Wednesday, October 30, 2024

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• Vivek Goel to end his tenure as President in 2026
• There's still time to give to the United Way
• Nominate a deserving candidate for Honorary Member of the University
• Chaska by WUSA now open in the SLC
• Wednesday's notes

Vivek Goel to end his tenure as President in 2026

Vivek Goel, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Waterloo, has advised the Board of Governors that, due to family circumstances, he will not seek re-appointment when his current term ends on June 30, 2026.  

In a statement, Goel said that “given personal family circumstances, the time will not be right for me to continue in this role after I complete this term. After more than 25 years in senior leadership roles, I need to prioritize time with my loved ones.” 

President Goel is announcing his plans now to allow time for the University to begin the processes to appoint a successor. 

Goel, Waterloo’s seventh president, began his five-year term in July 2021. He joined Waterloo from the University of Toronto where he held several senior roles, including Vice-President and Provost, and Vice-President of Research and Innovation. 

In an email to employees, Murray Gamble, Chair of the Board of Governors, paid tribute to President Goel’s accomplishments in his tenure to date. Goel has led the University to collaborate on a new strategic vision – Waterloo at 100 – as well as new institutional values. He has prioritized Indigenous reconciliation, supported and driven governance reviews for the Board of Governors and Senate, driven the development of integrated planning and was integral to the University’s campus being selected as the preferred site for a new hospital serving Waterloo-Wellington. 

“On behalf of the Board of Governors and the entire Waterloo community, we offer our sincere thanks for his dedicated service so far to the University and we look forward to working together until the end of his term,” said Gamble. “He has already left a lasting impact on the University and we look forward to seeing what more he accomplishes.  We wish Vivek all the best when he steps back to focus on his family.” 

President Goel emphasized that he will continue to act as a catalyst for change at Waterloo in the remainder of his term. This will include the establishment of the Global Futures Networks which aim to leverage Waterloo’s strengths and differentiators through collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches in its educational programs, research and innovation activities to address the world’s most pressing challenges.  

“While I am announcing that I will not seek a second term, there are still twenty months to go and much work to be done.  I will be focussing on the work we have started on integrated planning and budgeting to help us meet the challenges of our ongoing operating budget challenges. I will also continue to focus on the Indigenization and decolonization of our institution, implementation of our values framework and development of the Global Futures Networks.” 

A search for Goel’s successor will start in the coming weeks. In line with Policy 50, the chair of the board will appoint a nominating committee made up of members of the board, senate, alumni, students, faculty and staff.  

There's still time to give to the United Way

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

We’re nearing the end of our annual United Way workplace campaign and I’m proud of how our campus community has come together to support the United Way Waterloo Region Communities. We’ve raised over $195,000 – nearly reaching our goal to beat last year’s donation total.  

There is still time to help us reach that goal. Let’s show that the University of Waterloo knows what a culture of giving is and that we support improving mental health, addiction challenges, food insecurity, homelessness, and more in our community. 

Make a donation today

You may also want to consider a payroll deduction – the easiest way to continuously give –so that your dollars can help maintain continuity of care for our most vulnerable community members. Even just $20 a month, less than one coffee a day, could make a significant difference to the more than 130 local charities the United Way helps to fund.  

Thank you to everyone who is contributing to the campaign. Together, we can make it the most successful one yet! 

Nominate a deserving candidate for Honorary Member of the University

The Honorary Member of the University Committee has put out a call for nominations for the 2025 Honorary Member of the University designation.

The Honorary Member of the University designation recognizes employees for outstanding service to the University as a whole. Staff and faculty members are eligible for nomination upon retirement. It is the highest honour a staff member can attain at the University of Waterloo. For faculty members, it recognizes distinctive administrative or other service to the University (which is different from Distinguished Professor Emeritus status that recognizes academic excellence).

Complete nomination packages should be submitted by November 25 to the secretary of the Honorary Member of the University Committee meeting, c/o Secretariat, NH 3060 or secretariat@uwaterloo.ca.

Guidelines for the awarding of Honorary Member of the University, including selection guidelines, procedures, considerations to make in assessing a candidate’s qualifications, and details on what to submit in a nomination package, can be found on the website for the Honorary Member of the University Committee. You are also welcome to contact the committee secretary for information and assistance.

"With the community’s input, we can continue to recognize deserving individuals whose achievements the University would be delighted to celebrate and honour," says a joint memo from President Vivek Goel and Honorary Member of the University Committee Chair Lynn Judge. "Thank you in advance for your contribution to this important tradition."

Chaska by WUSA now open in the SLC

A message from the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA).

The Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA) is pleased to announce the opening of our new quick-service, Indian street food takeaway restaurant, Chaska. A huge thank you to all our campus partners who helped make Chaska a reality.

Chaska, which means “obsession”, is inspired by the sights, sounds, and flavours of the truck stops (dhabas), food carts and open-air markets of India. With vegetarian and vegan options, and local, halal, hormone-free meats, Chaska by WUSA is a desirable addition to campus with something for everyone. You can find Chaska in the SLC Food Court. 

Follow Chaska Waterloo on Instagram at @chaskawaterloo.

Wednesday's notes

Conrad Grebel's Noon Hour Concert Series continues today with Impressionism in Music. This concert will feature violin duet music with piano accompaniment from the 1st half of 20th century Europe ( France, Belgium and Russia), with Jung Tsai on violin, Xueao Yang on violin, and Felix Hong on piano. The concert takes place at noon in the Conrad Grebel University College chapel.

"The Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies is proud to present the Shaw-Mannell Leisure Research Award Lecture featuring 2024 recipient, Dr. Ana María Munar from the Copenhagen Business School in Denmark," says a note from Recreation and Leisure Studies. "As part of the award ceremony, Dr. Munar will present a lecture entitled Tourism is Drive: A Psychoanalytical, Philosophical, and Mythical Exploration on Friday, December 6, from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Sun Life Auditorium.

More details about Dr. Munar and her award lecture can be found on the Department’s events page.

Calling all bros: last week's pop culture speed-friending event, entitled Bro Connect, has been postponed to Thursday, November 21 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Student Life Centre's lower concourse flex space. The event is being hosted by SVPRO and Campus Wellness and is intended to combat the isolation so many students feel on campus and having a little fun while doing so. 

“Since the ‘80s, CEE has an annual tradition of working with the Region of Waterloo Home Child Care," writes Abigail Wybenga of Co-operative and Experiential Education. "Each year, staff across the university sponsor children that are from working low-income families and donate gifts on their wish lists. This is known as the “University Winter Holiday Project”.

"We are still in need of sponsors for around 80 children and would greatly appreciate anyone who is able to participate! We ask that anyone who is interested, please fill in this Holiday Project Survey as soon as they can. Note that wrapped and labelled gifts must be delivered to the Tatham Centre on Monday, December 9. A huge thank you to anyone who has already sponsored a family!"

For any questions about the University Winter Holiday Project, please contact Abigail Wybenga.

Employers hosting Employer Information Sessions this week include Qualus, Veeva, Canadian Natural, Qualcomm, Aquanty, and Kenaidan. Make sure to register through WaterlooWorks and check the calendar for any updates.