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Tuesday, July 2, 2013

 

 

  • New Watcard design unveiled
  • Staff Life Cycle Project report now online
  • Campus kids camps kick off
  • Administrators begin terms and other notes

 

  • Editor:
  • Brandon Sweet
  • Communications and Public Affairs
  • bulletin@uwaterloo.ca

 

Ashley Jardin and Takeru Kobayashi.

 

Baby bump vs. Timbit belly: Ashley Jardin and competitive eater Takeru Kobayashi compare midsections at yesterday's Canada Day celebration. Kobayashi, who holds several Guinness Book of World Records for speed-eating, chomped 85 Timbits in two minutes as the crowd cheered him on.

And yes, he autographed Jardin's belly and blessed the baby.

Update: Kobayashi's blessing proved timely, as I have received a report that Wellington Snell Jardin, a boy, was born in the wee hours of the morning Tuesday. Congratulations Ashley and Eric! And keep an eye on Wellington's appetite.

Photograph provided by Eric Jardin, admissions officer for the Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Environment.

 

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New Watcard designs, showing the uWaterloo shield and wordmark.
New Watcard design unveiled

a message from Retail Services and the Watcard Office

The Watcard office in collaboration with Creative Services is pleased to present a new look for Watcard. Beginning July 2013, all first year uWaterloo Students will receive WatCards with a new design.

The Watcard is the official student identification for access to campus services such as the Library, Athletics and secure access in residences.

The redesign for the front of the card features the uWaterloo shield and wordmark. A distinctive design for student WatCards identifies the individual’s relationship to the campus.

There are no changes to the functionality of the Watcard. Students may add money to their flex funds for use at Retail Services outlets, Food Services, vending machines or off campus vendor partners. The Watcard provides full-time students access to Grand River Transit.

For new Faculty or Staff, Alumni or Guest Watcard cards, a new design will be printed effective July 2.

All existing or old design WatCards that are valid will remain in circulation. WatCards with the old design will not be exchanged. For lost cards, the standard replacement fee is applicable and will be printed with the new design.

Please contact May Yan, Director Retail Services & Watcard, for any questions about the new Watcard design.

 

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Staff Life Cycle Project report now online

 

The final report on the Staff Life Cycle has been submitted to Vice-President, Academic & Provost Geoff McBoyle.

The project was coordinated by Dean of Science Terry McMahon, Interim Associate Provost, Human Resources Bruce Mitchell, with support from the University of Waterloo Staff Association (UWSA) and its president, Carlos Mendes.

The purpose of the project is to identify ways to contribute to making the University of Waterloo a “highly attractive destination for staff, including members of CUPE,” and to facilitate “continuous development and growth of staff once they being employment.” The project addresses issues around recruitment, development, career progress, and retention. Specific initiatives are to be developed in the context of the university’s overall strategic plan.

As part of the process that developed the report, staff members in 20 academic and academic support units were invited to provide suggestions related to four key areas: recruitment, staff development, the USG system, and compensation.

In addition, between April 30 and June 17, the UWSA had a webform on their site to collect feedback from all uWaterloo employees (they also accepted submission in writing for employees without regular web access at work).

The results of the information-gathering exercise are available on the staff association’s web page.

Provost McBoyle will be chairing a strategic plan implementation committee in the fall. The report, now with the provost, will, on the recommendation of the Life Cycle Project coordinators, “be used to assist the committee in identifying (short-, medium-, and long-term) and prioritizing the initiatives that will help uWaterloo reach the goals of becoming an exemplary employer.”

 

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Campus kids camps kick off

 

The beginning of July usually marks the beginning of the summer programs for children and teens on our campus.

In fact, Waterloo's Shad Valley program started welcoming students on Sunday, June 30. Shad is a four week summer enrichment program, with students spending a month living in residence while attending workshops and lectures that focus on the sciences, engineering, technology and entrepreneurship, and participating in all manner of team-building exercises. Shad runs until July 26.

Engineering Science Quest camps get underway starting this week, and judging from the capacity chart, you'll be seeing a lot of campers wearing brightly coloured ESQ t-shirts around campus over the next few weeks.

Meanwhile, ESQ's off-campus teams are setting up shop in Stratford starting today as part of the program's satellite initiative. Campers enrolled in the Stratford program will be giving the "team van" a unique paint job, with the rest of the week filled with engaging, hands-on engineering and science activities. Campers in grades 1 and 2, and grades 4 and 5 in the science and technology camps, will be enjoying the camp activities this week from Tuesday to Friday.

The first session of the Arts Computer Experience also gets rolling today. ACE camp is a two-week blend of classroom learning and outdoor activities for children ages 7 to 12.

 

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Administrators begin terms and other notes

 

A number of new administrators take up new duties, effective July 1, 2013, including:

  • Bud Walker, currently Special Advisor to the Vice-President, Academic & Provost, adds the position of Interim Associate Provost, Human Resources to his responsibilities.
  • Professor Diana Parry from Applied Health Sciences assumes the role of Special Advisor, Women's and Gender Issues.

The Conrad Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology Centre is holding an info session for its Enterprise Co-op program today from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in rooms 2218A and B in the Tatham Centre.


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Staff association to hold special general meeting

The University of Waterloo Staff Association (UWSA) is holding a special general meeting on Tuesday, July 23 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. in PHY 145.

On the agenda are motions concerning the restructuring of the UWSA fee collection regime, constitutional changes that include the formalization of the position of "president elect," and a motion to increase association dues.

"We understand, being the vacation season, that it may be difficult to get people out to this meeting and have quorum," says a note from the association. "If you are unable to attend, we still encourage you to review the material and consider providing a proxy vote to another member who is able to attend the meeting."

The full agenda can be found on the UWSA site.

Link of the day

The year's half done!

When and where

Enterprise Co-op Info Session, Tuesday, July 2, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., TC 2218A and B. Details.

VeloCity Venture Fund Finals applications are due by tonight midnight. Register online.

The Balsillie School of International Affairs presents Jim Lederman, "How the Middle East 'ain't what it used to be'", Wednesday, July 3, 10:00 a.m., BSIA 1-23. Details.

Centre for Career Action presents "It's all about your skills," Wednesday, July 3, 2:30 p.m., TC 1112. Details.

VeloCity Pitch Night, Wednesday, July 3, 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Math 3 lobby. Register online.

Environment Lecture Series featuring Sven E. Jørgensen, University of Copenhagen, "Samsø , a Danish Island based on renewable energy," Wednesday, July 3, 7:00 p.m., Waterloo Summit Centre for the Environment, Huntsville. Details.

Centre for Career Action presents "Successfully negotiating academic job offers," Thursday, July 4, 10:00 a.m., TC 1208. Details.

VeloCity Pitch Night, Thursday, July 4, 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Math 3 lobby. Register online.

Campus Response Team Casualty Simulation, Saturday, July 6, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Details.

ReLeaf Financial Student Launchpad: Workshop 1 - Create Your Plan, Monday, July 8, 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., EV3 4408. Details.

The Centre for Career Action presents Your Social Media Strategy, Tuesday, July 9, 2:00 p.m., TC 1208. Details.

VeloCity Campus Customer Discovery #2: How to Build a Launch Page, Wednesday, July 10, 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., EV3 4412. Details.

UW Farm Market, Thursday, July 11, Student Life Centre lower level, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Student Consultation Group - uWaterloo Student Portal, Tuesday, July 16, 12:00 p.m., SSO multipurpose room. Details.

UWRC Book Club featuring ML Stedman's "The Light Between Oceans", Wednesday, July 17, 12:00 p.m., LIB 407.

UW Farm Market, Thursday, July 18, SLC lower level, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

UWSA special general meeting, Tuesday, July 23, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., PHY 145. Details.

UW Farm Market, Thursday, July 25, SLC lower level, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

VeloCity Demo Day and Venture Fund Finals, Thursday, July 25, 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., SLC Great Hall.

ChemEd 2013 conference, Sunday, July 28 to Thursday, August 1. Details.

WatRISQ seminar featuring Roger Lee, associate professor of mathematics, University of Chicago, "Variance Swaps on Time-Changed Markov Processes," Monday, July 29, 4:00 p.m., M3 3127.

Spring Term lectures end, Tuesday, July 30 (which is a Monday class schedule).

Pre-examination study days, Wednesday, July 31 to Monday, August 5.

Civic Holiday, Monday, August 5, university closed.

Drop, Penalty 2 Period ends, Monday, August 5.

3rd Annual Conference on Quantum Cryptography, Monday, August 5 to Friday, August 9, Institute for Quantum Computing. Details.

On-campus examinations begin, Tuesday, August 6.

Online class examination days, Friday, August 9 and Saturday, August 10.

Quantum Cryptography School for Young Students, Monday, August 12 to Friday, August 16, Institute for Quantum Computing. Details.

UWRC Book Club featuring Sebastian Barry's "The Secret Scripture," Wednesday, August 21, 12:00 p.m., LIB 407.

 

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