Friday, September 16, 2022

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• Join the conversation at the President's Forum and Waterloo at 100 consultations
• Postdoc Appreciation Week starts on Monday
• Colleen Philips-Davis brings passion, experience to EDI-R role at CEE
• A Late Arrival Welcome for international students
• Sustainability Action Fund open for applications
• The Centre for Career Action wants your feedback

Join the conversation at the President's Forum and Waterloo at 100 consultations

President and Vice-Chancellor Vivek Goel wants to hear from you.

Throughout the fall term President Goel is holding a series of in-person and virtual consultations to hear ideas from the university community and our partners about how we continue to ensure Waterloo is an institution positioned for the future. 

Attend the President’s Forum

You are invited to join President Goel on Monday, October 3, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. for the President’s Forum.

Hosted live in the Theatre of the Arts (ML 135), and virtually on Microsoft Teams, the President’s Forum is your opportunity to hear from President Goel about the Waterloo at 100 initiative. The forum will also include an “any topic” Q&A session hosted by Sandra Banks, Vice-President, University Relations, where President Goel and other University leaders will answer questions from the audience in person and participating online.

Register today for the President's Forum on October 3

Have your say at the Waterloo at 100 consultation sessions

Since the first part of 2022, more than 1,000 people have participated in preliminary consultations as part of the Waterloo at 100 visioning exercise to develop a longer-term vision that will address: What do we as an institution aspire to become by our 100^th anniversary in 2057?

As we embark on a second round of consultations this fall, all members of the University community are invited to read the latest discussion paper and continue sharing ideas for the long-term success of Waterloo, by attending one in a series of informal chats with President Goel.

In addition to the Forum, six Waterloo at 100 consultation sessions will be held both virtually and in-person between September 26, and October 14, 2022.

Sign up for a session that works for you and join the conversation.

Have your say: Waterloo at 100 consultation dates and times. 

Postdoc Appreciation Week starts on Monday

A message from Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA).

We are thrilled to announce that this year the University of Waterloo is once again celebrating National Postdoc Appreciation Week (NPAW), which runs from Monday, September 19 to Friday, September 23. Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs has organized events and giveaways taking place all throughout next week, with the full details on our NPAW 2022 page.  

Postdoctoral fellows are such an important part of the UWaterloo community, and we’re grateful for this chance to celebrate them and the important work that they do. To help the campus community learn more about postdocs, we will be posting information and facts about postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Waterloo each day during NPAW.

What can you do to celebrate National Postdoc Appreciation Week?

If you have postdocs working in your area, take some time next week to wish them a Happy National Postdoc Appreciation Week and thank them for all they do!

You can also learn more about postdoctoral fellowship by follow along with our daily posts and exploring the National Postdoc Association or the Canadian Association of Postdoctoral Scholars.

Colleen Philips-Davis brings passion, experience to EDI-R role at CEE

By Matthew King.

Colleen Phillips-Davis has spent almost 20 years making her mark at the University of Waterloo. Her experiences and passion to create change will be a major asset as she embarks on a new leadership role.

Phillips-Davis began her tenure at Waterloo as a co-op coordinator before moving into the role of account manager. She spent the last 10 years leveraging her relationships to foster successful connections between students and employers. In July, Phillips-Davis stepped into the newly created role of associate director, equity, diversity, inclusion & anti-racism.

Her role will focus on strengthening the approach within Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) to lead the department’s strategic direction in the critical areas of equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism (EDI-R). Phillips-Davis will report to both the Associate Provost of CEE and the office of equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism at Waterloo.

“Colleen brings an extensive knowledge of CEE’s inner workings as well as a passion for making a difference in the EDI-R realm. In this role, Colleen can continue to deliver advocacy and devotion for EDI-R while impacting change within the department and institution,” says Norah McRae, associate provost, CEE.

Preparing for the future

Co-operative education is a key area of development in the EDI-R space at Waterloo, as the department helps to prepare the next generation of talent for the workforce. Waterloo’s current students, several of whom are part of Generation Z, will be the most diverse talent to ever hit the workforce. Dr. Christopher Taylor, associate vice-president, equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism, believes Phillips-Davis' experience gives her a deep understanding of the changes that need to happen.

“CEE is a juggernaut, so to have someone who has been in that space for a long time and understands the nuances, understands the partners, understands the relationships across the institution, is really important,” says Dr. Christopher Taylor. “To have somebody like Colleen, who has that experience is top notch and fantastic. On top of that, she does have that experience in EDI-R. So, to be able to marry those two skill sets is essentially finding a unicorn.”

A crucial aspect of the position will involve building internal campus-wide relationships to align with Waterloo’s vision and strategic direction for EDI-R and accessibility.

“Waterloo is known for being the most innovative university and this is our opportunity to embed innovation from an EDI-R lens,” says Phillips-Davis. “It's our opportunity to disrupt some of the policies and procedures that are in place that create a barrier, but having diverse ways of seeing, knowing, and being will set us up for the next 100 years and beyond.”

In alignment with the CEE strategic plan, Phillips-Davis will focus largely on future-proofing our students and staff. She will deepen the understanding of the student experience with the lens of equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism and anti-discrimination. With staff, Phillips-Davis will lead the development of staff awareness and engagement in these areas.

“It starts with staff, because staff are the ones who engage with the students, so you must give staff the capacity, that knowledge, to be able to work with students who come from very diverse experiences,” says Phillips-Davis. “Having that knowledge about how to triage if it is a mental health and wellness concern, or if there are other concerns, gives them the information to support the students appropriately. So, it is capacity building, it’s knowledge building. But staff is critical to ensure that students have that incredible experience that they should have.”

Further to ensuring that student and staff experience, Phillips-Davis will continue to work with co-op employers.

"Providing our industry partners with the tools to overlay EDI-R in the workplace is important as they play a critical role in providing an inclusive environment where students can thrive as they navigate their co-op work-integrated learning experience and beyond,” says Phillips-Davis.

The associate director will play a key role in the development and implementation of the 2022-2025 EDI-R strategic plan. Upcoming projects include:

• AIWL: Advancing into Waterloo Leadership;
• EDI-R Office Fellowship Program;
• Anti-Racism Impact Assessment Black and Indigenous Faculty Mentorship Program;
• Transitional Year Program;
• Inclusive Washrooms;
• Anti-Racism Policy and response guidelines;
• Anti-Racism response case review system; and
• Accessibility to menstrual products.

“When we look at the EDI-R office, when we look at our office, when we look at Colleen's role, it's not just about making people's lives easier, it's about making services more accessible,” says Dr. Taylor.

A Late Arrival Welcome for international students

A message from the Student Success Office.

Due to study permit processing delays, cancelled flights and other challenges related to COVID-19, we know many first-year international students missed important Orientation events and sessions. To help these students adjust to life in Canada and transition successfully to Waterloo, we’ve extended programming for this population throughout September. 

Late Arrival Welcome will offer opportunities for students to learn about the local and campus communities, build their networks, and complete essential tasks like setting up bank accounts, all with support from knowledgeable upper-year volunteers and staff. Programming begins on Saturday, September 17 with an introductory session that explores Canadian classroom expectations, and concludes with an evening bonfire on Thursday, September 29.  

For a full list of events and activities, visit the Student Success Office website.  

Sustainability Action Fund open for applications

A message from the Sustainability Office.

Have a project idea to advance sustainability on campus?

The Sustainability Action Fund is now accepting applications for projects that will work towards the University’s Environmental SustainabilityStrategy. Projects can include infrastructure improvements, campaigns, or activities to increase awareness of sustainability issues on campus, and programs to support sustainable behaviours.

Applicants can request between $2,000 and $30,000 in funding this term, and can be led by staff, students, or faculty members.

Some examples of past projects that have successfully received funding include:

• SDG youth training conference;
• Secure bike cage;
• Standardized waste receptacles;
• Arts/Environment gardens signage; and
• Biology Growth Chamber retrofit.

The deadline for applications is Friday, October 14. Full details and instructions are available on the Sustainability Action Fund webpage.

The Centre for Career Action wants your feedback

A message from the Centre for Career Action.

The Centre for Career Action is looking for valuable feedback from students at Waterloo. We are inviting all undergraduate and graduate students to share their feedback on our services, resources, and programming and how we can improve to become a safer and more inviting space for you to reach out to regarding work- or career-related support.

Participants who submit a response by September 30 will receive a $5 Starbucks gift card – details of how to enter contact information are included in the survey.

Click here to submit a response.