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Continuous improvement workshop looks at process projects
On March 29, 80 employees attended a Continuous Improvement (CI) workshop hosted by Human Resources. Ryan King, manager, housing occupancy and operations, and Kierra Cali, operations project manager from St. Jerome’s University presented on continuous improvement projects they have implemented in their departments.
King began the session by introducing the Accessible Housing Process and identifying issues that Waterloo Residences had to solve. They identified a need to increase collaboration between Waterloo Residences and AccessAbility Services, as well as participate in a process mapping exercise. During the exercise, Lean principles were implemented to identify day-to-day waste (processes that do not add value) and improve transparency within the Accessible Housing Process for staff and students. With the new process, Waterloo Residences saw an improvement in staff engagement, greater opportunities for students and families, and a more welcoming environment.
Cali and the Accounting department at St. Jerome’s worked together to clarify why their processes were not being completed at the end of each month. They broke down the problem by identifying errors in their processes such as inconsistent mailroom procedures, vendor challenges, and missed invoices. Working within the PDCA framework, they developed a problem statement and created an improvement plan to identify small changes that they could incrementally apply to a new process. As a result, they were able to reduce waste and deliver increased value to their employees and clients.
If you’re interested in learning more about CI projects across campus, keep an eye out for our upcoming 2019 workshops on the Lean events web page.
Hatching a mystery with GooseWatch 2019
A message from the Student Success Office.
GooseWatch, a collaboration between the Faculty of Environment’s Mapping, Analysis, and Design department and the Student Success Office opened in late March and remains open for submissions of geese and their nests. With the snow finally melting, those nests and eventually goslings will soon pop up everywhere!
Your submission to GooseWatch counts as an entry into our contest. If you spot a nest, take a picture (from a safe distance, of course) and submit it to GooseWatch. By submitting, you’ll have the chance to win goose-themed merchandise from the W store. The contest closes Wednesday, April 17 at noon.
To raise awareness about goose safety, the Student Success Office released a lighthearted four-part video series on our UWaterloo Life Instagram, which follows James McCarthy, a GooseWatch specialist, as he searches for safety facts concerning Geese.
Thank you for continuing to support GooseWatch this nesting season!
Staff conference concludes today and other notes
The annual Waterloo Staff Conference wraps up today with its final two keynotes. After lunch, attendees will hear from Laura Vanderkam, author of several time management and productivity books that include a focus on family time and work-life balance. Laura’s TED talk, “How to gain control of your free time,” has been viewed more than 5 million times. Drawing on the themes from her time management books, Vanderkam talks about how to manage the 168 hours we all have each week and while sharing her top 10 time management tips.
The closing keynote is by the King of the Bucket list, Robin Esrock, a global adventurer, travel writer, and author.
Esrock has served as the Executive Director of the Greater Vancouver Media Association, Vice President of the Travel Media Association of Canada (BC Chapter), and is a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society.
Robin weaves photography, video, and humour in his tale of how he ended up on this unexpected journey, and asks you to consider exploring your backyard first, because you never know what you may discover.
During the winter 2019 exam period (April 10 to April 26), IST will host drop-in hours for exam scanning and processing. Clients may continue to book appointments for this service if preferred.
Drop-in details: Please come to East Campus 2 (EC2) during the following times:
- Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. or 1:00 p.m. - 3:00p.m.
- Please follow the Exam Scanning signs in the lobby and an IST staff member will meet you
Please contact the IST Service Desk, helpdesk@uwaterloo.ca or ext. 44357 if you have any questions or concerns.
The deadline for St. Jerome's University's Betty G. Headley Senior Essay Award is approaching. The was established in memory of St. Jerome’s University graduate Sara Elizabeth “Sally” Headley's (BA ‘04 - English Language and Literature) mother. The annual award honours essays written by upper year undergraduate students, which are distinguished by their eloquence, originality, and persuasive power. In 2019, financial awards for a course-related essay ($1,500) and a personal essay ($500) will be presented at St. Jerome's University's Graduation Ceremony on June 9, 2019.
The deadline for electronic or hard copy submissions is Tuesday, April 30, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. Students may submit a maximum of one essay in each category for consideration per award year. Check out the eligibility guidelines on the St. Jerome's University website.