Monday, April 27, 2026

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• Celebration of Life for Professor Wayne Chang set for May 14

• Feed the Cookie Monster in you and support student wellness

• Feedback sought on Vice-President, Research and International search

• Reminder: Senate by-election nominations are open

• Intersessional interludes and other interesting ideas

Celebration of Life for Professor Wayne Chang set for May 14

A message from the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business.

You are warmly invited to join the University of Waterloo community in celebrating the life and impact of Professor Wayne Chang — mentor, teacher, and champion of student innovation.

The event will include remarks, a reception, a showcase of student and alumni ventures he influenced, and his classic Conrad Games, with time to connect and reflect.

• When: Thursday, May 14, 2026. 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. 
• Where: PSE (formerly E7) Event Space

Community members may also share memories via the Kudo Board and learn about the Wayne Chang Memorial Fund.

Full details are available on our webpage. 

Feed the Cookie Monster in you and support student wellness

In case the Sesame Workshop is reading: this is a cookie monster, not the Cookie Monster.

A message from UW Food Services and the Office of Advancement.

Got a sweet tooth and a big heart? This spring, the University of Waterloo community is invited to support student well-being through the annual Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Campaign.

From April 27 to May 3, Smile Cookies will be sold for $2 each, with 100 per cent of proceeds donated in support of the University of Waterloo Student Wellness Fund. When you purchase a Smile Cookie at Tim Hortons locations operated by UW Food Services, you’re directly helping fund student wellness initiatives across campus — from culturally responsive wellness programming and training for faculty and staff, to nutrition supports and recreation initiatives that help students stay balanced and supported. With Giving Day just around the corner, it’s a simple (and sweet) way to give back.

One cookie. One smile. One meaningful difference.

Ready to join the fun?

Find a Tim Hortons open near you by visiting the University of Waterloo Food Services locations and hours page.

Feedback sought on Vice-President, Research and International search

The search is on for the Vice-President, Research and  International. The nominating committee has begun the selection process.

That's the gist of a memo sent by President Vivek Goel to employees last Monday. "The search will be comprehensive in scope with an integral portion being a process of consultation," the president, who chairs the nominating committee, writes. "The Vice-President provides leadership for research, commercialization and entrepreneurship and is responsible for a range of activities including research grant support, research ethics, research finance, awards and honours, research partnerships, intellectual property, and technology transfer. Please refer to Policy 68 for more information on the role."

Consultation with the community is an integral part of the comprehensive search process. Members of the University community are invited to provide input through a brief questionnaire facilitated by Laverne Smith & Associates.

"All responses will be held in the strictest confidence by the consultant and the inclusion of your name is optional," the president's memo continues. "As this is a very important matter for the University, your input is critical, and I would ask you to take the few minutes required to help us in this important undertaking."

The deadline for questionnaire submissions is Friday, May 1. 

Reminder: Senate by-election nominations are open

A message from the Secretariat.

The Secretariat is reminding faculty that Senate Nominations are now open, and all eligible faculty are encouraged to consider putting their name forward.

The Senate, established through the University of Waterloo Act, 1972, is UW's highest academic governing body, responsible for oversight of a variety of matters. The composition of Senate is representative of the University community, with both elected and ex-officio membership.  Senators include faculty members, undergraduate and graduate students, alumni, governors and administrative staff.

As a result of a vacancy, one faculty-at-large member will be elected by/from the members of faculty of the University, for a term beginning July 1, 2026 to August 31, 2027.

To appear on the ballot, nominees must provide a brief statement (100 words maximum) along with a completed nomination form.

Faculty interested in becoming a Senator can visit the Nominations and Elections website.

The Secretariat welcomes questions about the role of a senator, or about the nomination and election process. Please get in touch by email to elections@uwaterloo.ca.

Intersessional interludes and other interesting ideas

With the examination period behind us and classes and lectures not beginning until May 11, the University has entered a brief liminal period between the winter and spring terms. 

W Store Essentials in the Mathematics & Computer building will be closed from Monday, April 27 to Sunday, May 10. Other Print + Retail Solutions operations remain open.

Food Services operations have paused for the most part until Thursday, April 30, with only Subway open in the Brubaker's food court daily from 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and the SLC Tim Hortons open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. between April 23 and April 30. Denizens of East Campus rejoice, however, as the Tim Hortons in EC5 remains open. Check Food Services' locations and hours page for more details.

The Student Life Centre reports that the Bomber will be open for lunch this week from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Flock Stop will be open as well from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily this week. However, it will close on Thursday, April 30 for inventory. Naturally, the Turnkey Desk will be staffed and ready to serve students in the Great Hall. Turnkey@DC will remain closed until Monday, May 11.

The Dana Porter and Davis Centre libraries remain open as well.

The Waterloo Climate Institute is hosting Campus living labs for climate learning and action in all disciplines today from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. "Interested in learning more about this approach to experiential learning?" asks the WCI. "Join the Waterloo Climate Institute and our campus partners for a hands-on workshop to explore the what’s, why’s and how’s of using campus living labs for climate learning and action in any discipline. We’ll tour the campus to explore existing and potential opportunities for diverse disciplines, connect with Indigenous living lab initiatives and available resources and support from the Sustainability Office." Attendees can meet at 2:00 p.m. at the EV3 ground floor lobby. There's still time to sign up!

The Waterloo Climate Institute has partnered with the Sustainability Office, the Integrated Teaching Support Unit (formerly CTE), the Faculty of Environment, and the Engineering Ideas Clinic to put on this workshop. This event is part of the Teach Like the Planet Depends on It workshop series.

From the Integrated Teaching Support Unit comes the latest in GenAI workshops: Integrating GenAI in Assessments - In Person (CTE7551)

"AI capabilities are rapidly advancing, now matching or exceeding student-level work across multiple domains such as writing, coding, and analysis," says a note from the ITSU. "These developments are reshaping teaching practices and course dynamics, prompting educators to rethink assessments, redesign curriculum, and equip students with the skills needed to effectively navigate and leverage AI in their future careers."

The course will be held on Wednesday, May 27, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., MC 2036.