Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Electronic IP Disclosure Forms are due by April 30

A message from the Office of Research.

The deadline to disclose Intellectual Property (IP) and commercialization information using the Electronic IP Disclosure Form has been extended to April 30, 2019.

For faculty who have never completed the form, it is especially important to do so and for those who completed the form last year, it will only take a few minutes to update it with new information. For faculty members without IP/commercialization information to disclose, the form can be completed in just a minute or so.

The questionnaire has been designed to facilitate annual collection of IP and commercialization information to meet Policy 73 requirements. Completion of the form allows the University to capture a more comprehensive picture of IP/commercialization data at Waterloo and respond in a robust manner to requests for such information from government and agencies that rank Waterloo’s performance and commercialization in Canada and globally.

More information about disclosure of IP/commercialization activity is available on the Policy 73 webpage. Please email policy73form@uwaterloo.ca if you have any questions.

Volunteers of Convocation: profiling Binah Straker

Binah Straker’s dad taught her to drive, but officially she “really learned to drive behind the wheel of a go-kart at Polson Pier.” This is one of the many tidbits you can learn from fellow colleagues on campus as you build and foster new relationships while volunteering at convocation. The amazing group of volunteers span many different parts of campus that interact with different audiences in a variety of ways. In recognition of National Volunteer Week, Binah is profiled to showcase the value volunteers bring to our community.

Binah started volunteering at convocation eight years ago as an Usher and has progressed over the years to the role of Usher Supervisor. In this role, she is integral in the recruitment and hiring of a team of up to 100 ushers. This team is responsible for organizing and leading the seating of all the guests visiting our campus over the course of convocation. They are the front lines for welcoming guests, answering inquiries/questions and helping to provide a positive and memorable experience.

Over the years, Binah has volunteered with a number of groups on campus at a wide variety of events. These include but are not limited to Ontario University Fair, Student Life 101, campus open houses and You@Waterloo Day. She volunteers at convocation because she enjoys being part of something real that “is both a celebration of accomplishments and recognition of the challenges often faced by university students. Convocation is a moment to truly celebrate with students, faculty, staff and parents for a job well done!”

While reflecting on her volunteer experience with convocation, Binah talks about how leading the team and watching the various individuals grow makes it all worthwhile. She has seen Ushers graduate, start their own careers and move on but also, she gets to see others like Dylan Gardner, Daniel Henry, Christopher Maduka, Darby Mills, and Stavros Stavroulias to name a few grow into their own leadership roles.

Outside of convocation, Binah works as a Financial Aid Assistant, supporting both incoming and current students on their financial aid applications as well as processing OSAP appeals or reviews where necessary. She is a “bonafide television junkie”, but is known to enjoy reading fiction novels on occasion.

When asked why others should volunteer for convocation, Binah shares, it provides individuals with “the opportunity to take on leadership roles, make connections, and celebrate alongside the parents of students whom they may have helped at some point in their university career.”

If interested, register to volunteer for convocation today!

Copyright services and resources for teaching

This article was originally published on the Copyright website.

As we head into the Spring term, we’re reaching out to all instructors to remind you of the services and resources available to assist with copyright questions that relate to your teaching.

Services

• Course Reserves, the W Store, or the Centre for Extended Learning staff will assess copyright concerns on your behalf, and apply fair dealing, a Library license, or purchase transactional licensing for you.
• copyright@uwaterloo.ca – A team of five copyright helpers will work to assist you with your question.
• Copyright workshops are offered each term, and starting this term we’re offering webinars too! These sessions provide a simple overview of copyright as it applies to your teaching. Workshops are listed on the copyright website events page.

Resources

• The Copyright at Waterloo website provides information to assist you, including a frequently asked questions page, and the Fair Dealing Advisory. These pages are available to guide the use of resources in your teaching.
• E-Journals and e-Books are almost always covered by license agreements. License agreements set out specific rules to follow when using electronic resources.
  • To find out if you can use licensed content in LEARN, use the Finding Usage Rights page for step-by-step instructions on how to find license terms.

If you have any questions about copyright or licensing, please send them to copyright@uwaterloo.ca.

For more help using Library resources in your teaching, reach out to your Liaison Librarian. To find the Librarian for your subject area, use the Librarians by subject page.