Editor:
Brandon Sweet
University Communications
bulletin@uwaterloo.ca
New GenAI Teaching Enablement Project launches
A message from the Office of the Associate Vice-President, Academic (AVPA).
Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is introducing profound changes in university education. It changes what students expect us to teach, what students need to know in order to succeed in the world, and what is effective for teaching and assessing student learning. Within a few years, students will arrive never having not used GenAI in their academic work, and this amounts to a major challenge (and a significant opportunity) for the University of Waterloo—one that we need to respond to now, not years from now. Success will require effort involving all areas of the University involved in the design and delivery of a Waterloo education.
As part of its efforts to facilitate productive use and a more thorough understanding of GenAI, the University is launching a GenAI Teaching Enablement project. The goal is to provide those responsible for developing and delivering academic programs with the tools they need to succeed in an age shaped by GenAI. The project’s objective is to support the thoughtful and appropriate use of GenAI in teaching and learning,
- as a tool students need to know how to use,
- as a resource that has capacity to improve teaching and learning, and
- as a development with significant social and ethical implications that students (and faculty) need to understand and consider.
The project will be coordinated by the Office of the Associate Vice-President, Academic (AVPA) and the new integrated teaching support unit (“ITSU”), and will be designed to reinforce and complement efforts already underway within the faculties.
The project comprises two components: (1) a project team with a steering committee, and (2) the opportunity to apply for a Teaching and Learning AI Fellowship.
GenAI Teaching Enablement Project
TheGenAI Teaching Enablement Projectwill build on and will mobilize resources and tools developed by the Standing Committee on New Technologies, Pedagogies, and Academic Integrity.
The initiative will be led by a steering committee that includes representatives from each faculty as well as knowledgeable delegates from ASUs across campus. The project team willcomprise members of the ITSU and representatives from Instructional Technologies and Media Services (ITMS). This team will identify practices that hold promise for informing productive use of GenAI in teaching, including program design and course development, delivery, and assessment.
The team will be seeking to tailor strategies to varying degrees of instructor familiarity and comfort level, disciplinary practices, and course delivery modes. They will also work with faculties to identify effective ways to support the dissemination and adoption of these tools, coordinating with any faculty-based initiatives already underway.
A first step will be an effort to provide opportunities for those comfortable with GenAI, who are keen to experiment with new pedagogical approaches to help develop new tools and approaches, and who are willing to share their expertise and knowledge with colleagues.
Teaching and Learning AI Fellowships
To promote innovation in the use of GenAI for teaching and learning, the Office of the AVPA is holding a competition to identify Fellows across disciplines who can develop and evaluate new GenAI applications that support teaching. Funding and support will be available at two different levels, depending on the nature of the project.
Tier 1 Projects (5 awards)
- Microsoft 365 Copilot license
- Up to $20k in funding to support project work
- Assigned co-op student(s) trained to provide project coordination, evaluation support, student feedback, and user testing
- Project support, and supervision and mentoring for involved students, from ITSU’s Teaching Innovation & Educational Leadership staff
- Project consultation with ITSU learning consultants
- Participation in shared events and communities of practice
- Project teams are expected to be both Architect and Ambassador: You’ll craft the innovation, test it, assess its effectiveness, and then share what has been learned, thus becoming its champion for UW instructors. This therefore makes Tier 1 projects an example of Educational Leadership as defined in University policy.
Tier 2 Projects (20 awards)
- Microsoft 365 Copilot license
- Access to co-op students for targeted feedback and/or testing
- Project consultations with ITSU staff members as capacity allows
- Participation in shared events and communities of practice
Both project levels will receive support for meeting the knowledge mobilization expectations that come with the award.
The application deadline is April 10, 2026.
More details are available on the GenAI Teaching Enablement Project website.
Functional Review of Student Services set to begin
A message from Tom Duever, Interim Vice-President, Academic and Provost and Jochen Koenemann, Dean, Faculty of Mathematics.
The University continues to review its functions and services to identify opportunities for improved efficiency. Functional reviews are underway for Marketing and Communications, IT, Finance, and HR, and we will now begin a review of Student Services functions across the institution.
Student services at Waterloo are vital in supporting every aspect of student life – from academics, to personal and professional development. The goal of this review is to help us understand how we can better support students and make our services more coordinated, efficient, and effective. It is not an assessment of individual employees.
The review will be led by a Functional Review Implementation Team (FRIT), with support from Nous Group, an external consulting firm with experience reviewing services and functions at similar universities across Canada. Nous Group has supported other functional reviews that have recently been conducted at Waterloo.
Areas of review
Academic Support Services
- advising and academic counselling;
- tutoring and writing supports;
- study skills support; and
- library services for students.
Student Life and Engagement
- student leadership development programs; and
- orientation and transition programs.
Global Learning and International Services
- international student support services;
- student exchange programs; and
- intercultural learning programs.
Units and functional areas that are participating in the review have been notified and engaged. No immediate changes are being made, and day-to-day work will continue while the review is underway.
Over the coming weeks, various staff and students will be invited to share their experiences through interviews, focus groups, and workshops. Engagement with this review is extremely important as it will shape recommendations that will enhance both the student experience and the way that teams collaborate across campus.
What’s next
This project will run in two phases:
- In Phase One (February – May 2026), Nous Group will lead the assessment, benchmarking, and development of preliminary recommendations.
- In Phase Two (May – December 2026), the FRIT will evaluate the preliminary recommendations and may use additional consultant support for the implementation of approved recommendations.
We appreciate the ongoing support and engagement of our colleagues across campus as these functional reviews continue to move forward. Our collective effort is critical as we work together to strengthen how services are delivered and experienced by our students, and we will share regular progress updates throughout the process.
If you have any questions at this stage, please contact the Office of the Associate Vice-President, Academic and Provost.
Remembering Professor Emeritus Brian Le Lievre
This article was originally published on the Faculty of Engineering's website.
The Faculty of Engineering is mourning the loss of Dr. Brian Le Lievre, a professor emeritus in civil and environmental engineering. Le Lievre died on Jan. 2, 2026, at the age of 98.
Le Lievre was part of the University of Waterloo’s earliest generation of scholars in soil mechanics and geotechnical engineering, helping shape the department in its founding years. Across more than 25 years at Waterloo, he taught, mentored and led with a steady focus on students and the discipline.
Born in 1927 in Wagin, Western Australia, Le Lievre developed an early interest in mathematics, physics and problem-solving. He earned a civil engineering degree from the University of Western Australia and began his career in Tasmania, where he worked on major infrastructure projects.
Drawn by the scale of hydroelectric development in North America, he later travelled west, a journey that included time in London, England. There he met Marie, who was also travelling to Canada on the same transatlantic ship. They married shortly after arriving in Canada and shared a 70-year partnership centred on curiosity and a deep commitment to family.
Le Lievre later pursued doctoral studies in civil engineering and joined Waterloo, where he served as associate chair for civil undergraduate studies. Colleagues remembered him for his steady leadership and genuine care for students, staff and faculty.
They also pointed to the intellectual roots that shaped his approach. In Waterloo’s early soil mechanics community — strongly influenced by Cambridge-trained leaders in civil engineering, including Waterloo Engineering deans Dr. Douglas Wright and Dr. Archie Sherbourne — Le Lievre was known for bringing rigour and clarity to complex ideas, grounded in careful observation and evidence.
“Brian helped set the tone for soil mechanics at Waterloo in the early days: clear and practical, always anchored in evidence,” said Dr. Leo Rothenburg, distinguished professor emeritus and colleague of Le Lievre.
“When I arrived in 1983, he welcomed me with steady guidance and a generosity that showed up in small, daily ways. He cared about students, staff and colleagues, and he cared about doing the work well. He will be missed.”
Thursday's notes
The University of Waterloo Art Gallery will be hosting Palestinian-Canadian artist Jude Abu Zaineh for an artist tour and closing reception of her i look to the skies exhibition on Saturday, March 7, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. "The artist will lead a gallery walk-thru discussing her ideas and the development of the artworks in the exhibition," says a note from UWAG. "This is a great opportunity to meet the artist and hear her discuss her work in-person. There will be a Q&A and light refreshments will be provided."
"Join the University of Waterloo’s Agri-food Innovation Challenge from March 9 to 20," says a note from Velocity. "Collaborate with students, tackle real-world food system problems, connect with industry experts, and compete for a share of $10,000 in prizes. Open to all faculties — kick off begins March 9 at 4:00 p.m."
Link of the day
When and where
The Campus Wellness Student Medical Clinic offers healthcare visits with Physicians and Nurse Practitioners to current undergraduate and graduate students. Services include: vaccinations, immunity testing, naturopathic services and more. Counselling Services offers appointments with counsellors in person as well as via phone and video. Students can book appointments for these services by calling Campus Wellness at 519-888-4096.
The privately-run Student Health Pharmacy (located in the lower level of the Student Life Centre) is now offering new COVID booster shots and flu shots. Covid booster shots are available by appointment only – please call ext. 33784 or 519-746-4500. The Student Health Pharmacy’s summer hours are Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Naloxone kits are still available – pick them up in the pharmacy at no charge.
The Waterloo Eye Institute optometry clinics in Waterloo and downtown Kitchener offer comprehensive eye exams and eyewear, including glasses and contact lenses, with the Waterloo location offering various specialized services including urgent eye care. Discounts apply for University of Waterloo students and employees. The Waterloo Clinic is at a nearby interim location, 419C Phillip St, during construction at the School of Optometry and Vision Science. The Kitchener Clinic remains at the Health Sciences Campus, 10B Victoria St. S. Book online or by phone at 519-888-4062.
Warriors Winter Youth Camps, registration is now open for multi-sport and games, baseball, basketball, eSports, football and hockey camps for boys and girls ages 5 to 18. Register today!
SIGNAL Summit, Wednesday, March 4 to Friday, March 6,
Velocity presents Give to Rise: An International Women’s Day Micro-Retreat and Skill Session, Thursday, March 5, 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., MC 2037.
Culture Fest 2026, Thursday, March 5, 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Conrad Grebel University College, Room 2202 (Community Education Room).
Provisional Lives exhibition opening reception, Thursday, March 5, 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Riverside Gallery, School of Architecture, Cambridge.
Diefenbaker Lecture: “Swiss Postcolonial Literature? Reading Martin Dean’s Meine Väter (2003) through Trauma, Mutism, and Third Space” featuring Professor Priscilla Layne, University of North Caronlia at Chapel Hill, Thursday, March 5, 7:00 p.m., Balsillie School of International Affairs.
The Value Crisis & the Science of Happiness, Friday, March 6, 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., United College Alumni Hall. Register now.
International Women’s Day 6th Annual High Tea Social, presented by the Faculty of Science. Friday, March 6, 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., virtual discussion on Zoom. Register today.
Home Routes folk concert: Onna Lou and Keri Latimer, Friday, March 6, 7:00 p.m., Brubacher House - North Campus.
Jude Abu Zaineh artist talk and closing reception, Saturday, March 7, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., University of Waterloo Art Gallery.
Agri-Food Innovation Challenge, Monday, March 9 to Friday, March 20.
Systematic and Scoping Reviews: Systematic Screening using Covidence and Zotero, Monday, March 9, 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon, online.
Agri-Food Innovation Challenge kick-off event, Monday, March 9, 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., South Campus Hall second floor cafeteria.
Unlock the Power of Linear Regression, Tuesday, March 10, 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon, DC 1568.
NEW - 2026 GRADflix showcase, Tuesday, March 10, 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Fed Hall.
Chemistry Seminar Series, “From accidental to intelligent: easy-to-build complex chemical systems that sense proteins, tissue samples, and illicit drugs,” featuring Dr. Fraser Hof, Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, Tuesday, March 10, 11:00 a.m., C2-361.
Faculty of Health International Women’s Day panel event, Tuesday, March 10, 12 noon to 1:00 p.m., online.
GIS Speed Run: Creating Map Layouts, Tuesday, March 10, 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., online.
Menopause documentary screening: The [M] Factor: Before The Pause (Perimenopause), Wednesday, March 11, 11:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., DC 1302. Register on Eventbrite.
Master of Taxation Virtual Information Session, Wednesday, March 11, 12 noon.
WICI Talk - "Systems Mediation" with Dr. Maryam Mohiuddin Ahmed, Wednesday, March 11, 2:00 p.m., M3 3127.
Science in the City - Health Futures, Wednesday, March 11, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Velocity Innovation Arena.
Lectures in Catholic Experience presents Micah True, “Anne of Austria's Surgeon: François Gendron, the 17th-century Jesuit Mission to the Wendat, and the History of Medicine,” Thursday, March 12, 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., St. Jerome’s University.
43rd MacKinnon Dinner, Friday, March 13, 6:00 p.m., St. Jerome’s University atrium.
5 Poets Breaking into Song (#21): Black Magic Friday the 13th in the Great Middle East/Mediterranean North, Friday, March 13, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Notre Dame Chapel, St. Jerome's University.
PAIR Speculative Futures Visiting Writer Series: Storytelling & Social Justice, Monday, March 16, 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., online.
PAIR Speculative Futures Visiting Writer Series: Storytelling & Social Justice (cont’d), Monday, March 16, 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., online.
NEW - Noon Hour Concert: Between Grace and Fire, Wednesday, March 18, 12 noon, Conrad Grebel Chapel. Free admission.
Anti-Racism Reads Series: Algorithms of Oppression, Thursday, March 19, 12 noon to 1:00 p.m., Dana Porter Library Room 338.
NEW - PAIR Speculative Futures Visiting Writer Series:WISH Reading Group Short Story Discussion, Thursday, March 19, 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Modern Languages Building, Room 245 or online.
Upcoming service interruptions
Stay up to date on service interruptions, campus construction, and other operational changes on the Plant Operations website. Upcoming service interruptions include:
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Energy Research Centre, Math 3, Burt Matthews Hall fire alarm testing, Friday, March 6, 6:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m.
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Minota Hagey, Mackenzie King Village, Ron Edyt Village fire alarm testing, Friday, March 6, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
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Biology 2 electrical panel shutdown, Sunday, March 8, 7:00 a.m. to 12 noon, several rooms and corridors affected,
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Modern Languages fire alarm device verification, Monday, March 9, 6:00 a.m.