Wednesday, November 24, 2021

Remembering Robert Sexton

"It is with sadness we share with the UWaterloo community that Robert Sexton has passed away," says a statement from Food Services. He was 49 years old.

Rob started with Food Services in July 2011 and was promoted to Area Manager, Operation in December 2013. As part of his duties as Area Manager, Rob oversaw operations at Fed Hall, The University Club and many different units on campus. 

"He was a dedicated member of the Food Services team and will be greatly missed," says the Food Services statement.

You can share your condolences at https://www.henrywalser.com/memorials/robert-sexton/4786436/index.php and you are invited to join Rob's family for a Funeral Mass live-stream at https://www.henrywalser.com/live-streaming. The live-stream will start today at 10:15 a.m. with a video tribute followed by the funeral mass at 10:30 a.m.

In accordance with the University's flag-lowering guidelines, flags on campus will be lowered today in Rob's honour.

As an expression of sympathy, donations to Grand River Hospital Foundation or Waterloo Minor Hockey would be appreciated by the family.

Why I'm supporting student priorities this Giving Tuesday

A message from Dr. Vivek Goel, President and Vice-Chancellor.

Coming to the end of another challenging year marked by the pandemic, I am inspired by the resiliency of our University community. I also understand the toll that COVID-19 has had, especially on our students. This Giving Tuesday, I am personally supporting the Waterloo Fund because it offers the University the ability to quickly respond to the most pressing priorities, including supports for students.

As a university president and public health physician, I am acutely aware that learning within a pandemic environment has taken its toll on our students’ mental health, and it has affected their studies. Since COVID-19 lockdowns, young people aged 15 to 24 reported the greatest declines in mental health compared to all other age groups in Canada.

This coming year, supporting our students’ wellbeing and their university experience will be more important than ever. The most significant experiences in a student’s development can be participation in athletics, arts, student clubs and governments. At our institution in particular, co-operative education, with its placements in workplaces, forms an essential part of the post-secondary experience for many students. These experiences have all been impacted by the pandemic. As we seek to gradually return to “normal” operations, our students will need extra support.

Giving to the Waterloo Fund will support the University in priorities areas such as:

• building a campus community where all students feel safe and empowered 
• ensuring students feel supported as they continue to return to campus 
• creating new ways to help students find meaningful work experiences 
• making sure students have learning and research tools at their fingertips even when they can’t be on campus 
• supporting our student-athletes as they continue to return to competition

As we continue to respond to the changing public health situation, the way we support our students will need to be flexible. If you have the ability to give, I would encourage you to support the Waterloo Fund as it has the built-in flexibility to redirect funding to emerging initiatives as they develop. 

These young people are our best hope for a sustainable, equitable future. Your generosity can help support the best-possible experiences for our students and enable them to thrive.

Visit the Giving Tuesday website to see all the challenges, and return November 30 to make your gift. 

Eco Summit begins today

A message from the Sustainability Office.

The Sustainability Office reminds all staff, students, and faculty to attend the 2021 Eco Summit: Youth Leading the Way for Climate Action both today and tomorrow.

Climate change is here, and it is young people who will face the worst impacts.

At the main event today from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., the Sustainability Office will highlight campus initiatives over the past year while launching the 2021 Sustainability Report.

We will further discuss the role of youth and climate action at the Youth & Climate Action Panel Discussion on November 25 from 11:00 a.m. to 12 noon with the University’s Youth & Innovation Project, alumni and current students to discuss research and experiences as youth leading the way for climate action.

Finally, the Sustainability Office will host a Youth Changemaker Speed Networking Session on November 25 from 12 noon to 1:00 p.m. This Speed Networking will bring together young people who are prominent change makers to discuss their experiences with other young people and how they can further support the Climate Action Community.

For those interested in more information and would like to sign up, please visit our website.

Teaching and Learning Conference issues call for proposals

A message from the Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE).

Members of the University community are invited to submit a proposal for the University of Waterloo's 13^thannual Teaching and Learning Conference, taking place April 27 and April 28, 2022. Our 2022 conference theme is “ Fostering Partnerships in Pedagogy”.

Partnerships can be student-centered, empowering the role of learners and connecting them with faculty for a more central role in their learning. Partnerships can exist in experiential learning environments or in cooperative education, providing learners with the opportunity to gain authentic experience and become valued members of a team. Partnerships can be cross-disciplinary in nature, drawing upon knowledge and experience of faculty from across the University to forge new ideas and innovative teaching practices. Partnerships can leverage the role of academic support units to help craft educational experiences that benefit all learners.

For our 13^th annual Teaching and Learning Conference, we invite you to submit proposals for presentations, panel discussions, workshops, poster presentations, and a teaching and learning showcase.

For more information check out the Call for Proposals website.

WE Accelerate continues to be a first work term option this winter

By Matthew King.

With a larger cohort of co-op students looking for work in the winter term, first work term students will once again have Waterloo Experience (WE) Accelerate as an option.

Initially offered in the 2021 spring term, WE Accelerate was created to help first work-term students struggling to find a co-op job. This optional program gives students the opportunity to gain in-demand skills and work experience, all while gaining a flexible work term credit.

“We are excited to continue to provide a quality work-integrated learning experience that differs from a traditional co-op work term to our first work-term students,” says Norah McRae, associate vice provost, Co-operative and Experiential Education. “First work term students often struggle to find a co-op job, so WE Accelerate gives them the opportunity to gain that valuable work experience in a supportive setting.”

The winter term will feature four skill streams with participation from industry collaborators Microsoft, Desire2Learn (D2L), Concept and Vidyard.

The skill streams offered in the Winter include:

• Microsoft azure artificial intelligence
• Innovation
• Brightspace training
• Digital bootcamp

The program features skills training, project experience working on a real-world problem, and career curriculum bookends.

The WE Accelerate pilot was funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Innovative Work-Integrated Learning program and CEWIL Canada's iHub, allowing students to receive a one-time award.

United Way Conversation for Change; Concept $5K; other notes

"On November 25, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., the United Way is hosting the webinar How to Build Social Impact into Your Career as part of their United Voices series," says a note from the University's United Way campaign. "Hear from professionals and volunteers as they discuss building a resume through philanthropy and volunteering, and how you can build a commitment to social good in your career. We'll explore how dedicating a small portion of your time can give you a career advantage. Register on their website: United Way (uwaywrc.ca)."

The Concept $5K finals are set for Thursday, November 25 at 5:00 p.m. Eight student teams will be delivering their pitches to a virtual panel of judges. Join the virtual audience and watch the student teams take the virtual stage and compete for their share of $25K in grant funding to help take their startup ideas to the next level.

You can register for the virtual event online.

As part of the History Speaker Series 2021-22, Dr. Doreen Kembabazi, postdoctoral researcher from Ghent University in Belgium will deliver an address entitled Austerity, Experimentation and Opposition: The Global and Local Politics of Biomedical Contraception in Uganda on Friday, November 26 at 10:00 a.m. on Zoom.

"This talk examines the establishment of the birth control project in Uganda by American physician and eugenicist Clarence Gamble as a biomedical endeavor driven by global concerns about the reproductive capacities of Ugandan women and global overpopulation," says the talk's promotional material. "It shows how these concerns clashed with local anxieties about demographic changes, social and political reproduction, and medical ethics. The talk examines the birth control project in Uganda as a form of reproductive exploitation of women. Dr. Kembabazi argues that Gamble’s experimentation on women, and refusal to engage the public and their detractors, legitimized the concerns of pronatalist groups who tapped into a global racialized rhetoric that birth control would exterminate the Black race."

Dr. Kembabazi holds a PhD in African History, from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Register to receive a Zoom link for the talk.

"Jo Ann Chesher has ridden the waves of change at UWaterloo for close to 47 years, from collecting tuition in cash to being the first one on the Student Financial Services (SFS) team to go paperless," says a note from Student Financial Services. "She began her university career as a receptionist in Office of Research in January 1972 and joined the Student Financial Services team (known as the Cashier’s Office back then) in 1981. Very shortly, she will be embracing another big change. On Monday, November 29, Finance will be celebrating Jo Ann’s commitment, her contributions and her retirement. Student Financial Services will be unavailable for phone, email, Skype or Teams service between 10:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on Monday, November 29 to ensure we all have a chance to mark this milestone with Jo.

"If you think an Extended Reality (XR) app or XR-based activity could enhance your students’ learning, join us on Friday, November 26 at noon to find out how the funding recently announced by the Ontario government can support such projects," says a note from the Centre for Extended Learning (CEL). "The funding is part of the government’s Virtual Learning Strategy (VLS), and it targets Extended Reality as one of four priority areas for the $8 million it’s making available."

The session, which is part of Waterloo’s XR Community of Practice, will start at 12:00 pm on Friday, November 26 in MS Teams. The Centre for Extended Learning is co-ordinating Waterloo’s applications for the VLS funding, and CEL’s Dina Meuniere will be in attendance to provide an overview of the funding and to respond to questions. If attendees are interested, time will also be allotted to discuss prospective projects in small groups.

"Please visit the event listing at the Centre for Teaching Excellence to register for the event."