Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Voting for the Strategic Plan Advisory Committee begins today

The nomination period has now closed for faculty, students and staff to volunteer for the Strategic Plan Advisory Committee. This is YOUR strategic plan! Vote between now and Friday, April 20 to choose your representative.

Look for an email with your electronic ballot, or, for unionized staff, your ballot will arrive through campus mail. You can read candidates’ statements online and vote beginning at 10:00 a.m. Unionized staff can also find the candidate statements posted on bulletin boards in common areas.

Anyone with questions and concerns is invited to email the provost at provost@uwaterloo.ca.

Professional Development is a necessity for innovation

This is the latest post on President Feridun Hamdullahpur's blog.

This past week I was privileged to help kick off the 11^th annual Waterloo Staff Conference here at the University of Waterloo. The energy and excitement I saw in my colleagues was contagious.

It wasn’t just the fact that the group was getting ready to hear from outstanding speakers and take part in engaging workshops, it was because we were networking and learning together. And, professional development and better workplace integration are key drivers of a thriving, innovative environment.

A strong workplace environment creates innovation

We are known around the world for our innovative students and faculty, but our scholarship and research would not be possible if it were not for the support and talent of our university staff and their drive to do this better.

At the centre of this drive is our staff’s continued dedication to professional development and the opportunities the University provides through the Staff Conference and programs like the Staff International Experience Fund.

Learning new skills and actively applying them to one’s work is essential for the continued growth of a career and will ultimately benefit their organization. They will come with new ideas that can be transformative in how an organization operates.

Now, think about if your organization has a team of lifelong learners who regularly come together to discuss projects with new experiences, knowledge and perspectives. That’s an exciting moment for any leader.

Finding and providing opportunities for lifelong learning

It doesn’t matter if you take a formal class, attend a conference or work with a peer-to-peer group, professional development should be an active part of everyone’s career.

Education is not something that ends with a milestone like a degree. Employers should be offering new avenues for learning and collaboration that complement both the organization’s goals and the employees.

This type of two-way environment of engagement and support around continuous learning is vital in building an innovative culture that impacts the world. The need for doing this crosses all sectors of the economy from higher education to tech, financial services, health care and manufacturing. There is no substitute for building a dynamic, motivated and equipped workforce.

Success means encouraging action

The most important aspect needed for professional development to benefit the employee and the employer is to take action. To grow and enjoy seeing their ideas put into action, staff must be encouraged to pose new ideas and given the opportunity to make the case for making those ideas a reality.

Whether you are an employee or an employer, now is the time to make professional development a priority. It will take time, planning and resources, but it is an investment that routinely delivers significant returns.

April nesting brings May goslings

Goose Watch ’18 opened in March and to date more than 10 verified nests have been logged across campus.

Nesting season is slowly coming to an end but we are still looking for your help in keeping Goose Watch up to date. Over 6,500 of your fellow staff, students and faculty have viewed Goose Watch for help navigating campus this year, so don’t forget to submit your snaps of nesting geese and new nesting locations on campus to help them out.

To show respect to these soon-to-be-parents, Goose Watch ‘18 has the following tips for pedestrians:

1. If a goose acts aggressively, back away slowly and calmly.
2. When passing geese, keep your chest and face pointed towards them. Maintain direct eye contact.
3. Be neutral. Do not show fear or act in a hostile manner.

Goose Watch is a collaboration between the Faculty of the Environment’s Mapping, Analysis, and Design department and the Student Success Office.

Thank you for continuing to support Goose Watch this nesting season!

Wednesday's notes

Mugging for the camera: members of the Faculty of Mathematics Advancement team wanted to show their support for the Green Office challenge, taking place in April as part of Earth Month 2018. "We're killing it on day #2 of this week's challenge," writes Kate Dal Caste. "Reusable mugs/containers all the way!"

From April 9 to April 13, the Sustainability Office is encouraging participating Green Office departments to take part in daily challenges related to sustainable transportation, energy use and waste reduction.

Legal and Immigration Services has published the latest issue of its newsletter Res Controversa. The Winter 2018 issue contains information about intellectual property and copyright violations as well as details on how to request permission and releases to film and photograph on campus. 

Legal and Immigration Services was established in September 2017 after the University realigned how it would provide legal services to campus stakeholders. For a full rundown of the department's service offerings, check the Legal and Immigration Services website.

UWaterloo Music Department Ensemble audition slots for the spring term have now been posted. Ensembles include the orchestra@uwaterloo, University Choir, Balinese Gamelan (intensive course) and the Instrumental Chamber Ensembles. See the Ensemble Page for details.  Auditions start May 1.

Human Resources has reported that retiree Jorn Jorgensen died on March 18. Jorgensen started working at the University in January 1971 and retired in July 1996 under the Special Early Retirement Program as a Business Administrator in the University Library. He is survived by his spouse, Else.