Thursday, October 5, 2023

Students, employees collaborate to plant a pollinator garden

A message from the Sustainability Office. This article was originally published on the Office of Sustainability website.

On September 27, 74 ERS 100 students and 35 volunteers joined the Sustainability Office to restore a greenspace overrun with invasive species to a pollinator’s oasis. Volunteers included staff, members of SER UW, Greenhouse Changemakers, as well as students from all six faculties, highlighting the achievements that can be made when we come together to work towards a common goal.  

The plan for the pollinator garden was based off student restoration projects from ERS 341 as part of a Living Labs project. The Sustainability Living Lab program provides a diverse range of opportunities for experiential learning to build sustainability leadership and improve campus. The garden includes 489 native plants from 18 different species, creating a biodiverse habitat that can support many organisms. Two plant species included strawberries and Saskatoon berry shrubs, providing snacks for the campus community too! Funding for the plants was generously provided by the Invasive Species Centre’s Invasive Species Action Fund.  

This restoration project comes to a successful conclusion after 4 events and 148 volunteers removed invasive buckthorn and garlic mustard and planted native species in their place.  

Interested in supporting campus biodiversity? Join the Sustainability Office for our fall tree plantings.

Public website accessibility remediation project update

A message from Information Systems & Technology (IST).

Digital Accessibility tool selected

In early 2023, a project was started to review our compliance with digital accessibility and the status of our websites. As a result of this review, a request for proposal (RFP) was issued to acquire a digital accessibility tool that would assist us in ensuring sites are accessible. The selected vendor is Siteimprove. A project team is now working with Siteimprove to review the use of the tool, the status of our digital accessibility footprint, and steps for remediation requirements.

There is no immediate impact on websites. Currently, the team is working to establish the use of the Siteimprove tool. More information will be communicated in early 2024 regarding access to and use of the tool.

Next steps

Siteimprove will be working with a University of Waterloo project team (members include University Relations and Information Systems and Technology) to configure the system and train administrators on features. A pilot project will commence shortly thereafter to identify initial websites for review and commencement of remediation activities.  

Questions or concerns? 

Please contact Iva Badjari, Associate Director, Digital Communications (iva.badjari@uwaterloo.ca) or Joe Kwan, Manager of Web Development (joe.kwan@uwaterloo.ca).

W Store introduces the Julia Gash Collection

A message from Print + Retail Solutions.

W Store is pleased to announce the newest collection featuring artwork from Julia Gash, a British artist who uses hand drawn illustrations using brush and ink to create unique artwork representing cities, towns, and regions worldwide. Her passion for art and maps has resulted in collaborations all over the world appearing on sustainable and stylish gift and souvenir items.

Her illustration for the University of Waterloo has been showcased on a variety of items available at W Store, including a tote bag, mug, tumbler, pencil case, magnet, ornament and more. Her artwork features our Waterloo campus in style and represents the iconic landmarks, buildings, faculties, furry geese friends and more as part of the University of Waterloo in her distinctive and creative handwriting.

To shop the full range of products, visit https://wstore.uwaterloo.ca/featured/julia-gash.html. To learn more about Julia Gash, check out her website.

Update to Academic Integrity 101 in Learn

A message from the Office of Academic Integrity.

Academic Integrity 101 is a set of modules for undergraduate students that provides information about academic expectations at the University of Waterloo and highlights ways to maintain academic integrity. The four modules include topics such as citation and paraphrasing practice, strategies to avoid academic misconduct, and exploring campus support services. Enrollment in Academic Integrity 101 is voluntary; however, instructors may recommend the workshop to students who require guidance in this area.

Recently, a short multiple-choice quiz was added to Academic Integrity 101 to better assess student learning. The quiz can only be accessed after all modules have been viewed. Students will not receive a certification for the workshop, but they will receive a notice of completion within 24 hours of passing the quiz.

Learn more about Academic Integrity 101.

Hagey Lecture tonight and other notes

Tonight, Dr. Nalini M. Nadkarni will deliver the 2023 Hagey Lecture in the Theatre of the Arts. Dr. Nadkarni is a Professor of Biology at the University of Utah, and her lecture is entitled "Tapestry Thinking: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Nature of Disturbance and Recovery."

Dr. Nadkarni will share the discoveries and insights she has gathered over her four decades of exploring the biota of forest canopies in rainforests, her collaborations with experts from many academic disciplines, and her engagement with diverse public groups – artists, corporations, faith-based communities, and people who are incarcerated. She will describe the dynamics of disturbance and recovery in multiple arenas: forest treetop communities, her own recovery from a near fatal fall, and an array of diverse human systems, including traffic engineering, urban studies, refugee migrations, and modern dance. She will invite listeners to apply her approach of ”tapestry thinking” to other environmental and social challenges society faces today.

Tickets are free and open to the public. Visit the Hagey Lectures website for more information, or register on ticketfi. The lecture begins at 8:00 p.m.

The Faculty of Mathematics will be holding the Key Clues wrap-up event this afternoon from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the DC 1301 fishbowl. Contest winners will be announced and prizes will be awarded. Refreshments will be provided.

The Warriors men’s hockey team has its home opener tonight as the Battle of Waterloo continues on the ice against Laurier's Golden Hawks. The game takes place at 7:00 p.m. in the CIF Arena. Tickets are free for Waterloo students. Purchase tickets.

The Registrar's Office has announced that the fall 2023 final examination schedule has been posted online. The fall final examination period runs from December 8 to December 22, including Sunday, December 10.