Tuesday, October 28, 2025

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• Celebrating the Fall Class of 2025
• Getting the lay of the University of Waterloo SoTL landscape
• October 2025 Collaborative and Connected Research Panel set for Wednesday
• Employee Equity Census now open
• Board of Governors meets today and other notes

Celebrating the Fall Class of 2025

By Darren McAlmont. This is an excerpt of an article originally published on Waterloo News.

Fall 2025 Convocation was a vibrant celebration of achievement, perseverance and community at the University of Waterloo. Across five ceremonies, the campus came alive with cheers, applause and heartfelt moments as thousands of graduates crossed the stage to mark the culmination of their academic journeys. 

Their success is a testament to their strength and adaptability, and the ceremonies reflected the pride felt by families, friends, faculty and staff who supported them along the way. 

“I was truly impressed by the remarkable accomplishments of our graduates,” says Dr. Vivek Goel, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Waterloo. “As the newest members of Waterloo’s global alumni network, these graduates are now part of a community that spans industries, continents and causes. Their next chapters will be shaped by the knowledge, experiences and values they cultivated during their time at Waterloo.” 

Behind the scenes, the success of convocation was made possible by a dedicated team of volunteers and staff. A total of 85 staff volunteers, 80 student ambassadors and five retirees worked enthusiastically to ensure each ceremony ran smoothly.  

In total, Waterloo conferred 174 PhD degrees, 1,085 master’s degrees and 1,465 undergraduate degrees to new alumni — each one representing a unique story of growth, learning and accomplishment. 

Convocation was more than a formal ceremony — it was a moment of reflection and celebration. Graduates paused to acknowledge the friendships, mentorships and milestones that shaped their time at Waterloo.  

Read the full story on Waterloo News

Getting the lay of the University of Waterloo SoTL landscape

A message from the Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE).

We are inviting faculty and staff members to participate in a research project to determine the needs for professional development and support offered for tenure-track and teaching stream faculty members, and academic support unit staff members who are engaging in and conducting Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) research. The study is conducted by researchers from the University of Waterloo’s Centre for Teaching Excellence, Faculty of Health and Faculty of Science (REB #47505). Participation in this study involves completing a 10–15-minute online survey.

Research team members include:

Brianna Bennett, Centre for Teaching Excellence

Annik Bilodeau, Centre for Teaching Excellence

Brenda Lee, Associate Professor, Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Science

Michelle Ogrodnik, Assistant Professor, Kinesiology and Health Science, Faculty of Health

The aim of this study is to replicate a study on SoTL research conducted by Wuetherick et al., (2016) on the Landscape of SoTL research at the University of Saskatchewan. In order to effectively understand the current state of UWaterloo members engaging in SoTL research, we will replicate the 2012 study. The results will inform and assist with development of professional development and research support for UWaterloo faculty members and instructors who wish to engage in SoTL research.

Participation in this study in voluntary. This study has been reviewed and received ethics clearance through a University of Waterloo Research Ethics Board. You can find a detailed invitation to participate on the CTE website. If you are interested, complete the SoTL survey at your earliest convenience. If you have questions about participating in this study, please contact Annik Bilodeau, Educational Developer, Research and Consulting, at annik.bilodeau@uwaterloo.ca.

October 2025 Collaborative and Connected Research Panel set for Wednesday

University of Waterloo faculty, staff, and graduate students are invited to the October panel of the Collaborative and Connected Research Panel Series which will highlight the development of sustainable research collaborations and interconnections occurring within and beyond departments.

The panelists, who are current and former department Chairs, will discuss the various ways in which collaborative perspectives and synergies rely on a diverse array of participants to enhance innovation, knowledge, and networks, shape current research and teaching endeavours, and help solve complex world problems.

The event will take place on Wednesday, October 29, 3:00 p.m. to 4:25 p.m. (panel), 4:30 to 5:00 p.m. (reception) in the Davis Centre (DC 1302).

For more details about the panelists and to register (registration is required), please visit the October 2025 Collaborative and Connected Research Panel event page.

Employee Equity Census now open

A message from the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism (EDI-R).

Since 2023, the census has helped shape a more inclusive UWaterloo—informing initiatives like spiritual spaces, all-gender washrooms, wellness programming, the Salary Anomaly Process, and supports for both students and employees.

By sharing your identities and experiences, you help UWaterloo better understand our community and make informed decisions. The more people who participate, the stronger the data—and the better the University can plan programs, services, and spaces that support everyone.

Your input matters.

Deadline: Friday, October 31, 2025

• If you haven’t completed the Census yet, take 5 minutes to do it today via Workday.
• If you’ve already completed it but need to update your information, please resubmit the full census form in Workday.
• Participation is voluntary, and there is always an option to select “I prefer not to answer.” 

All data is kept confidential and analyzed only by the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism partnership with Institutional Analysis and Planning (IAP). Insights are handled securely, ethically, and with purpose.

Complete the Employee Equity Census today.

Board of Governors meets today and other notes

The University's Board of Governors has its fall meeting today at 1:30 p.m. in NH 3407 and online. Among the agenda items:

• A motion to approve the proposed reorganization of the Faculty of Arts, effective July 1, 2026, on the recommendation of the University's Senate;
• A motion to approve the Annual Financial Report for the Year Ended April 30, 2025, on the recommendation of the Audit & Risk Committee;
• A motion to approve a land use request for the Land Based Learning Project, on the recommendation of the Building & Properties Committee.

This request is part of a "Land of Knowledge" (Kiinomaage-Aki) outdoor learning and ceremonial space that provides land-based learning and Indigenous ways of knowing opportunities for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. The proposed location for the space is at the site of the former Columbia Lake greenhouses and community garden in the University of Waterloo's environmental reserve, and will include a teaching gardens and gathering space, ceremonial fire pit, learning lodges, a sweat lodge, and other facilities in a three-phase development plan.

As part of the Board's approval, the University's administration will report back to the Building & Properties Committee on this project for capital project approval, and material changes to the approved land use request will proceed through the regular channels of the P&B Committee and Board of Governors as appropriate.

• A motion to approve amendments to Policy 42, on the recommendation of the Community & Culture Committee, effective October 29, 2025

The policy has been redrafted to include acts of gender-based violence in addition to the range of behaviour captured under Policy 42. The resolution process will now focus on incidents that occur on campus or that are directly connected to University activities. Decision-making under Policy 42 is being transferred from the Associate Deans to the Associate Provost, Students, or their delegate, which serves to reduce the potential for a perception of bias in the consideration of academic matters by Associate Deans, and will also reduce potential inconsistencies between faculties.

• A motion to approve the Signing Authority and Approval Policy on the recommendation of the Governance & Leadership Committee.

In December 2024, a working group submitted a request to the President to create a new signing policy and associated signing register, that would leverage, replace, and improve on all existing signing procedures at the University of Waterloo. This proposed policy replaces a number of separate signing procedures currently in effect across the University.

President Vivek Goel will deliver a 2024-25 Annual Institutional Performance Report as part of his presidential presentation to the Board.

The Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute (CPI)'s 7^th Annual Conference takes place today from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Federation Hall.The theme of this year's full-day conference is Emerging Talent. Future Leaders and will highlight current and future efforts within the cybersecurity and privacy sphere through keynote speakers, panel discussions, and industry talks. It also includes a poster session showcasing cutting-edge research in the field from students of CPI faculty members. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with peers, academics, and industry professionals.

The Waterloo Institute for Complexity & Innovation (WICI) is hosting a Reading and Conversation with author Madhur Anand today. Madhur Anand is a professor and author of the newly released "To Place a Rabbit." The event takes place in STC 2002 at 1:30 p.m.