President's Report: September 2026

Hi everyone, the fall term is officially underway, and with it comes a lot of activity across the UWSA and the University. There’s plenty to update you on this month, plus a cozy fall recommendation at the end if you make it that far!

Before we get into the report though, I want to say a heartfelt thank you and best wishes to Kosi Ike-Orji who served on our Board of Directors since 2024, including much of that time as our Treasurer. We’re grateful for everything she contributed to the UWSA in her time at UW and we wish her all the best in what comes next.

There’s still time to put your name forward to run for UWSA’s Board of Directors or to be our next President. Nominations close end of day tomorrow, September 22! For all members: Voting is one of the most important ways members shape the future of the UWSA, so please take the time to learn about the candidates when they're announced Thursday, and participate when voting opens October 6.

We continue to advocate for staff perspectives to meaningfully inform decisions and significant changes underway at the University, from functional review implementation and the job architecture framework to the University’s approach to flexible and hybrid work. A big part of this work includes pushing for clear and proactive communication, thoughtful change management, and greater clarity about the changes to come and what they will mean for staff.

While we will continue bringing the concerns and priorities we hear from members to University leadership, there is also an important opportunity to share your perspective directly. UW President Bill Rosehart is also asking the University community what you value and what you think should inform Waterloo’s priorities in the years ahead. This anonymous survey is an important opportunity for staff to ensure your experiences and priorities are part of that conversation. I strongly encourage everyone to participate in the survey before it closes closes on September 30.

I want to provide a quick update on the outstanding commitments from our May 2026 settlement:

• Our negotiated improvements to the emergency leave guidelines have taken longer than anticipated due to governance complications, but we have been working through this with the University and expect the changes to move forward soon. Importantly, the existing guidelines already recognize that emergencies and urgent personal needs happen and we continue to encourage staff and managers to continue to approach these situations with flexibility, understanding, and care.
• Updates to the governance and processes associated with the Staff Excellence Fund (SEF) are being reviewed by SRC this month as planned to ensure staff benefit as much as possible from the increased funding negotiated this year.
• We are continuing work with the university on the other policy improvements negotiated in our settlement, including vacation provisions in Policy 6 and sick leave for contract staff in Policy 23, among several other much-needed policy updates to allow us to administer these as effectively as possible.

We still owe you the detailed results of our 2026 staff survey. We’ve been juggling a lot of priorities, but there is valuable information in the results that we want to share properly rather than rush out, so stay tuned.

We also have lots of learning opportunities planned this fall. Check out our Events page to sign up for events such as Understanding Policy 18, Part 2: Navigating Job Loss on September 24, Cybersecurity at Home and Beyond on October 7, and sessions on leaves and dispute resolution later in the term—and stay tuned for a session on UPP exploration as well.

And finally, something completely unrelated to my role as President but very much related to cozy fall activities: the KW Writers Alliance is holding Booktoberfest on October 3 and 10! I have a few author friends who will be there, so please do check that out if you can.