Monday, March 6, 2023

Welcome to Open Education Week

This article is one of a series celebrating Open Education Week, brought to you by the Open Scholarship Committee.

This week the University of Waterloo joins institutions around the world in celebrating Open Education Week.

The Open Scholarship Committee invites members of the Waterloo community and the general public to a number of virtual events. See Open Education Week 2023 for the schedule.

Join us to find out about open educational resources (OER) being developed on campus and to learn about a recent donation from Staebler Insurance to support the creation of such resources.

Showcase

Presentations that showcase Waterloo OER include the following:

• Allana Cattapan (Political Science)
• Barb Bloemhof (Economics)
• Elena Neiterman (Public Health Sciences)
• John Johnston (Earth and Environmental Sciences)
• James Skidmore (Germanic & Slavic Studies)
• Kim Cuddington (Biology)

Staebler Insurance OER Fellows Grant Accepting Applications

The Library is excited to be accepting applications for this year’s Staebler Insurance OER Fellows Grant. The grant will provide up to $100,000 (up to $20,000 annually) between 2023 and 2028. Grants can be used to design and create new resources, adapt existing resources, or develop resources that mix original and adapted content. Applications are due April 3, 2023. For more information, see Staebler Insurance OER Fellows Grant or join today’s information session (see schedule).

Additional events

Other programming at Waterloo this week includes presentations that explore the “how” of OER and a series of Daily Bulletin articles. Topics include extended reality, Pressbooks, accessibility, copyright and licensing, Traditional Knowledge Labels, and getting help at Waterloo (see schedule).

Many other Canadian institutions have scheduled events. A list is available at Open Education Week 2023: External Events.

Open Education Week is a global event designed to raise awareness about strategies, tools, and resources that benefit open learning. For more information about OE Week and OE Global, see the Open Education Global website.

SDG Week Canada begins today

A message from the Sustainability Office

March 6 marks the start of SDG Week Canada, a week-long national collaboration led by the Sustainability Hub at UBC, SDSN Canada, and Colleges and Institutes Canada (CiCan). Campuses across the country are leading programming and communications to raise awareness about the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), spark conversations about opportunities for collaboration within and across campus borders, and accelerate progress on the SDGs at our institutions.

Throughout the week, many groups across campus will be leading activities to help our campus community learn more about engaging with the SDGs in their work and studies. Some examples include:

Panel: Accelerating Progress Through Collaboration (Tues, Mar 7 | 1-2:30pm (EST) | Virtual)

• Hear from leaders from the Office of the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Anti-Racism, Office of Indigenous Relations, Campus Wellness and the Sustainability Office on connections and collaboration opportunities across their four portfolios.

Teaching the SDGs: Innovations in teaching about the Sustainable Development Goals (Tues, Mar 7 | 2-3pm (EST) | Virtual)

• This panel will explore innovation in the context of teaching the SDGs to help improve learning outcomes in universities and colleges across Canada, led by SDSN Canada and the Sustainability Hub at UBC. 

Panel: Sustainability Education at the Post-Secondary Level(Fri, Mar 10 | 11:15am-1pm (EST) | Virtual)

• Join the Sustainability Literacy Initiative for a discussion on the importance of post-secondary sustainability education in creating a resilient workforce, in partnership with SDSN Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC).

Velocity Health launches at Waterloo

By Jon Parsons. This article originally appeared on Waterloo News.

Waterloo’s globally recognized startup program Velocity launched an initiative that aims to help new companies in the health-tech sector access funding and get products and services in the hands of those who need them.

The initiative – Velocity Health – was officially launched at a kickoff event at the University of Waterloo. The latest stream of the Velocity suite of platforms was created to address the key challenges health-tech startups face.

“I’m inspired to see and hear how Velocity Health is taking shape,” said Dr. Vivek Goel, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Waterloo. “Velocity is helping to expand the impact and scope of the University of Waterloo and positioning our region as a global leader in addressing future health challenges.”

Partners involved with Velocity Health alongside UWaterloo include the Grand River Hospital Foundation, the Accelerating Clinical Trials Consortium at McMaster University, the IMPACT program at the University of Calgary, the Medical Innovation Xchange, the University of Western Ontario and the MaRS Discovery District.

Velocity Health is funded in part by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) and supported by the City of Kitchener.

These partnerships and Velocity’s support will improve Canadians’ quality of care, advance Canadian entrepreneurship globally and connect and grow Canada’s innovation economy.

Continue reading on Waterloo News.

Health care accessible to all: a public lecture

Dr. Jan Jukema, a professor at Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands, will address how citizens, researchers, professionals, government and organizations can collaborate for better access to health care for vulnerable people in this public lecture.

We are facing complex challenges related to climate, energy, demographics, workforce, equitable distribution of resources and access to health care. These challenges are "wicked" in nature; there is no single solution to solve the problem.

This is especially the case with persisting challenges around increasing access to health care for citizens with lower digital and health literacy skills. It requires more than just the involvement of researchers and small and medium-sized enterprises. Given the urgency and complexity of the challenge, more and different people are needed, namely citizens, the government and health-care professionals.

With each group having their own view on the matter, collaborating ensures the combining of different and rich expertise and experiences, but also concerns and aspirations. Together they can make a difference for better access to health care for vulnerable people. This can be achieved through use of particular enabling methodologies such as co-design, co-production, citizen science and learning communities.

The lecture will be hosted both in person at the University of Waterloo and streamed online. In-person attendees are invited to stay for a reception following the talk.

See the event website for details and to register before March 7.

Understanding the true meaning of excellence

By Tracelyn Cornelius. This article originally appeared in The Catalyst.

We are nearing the end of Black History month 2023, celebrated under the theme “Ours to tell”. According to the government of Canada, this theme represents an opportunity to not only engage in open dialogue, but to also commit to learning more about the stories of Black communities in Canada - their histories, successes, sacrifices and triumphs. 

Celebrating Black excellence is a way to recognize and appreciate extraordinary achievements or performances, and to motivate and encourage others to strive for greater success. Nevertheless, some critics of the Black excellence narrative suggest that it can create a sense of competition amongst Black people, resulting in feelings of superiority and marginalization. Others argue that society's relentless pursuit excellence can sometimes be damaging to the mental health and well-being of some people. This pressure to be exceptional can lead to feelings of guilt, inadequacy and failure, particularly among the younger generation. Further, an obsession with excellence can lead to a culture of exclusion and further divide the community, rather than unite it.  

I asked my son, a Black young adult, to share his perspective. He believes that while Black excellence is a great way to recognize the achievements of Black people and to give them the recognition they duly deserve, it pressures individuals to achieve similar, often unrealistic standards, regardless of individual circumstances. He describes the pressure he feels to conform to society’s standard of what a good Black man should be. 

He added that Black excellence also reinforces stereotypes and implies that Black people are only capable of achieving excellence in certain fields, like sports and entertainment. He further explained that quite often he feels that he must constantly prove his worth as a member of the Black community. He says, unlike him, his white friends are not burdened by standards of excellence, they are allowed to simply exist.  

His comments were profound, but true. Much of what he said, feeds into the myth of meritocracy, the belief that success is based solely on individual merit, with no barriers to social mobility. Meritocracy is often used to defend the idea of a fair and equal society, where everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed, ignoring the reality that access to resources, privilege, and other forms of social capital can give certain individuals an advantage over others. 

I also reached out to Dr. Christopher Taylor, associate vice-president, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-racism for expert advice on this discourse.  He said, “Why do we need to even use the term Black excellence? By using the term, aren't we simply reinforcing the idea of excellence? “What about celebrating Black joy, Black liberty, Black freedom, or even Black existence?” 

Dr. Taylor believes that Black excellence can be damaging, especially when it is used to push a specific narrative about what Black people should be or do, which can perpetuate stress, anxiety, unhealthy competition and feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy.  

After carefully considering both sides of the debate, I personally do not support retiring the term, because of it may cause a form of pressure that can be harmful to Black people. I believe that   excellence comes in different forms and that everyone should be celebrated for their unique achievements and contributions. As we strive to create more inclusive and supportive environments, academic achievement, wealth and career success cannot be the sole metrics for measuring excellence. Other forms of success, such as emotional, spiritual and physical well-being should also be celebrated and embraced as unique forms of excellence. 

As denoted in the Black History Month theme this year, the story is “Ours To Tell.” We as Black people need to take control of the narrative and build awareness that achieving personal goals and accomplishments, and simply existing in a world plagued with discrimination and inequities are the sincerest forms of excellence. We must remember that Black excellence is not a standard to be met, but an opportunity to celebrate our individual and collective successes, both big and small. 

Monday's notes

March is Nutrition Month. This month is a time to celebrate the diverse field of nutrition and the many ways that Registered Dietitians (RDs) strive to help Canadians understand the connections between food, nutrition, and health. The theme of this year’s campaign is “Unlocking the potential of food: Find a Dietitian.”

As RDs, we use the science of nutrition to provide personalized guidance to meet client needs and goals. While many Canadians view RDs as trusted health care professionals, there can be barriers to accessing dietitian services, such as where and how to go about seeking out this support. This is why RDs across the country are putting a spotlight on the many ways people can unlock the potential of food and find a dietitian this Nutrition Month.

To get the Nutrition Month festivities started, let’s hone in on some introductory information about RD’s and what they can offer.

Did you know?

• RDs are regulated healthcare professionals with rigorous academic and practical training in nutrition. This includes the completion of an accredited 4-year undergraduate degree in nutrition, extensive supervised practical training, and the successful completion of a national licensing exam  
• RDs are registered with and are accountable to a regulatory body at the provincial level. This offers protection to the public and ensures that RDs offer safe, evidence-based advice and recommendations – no fads or gimmicks!
• The terms ‘registered dietitian’ and ‘RD’ are protected titles. Use of these titles is restricted by law in Ontario for use only by registered, practicing RDs
• RDs participate in mandatory quality assurance processes, jurisprudence and ethics education, and professional development to ensure they are up to date on the evolving world of nutrition science
• RDs offer nutrition advice and expertise to help manage nutrition for health promotion, disease prevention, and treatment of acute and chronic diseases
• RDs work in a multitude of settings – from hospitals, health clinics and centres, to academia and research, to industry. More info on this to come on March 15^th.

Stay tuned for more weekly Nutrition Month content  throughout the month of March from Courtney Wilson, MScFN RD, Registered Dietitian, Health Services, Campus Wellness.

The campaign for Staff Representative on the Board of Governors is now open. The candidates are:

• Tanya Andrews
• Bonnie Bishop
• Robert Patrick Bruce
• Alana Guevara
• Frances Hannigan
• Agata Jagielska
• Ivan Milenovic
• Jeremy Steffler
• Jennisha Wilson

Please visit the Secretariat website to read the candidates’ statements. Campaign period is eight business days, and elections will start on Monday 20 March 2023.

The voting period for regular full-time staff (non-union and OPSEU) is planned for Monday 20 March to Friday 24 March 2023 by electronic ballot. Each regular full-time staff member will receive an email with a direct link to the ballot.

The voting period for CUPE full-time staff is planned for Monday 20 March to Friday 31 2023 by paper ballot. Each regular full-time union member will be sent a paper ballot through campus mail.