New beginnings, old friends, and celebrating what makes us special mark the start of a new term
There’s nothing quite like anticipating the energy on campus in September. Friends, classmates and colleagues catching up and swapping stories from vacation and co-op placements in hallways and over coffee. New students meeting friends they’ll have for the rest of their lives.
For hundreds of new students, this marks their first weeks away from home. I’d like to thank everyone who has volunteered to welcome our new Warriors this week and over the weekend. If you’ve helped out in previous years, you know it can be a fun and rewarding experience. Students and their families arrive full of excitement, but also a little nervous and overwhelmed. A warm smile from our volunteers makes all the difference.
I look forward to connecting with the community this fall term as our campuses bustle again with activity.
Our work continues towards returning the University to a balanced budget. Many teams across the institution are involved in the various activities, including the functional reviews, Academic Innovation Working Group, Innovation Action Group and UniForum benchmarking. The outcomes of the reviews and working groups will take some time to implement, but the teams are working hard to pull together information that will inform budget planning for the next year.
I understand that these circumstances may cause anxiety and uncertainty. We will continue to keep the community updated on progress, and I encourage you to reach out to your leaders with specific questions about your unit.
Our new Campus Plan continues to take shape through surveys, open houses and your feedback—helping us design spaces that are sustainable, accessible and inspiring.
Take, for instance, the Two Row Path, formerly Main Path. Renamed in spring 2025 to honour the Haudenosaunee Two Row Wampum, plans are underway to plant a significant number of regional tree species along it to support the local ecosystem, offer natural carbon cycle-friendly cooling and serve as a living laboratory for research.
A warm smile from our volunteers makes all the difference.
It's now been three years since September of 2022 when we committed to decolonization, Indigenization, and reconciliation.
September 27 is the Gidinawendamin/Ska’nikú•lát 22nd annual Pow Wow. It’s a celebration of Indigenous cultures through song, dance, art, and food. A few days later our community will mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30 and renew our commitment.
I encourage you to attend one or both of these events. By being together we can create a positive space to listen, to learn, and to honour these commitments as a community.
As we know, student life comes with both its rewards and challenges. This is why we’ve launched the Be You initiative. Led by our Campus Wellness team, Be You celebrates every student’s individuality and well-being—helping Warriors take pride in their progress, show kindness to others and embrace their authentic selves.
Students can get involved through Be You programs and events. Staff and faculty can get involved with the Be You Mental Health Campaign by sharing toolkit resources, partnering on events, and learning how to support student well-being in ways that reflect the diversity of our Waterloo community.
Fall is a season of possibility. Let’s make the most of it — together.
