Dear faculty, staff and graduate students,
This academic year marks the last year of our five-year strategic plan. The Faculty of Health leadership is working on an institutional plan that will align with a new budget model for the University, and a strategic framework that explicitly aligns with the Waterloo@100 plan. At the same time, we are developing our Faculty's case for support for the upcoming University of Waterloo advancement campaign.
As we revisit outstanding priorities from our current strategic plan, Tactic C-VII – Task the academic units to incorporate Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) guidelines in their Annual Performance Review (APR) process – is currently being examined. Recent consultations with faculty members indicate that there is a wide range of perceptions about whether EDI should be captured in APRs. At this point, EDI guidelines will not be included in the APR process.
The intent of this tactic was to encourage faculty members to reflect on, capture and share their approaches to address EDI in our teaching, research and service activities. As well, increasingly, evidence of EDI is expected in grant applications, including tri-council, so it’s a useful exercise to undertake in and of itself. In the coming months, we will create opportunities for our faculty to engage in discussions about our values, commitment and understanding of EDI in our academic roles.
When I began my academic career in 1992, the terms equity, diversity and inclusion were not in our mainstream vocabulary. I observe that open dialogue about EDI has made a big difference in creating spaces that foster deep personal reflection and critical thinking – important characteristics of academics. These conversations are necessary, so I look forward to further engagement and discussions.
Best,
Lili Liu
News I Events I Did you know?
NEWS
New Musculoskeletal Disorders Prevention Guideline
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are a leading cause of lost time injury claims in Ontario. The Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders (CRE-MSD) has redeveloped the Ontario MSD Prevention Guideline, with funding by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. The Guideline website offers evidence-based MSD prevention resources, providing easy access to user-centered information to help empower workers and workplaces to create healthier work environments. CRE-MSD is led by Director Jack Callaghan and Associate Director of Research Steve Fischer.
Funding spotlight: Dr. Mark Ferro
Dr. Mark Ferro (Public Health Sciences) has received the Addressing Mental Health in Paediatric Rheumatic Diseases Team Grants award, a research funding initiative offered by Brain Canada and Cassie + Friends, a charity dedicated to the pediatric rheumatic disease community. The award is given to researchers for their efforts to prevent, diagnose and treat mental illness in children and young adults with rheumatic diseases. The funding will support Ferro's research with $240,000 over two years.
New faculty member in Kinesiology and Health Sciences
Kinesiology and Health Sciences welcomed Dr. Jordan Cannon to the position of assistant professor April 1. Dr. Cannon received his PhD from University of Southern California after completing his MSc and BSc at Waterloo. A specialist in biomechanics, his research focuses on the neuromuscular control and modulation of multi-joint dynamics during whole-body movements.
New graduate student recruitment specialist
Nilay Guler joined the Dean's Office on April 8 as the new graduate studies marketing and recruitment specialist. Since May 2022, she has worked with Marketing and Undergraduate Recruitment as the Faculty of Science marketing and recruitment specialist. She previously worked internationally with universities in Turkey, Spain and the U.S.
Cheryl Kieswetter retiring after 39 years at UWaterloo
Kinesiology and Health Sciences administration specialist Cheryl Kieswetter is retiring after working for the University for 39 years. She has supported many areas throughout her career, most recently splitting her time between KHS and the Centre for Community, Clinical and Applied Research Excellence (CCCARE). Most notably, she has managed Kinesiology Lab Days since she joined the department in 2012. Her last day will be May 3.
Teaching award submissions for winter 2024 now open
If you have a favourite Faculty of Health instructor who inspires you and goes the extra mile, please consider nominating them for the Faculty of Health Teaching Award for the winter 2024 term. It is a great way to honour the hardworking, dedicated teachers in our Faculty.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Red Dress Day: May 3
Join us in observing Red Dress Day, also known as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit People, on May 3 from 12 to 1 p.m. on the BMH Green. The day was established as a call to action to address and redress the ongoing crisis of gender-based and racialized violence. Immediately afterward, students are invited to an Indigenous beading workshop, taught by a local artist. Please register to attend the beading workshop, but registration is not required for the commemoration.
2024 Graduate Leisure Research Symposium: May 3
The 31st annual Graduate Association of Recreation and Leisure Studies (GARLS) Symposium is an all-day event taking place May 3 in EXP 1689 with a theme of "Leisure futurities: crucial reflexivity towards relations and resistance." Coffee, snacks and lunch will be provided, and all are welcome. For additional information about the event, keynote speaker, schedule and registration, visit the GARLS event page.
Getting Started in LEARN online workshop: May 3
For instructors navigating LEARN in the upcoming term, this two-hour online session will introduce you to the platform and explore how to present course activities and resources in on-campus and blended courses. The workshop will take place on May 3 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For details and to register, visit the Centre for Teaching Excellence's Getting Started in Learn page.
Partnerships Lunch and Learn: May 15
Faculty members: Bring your lunch and join the Office of Research for Partnerships 101, an interactive session on collaborative research partnerships, taking place on May 15 in EXP 1686 from 12 to 1:30 p.m. You will hear about different partnership models and best practices and will have a chance for smaller group discussions on partnership challenges and opportunities. Register on the Partnerships 101 event page.
Horizon Europe funding program: May 13
Faculty members are invited to join the Office of Research for a Horizon Europe Town Hall on May 13 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. to learn about the Pillar II funding program, the €54 billion available in this round of funding for collaborative projects, and the many opportunities to support international partnerships. Please register to attend either in person or via Microsoft Town Hall.
SLICC instructor workshop: May 15
This introduction to the Student-led Individually Created Course (SLICC) Framework workshop for instructors is offered in-person on May 15 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in MC 2036 through the Centre for Teaching Excellence. This framework promotes student ownership through co-creation of their learning experience and self-directed learning skills. Registration is required.
Reflecting on Diversity in the Classroom: May 16
The Centre for Teaching Excellence is offering Reflecting on Diversity in the Classroom, an in-person workshop, in MC 2036 on May 16 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. The workshop explores what TAs and instructors need to know about the broad range of backgrounds students come from, and working towards creating a welcoming and inclusive teaching and learning environment. Please register for the workshop on the Reflecting on Diversity in the Classroom web page.
LEARN for Teaching Assistants: May 16
Teaching Assistants are invited to join a Q&A-style workshop on LEARN, offered by the Centre for Teaching Excellence on May 16 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. TAs will learn to use the LEARN environment to communicate with students, monitor discussions, grade Dropbox items, create announcements and more. Please register for the workshop and read about the required pre-work on the LEARN for TAs web page.
Craig Janes retirement celebration: May 22
Please join us in celebrating Dr. Craig Janes’ upcoming retirement on May 22 at 3 p.m. in EXP 1686. In-person attendance is encouraged, but virtual attendance is available. Be sure to RSVP by May 15 to confirm your attendance, and don’t forget to sign Craig's card. If you would like to contribute to a farewell gift, kindly send your contributions to Carol West-Seebeck by May 16.
SHORE after dark: May 22
Graduate and undergraduate students are invited to join the Sexual Health Options, Resources and Education (SHORE) Centre for an arts-based drop-in activity related to sexual health and education. No registration required. Join us in the EXP first-floor foyer on May 22 from 2 to 6 p.m. For more information, watch the Health Events webpage or email the Dean's Advisory Committee on Health and Well-Being.
You @ Waterloo Day: May 25
You may notice the Waterloo campus to be busier than usual on May 25 for You @ Waterloo Day, taking place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admitted students and guests will be touring the campus and residences, so if you're on campus that day, be sure to give a warm welcome to our visitors!
Alumni Reunion 2024: May 31 and June 1
Join alumni and reunite, reminisce and celebrate with them and others at the Alumni Reunion on May 31 and June 1. Don't miss the Forever Black and Gold Luncheon, open houses and campus tours and Faculty of Health-centred activities and programming. For more information on Reunion and registration, visit the main Reunion event page.
DID YOU KNOW?
It's time for May Wellness Bingo
Everyone in the Faculty of Health is welcome to participate in Wellness Bingo! Offered by the Dean’s Advisory Committee on Health and Well-Being, the bingo game promotes healthy habits and behaviours. When you complete a line, send a picture to health.wellbeing@uwaterloo.ca to be entered for a monthly prize draw. You may also request an accessible version of the card. May's prize is a $50 gift card to Shopper's Drug Mart! Download the Bingo card here. Congrats to the winner of last month's Wellness Bingo draw, Amara Osonwa!
Ontario Summit for Students with Disabilities report
More than 100 student stories and experiences have been consolidated into the 2024 Ontario Summit for Students with Disabilities Summary Report. The Faculty of Health had helped fund the Summit, with the goals of amplifying the voices and experiences of these students and providing resources to advance accessibility on campus. To download the report, visit the Ontario Summit for Students with Disabilities website.
Do you have a news item to share? Please email it to Jenna Braun.