Wednesday, June 10, 2026

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• University Pension Plan information session 

• Research Talks presents Water Crisis in Waterloo Region

• Celebrating exceptional teaching by students

• A path of resilience and return to Waterloo

University Pension Plan exploration information session 

Your pension is among the most significant parts of your working relationship with the University of Waterloo. Last fall, the University announced that we would begin exploring the possibility of converting the registered pension plan (RPP) to the University Pension Plan (UPP), a jointly sponsored pension plan for Ontario's university sector. That exploration is now​ underway — and your engagement in it matters.

To support informed discussion, a UPP information session will be offered on June 22, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. both in person (Humanities Theatre, Hagey Hall) and virtually.  

This session will include: 

• Pension fundamentals, including the current University RPP 

• Why the University is exploring a conversion to UPP 

• An introduction to UPP and how it compares to Waterloo’s RPP 

• What a potential conversion process would involve  

No decision has been made. Keeping you informed — and giving you room to ask questions and share your perspective — is central to how we are approaching this work. 

For additional information about the UPP exploration, visit the University’s UPP exploration website for background, plan comparisons and FAQs.  

Research Talks presents Water Crisis in Waterloo Region

A message from the Office of the Vice-President, Research and International.

Interested in understanding water security through research, policy, infrastructure and community action? 

Join the next Research Talks for Water Crisis in Waterloo Region: Understanding water security through research, policy, infrastructure and community action on Tuesday, June 23, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Kitchener Public Library, 85 Queen Street North, Kitchener. 

Please register to attend the free community event that will include panel presentations and Q&A with special guests: 

Dustin Garrick (Associate Professor and University Research Chair in Water and Development Policy, Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo): Dustin will share lessons for Waterloo from water allocation reforms in groundwater-dependent cities across Canada and globally, drawing from longstanding policy research on water risks and responses in thirsty cities, supported by community partners, the World Bank and philanthropic foundations. 

Leigh McDermott (Director of City Utilities, Integrated Planning & Public Works, City of Waterloo and 2026 Douglas Wright Engineer-in-Residence, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Waterloo): Leigh will examine water infrastructure delivery by addressing timelines, costs, and planning realities, using global case studies to highlight the risks of delayed action and linking infrastructure decisions to ongoing research. 

Laurie Minor (Skaabewis, singer, Sundancer, Water Walker, Creative Native and Land Protector): Laurie will address Indigenous relationships with water and provide cultural and stewardship context to frame the discussion holistically. 

David Rudolph (Professor, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo): David’s presentation will explore regional reliance on groundwater, highlight the critical role of community input, challenge misconceptions about Canada’s water abundance, and showcase global examples of sustainable long-term solutions. 

Julie Wright (Ward 7 Councillor, City of Waterloo and National Director, Our Living Waters): Julie will outline water governance across jurisdictions, translate policy contexts into local implications, identify opportunities for public engagement, and address barriers to community participation. 

Celebrating exceptional teaching by students 

A message from Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs.

The Amit & Meena Chakma Award for Exceptional Teaching by a Student recognizes registered students at the University of Waterloo who demonstrate excellence in formal teaching roles, and the impact that outstanding student educators can have on who they teach. 

This year, four graduate students receive the award, representing the faculties of Environment, Math, Engineering, and Science:  

• Alexa Bennett, Geography and Environmental Management 

• Amy Tai, Computer Science 

• Jeffrey Lee, Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering 

• Nijani Nagaarudkumaran, Optometry and Vision Science 

Read more about the award winners.

A path of resilience and return to Waterloo

This article was originally published on Waterloo News.

More than 50 years after first attending the University of Waterloo, Rhea Marlene Lickers Green, Seneca and Mohawk of the Haudenosaunee and a member of the Turtle Clan, has returned to finish the degree she once started.

When Green first arrived in the early 1970s as an economics and geography student, Indigenous student life looked vastly different on campus. Today, her return is a powerful reminder of both her personal resilience and the progress Waterloo has made, while underscoring the work that continues to better support Indigenous people.

“Today, from what I’ve seen, there is so much that Indigenous students can connect with if they want,” Green says. “There are also people who identify with all nations, willing to share who they are and supporting students, young and old.”

Drawn to Waterloo by her interest in environmental issues and economics, Green approached her studies through the lens of her Indigenous identity. For her, the Land was never just a subject of study, but a relationship grounded in Haudenosaunee teachings of responsibility, balance and interconnectedness.

That perspective shaped how she understood environmental and economic systems, not as separate fields, but as part of a broader responsibility to care for the Land and future generations. However, her experience in the 1970s was shaped as much by barriers as by curiosity. The absence of Indigenous community and cultural presence, combined with systems of control, made navigating university life particularly challenging.

“When I came to Waterloo, there were only five Indigenous students here,” Green recalls. “There was no support system. You went to class, took notes, handed in assignments, got your marks and that was it.”

Like many Indigenous students at the time, her academic journey was monitored by an Indian Agent who oversaw her progress and decisions. She also recalls signing an agreement that required at least one of the three Indigenous students living in Village 2, now known as Ron Eydt Village, to always remain near the landline phone in case he called.

“It was frustrating,” Green says, describing the constant sense of surveillance that shaped their daily lives.

Amid these challenges, her path shifted. After marrying her husband, Green transferred to York University before eventually stepping away from her studies to care for her growing family.

Read the full story on Waterloo News.