Thursday, October 17, 2024

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• Decolonizing and Establishing Payment Practices project launches
• Building Inclusive Research Teams webinar coming up November 14
• Your support of the United Way makes a difference
• Learn how to retire holistically at a special staff event
• Naismith Classic tournament tip-off today, other notes

Decolonizing and Establishing Payment Practices project launches

A message from Finance, Human Resources, the Office of Research, and the Office of Indigenous Relations.

We are excited to announce the launch of a project at the University of Waterloo entitled “Decolonizing and Establishing Payment Practices with Indigenous Community Members”, co-sponsored by Finance, Human Resources, the Office of Research, and the Office of Indigenous Relations.

This project is meant to address systemic barriers in making payments to Indigenous Knowledge Keepers and Workers (including employees performing activities outside of their job description, invited guests, fee-for-service workers, and independent contractors), partners, and suppliers, typically given in recognition of cultural contributions, and to highlight the value of their unique and sacred knowledge.

This work aligns with the University of Waterloo’s Strategic Plan Connecting Imagination with Impact, 2020-2025, the Indigenous Strategic Plan, 2023-2028, and responds to recommendations from the President’s Anti-Racism Taskforce (PART) Report. This project also builds on the Canada Research Coordinating Committee’s Strengthening Indigenous Research Capacity Strategic Plan, which is meant to identify strategic directions, objectives, and mechanisms to support Indigenous research and training in Canada. 

The Decolonizing & Establishing Payment Practices project aims to develop a clear and concise set of guidelines geared towards making payments to Indigenous community members, specifically including information on payment options, payment timing, and payment methods. 

If you have experiences of barriers relating to making payments to Indigenous community members that you would like to share, or for more information about this project, please visit the Decolonizing Payment Practices webpage or reach out to Indigenous.Research@uwaterloo.ca. 

Building Inclusive Research Teams webinar coming up November 14

A message from the Office of Research.

The Foundation: Building Inclusive Research Teams webinar will take place on November 14. Are you planning to attend?

The Foundation: Building Inclusive Research Teams, Thursday, November 14, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Register

Research shows that building inclusive research teams promotes research excellence. This presentation will take researchers through the necessary steps to identify EDI barriers on their teams, make a plan to address the barriers, and to review the outcomes of the actions they have taken and plan for the future. Please register to receive the Zoom link to participate.

Inclusive Research Resource Hub

The Hub is a resource library of important documents focused on EDI to support the UWaterloo community as they integrate EDI into their research designs and teams. The Hub was created as part of the Inclusive Research Team’s commitment to ongoing development and capacity building to support equitable and inclusive research practices.

This month’s feature highlights a resource from the Université de Sherbrooke: Managing a Diverse Team.

Upcoming webinars:

• The Decolonial “R’s” of Research: Principled Approaches to Engaging Indigenous Communities, Friday, November 29, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Please register to receive the Zoom link to participate.
• What is GBA+ Anyway? An Introduction, Monday, December 9, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Please register to receive the Zoom link to participate.

Resources

• Inclusive Resource Hub
• Our website

For more information or questions, please reach out to research.equity@uwaterloo.ca or Indigenous.Research@uwaterloo.ca with any questions.

Your support of the United Way makes a difference

A message from Eleanor McMahon, Vice-President, University Relations.

Our University has a proud history of supporting United Way Waterloo Region Communities and in the process, helping organizations that tackle mental health and addiction challenges, food insecurity, homelessness, and more.

This year’s United Way campaign is under way and as it does every year, it represents an important opportunity for each of us to make a significant impact on the lives of the people who live here, our neighbours, who are struggling with a myriad of challenges.

Our goal is to surpass last year’s total donation of $230,000 and we’re more than halfway there! Contributions have been coming through online e-Pledges, payroll deductions, and events. Every contribution counts and we hope you will join us in donating to this worthy cause as an opportunity to make a real impact on people’s lives. Visit the United Way Campaign website to monitor our progress as we work together to achieve our goal.

Make your donation today!

You can make a general donation to support various local United Way-funded charities, or you can choose to direct your support to specific causes. If you’re looking for a convenient way to make an ongoing impact, consider becoming a perpetual donor through payroll donations.

There are exciting events continuing throughout October that are organized by our dedicated United Way ambassadors and units across campus. And there’s still time to organize something fun to bring your team together for a good cause. Reach out to one of our 2024 ambassadors if you need some help, and be sure to check the UWaterloo United Way events page and the Daily Bulletin for upcoming events — we hope you can join us!

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the United Way so far and for your support in making this year’s campaign a success.

Learn how to retire holistically at a special staff event

A message from the Keeping Well at Work team.

A successful retirement involves more than just financial preparedness. Have you considered how you will meaningfully spend your time? Have you practised the activities in your retirement plan yet?  

You're invited! Join the Keeping Well at Work team on October 29 from 11:00 a.m. to 12 noon for a virtual event to start thinking beyond the financial aspects of retirement. Learn how retirement is being reimagined with our hosts from Adapt with Intent and guest retirees, including Katrina Di Gravio. Get your questions answered in a live Q&A and leave with some tangible next steps to prepare for your own retirement.

This free event is open to all employees and, regardless of how close or far you are from retirement, we would love to have you join us! Learn more and register for Keeping Well at Work: Reimagining Retirement in the Era of Longevity. 

Naismith Classic tournament tip-off today, other notes

The 55^th annual Don McCrae Naismith Classic basketball tournament begins today and runs until Saturday, October 19. Get your tickets now.

Waterloo's long-running Naismith Classic tournament was renamed in Coach Don McCrae's honour in 2023. McCrae coached the Warriors mens basketball team from 1971 to 1992, where he amassed a 462-252 record. During his tenure, the Warriors won six Ontario University Athletics Association (OUAA) Championships, as well as claiming their only national championship in 1975. From 1977 until 1984, McCrae was also the head coach of the Canadian national women's team, leading them to a fourth-place finish at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.  

The annual Earth Sciences Museum's Gem and Mineral Show is coming up on October 25 and October 26 in the Earth Sciences Museum in EIT. "Treat yourself to some new office décor or stock up on gifts from the great selection of mineral and fossil specimens and jewellery," says a note from the Faculty of Science.