Thursday, August 29, 2024

University Club closing

A message from Food Services.

Last September, the University Club reopened for a trial period to assess the long-term viability of its operations. The restaurant closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but was experiencing other challenges as well, including the need for essential renovations and maintenance. In preparation for its opening, critical maintenance was conducted to address issues related to safety, aging equipment, and short-term building operation.    

Open for lunch Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., patronage fluctuated at different points throughout the year but was always significantly less than what was required to achieve break-even revenue. Given the outstanding building maintenance and operational costs needed to remain a table-service restaurant and bookable hospitality space, it is neither feasible nor sustainable for the University Club to remain operational at this time.  

Although the University Club is no longer available for table service, Catering and Event Services will continue to deliver a wide variety of delicious options with exceptional service for your private events and holiday parties. Book your next event today! 

Celebrating Glenn Anderson, Waterloo's Mac of all Trades

Information Systems & Technology (IST) is inviting the University community to join them in congratulating Glenn Anderson on his upcoming retirement on Monday, September 1. That’s the day he officially retires, though his last day of work on campus was May 15.

“Glenn has been a full-time staff member at the University of Waterloo and in IST for over 33 years, but has worked for the University since 1980,” writes Lisa Tomalty, Manager, Customer Relations and Support. “He completed his Bachelor of Mathematics from the University of Waterloo, before beginning his career as a Computing Consultant with IST (formerly Department of Computer Services or DCS) in the Client Services and Electronic Workplace groups.”

“Many of you may know Glenn as one of our MacOS/Apple support contacts, a leader of MacTug, or the Simply Voting, Qualtrics, etc. support contact,” Tomalty writes. “What you may not know is that Glenn also supported the Request Tracker system, M365 Apps, legacy web applications, web forms (from Microsoft Forms to HTML forms), DreamWeaver, WatVote/eVote, Waterloo Photos, and many other applications and services over his years of service.”

In the early days of his career, Anderson worked with Paul Dirksen, Wes Graham and Don Cowan when they were teaching Computer Science courses, both as a tutor for them and in looking after their teaching labs; Glenn also supported various WatCOM programs (PC version of Fortran and WATFile), Waterloo Janet and MacJanet labs, and was involved in running the campus computer store.

He also taught a variety of IT training courses and contributed to many projects over the years. He created HTML pages/sites for the then ‘new’ WWW using Netscape Gold, worked on IST website migrations to the WCMS (e.g. Tuition benefit, Promissory Note, Course registration), supported a variety of M365 Migration projects (N to OneDrive, email migrations, etc.), worked on IST AODA Compliance for IT Accessibility Project, and was the lead for the previous e-vote system and key support for subsequent WatVote and Simply Voting systems. Courses he taught included a variety of image editing for the web courses, digital imaging courses (including what to look for in a digital camera), Web Form Processing, and JavaScript, and he assisted with Excel and PowerPoint courses. 

“Glenn has also been an IST Account Rep (formerly IST Liaison) to many areas of campus including the Faculty of Math, the Faculty of Environment, University Relations, Renison University College, and others; more recently he has been the IST Account Rep to the Faculty Association and Water Institute,” Tomalty writes. “Glenn has built excellent relationships with clients, colleagues and retirees, and has been praised by clients on his dedication and empathy in solving IT problems and his attention to detail. Glenn is always willing to help out his colleagues, as well, and has been a valued and appreciated member of IST Client Services. Outside of work, Glenn is known for his nature photography – which is beautiful if you have not seen it! Glenn was also the official photographer for a number of IST social events over the years.”

“On behalf of IST, I would like to thank Glenn for his dedication and many contributions to the University of Waterloo over the past 33+ years,” Tomalty concludes. “Glenn will be missed by his clients and colleagues.”

St. Jerome's introduces the Lectures in Catholic Experience featuring Michael W. Higgins

A message from St. Jerome's University (SJU).

This year, St. Jerome’s Lectures in Catholic Experience introduces a series of talks by various academics and practitioners on the theme of “Solidarity in a Time of Solitudes.” During this time of increasing polarization and disengagement with the Church and the World, these lectures will challenge audiences to think about places, people, and processes that provide hope and inspiration in the shared pursuit of achieving the common good.

Michael W. Higgins, president and vice-chancellor emeritus of St. Jerome’s University, will be the inaugural speaker coming to the St. Jerome’s campus on September 12. His talk, “The Synod, the Pope and the Controversies – Why we have cause to rejoice and not to fear,” will highlight the most important Church event in Catholic life since the end of the Second Vatican Council in 1965. As a Vatican analyst, biographer and scholar he will identify why this Synod matters, why its ecumenical constitution is innovative and why we are on the cusp of a radical re-shaping of how we do things as a Church.

“It is a pleasure to welcome president emeritus Michael Higgins back to St. Jerome's University for this timely talk on the Synod on Synodality and Pope Francis's papacy by one of Canada's foremost experts and frequent media commentators on the Catholic Church,” says Peter Meehan, president and vice-chancellor. “Catholic universities like St. Jerome's aspire to be places where the Church goes to think, and this important and engaging lecture will give much for Catholics and non-Catholics to think about.”

Michael W. Higgins has contributed to Catholic higher education for over forty years. He has authored and co-authored several books, including his latest, “The Jesuit Disruptor: A personal portrait of Pope Francis,” which will launch this September.

This free lecture has been made possible through the generous sponsorship of The Higgins Lecture on Religion and Media. It will be hosted in person only in the Notre Dame Chapel, in the SJ1 Library and Classrooms Building on the St. Jerome’s campus. Please register for this event, as space in the Notre Dame Chapel is limited.

Thursday's tattles, tales, and tells

Alana Cattapan, Assistant Professor in the Political Science department, is the lead editor of a new book entitled Feministing in Political Science. 

“Feministing in Political Science examines what is at stake in contesting the boundaries of the contemporary university,” says the book's promotional blurb. “This critique of mainstream Canadian political science pushes beyond typical studies of institutions and political life. Instead, the collection draws together personal essays, pedagogical interventions, dialogues, and original research to reflect on how “feministing” as an orientation and as an analytic can centre experiential knowledge and reshape our understandings of political science. Collectively, these contributions lay bare the ways that power moves in and through the academy, naming the impacts on those who are most structurally precarious, all while pointing to futures available to us through refusal, solidarity, and hope.”

"Register today for a special gathering designed to foster support and connections among womxn and non-binary leaders across our campus," says a note from the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-racism office. "Co-hosted by the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-racism, the Office of Indigenous Relations and Campus Wellness, this Empowering Racialized Womxn and Non-binary Leaders event is open to all women-identifying and non-binary leaders, who also identify as Indigenous, Black, or racialized and who oversee teams and/or supervise direct reports."

Visit the website to learn more and to register for the event, which takes place on Tuesday, September 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

It begins: International Orientation has kicked off today and will run until Saturday, August 31. Incoming international students will receive information about how to set themselves up for success on campus, and enjoy a movie stream and other entertainment while getting settled in. On Saturday afternoon, they can join in with Waterloo's main Orientation events as they get started on campus.