Inside
WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY
Waterloo | Brantford | Kitchener | Toronto
Photo: Sandra Muir
JUNE 2014
An updated sign is installed on the Aird Building on Laurier’s Waterloo campus. Landmark signage on the Waterloo campus was replaced recently to reflect the university’s visual identity.
New website content top priority for summer Departments to determine what information should move to the new home By Mallory O’Brien Laurier’s website is moving and it’s time to start packing. As part of the creation of a new university website, Laurier’s core web-project team will spend the next few months helping faculties and administrative departments create an inventory of pages within their sections of the current website, evaluate the content, and plan and write new content. This will ensure that only relevant and accurate information will be moved to the new website this fall. After all, there’s nothing worse than moving to a new house and having it cluttered up with boxes that will never be opened! To that end, the core web-project team encourages the university community to think about what to bring to the new home, and what to leave behind. To make the auditing process simpler, departments can begin deleting old content now — it will help reduce the number of pages that need to be reviewed later. The web team is excited to help departments review their content and is meeting with people
responsible for their unit’s web pages. If your department would like to discuss the web project and have not yet met with the web team, contact Web Manager Heidi Maissan at hmaissan@wlu.ca, or Senior ICT Project Lead Jadranko Jerkovic at jjerkovic@wlu.ca. On the technical side of the website redevelopment, the web-project team continues to work with the web steering committee and key web contacts throughout the university to
revised and approved by the web steering committee. Meanwhile, web strategy and design firm mStoner is busy creating the new website’s design templates using the design concept that was approved by the web steering committee in May. “The concept design achieves three goals: it is consistent with Laurier’s brand guidelines; it is ‘responsive’, meaning it adapts to mobile technology; and it targets prospective students,” said Maissan.
.. think about what to bring to the new home and what to leave behind. define the new website’s information architecture (also known as “site navigation”). User testing with prospective students (undergraduate, graduate, domestic and international) and internal staff has been conducted. Based on the results, page prototypes and the information architecture were
“Recruitment and Admissions staff who are part of the steering committee are extremely supportive of the design and feel that it will appeal to prospective undergraduate and graduate students in the 17-30 age demographic.” Laurier’s new website will use Hannon Hill’s Cascade Server as
the content management system (CMS). It will be rolled out in stages beginning in fall 2014. The first pages created for Phase 1 will be high-level areas for external audiences. Pages for internal audiences (current students, faculty and staff) will remain on the current site until they undergo the same review process in a subsequent phase, during which an intranet will be developed. Once the CMS is developed and tested, the core web-project team will begin training users to ensure they are comfortable using the system and at ease with web best practices. Departments that are part of Phase 1 will be trained first, but everyone will be fully supported as the website rolls out. A governance plan, which will be reviewed and approved by the web steering committee, will further support users by outlining clear guidelines that are intended to maintain the integrity and spirit of the new site. Images of the new website design will be posted online. To view them, and for more information on the website redevelopment process, visit www.wlu.ca/webreview.
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Strategy Phase (WinterSpring 2014): Planning the site’s navigation, marketing and communications strategy, and governance structure. Creative Phase (WinterSummer 2014): Designing web page concepts and prototypes, creating a suite of web page templates, auditing the current website’s content and developing new content. Implementation Phase (Summer-Fall 2014): Building and implementing the design of the new CMS using Cascade Server, creating and uploading content, and usability testing. The implementation phase will occur in stages to accommodate the immense amount of data that will need to be created and added to the new CMS.
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Laurier welcomes thousands of students, family and friends to campus for spring convocation.
Meet Shannon Wilson, Service Laurier Advisor, outdoor enthusiast and cake creator.
Sara Matthews teaches Global Studies class as part of Inside-Out program.
Inside
JUNE 2014
president’s message
A time to celebrate Laurier’s many successes community. We gather with graduands and their families to celebrate the most tangible evidence of our success as an organization: the conferring of degrees and diplomas, benchmarks that signify a high level of education, learning, knowledge, experience and personal development. It is a truly joyous time for all involved. For the newly graduated and their families, it is a recognition of years of hard work, discipline and sacrifice. For faculty, staff
and administrators, it is a reminder that the careers we have chosen in education — despite the challenges and annoyances that go with any job — are meaningful, important and rewarding. At Laurier, we are dedicated to providing and fostering academic excellence. But we also understand that education involves more than classroom learning. We believe in a well-rounded, stimulating, and integrated and engaged approach to learning that inspires our students to live lives of leadership
Photo: Tomasz Adamski
With the significant challenges facing higher education these days, it can be easy to lose sight of the many successes and achievements that we regularly attain as a university community. Education is a force for good in the world, and what we contribute to society through our work at Laurier is overwhelmingly positive. There is no better reminder of this than convocation. This semi-annual assembly brings together representatives from across the university
Laurier President Max Blouw shares a laugh with honorary degree recipient Walter Gretzky at convocation on the Brantford campus.
and purpose. We do this in many ways throughout the academic year. But at convocation, we seek out role models from all walks of life who epitomize the kind of leadership and purpose that we value as a learning community. We award these individuals with honorary degrees to show the value we place on their achievements, their contributions to society, and the extraordinary examples they set for the rest of us. Once again, Laurier was able to recognize a strong array of honorary degree recipients this year. They included award-winning Inuit filmmaker Zacharias Kunuk, whose art has brought international attention to the culture and environmental challenges of the Far North; acclaimed film and television actor Adam Beach, who has used his celebrity and Aboriginal roots to bring financial support and hope to First Nations youth in Canada; Walter Gretzky, a truly personable and inspirational figure who has used his status as “Canada’s most famous hockey dad” and his personal experience in overcoming significant challenges, to raise funds for many charities;
and, finally, Ursula Franklin, a world-renowned physicist, peace activist and outspoken champion for social justice who has been an exemplary role model for many people over many decades. To all those who participated in spring convocation, from the staff and faculty who organized this major undertaking to the graduates and those who came out to support them, I extend my thanks and congratulations. If you were not able to attend one of the 12 convocation ceremonies that took place, I strongly urge you to do so in future. Convocation is an important opportunity to show support for the Laurier community, and it is a wonderfully rewarding experience for all who participate. As summer approaches and our workloads ease up just a little, I hope you all find time over the next two months to rest, relax and rejuvenate.
Max Blouw President and Vice-Chancellor
Laurier announces new electronic procurement system By Stacey Morrison In an effort to streamline procurement and payment processes on its campuses, Laurier is moving to a new electronic procurement system. The new system, provided by SciQuest and being implemented by a large cross-functional team comprised of finance, research, procurement, ITS and secretariat personnel, will centralize all purchases at Laurier and make the entire procurement process, from requisitioning to payment, more efficient. It allows users to quickly locate and buy products and services from university contracts and preferred suppliers, and the easy-to-use interface allows purchasers to compare product details and pricing across suppliers
to help make educated buying decisions from any location. A focus group that included faculty and staff from the Waterloo and Brantford campuses met for two days in May and provided valuable input to assist the crossfunctional team in the design of the system. “This new eProcurement system will allow users to go online and purchase goods and services from multiple vendors though an online shopping cart experience. We are very excited to be able to bring this user friendly and highly efficient eProcurement solution to Laurier,” said Wayne Steffler, Laurier’s assistant vice-president: administration. The new electronic system will replace the university’s current Millennium Requisition program.
The new system will be rolled out in phases across the university. Pilot testing is anticipated to begin in late fall 2014, and the phasing-in process will begin early next year. Training will be provided for faculty and staff at all levels who are involved with procurement at Laurier. Training dates will be communicated as they are finalized. “The system will become paperless, saving valuable natural resources and money, and will make approval processes more efficient and streamlined,” said Tracey Ens, manager: Procurement Services at Laurier. “It will also provide users with an easier interface, which will allow them to focus more time on their core job tasks and less time on paperwork.” To help launch Laurier’s new eProcurement system, small
InsideLaurier is published by Communications, Public Affairs & Marketing (CPAM) Wilfrid Laurier University 75 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5
InsideLaurier Volume 8, Number 8, June 2014 Editor: Stacey Morrison Contributors: Tomasz Adamski, Christian Aagaard, Erin Almeida, Lori Chalmers Morrison, Kevin Crowley, Justin Fauteux, Kevin Klein, Sandra Muir, Mallory O’Brien Available online at www.wlu.ca/publicaffairs.
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versions of Questie — the SciQuest mascot, who looks like a round-bottom flask — will be appearing all over the Waterloo and Brantford campuses. Faculty and staff who spot one can take a photo of Questie having fun on campus and send the picture to eprocurement@wlu.ca. Later
this summer a gift card will be awarded to the person with the best Questie photo. For more information about Laurier’s new eProcurement system, visit www.wlu.ca/ eprocurement. Questions can also be sent to eprocurement@ wlu.ca.
Send us your news, events & stories Email: insidelaurier@wlu.ca Deadline for submissions: August 15, 2014 All submissions are appreciated, however not all submissions will be published. We reserve the right to edit all copy for accuracy, content and length.
InsideLaurier welcomes your comments and suggestions for stories. Tel: (519) 884-0710 ext. 3341 | Fax: (519) 884-8848 Email: stmorrison@wlu.ca InsideLaurier (circ. 2,100) is published eight times a year by CPAM. Opinions expressed in InsideLaurier do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or the university’s administration.
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Next issue of Inside September 2014
JUNE 2014 Inside NEWS
What’s new and notable at Laurier
Laurier launching unique MBA specialization
most notably in Lie algebraic theory. This approach informs a number of popular scientific endeavours such as mathematical finance and string theory. Since joining Laurier in 2003, Zhao has continued to establish himself as a leading scholar, having produced more than 100 research papers in top mathematics journals, which have been cited by his peers more than 500 times. His theoretical contributions have also been recognized with major Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) awards as well as Natural Science Foundation (NSF) grants awarded in China. Zhao will use his University Research Professor award to sponsor two visiting scholars and will work with them to study and classify new Lie algebraic representations.
Beginning in August, Laurier’s School of Business and Economics will offer a unique specialization within its Master of Business Administration (MBA) program: Management in the Golf and Resort Industry. Launched in partnership with the Golf Management Institute of Canada (GMIC) — which was founded by Laurier alumnus Grant Fraser (BBA ’87) — the specialization offers MBA students an opportunity to develop and apply management skills within the context of the global golf and resort industry. To help guide the Management in the Golf and Resort Industry specialization going forward, including the future plans to design and deliver the specialization to part-time MBA candidates, the MBA program and GMIC have formed an advisory board of professionals from the golf and resort industry. For a listing of the courses within the Management in Golf & Resort Industry specialization, visit lauriermba.ca/specializations.
the second and third building in Brantford to be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified by the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC). The west building was certified in March 2013, and the east building in February 2014. Sustainable features of the Research and Academic Centre include: low-flow water fixtures, high-efficiency glass, no-irrigation vegetation, natural day lighting with super energy efficient light fixtures, bike storage, elimination of refrigerant coolant HCFCs, regional and recycled materials, reduced parking and hard surfaces, a solar-
reflecting roof and construction waste diversion.
Graduate studies moves to web-based application system Laurier is undertaking a series of enhancements to its web-based graduate admissions system, which will give graduate program applicants the ability to submit a wide range of supplementary documentation online. Currently, those applying to graduate school at Laurier submit an application online; however, they are required to submit supplementary documentation in paper format, including reference letters.
The move to a fully web-based application system replaces this manual process. Communication with applicants will also be improved through the enhancements to the graduate application system. In particular, applicants will receive real-time information on the status of their submitted applications, for example, notification that documentation was received by the graduate program. The project will be implemented in three phases, to be rolled out from October 2014 to January 2016. For more information, visit http:// bit.ly/1k25s0u.
Empty Bowls raises $5,000 for local food bank
University wins 2014 Environmental Recognition Award The City of Brantford’s Environmental Policy Advisory Committee (EPAC) awarded Laurier with the 2014 Environmental Recognition Award in the Green Non-profit category, in recognition of sustainability design standards for major construction projects. The award was presented in recognition of the Research and Academic Centre West and East,
Mathematician named Laurier’s 2014-15 University Research Professor Mathematician Kaiming Zhao has been named Laurier’s 2014-15 University Research Professor. Zhao has spent his career working on and improving theoretical approaches to algebra,
Staff and faculty enjoyed a lunch of specialty soups in handcrafted bowls for the Robert Langen Art Gallery and Waterloo Potters’ Workshop Empty Bowls event in support of the Food Bank of Waterloo Region. Photo: Stacey Morrison
Alumni Association presents Awards of Excellence IPRM working groups
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Student Alumnus of the Year: Cameron Denham, business administration; president, Student Alumni Association. Schaus Award for Staff: Debra Martz Melanson, administrative assistant, Music Therapy. Hoffmann-Little Award
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for Faculty: Donna Kotsopoulos, associate professor and associate dean, Faculty of Education. Young Alumnus of the Year: Jason Shim (’07). Faculty Mentoring Award: Margaret WaltonRoberts, associate professor,
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Department of Geography and Environmental Studies and the Balsillie School of International Affairs. Honorary Alumnus of the Year: Daniel Lichti, associate professor, Faculty of Music. Alumnus of the Year: David Chilton (’95, ’06).
Photo: Tomasz Adamski
The Wilfrid Laurier University Alumni Association recently celebrated members of the Laurier community who “inspire lives of leadership and purpose” at its annual Awards of Excellence. The awards highlight and recognize people who engage with the world around them and provide leadership where it is most needed, and celebrate the Laurier community. Following are recipients of the 2014 Awards of Excellence:
(l-r) Donna Kotsopoulos, Cameron Denham, Margaret Walton-Roberts, Jason Shim, Debra Martz Melanson. Absent: Daniel Lichti and David Chilton.
Photo: Tomasz Adamski
CEO-in-Residence offers leadership lessons
Lindsay Duffield (third from right), president of Land Rover Jaguar Canada, with students and a fleet of cars after his keynote talk as the School of Business and Economics’ fifth CEO-in-Residence.
continue to make progress
By Lori Chalmers Morrison The IPRM working groups are continuing their work over the summer. The academic priorities team has evaluated 72 per cent of the 185 academic program templates, and aims to complete evaluations by the end of June, and its report to the PTF by September. The administrative priorities team has been making similar progress on the administrative program templates. The team anticipates that it will have the remaining 22 per cent of its 194 programs evaluated by the end of July, and its report to the PTF by September. “From the outset, the teams have been making careful consideration of both the qualitative and quantitative information in the program templates,” said MaryLouise Byrne, PTF co-chair. “This focus remains strong as the teams look at the quality of the programs and take the time needed to discuss each program in detail.” The resource management team (RMT) is reviewing budget options for academic units, revenue-generating and ancillary units, and the university fund for support/cost centres. The team is expecting to present recommendations for a proposed budget model to the PTF in July.
“It is important to note that the RMT’s mandate is to evaluate and recommend a new resource allocation model that best suits the university — not to propose budget cuts,” said Joanne McKee, RMT co-chair. “We would be expected to recommend a new model for Laurier even in a surplus situation.” IPRM’s resource management process runs parallel to its prioritization process. At the end of IPRM, the program prioritization outcomes will help to inform future resource allocation. “Our current incremental/ historically-based budget model defaults to across-the-board cuts, such as the recent two-percent reduction,” said Ruth Cruickshank, RMT co-chair. “While these reductions can’t be postponed until IPRM is finished, once the IPRM process has recommended a new budget model and grouped programs into prioritization categories, Laurier will be able to make more informed, strategic decisions when it comes to allocating funds.” Once the PTF has reviewed the reports from all three working groups, it will provide a final report of recommendations to the Senate and Board in the fall. For more IPRM information, visit www.wlu.ca/IPRM or email IPRM at wlu.ca. 3
Inside
JUNE 2014
First-year experience task force Laurier receives prestigious CCAE national award recommends holistic approach By Julia Thomson
By Justin Fauteux The university will be taking new steps to help ensure students succeed during their first year at Laurier. The final report of Laurier’s first-year experience (FYE) task force recommends a “comprehensive, cohesive and institutional” approach to helping students have a positive, well-rounded experience in their first year at the university. The FYE task force, which was comprised of representatives from various academic and non-academic areas of the university, was struck in 2012 to study the ways Laurier could better assist first-year students in their transition to university. In its final report, which was approved by Senate April 15, the task force outlines four goals for first-year student success: academic achievement, accepting responsibility, community engagement, and health and well-being. These goals will be achieved partly through promoting an integration of curricular, co-curricular and extracurricular learning. To ensure first-year students succeed academically, the report recommends a continued emphasis on academic achievement, rather than focusing on meeting requirements for progression. The task force’s research found that using a wide variety of learning assessments that accommodate different learning styles — ranging from traditional mid-terms and papers to more creative projects — and promoting “learning how to learn” strategies are far more effective than a “checklist” approach. “Laurier has long recognized the importance of creating and supporting an exceptional firstyear learning environment for our
people at Laurier
students,” said Vice-President: Academic and Provost Deborah MacLatchy, who co-chaired the task force. “Through the work of the FYE task force, we have developed a model whereby we can continue to prioritize and improve student success by using a ‘first-year experience lens’ through which we can identify, assess and integrate the best of curricular, co-curricular and extracurricular practices.” While academic achievement should be a priority, the report stresses it should not come at the expense of health and well-being. This is why the other three goals revolve around individual development and a focus on student wellness. Through initiatives like Laurier’s Residence Learning Communities, student clubs and career development, as well as the student code of conduct, the task force found that students can accept responsibility for their decisions on both an academic and non-academic level. If instilled in first year, this approach can be carried throughout a student’s entire university career, leading to deeper individual development. “Being intentional in the first year is crucial,” said Vice-President: Student Affairs David McMurray, task force co-chair. “Helping students develop a sense of personal confidence, helping them learn how to learn and be able to master the right competencies, skills and student-success strategies will help set the foundation for an enriching student learning and development experience.” In terms of community engagement, McMurray said he knows of many students who have had “transformational” experiences through Laurier’s Community Service-Learning programs. The report recommends
Resources (Waterloo campus).
Sarjinder Bal, senior project lead, ITS (Waterloo campus).
Lindsay Tayler, residence life resource facilitator, Residential Services (Waterloo campus).
Melissa DeSouza, co-op coordinator, Co-operative Education (Toronto Office). Anne-marie Henry, coordinator, global engagement programming, Global Engagement (Brantford campus). Shanna Howse, LEAF program assistant, LEAF (Brantford campus). Emily Keating, secretariat officer, Secretariat (Waterloo campus). Carla Lopez, transcription and assistive technologist (Brantford campus).
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Wilfrid Laurier University and its Development & Alumni Relations team have won a gold medal from the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education’s (CCAE) annual Prix d’Excellence awards program. The award was announced earlier this month at the CCAE National Conference in Edmonton. Laurier won top honours in the Best Use of Social Media category for its ‘Like’ where in the Laurier world are you? contest. The initiative was led by Communications Officer (Alumni) Jordan Jocius with support from Acting Associate Director, Annual Giving, Beth Noble. The goal of the campaign was to use social media to find “lost” alumni for whom the university had no contact information. The focus was primarily on alumni living outside of Canada. Targeted Facebook ads to over 85 countries encouraged alumni
Name: Chris Eley Job Title: Manager of Residence, Brantford Book Title: Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home and School Author: John Medina This book was a suggestion for a new book club our team has started. It is really interesting because each chapter tackles a different brain rule around things like sleep, exercise, attention and memory. My favourite is attention and the fact that people’s brains can only focus on a presentation for a short amount of time, and only if interested. The author suggests including a hook every 10 minutes to bring people back. Overall, there are many ideas like this, which can be applied both professionally and personally.
For a complete list of appointments visit www.wlu.ca/hr
New appointments:
Dean Scammell, 3rd class operating engineer, Physical
emphasizing opportunities for first-year students to benefit from getting involved in their communities both on and off campus through activities such as volunteering, student clubs and associations, and student government. Recognizing the importance of student mental and physical wellbeing throughout the university journey is also crucial. The task force found that teaching firstyear students how to take care of themselves mentally, emotionally and physically will set them up for success through the rest of their tenure at Laurier. This means embracing a “circle-of-care” approach to student wellness, which integrates mental and physical health care through the Brantford Wellness Centre and the Wellness Centre set to open on the Waterloo campus in the fall of 2014, as well as promoting a greater understanding that wellness goes far beyond feeling well physically. In order to oversee the implementation of these goals, the report recommends the existing Senate Student Life Committee be given a new mandate and restructured as the Senate Committee on Student Learning. This new committee would be accountable for executing the task force’s recommendations, as well as a continuing responsibility for other areas of student learning such as academic regulations, academic integrity and the three-year fall reading days pilot project. Draft terms of reference for the Senate Committee on Student Learning have been referred to the By-Laws and Regulations Committee, which will bring forth a recommendation by the October 2014 Senate meeting. The full first-year experience task force final report can be found at http://bit.ly/1tncGga.
to visit facebook.com/LaurierAlumni and to update their contact information. Those that submitted updates were entered into a draw for a $1,000 grand prize. Successes of the campaign included: • Updated 550 Laurier alumni profiles, a 120-per-cent increase. • Found 143 formerly lost Laurier alumni living outside of Canada, a 43-per-cent increase. • Increased Facebook “likes” by 1,360, a 172-per-cent increase. “One of the priorities of our team in Development & Alumni Relations is to foster lifelong relationships with alumni,” said Vice-President Rob Donelson. “Maintaining accurate contact information is an ongoing challenge. Leveraging technology to connect with alumni helps us to manage costs and find new ways to engage this very important group.”
Leanne Wright, Choose Laurier advisor, Recruitment and Admissions (Waterloo campus).
Staff changes: Karen Axford, service advisor, Service Laurier (Waterloo campus). Heather Bouillon, manager, integrated planning and academic resources, VPA Office (Waterloo campus). Meghan Delaney, records and data management coordinator, FGPS (Waterloo campus). Tanya Diriye, senior administrative assistant, Faculty of Social Work (Kitchener location).
Kim Elworthy, alumni relations officer, Development & Alumni Relations (Waterloo campus). Christine Hauck, financial aid assistant II, Student Awards (Waterloo campus).
Where are you volunteering?
Brenda Jordan, coordinator, course materials, Bookstore (Waterloo campus). Helen Kaluzny, intermediate administrative assistant, Economics, SBE (Waterloo campus). Mallory O’Brien, web content specialist, CPAM (Waterloo campus). Erin Steed, user experience designer, CPAM (Waterloo campus).
Name: Patricia Freeman Job Title: Administrative Assistant/Research Coordinator, MDRC Volunteer Organization: Parkinson Society, Southwestern Ontario
I have been volunteering at the Parkinson Society Southwestern Ontario in various capacities for more than 15 years. My journey first began when my mother-in-law was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. I help with the organization’s annual Superwalk — I have acted as a photographer, handed out ice cream and participated in the walk. I also signed up for my first Cut-A-Thon for Parkinson’s experience, which showcases talented hair stylists who volunteer their time and talent. Anyone can book an appointment, pay a minimal fee and get their hair cut. All proceeds support the Parkinson Society.
JUNE 2014 Inside
Laurier welcomes thousands to campus for convocation Laurier graduated more than 2,800 students and awarded four honorary degrees during the university’s spring convocation ceremonies in June. In total, 12 convocation ceremonies were held — nine in Waterloo and three in Brantford. Honorary degree recipients included acclaimed Inuit filmmaker Zacharias Kunuk (who was unable to attend convocation), award-winning Aboriginal actor Adam Beach, renowned hockey dad and philanthropist Walter Gretzky and pioneering physicist and peace activist Ursula Franklin. The university also presented Board of Governors board member Claire Duboc with the Distinguished Governor Award in recognition of her outstanding service to the university. Over the course of convocation, Laurier welcomed about 13,000 guests, some from countries as far away as Russia, Hong Kong, China, Serbia and England. More than 200 volunteers helped keep the events
we have yet to experience. The running smoothly. journey you have in front of you In his acceptance speech , is filled with endless possibilities.” honorary degree recipient Adam If you were unable to attend Beach reminded graduates that convocation, all ceremonies life is an unknown journey and are available for viewing online to be open to new experiences. at www.ustream.tv/channel/ “We do find ourselves looking wlu-spring-convocation-2014. to the future to put ourselves like tracks on a train,” said Beach. For more photos of convocation, see page eight. “Some of us believe we already have these tracks in line, already made. I ask you to make sure to take your time. Don’t set your tracks to say, ‘I am going to be this, in this form for the next 50 years of my life.’” Beach also asked graduates to look at the world as a global society, and use opportunities, whether they are humanitarian, professional or in relationships, as ways to learn and grow. “You have now filled a cup. After today, empty that cup and fill yourself with this Actor Adam Beach addresses the audience at the wonderful place that Athletic Complex on the Waterloo campus. Photo: Tomasz Adamski
By Stacey Morrison
Awards for Teaching Excellence recipients motivate, inspire students Each year, Wilfrid Laurier University honours outstanding teachers with Awards for Teaching Excellence. Those recognized by the Awards for Teaching Excellence for 2014 are Ken Maly, associate professor, Department of Chemistry (fulltime faculty category); Terry Sturtevant, instructor and lab coordinator, Department of Physics & Computer Science (part-time contract academic staff category); and Mike McCleary, PhD candidate, Department of English and Film Studies (Teaching Assistant Award of Excellence) . “The thing that stands out to me about each of these extraordinary teachers is the important connections they make with their students and their passion for teaching, which in turn motivates their students and inspires in them a love for learning,” said Pat Rogers, associate vice-president: Teaching and Learning at Laurier. “This is the stuff of which teachers are made at Laurier.” Maly draws praise from students and colleagues for his ability to handle a course with 500 enrolled students just as effectively as an upper-year lab of 10 to 13. Regardless of the class size, he makes sure his students get the one-on-one attention they need. Maly says his ultimate goal as a teacher is to create a positive learning environment and instill in his students the enthusiasm he
has for chemistry. “It is very rewarding to see students develop their knowledge and understanding,” said Maly. “I can’t take credit for my students’ achievements, but it is very satisfying to think that I may have played a small role in guiding them. This award serves as powerful motivation to continue to look for ways to improve my teaching.” Throughout his nearly 30-year tenure at Laurier, Sturtevant has been as much a student as he’s been a teacher. Since starting as a lab coordinator in the Physics Department in 1985 and becoming a part-time instructor in 1996, Sturtevant has committed himself to improving as a teacher in whatever way possible, following a simple philosophy: “While I may not be able to ensure that every student succeeds, I can strive to improve my teaching whenever I have students who perform below my expectations.” Sturtevant draws praise from his students for several of his traits as a teacher, including his approachability, his knowledge of new
technology, and instituting new teaching methods. Whether it’s in his teaching or his research, McCleary’s passion for the material he studies is clear. Since arriving at Laurier in 2011 to complete his master’s degree, McCleary has won the Faculty of Arts’ top master’s student gold medal, co-founded the Graduate Students of English and Film Studies Association, co-organized two annual Tri-University Graduate Symposia and given a number of presentations and guest lectures. McCleary is highly regarded for his level of commitment to his students’ learning experience. He finds new, interesting ways for his students to engage with course concepts and makes himself available to his students. “Out of all the teaching assistants I’ve learned from in my experience at Laurier, he was the most supportive, dedicated and well-versed in the content of his teaching,” wrote a current student. All three recipients received their awards at Laurier’s spring convocation ceremonies.
By Stacey Morrison About every minute of every day, someone in Canada needs blood. In fact, according to a recent poll, 52 per cent of Canadians say they, or a family member, have needed blood or blood products for surgery or medical treatment. One blood donation can save up to three lives. Kristine Dyck, an administrative assistant in the School of Business and Economics, knows this first hand. While visiting her parents with her 13-year-old son in August 2009, she suffered a cardiac arrest at the age of 39. When paramedics arrived, they worked on her for 45 minutes, shocking her heart 13 times to start it beating again. The prognosis was grim and Dyck was in a coma for one week. She spent a total of nine weeks in the hospital, undergoing two major surgeries and received numerous blood transfusions. Within a year Dyck had fully recovered. Today, healthy and active, she hopes to be a blood donor. “I used to donate blood and I really felt it was important. Now more than ever I feel this is so very,
very important for everyone who can.” Laurier has once again joined forces with Canadian Blood Services as a Partner for Life. Since joining the program in 2010, Laurier staff, faculty and students have contributed more than 2,000 blood donations. The university has pledged 500 donations for 2014. Staff and faculty are encouraged to visit Canadian Blood Services’ permanent clinic location at 94 Bridgeport Road East in Waterloo to donate. Donations can be made individually or group times can be booked, and shuttle transportation can be arranged. When booking, be sure to include Laurier’s partnership number: WILF001529. Mobile blood donation clinics will also be on Laurier’s campuses this fall. Clinics will be on the Waterloo campus Sept. 24 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Senate and Board Chamber, and on the Brantford campus Sept. 25 and 26 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Student Centre. To book an appointment, visit www.blood.ca or call 1-888-2DONATE.
Common Reading Program begins this summer This summer, students about to enter their first year in Laurier’s Faculty of Arts will have the opportunity to share a common experience before they arrive in September. By the end of June, they will each receive a copy of My Life Among the Apes, a collection of 10 short stories by Toronto author Cary Fagan, as part of the faculty’s second-annual Common Reading Program. Students will be encouraged to connect and share their thoughts about the stories through the program’s Facebook group (www. facebook.com/groups/LaurierAr-
tsCommonReading), then join in activities when they arrive on the Waterloo campus in the fall. In addition to a first-year Arts seminar devoted to the book, faculty members are invited to incorporate My Life Among the Apes into their courses. Predominant themes in the book include: memory, relationships, identity, life choices, the environment, contamination, urban sprawl, religion, gender, and careers versus passion. For details about the program, faculty members can contact Cathy Mahler at cmahler@wlu.ca or ext. 3361.
Sudoku
See solution on page 6.
By Justin Fauteux
Laurier pledges 500 blood donations
(l-r): Ken Maly, Terry Sturtevant and Mike McCleary.
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Inside
JUNE 2014
coffee with a co-worker
A look at staff and faculty across campus
Name: Shannon Wilson Title: Service Laurier Advisor, Brantford campus. Where you can find her: Grand River Hall, Brantford campus
Photo: Kevin Klein
Drink of choice: Large coffee with one-quarter white hot chocolate from Tim Hortons.
When she’s not at her job as Service Laurier advisor, Shannon Wilson works as a kayaking guide and bakes wedding cakes.
How long have you been at Laurier? I started at Laurier in August 2011 as Service Laurier Brantford was just beginning. What is your typical workday like? There is no typical day at Service Laurier Brantford. Our department is very dynamic and my position as an advisor has evolved continuously since we launched in 2011. I’m challenged every day with new questions and situations. If I had to give a generalized recap of my position on a day-to-day basis it would include assisting customers with business office inquiries, financial aid, registrarial concerns, room bookings, parking and OneCards. You can see why there isn’t a typical day — different day, different questions!
What do you like to do in your spare time? I’ve always been an “outdoorsy” kind of gal. I enjoy hiking, kayaking and camping. My husband and I work part-time in the summer for Long Point Eco-Adventures as kayaking guides. But I also enjoy sitting on my couch knitting. What is something people would be surprised to learn about you? I met my husband when we were whitewater rafting guides on the Ottawa River for a company called Wilderness Tours. If you haven’t experienced this, I highly recommend it. I also bake wedding and specialty cakes. I took a cake decorating class with my mom at Fanshawe College in 2008, and since then I’ve created several for family and friends, and started selling
coming Events
Heard on Twitter Check out what the Laurier community has been tweeting about at twitter.com/lauriernews. Laurier also has official sites on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WilfridLaurierUniversity and YouTube at www.youtube.com/LaurierVideo.
@DeanAdam_wlu – June 18 What a great moment watching Walter Gretzky receive his Honorary Degree #LaurierClassOf2014 pic.twitter. com/GfNBnOc17g @Patti_McK – June 3 This makes me a #Laurier Golden Hawk mom! MT @LaurierNews: @lindsEfeltis – Welcome to the #Laurier Golden Hawk family!” @ideas_idees – May 27 Research at @LaurierNews spawns new ways to teach children math! Read more from @InnovationCA on our blog ow.ly/xjfgk #congreSSH @PrincipalUWS – May 23 Fabulous visit to @LaurierNews yesterday for @UniWestScotland as part of @CASE_Europe fundraising awareness programme @InnovationCA – May 22 Research @LaurierNews @CRC_CRC recognized for research on earth, biogeosciences, geodesy & hydrology fields ow.ly/x8ufB #cdnsci
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them. My most traumatic cake experience was with a “topsy-turvy” wedding cake for a girlfriend of mine. I completed the cake on a Thursday night and the next morning when I went to look it over, it was demolished — the cake was too moist and not structurally sound. I had to start all over and the wedding was the next day. To top it off, my first home was closing that day and I had to work overtime at my full-time job. But I rallied, and with the help of my mom and husband, finished a second wedding cake and the bride never knew. What do you like most about working at Laurier? I love the community that Laurier offers. I feel very lucky to have such amazing colleagues to work with. Having worked
in environments where there is no collaboration and inclusiveness, I feel fortunate to be part of the Laurier culture. What are you plans for the future? On a personal level, I plan on moving closer to Brantford (I currently commute an hour each way) and start a family. In regards to my career, I love my current role. I’m lucky to have the opportunity to participate in quite a bit of professional development, and I’m also studying for my Human Resources Certificate through Mohawk College. I love Laurier, and look forward to whatever my career here has to offer.
By Kevin Klein
For a complete list of events visit www.wlu.ca/events
Laurier Golf Classic When: June 23 11 a.m. registration Where: Westmount Golf and Country Club, Waterloo Cost: $400 per person/$1,400 per foursome
Post-secondary and communitybased educators interested in innovative teaching models and building communities with criminalized people are invited to attend. For more information, visit insideoutcanada@wlu.ca.
Proceeds go to the Student Horizon Fund, the Golden Hawk Scholarship Fund and Laurier Athletic & Recreation department enhancements. For more information, visit www.laurieralumni.ca.
Waterloo Air Show When: June 28 & 29 Where: Region of Waterloo International Airport, Waterloo Cost: Varies A spectacle in the air and on the ground, the air show offers performances by the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, Food Truck Alley, and historic aircraft displays.
Staff Development Day When: June 25 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Where: Waterloo campus Cost: Free Join colleagues for an engaging day of events, including a keynote presentation by David Posen, a barbeque lunch and breakout sessions. For more information, visit www.wlu.ca/staffdevday. Inside-Out Walls to Bridges Training Program When: June 25-29 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Where: Grand Valley Institution for Women, Kitchener, and the Faculty of Social Work Cost: $1,300 (includes training materials, snacks, lunches and one dinner).
Movies in the Square When: Every Thursday from July 3 – Aug. 28 Dusk (7:30 p.m.) Where: Harmony Square, Brantford Cost: Free Enjoy outdoor screenings of family-friendly movies, including Planes, Despicable Me 2, Monsters University and Frozen. For more information, visit www.harmonysquare.ca. Employee Achievement Awards When: Sept. 24 2 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Where: Maureen Forrester Recital Hall (Waterloo campus). Cost: Free The awards recognize and reward significant contributions by Laurier faculty and staff, and
celebrate long service employees of 15, 25, 35 and 40 years. For more information, visit www.wlu.ca/ achievementawards.
Homecoming – Waterloo When: Sept. 26 – 28 Where: Waterloo campus Cost: Varies
17th Annual Dean’s Alumni Golf Classic When: Sept. 26 Where: Rebel Creek Golf Club Cost: TBA
Reunions, athletics, food and music — Homecoming is Laurier’s biggest party! Mark your calendar and watch laurieralumni.ca/ homecoming for all of the details on this annual celebration.
Details to come. For information, contact Patrycja Gadomski-Cebo at pgadomski@wlu.ca.
Sudoku solution from page 5.
JUNE 2014 Inside research file
Does high-frequency trading manipulate the stock market? Andriy Shkilko researches if the practice is causing volatility in the markets By Justin Fauteux Unlike the 20th century, when the ‘Wall Street scam artist’ archetype was popularized, a large portion of today’s stock market trading is done by computers, rather than on a hectic exchange floor. However, some fear that these computers are capable of the same level of manipulation as Gordon Gekko in the movie Wall Street or Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street. High-frequency trading, a type of trading in which computers buy and sell massive amounts of stock in less than a second, has recently been the main source of these fears. Many believe highfrequency trading is essentially rigging the stock market; the dominant narrative surrounding the practice suggests it gives an unfair advantage to certain traders who are able to execute transactions faster than others, and this could lead to volatility in the markets and long-term investors being squeezed out. However, according to Andriy Shkilko, an associate professor of Finance at Laurier, things aren’t quite that simple. “Most people tend to look for easy answers. Unfortunately there are no black and white answers, the truth is grey, it’s nuanced,” said Shkilko, who was recently appointed Laurier’s Canada Research Chair in Financial Markets. In March, Shkilko and his research team publicized a study investigating a 2011 rule change by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the United States that banned high-frequency traders and other traders from directly accessing the stock exchanges’ computer servers. Part of the reasoning behind this change was a fear that high-frequency trading algorithms could make mistakes
and disrupt trading by crashing the exchange’s server. The rule change brought about a significant decline in some types of high-frequency activity, and the team found that markets improved as a result. “Some of the activity attributed to high-frequency traders is ‘not good,’” said Shkilko, “but the data also shows the bulk of highfrequency trading is beneficial to market functionality.” Not long after Shkilko and his colleagues publicized their study,
high-frequency traders can perform transactions faster than other traders who don’t have the same technology. The speed at which they can execute transactions has led to high-frequency traders being accused of “frontrunning,” or reacting to an order before it even hits certain exchanges. According to Shkilko, however, there hasn’t been any definitive proof that high-frequency trading has manipulated the market to this level.
kind of front-running that Lewis’s book describes. Some researchers have tried, but they have not been convincing enough for most folks who try to understand this area to believe them.” Currently, Shkilko and Konstantin Sokolov, a PhD student at Laurier, are studying another dubious practice highfrequency traders have been accused of: momentum ignition, which refers to manipulating the market in order to make a stock price go up or down. Among
“ Most evidence about high-frequency trading shows that it is net positive. ” high-frequency trading got more bad publicity with the release of Michael Lewis’s book Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt. Lewis’ book, which tells the story of Canadian banker and Laurier alumnus Brad Katsuyama, alleges the stock market is rigged because certain
“Would I say the markets are completely warm and fuzzy? Probably not,” said Shkilko. “But are they as bad and rigged as Lewis says? No. “No one has been able to prove that high-frequency traders are systematically doing the nefarious
human traders this can be done by spreading rumours about a certain stock, and with highfrequency trading machines it’s done by rapidly selling or buying massive quantities of stock at one time to push the price down or up. “Short positions benefit when
stock prices go down, so if they had shorted the stock before they started pushing it down, then they can actually make some money,” said Shkilko. “The allegations are that high-frequency traders are engaging in this practice, but it’s difficult to believe because strategies like these are risky. We’re trying to figure out if they are actually doing this and it doesn’t look like they are.” In order to study the behavior of high-frequency traders, Shkilko and Sokolov pour over several terabytes of data, displaying every trade that happened on a particular exchange during a given time period. While these massive datasets do not reveal the identities of specific traders, they show which trades were executed by high-frequency traders. This allows researchers to pinpoint the activity of high-frequency traders and see how they react in situations where momentum ignition could occur and most often, Shkilko says, “we find that there is nothing there.” For all the flack the practice has taken, Shkilko says that high-frequency trading’s effect on the North American markets has actually been more positive than negative. For one thing, it drives down the cost of trading by providing liquidity — highfrequency traders are willing buyers when traders are looking to sell and visa versa. Contrary to the popular belief, high-frequency traders can also help prevent market volatility, rather than create it, by correcting stock prices when they deviate from where they should be. “Most evidence about highfrequency trading shows that it is net positive,” said Shkilko. “In my study involving the SEC’s rule change, we are not saying that all high frequency trading is ‘bad.’ Most of high-frequency trading is positively affecting markets.”
iPhone owners like oranges, dog owners prefer Puma shoes By Christian Aagaard Forgot your orange at home? Seek out a co-worker with an Apple iPhone. There’s a good chance he or she might have one to swap, according to research at Laurier’s School of Business and Economics (SBE). Tripat Gill and Monica El Gamal took a fresh look at how priming — a sort of psychological nudging — influences the choices people make. Their study has been published in The International Journal of Research in Marketing. “We did find that those who owned the Apple iPhone were much more likely to say that orange was their favourite fruit,” said Gill, an associate professor of marketing
at SBE. “They were almost twice as likely than those who did not own the Apple iPhone.” Similarly, dog owners had a significantly higher preference for Puma, a footwear brand named after a type of cat, than people who don’t own dogs. Gill and El Gamal, a Psychology doctoral student, sought to replicate the effects of priming on product and brand preferences. Primes are of interest to researchers who seek to understand human thinking, and marketing executives who want to draw attention to their brands. Priming occurs all the time, whether we’re aware of it or not, says Gill. A lunch-hour special scrawled on a sidewalk sign primes
a passerby to choose the item at the adjacent restaurant. Primes mostly work at the non-conscious level. Previous research has found that exposing participants to health-related words — in a word scramble, for example — can activate health goals and increase the preference for healthy items. The Laurier study took the interest in non-conscious priming to a new level, examining whether a preference for an object or concept might be primed by something that bears only a remote connection to it. For instance, does priming people with dogs increase the preference for brands related to the cat family? Dogs should activate
cats in the mind, which in turn should make brands associated with the cat family easier to process and favour. From a survey of a representative sample of the U.S. population (nearly 1,200 participants), the study found dog owners to be significantly more likely to own Puma sports shoes than people who didn’t own dogs (18.5 per cent versus 11.7 per cent, respectively). The field study also found that owners of Apple iPhones were nearly twice as likely to name the orange as their favourite fruit than people who don’t own iPhones (14.4 per cent versus 7.5 per cent). These results from the field were similar to the findings of a 2008 study that found that priming
images of dogs does increase the preference for Puma. The field results, however, were not replicated in the lab. “For distant concepts, we think frequency of exposure is important,’’ Gill says. “It may not be easy to do it in the lab unless you expose them for a long time.” Gill offers a word of caution should marketers feel inclined to pounce, cat-like, on using remotely connected concepts as priming tools. The research needs more testing, he says. But there are certainly indications, he adds, “that companies should think about not just related, but distantly related cues, which can be linked to their product or brand.” 7
Inside
JUNE 2014
in the classroom
Teaching Inside-Out Instructor: Sara Matthews Class: GS431 - Narratives of/About Violence
If you visit the Inside-Out classroom, you might see small groups of students having an animated discussion or students sitting in a large circle sharing their thoughts and ideas. “The class is organized around the idea that everyone has something to learn from each other,” said Matthews, assistant professor of Global Studies. GS431 draws on case studies from a variety of contemporary global contexts to explore the ethical dilemmas of listening and responding to narratives of and about structural, symbolic and direct violence. “These are challenging topics for students to explore and I hope that students take away an understanding of how to listen to stories of violence they may not have directly lived, and how to participate in practices of reconciliation and healing,” she said. “I also hope they take away a profound respect for each other as human beings who have a responsibility to work together for social change.” ~By Mallory O’Brien
Photo: Mallory O’Brien
Description: Based on the InsideOut Prison Exchange Program Model, this course is built around dialogue, critical thinking, collaboration and community building. Twelve “inside” (incarcerated) students and 12 “outside” (campus-enrolled) students meet each week for class at Grand Valley Institute for Women (GVI) in Kitchener.
Cameras are not permitted in the Inside-Out classroom, so here Matthews teaches GS231: Introduction to War and Conflict on Laurier’s Waterloo campus.
Photos: Tomasz Adamski
Laurier celebrates spring convocation
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