Thursday, October 13, 2016

Across campus, departments are going greener

Over the last year, the University has been piloting a Green Office program to help departments inject a little green into their black and gold.

“Many employees are passionate about seeing sustainability in their work,” says Mat Thijssen, the University’s Sustainability Coordinator. “But often they don’t feel empowered to affect change, even among their peers. The Green Office program is a way to formalize, recognize, and support their efforts at the department level.”

The program was developed through consultation with interested departments, and includes a peer-to-peer ambassador network, a toolkit of best practices and templates, and a common scorecard to generate ideas and measure progress.

“When the pilot began, we were hoping for about 10 ambassadors, with a few departments formally participating,” says Thijssen. “By September we had about 30 ambassadors from 19 departments, with 7 departments receiving a ‘Bronze’ certification, and all with fairly limited promotion. That shows a deep level of enthusiasm.”

Office activities have been diverse, from forming green teams to partnering with Campus Compost for food waste collection. Others have put up reminders to turn off the lights or integrated sustainability into their purchasing decisions for office supplies. Even simple reminders about existing tools and proper practice can reinforce positive action and build sustainability-minded cultures.

The following departments received a Bronze certification during the pilot, with a few already headed for silver:

• Centre for Teaching Excellence
• Dean of Arts Office
• Dean of Engineering Office
• Dean of Environment Office
• Graduate Studies Office
• Library
• Propel Centre for Population Health Impact

Going forward, the goal will be to continue expanding the program into new departments, and helping participants make progress on action items.

For a full list of participating departments, or to become an ambassador for your office, visit the Green Office page.

Equity and Inclusivity Award nominations open

FAUW's Status of Women and Equity Committee (SWEC) is seeking nominations for its annual Equity and Inclusivity Award. The award celebrates a member or affiliate of the University of Waterloo community whose actions have made a demonstrable impact on equity, inclusivity, and/or diversity at the University. 

Nominees will have shown an exemplary commitment to improving the lives of women and/or other members of equity-seeking groups on campus. These efforts or actions could be in, but not restricted to, the following areas: outstanding service; policy development or improvements; education or awareness-raising efforts; political, legal, or collective bargaining advancements; relevant scholarship; organizational leadership.

Nomination packages should include the following: a cover letter by the nominator, a C.V. or resume, additional letters of support, and any other evidence deemed relevant by the nominator(s). Please send nomination packages by December 15, 2016, to Kate Rybczynski, chair of the Status of Women and Equity Committee, at krybczyn@uwaterloo.ca.

Set phasers to fun as Library showcases sci-fi

Front covers of Isaac Asimov's: Foundation (F12599), published 1966; Foundation and Empire (F12592), published 1967; and Second Foundation (F12600), published 1966. All 3 books were published by Avon.

Did you know that Special Collections & Archives has more than 500 science fiction titles from the private library of the late Canadian writer B.P. Nichol? Many well-known science fiction authors' first works were issued only in paperback, vulnerable to deterioration over time. Beam on down to the Doris Lewis Rare Book Room to see our exhibit showcasing some of these rare titles and the far out examples of cover art common to this genre.

The B.P. Nichol Library of Science Fiction exhibit in the Doris Lewis Rare Book Room will be available until the end of December.

Thursday's notes

University of Waterloo Staff Association (UWSA) members have the opportunity to meet the 5 candidates for the UWSA Board of Directors at the Area Rep meeting happening today from 12:00 p.m. until 1:00 p.m in NH 3001. Each candidate has been given 10 minutes to speak and answer any questions. Light refreshments will be available.

The Department of Philosophy is inviting members of the University community to a retirement celebration for Mary Synnott on Friday, October 14 in HH 373 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Synnott is the Administrative Coordinator in Women's Studies and has worked at Waterloo for more than 30 years. Cake and refreshments will be served!

Medievalists will be gathering at the Delta Waterloo tomorrow for an all-day conference on medieval climate change and land use in and around Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex. "Climates of Change" is an interdisciplinary conference that will bring together professional archaeologists, historians, archivists, conservators, and their students to present preliminary findings from a multi-year study conducted in East Sussex. The event takes place from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tickets are free, but registration is required. The event features speakers from St. Jerome's University and Queen's University, among others.

Hey, faculty and students: there's still time to sign up for a City of Waterloo neighbourhood strategy discussion. The City of Waterloo is looking for 12 students and 12 faculty members to join a discussion and share their vision for even stronger, more connected neighbourhoods in Waterloo.

The faculty session takes place on October 17 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:20 p.m. in Needles Hall 3043.

The student session takes place on October 18 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:20 p.m. in Needles Hall 3318.

The City of Waterloo will welcome the first 12 people to RSVP. Please bring a bag lunch, and coffee and cookies will be provided.

Students returning from Fall Break study days are reminded that today’s classes follow the Tuesday schedule.