Sound in the Land explores music, environment

Conrad Grebel University College has launched the third in its series of Sound in the Land music festival-conferences, which runs from Thursday, June 5 to Sunday, June 8.

Sound in the Land 2014 – Music and the Environment: discovering Mennonite perspectives, is both a festival with multiple concerts and performances and a conference with papers and presentations exploring “ecomusicology from various perspectives, locally and globally."

The event will bring together composers, speakers, performers, sonic artists, and writers, from Korea, South Africa, Europe, the USA, and Canada.

Keynote speakers are R. Murray Schafer, well-known Canadian composer/founder of World Forum for Acoustic Ecology, and Gus Mills, a South African environmentalist and researcher. Mills' spouse, Margie, is pictured at left tracking radio signals from tagged cheetahs.

Musicians and environmentalists will be in dialogue, discovering new ways to listen to the earth and create musical and verbal responses to the planet.

"As part of Grebel’s 50^th Anniversary celebrations, the College is pleased to be hosting an event of this specific scope and focus, bringing together some of the world’s leading musicians, scientists, and environmentalists in order to work at understanding the compelling issue of the 21st Century – the welfare of our planet's environment – from a lyrical/artistic and scientific context," says the conference's promotional material.

Among the works and artists showcased:

• Renowned Korean media artist Cecilia Kim will present her multi-media Earth Songs.
• Commissioned works by Larry Warkentin (orchestra), Joanne Bender (children’s choir), and Bryan Moyer Suderman (folk) will be premiered.
• The Inter-Mennonite Children’s Choir, Rockway Mennonite Collegiate Combo, Tactus Vocal Ensemble, Festival Choir, Grebel Gamelan, First Nations Choir, Waterloo Chamber Players Orchestra, and Mennofolk performers will present concerts of nature-themed music.
• Dawn Chorus will be a unique outdoor concert of Murray Schaefer’s (right) work on Sunday morning. Mennonite singing will abound, with Marilyn Houser Hamm leading congregational hymns. Writers, poets, musicians, and sonic artists will collaborate on environmental themes.

Events, including concerts open to the public, will occur on campus at Conrad Grebel, the Humanities Theatre, and off-campus at the historic Detweiler Meetinghouse in Roseville, Knox Presbyterian Church in Waterloo, and local nature reserves.

"At one of the conference sessions, several of our Music students will lead a forum on sound and the environment with other students from Canada, the US, and Germany," says Laura Gray, chair of the Music Department at Conrad Grebel. “Some of the students on the panel are currently in my Music and Landscape seminar, and I look forward to seeing how they transform their research into an academic presentation.”

Sound in the Land will prominently feature university students in sessions and concerts, including Music and Environment students, student composers from the University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University, Canadian Mennonite University, Goshen College in Indiana, and a panel of ecomusicology students from Darmstadt, Germany.

Sound in the Land is organized by various Grebel Music faculty and staff, as well as area professional musicians and other volunteers.

“We hope to listen to the earth differently, finding new ways to create musical responses to our beautiful planet stressed by climate change," says director Carol Ann Weaver. "We are already part of the earth’s ecology so our music is part of a wider global sound.”

For a full schedule, details on presenters and performers, and to register, visit the Sound of the Land website.

 

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Policy renewal project update

The latest update on the status of the Policy Project undertaken by the Secretariat & Office of General Counsel (SOGC) was circulated to faculty and staff earlier this week.

The SOGC announced that it has established a new webpage dedicated to institutional

Policy Management at the University. Through this webpage, users will have access to the Policy Project, which is dedicated to the systematic review and renewal of institutional policies.

The page contains:

• An overview of the policy project;
• A review schedule;
• Tools for use by the community; and
• The university’s policies, guidelines and procedures.

A revised version of Policy 59 – Reduced Workload to Retirement is now on the SOGC website, after having received Senate approval at its meeting on May 20.

Changes include:

• A clarification regarding the reduction of salary when benefiting from a reduced workload (section 2, par. 1);
• A broader definition of leaves that are not deemed as interruptions (section 2, par. 1);
• A clarification regarding the duration of the reduced workload and establishing an arrangement (section 2, par. 2).

As the review and renewal project continues to unfold, the Policy Project will provide further updates to the community, through the new website, the Daily Bulletin, and mass email.

 

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Phishing: don't take the bait

Information Systems & Technology (IST) is reminding everyone at the University of Waterloo to be on the alert for phishing email messages after a small number of people on campus were recently the victims of a sophisticated, targeted phishing attack.

IST has taken steps to protect the individuals who were successfully phished. The team is confident that no serious breach of data occurred and has contacted all of the affected individuals.

Phishing is an increasingly common type of email spam that can lead to theft of personal details such as WATIAM login credentials or online banking passwords. Phishing attacks work by attacker sending emails that appear to come from legitimate sources – whether it’s an individual or a company.

Frequently the phishing email may direct you to a fake website or pop-up window which looks exactly like the real site, but has been set up for the sole purpose of stealing personal information.

IST suggests the following steps to protect against phishing:

• Never respond to emails that request personal financial or login information, even if it’s from someone you know.
• Always type the URL into the address bar of the website you wish to visit. Even legitimate-looking email URLs can redirect you to fraudulent websites.
• Regularly change your passwords for online accounts, including WATIAM. Your WATIAM password should only be used for WATIAM.
• Be cautious with emails and personal data.
• Keep your computer secure by keeping up-to-date with Symantec anti-virus software.
• Always report suspicious activity to soc@uwaterloo.ca.

On the subject of password changes, IST has a set of instructions on how to change your WATIAM password.

More information and advice on how to tackle phishing is available from this blog post by Information Security Services.

 

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Wendy Fletcher named principal of Renison

Professor Wendy Fletcher, an experienced administrator and professor with a strong reputation for team building and collaboration, has been appointed principal of Renison University College.

Professor Fletcher will also assume the role of director of international and cross-cultural development. She will promote dialogue and learning between different faiths and cultures. Professor Fletcher will also support the development of language programs and cultural studies for Waterloo's international students or those wishing to work or study abroad.

"With her vast experience and open communication style, Professor Fletcher will no doubt build on Renison's strong reputation for excellence and relationship-building," said Peter Ringrose, chair of the Board of Governors at Renison. "We welcome her to her new role and to the community."

Over the past 13 years, Professor Fletcher has held a number of positions at the Vancouver School of Theology at the University of British Columbia, including professor, dean and principal. Her previous experience includes as professor and lecturer at Huron University College and Western University. She holds a PhD from the University of St. Michael's College in Toronto, a master of divinity with honours from Huron University College, and a BA from Western University.

Professor Fletcher's areas of specialization include the history of colonization and the impact it has had on First Nations people, the decline of Christianity in North America, and the role of gender in religion. Her appointment is effective August 18.

Fletcher succeeds Glenn Cartwright, who assumed a five-year term as principal in August 2009.

 

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