Wednesday, November 20, 2019

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• WatSAFE desktop notification tool now available for Mac
• Centre for Extended Learning celebrates 2019 J.D. Leslie Prize winner
• Travel safety during your international experience
• President's Community Breakfast and other notes

WatSAFE desktop notification tool now available for Mac

A message from Information Systems & Technology.

The Mac version of the new WatSAFE Desktop Notification tool (announced in August) is now available. Steps for installing the new tool on a Mac machine are listed below or are available in the IST Knowledge Base.

To install the latest version of the WatSAFE Desktop Notification software on a Mac workstation:

1. Download the app
2. Run the PKG file to begin installation
3. If you receive an error that the app cannot be opened because Apple cannot check it for malicious software, complete the following steps:
   1. Open your System Preferences
   2. Click Security & Privacy
   3. Under the General tab, under Allow apps downloaded from:
      1. Ensure both App Store and App Store identified developers are checked
   4. You may see the message, "AppArmorDesktopMac" was blocked from user because it is not from an identified developer
   5. Click Open Anyway
4. Step through the rest of the installation process and enter your Mac password when prompted to Install the software
5. In Finder > Applications, look for Desktop Notifications (blue icon with exclamation mark) and double click it to start
6. When prompted, click Allow to let WatSAFE Desktop Notifications provide notifications on your machine
7. To ensure the WatSAFE Desktop Notification tool is installed, look for the icon (triangle with exclamation mark) in the system tray and ensure the status icon is green. Hovering over the icon will display WatSAFE Desktop Notification. 

If you are responsible for managing a group of Mac machines, you may request a package-based deployment version via Request Tracker (RT). 

Anyone with questions or concerns is invited ot contact the IST Service Desk, helpdesk@uwaterloo.ca or ext. 44357. 

Centre for Extended Learning celebrates 2019 J.D. Leslie Prize winner

This is an excerpt of an article originally published on the Centre for Extended Learning website.

At the Faculty of Arts Convocation Ceremony on October 26, 2019, Agata Nowak was "thrilled” to receive the J.D. Leslie award, while her husband and young daughter looked on proudly and her fellow graduates applauded her inspiring journey. The Prize represents outstanding achievement in an undergraduate degree earned primarily through online courses. This year’s winner is many things: new Canadian, wife, mother, full-time worker, housekeeper, gardener, half-marathon runner, weightlifter and now a University of Waterloo graduate.

Her journey truly demonstrates a dedication for lifelong learning. When Aga (as she prefers to be called) left her native Poland to move to Canada at the age of 20, she thought she had to give up her dream of getting a degree. In 2010, newly pregnant and working full-time, she decided to once again pursue that dream, determined to be a better role model for her daughter, and make her parents proud. Aga believes “they were always secretly skeptical about my chances of graduating from university after moving to a different continent.”

She found the opportunity at the University of Waterloo – in her words "the most prestigious university that offered entirely online degrees" – and began her part-time studies, studying mostly at night, after the rest of the family had gone to bed.

Despite the language, economic, and cultural barriers she faced as a new immigrant, she was determined not only to succeed, but excel, and she did, completing her Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature, and graduating in Winter 2019, on the Dean’s Honours List with a 90.35 average.

When asked about her favour courses she says “My two absolute favourites were American Lit and Popular Potter – the latter was my very last course, an elective that I took for the sheer pleasure of it. As a lifelong Harry Potter fan, I loved being Sorted into Houses and finally finding out what my Patronus was. And the exam was the best.  I took it at one of UW’s exam centres, so the students were all from different disciplines.  Depending on the course, some of us were allowed to bring aids. My aids were all seven Harry Potter novels, which I meticulously lined up on my desk. There wasn’t one person who didn’t do a double take as they walked past me.  Before I knew it, the whole room was engaged in a lively discussion about Harry, which completely eradicated my pre-exam jitters.”

Read the rest of the article on the Centre for Extended Learning website.

Travel safety during your international experience

International Education Week (IEW) runs from November 18 to 22.

Are you traveling outside of Canada on university-sanctioned travel? The University of Waterloo strongly supports international learning and encourages students, faculty members and staff to explore these opportunities. Whether you are travelling internationally for an exchange, an internship, a field course, research, sabbatical, or other university business, your safety and security when travelling abroad is a priority.

The Safety Abroad Team at Waterloo International is here to provide you with the knowledge and resources to help manage and mitigate risks before, during, and after your trip. Our team helps you with your pre-departure preparations. While you are abroad, Safety Abroad provides you with access to travel alerts and advisories. When you register your trip with Safety Abroad we monitor travel alerts at your destination, giving you the assurance that help is available if and or when you need it.  We also provide assistance in coordinating emergency response should the need arise.

Here are some of the ways Safety Abroad can help you engage in safer travel practices to make your trip a success:

1. Before commencing your travels, submit your pre-departure travel form. Safety Abroad will review your form and respond with helpful resources and guidance to complete the required steps to meet your safety and security responsibilities before travel.
2. Prior to your travels, you should review the government of Canada’s Travel Advice and Advisories for your specific destination or region. Once Safety Abroad confirms the advisory level for your destination, we will advise you if it is a high risk destination that requires additional approvals. You may be required to complete and submit forms depending on the nature of your intended activities while abroad.
3. Familiarize yourself with the services of the University of Waterloo’s third-party travel safety provider, Anvil Group, which provides travel assistance and advice for both University-related and personal travel. This resource is available to students, faculty, and staff as they prepare for, and execute, international travel. While you are travelling, you can use this resource to access the 24/7 dedicated travel safety assistance phone line or email for help in any emergency medical, security and travel situation that you may encounter.
4. Register your travel with your Government prior to your departure. Canadian participants can register with the Canadian Government: Canadians Abroad.   For those who are not travelling on a Canadian passport, you are advised to register with the equivalent Consulate/Embassy of the Country of the passport you are travelling on, where possible.
5. Ensure your emergency contact information is up to date. Students should update their QUEST profile and faculty and staff should update their Workday information. Waterloo International recommends that you inform your emergency contact of your travel plans.
6. Ensure you have appropriate travel and health insurance for the duration of your time abroad. Know what to do in an emergency. Investigate the health status in your destination country and get the necessary vaccinations, medications, and related supplies. Obtain necessary VISAs/travel documents and know and follow local rules and regulations.
7. Remember once you arrive, complete your arrival notice form.

For more detailed information about your responsibilities and safety while travelling abroad, visit the Safety Abroad page. Safe travels!

President's Community Breakfast and other notes

The University of Waterloo's 2019 President's Community Breakfast will take place on Friday, November 22 at the offices of Vidyard in Kitchener. The event brings together community leaders from across Waterloo Region and is an opportunity for President Feridun Hamdullahpur to provide updates from the University, including details from the new 2020-2025 Strategic Plan and an exclusive look at the University's upcoming 2019 Economic Impact Report. There's still time to register.

The winners of the 2019 President's Community Impact Awards will also be announced at the community breakfast event. These annual awards recognize individuals or teams of community members, students, staff or faculty who embody the University’s spirit of innovation and contribute to making the Waterloo region strong and prosperous. 

The sixth annual Eco Summit is currently underway, with staff, students, faculty, and community partners reflecting on the campus sustainability progress, celebrating successes and building momentum for the year ahead. The event features welcoming remarks from Jim Rush, vice-president, academic & provost, highlights from the 2019 Sustainability Report, case study presentations from student, staff, and faculty representatives, a panel discussion, and the presentation of the Green Office Awards, with a special video message from President Feridun Hamdullahpur.

The event takes place from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Federation Hall.