Monday, March 14, 2022

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• Waterloo's response in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine
• Masks required until at least the end of term
• Presentation examines the potential of Virtual Reality as a therapeutic tool
• New drama production really cuts the mustard
• Pi Day and other notes

Waterloo's response in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine

By Ian Rowlands, Associate Vice-President, International and Sam Toman, Manager, Media Relations and Issues Management.

The events unfolding in Ukraine are horrific. Russia’s attack on Ukraine, and its international response, are impacting our Waterloo community. This violence, coupled with consequent economic, social, and other impacts, have prompted the University of Waterloo’s staff, students, faculty, and units, to come together and facilitate a broad range of supports.

Specifically, we recognize Waterloo’s Ukrainian community is experiencing significant stress and grief now, while also acknowledging that virtually all of us are subject to unavoidable images of violence and destruction that may trigger experiences of trauma and frustration.

Working with many across campus, Waterloo International and our academic support units are coordinating efforts to ensure that robust supports are in place to meet these challenges. Waterloo is also in contact with sector organizations, and national and global partners, to help to ensure every student, faculty, and staff member gets the assistance they need.

Waterloo's response

Here on campus, we urge international graduate students financially affected to review the Graduate Student Contingency Bursary for details or contact GSPA’s awards team.   Undergraduates students and domestic graduate students should review the Student Bursary for aid details or contact the Student Awards & Financial Aid office. Questions about visas and travel can be directed to the immigration consulting team within the Student Success Office.

A wide range of mental health supports are also available for all students through Campus Wellness, and (for undergraduate students), academic advisors, and (for graduate students), supervisor(s), graduate officer, departmental coordinator, or Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs to respond to any academic concerns.

As members of regional, provincial, national, and global communities we are working with associations such as the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) and Universities Canada (UnivCan) to coordinate assistance efforts while continuing our work with World University Service of Canada and Academics Without Borders who have established ties with universities globally.

Waterloo invites anyone studying in Ukraine (regardless of nationality) wishing to pursue their education here to apply. We have waived the usual application deadline (1 February 2022) for fall semester beginning September 2022. For applications arriving before 1 April 2022, we have committed to prompt review of applications in as flexible a manner as possible.

Finally, in the spirit of solidarity, we encourage anyone at Waterloo, staff or faculty, who might want to volunteer academic assistance to let Waterloo International know.  

For more details, contact information, and resources please visit Waterloo’s collection of actions in response to this crisis.

Donate to the Red Cross.

Masks required until at least the end of term

In light of the Chief Medical Officer of Health for Ontario sharing an update and statement on changes to the mandatory masking requirement in the province, President Vivek Goel and Vice-President, Academic & Provost James Rush provided an update to the University on Waterloo's face covering mandate.

"From March 21, the province will lift the mandatory masking requirement in most settings, including post-secondary institutions," the president and provost write. "At Waterloo, to minimize the potential for disruption to the end of the term schedule and exams, we will maintain our current mask-wearing requirement until at least the end of the Winter term. It is our hope that this helps minimize uncertainty and disruption and continues to support our students, staff, faculty and University community."

"This means that masks remain mandatory in all indoor spaces where you cannot maintain 2 meters of physical distancing. The University has appropriate options for face coverings available at no cost to units for employees and students."

Check the COVID-19 website for more information.

"As we confirmed on February 7, and in line with all other Ontario universities, our proof of vaccination requirement will remain in place until at least the end of the Winter term," the president and provost's memo continues. "We recently updated our information on our proof of vaccination requirement following changes by the Chief Medical Officer of Health on March 1."

"We continue to keep our proof of vaccination policy and our mask requirement under review and expect to update our community on requirements before the start of the Spring term."

"The University is committed to the prevention of illness and injury and strives to provide a safe work and study environment for its employees, students, and visitors, President Goel and Provost Rush write. "As always, we urge you to remain vigilant. If you experience any symptoms of COVID-19, please do not come to our campuses. If you are eligible for vaccination or boosters, please book an appointment as soon as possible. Vaccination remains the best protection against the worst effects of COVID-19 and its variants and is the most important way to protect public health."

Presentation examines the potential of Virtual Reality as a therapeutic tool

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

On March 31, Dr. Stéphane Bouchard from the Université du Québec en Outaouais will present an online session for the Waterloo community entitled “Using Virtual Reality in Psychotherapy.” Dr. Bouchard will provide an overview of the psychotherapeutic applications of VR in the fields of anxiety disorders, addictions, body image disturbances and schizophrenia. He leads the UQO Cyberpsychology Laboratory and is a Canada Research Chair in Clinical Cyberpsychology.

The session is co-sponsored by the Centre for Teaching Excellence, the Centre for Extended Learning, and the Library. To attend the session on Thursday, March 31 from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. Please register.

New drama production really cuts the mustard

The University of Waterloo's Theatre and Performance Program presents Mustard, a play written by Kat Sandler and directed by Liza Balkan.

"In Mustard, we meet a mother and daughter on the verge of total breakdown," says a note from the Theatre and Performance program. "The other member of the household is the daughter's imaginary friend she’s had forever. We also meet a boyfriend, and a couple of other wildly extraordinary folk who arrive with a crucial job to do."

"Mustard is a comic-tragic play, that can be silly at times, but it is also about a lot of very serious and scary things, including divorce, alcoholism, suicide, mental health, teen pregnancy and growing up, which can be violent, tragic, funny, and magical all at once," says an announcement from the Theatre and Performance Program. "At its core Mustard is a play about love: we are watching real people deal with real problems with real stakes, trying to find ways to love and be loved, and some of those people just happen to be magical."

"Prior to the production audience members are invited to engage with the virtual and/or physical engagement space. Doors will open 30 minutes prior to the performance so the audience can engage with the installation that reflects Mustard’s theatrical points of emphasis. In the theatre gallery, spectators are invited to immerse themselves in a thematic display meant to extend the world of the play to the world right in front of us."

Performances run from March 23 to 26 at 7:30 p.m. in the Theatre of the Arts. Purchase your tickets online.

Pi Day and other notes

You'll excuse our circular logic if we remind you that today is Pi Day, a celebration of one of life's constants: the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. Traditionally held on March 14 every year (3-14 being the most famous of Pi's digits), you are likely to see members of the Faculty Mathematics and other Pi enthusiasts reciting Pi from memory and enjoying slices of pie to celebrate the occasion.

This year, Pi Day is being celebrated virtually with a special Dean's Lecture and Pi Day celebration online.

The Faculty of Mathematics is also running a Pi Day contest on Twitter with a chance to win, what else, a Raspberry Pi computer kit. Tag the Faculty in a tweet showcasing your Pi creativity. 

Vessna Perunovich's Here. In Absence.

The University of Waterloo Art Gallery (UWAG) has announced that its current exhibitions by Vessna Perunovich and Raven Davis have been extended to March 25.

Vessna Puronovich's Here. In Absence and Raven Davis's Mmenwenmad | To Save for Later are both being exhibited in North America for the first time.

Raven Davis's Mmenwenmad | To Save for Later.

In addition, The University of Waterloo Art Gallery, CAFKA and the Department of Fine Arts are pleased to present artist Raven Davis in conversation with writer Glodeane Brown on Thursday, March 17 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. You can register for this online event via Eventbrite.

The gallery hours are Wednesday to Friday, 12 noon to 5:00 p.m. You can preview the exhibitions on UWAG's website.

The UW Shuttle for Staff parking in X lot will be restarting on March 21, 2022. It will run Monday to Friday starting in X Lot 7:00 a.m. with the last morning pickup at 8:50 a.m. from the X-lot, according to an announcement from Parking Services. In the evenings the first afternoon pickup will start at 4:00 p.m. at DC. The last drop off is at X-lot at 5:30 p.m. The capacity of the shuttle may be limited according to Public Health Guidelines and all staff must continue to wear a mask in while in the shuttle van. Please call or email Parking Services if you have any questions at uparking@uwaterloo.ca or 519-888-4567 ext. 33100.