Thursday, December 1, 2022

New Vice-President, Administration and Finance arrives on campus

Jacinda Reitsma has officially begun her work as Vice-President, Administration and Finance at the University of Waterloo.

Her appointment was announced in September 2022.

A graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University, Reitsma began her career at PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) as a co-op student in 1997 and remained with the firm as an associate, senior associate, manager and senior manager until joining as an equity partner in 2011. In 2017, she left PwC for the position of Chief Financial Officer at Conestoga College and was soon named Vice-President Finance and Corporate Services and Secretary-Treasurer of the Board at Conestoga College.

“Jacinda brings with her an excellent background in audit, finance, and corporate administration, as well as post-secondary leadership and collaboration,” said President and Vice-Chancellor Vivek Goel in his announcement to the campus community.

Reitsma's arrival coincides with a senior leadership reorganization that will see Human Resources (HR) and Information Systems & Technology (IST) begin reporting to the Vice-President, Administration and Finance. Currently these units report to the Vice-President, Academic & Provost. Other units reporting to the Vice-President, Administration and Finance include Central Stores and Procurement and Contract Services, Finance, Plant Operations, and the David Johnston Research + Technology Park.

Reitsma will succeed Dennis Huber, who has been in the vice-presidential role since 2001 and will be retiring at the end of December.

Making mental health a priority

This article was originally published on Waterloo News.

As students at Waterloo head into the final exam season, and with the holidays fast approaching, the University is renewing its focus on sharing both the mental health supports that are currently available for the community and the continual work we do to improve the options that we offer.

“The state of mental health in our country’s young people is arguably more fraught now than it ever has been,” says Vivek Goel, Waterloo’s President and Vice-Chancellor. “But there is reason for hope. Our young people are speaking about their struggles, they are destigmatizing mental health issues and they are asking for help. We as a University will continue to be led by their bravery. We will continue to examine our services and continue to make them better.”

Building on work undertaken in 2012 to increase mental health supports for students, the University established the President’s Advisory Committee on Student Mental Health in 2018. The goal was simple – to offer the best possible environment at the University for supporting student mental health.

Following hundreds of conversations with academic leaders, community partners and students — the committee released a report containing 36 recommendations about how to improve the student mental health experience. With areas of focus including social support, mental health awareness, early intervention and skills building, service levels and improvements and advocacy, it was a comprehensive plan. Since its release, the University has implemented more than 90 per cent of the recommendations.

This work continues now, with the new systems and support set-up as a result of that Committee sharpening the University’s ability to constantly examine and improve its offerings.

Funding for Campus Wellness now sits at more than $8 million dollars annually – a 50 per cent increase from 2018 levels, with the entire team dedicated to supporting student wellness. Faculties are also beginning to embed wellness staff to offer students a point of contact to help them navigate the system who is easily accessible and familiar to them.

Campus leaders recognize that university life can be demanding, which is why they go to great lengths to support students before a mental health crisis develops. There are opportunities to be active through many different athletics and recreation programs and resources to learn about healthy habits, such as sleep, nutrition and mindfulness, through the Peer Health Education program. Additionally, many clubs and social activities are available through the Graduate Student Association (GSA) and the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA) and Campus Housing provides support for those living on campus. Multi-faith spaces are also available in several different locations across campus for prayer, reflection and other faith-based activities.

In addition, students can meet with peer success coaches, who are upper-year undergraduate and graduate students from different faculties who teach students key foundational study skills and strategies for academic success. Decades of research have confirmed that positive time management practices, as well as skills related to managing test anxiety, can help to mitigate mental health challenges before they arise.

Students also benefit from the work of the Wellness Collaborative — a hub of activities and initiatives governed by the principles of the Okanagan Charter; an international charter for health promoting universities and colleges.

If a crisis does happen, the University offers same-day crisis appointments every weekday at Campus Wellness. Mental health professionals at Campus Wellness are passionate about ensuring a secure, supportive environment for students of all orientations and backgrounds. Counselling and medical services are provided in a private and confidential setting to all Waterloo students who are currently registered or on a co-op term. After-hours crisis support is offered through the IMPACT program as well as through the GSA/WUSA-administered program Empower Me.

Campus Wellness is also available to talk to family or loved ones concerned about their student’s wellbeing. Together, they will discuss the student’s options and the best way to get them connected to the right supports.

No student’s experience at Waterloo will be the same, and therefore finding the right services that match their needs is important. Waterloo is committed to continually assessing and improving the services available to our students so that we can do just that – ensure that each student has the help they need, when and where they need it.

It’s okay to ask for help

If students or their loved ones at Waterloo are struggling, here are just a few of the services offered at Waterloo:

Group therapy and workshops
Students can attend a group therapy, seminar or workshop at Campus Wellness to learn skills for coping with challenges. They can also watch pre-recorded workshops and seminars on their own time. 

Individual appointments
During an individual appointment, counsellors at Campus Wellness work with students to determine the best approach for them. This could include cognitive-behavioural therapy, mindfulness exercises, and many other approaches that will be tailored to the student’s needs. If a student has specific needs or would like to request a counsellor with lived experience or identity (e.g., 2SLGBTQ+, BIPOC, and others) they can request this through our intake specialists. 

Resources to support a friend or family member
Students may notice that a friend or family member is struggling with their mental health. They may want to help, but it can be hard to know how, or if they should approach them. When trying to support your friend or family member, it’s important to remember the limitations of your own knowledge. Campus Wellness has resources to help students navigate these situations and more. 

Medical Appointments
Campus Wellness physicians, psychiatrists, nurses, nurse practitioners and a social worker are available to work with students who are experiencing physical and social symptoms of mental health issues. Together with the counselling team, the Campus Wellness medical clinic provides wrap-around care for students in need. 

Mental health training opportunities
Campus Wellness also offers a broad range of suicide intervention and mental health training programs to equip staff and faculty in supporting our students. Our goals are to raise campus mental health awareness, reduce mental health stigma, and support early intervention for those in need within our Waterloo campus community.  

Campus Wellness counselling
The Campus Wellness team provides in-person services as well as remote appointments via phone and video.  To book an appointment, students can call 519-888-4096.  

Hours: 

• Monday, Thursday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. EST 
• Tuesday and Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. EST  (4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. for pre-booked appointments) 

If it’s after hours, students can call Empower Me at 1-833-628-5589 or Here 24/7 at 1-844-437-3247. Empower Me is provided through GSA and WUSA.

Campus Wellness services and individual appointments are available to registered Waterloo students in classes or on co-op terms.

Celebrating Excellence in Online Teaching

A message from the Centre for Extended Learning.

Every year the Office of the Associate Vice-President, Academic and the Centre for Extended Learning recognize the great work that Waterloo’s instructors are doing in the virtual classroom. Please help us identify these remarkable people by nominating an instructor or an online course author.

Were you a student in a fully online (ONLN) course this term? If you had an exceptional experience in your online course, consider nominating your instructor for the Online Teaching Award.

Students, teaching assistants, instructors, chairs, directors and deans can also submit nominations for the Online Course Design Award.

The University of Waterloo’s Online Teaching Awards recognize teaching and course design excellence in fully online undergraduate or graduate-level courses and programs and are sponsored by the Office of the Associate Vice-President, Academic.

Professor Zbig Wasilewski named IEEE Fellow

This article was originally published on the Electrical and Computer Engineering website.

ECE Professor Zbig Wasilewski has been elevated to Fellow of the IEEE for his contributions to molecular beam epitaxy growth technology and photonic devices.

IEEE Fellow is a distinction reserved for select IEEE members whose extraordinary accomplishments in any of the IEEE fields of interest are deemed fitting of this prestigious grade elevation.

IEEE is the world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity and is the trusted “voice” for engineering, computing, and technology information around the globe.

Congratulations Zbig!

Hagey Lecture video, end-of-term concerts, and other performances

Antoni Cimolino, artistic director of the Stratford Festival, received a standing ovation after his 2022 Hagey Lecture at the University of Waterloo last month, and now you can watch it—or rewatch it—online.

In his talk, "Holding the Mirror up to Nature," Cimolino explores why we can be so moved by theatre, and how even stories written hundreds of years ago can help us to see and understand ourselves, and each other: "New plays can reflect the world that we live in today; old plays tell us we have done this before."

Cimolino contends that a democratic society needs theatre. From its beginnings, he explains, theatre served to develop "communal values and cohesion.... In laughing together, people would decide what is ridiculous, what is contemptible, and in crying, they would recognize the pain of tragic miscalculation and human fallibility."

We use theatre, Cimolino argues, to ask questions and navigate ambiguity, to understand each other and build empathy, something that "we sorely need right now." Theatre, he says "is an antidote to the isolation and anger caused by social media. Therefore, theatre is vital to democracy."

The Music Department's end-of-term ensemble concert series continues this weekend with two concerts on Sunday, December 4 at Conrad Grebel University College.

Jazz Ensemble: The Canadian Connection takes place at 2:00 p.m. in the Conrad Grebel Great Hall. Directed by Michael Wood, this 20-member ensemble will play pieces by Canadian composers. Tickets are available for $5 student, and $10 general admission and are available at the door. A reception will follow.

At 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, the Instrumental Chamber Ensembles concert will take place in the Conrad Grebel Chapel. Directed by Ben Bolt-Martin, 5 different chamber ensembles will play a selection of classical music ranging from the Shostakovich Piano Trio to Handel’s Trio Sonata. Admission is free and a reception will follow the concert.

One final note: the Region of Waterloo is hosting a COVID-19 vaccine clinic in the Student Life Centre's Lower Level today from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.