Transparent communication is essential in all areas of life, but especially in the workplace. We believe the UW communications about working remotely and the return to campus plan last week showed a lack of clarity and compassion for employees.
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.
Are you looking for an opportunity to expand your leadership capacity? Are you interested in building a more nuanced understanding of how things get done at the University? Are you someone who cares about advocacy and justice? If any of this sounds like you, please read on and consider running for President-elect of the UWSA!
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.
Hello UWSA members!
February is known for unpredictable weather, and this year seems to be no exception. We’ve had big-snow days and lots of grey days peppered with some lovely bright and sunshiny ones. Throughout the month, I’ve been obsessively planning my garden and ordering far too many seeds. But looking ahead to warmer days is helping me manage the thrum of anxiety about how this is all going to turn out. I think about my summer garden and focus on the silver linings – and I don’t have to look far to see some significant silver linings.
Over the past weeks, your UWSA has been actively working with UW on behalf of our members in several areas: an updated performance appraisal process for 2020, safety procedures for those working on campus, our compensation agreement (which expires at the end of April), and a revised Memorandum of Agreement. These are important issues for our members, and we’ve been working hard to ensure staff interests are at top of mind for each. I’ve provided a brief update on each of these areas, and I’m happy to hear from anyone who has any questions about this work.
First, I would like to thank all of our members for your support during my term as President. My term has ended and I now pass the baton onto Kathy Becker who, I believe, will be a strong champion for staff!
I would also like to thank the team I had in the UWSA Board of Directors and our UWSA Staff. They help support all of our initiatives in so many ways. A very dedicated and enthusiastic bunch of people!
Hello UW staff members! This is my second post as UWSA President-elect. In my first post, I wrote about some things I’ve learned since stepping into this role. This post is about a different, more disruptive kind of learning. I’ve been actively paying attention to racism in recent months, and it has brought me discomfort, which I take as a good sign.
A warm hello to all our members and staff!
It certainly has been quite hot. I hope you've managed to take advantage of some of the fine weather we've had and enjoyed a pool, beach or other outside recreational activity!
Hello UW staff members! My name is Kathy Becker, and I’m the current UWSA President-elect. I started this part-time, volunteer role when I was elected in October 2019 and spent the first few months learning the role and getting my head around the many moving parts. And then, like so many of you, I also suddenly had to figure out how to translate my work into a remote working-from-home reality during a global pandemic.