Friday, August 14, 2020

University says thank you to employees with days off

A message from Feridun Hamdullahpur, President and Vice-Chancellor.

We have all had to navigate changes to our way of life and ways of working over the past five months. Unlike most Universities, we have also had to deliver the largest Spring Term in Canada and help thousands of students find co-op employment. 

We have accomplished so much thanks to your commitment and your truly outstanding work.

To show our heartfelt appreciation for your work, I would like to announce that each employee at the University will receive two Thank You Days that you can take between now and the end of 2020. You can take two of your normal scheduled workdays and you should plan the timing with your supervisor outside of normal time off processes.

Once again, thank you. It has been a challenging year for our institution, but every day I feel lucky to be able to count on each of you to push us forward.

Library website downtime scheduled for August 21 and 22

A message from the Library.

The library website and online resources will experience downtime starting at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 21 for approximately 12 hours. Please note that during this period most online resources and services will be unavailable to our users.

The outage is required to perform infrastructure maintenance and will improve our ability to support and maintain our library resources. Thank you for your patience as we perform this important work.

Services unavailable during the maintenance period

• Library home page and all subsites
• Course Reserves
• Print Pickup @ Porter booking system
• UWSpace
• Waterloo Digital Library
• Get access from anywhere

Services available

• Library catalogue (Omni)
  Please note that access to the majority of online resources in Omni will be unavailable during the outage.
• Interlibrary loan (RACER)
• Research guides by subject
• Ask us
• Chat

Library services will be restored as soon as possible. We apologize for this inconvenience.

Questions or concerns?

Please use our Ask us service.

IST celebrates Dave Kibble and wishes him the best in retirement

A message from Bruce Campbell, CIO, Information Systems & Technology

With a career in central IT at the University of Waterloo spanning decades, Dave Kibble has been instrumental in the creation and growth of some of the University's most critical information systems, and in 2013, created Information System & Technology's (IST) first Portfolio Management Group.

Dave’s strong relationships with campus and IT leadership, and with employees in both IT and non-IT roles, have been pivotal in Dave’s effectiveness in advancing and leading many campus-wide initiatives, including the University’s Data as a Strategic Resource program and the 2019/2020 Campus IT Review.

It is with sincere gratitude for his many contributions to the University, his advice and wisdom over the years, that I announce Dave Kibble, strategic consultant, IST, is retiring. 

Dave at Waterloo

It was in 1975, as part of a high school trip from Windsor to meet Math instructors and visit the Red Room, that Dave Kibble first arrived at the University of Waterloo. Three years later Dave would return to Waterloo to begin his post-secondary studies, graduating in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (with Management Sciences option), having completed six co-operative work terms throughout.

Dave joined Waterloo in 1983 as a programmer/analyst in what was then the Data Processing (DP) department. Dave went on to hold a project leader role, followed by manager, student systems and manager, technical services before DP and DCS were reorganized into IST. Within IST, Dave became director, information systems, followed by director, portfolio management, and later strategic consultant; he also served as acting chief information officer (CIO) when needed.

During his time in these key roles, Dave helped lead the implementation of many of the first information systems that would replace manual and/or non web-based predecessors, including the Quest student information system, JobMine, the Trellis Tri-University Group system, WatIAM, and Raisers Edge.

Dave has always been a strong supporter of staff IT conferences, serving on the WatITis and CANHEIT program committees and presenting regularly at these and other conferences. Dave’s commitment to Waterloo extends beyond IT, having over the years shared his knowledge and insights through student lectures in Math, Computer Science, and Management Sciences, and as a volunteer for the Pension and Benefits Committee, Excellence Canada Steering Committee, Dispute and Resolution Committee (Policy 36), and Staff Association board.  

Dave after Waterloo

Dave has always considered himself very fortunate to have landed where he did, commenting, “I can’t think of a better place to spend a career." Dave's last day at Waterloo will be September 4, and while many may assume his start to the fall term would be more relaxed or leisurely than those past, Dave is excited to refocus his time and attention on his active, nearly two-year old grandson, Ezra. He is also looking forward to some family and travel time with his wife Cindy and sons Craig and Chris.  

Please join me in wishing Dave a very happy retirement.

Ken McLaughlin co-authors new book on the history of Waterloo Township

University historian Ken McLaughlin, along with local author Murray Brooksbank, has published a book entitled Preserving Our Past: the Ormston Heritage House, A Window into Waterloo Township’s History.

"Our book is based on the premise that without knowing our past, how can we understand our present?" writes McLaughlin. The book covers the creation of the Haldimand Tract, the first land sales, and the arrival of English, Scottish, and Mennonite settlers, "and subsequent generations down to the present, sharing the stories of their lives that offer a rare window into Waterloo Township and its history."

The centrepiece of the book is the heritage stone house, built in 1851 by Murray Brooksbank's ancestors, that the City of Kitchener's heritage committee designated as a property of historical and architectural merit. Other photographs in the book highlight the local Grand and Speed Rivers, and the Brubacher House on the University of Waterloo's north campus makes an appearance.

With more than 150 photographs and images, ranging from Governor Haldimand, Thayendananegea (Joseph Brant), John Graves Simcoe and Richard Beasley to the arrival of the sponsored Petworth Immigrants to Ian Ormston’s award of the Distinguished Flying Cross by King George VI, McLaughlin and Brooksbank have traced and uncovered the life stories of those who settled and made their lives in Waterloo Township.

McLaughlin was recently featured in a Waterloo Region Record article about the new publication.

Preserving Our Past is available at W Store and at Words Worth Books in UpTown Waterloo.