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It is with broken hearts that we let you know that a long-standing member of the UWSA executive and the Board of Directors Michael Herz has passed away on January 14, 2023; he was 59 years old. The news is devastating to his family, friends and colleagues, and also to the Staff Association as a whole.

How’s your summer going? I hope you are able to carve out some time to leave the office both physically and mentally and enjoy some fun activities and down time – without feeling guilty indulging in a well-deserved break.

My happy place is in northern Ontario. There, I live completely off grid, which forces me to disconnect from deadlines and other work pressures and allows me to shift my mindset mentally and emotionally. When I return to work, I bring more energy and enthusiasm about the important work here, and maybe a few fish stories.  

Good riddance to 2021, right? Just when we thought we could put the pandemic behind us, it came roaring back to disrupt our time with friends and family over the holiday break. Although 2021 may not have been everything you hoped, this pandemic has allowed for some myth-busting and self-growth. It is clearer than ever that complete separation of the personal from the professional is not possible. In 2022, let’s welcome and honor whole human beings working at UWaterloo, and help create a work environment where people are supported to engage their hearts and minds.

Dear UWSA members,

I recently took a week off to recharge. When I wasn’t gardening, beekeeping, canoeing, or birdwatching, I was building a garden shed. The building project really helped me get out of my head. As the week passed and the shed took shape, I gained scratches, bruises, and achy muscles from the task. I felt the tension fade into the background, and I enjoyed the sun and the heat and the work. It was a great week! But things were still percolating in the back of my mind.