Crow named interim VP University Relations

"It is my great pleasure to announce that Bob Crow has agreed to serve as Interim Vice-President, University Relations," wrote President Feridun Hamdullahpur in a memo sent to faculty and staff yesterday.

"Bob will step into the role in June, serving until a permanent appointment is made. This is expected within a year. Bob will also continue to serve as Executive in Residence at the Institute for Quantum Computing."

Crow's career includes service in the private, non-governmental, and university sectors. He is a former Vice-President for Industry, Government and University Relations at Research In Motion (now BlackBerry), Vice-President Policy at the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC) and faculty member and senior administrator at Ryerson University.

He has also served in voluntary leadership roles with Shad Valley, Communitech, The Greater KW Chamber of Commerce, The United Way of Greater Toronto, and others.

He holds a bachelor's degree in engineering from Cornell University and master's degrees in planning and economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Toronto, respectively.

"We thank Bob for stepping into this important role as the recruitment process takes place," Hamdullahpur concluded.

Photograph courtesy of the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC).

 

Back to top

Student Success Office shares review results

by Virginia Young.

With new leadership in the Student Success Office over the past 6 months, the SSO team has undergone an initial review of its current services and structure and has been consulting with, and receiving feedback from faculties, students, campus partners and staff in the SSO. As a result of these consultations we have adapted our mandate to reflect the expectations and needs of our campus community.

The mandate of the SSO is to provide and facilitate strategic student support for academic and personal success. The SSO will continue to work with partners to evolve our focus over the coming months as well as receive feedback on our progress.

The priorities for the SSO for 2014-2015 will include:

• faculty-specific support strategies for targeted groups of students (including retention focused initiatives);
• student transition programming for specific audiences (e.g, first year, graduate, transfer, international, etc.);
• a focus on analysis and evaluation of student data and programs/services/interventions; and
• increased engagement and communications with students, faculties and academic support units.

In order to achieve this mandate and focus on the above priorities, the SSO will be re-allocating resources and working differently with key stakeholders (faculties, students, and academic-support units). This will be done through the re-purposing of vacant and contract positions and does not currently require any net new positions. All new roles being established are on a 1 year basis to allow for review and evaluation.

Additional details and an updated org chart can be found on our website and any questions can be directed to Pam Charbonneau, Director Student Success.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our faculty partners, student representatives, and all campus partners in working with us to ensure the SSO is providing the best possible support for students to be successful at Waterloo.

 

Back to top

Human Resources provides benefit update

The group insurance contracts which cover employee extended health, dental, life insurance and long term disability benefits are renewed on May 1 of each year, Human Resources reminds us, and the following rates, which are based on claim experience, apply effective May 1 of this year:

Extended Health rates remain unchanged with monthly single/family rates of $64.68/$206.44 continuing for the upcoming policy year. These rates are paid entirely by the University for full-time employees with part-time employees paying a pro-rated amount.  Extended health costs paid by the University are not taxable to the employee.

 

Dental premiums remain unchanged with monthly single/family rates of $33.68/$101.32 continuing for the upcoming policy year.  These rates are paid entirely by the University for full time employees with part-time employees paying a pro-rated amount. Dental costs paid by the University are not taxable to the employee.

 

Life Insurance premium rates will remain unchanged for employees with coverage of 1, 2 or 3 times earnings. The University pays the entire premium on 1 times earnings coverage and two thirds of the premium for 2 or 3 times earnings coverage. The life insurance premium paid by the University is a taxable benefit to the employee. "Please note that premium rates being charged are currently being subsidized by a reserve account held by Sun Life Financial," says the note from Human Resources.

Optional life insurance premium for employee coverage in excess of 3 times earnings and for spousal life insurance is entirely paid for by employees. The premium rates for this coverage are based on gender, age and smoking status. Effective May 1, 2014, these rates will decrease by 29 per cent.   

Long-Term Disability premium rates will decrease by 18 per cent with a rate of 1.069 per centearnings, including provincial tax (RST) of 8 per cent effective May 1, 2014. Employees pay the entire premium associated with this coverage so that in the event of disability, eligible benefit payments are non-taxable. The maximum insured salary will change to $165,229 effective May 1, 2014. 

More information, including charts that give examples of premium rate changes, is available on the Human Resources website.

Anyone with questions regarding benefit rates are encouraged to contact Human Resources at hrhelp@uwaterloo.ca.

Anyone with questions regarding premium deductions can contact Payroll at payroll@uwaterloo.ca.

 

Back to top

You @ Waterloo Day tomorrow, other notes

More than 4,000 future students and their families are expected to tour campus Saturday as part of the annual "You @ Waterloo Day" festivities. You @ Waterloo Day is billed as "a special visit day for students who have received an Offer of Admission to the University of Waterloo" and features campus tours, meet and greets, and Q&A events designed to introduce prospective students to the university.

Events, including faculty tours, residence tours, affiliated institution and satellite campus tours, will be running from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. all over campus and in Stratford. Activities are also scheduled for the School of Architecture.

More information about the event is available on the Undergraduate Admissions website.

The Child and Adolescent Neuropsychology Lab is looking for teens (ages 11-18) to participate in a survey taking place at Conestoga Mall starting today and running until Sunday, May 25. The goal of this study is to find ways to promote positive mental health in youth. Teen participants will be asked to complete a 35-minute survey about their emotions, thinking skills, happiness, self-esteem, independence, mental health, and background (e.g. age, culture). This study has been approved by a University of Waterloo Research Ethics Board and more information is available on the Child and Adolescent Neuropsychology Lab website.

Participants will receive a $15.00 gift card in appreciation for their time.

 

Back to top