Wednesday, August 12, 2026

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• Changes to Policy 39 regarding self-funded leaves
• Industrial research institute JITRI, is accelerating innovation in AI with help from Waterloo co-op students
• Don’t Miss the 2026 Premiere of To Be Honest: The Musical — An Award-Winning Production
• Waterloo researchers launch climate intelligence company

Changes to Policy 39 regarding self-funded leaves

A message from the Secretariat

As part of the University’s ongoing review and update of our current policies, Policy 39 - Leaves of Absence for Staff Members is being revised effective September 17, 2026. The changes, recommended by the Staff Relations Committee and approved by the University, preserve the opportunity for staff to request a self-funded unpaid leave of absence.

Waterloo is ending the deferred salary program, which held a portion of a staff member’s pay for the time before their leave and then paid out the stored funds as a salary while they were on leave. The program has had very limited participation and requires specialized administration. The eligibility and approval process for unpaid leaves will remain unchanged.

Under the revised policy, staff who want to prepare financially for a future unpaid leave will manage their savings independently. Workday offers the option to direct a fixed amount or percentage of net pay to another personal bank account. This gives staff flexibility in choosing how to manage their savings while maintaining control of their account and funds. 

Any self-funded leave that is approved prior to September 17 will continue to be administered by the University under the current process, even if the leave commences following this date.

For questions about unpaid leaves, or an existing deferred salary leave agreement, contact Human Resources.

Industrial research institute, JITRI, is accelerating innovation in AI with help from Waterloo co-op students 

This is an excerpt from an article that was originally published on Hire Waterloo. 

By: Mary Lynne Bartlett 

Based in one of China’s most active economic regions, the Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute (JITRI) hires University of Waterloo co-op students who contribute to research and industry projects while gaining international experience. 

With a network of more than 100 industrial research institutes, JITRI companies advance transformative work in artificial intelligence (AI), advanced materials, intelligent manufacturing, energy and environmental technologies, biology and high-end equipment manufacturing. JITRI integrates co-op students directly into this innovation engine to bring fresh thinking, accelerate projects and help turn breakthrough research into real-world results. 

Early in its development, Professor Qing Liu, president of JITRI, incorporated co-op into the company’s hiring practices and operations; he knew he wanted to partner with leading universities like Waterloo. 

“JITRI puts a lot of emphasis on the co-op model. We encourage students and young professionals to work directly on real-life challenges and real industrial challenges, not just in the classroom,” says Wenjing Zhen, Vice Director,  JITRI Co-op Education Division. 

Read more on the Hire Waterloo website.

Don’t Miss the 2026 Premiere of To Be Honest: The Musical — An Award-Winning Production!

Get ready to be moved, inspired, and thoroughly entertained! To Be Honest: The Musical—featuring a talented cast of University of Waterloo students—premieres this September. 

This award-winning production explores important topics including building connections, academic integrity, mental health, consent, and more. With original music, powerful storytelling, and student creativity at its finest, this is a show you won’t want to miss. 

The premieres are open to everyone, including University of Waterloo students, staff, faculty, family and friends, and community partners. 

Admission is free, but tickets are encouraged. 
 
Get your tickets: To Be Honest: The Musical Tickets 

Dates & Times* 

• Wednesday, September 2, 2026, at 3 p.m. (Doors open at 2:45 p.m.) 
• Thursday, September 3, 2026, at 3 p.m. (Doors open at 2:45 p.m.) 
• Friday, September 4, 2026, at 7 p.m. (Doors open at 6:45 p.m.) 

*The performance runs approximately one hour. 

Location: 

Humanities Theatre (Hagey Hall) 
University of Waterloo 
 
Listen to the Music: 

Enjoy the original song, “TBH: To Be Honest,” available now on Spotify and Apple Music. 

 Waterloo researchers launch climate intelligence company

This is an excerpt from an article that was originally published on Waterloo News.

Climate change is intensifying extreme weather across Canada, creating significant disruptions to  supply chains through workforce interruptions, logistics delays and damage to critical infrastructure, assets and products. In response, University of Waterloo researchers are converting years of climate risk and adaptation research into practical tools that organizations can use to better anticipate risks, build resilience and reduce losses.

Dr. Jose DiBella, Manager of Research and Partnerships at the Waterloo Climate Institute and a former postdoctoral researcher at Waterloo, has launched ULYSSES Climate Intelligence with co-founders Dr. Sarah Burch, Professor in the Faculty of Environment and Canada Research Chair in Transformative Climate Governance, and Simon Glauser, Managing Director of the Climate Institute.

The team has designed an AI-enabled platform for companies of all sizes, financial institutions, industry associations and governments that supports decision-making to safeguard supply chains and other components of a business. The platform delivers user-specific early warning alerts and comprehensive risk data that allow companies to reduce risks from extreme climate events across their supply chain.

In their research, DiBella and Burch have found that companies often lack visibility into their supply chains, limiting their ability to manage risk. With the help of AI, the Ulysses platform provides this visibility, enabling companies to target spending and capacity where they can be most effective.

“Climate change is already changing how companies operate, invest and plan,” DiBella says. “The challenge is no longer simply accessing more climate data. Leaders need much deeper and specific understanding of climate risk in their operations, supply chains and local realities, and they need the tools to translate that information into practical decisions for building resilience.” 

The venture builds on decades of combined experience in climate science, disaster risk reduction, policy and implementation. DiBella, Burch and Glauser met through their respective roles at Waterloo and were inspired and supported by the university’s entrepreneurial culture.

Read the full story.