Friday, November 23, 2018

'Tis the season to talk storm closings

This month we've had rain, we've had snow, we've had some extreme cold, and so we should have an opportunity to review the University's Weather Closing Guidelines before the worst of the winter weather sets in.

According to the guidelines, which were last reviewed and updated in December 2016, the University and the affiliated and federated institutions of Waterloo will close "because of severe weather when normal operation would pose a significant danger to students and employees, or would prevent large numbers of them from coming to campus or returning safely to their homes."

The decision to close or remain open in severe weather is usually made by the Vice-President, Academic & Provost in consultation with the Director of Police Services, the Associate Vice-President, Communications, and the Director of Custodial & Grounds Services. The Provost and the team of advisors meet to consider the conditions whenever severe weather is in the forecast and the team also seeks a wealth of information in order to inform the difficult decision of whether it is safe to open campus.

The advisory team evaluates:

• multiple sources of weather information and radar, as well as actual outside conditions;
• the condition of campus, including pathways, roadways, and buildings - and how long it will take to make movement on campus safe; 
• the status of local and regional roads, with input from the local city governments;
• whether local and regional public transportation is running including GRT, GO and Greyhound; and
• the conditions at Waterloo's satellite campuses.

The guidelines define the condition of "closed" to mean that "classes are not held; meetings and other scheduled events are cancelled; scheduled examinations are cancelled, to be rescheduled; deadlines for assignments and other submissions are postponed until the same hour on the next business day on which UW is not "closed"; staff, other than those providing "essential services," are not expected to be at work, but are paid for a normal day."

For the most part it is safe to assume that the University's default status is "open" unless messaging has been posted to the contrary.

Notice of the University's status will be posted on days where severe weather is forecast, normally at 6:00 a.m., to allow faculty, staff and students time to decide their course of action that day. As the guidelines indicate, "those who judge that it may be unsafe to come to campus should discuss alternate work and study arrangements with their instructor or supervisor."

In the event of severe weather that warrants a closure, all members of the University community should consult the University’s homepage and Twitter feed, consult Portal, check the WatSAFE app, tune in to a local radio station, check local media websites or call the University’s Infoline (1-866-470-0910) to learn whether or not the University has closed.

The University also maintains a dedicated weather statement page with Environment Canada weather notices for the region and safety tips that will be updated in the event of severe weather.

Get a grip and don't slip, says Safety Office

From January 2014 to December 2017, outdoor slips, trips, and falls made up 21 percent of all employee lost time injuries at the University. If we all do our part, many of these injuries are preventable.

Remember to always:

• Report unsafe conditions to Plant Operations at ext. 33793.
• Wear sturdy, slip-resistant winter footwear. Winter footwear should be worn outdoors at all times when snow or ice is present.
• Adjust your pace to surface conditions and be attentive when walking - watch for uneven, rough and icy spots.
• Be prepared and check the weather forecast.
• Take extra care to ensure proper footing when exiting and entering vehicles.
• Ensure the Get a Grip Don’t Slip and Fall and Sand/Salt Bin posters are up in your work area.
• Use the green (or yellow) sand bins to aid with traction on slippery areas and report these areas to Plant Operations.

Go to the Parking Services Winter Weather for details on snow removal and priorities.

Waterloo Co-op earns two awards for international work

Waterloo’s international co-op team has won two Excellence Awards from the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE). The awards recognize the team’s extraordinary work in the design, planning implementation and management of high-quality endeavours in international education. The award ceremony took place Tuesday, November 20 in Ottawa as part of CBIE’s annual conference.

The North Star Award was presented to Shabnam Ivkovic, Team Manager, International Mobility. This is awarded to a new professional who has shown extraordinary promise in the field of international education. 

The Panorama Award was given to Waterloo’s international co-op team in recognition for their innovation and excellence in design, planning, implementation and management of high-quality endeavours in international education, with programming that focuses on academic, extracurricular, capacity building and/or learning abroad.

The ten Panorama Award recipients from the University of Waterloo are:

• Bettina Wahl, International Employment Specialist
• Cathy Stein, International Employment Specialist
• Celeste Horne, Student Advisor
• Gail Tymchuk, Account Manager
• Judi Whitfield, Student Advisor
• Kaitlyn Barnett, Hiring Process Support
• Lisa ter Woort, Account Manager
• Ross Johnston, Executive Director
• Sandra Shantz, International Employment Specialist
• Shabnam Ivkovic, Team Manager

Congratulations to our international co-op team on this phenomenal accomplishment. Their hard work helps ensure that our students are well equipped for a bright future. This is truly an outstanding achievement in the field of international education.

16 Days of Activism begin this weekend

Sunday marks the first of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, a global campaign initiated by UN Women to remind all citizens that they can take actions in their everyday lives to stop gender-based violence.

The 2018 #16daysUW campaign is organized and presented by a growing group of faculty, staff and students from across campus. The campaign invites the University community to participate in numerous actions and events.

Each year, 16 Days begins on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and concludes on December 10, International Human Rights Day. In Canada, 16 Days includes the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women on December 6.

#16daysUW includes several actions and events on campus, including:

• Bridge: Honouring the Lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls: The Waterloo Indigenous Student Centre and Professor Sorouja Moll offer all University community members the chance to mark and tie a red cloth to the bridge between Environment 3 and St Paul's University College, as a gesture to name and remember the 4,000+ missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. The event starts on Tuesday, November 27 at 10:30 a.m. at the bridge and continues over 16 Days.
• Tea and Talk with Wazhma Frogh: Wazhma Frogh is a human rights lawyer, peacemaker, and women’s rights activist who recently moved to K-W from Afghanistan. In this Tea-and-Talk, Frogh will discuss her experiences challenging gender-based violence in Afghanistan. The event takes place on Wednesday, November 28 at 11:30 a.m. in  J.G Hagey Hall of the Humanities Room 373. A free lunch will be served.
• ACCKWA Red Scarf Project: The Red Scarf Campaign is an awareness-raising and stigma-busting initiative in support of people living with HIV in Waterloo Region. HIV disproportionately affects people who are marginalized by systems of oppression and violence, including gender-based violence and colonialism. This initiative collects red scarves created by people living with HIV, family, friends, and community partners to auction in support of ACCKWA’s food security program and to donate to St. John's Kitchen. Scarves will be displayed and available for bidding through a silent auction from Monday, December 3, to Monday December 10 in the Waterloo Indigenous Student Centre at St. Paul’s University College. 

The 16 Days of Activism website has a full schedule of events on campus over the course of the campaign.