Wednesday, October 14, 2026

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• President Rosehart to region's business leaders: "There's no wrong door"
• United Way spotlight: A home is where stability begins 
• Professor Brenda Lee named inaugural recipient of the Accessible Teaching Award
• Wednesday's notes

President Rosehart to region's business leaders: "There's no wrong door" 

President Rosehart in conversation with Ian McLean.

By Sam Toman.

President Bill Rosehart was the featured guest at In Conversation with Dr. Bill Rosehart, a Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce event at the Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum. It was his first major appearance before the region's business community.

In a fireside chat with Ian McLean, the Chamber's president and CEO, Rosehart discussed how much the University's place in the region has changed since the 1990s. Back then, the University was "sort of over at the end of the city," Dr. Rosehart said. Today, its presence reaches across the region, with the Innovation Arena in Kitchener, the Water Institute's regional, work and the new hospital planned for the North Campus, to name just a few areas of impact.

Rosehart urged Waterloo to stay true to founding choices like co-op and inventor-owned intellectual property. "This is Waterloo and let's be proud of it — we should really lean into this," he said.

A highlight of the event was a healthy conversation about AI. In particular, the Waterloo Region AI Coalition's AI at Work program, which places teams of co-op students from Waterloo, Laurier, and Conestoga in local companies to support AI transformation. He also named a priority for the years ahead: helping more of Waterloo's student startups grow into larger companies that stay in the region.

Asked what the University needs from local businesses, Rosehart promised to make Waterloo easier to work with, so that "Ring Road is not somehow a fence."

"Reach out to a faculty member, reach out to a Dean, reach out to myself, reach out to our co-op office," he said. "There's no wrong door."

United Way spotlight: A home is where stability begins 

Contributed by United Way Waterloo Region Communities.

A safe, stable home is the foundation for health, well-being, and opportunity. Yet across Waterloo Region, too many people face housing instability, homelessness, and barriers to finding or keeping affordable housing. 

The challenge is growing. Chronic homelessness in the region has increased by 129% since 2020, and if current trends continue, the number of residents experiencing it could triple by 2028. Housing policy expert Dr. Carolyn Whitzman warns that, at the current pace of building affordable housing, it would take 1000+ years to eliminate homelessness and core housing needs in Canada. 

Real Impact 

In the ShelterCare program run by United Way partner, House of Friendship, Doug found what a traditional shelter cannot offer: a safe private room, counselling for post-traumatic stress, addiction-clinic support, and on-site nursing care. "Once I got here, my life started to get better," he says. Today, he is healing and working with professional staff toward permanent housing. 

United Way Waterloo Region invests in homelessness prevention, emergency shelter, transitional and supportive housing, and advocacy. Along with 18 of its 52 funded organizations, it participates in the Plan to End Chronic Homelessness Co-Creators Table, advancing Waterloo Region's goal of functional zero chronic homelessness by 2030. 
 
Contribute to the University of Waterloo’s 2026 campaign today!

Professor Brenda Lee named inaugural recipient of the Accessible Teaching Award

A message on behalf of the Office of the Associate Vice-President, Academic (AVPA).

Professor Brenda Lee (Department of Physics and Astronomy) has been selected as the first recipient of the University of Waterloo’s Accessible Teaching Award.

Created in 2025 by the Office of the Associate Vice-President, Academic in collaboration with the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association, the Accessible Teaching Award recognizes instructors who advance accessible and inclusive teaching through thoughtful course design and delivery. The award includes recognition at the Spring 2027 Celebration of Teaching Excellence and Innovation ceremony and funds to support the recipient's teaching activities. 

Lee’s selection by the award adjudication committee reflects her students’ recognition of the ways she makes learning materials, course information, and assessment opportunities accessible to a wide range of learners. Several students nominated Lee for the award, highlighting her organized course sites, flexible approaches, and attention to students’ diverse learning needs:

“Professor Lee helped our course be highly accessible. She always has the assignments available in multiple formats (html, ipynb) and had multiple ways to communicate with us… Professor Lee is very understanding of our lives as a student.”

Another student highlighted Lee’s approach to organizing course materials:

“Brenda has by far the most well-organized Learn sites out of any professor I have had. Making it easy for every student to access what they need the most on the course site.”

Students also noted Lee’s flexibility around assessment and deadlines, including opportunities for students to choose topics and activities that aligned with their interests and schedules.

“Brenda was very respectful of her students' time and understanding with due dates... She also gave lots of choices when it came to the assignment, allowing us to pick our own topics that really interest us.”

The Accessible Teaching Award reflects Waterloo’s commitment to creating learning environments where students can meaningfully participate and access the resources and opportunities they need to support their learning. 

Waterloo instructors are encouraged to explore Waterloo’s Accessible Teaching website for resources, guidance, and supports to help incorporate accessible teaching practices into their courses. 

Nominate an instructor for the 2026 Accessible Teaching Award

The AVPA Office is now accepting nominations for the 2026 Accessible Teaching Award. Undergraduate students are invited to recognize an instructor whose teaching demonstrates a commitment to accessibility and inclusion. Nominations are due by 11:59 p.m. on June 30, 2027. Submit a nomination through the 2026 Accessible Teaching Award Nomination Form.

Wednesday’s notes

A reminder that nomination packages for the Honorary Member of the University must be submitted by October 19. The Honorary Member of the University designation recognizes employees for outstanding service to the University of Waterloo. Staff and faculty members are eligible for nomination upon retirement for their distinctive administrative service or other significant contributions to the University. Read the guidelines and nominating process details on the Secretariat website.

Please join St. Jerome's University for daily mass onTuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 12:15 p.m., in the Notre Dame Chapel. Mass will be 25 minutes in duration and everyone is welcome.

The next 6-week UW Staff and Faculty Fitness Programstarts on November 2. Lunchtime and after work sessions are available in a private setting on campus with Qualified Exercise Professionals from the Faculty of Health. Staff receive 50 per cent off thanks to the Staff Excellence Fund. Register today.