Friday, March 2, 2018

Waterloo hosts International Women's Day dinner

Worldwide, women continue to contribute to social, economic, cultural and political achievement. Thursday, March 8 marks this year’s International Women’s Day, where people across the globe come together to celebrate, reflect, advocate, and take action on women’s issues. 

Tonight, the University of Waterloo will host its 13^th annual International Women's Day dinner at Federation Hall.  This year has been especially important for highlighting a call-to-action motivating and uniting friends, colleagues and whole communities to think, act and be gender inclusive.  In partnership with The Office of the President, University Relations and the Women Studies program, over 330 staff, faculty and students will gather to acknowledge the contributions that women at the University of Waterloo have made.

Distinguished keynote speaker and Vice-President of University Research Charmaine Dean will discuss how and why women must move beyond breaking glass ceilings and how to take their message of equity, diversity and inclusion to the world.

The event aims to raise awareness and recognize the University of Waterloo as a leader striving towards the goal of gender equity.

A message from the President: Gender equity is more than a single day, it is a movement

I am excited to celebrate International Women’s Day with our annual dinner this evening honouring our community of women, and those who identify as women. It is a joy to see the energy and drive in the room as we remember those women who have fought, and those who continue to fight today, for women’s rights and equity.

It’s important to remember that International Women’s Day is just one part of a movement for gender equity across all aspects of society. I know it can be easy to come back to a single day of celebration every year and feel good about the progress we’ve made, but to be truly successful we must take the energy the day brings and drive it forward.

International Women’s Day marks a moment to celebrate when women made great strides in the fight for fair rights to work, live and vote as equal members of society. What we often overlook is the struggle and the long years it took for pioneering women to achieve these rights.

I have learned that to truly be a feminist and champion for the rights of women, we must expand our scope beyond a single event, and instead strive for equity every single day. International Women’s Day is a tremendous opportunity to build excitement for continued change. For it to be a force, however, we must look to challenge the status quo tomorrow, the next day and every day from then on.

The Challenges Before Us

Over the course of the last one hundred years, since the founding of International Women’s Day, there has been progress in women’s rights in Canada and around the world. That being said, we cannot rest on our successes and pat ourselves on the back. There are still systemic equity issues in higher education, in our society and in countries around the world.

We must acknowledge how gender imbalances in leadership teams can create toxic power dynamics; understand the unique challenges women in academia endure, especially in male dominated fields; and, recognize the added pressures women of colour, Indigenous women and the LGBTQ community face. It is vital that we act to make progress for future generations on issues such as these.

The University of Waterloo’s HeForShe IMPACT 10x10x10 commitments are a good start, and have proven to make an impact. But I do admit that we can and will do more. Progress is good, but sustained action is the only thing that will result in long-term success.

Let us mark this International Women’s Day as a moment where we continue the movement towards the lasting impact of true equity. As a beacon for innovation and knowledge around the world, we must set an example and show what the power of equity, diversity and inclusion looks like. Please join me in making this vision a reality today, tomorrow and forever.

Longstanding tradition has participants sliding into fun

By Jim Howard.

The 46^th annual Hagey Funspiel was successfully held on Saturday February 24 at the Ayr Curling Club.  The bonspiel is a longstanding tradition and is named for the first president of the University of Waterloo, Gerry Hagey.  

The mission of the bonspiel is to foster connection within the University community, giving individuals across campus an opportunity to learn a new activity and meet people from various departments in the process.

64 ½  attendees (including expecting mother Kathy Hurley, daughter of organizer Sheila Hurley) stretched across four rinks, playing 2 games of 6 ends each.  Each draw featured the coveted (or feared) Pig Hat, crowned to only those who threw a rock that did not quite cross the hog line.  The Pig Hat was then passed to the next person who didn't throw their rock pass the hog line until the end of the game, where the final wearer won a pound of bacon.

A big thank you to the Ayr Curling Club for providing a delicious chicken lunch.  

The day also featured draw prizes, award presentations and a cross-ice competition (which had competitors trying to hit the button by sliding rocks diagonally across the ice) where Danielle Chitussi won a gift certificate to Sweet and Savoury Pie Company.

Thank you to Sheila Hurley for your organization and dedication to this event for so many years!

Nutrition Month: Eating 6 small meals per day promotes weight loss; and other notes

Truth: Eating frequent, small meals has been assumed to burn more calories than a traditional three meal a day pattern. While there is a slight increase in our metabolism each time we eat, the difference in calories burned over the course of a day is insignificant. Overall, research does not support that how frequently a person eats meals or snacks impacts weight gain or loss over time. Does snacking between meals help some people lose weight by preventing extreme hunger that leads to overeating at a meal? According to the Dietitians of Canada knowledge translation tool PEN (Practice-based Evidence in Nutrition), a few small, short-term studies in normal weight and overweight adults found no difference in hunger or caloric intake for higher vs. lower eating frequencies (six vs. three meals per day). In other longer-term trials lasting two to six months, results were mixed as to whether eating frequency affected appetite or the number of calories consumed. While eating smaller meals more frequently may be helpful for controlling appetite and caloric intake for some people, for others, each visit to the kitchen may present an opportunity to overeat. Choose an eating pattern that works best for you or contact a Registered Dietitian who can provide tailored and practical advice.  

UWAG exhibiting artist Adrian Stimson wins Governor General's Award

The University of Waterloo Art Gallery (UWAG) would like to congratulate one of its exhibiting artists, Adrian Stimson, for winning a Governor General’s Award in Visual Arts and Media.  A selection of Stimson’s photos and videos performing as alter-egos “Buffalo Boy” and “Shaman Exterminator” are currently on display as part of the exhibition Sovereign Acts curated by Wanda Nanibush.  The exhibition contends with the challenges of performing indigeneity under the legacy of colonial representation and is free to the public until Saturday, March 10.  Other featured artists include Rebecca Belmore, Lori Blondeau, Dayna Danger, James Luna, Shelley Niro, and Jeff Thomas.

Waterloo Staff Conference registration now open

Organizational & Human Development (OHD) is pleased to announce that registration is open for the 11th annual Waterloo Staff Conference taking place on April 5 & 6, 2018. Registration closes Monday, March 26.  For questions about the conference, please contact:  Mark Lisetto-Smith,  Coordinator, Communications & Events, Organizational & Human Development  mark.lisetto-smith@uwaterloo.ca Ext. 38257

MAESD approves executive compensation program

The Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development (MAESD) approved the University of Waterloo’s Executive Compensation Program in a letter to Cindy Forbes, Chair, Board of Governors dated February 27, 2018. The effective date of the program is September 1, 2017 and it will be in effect for three full pay years, ending on April 30, 2021, at which time the Board of Governors will review the program.