Thursday, February 4, 2016

CUPE, University approve three-year agreement

A new contract between the University and its 400 employees working in Food Services and Plant Operations, has been officially approved by CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees) members and the University.

This new agreement is retroactive to May 1, 2015 and is in place until April 30, 2018. CUPE members voted and ratified the agreement on December 11, 2015, followed by the University board of governors in early January.

The CUPE contract matches the faculty and staff contracts that were established in 2015 in the way its pay increases are structured: 1.95 per cent as of May 1, 2015, 1.95 per cent again on May 1, 2016, and 1.5 per cent on May 1, 2017. Kenton Needham, human resources director, as the Chief Negotiator for the University, indicated that the agreement includes market adjustments to certain positions in order to remain competitive with the marketplace. Regular employees within the bargaining unit, covered under the new agreement also received a $500 signing bonus.

Other features of the agreement include an increase in the allowances for safety shoes and boots, extended probation periods for new employees, and some revisions to current language typical in a labour agreement. 

Registration opens for 2016 Advisors Conference

On February 17, the University of Waterloo’s Community of Advisors will host the 2016 Advisors Conference at Federation Hall. Online registration is open until February 8.  Faculty and staff who advise students are invited to attend the event, free of charge.

The conference will be opened by Ian Orchard, Vice-President, Academic & Provost and Chris Read, Associate Provost, Students. Their remarks will be followed by keynote speeches from Tim Fricker, Director of Student Success Initiatives at Mohawk College and Bill Lemon, Principal at the Waterloo Region District School Board. Roundtable discussions and facilitated small group sessions will complete the day.

The Community of Advisors is supported by a working group that includes an advisor from each faculty and representatives from the Student Success Office. Together they organize opportunities for staff and faculty to connect with others in similar advising positions across campus. The working group also provides advisors with opportunities for professional development, and information and resource sharing, including monthly coffee chats. These informal gatherings are for faculty and staff to share best practices in advising, and learn about the services and resources available on campus.

Please contact a member of the working group if you have any questions about the 2016 Advisors Conference or the Community of Advisors. 

Manfred Conrad named Renison's chancellor

Renison University College has appointed one of Waterloo's top business leaders as its ninth chancellor.

Manfred Conrad, CEO and founder of The Cora Group Inc., succeeds the Right Reverend Ralph Spence, who has served since 2008. The installation ceremony will take place May 7, at Renison's Founders' Day service and convocation.

“I am honoured to be invited to step into the role as chancellor of Renison University College,” said Conrad. “As a member of the Board for the past seven years, I have been able to witness the importance of the education Renison provides at the community, national and international level and look forward to continued growth in the future.”

Conrad is a founding member of Communitech and supports many initiatives and institutions within our community including The Conrad Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology Centre at Waterloo, the Manfred and Penny Conrad Institute for Music Therapy and Research at Wilfrid Laurier University, and the Conrad Centre for the Performing Arts.

Born and raised in Germany, Conrad came to Canada in 1963. He established The Cora Group Inc. in 1978 and spearheaded it to become one of Waterloo Region’s largest commercial real estate development companies. A leader in the community, he has served on many boards, including the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra, the Four Points Church, and Realex Properties Corporation. He is also a long-time supporter of the German-Canadian Business and Professional Association, past member of the Kitchener Downtown Business Association, and current member of Renison University College’s Board of Governors.

“With Manfred Conrad’s proven commitment to higher education and to furthering educational and community initiatives, we are delighted and proud to have him as the chancellor of Renison University College,” said Wendy Fletcher, Renison's principal and vice-chancellor. “His great capacity for systematic analysis and strategic thinking along with his ability to build relationships across a diverse sector of local and global communities will be critical as we plot our course into the next chapter of growth at Renison.”

In 2009, Conrad received an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Waterloo for his outstanding business and philanthropic community leadership. Renison inducted Conrad as an Honorary Senior Fellow in 2013 in recognition of his work in the spirit of volunteerism, service and the community. He was inducted into the Waterloo Region Entrepreneur Hall of Fame in recognition of the positive impact that his business excellence has had on the community and economy in the Region of Waterloo.

Seminar to talk open education

The Centre for Teaching Excellence is hosting a faculty workshop on Monday, February 8 entitled "Open Educational Practices."

“Open Educational Practices” is a broad term that encompasses the creation and adoption of open educational resources, open course development, and open pedagogy – all practices that are designed to broaden access and eliminate barriers to learning. 

Facilitating the workshop is Professor Rajiv Jhangiani. Professor Jhangiani a faculty member at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, where he conducts research in the scholarship of teaching and learning and open education. He is a Faculty Fellow with the BC Open Textbook Project, the Associate Editor of NOBA, an Associate Editor of the journal Psychology Learning & Teaching, and the Director of Research, Resources, and Special Initiatives with the STP Early Career Psychologists Committee. Professor Jhangiani has revised two open textbooks and works with faculty, administrators, and staff at institutions across North America to facilitate the adoption of open educational practices.

Jhangiani will make a case for why the move away from traditional (closed) practices is not only desirable but inevitable, and how students, faculty, institutions, and our communities all stand to benefit greatly from this transformation.

The session is open to faculty, and registration is required. The workshop takes place on Monday, February 8 from 1:00 p.m. in 2:30 p.m. in DC 1302.

Thursday's notes

The Federation of Students election campaign is well underway.

Candidates for the Feds Executive positions appear to be grouped into two slates this year, Team Impact and PeoplesVoiceUW. 

Incumbent Feds president Chris Lolas is running for re-election, alongside Team Impact colleagues Deanna Priori (Vice-President, Internal), Sarah Wiley (Vice-President, Education), and Brian Schwan (Vice-President, Operations and Finance).

The PeoplesVoiceUW slate is made up of candidates Razan Qaoud (President), Kinsey Schurm (Vice-President, Education), Amanda Fiorini (Vice-President, Internal), and Jeremy Spira (Vice-President, Operations and Finance).

Running concurrently is a student referendum on the proposed Student Life Centre/Physical Activities Complex expansion. Undergraduate students will vote on whether or not they wish to contribute a per-term fee of $18.00 to cover the bulk of the cost of the new building. 

Voting is scheduled to take place from 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 9 to 10:00 p.m. Thursday, February 11.

The University of Waterloo Staff Association (UWSA) Special General Meeting will be held on Thursday, February 25 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in DC 1302. Topics on the agenda include a report on the election of the president-elect, constitutional changes, and a presidential roundtable. 

Members are invited for coffee and treats starting at 8:45 a.m. The complete agenda can be found on the UWSA website. There will be door prizes.

Human Resources is reporting that retiree Patricia Martin died January 30. Martin worked as the Secretary/Office Manager for the University of Waterloo Staff Association (UWSA) from September 1984 until her retirement in August 1997. She was predeceased by her spouse, Professor Hugh Martin of the Mechanical Engineering Department, in March 2008.