The call is out for equity award nominations

The Faculty Association of the University of Waterloo's Status of Women and Equity Committee (SWEC) is seeking nominations for the third annual equity and inclusivity award. This award is a celebration of excellence in equity, inclusivity, and diversity. The award recognizes a member or affiliate of the University of Waterloo community whose actions have demonstrated an exemplary commitment to improving equity, inclusivity, and/or diversity at the University of Waterloo.

Nominees will normally be an individual, group, or unit associated with the University of Waterloo or the Affiliated and Federated Institutions of Waterloo (AFIW). The committee will also consider those who, although not formally affiliated with the University, have nonetheless made a demonstrable impact on equity, inclusivity, and/or diversity.

Nominees will have significantly improved equity, inclusivity and diversity at the University of Waterloo. The impact of their efforts or actions should be demonstrable and shareable. These efforts or actions could be in, but not restricted to, the following areas: outstanding service; policy development or improvements; education or awareness-raising efforts; political, legal, or collective bargaining advancements; relevant scholarship; and organizational leadership.

Nomination packages should include the following: a cover letter by the nominator, a C.V. or resume, additional letters of support, and any other evidence deemed relevant by the nominator(s). Only completed nomination packages will be considered.

Please send nomination packages by Friday, June 27 to Carla Fehr, chair of SWEC.

More information about the award and the nomination process is available on the SWEC

website.

Previous winners include David DeVidi in 2012 and the Women in Engineering Committee in 2013.

 

Back to top

WatCACE gets its first visiting scholar

by Judene Pretti.

The Waterloo Centre for the Advancement of Co-operative Education (WatCACE) is pleased to introduce, Professor Antoine Pennaforte, its first visiting scholar.

Pennaforte is an Associate Professor of Human Resources Management at CNAM University in Paris, France. His primary area of research is the connection between organizational behaviour and l’alternance, or ‘co-op’ in English. His research has revealed a positive relationship between students who participate in co-op and their socialization and commitment within organizations.

WatCACE was selected to host Professor Pennaforte through a Junior Professor International Mobility award he received from the Fondation Nationale pour l’Enseignement de la Gestion des Enterprises (FNEGE). Pennaforte will be in Waterloo until the end of September. During his time here, he will be working with the WatCACE Director, Associates, Co-operative Education & Career Action, and other professors on campus to explore the relationship between co-op and human capital increase.

If you are interested in speaking with Professor Pennaforte, he can be reached at antoine.pennaforte@cnam.fr.

 

Back to top

OHD announces spring term workshops

Organizational & Human Development (OHD) has announced that registration is now available for the spring term workshops. OHD is offering the full series of the Principles of Inclusivity certificate courses that explore the various facets of diversity and inclusion, as well as Integrity Matters, an experiential session that uses the six values of integrity to facilitate discussion and self-exploration. OHD will also be offering the Personality Dimensions workshop, which reveals personal styles and temperaments to create a common language of understanding of yourself and others.

The current crop of workshops run in May, June, and July.

To register for OHD workshops, visit MyHRinfo and register through the Learning and Development module of the Self Service menu (where you view your payroll and benefit information).   

Other training opportunities include the Safety Office’s training sessions, which are available to campus employees. Registration also occurs through myHRinfo. Courses on offer include Supervisor & HS Coordinator Orientation (SO 1003), Incident Investigation (SO 1012), and Workplace Inspections (SO 1007). Please contact the Safety Office if you have any questions.

 

Back to top

Registration opens for Wellness Walk 2014

One of the surest signs of spring on campus is the return of the Wellness Walk, organized by the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Last year more than 330 employees, working in teams from the main and satellite campuses, walked over 41,576 kilometres, and it’s time to do it again, according to a note from the EAP.

This year, the walk will run from Tuesday, May 20 to Friday, June 13. Employees are encouraged to register online at the Wellness Walk website and map your route and track your steps or kilometres.

The EAP has some helpful hints on how to track your progress over the course of the walk-a-thon:

“Feel free to bring a pedometer to use, or you can utilize online tools such as Map My Run. With mapmyrun.com, you can create a profile that maps your walking/run area to give you a precise result. Also, mapmyrun.com has great mobile apps for iPhone, Blackberry, and Google Android. Just turn on your phone's GPS feature, and then start walking. As well, many smartphones have other pedometer apps in their respective application markets.”

It can be an individual or team effort – last year there were 50 Waterloo teams registered in the wellness walk. There are prizes up for grabs in both the individual and team categories.

 

Back to top

Wednesday's notes

Apropos of nothing, here's a photo of the archway at Carl Pollock Hall by Cameron Shelley.

The Waterloo Store will be hosting its Leather Jacket Day on Thursday, May 8 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Students of all faculties can save $60 off the regular price of a custom Waterloo leather jacket, with mens and ladies sizes available.

The sale will be taking place in the SCH concourse.

Waterloo’s Chronic Disease Prevention Initiative is hosting the latest event in its Dialogue Series tomorrow, entitled “CDPI Seed Fund Recipient Discussion Panel: Tips and traps in building multidisciplinary teams and research plans.”

The purpose of the session is to share experiences of being part of new multidisciplinary collaborations. The next round of CDPI grant seed funding was announced on April 14 and the session is intended, in part, to provide support to those who are considering being part of a new team. This facilitated panel of CDPI seed fund recipients will bring multiple perspectives and experiences including tips for initiating new collaborations and a discussion of the benefits and challenges of working with collaborators from other disciplines.

The event takes place from noon to 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 8 in DC 1304. Lunch will be provided. The deadline for seed grant submissions is Monday, May 26.

The University Club is holding a Mother's Day Brunch on Sunday, May 11 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Call extension 84088 to make a reservation.

Back to top