The Daily Bulletin is published by Internal and Leadership Communications, part of University Communications
Contact us at bulletin@uwaterloo.ca
Submission guidelines
Indigenous Commitment ceremony signals new beginnings
On September 22, 2022, the Indigenous peoples of the University of Waterloo will ask Vivek Goel, President and Vice-Chancellor, for a full commitment to reconciliation, Indigenization and decolonization at the institution.
The ceremony will commence with a Sunrise Ceremony at 7:00 a.m. at the Ceremonial Fire Grounds at United College. A Cedar Circle is scheduled to start, later that same day, at 10:30 a.m. at B.C. Matthews Hall (BMH) green, which will be immediately followed by a Pipe Ceremony and a traditional feast. The entire University community is welcome to attend and observe all of the ceremonies.
Register to attend the Cedar Circle and Pipe Ceremony
Former Chief, Elder and Indigenous Knowledge Keeper, Myeengun Henry, who works with the Faculty of Health, says the purpose of the Indigenous Commitment Ceremony is for the University of Waterloo to publicly acknowledge the harm that colonization has caused to Indigenous peoples and commit to meaningful and respectful work towards being an ally to the process of reclaiming Indigenous identity and culture, and decolonization.
“Reclaiming Indigenous ways of knowing and doing is required to achieve meaningful reconciliation,” Henry said. “Colonization has done extensive damage to the spirits of Indigenous peoples and the University has committed to Truth and Reconciliation in its strategic plan, but now the University has the opportunity to ceremonially honour this commitment, as we chart the way forward.”
“Indigenous Knowledge is sacred,” said Jean Becker, assistant vice-president of Indigenous Relations, who will also be participating in the ceremony, along with her staff. “I look forward to the opportunity to further increase awareness and knowledge of Indigenous traditions and culture across campus.”
What is the significance of September 22?
September 22, 2022 is the date of the fall equinox, when the hours of sunlight and darkness are roughly the same, and the sun is beginning a new phase in its annual cycle. The equinox signifies the changing of seasons, the harvest and the abundance of Mother Earth’s gifts to us. Prior to colonization, equinox was a time when migrating people prepared to move to winter quarters. Indigenous peoples recognize the equinoxes as spiritually significant times to express gratitude and appreciate our relationship to creation and our relatives on the earth.
What is the significance of a Sunrise Ceremony?
The Sunrise Ceremony is a deeply spiritual and sacred ceremony conducted to welcome a new day. It is a celebration of the sun and an occasion to give thanks to Father Sun for all creation. The Sunrise Ceremony also represents new beginnings. Participants might smudge with sage or burn other sacred medicines like sweetgrass and cedar.
What is the significance of the Cedar Circle?
Cedar plays an integral role in the spiritual beliefs of some Indigenous peoples and is used for a variety of ceremonial purposes. Cedar is a powerful symbol of strength and revitalization. The Cedar Circle represents safety, healing and protection and is used in many different ceremonies for that purpose.
What is the significance of a Pipe Ceremony?
The Pipe Ceremony is sacred to Indigenous peoples. Historically, it was used to open negotiations between different peoples as a way to facilitate meaningful talks. The Pipe ceremony is regarded as a way by which participants would be truthful, respectful and accept the decisions and agreements being made. This Pipe Ceremony will not be photographed or recorded.
Waterloo welcomes the latest cohort of Schulich Leaders Scholarship winners from across Canada
As the fall term begins for universities, a special group of first-year students is set to make a big impression on campus.
Winners of the Schulich Leaders Scholarship are among the best and brightest recent high school graduates, with both stellar grades and a dedication to community service that sets them apart.
“Waterloo is proud to welcome this year’s cohort of Schulich Leaders,” said Vivek Goel, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Waterloo. “These gifted scholars are change-makers who have the potential to make a significant impact through innovation that will change the world for the better.
“Schulich Leaders bring a unique drive and ambition that closely aligns with Waterloo’s strategic goals.”
Through The Schulich Foundation, these prestigious entrance scholarships are awarded to 100 high school graduates enrolling in a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate program at 20 partner universities in Canada.
Businessman and philanthropist Seymour Schulich established the $100+ million scholarship fund in 2012 in recognition of the increasing importance STEM disciplines will have on future prosperity.
The scholarships are valued at $80,000 and $100,000 and are awarded based on grades, extracurricular involvement and potential for innovative research and entrepreneurship.
Ten new Schulich Leaders will be attending Waterloo:
- Subha Azrin, Scarborough, ON;
- Tudor Barsan, Oakville, ON;
- Charlotte Alexandra Brown, Perth, ON;
- Norman Chen, St. John’s, NL;
- Maggie Liu, Maple, ON;
- Krishna Patel, Edmonton, AB;
- Ashwin Roperia, Brampton, ON;
- Sarah Wilson, Waterloo, ON;
- Michael Xu, Calgary, AB; and
- Jonathan Zhou, Calgary, AB.
Save the date: the 6th annual Keeping Well at Work Day is on October 13
A message from Organizational and Human Development (OHD).
As a kick-off to Thrive 2022, join your University of Waterloo colleagues as we gather for a day set aside for rejuvenation and inspiration across a breadth of health themes.
This year’s 1-day conference will be a hybrid experience, featuring a not-to-miss in-person morning at Federation Hall including a leadership panel on wellness, a renowned keynote speaker, a resource-filled Wellness Fair along with delicious and healthy refreshments. Off-campus employees can access the morning talks through a live stream.
The afternoon line-up of virtual workshops will offer a wide range of learning related to our personal, physical, mental, community and professional well-being.
Organizational and Human Development and the Healthy Workplace Committee invite you to mark your calendars and set aside Thursday, October 13 for the 6th annual Keeping Well at Work conference – developed by Waterloo employees, for Waterloo employees.
Registration for Keeping Well at Work opens on Tuesday, September 20 on Portal.
Call for participants in saliva-based asymptomatic COVID-19 screening on campus
All students, faculty, and staff on campus, along with their families (aged 18+) are invited to participate in the Asymptomatic Saliva Testing Research at Waterloo (ASTRAW) project – restarting on September 7, 2022.
This project, led by Professors Trevor Charles and Jozef Nissimov from the Faculty of Science, aims to determine the feasibility of a saliva-based rapid test for the early detection of COVID-19 on campus, and also track variants of concern in our community through virus genome sequencing.
If you are interested in participating, you can pick up a study kit outside of Biology 1 on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon. Participants are asked to provide a saliva sample twice a week, on their own time, and deposit it into the drop-off box on campus in the same location (Biology 1). Coordination of samples and testing is being done by the Waterloo Centre for Microbial Research (WCMR).
If a sample comes back COVID-19-positive, the participant will be contacted and encouraged to confirm the results at a certified Ontario provincial COVID-19 testing centre (if eligible), and/or to confirm with a rapid antigen test, and to follow all UWaterloo guidelines for health and safety.
This study looks for the virus in saliva samples instead of the more common nasopharyngeal swab. It uses the same detection method as the nasopharyngeal swab (quantitative polymerase chain reactions, or qPCR) but the researchers will also sequence the virus genome. This will provide more information into the virus’s genetic material and will identify potential Variants of Concern that may be circulating in the campus community. Saliva samples donated for this study may also be tested for the presence of other viruses (Influenza, RSV, Rhinovirus, Enterovirus, and Norovirus) in an attempt to study asymptomatic spread of these other viruses.
To find out more information, or to sign up and participate, visit the study website: https://uwaterloo.ca/waterloo-centre-microbial-research/ASTRAW
Saliva tests are still in development and are therefore research grade and not clinically diagnostic. It is not known yet how sensitive these tests are and whether they are as good or better than the conventional nasopharyngeal swab laboratory test performed at an approved provincial testing site.
Your participation in this project will be very valuable and will help to not only mitigate potential outbreaks on campus, but also learn more about the genomic sequence of COVID-19 and its variants.
This study has been reviewed by and received ethics clearance through a University of Waterloo Research Ethics Board.