Welcome back to campus circa 2014

Although lectures don't begin until Monday, January 6, the University of Waterloo is slowly coming back to life after the holiday break.

But first, a closure of sorts to announce: due to the icy events of the holiday break, the crane operations in front of the Science Teaching Complex were pushed back to today. One lane of the north side of Ring Road and one lane of the Needles Hall roadway will be closed as the steel beams are offloaded into the construction site. Flagpersons will be on site to direct vehicles and pedestrians today. (Update: Due to today's cold weather, the operation has been postponed until tomorrow.)

A few Food Services locations will begin re-opening today and all locations will get up to full operations by Monday, January 6. Check their site for detailed hours. Notable closures for the remainder of the week this week include Browser's in the Dana Porter Library, Brubaker's in the Student Life Centre, the Tim Hortons in the Davis Centre Library, the Tim Hortons in Modern Languages, and (sob) the Tim Hortons in the Student Life Centre.

So what's open then for those of us here today and tomorrow? The Tim Hortons in South Campus Hall, open from 8:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Subway in the Student Life Centre from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and the Tim Hortons in the Davis Centre, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Book Store, Waterloo Store, and Write Stuff reopen today at 9:00 a.m., and will be open Saturday, January 4 and Sunday, January 5 from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Special extended hours will be in effect for the first week of January.

WatCard, Campus Tech, and Media.Doc also open their doors today from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Dana Porter and Davis Centre libraries will be open for reduced intersession hours from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays and noon to 5:00 p.m. on weekends.

Feds Used Books is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. today and tomorrow, and will be open on Saturday, January 4 and Sunday, January 5 as well (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. both days). On Monday, January 6 it will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The Physical Activities Complex and Columbia Icefield reopened at 7:00 a.m. today.

All Waterloo residences will reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, January 5 for Residence Move-in. More than 800 new students will be welcomed to residences in the Winter Term. Students have until 12:00 p.m. on Monday, January 6 to check into their rooms.

 

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Funding boost for mental health program

The government of Ontario has announced funding for a new suicide prevention program intended for university and college students in the Waterloo Wellington region.

The Skills for Safer Living Program is an extension of a successful pilot that launched in the fall of 2013, and the $50,000 investment in the Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network (WWLHIN) will fund two ten-week suicide intervention groups per year that will be held at local universities, followed by peer-led suicide prevention support for as long as participants need that support.

The announcement of the extended program funding took place on Thursday, December 19 in the University of Waterloo's Health Sciences building.

“This important investment addressed a serious need in our community, and draws on the already-successful Skills for Safer Living community-based program," said John Milloy, MPP for Kitchener Centre. "This $50,000 in funding for the Canadian Mental Health Association of Waterloo Wellington Dufferin and their partnership with local universities and colleges makes it easier for students at risk to access the care and support they need."

The program's extension has a new focus on the student population, closing a current gap in the local mental health system.

“The Skills for Safer Living program is one we’re particularly proud of in Waterloo Wellington," said Joan Fisk, chair of the Waterloo Wellington LHIN. "Making this program more accessible for local students will help them get the care they need more easily and builds on the current success of the program. The Skills for Safer Living program quite literally saves lives.”

Pictured above at the announcement are (l-r) Hon. John Milloy, Minister of Government Services and Government House Leader, MPP Kitchener Centre, Rondi McFarlane, Skills for Safer Living program participant, Adrienne Luft, Mental Health Student Support Team Leader, Wilfrid Laurier University, Joan Fisk, Board Chair, Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network, Fred Wagner, Executive Director, Self Help Alliance, Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), and Chris Read, Associate Provost, Students, who acted as master of ceremonies.

More information about the Ontario government's initiatives to improve access to community supports can be found on its Ontario Action Plan for Health Care website.

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Environment poster contest has $1,000 prize

For Faculty of Environment students, winning $1,000 could be as easy as thinking outside the box.

The Faculty of Environment is running an electronic poster contest with a deadline of Friday, January 10 and is looking for innovative ideas for products, processes, programs or services to prevent, mitigate or even solve an environmental problem. The contest is connected to the Jack Rosen Memorial Award for Environmental Innovation, named for Jack Rosen, a recycling pioneer who helped the City of Kitchener get the world’s first blue box program off the ground. The annual award is sponsored by his widow, Honey Rosen.

Posters describing the environmental solution can be submitted and the top ten entrants (individual or team) will be invited to pitch their ideas in a "Dragon's Den style" competition for a chance to walk away with the $1,000 grand prize.

Environment students (undergraduate or graduate) may enter individually or in teams of up to three.

The grand prize award is $1,000, plus a one-hour consultation with a business mentor. Up to two additional honourable mention awards of $500 may be awarded based on merit.

Posters should be submitted online by Friday, January 10. Pre-judging will take place the week of January 13, and the top ten finallists will be notified by Friday, January 17.

The two-minute pitches and subsequent judging will take place on Thursday, January 23 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in EV1-221. A reception will follow in the EV1 courtyard.

Entries will be judged on their uniqueness and creativity, their effectiveness, the ease of implementation, cost effectiveness, and overall presentation.

 

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