Expert to speak on work-life balance

On Tuesday, April 10, the Faculty Association of the University of Waterloo's Status of Women and Equity Committee (SWEC) and Wilfrid Laurier University's Women's Faculty Colleague are bringing work-life balance expert Dr. Linda Duxbury to both universities for complementary talks on her extensive research on work-life balance and the importance of creating a supportive work environment.

“Work/life balance is a timely and socially relevant issue on campus," says Diana Parry, SWEC chair. "The importance of this issue is reflected in the recent establishment of the work/life balance working group, which was struck to address concerns expressed by faculty about a lack of balance in their lives due to work. Indeed, the need for balance, and the health implications of not achieving work/life balance, is an issue that impacts upon everyone on campus."

Consequently, Parry says, the Status of Women and Equity Committee (SWEC) and the Wilfrid Laurier Women’s Faculty Colleague are excited to bring Dr. Duxbury to campus to speak to these issues.

The presentations are:

• Work-Life Balance: Rhetoric Versus Reality
  University of Waterloo, 1:30-2:30 p.m. in LHI 1621
  
  In this talk, Dr. Duxbury synthesizes her research in the area of work-life balance so as to provide policy makers and researchers with a more objective “big picture” view of what has happened in this area in Canada in the last decade. Specifically, this talk uses survey and interview data from two national studies to dispel a number of key myths related to identifying and addressing the problem of work-life conflict.
  
  
• Work-Life Balance 101: Creating a Supportive Work Environment
  Wilfrid Laurier University 4:00-5:00 p.m., Senate & Board Chamber
  
  In order to answer the question of “why do organizations need to make it easier for employees to balance work and life?” Dr. Duxbury discusses key reasons and identifies specific recommendations for how companies can increase balance. She argues that for any significant changes to occur in this area, the organization needs to change its culture and concludes with a discussion of how cultural change can be achieved. More information about this talk is available on the Laurier website.

Dr. Duxbury is internationally recognized for her expertise in work/life balance and is one of Canada’s leading experts on organizational health. "We are confident she will provide an engaging and educational talk that will have everyone thinking about ways to achieve work/life balance in their own lives," says Parry.

Linda Duxbury is a Professor at the Sprott School of Business, Carleton University. She received an M.A.Sc. in Chemical Engineering and a Ph.D. in Management Sciences from the University of Waterloo. Professor Duxbury has published widely in both the academic and practitioner literatures in the area of work-family conflict, change management, supportive work environments, stress, telework, the use and impact of office technology, managing the new workforce and supportive management. She has also given over 300 plenary talks on these issues to public and private sector audiences in Canada and internationally.

All members of the WLU and uW communities are invited to attend both lectures. A registration form for both talks are available on the FAUW website.

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First Global Experience certificates awarded

The University of Waterloo’s first cohort of students who have earned a Global Experience Certificate (GEC) will graduate this spring.

Among the group is Leah Marshall (pictured at right at the recent March Break Open House), an Environment and Resource Studies student who spent 10 months studying and working in Australia. Leah is passionate about her experience abroad and encourages all students to consider international exchanges or international co-op work terms…

“The 10 months spent abroad was unbelievable! I studied at Murdoch University for the first 5 months and then completed 3 co-op placements – one at a research and development lab, looking at converting algae into biofuel. My second placement was working on a boat monitoring water quality in the Fremantle Harbour and Indian Ocean, and my third placement was creating wetland educational pieces for the Chelodina Wetland on Murdoch’s campus. I even had the opportunity to do some travelling while on the opposite side of the world! I visited Malaysia, Indonesia and all over Australia. It was such an eye opening experience and I highly recommend it as part of your Global Experience Certificate!”

There are 188 GEC candidates at the moment. Undergraduate students interested in internationalizing their degree may submit a GEC application plan form, any time before the end of their 2A term (the deadline for this term is April 27th). Students agree to complete a language/course component, an international experience and a cross-cultural volunteer experience.

Says Leo Rothenburg, Associate Vice-President, International, “We are very pleased that more and more students are recognizing the importance of internationalizing their undergraduate degree. The international experience, obviously the highlight of the GEC components, has a tremendous impact on students. This certificate helps prepare our students to be globally engaged citizens. It is a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate cultural sensitivity and global perspectives to potential employers.”

Leah and the other graduating GEC students will receive a separate Global Experience Certificate at convocation ceremonies. As well, ‘Global Experience Certificate’ will appear on their transcripts and the international and cross cultural volunteer experiences will appear as milestones on their transcripts.

“As far as we know, Waterloo is the first university in Canada to offer this type of certificate to its undergraduate students,” says GEC Coordinator Paula Murphy, of Waterloo International. “We have been approached by another university in Western Canada looking at initiating something similar.”

Photograph by Andrew Smith.

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Notes before the long weekend

The University of Waterloo had a good showing at the 23rd Annual Japanese Language Speech Contest, held at the Prince Takamado Japan Centre for Teaching and Research at the University of Alberta. Manisha Tharoor placed second in the Beginner category for her speech "On That Day, Don't Say 'I Like You'", and Sonia Liu finished first in the Open category for her remarks entitled "Here I Am." The National Japanese Speech Contest (NJSC) " was established in 1989 under the auspices of the Japanese Embassy in Ottawa in order to promote Japanese language education in Canada," according to this year's contest website, and is held at a different location annually.

Students, faculty, and staff have been invited to join other local Desire2Learn users and Desire2Learn staff in the Humanities Theatre on Tuesday, April 10 at 4:00 p.m. for what's being described as an "exclusive event at the University of Waterloo, where Desire2Learn will unveil the details of their upcoming release, Desire2Learn® Learning Suite 10." John Baker, uWaterloo alumnus and president and CEO of Desire2Learn, as well as Jeremy Auger, Executive Vice-President and CTO (also an alumnus), and Kenneth Chapman, Vice-President Product Engineering will take the stage to make presentations and take questions from the audience.

"We are putting this event on for our local users to announce and showcase the latest version of our Learning Management System, which includes a set of new tools and functionality that will help them with their regular tasks," says Desire2Learn's Cory Kittel. "This is going to be a great training/learning opportunity, with lots of Desire2Learn staff in attendance."

More details and attendance confirmation information can be found online.

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