The Daily Bulletin is published by Internal and Leadership Communications, part of University Communications
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Editor:
Brandon Sweet
University Communications
bulletin@uwaterloo.ca
By Brian Caldwell. This article was originally featured on the Faculty of Engineering website.
An alumnus of Waterloo Engineering who went on to a professional football career will be honoured with a mural in his Ontario hometown after a successful campaign by a determined group of kids.
Students in a grades 7 and 8 French immersion class at J. Douglas Hodgson Elementary School urged politicians in Haliburton to recognize the achievements of Taly Williams (BASc ’94, civil engineering) and his sister Lesley Tashlin alongside five local athletes already featured on an arena wall.
The campaign drew widespread support, including a letter from former Toronto Argonauts star and current team executive Mike ‘Pinball’ Clemens, and convinced council in Dysart et al Township to unanimously approve the addition of paintings of the two athletes to the wall of the A.J. LaRue Arena.
“I guess you could say we’re righting a wrong that was overlooked,” Mayor Andrea Roberts said.
A fundraising effort is now under way to pay for the murals. It has topped $12,000 on the way to its $30,000 goal.
Williams grew up in Haliburton and played football for the Waterloo Warriors before suiting up as a defensive back with both the Argonauts and the Hamilton Tiger Cats in the mid-1990s.
Now a co-founder and managing partner at AQORA Capital, an investment firm in Los Angeles focused on water infrastructure, technology and services, Williams has been touched by the effort.
“I would love to be on a mural to be a symbol to my kids and others regarding what you can achieve and who can achieve it,” he wrote when the campaign began.
Tashlin is the only Olympian to come from Haliburton County. She represented Canada at the Atlanta summer games in 1996, competing in the 100-metre hurdles and the 4 x 100-metre relay.
Williams, the first local player to make it to the Canadian Football League, and Tashlin both excelled in sports at Haliburton Highlands Secondary School, where some of their records still stand.
"If possible, (their) inclusion would seem to be a timely and fitting tribute," Clemens, a teammate of Williams on the Argos, wrote in his letter. "They would also become the first Black athletes on the mural, and it is my hope that this visual representation might inspire not just Black and BIPOC youth, but all children."
The students and their teacher, Marina Thomazo, have launched a GoFundMe page to help pay for the murals.
Each term, the GreenHouse social impact incubator at St. Paul’s University College hosts its Social Impact Showcase. It celebrates the amazing work GreenHouse students accomplish through their journeys of social innovation and entrepreneurship, while also providing an opportunity for students to acquire seed funding for their ideas.
This term’s event remains virtual and seven student teams have pitched their ventures online. While the initial adjudication decisions have already been made, there is still time to vote for your favourite student-led social venture.
The People’s Choice Award will be given to the social venture with the most online votes, alongside an additional $1,000. Voting is now open from August 6 to 9, with all winners of the Social Impact Fund being announced on August 10th, at noon via the GreenHouse Instagram account.
Some of the solutions the ventures are building include: biodegrading one-time use menstrual products; vertical farming systems for producing Irish moss; helping non-profits take advantage of digital tools; telling the stories of under-represented entrepreneurs; creating engaging mental health education content for youth; hosting a community for virtual women’s healthcare; and improving the performance of plastic-degrading microbes.
Experience the virtual showcase and vote today.
This article was originally featured on WAConnect, Waterloo Architecture’s website.
Fuori le Mura | City at the Edge is an exhibition about cities on the edge of a new condition.
Kitchener and Waterloo are experiencing dramatic change. The amount and the scale of new development is unprecedented. New construction is constant. The buildings are larger, and often come in clusters.
The expansion of post-secondary educational institutions and high-tech enterprises has brought new forms of building, new residents and new workers. High density residential developments increase housing costs, while they reduce the amount and quality of private space. There must be a response if the cities are to remain healthy, habitable, lively and attractive.
The work in this exhibition proposes specific solutions to the development of public space, pedestrian space, green space and cultural resources in downtown Kitchener and Northdale in Waterloo. Eight projects have been created by sixteen fourth year students from the University of Waterloo School of Architecture reflecting the Schools’ commitment to quality of life in our local communities. These projects present responses to intensification and gentrification. They aim to produce cultural projects that are not simply iconic, but also open, inclusive and supportive of local creative communities.
We have taken advice from municipal planners, architects, landscape architects, artists, cultural institutions, community leaders, educators and developers. The students have not stood apart and isolated, but have been involved at an unprecedented level with stakeholders in the community.
We warmly invite the public to visit the exhibition at the Crystal Ballroom of the Walper Hotel from August 10 to August 13, 2021. We are grateful to the Walper Hotel for hosting the exhibition and to Perimeter Developments and Momentum Developments for their generous support. Come see your city as it could be!
For information contact Professor Rick Haldenby.
This article was originally featured on Waterloo News.
Increasing uncertainties in market returns, government benefits and the rise in the cost of living is a growing concern for many who fear they may outlive their retirement savings. Professor Ken Vetzal of the School of Accounting and Finance explains how pension holders can manage their investments to improve the odds that their retirement savings will last.
Why is there a growing concern that retirement savings may not last the life of a retiree?
There are several reasons:
How do defined contribution and defined benefit pension plans differ?
DB plans promise a lifetime retirement income according to a given formula, typically designed to pay around 50 per cent of the employee's salary before retirement. Assuming the employer remains solvent, the risks of the plan fall mainly on the employer who manages the plan's investments and makes the promised payments. In a DC plan, employees make specified contributions into retirement savings accounts and manage the investments of those accounts themselves. The amounts available in retirement depend on the contributions and investment returns. Essentially, employees bear most of the risk in DC plans, employers for DB plans.
Is one better than the other?
There are pros and cons for each. DB plans are generally safer and simpler for long-term employees, with investments managed by the employer and promised payments known in advance. Employees who expect to switch employers or who are confident about managing their own investments may prefer DC plans. Given a successful investment strategy, they could get higher retirement income.
How can investments be optimized and managed for people with defined contribution pension plans?
Nothing is guaranteed. The best scenario is to improve the odds of success. In a recent study, Peter Forsyth (UW Computer Science), Graham Westmacott (PWL Capital), and I tried to design investment strategies for DC plan members that would give about the same retirement income as that promised for DB plan members. Strategies recommended by the finance industry resulted in too much chance of running out of money.
We tried more sophisticated methods, specifying an objective (such as minimizing the probability of running out of money) and computing the strategy that would best achieve that objective. Such strategies often worked well in the idealized conditions of the model but failed more often when tested with historical data. Our best approach aimed for a healthy remaining balance after 30 years in retirement but still had a small chance of failure. Compared to standard approaches, our strategy sacrifices upside gains in exchange for downside protection. Investors following standard approaches might do much better, but they could also do much worse.
How do you suggest that investors respond to market crashes, such as during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic?
Our model allows for occasional market crashes. Every few years, we expect significant declines in stock prices, such as the financial crisis in 2008, the dot-com crash in 2000, and other cases as well as COVID. In narrow financial terms, COVID was nothing new. How an investor following our strategy should respond to any market crash depends on circumstances. Investors trying to accumulate more savings to fund retirement should invest more in stocks, anticipating a recovery. In the case of COVID, investors who bought stocks in late March 2020 would have done very well to date. Alternatively, investors who have already accumulated sufficient funds for retirement may be relatively unaffected by a crash due to low remaining investments in stocks. Such investors should not do anything.
Our strategy is fundamentally contrarian, which can be difficult to implement. An investor may be required to buy more stocks when most other investors are selling. Conversely, after a lengthy bull market, the strategy could call for investors to sell stocks while others are still enjoying further good returns. It can be hard to be independent and not follow the crowd, but our study suggests that is the best thing to do.
This fall, the new SLC/PAC expansion will feature many great pieces of art made by students. One installation will be highlighting the importance of balance. The artist Queenie Wu, pictured right (undergrad Engineering student), is looking for voices from all over the UWaterloo community. You can be a part of it by answering a few short questions here. Wu will incorporate the answers into her art. Save the date for the grand opening on Thursday September 23rd at 12:00 noon. More details to come.
Just a few more wellness sessions remaining for the term! Register for sessions on Self-Care Strategies During COVID-19, COVID-19: Strategies for Managing Stress, and the Fundamentals of Change and Transition! To learn more about each workshop being offered this term and how to register, visit: uwaterloo.ca/healthy-workplace/spring-2021-wellness-sessions.
The Library recently joined Alex McCulloch in celebrating his retirement! After 35 years of dedication and exceptional service, Alex’s last day at work was July 30th. For library circulation inquiries please contact libcirc@uwaterloo.ca.
It's okay Charlie, I got an angle: Heavy Metal at 40
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.
Course templates are available within your course in LEARN to help you build and edit your content and assignment pages quickly.
The following workshops, webinars, and events are offered by the KL team (CTE, CEL, ITMS, LIB):
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.
The Writing and Communication Centre has virtual services and programs to help undergrads, grad students, postdocs and faculty members with academic writing.
Co-op students can get help finding a job and find supports to successfully work remotely, develop new skills, access wellness and career information, and contact a co-op or career advisor.
The Centre for Career Action assists undergraduates, graduate students, postdocs, staff, faculty, and alumni through navigating career services that are right for them. You can attend a one-on-one appointment or same day drop-in session at the CCA for assistance with cover letter writing, career planning and much more. You can also book an appointment online or visit our Live Chat to connect with our Client Support Team. The CCA is here to help you.
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. Good2Talk is a post-secondary student helpline available to all students.
The Library continues to offer virtual access to learning and research materials as well as through their book pickup and delivery services. Davis Centre Library study space is open by appointment Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Special Collections & Archives can also be accessed by appointment. Library staff are available for questions via Ask Us. Full details of current service offerings can be found on their Services Updates page. The Library has also 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 Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (SVPRO) supports all members of the University of Waterloo campus community who have experienced, or been impacted, by sexual violence. This includes all students, staff, faculty and visitors on the main campus, the satellite campuses, and at the affiliated and federated Waterloo Institutes and Colleges. For support, email: svpro@uwaterloo.ca or visit the SVPRO website.
The Indigenous Initiatives Office is a central hub that provides guidance, support, and resources to all Indigenous and non-Indigenous campus community members and oversees the university Indigenization strategy.
The Waterloo Indigenous Student Centre, based at St. Paul’s University College, provides support and resources for Indigenous students, and educational outreach programs for the broader community, including lectures, and events.
WUSA supports for students:
Peer support - MATES, Glow Centre, RAISE, Women’s Centre - Visit https://wusa.ca/peersupport to book an appointment
Bike Centre – Open via Appointments and Rentals
Campus Response Team, ICSN, Off Campus Community and Co-op Connection all available online. Check https://wusa.ca for more details.
Food Support Service food hampers are currently available from the Turnkey Desk on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Student Life Centre. If you have any questions please email us at foodsupport@wusa.ca.
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 is available.
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.
Healthy Warriors at Home (Online Fitness)
Fitness Classes (CIF GYM 3). Power Yoga, HIIT and Zumba. Only $4/class. Advanced registration required.
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.
Drop-in to Warrior Virtual Study Halls on Wednesdays from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Come together in this virtual space to set goals and work independently or in groups each week.
Renison English Language Institute continues to offer virtual events and workshops to help students practice their English language skills.
Spring 2021 Wellness Sessions are here. Register for sessions on Building Working Relationships, Self-Care Strategies During COVID-19, and more. To learn more about each workshop being offered this term and how to register, visit uwaterloo.ca/healthy-workplace/spring-2021-wellness-sessions.
New Faculty Teaching Days, Monday, August 9 to Tuesday, August 17.
CIHR Project Grant Reviewer Panel Session: Learn from grant reviewers about how to give your CIHR project grant application a competitive edge. Wednesday, August 11, 9:30 to 11 a.m. Please register by emailing: UW CIHR team (uwcihr@uwaterloo.ca)
The Daily Bulletin is published by Internal and Leadership Communications, part of University Communications
Contact us at bulletin@uwaterloo.ca
Submission guidelines
The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.