The University of Waterloo’s strategic plan was released this month and it has been a privilege for me to represent AHS and to participate in the process of consultation and approval.
The timing is now ripe for AHS to complete our own strategic plan. The Strategic Planning Advisory Committee met last week to prepare for the AHS Strategic Plan collaborative forum, to be held on December 11 at 1 p.m. in room 1686. We reviewed the draft vision, mission, values, priorities and goals, and I invite you to share your thoughts through this electronic survey by December 1. We will then share this aggregated feedback at the December 11 meeting.
I believe the strategic plan will help us showcase our strengths, align them with the University’s directions, and help us prioritize cases for advancement. Please take time to complete the survey and attend the forum. Your participation is important and necessary for a Faculty strategic plan that will serve as our roadmap for the next five years.
Best,
Lili Liu
AHS this month I Events I Tips and reminders
AHS THIS MONTH
New mandatory AODA training
All University employees are required by law to complete a new Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) course, regardless of whether you already have taken it. Four new regulatory standards have been added, and the University has developed its own Accessibility Policy. The new course will be available through LEARN starting December 3, or you may register from the Accessibility Training web page.
Hallman Undergraduate Research Fellowships open
AHS Faculty members are invited to check out the Hallman Undergraduate Research Fellowship award, which offers up to a maximum of $10,000 in funding for projects that both focus on health promotion and education and offer experiences to steward students toward graduate studies. For the Spring 2020 term, $50,000 in total will be available. The funding application form will be open until January 1.
Green Office silver certification
The Dean’s Office received silver certification at the UW Eco-Summit this month, and Recreation and Leisure Studies received bronze. The Green Office program runs the event and recognizes academic and service units for their achievements. It uses a scorecard that awards points based on actions that build the culture of sustainability as well as influence action.
Indigenous Cultural Safety Workshop
Decolonizing Health Studies at UW, which comprises representatives from the Schools of Public Health and Health Systems, Pharmacy, Optometry and Social Work, hosted an Indigenous Cultural Safety Workshop last month. Faculty and staff reviewed some of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee's Calls to Action, with a focus on promoting Indigenous cultural safety and mitigating implicit bias.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Income inequality and youth mental health: November 28
Guest lecturer Roman Pabayo will lead a seminar on income inequality and adolescent mental health, using findings from a study in Boston, on November 28 at 11:30 a.m. in LHS 1621. Hosted by COMPASS. Please contact Alle Butler for more information.
AHS Holiday Send-off: November 28
The AHS Holiday Send-off is today from 2 to 4 p.m. in the AHS second-floor foyer. We invite staff and faculty members to come mingle with our undergraduate students over hot chocolate and holiday treats to mark the end of classes and the season. Please BYOM (bring your own mug) to reduce waste!
From Bears to Bees: November 28
Lakehead University Professor Raynald Harvey Lemelin will discuss the appeal of charismatic mega-fauna (e.g., polar bears) as well as the rise of charismatic micro-fauna (e.g., bees, butterflies, fireflies) in leisure and tourism studies. November 28, 3 p.m., AHS 1686.
Giving Tuesday: December 3
Five generous donors will match donations at certain times of the day for this Giving Tuesday, up to their personal maximum. Join this international day of giving in support of the Faculty and the University.
First Aid course recertification: December 3-17
Is it time to recertify your First Aid credentials? Several one-day sessions are offered in December. See the Safety Office website for exact dates and times.
Kinesiology Lab Days: December 4-6, 9-13
Hundreds of high school students will be visiting our campus for this popular outreach event in December. Kinesiology Lab Days provide one day of mini-laboratory sessions on assessing, treating and preventing movement-related illness and injury.
Application webinar for grad students: December 4
If you have students planning to apply to graduate studies at UWaterloo, please encourage them to attend the GSPA’s How to Apply Webinar on December 4 at noon. The webinar will provide a thorough overview of the application process, tips for a strong application and answer students’ questions in real time.
Teaching Fellows' Teaching Fair: December 5
The AHS Teaching Fair is designed to showcase novel, innovative, creative and engaging pedagogical tools that instructors in our Faculty are using to enhance the learning of our undergraduate and graduate students. Sun Life Auditorium, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Check your Outlook calendar for your invitation.
Shaw-Mannell Award and lecture: December 5
Daniel Dustin is this year's recipient of the Shaw-Mannell Leisure Research Award, which recognizes international career contributions to the study of leisure and influence on leisure scholarship at the University of Waterloo. Lecture and award presentation will start at 1:30 p.m., and a reception will follow. Please register from the Shaw-Mannell event page.
Men's Circle: December 10
Through interactive exercises and discussions, the Men’s Circle will explore some of the ways in which men can become leaders in creating a safer campus for everyone. The content is geared toward unpacking harmful constructs of masculinity and increasing understanding of the impact of an individual’s behaviour on themselves and others. Noon, December 10.
AHS strategic planning collaborative forum: December 11
All members of the AHS community are encouraged to participate in this event, which will focus on the vision, mission, values and priorities for the 2020-25 Strategic Plan. December 11, 1 - 4:30 p.m., AHS 1686.
TIPS AND REMINDERS
Green Tip: Carbon footprint
If you are travelling over the holidays, think about offsetting your carbon emissions to help reduce your carbon footprint. There are many sites that can help you do this; the Carbon Fund website is one of them.
Do you have a news item to share? Please email it to Eugenia Xenos Anderson.