The UW Staff Association is the official voice of staff at the University of Waterloo. Our mission is to cultivate a progressive work environment where employees feel safe, empowered to grow, and able to thrive.
News
Two new directors elected; more to come soon
Please join us in congratulating the two new UWSA directors elected at today’s special meeting, Angela Rooke and Tim Ireland. Thank you to all four candidates for your willingness to step into this important role.
The UWSA Board of Directors now has quorum again and will meet next week to discuss next steps for filling the remaining vacancies; we expect to announce an election soon.
Notice of Special Meeting March 20, 2025
There will be a Special Meeting of the UWSA membership at noon on Thursday, March 20, 2025, to elect two directors to restore quorum to the Board.
2024 Staff Enhancement Grant Stories
One of our favourite things in the UWSA office is getting a window into the lives of members through the Staff Enhancement Grant. Here are just a few stories from recent grant recipients about how they used the grant and what it meant to them.
Events
President's Office Hours – Virtual
Need help understanding a policy? Have suggestions for UWSA initiatives or workshops? Want to better understand what we do here? Drop in to chat with UWSA President Lisa Habel!
Note: This session has been rescheduled from March 27.
Unlocking Your Potential: Getting More Involved at UW
There are countless ways to get involved on campus: serving on committees, supporting large-scale events, getting funding for a project through the Staff Excellence Fund, participating in a community of practice, running for seats on UW and UWSA governing bodies, and more.
Join us in this Staff Conference session to learn how you can meet new people, showcase and develop your skills, collaborate with colleagues across the University, break down organizational boundaries, and introduce fresh ideas to transform our campus.
President's Office Hours – In person
Need help understanding a policy? Have suggestions for UWSA initiatives or workshops? Want to better understand what we do here? Drop in to chat with UWSA President Lisa Habel!
Blog
What Your Colleagues Want You to Know: Disabled* & Chronically Ill Staff
We heard from staff with a wide range of chronic illnesses, physical disabilities, neurotypes, and mental health struggles for our second post in this series featuring members’ own experiences and words.
Ubuntu 101: Community, Integration, Collaboration!
Upon joining the University of Waterloo last year, I was pleasantly impressed with how the university’s new values, Think Differently, Act with Purpose and Work Together resonate with my perceptions of Ubuntu. Thinking differently, acting with purpose and working together are essential pillars in the Ubuntu philosophy, and I hope sharing my perspective on Ubuntu can enhance our shared understanding of these values.
What Contract Staff Want You to Know
The Staff Association membership is incredibly diverse. We encompass a wide range of roles, backgrounds, lived experiences, and so much more. Our mission at the UWSA is to cultivate a progressive work environment where staff feel safe, empowered to grow, and able to thrive, but we need different things to make this a reality.
To help us all understand each other better, we’re launching a new blog and social media series featuring members’ own experiences and words. We’re kicking it off with contract staff, who make up 18% of the UWSA.
Opportunities
Two new committee members are needed on the Staff Excellence Fund (SEF) Committee. The SEF committee works to generate, review, and recommend for approval staff-generated proposals for two portions of the Staff Excellence Fund: Engagement and Leadership Development, and Healthy Workplace Initiatives.
Term: May 1, 2025 – April 30, 2027 (two years; members are eligible for reappointment for one subsequent two-year term)
Two staff members are needed for the Dispute Resolution Pool. The Dispute Resolution Pool is a group of 12 staff members who are available to serve should a formal Dispute Resolution Tribunal be required.
Term: May 1, 2025 – April 30, 2028 (three years; members are eligible for reappointment for one subsequent three-year term)
A representative on the Joint Health and Safety Committee is needed for main campus. Staff representation on these committees is mandatory under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act.
Term: May 1, 2025 – April 30, 2028 (three years; eligible for reappointment for one subsequent three-year term)