Thursday, September 26, 2024

You can pave the way for future Indigenous leaders

A special request from Jean Becker, Associate Vice-President, Indigenous Relations.

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, held on September 30 each year, is a day of reflection, education and action. Today I am reaching out to you, as a valued member of our campus community, to ask you to take action now by supporting an initiative that’s very close to my heart: the Indigenous Opportunities Fund.

The Indigenous Opportunities Fund was created in 2020 to enhance the teaching and learning environment for Indigenous students, as well as making Indigenous histories, cultures and languages more visible on campus. I believe these initiatives are crucial in creating a learning environment that values and celebrates diversity and respects Indigenous knowledge and traditions.

Your gift to the fund will support Indigenous-focused initiatives in these meaningful ways:

1. Innovation & Experiential Learning: Building partnerships with Indigenous organizations, employers, researchers and others will create invaluable experiential learning and research opportunities for students.
2. Indigenous Outreach & Recruitment: We will create a diverse and vibrant community which celebrates and learns from all cultures so that we can reach more Indigenous communities, foster their interest in higher education, and support their success at Waterloo.
3. Student Well-Being & Transitions: Indigenous students need access to essential resources like counselling, orientation programs, peer support networks and initiatives that celebrate Indigenous cultures and traditions.

Your support is more than a donation. It’s an act of reconciliation. It's an acknowledgement and celebration of Indigenous cultures and languages. It is a chance for you — for each of us — to make a real difference. Please make a gift to the Indigenous Opportunities Fund today.

Register for the Co-operative and Experiential Education Employer Impact Awards

A message from Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE).

Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) invites you to join us as we celebrate some of our remarkable co-op employers at the fifth annual Employer Impact Awards! 

The event takes place on October 9 from 12 noon to 1:00 p.m. on Zoom. 

The ceremony will feature opening remarks by President Vivek Goel, employer insights, student stories and more! Learn how co-op employers go above and beyond to create impactful work terms for our students.

Register today.

Find out why W Store's new Indigenous collection is more than just merch

By Sam Toman.

The latest exhibit displayed in the Office of the President celebrates Indigenous artistry by showcasing W Store merchandise featuring the work of artist Tehatsistahawi (Tsista) Kennedy alongside statements from President Vivek Goel on our collective responsibility to decolonize campus and live up to the commitment first made in September 2022. 

Print + Retail Solutions director Ryan Jacobs shares with the Daily Bulletin how an Indigenous merchandise partnership is a natural way to support decolonization efforts and helps UWaterloo live up to its promise.   

Why do you think it’s important to have Indigenous-designed merchandise available in the W Store? 

The University has made a commitment to decolonization, reconciliation and Indigenization, and it is important to me and the whole Print + Retail Solutions team to find ways to advance these critical institutional commitments. Including products designed by local Indigenous artists is one tangible way we can do that. 

With so many incredible Indigenous artists creating art on these lands, how did you find Tehatsistahawi (Tsista) Kennedy? 

Based on the excitement generated by our partnership with Alanah Astehtsi Otsistohkwa (Morningstar) Jewell, we started discussing the possibility of a second partnership about a year ago. Many fabulous artists were suggested to us, but ultimately it was the recommendation of Jean Becker and Robin Jones from the Office of Indigenous Relations that solidified our decision to approach Tsista. 

What was the outreach and ideation process like, how did you learn about the artist? 

Jean and Robin introduced us to Tsista. During one of our first virtual meetings, we very quickly coalesced around the idea of a design featuring the Canada goose. While not the University’s official mascot, the goose is a ubiquitous presence on campus, and goose merchandise has always been a hit in the W Store.  

We felt that the intersection of the iconic goose and Tsista’s unique woodland-style art was a perfect match – and we couldn’t be happier about how the design turned out. 

On one hand, it is very natural for us to launch a new line of merchandise. We do that all the time! And yet working in partnership with an Indigenous artist is totally different from what we do day-to-day. It is important that we end up with a design that will resonate with the campus community, and we try to achieve that while simultaneously maximizing the creative freedom of our design partners. 

The W Store offers much more than merch. Are there other ways your operation is decolonizing, and how? 

While we still have a long way to go, we have adopted the attitude that we have much to learn – from our customers, from our colleagues across campus, and from our staff, many of whom are students. (One small example is that we often invite someone from the campus community to educate and challenge us during our biannual all-staff meetings.) 

One initiative we recently launched is a deep examination of our recruitment practices. We don’t tend to have much full-time staff turnover, but we hire dozens of students every year. It’s important to me that Print + Retail Solutions creates a safe, comfortable, equitable experience for everyone who encounters us as a job applicant.  

Traditional recruitment and interview processes are largely designed with a colonial mindset. We’re challenging ourselves to ensure that these processes will not disadvantage anyone, regardless of their gender, sexuality, ethnic background or disability. 

What impact do you think the president’s and the University’s commitment to decolonization had on the choice to embark on lines with both Alana’s and Tsista’s designs?  

While there are many individuals within Print + Retail Solutions who are personally committed to decolonization, reconciliation and Indigenization, it is helpful to know that we are doing this work within a supportive institutional context.  

The president’s commitment means we know we will have support from across the University – and this has certainly been our experience. I can’t thank Jean and Robin enough for their active participation in these two partnerships, and for their candour and guidance that has helped us always remain pointed in the right direction 

Thursday's notes

There's plenty of activity on campus today, including:

A workshop for graduate students on Generative Artificial Intelligence and the Literature Review taking place from 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon in LIB 428 and online via Teams. Sign up through Portal. In a similar vein, there is a webinar happening today from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. entitled How to Use Generative AI Tools at Work. Organized by the University of Waterloo Staff Association, the webinar will include "a panel of people who are using generative AI tools in their everyday work, and who are familiar with how AI is being used across UW to get some starting points on how to incorporate generative AI tools in everyday work, and some tips for using it responsibly."

The weekly UW Farm Market is holding its Toonie Picnic and Fair-Trade Campus Celebration on the BMH Green from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Attendees can enjoy a delicious $2 lunch, indulge in free coffee samples, and meet vendors offering fair-trade and sustainable products.

The Library's first Data Journeys event, Organizing and Optimizing Your Research Data, takes place today from 11:00 a.m. to 12 noon.

The Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business is hosting a Masters of Digital Experience Innovation Virtual Open House, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. today. This online information session  will consist of a panel of current students and faculty, alumni and the Admissions Coordinator to discuss the MDEI program, teaching and learning in a virtual environment, career outcomes and admission requirements.

St. Jerome's University's Lectures in Catholic Experience hosts Galen Watts tonight from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. for a lecture entitled "The Spiritual Turn and the Challenge of Solidarity." Watts will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the so-called "spiritual turn" away from religion in Western liberal democracies since the 1960s.