Thursday, December 17, 2020


A thank-you from the United Way Campaign

The University of Waterloo sign wrapped up in red.

A message from the United Way Campaign committee.

Our 2020 United Way campaign has wrapped up and we wanted to send a sincere thank you to everyone who helped make this year a success. We’ve developed a video to say thanks to everyone who has contributed – and our President, Feridun Hamdullahpur, has made an appearance where he reveals the grand total of our campaign. Check it out below.

Whether you donated through e-pledge, supported a department fundraiser, or helped spread the word about the United Way, you helped us make this year memorable and impactful. 

Despite the campaign going virtual and being in a pandemic, together we’ve raised an amount we can truly be proud of.! With your support, United Way Waterloo Region Communities will be able to help more families through difficult times – whether that be to provide mental health services, housing, crisis support, voluntary support, or access to food. You have helped to build a stronger Waterloo region.

Thank you!

Safety Office issues safe laboratory shutdown guidelines

A close-up of laboratory glassware shrouded in darkness.

The Safety Office has circulated its annual memo regarding safe holiday laboratory shutdown procedures. 

"Please note for the holiday shutdown that due to winter weather conditions, utilities (especially electricity) may be affected," says the memo from Director of Safety Kate Windsor. "It is a general rule that all laboratory processes be designed to safely survive a service failure. During the holiday shutdown this is particularly important and the following precautions are recommended."

Added to that annual concern, of course, are COVID-related issues. "Campus-wide COVID-19 public health cleaning precautions WILL NOT be maintained while the University is closed, and temperature/ventilation will be lowered," Windsor's memo continues. "Only research and lab maintenance that has received special approval by a Faculty Dean will be serviced as per a planned schedule."

The Safety Office recommends the follow preparations for campus laboratories:

  • Suspend lab operations by Thursday, December 23, at 4:00 pm, resuming no earlier than Monday, January 4, 2021.
  • Shut down all processes vulnerable to failure of utilities.
  • Remove hazardous waste from the lab. Last day for main campus hazardous waste pickup and drop off at the Environmental Safety Facility is Friday, December 18. For more information call x35755.
  • Store hazardous materials properly and in containment areas and ensure that containers are closed or sealed.
  • Shut off compressed gases and gas supply lines to equipment.
  • Turn off and unplug, where possible, electrical equipment such as hot plates, computers and, if not containing hazardous materials, fume hoods and environmental chambers. This prevents damage to equipment due to power surges while reducing energy waste.
  • Ensure lab contact information is updated with names, phone numbers and addresses in a location accessible to emergency response personnel (e.g. inside of door), and provide emergency contact information to UW Police via email (uwpolice@uwaterloo.ca). If applicable, include documentation on contents of sensitive freezers and refrigerators in the lab.
  • Anyone approved to work in a lab during shutdown must have supervisor and departmental approval and adhere to the Working Alone Guidelines posted on the Safety Office website. Building access keys and named authorized persons must be arranged to be left with UW Police to be signed out only to those people that have   specifically been authorized.

If you have any questions about preparing your lab for shutdown contact the Safety Office at x35755.

In the event that you have a lab incident, the Safety Office asks that you:

  • Report failures of equipment or physical plant to Plant Operations at x33793.
  • If the lab or building has been without power, allow the lab exhaust systems to operate for at least 2 hours before entry to lab or building.
  • Contact the Safety Office or UW Spill Team through UW Police at 519-888-4911 or x22222 if you have concerns relating to hazardous materials spills.

The value of your data

A close-up of a smartphone displaying a QR code.

Asif Khan (BA ’97) is an expert in data. He’s made a career and company out of the ways our data is collected, stored and used.

When small businesses began collecting information for contact tracing, many of them turned to pen and paper. That didn’t seem very reliable or secure to Asif’s team at GroundLevel Insights.

To help those businesses, they created a QR-based service called CANATRACE, which provides a faster and more secure way to collect personal information from patrons. The service is completely bilingual and free.

Want to learn more about data mining? Watch the latest webcast from Waterloo Alumni, where Asif offers valuable insights about how our data can be used in positive ways — to provide you with better service, or to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Academic Advisor Conference issues call for proposals

Academic Advisor Conference banner image.

A message from the Academic Advisor Conference organizers.

While the 2020 Academic Advisor Conference was not planned as an online event, organizers and presenters rolled with the abrupt pivot to online everything and produced a great collection of presentations and resources that can still be accessed on the 2020 Conference website.

With the success of our first online Advisor Conference, the Academic Advising Community of Practice Professional Development Working Group is putting the call out for presentation proposals for the Seventh Annual Advisor Conference: The Challenge of Change which will once again be held virtually.

If you have valuable info to share with advisors or if you’re an advisor doing something innovative in this new world of advising online, consider submitting to present. Proposals should be a stimulating and/or interactive learning experience focusing on advising best practices, information sharing, or new initiatives.

Conference dates will be April 15 and 16, 2021 and the deadline for proposals is Friday, January 15, 2021.

Link of the day

International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers

When and Where to get support

Students can visit the Student Success Office online for supports including academic development, international student resources, leadership development, exchange and study abroad, and opportunities to get involved.

Instructors can visit the Keep Learning website to get support on adapting their teaching and learning plans for an online environment.

Updated Course templates are now available within your course in LEARN to help you build and edit your content and assignment pages quickly. Support for Winter 2021 is available.

The following workshops, webinars, and events are offered by the KL team (CTE, CEL, ITMS, LIB):

Independent Remote Course Design Essentials. Self-directed, continuous self-enrollment course in LEARN.

NEW - Remote Teaching Support Drop-In, Monday, January 4, 2021, 8:30 a.m. to Friday, January 8, 2021 at 4:30 p.m. 

NEW - Integrating PebblePad Retreat (IPR) (CTE7531), Tuesday, January 5, 2021, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

NEW - Assessment Design Drop-In, Wednesday, January 6, 2021, 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. 

Employees can access resources to help them work remotely, including managing University records and privacy of personal information. Here are some tips for staying healthy while working from home.

Stay informed about COVID cases on campus by consulting the COVID case tracker.

Whether you’re student or faculty, the Writing and Communication Centre has virtual services and programs to help you with your academic writing needs. 

  • Undergraduate students - come brainstorm, draft, revise and polish your assignments with us by meeting with one of our writing and multimodal communication specialists at a virtual appointment. Chat with our awesome peer tutors at our virtual drop-ins, PJ-friendly writing groups and Instagram Live Q&As. Or check out our online workshops at anytime, anywhere.
  • Graduate students - meet with one of our advisors at any step of the process at our virtual appointments. Take an online workshop at anytime, or join a virtual writing session at our Virtual Writing Cafés and #WaterlooWrites groups.
  • All UWaterloo instructors and faculty can request and access WCC workshops for use in your courses. You can also join a virtual writing group, or speak with a writing advisor about a writing project.

We understand that these circumstances can be troubling, and you may need to speak with someone for emotional support. Good2Talk is a post-secondary student helpline based in Ontario, Canada that is available to all students. If you feel overwhelmed or anxious and need to talk to somebody, please contact the University’s Campus Wellness services, either Health Services or  Counselling Services. You can also contact the University's Centre for Mental Health Research and Treatment.

The Library has published a resource guide on how to avoid information overload.

The Faculty Association of the University of Waterloo (FAUW) continues to advocate for its members. Check out the FAUW blog for more information.

The University of Waterloo Staff Association (UWSA) continues to advocate for its members. Check out the UWSA blog for more information.

The Waterloo Indigenous Student Centre facilitates the sharing of Indigenous knowledge and provides culturally relevant information and support services for all members of the University of Waterloo community, including Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, staff, and faculty.

WUSA supports for students:

Food Support Service food hampers are currently available from the Turnkey Desk on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Student Life Centre. If you have any questions please email us at foodsupport@wusa.ca.

The Bike Centre – Now open by appointment for your bicycle repair and rental needs in the Student Life Centre. 

Centre for Academic Policy Support - CAPS is here to assist Waterloo undergraduates throughout their experience in navigating academic policy in the instances of filing petitions, grievances and appeals. Please contact them at caps@wusa.ca. More information at https://wusa.ca/services/centre-academic-policy-support-caps.

WUSA Commissioners who can help in a variety of areas that students may be experiencing during this time:

WUSA Student Legal Protection Program - Seeking legal counsel can be intimidating, especially if it’s your first time facing a legal issue. The legal assistance helpline provides quick access to legal advice in any area of law, including criminal. Just call 1-833-202-4571

Empower Me is a confidential mental health and wellness service that connects students with qualified counsellors 24/7. They can be reached at 1-833-628-5589.

When and Where (but mostly when)

Healthy Warriors at Home. Free programming including Online Fitness, Health Webinars, Personalized Nutrition and more from Warriors Athletics and Rec. Open to students, staff, faculty and alumni. Register today.

Renison English Language Institute continues to offer virtual events and workshops to help students practice their English language skills.

Warriors vs. Laurier Blood Donation Battle. Join your fellow Warriors, donate blood and help us win the Blood Battle against Laurier for a second year in a row. Set up a profile or add the PFL code: UNIV960995 to your account if you have a blood.ca account already. Questions? Contact WarriorsInfo@uwaterloo.ca.

Take the UN75 survey. Waterloo International is asking the Waterloo community to fill out a survey to gather your perspectives about the state of global governance and where it should be headed. If you have questions, contact Aisha Shibli.

NEW - IT Seminar: Office 365 Apps - Outlook & Bookings, Friday December 18, 9:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Join online.

Co-operative Work Term ends, Wednesday, December 23. 

Final examinations end, Wednesday, December 23. 

NEW - University holiday closures, Thursday, December 24 to Sunday, January 3, 2021. Campus reopens Monday, January 4, 2021.