Friday, January 20, 2017

A new Workday is coming to Waterloo

A message from Human Resources and Information Systems & Technology

This past fall, HR and IST jointly led a Request for Proposal (RFP) to identify a solution to address the University’s need for a modernized upgrade to the Human Resources Management System (HRMS) and payroll system. Currently, the University’s HRMS technology is supported by PeopleSoft HCM 9.1.

After conducting a competitive and detailed RFP process, we are pleased to announce the selection of Workday as the University’s new HRMS and payroll system, with PricewaterhouseCoopers as our implementation partner.

Workday is a market leader in their field and the goal is to transform the way employees and managers interact with Human Resources. Workday is flexible enough to meet the University’s current needs with little need for customizations, while also remaining innovative and agile to serve the growth of the University and its future goals. Workday’s Human Capital Management system is currently used in many educational institutions, with implementations underway at McGill University, Brock University and Algonquin College.

Contract negotiations are underway. Implementation planning, with input from campus stakeholders, will begin in the next few weeks. We look forward to sharing more information as we work through the planning process.

Annie Belanger heading to Grand Valley State

Annie Bélanger, a member of the Acting University Librarian Team, will be joining the Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan as its Dean of University Libraries, according to a memo sent by Vice-President, Academic & Provost Ian Orchard to Executive Council yesterday morning. 

"Annie originally joined the University of Waterloo in 2008, first as the Department Head, Information Services and Resources, Dana Porter Library, and then as the Associate University Librarian, Information Resources and Academic Excellence," writes the provost. "Since May 2016, she has served as one of the three members of the Acting University Librarian Team. During her time at Waterloo, the Library has adopted an innovative, holistic approach to collections development and retention as well as a strong commitment to student engagement and wellness initiatives."

Bélanger will remain at the University of Waterloo through the month of May before starting her new role on June 5.

"Annie’s creativity, enthusiasm, and tireless energy will be greatly missed," the provost writes. "We have appreciated her vision of what’s possible and her commitment to making it happen.  On behalf of the library community at the University of Waterloo and in Ontario, as well as the entire University of Waterloo administration, faculty, staff, and students, we wish Annie all the best in her new position."

Tesatawiyat art project invites you to come in

Tesatawiyat means Come in in the Mohawk language. In that spirit, the Grebel Gallery invites the public to come in to enjoy a community art project featuring 19 photographs of First Nations families in their homes. The exhibit, fittingly named Tesatawiyat, is a partnership between the Grebel Gallery, artists Bryce Kanbara and Mina Ao, and the Waterloo Aboriginal Education Centre (WAEC) at St. Paul’s University College. The exhibition also features the painting Travelling Through by well-known Mohawk artist Shelley Niro, taken from her “Indian Summer” series.

“We're grateful that people trusted us, as strangers, to go into their homes, take photos and ask for statements about themselves,” reflected Kanbara. “Mina and I learned about the welcoming nature of Native people, their connections to their culture and history…as well as their diversity. At a recent public event in Hamilton, Chief Ava Hill of Six Nations spoke about the unhelpful tendency to adopt stereotypes of one another. ‘Get to know us,’ she said. This project is a small step towards doing that."

The exhibit is already attracting the attention of a variety of departments at the University of Waterloo. Professors are using Tesatawiyat as an opportunity to enrich student learning by bringing students into the space for teaching and reflection. The Grebel Gallery aspires to be a place to give voice to others and, in this mission, they invite other groups to come in, explore the content and themes presented, and become part of the community conversation.

“Through the work we do at the Waterloo Aboriginal Education Centre, it’s important that we build a strong supportive community for our students,” explained Shawn Johnson, Events Coordinator at WAEC. “We see that message within this exhibit, that we are made of many communities and that is a beautiful thing.”

Community members are invited to explore Tesatawiyat at a public launch reception on January 25th at 7PM. Members of the Waterloo Aboriginal Education Centre will welcome guests, artists will say a few words, and traditional fare will be shared, along with compelling art and good company. The reception is free, but registration is requested at www.grebel.ca/events.  The exhibition will be on display until April 13, 2017.

A brief tour of science comedy and other notes

Knowledge Integration is hosting a lecture entitled "A Brief Tour of Science Comedy" today.

"Science is a rich source of ideas that are usually very serious," says a statement from the presenters. "Using it for comedic inspiration is not only tremendously fun, but a great source of creative new ideas."

This talk will feature presentations from Professor Nathaniel Barr, a Waterloo alumnus and IgNobel Prize winner, and Robert Gooding-Townsend, a Knowledge Integration graduate and a winner of the Festival of Bad Ad Hoc Hypotheses. "What psychological factors are associated with receptivity to pseudo-profound B.S.? How might alcohol metabolism, if you squint and sweep a lot of things under the rug, explain the evolution of human intelligence?"

For answers to these and other silly science questions, and for lessons in lessons for creativity and interdisciplinarity, come to EV3 1408 from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. today. 

Colleagues of Bob Harrison, who is retiring after 36 years with the University, are organizing a retirement party in his honour on Thursday, February 16 at Fed Hall from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. RSVP to Liz Doede by sending an email to edoede@uwaterloo.ca. Harrison works in Department and Campus Applications in IST.

The Centre d'aide à la rédaction or French Writing Centre is opening up next week for the winter term. 

"Getting feedback is essential to improving your writing skills," says a message from the CAR. "The CAR offers one-on-one drop-in sessions with trained consultants (who are also graduate students in the French department) who will work with you to improve your capacity to plan, write and revise your French assignments. Undergraduate students are invited to visit us during our hours of operation. We are located on the third floor of Modern Languages in the Department of French Studies. À bientôt!"