Dear faculty, staff and graduate students,
Looking back at last year this time when we were disheartened by the Omicron virus, I can see how far we have come and how much we have shared together in 2022.
Through in-person and hybrid events, we have caught up on convocations for alumni who completed their programs during COVID, memorials for UWaterloo leaders who passed since 2020, and even added new ceremonies on our campus, especially Indigenous ones, such as Commitment Ceremonies, Red Dress Day, Orange Shirt Day and Indigenous Remembrance Day, thanks to Elder Myeengun Henry.
Ceremonies and traditions continue to be important as we approach the end of 2022. In President Goel’s end-of-year video message, he marks the winter solstice and reminds us that brighter days are ahead. Here on campus, Rabbi Moshe Goldman began the Festival of Lights by lighting the Menorah on December 19, the first day of Hanukkah. Elder Henry shares the meaning of this time of year in last Friday’s Beyond the Bulletin podcast (episode 149). He talks about Mother Earth taking a rest under a blanket of snow while we engage in intergenerational storytelling and feast on produce from the fall harvest.
For me, this holiday season represents my new role as matriarch of my family as my children no longer have grandparents and I am the eldest with four siblings. This Christmas, we will resume social gatherings, honour traditions passed down from both sides of our family and create new traditions to carry into the future.
For example, we would like to establish more meaning to gift giving, which comes in forms other than purchased commodities. A gesture, meal, poetry, art, encouraging word, song and one’s time are gifts that nourish one’s spirit and soul in meaningful ways. I have come to appreciate this deeply during 2022 through the gestures that many of you have gifted me throughout the year.
My wish for each of you is that, as we transition from 2022 into the New Year, you will find time to experience meaningful reflection, recharge and return to campus with renewed optimism.
Happy holidays!
Lili Liu
News I Events I Tips and reminders
NEWS
SPHS accreditation successful
Three programs in the School of Public Health Sciences (SPHS) have received accreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH): the Bachelor of Public Health, the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences and the Master of Public Health. Accreditation ensures that educational requirements reflect the current training needs of the profession and helps promote professional mobility and employment opportunities for graduates.
Sessional instructors vote for CUPE
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) held a vote this month to become the bargaining unit for sessional faculty and special lecturers at the University, and received enough votes for unionization. Membership is still being worked out and will be announced when possible. For questions, please contact Stephanie Oliver-Guppy in Human Resources.
All-gender washrooms available
There are three all-gender washrooms available in our buildings on main campus, situated at BMH 1438, BMH 1439 and LHS 1665. They are also single-stall and accessible. See the University's Inclusive Washrooms list for other inclusive washrooms on campus. The Faculty is looking into the possibility of adding more, as well as baby station access.
Kinesiology Lab Days wrap-up
Kinesiology Lab Days, an annual high-school
outreach event, wrapped up eight days of in-person labs last week, with a total of 1,770 students from 58 schools. Approximately 200-240 students participated each day to learn more about different aspects of human kinetics, including labs on anatomy, reaction time, balance, exercise physiology and more.
Tunnel project update
The tunnel project leading from the residences is nearing completion and the area outside the M parking will be reopened to the public soon. The repair of the stairway beside the Manulife Wellness Centre is still under construction, but there is now a temporary railing that will be replaced in the coming weeks.
Upcoming retirements
Ian McKillop, associate professor in the School of Public Health Sciences, will be retiring at the end of this month after 20 years of service. Tracy Taves, graduate studies administrator, will also be retiring at the end of December after 35 years of service. Best wishes to both!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Building closures: December 24-January 2
Campus buildings will be closed during the holiday period, starting December 24 and reopening January 3. If you need access during this time, please contact your supervisor or administrative officer for fob access, or go to Police Services to be let in during the shutdown.
Alumni Office Hours are back: January 24-26
Alumni Office Hours, the series that connects students with alumni, resumes in January with three great events: Ammar Bookwala (BSc '13), family physician at Streetsville Medical Centre, on January 24; Natalie Benik (BPH '18), manager of Integrated Care at the eHealth Centre of Excellence on January 25; and Caitlyn Hillar (BA '21), community and corporate sales development coordinator at the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation on January 26. Please share with your students!
Jack.org talk on mental health for students: January 25
The Dean’s Advisory Committee on Health and Well-being is hosting a talk on Mental health and well-being for students on January 25 between 3 and 4 p.m. in EXP 1689. Speakers are Anna Polack, an undergraduate student in Biomedical Engineering, and Quinn Richardson, a student from Wilfrid Laurier University. Everyone welcome!
Teaching and Learning Conference proposals: January 25
Please submit proposals for the 14th annual University of Waterloo Teaching and Learning Conference by January 25. The conference will take place May 3 (online) and in person (May 4), with the theme, "Teaching and Learning with Kindness and Care.” Please visit the Teaching and Learning Conference website for details.
Raising of the Eagle Feather ceremony: January 27
Join Elder Myeengun Henry and Warriors Athletics and Recreation to help bring truth and reconciliation to sport. The Raising of the Eagle Feather ceremony will take place at approximately 7:45 p.m. on Friday, January 27, between the women's (6 p.m.) and men's (8 p.m.) basketball games at Carl Totzke Court at the PAC. Please RSVP with jmmackay@uwaterloo.ca to secure complimentary tickets.
Science Exposed contest submissions: January 30
All students conducting scientific research are invited to enter Science Exposed, a research image contest organized by NSERC and Acfas. The goal is to help foster a science culture in Canada by capturing vibrant research images that showcase scientific work. These images will help Canadians better understand and see the work that is being done behind the scenes. Three jury prizes and a people's choice award, each $2,000, will be awarded. Deadline to apply is January 30.
Map the System competition deadline: January 31
Registration is open for the Global Map the System 2023 competition, where students explore, probe and research complex social or environmental issues. You have the chance to win up to $2,000 in cash prizes and compete at the virtual Canadian final and global final at the University of Oxford. The challenge is hosted by the Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement at the University.
TIPS AND REMINDERS
Teaching Assessment Processes evolving
Learning about changes to Waterloo’s teaching assessment processes for the first time? See the Teaching Assessment Processes website, which explains the University's shift toward a holistic model that encompasses student course perceptions, peer review of teaching, and teaching dossiers, and which takes into account specialized needs related to graduate supervision.
Happy holidays!
