spirit of caring is mobilized across campus and the community.
Among the activities happening on campus today:
- Renison’s English Language Institute will be spearheading festivities in the Student Life Centre’s Great Hall from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Bridge to Academic Success in English (BASE) student volunteers will host activities that encourage students to remember the importance of kindness, as well as activities that students can participate in to facilitate kindness themselves.
- Food Services will feature the Coke Hug Me Machine in the Student Life Centre – hug the machine and receive a free Coke. In addition, there will be a Tim Hortons food truck that will be giving away free samples of coffee in the Arts quad.
- The Equity Hub will be handing out RAK cards and coffee cards.
- Alumni Relations will be handing out free cookies before two large classes in the Science Teaching Complex (STC).
- The Stratford Campus is hosting the Stratford Perth Community Foundation's RAK day kickoff assembly at 8:30 a.m. where students will visit a retirement home in Stratford during the "activity hour".
As individuals, groups, or departments, your acts of kindness towards one another and total strangers is as easy and fun as you want it to be. Mobilize your friends and colleagues to try something new this year!
Share your activities online using the hashtag #UWaterlooRAK.
Centre for Teaching Excellence celebrates 10 years
The Centre for Teaching Excellence is turning 10 years old in 2017, and will be celebrating this milestone on Tuesday, November 7 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the EV1 courtyard.
The CTE was developed out of three earlier administrative units that helped support and recognize the quality of teaching at Waterloo - the University's Teaching Resource and Continuing Education office (TRACE), the Learning and Teaching Through Technology centre (LT3) and the Learning Resources and Innovation centre (LRI), hitting the ground running in May 2007 to provide leadership in the promotion, development, and advancement of excellence in teaching and learning at the University.
Associate Vice-President, Academic Mario Coniglio will share some words of congratulation at 3:30 p.m. followed by some brief reflections on the past ten years by CTE Director Donna Ellis.
The event is open to members of the University community, and beverages and snacks will be available.
RSVP using the online form on the CTE website.
Learn about Unit 4 at a drop-in training session
Interested in learning about Unit 4 research reporting? Do you have questions about set up of research work orders and delegated signing authority/reporting access?
The Office of Research Finance team is holding drop-in training sessions on Tuesday, November 7 (2 - 3:30 p.m.) and Tuesday, November 14 (10-11:30 a.m.) in EC5-1111, the Enterprise Theatre.
Each session will include a one-hour presentation followed by a group Q&A and an opportunity to ask Research Finance staff questions one-on-one, and will cover:
- set up for research work orders in Unit 4
- delegated signing authority and reporting access
- review of research month-end statements emailed to PIs
- review of research-related prompted queries in Unit 4 and
- future report developments.
Questions can be directed to Director, Research Finance Diane Johnston.
Grebel mourns loss of former president Ralph Lebold
With deep sadness, Conrad Grebel University College announces the passing of the College’s third president, Ralph Lebold (1934-2017) on Tuesday, October 31. The funeral service will be held at Waterloo North Mennonite Church on Saturday November 4 at 11:00 a.m.
Serving as Grebel president from 1979 to 1989 in a decade of growth and change, Lebold “led from the middle” to increase unity amongst faculty and staff while expanding relationships with the Mennonite constituency. Lebold guided the College into an era of maturity and stability.
In 2006, Pandora Press published Lebold’s autobiography, Strange and Wonderful Paths: Memoirs of Ralph Lebold. Reflecting in this book on his call to the presidency, Lebold wrote, “While I was comfortable enough in dealing with conflict, believed in young people, and was committed to Christian education, I also knew that once some of the conflicts were worked through, the larger task of academic leadership would await me. Would the faculty and the board be comfortable with my leadership?” And indeed, Lebold succeeded in his role, earning the respect of the entire College community.
Reflecting on the loss of this important voice, new Grebel president Marcus Shantz said “I got to know Ralph when I was thirteen years old. I always knew that my parents deeply respected Ralph and Eileen, and I developed my own connections with him when I grew older. Very recently, I had two significant discussions with him about Grebel and the role of president. He gave good advice, and I had been looking forward to more conversations.”
Lebold remained connected and involved with Grebel for the rest of his life, most recently attending the 1985-95 era reunion to visit with alumni. “We will remember Ralph as a man who was quick to smile, and who always had a heart for the Mennonite Church and its people,” said President Shantz. “He will be dearly missed.”
Fall Open House this weekend and other notes
On Saturday, November 4, thousands of prospective students and their families are expected to visit the University of Waterloo for the Fall Open House.
The schedule of events includes campus tours from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., a Student Services Fair, and tours of residences and athletics facilities. A number of academic sessions will be held within each faculty.
Future students and their families will have an opportunity to meet with professors, staff, and current students who can help them learn about Waterloo.
Do you wear multifocal contact lenses? The Centre for Contact Lens Research in the School of Optometry & Vision Science is seeking participants who currently wear multifocal contacts to participate in a daily disposable multifocal lens study. The objective of this study is to evaluate the performance of Clariti 1 Day Multifocal lenses over 2 weeks. Participants will receive up to $170 for up to 7 hours over 4 visits. If you or someone you know may be interested in participating, contact cclrstudies@uwaterloo.ca or ext. 36907, or visit cclr.ca.
The inaugural Canada Alliance Conference will be held at Fed Hall from Sunday, November 5 to Tuesday, November 7. Waterloo is hosting in its capacity as a member of the Higher Education User Group (HEUG), an international organization consisting of post-secondary institutions that use application software from the Oracle Corporation. HEUG represents 34 countries across 6 continents and over 32,000 users from over 900 campuses. The organization has worldwide Regional conferences as well as an annual Alliance Conference, and this is the first Canadian regional conference of its kind. The 350 conference attendees include delegates from across Canada, the United States and Pakistan.
The Waterloo Centre for Automotive Research (WatCAR) is hosting the Global Semifinals of the 2nd Annual Global Automotive & Mobility Innovation Challenge (GAMIC) presented by SAE International and the MI Innovation Alliance on Monday, November 6. GAMIC provides early‐stage start‐ups with an opportunity for competition‐prep coaching. The event takes place in DC 1301 and DC 1304.
Participants interested in competing can find information on how to apply on the GAMIC website.