Friday, February 12, 2021

Spring convocation will be delivered virtually

In-person convocation ceremonies will not take place on campus in June.

“Many of you have asked me questions about the upcoming spring convocation and I wanted to inform you of our decision to not host an in-person ceremony,” wrote President Feridun Hamdullahpur in a memo circulated yesterday.

“This is, of course, a great disappointment for so many in our community, myself included. As we continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, the well-being of our students, their families and our campus community remains our top priority. This decision was a very difficult one to make, as convocation is a chance to bring our whole community together to celebrate our students’ academic achievements.”

To ensure that the ceremony is a memorable and special moment in the lives of our students, we have launched a student survey to ensure that they have input into how we celebrate. Additional information about convocation dates, delivery method and more will be shared after we have collected this feedback.

“Over the past year, we have witnessed the resiliency and compassion of our community in the face of unprecedented challenge,” added Hamdullahpur. “Thanks to each of you for working together to ensure the best academic experience for our students.”

Up-to-date information is available on our convocation website. You can also send questions to convocation@uwaterloo.ca.

Ushering in the Year of the Ox

By Anne Galang.

Xīn nián kuài lè (Mandarin for “happy new year”). Gong hei fat choy (Cantonese for “wishing you great happiness and prosperity”).

Today marks the beginning of the new year and the Year of the Ox on the traditional Chinese lunar calendar. Known as “Chinese New Year”, “Lunar New Year” or “Spring Festival”, the event is celebrated in China, other Asian countries such as Vietnam and South Korea, and in communities around the globe. Traditional observances take place over 15 days of celebration, ending with the Lantern Festival. And many will have already started the festivities earlier in the week as the old year drew to a close.

While this year’s events here at the University looked a little different due to the pandemic (as many activities do these days), the community found ways to honour the lunar new year through virtual gatherings or other modified celebrations.

The Faculty of Environment held their annual Spring Festival celebrations online on Wednesday night via Microsoft Teams, with students logging in from their homes in many parts of the world. The program included video greetings from Dean Jean Andrey, professors and students, and a look back at happy moments from previous years’ events. The English Language Institute at Renison University College hosted virtual English conversation circles with a lunar new year theme. Waterloo students around the world joined for a casual Zoom hangout to chat and share their plans for the new year. Food Services also marked the occasion at Claudette Millar Hall with decorations and a special menu for residents.

Elsewhere in the Region, Waterloo Public Library and the Waterloo Region Chinese Canadian Association hosted a virtual event, featuring traditional Chinese crafts, calligraphy, music, storytelling and a cooking demonstration. If you missed the live event, you can watch the video recording on YouTube.

Past celebrations

If you’re feeling nostalgic, here are a few highlights from previous celebrations at the University. Perhaps the Year of the Ox will bring us enough good fortune that by this time next year we can resume these traditions on campus.

The honest ox

The ox is the second animal in the Chinese zodiac. According to ancient myth, the Jade Emperor called all the animals to a meeting, and the order in which they arrived determined their place in the calendar. A popular version of the story has the animals crossing a river to reach the heavenly gates. The rat, not being a strong swimmer, asked the ox for a ride across. The kind ox obliged, but as they neared the gates, the rat jumped off of the ox’s back and ahead to arrive first. The ox settled for second place.

In Chinese astrology, those born in the year of the ox are thought to be honest, hard-working and intelligent, never seeking praise or attention. The ox is also associated with duty, discipline and stability.

And after the past year we’ve had, some ox-like stability would be welcome in 2021.

Q and A with the experts: why do we look for loopholes in COVID-19 restrictions?

The University of Waterloo has a number of experts available for comment on various aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Is it human nature to break the rules?  Are people just sick of COVID-19 restrictions?

We spoke to Professor Christine Purdon, a registered psychologist, about why it is that some people are not following Public Health guidelines and COVID-19 precautions.

Why do people not follow public health rules even though they know they should?

First, I am not sure people always agree that they should follow the rules. Some people mistrust the rules, some people feel the rules are too strict, and others think that following the rules causes more harm than following them saves. 

If people do agree in principle with the rules, they may find themselves able to rationalize breaking them. For example, if they really would like a change of scenery and could go to a cottage, they may tell themselves that they can still follow the spirit of the rules by not stopping on the way to the cottage and bringing all of their groceries with them, so they won’t be in contact with anyone. What they may be overlooking is that the probability of not needing to stop either to or from the cottage is low, and that the probability of needing something from a store is high – we all forget something important, like milk or bread, and when we get to the cottage, we may find we need a new shovel, or ice melt.

How can the government get people to follow the rules, short of police enforcement?

First, government can lead by example. No one in a leadership position – particularly in areas of public health and government – should be breaking the rules.

Second, government can give clear, consistent messages about the rules – not doing things like making a rule but then declining to impose the stated fines for breaking them. 

Third, government can give people hopeful and encouraging messages while also clearly illustrating how following these difficult rules can make a big difference. 

Is it human nature to look for loopholes in the rules?

I think it is human nature to perceive the end as justifying the means. It is very easy to tell ourselves that breaking a rule will have very minor, if any consequences (e.g., helping a family member skip the queue for vaccination) and will have important payoffs (being able to see a loved one in a care home). 

I think this is a time to ensure we make COVID-19 related decisions with our heads rather than our emotions.

Christine Purdon is a Professor in the Psychology department. Her research interests include the persistence of anxiety and its cognitive manifestations, such as obsessions, worry, rumination, doubt, and behavioural manifestations, such as compulsions and escape/avoidance behaviours, and how anxiety influences attentional and memory processes.

New website and application updates from Campus Housing

A message from Campus Housing.

If you haven’t yet, now is the perfect time to check out Campus Housing’s new website. The launch, part of Campus Housing’s suite of new branded materials, features updated residence icons, content, and an overall focus on improved user experience.

We hope you’ll use the website to help students find information about upcoming terms. Applications are open for the spring and fall terms, including our first-year Residence Community Ranking Form which launched February 1, 2021. Deadline for students to be included in the 100 per cent residence guarantee is June 1, 2021. For incoming first-year information, our newly designed 100 per cent Guaranteed Foleon site is a great resource (shout out to Creative Services for this shiny new resource).

All other applications can be found on the applications website. 

For all kinds of reasons from safety to financial, many students are choosing to stay home in 2021; however, we know that home is not the place where some students feel best supported or equipped to tackle their academic goals. In the case you are speaking with a student that does have a desire to live on campus and wants some information, please visit our spring 2021 Frequently Asked Questions page.

Decisions for fall 2021 will be made in tandem with decisions about the upcoming academic term, and in consultation with Public Health. Our fall 2021 FAQ page will be posted as soon as we have confirmed details. In the meantime, any questions can be directed to housing@uwaterloo.ca.

What's open and closed on campus for Family Day and Reading Week

Monday is Family Day, a statutory holiday in Ontario, and that means the University is mostly closed, or at least more closed than usual.

For example, all W Store, W Store Essentials and W Print locations will be closed Monday. All orders placed online via wstore.ca and wprint.ca will be processed beginning Tuesday, February 16.

The Student Life Centre will also be closed on Monday, February 15.

The Library's virtual reference hours on Family Day will run from 12 noon to 6:00 p.m. (email or chat).

Reading Week, otherwise known as the Winter term study break, kicks off next week, during which there will be no lectures or classes. The University’s operations will be open more or less as usual from Tuesday through Friday, which are regular working days for most University employees.

Closed on Monday, the Student Life Centre will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. from Tuesday to Friday. International News will be closed.

The Market at UWP will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. from Sunday, February 13 to Sunday, February 21 to provide service to students in residence. The Tim Hortons in the Student Life Centre will be closed during Reading Week. Check the Food Services website for more information about locations and hours.

After the special Family Day hours, the Library's virtual reference service will operate as follows:

• Chat: Tuesday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; weekend 12 noon to 9:00 p.m.
• Email: Tuesday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.; weekend 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Enjoy the long weekend, and for students, enjoy a restful Reading Week. The Daily Bulletin will return on Tuesday, February 16.