Tuesday, August 20, 2024

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• Community forums take place today
• The staff association is handing out free freezies this week
• Visibility campaign launches to celebrate people with disabilities in STEM
• Monday's notes

Community forums take place today

Today there will be UWaterloo Community Forums where faculty, staff and students will be able to ask questions and voice concerns regarding the recent hate-motivated attack on campus. President Vivek Goel, Vice-President, Academic and Provost Jim Rush, and Vice-President, Administration and Finance Jacinda Reitsma will address questions about how to make campus safer and more inclusive, promote well-being, and move forward together. 

The employee forum is scheduled to run from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and the student form will take place this afternoon from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
 
Both events take place in person at the Theatre of the Arts, Modern Languages and will be livestreamed on Microsoft Teams.

If you need support during the event, there will be wellness counsellors on-site at the Theatre of the Arts, and you can reach to the supports available in our community.  

The staff association is handing out free freezies this week

A message from the University of Waterloo Staff Association.

How much do you know about the University of Waterloo Staff Association (UWSA)? The UWSA represents all employees on campus with an assigned USG level, except for a few very senior roles. However, only staff who’ve opted in, or who were hired after October 25, 2022, are members of the Staff Association—and only members can access UWSA services and benefits, and be appointed to various University committees on behalf of staff.

All staff are invited to get to know the UWSA better at its “Facts and Freezies” booth in the DC Quad on July 19 and the Arts Quad on July 20. Bring your colleagues and stop by between noon and 1:00 to get your free freezies, meet the UWSA team, and learn more about the Association.

A rain date is scheduled for August 1.

Visibility campaign launches to celebrate people with disabilities in STEM

The STEM With Disabilities project, created by Emma Collington (BSc '19, MSc '22, current PhD student in the Department of Biology) and Samantha Fowler (BSc '19, Science valedictorian), aims to connect people withdisabilities in STEM, and celebrate their achievements and contributions to their fields. The online campaignlaunched in May 2023 with an ongoing series of interviews showcasing the authentic stories of people with disabilities in STEM. 

The website includes a toolkit of accommodations recommended by interviewees that have allowed them to thrive in STEM. It also features a wishlist to inspire institutions and employers to partner with people with disabilities to improve accessibility and inclusion. The project aims to push the boundaries of how accessibility is discussed, and to support people with disabilities working in STEM.

For more information on the project visit the website to follow the project on social media.

Monday's notes

Student representatives from the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA) and the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) will be hosting a Possibility Seeds press conference in response to the hate-motivated attack at the University of Waterloo.

"Responding to the June 28 hate-motivated attack related to gender expression and gender identity in a gender studies classroom, this is an urgent reminder of the need for safer campuses, free from violence and the threat of violence," says a note from WUSA. "Join student representatives from WUSA, OUSA and Laurier along with campus community members at a press conference today as an urgent call to action." 

The online press conference, held on Zoom, will take place today from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

"Have an idea?" asks United College GreenHouse. "Don't know where to start? Need help with networking? Funding opportunities? We have the answers to all those questions and more!" 

The Social Innovators in Training program is going to run for 10 weeks in the fall term. "This a great opportunity to connect with impactful individuals, network to grow your venture, and funding opportunities that can help you make an impact," says the note from GreenHouse. Social Innovators in Training get access to:

• Mentorship and support;
• Networking opportunities;
• Innovation training and weekly lessons;
• A cohort of like-minded peers;
• Weekly community dinners; and
• Funding opportunities exclusive to the GreenHouse community.

Applications are now open until July 23.