Associate Provost, Graduate Studies sought

Expressions of interest are being invited for the position of Interim Associate Provost, Graduate Studies, according to a memo circulated by Vice-President, Academic & Provost Geoff McBoyle yesterday.

"The term of appointment will be fore one year ending June 30, 2015," says McBoyle's memo. "Leading a team of high functioning and self-motivated professionals, direct reports to the Associate Provost Graduate Studies are the Associate Dean, Graduate Studies, Graduate Academic Services Director, as well as the Graduate Academic Reviews & Administrative Services Manager."

The position is available from July 1, 2014 with an application deadline of noon, May 20, 2014. The term of appointment will be for one year ending June 30, 2015.

"The Graduate Studies Office (GSO) is the central administrative unit working in co-operation with Faculties and Department/Schools to administer graduate programs, prepare data for internal groups, and submit data to various government and external agencies," says McBoyle's memo. "The Postdoctoral Office is also co-located with the GSO."

The Graduate Studies Office serves two major functions:

First, it provides academic support for the Associate Provost, Graduate Studies, including secretariat responsibilities for the Graduate Operations Committee and graduate program reviews (both cyclical reviews, and the Quality Council approval of new graduate programs).

Second, it is responsible for registration support including the administrative services and activities related to the provision and maintenance of graduate student records, including:

• Recruitment, applications & admission;
  
• Grade reporting;
  
• Registration;
  
• Awards & funding;
  
• Theses & convocation;
  
• ADDS/PhD supervision;
  
• Examination Committee Chairs;
  
• Graduate Studies Calendar;
  
• Support of graduate enrolment numbers/targets; and
  
• Liaison with the GSA.
  

"Interested individuals should forward expressions of interest to Kim Gingerich, Executive Officer to the Vice-President Academic and Provost, NH 3073, or via email at provost@uwaterloo.ca. For further information please feel free to contact me at ext. 84766."

 

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Teaching and Learning Conference today

The 2014 Opportunities and New Directions conference is taking place today. This year's theme is "Rethinking and Reframing the Assessment of Learning."

The conference's agenda includes panel discussions, workshops, presentations,

The keynote speaker at this year's conference is Professor John Bean of Seattle University, who will be speaking on "Faculty-Friendly Problem-Based Writing Assignments to Enhance Students' Growth as Disciplinary Thinkers."

Organized by the Centre for Teaching Excellence, Opportunities and New Directions is the University of Waterloo's annual teaching and learning conference. Instructors, staff, and students from across campus and beyond gather to share practices and research about teaching and learning.

 

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So, how are Ontarians really doing?

With its first Ontario-focused study released Tuesday, the Canadian Index of Wellbeing (CIW) at the University of Waterloo analyzes how well people in the province are really doing in the areas of their lives that matter the most.

Using the same approach that assessed quality of life for all Canadians in its previous 2012 report, the CIW focuses on the residents of Ontario in its new study commissioned by the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF). Among its findings, the report entitled, “How Are Ontarians Really Doing?” reveals that over a 17-year period, GDP in Ontario has grown almost four times more than our overall wellbeing.

"One of the goals of the CIW is to spark political dialogue and action," said Bryan Smale, director of the CIW. "The findings and recommendations are meant to help shape a vision for a better society regardless of political affiliation."

Even though Ontario and Canada show very similar increases in overall wellbeing at 7.3 per cent and 7.5 per cent respectively, how they got there is different. In Ontario, the strongest growth has been in education (36.0 per cent) and community vitality (15.4 per cent), showing Ontarians are well positioned to adapt to future challenges. The largest decline was a drop of 5.9 per cent in leisure and culture. Historically, people have fiercely protected the time and money they spend on their free-time pursuits. Seen across all income levels, this dip goes beyond belt-tightening due to the recession.

OTF invests more than $100 million in non-profit organizations annually. “In order to evaluate the impact of those investments, the Foundation will use the CIW as both a measurement framework and a baseline," said Andrea Barrack Cohen, CEO of the OTF. "A rigorous approach to measurement will help OTF generate the greatest impact with its investments.”

Measuring wellbeing consistently and comprehensively over time can help governments to develop and improve policies, companies to improve productivity, organizations to innovate, and people across Ontario and the rest of Canada to live more satisfying lives. The report encourages everyone to find out more, to get involved at their local level, and to advocate for all levels of government to put wellbeing at the heart of public policy.

 

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Everything is new again as May begins

A new year dawns at the University today, in a manner of speaking:

For one thing, it's the beginning of the 2014-2015 fiscal year, with the recently approved operating budget going into effect, with all the new starts in calculating revenue from fees, research grants, and so on, that that entails.

Taking office today are the new executives of the Federation of Students and the Graduate Student Association.

Annual salary adjustments go into effect today for eligible employees and will become a reality on the next payday. Employees receiving pay advices will be notified when they are ready by mass email at a later date. Any payroll deductions based on salary will be adjusted accordingly.

Retail Services has posted its extended May hours for the Book Store, Waterloo Store, and Write Stuff:

• Saturday, May 3: 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Monday, May 5 to Wednesday, May 7: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Thursday, May 8 to Friday, May 12: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Saturday, May 10: 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Regular Monday to Friday hours (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) resume on Monday, May 12. Retail Services locations will be closed over the Victoria Day Weekend on Saturday, May 17 but will be open on Saturday, May 24 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for You@Waterloo Day.

Intersession hours are still in effect for the Library and many Food Services outlets remain closed for the rest of the week.

The venerable Feds Used Books has posted its extended hours for the month of May as well:

• Thursday, May 1: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Friday, May 2: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Saturday, May 3: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Sunday, May 4: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Monday, May 5 to Friday, May 9: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Saturday, May 10: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Feds Used Books will revert to its regular operating hours on Monday, May 12. Regular hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and closed Saturdays and Sundays.

IST has announced that registration is now open for the start of the spring term for the Skills for the Electronic Workplace (SEW). The course line-up includes the Waterloo Content Management System (WCMS), new courses including Using MySharePoint and Camtasia for Screencasts, and the ever-popular Excel courses. New for this term: WCMS for Site Managers, formerly a lecture-style course, is now hands-on.

To register for these or other SEW courses on offer, go to MyHRinfo through the Learning and Development module of the Self Service menu. A walk-through of the registration process is available.

And it's a new beginning for a number of new retirees, effective May 1:

• Teodor Burca, who started in April 2004 and retired as Custodian I in Plant Operations;
• Elisabeth Adrian, who began working at the University in January 2001, who retired as Career Advisor in the Centre for Career Action;
• Irene Schmidt, who started in May 1979, and retired as Records Assistant in the Registrar's Office; and
• James Hogan, who began working at the University in January 2012, and retired as Student Advisor in Co-operative Education and Career Action.

 

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