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Jenna Hennebry’s research uncovers the hardships faced by migrant workers in Canada.
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Laurier students help bring soccer fever to an impoverished township in Africa.
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Laurier’s campuses fill with students, kicking off with Orientation Week activities.
Centennial celebrations launch next week CAMPUS CONNECTIONS COMMUNITY VOL. 1 NO. 1 Staff, faculty and students are invited to kick-off VOL. events in Waterloo and Brantford | COMMUNITY | CONNECTIONS CAMPUS 1 | NO. 1 | APRIL 7,2008 |
banners, on specialty items in the Bookstore, and on select publications. Next week Laurier will start Oct. 18 will also mark the the year-long celebration launch of Laurier’s centennial leading up to its 100th web page. The web page anniversary in October 2011! will feature a timeline, a Throughout the next 12 large collection of historic months the excitement will photos, and a full events build to mark this important calendar to ensure members milestone through special university and broader events and initiatives driven by of the| COMMUNITY | CONNECTIONS CAMPUS communities are kept up-tomany university staff, faculty date on all the special initiaand students. tives that are happening Staff and faculty on the throughout the year. The site Waterloo campus will mark will be populated with new the kick-off on Monday, Oct. information on a regular basis, 18 with an event in the Turret including photos from many from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. The event events as they are held. will feature food, drink, music The “centennial toolkits” and some great door prizes. An referenced in the September event for students will be held issue of insideLaurier will also in the Concourse at the same be available beginning next time. week. The toolkits include Staff, faculty and students a podium sign, two pull-up on the Brantford campus banners and presentation will celebrate the launch on folders, all branded for the Wednesday, Oct. 20 with centennial. The banners and an event in the SC Johnson podium signs can be signed Building from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. out for up to three days at a If you haven’t already done time from the Communications, so, please RSVP for these Public Affairs and Marketing events as soon as possible to (CPAM) department. These celebrate2011@wlu.ca for those are available at no charge, as on the Waterloo campus, and are the folders, which will to bdelarosa@wlu for those on be provided for your use the Brantford campus. throughout the year. Beginning Oct. 18, our Members of the university special centennial logo will begin to appear in wide use at a number of locations — on CENTENNIAL see page 3
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By Tiffany Bradley
Do you want to know what’s going on at Laurier? There’s an app for that By Lori Chalmers Morrison On the go and looking for the latest Laurier news, sports headlines or upcoming events? With Laurier’s new mobile app, people can now receive the Laurier information that interests them — no matter where they are — from a BlackBerry, iPhone, iTouch or iPad. The Laurier app is being piloted by five early adopters:
Residence Life; Communications, Public Affairs & Marketing (CPAM); Student Recruitment, Athletics and Recreation; and Career Services. Information will represent news and events from all of Laurier’s campuses. Whether users identify themselves as future, current or former Laurier students, LAURIER APP see page 6
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A crowd collects on the lawn for the official opening of Waterloo Lutheran Seminary Oct. 30, 1911. The seminary opened in a converted house on Albert Street with only four students enrolled.
Laurier introduces Employee Success Factors Guidelines provide foundation for employee experience By Mallory O’Brien Laurier has introduced an exciting new way to nurture and inspire the core attributes that make the Laurier community such a unique and engaging place to work, teach, study and learn.
The approach is structured around five Employee Success Factors that define positive attitudes, behaviours, work styles and interactions that align with Laurier’s mission, vision and values to create a successful organization. The Employee Success Factors were defined by a group of Laurier staff, faculty and management employees who sought to answer the question: How do Laurier’s values translate into the way people carry out their everyday work? The Success Factors not only reflect Laurier’s values, they articulate how staff and faculty can uphold those values.
“As a university community, Laurier is known for its exceptional ability to inspire lives of leadership and purpose,” said Laurier president Max Blouw, who introduced the Employee Success Factors during his recent town hall presentations in Brantford and Waterloo. “Purpose and leadership require goal setting, and for any individual to be successful you have to have clear goals, which is what the Employee Success Factors are all about.” The Employee Success Factors provide a structure and guideline for understanding what makes Laurier such a great place to work, teach, study and learn. “They give us the ability to focus on how we do our work, SUCCESS FACTORS see page 6
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October 2010
president’s message
Budget surplus helps Laurier prepare for challenging times Ontario universities have had some good news on the financial front this year. In his budget speech last spring, Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan declared that “education is this government’s highest priority.” The province followed through with a number of key commitments to universities, including two that I would like to highlight here. The first involves full funding for undergraduate enrolment growth; the second involves temporary relief from pension pressures, which gives us more time to find longer-term solutions to this serious issue. With enrolment growth, the province has traditionally waited to the end of the fiscal year before telling universities how much it would fund increases in student numbers. This created a great deal of uncertainty for universities as they tried to set their budgets and manage their enrolment numbers without knowing the full funding picture. You may recall that Jim
(l-r) President Max Blouw, Brantford acting principal/vice-president Lesley Cooper, WLUAA vice-president, operations, Megan Harris, and vice-president of SC Johnson Shawn MacLeod celebrate the opening of the Alumni Hall lecture hall in Brantford’s SC Johnson Building.
Butler, Laurier’s vice-president: finance and administration, said repeatedly in the past few years that full funding for undergraduate enrolment growth would go a long way to help Laurier and other universities address their budget challenges. The Ontario government appears to have heard Jim and his colleagues at other institutions. In its 2010 budget, the province announced that it would provide full average-cost funding for undergraduate enrolment growth in fiscal 2009-10 and fiscal 2010-11. Not only does this take some of the guesswork out of
our budget planning — at least in the short term — it has also helped generate a surplus in our 2009-10 budget year. A number of other positive developments contributed to the surplus, including higher-than-budgeted revenue from our ancillary services and improved cost efficiencies implemented by staff and faculty. While the surplus is welcome news, it does not mean Laurier is flush with cash, nor does it mean our financial challenges are over. There is no shortage of demands on the university’s finances, from paying down debt and accumu-
lated deficits to investing in facility maintenance and tackling our serious pension solvency and going-concern deficiencies. Consequently, the university will use the 2009-10 surplus to ease anticipated budget pressures over the next three years; to pay down deficits on a number of capital projects; and to help fund a variety of important initiatives, such as ITS capital renewal projects, Laurier’s co-hosting of the Congress of Humanities and Social Sciences in 2012, and an emergency broadcast system, to name just a few. These appropriations are part of a larger strategy to get Laurier’s financial house in order. Universities across the province will continue to face significant financial challenges in the years ahead: serious pension pressures, rising labour and benefit costs, uncertain funding beyond 2011, a provincial government struggling with a $20-billion deficit, and a national and global economic forecast that remains uncertain at best.
Knowing this, Laurier must continue to take a strategic, prudent approach to financial management. One example is the reallocation policy implemented this year. While there were no across-the-board budget reductions, we did ask all departments and faculties to contribute 0.5 percent to a Strategic Investment Fund that would be used to support the Academic Plan and other strategically important initiatives. Staff and faculty were invited to submit applications for a portion of this funding, and we hope to announce approved allocations later this fall. All in all, the university is moving in a positive direction. Everyone in the Laurier community is to be congratulated for their contributions. As we approach the university’s centennial, we have much to celebrate and much to look forward to.
Dr. Max Blouw President and Vice-Chancellor
President’s Innovation Seed Fund looking for more great ideas After a successful first year, the President’s Innovation Seed Fund is again looking for creative and innovative ways to help Laurier generate new revenue and/or reduce operating costs. Members of the Laurier community are invited to submit concept proposals for evaluation by the fund’s implementation committee. Applicants whose proposals are approved will be invited to submit a business plan. Assistance is available to help craft the business plan. Established as a two-year pilot project in 2009, the President’s Innovation Seed Fund supports positive, forward-thinking initiatives that have the potential to produce new revenue and/ or reduce the university’s operating costs. The fund, which opened with a balance of $200,000, is guided by principles of revenue sharing and fund sustainability. It is intended that net revenues realized from a specific project will be divided
equally between the originator’s faculty/department, the fund itself, and the university. The implementation committee approved and funded four proposals during the first three rounds of the pilot project. While each is expected to generate revenue, they also enhance the programming that Laurier is able to offer its students and potential students. Successful projects have ranged from an English as a Second Language program that generates revenue while attracting international students to Laurier, to a summer acceleration program that increases the number of college transfer students recruited by Laurier Brantford. “Each of the approved initiatives clearly increases Laurier’s capacity to achieve its goals,” said Steve Farlow, chair of the fund’s implementation committee. “We have been thrilled by the quality and innovative nature of the proposals received to date, and we strongly encourage members of the Laurier
community to submit more ideas in this current round of funding.” The implementation committee has been hard at work since last September, assessing proposals and helping to move the successful ones forward. The committee consists of a representative mix of faculty and staff from various departments and campuses across the university. “This committee works extremely well together, said Ginette Lafrenière,” an associate professor in Laurier’s Lyle S. Hallman Faculty of Social Work. “It is wonderful to be part of multi-departmental, multicampus committee that enjoys discussing the university’s vision and values, and which is then able to provide real support to proposals that sustain that vision and those values.” Important dates for the fourth round of the President’s Innovation Seed Fund: • Oct. 8, 2010 – Deadline for concept proposals to be considered
InsideLaurier is published by Communications, Public Affairs & Marketing (CPAM) Wilfrid Laurier University 75 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5
InsideLaurier Volume 3, Number 4, October 2010 Editor: Stacey Morrison Assistant Editor: Lori Chalmers Morrison Design: Erin Steed Contributors: Tomasz Adamski, Tiffany Bradley, Kevin Crowley, Jim Hertel, Sunil Kuruvilla, Mallory O’Brien, Dean Palmer
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InsideLaurier welcomes your comments and suggestions for stories. Tel: (519) 884-0710 ext. 3341 | Fax: (519) 884-8848 Email: insidelaurier@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. Available online at www.wlu.ca/publicaffairs. Printed on recycled paper
at the first committee meeting. • Oct. 22, 2010 – Deadline for concept proposals to be considered at the second committee meeting. • Nov. 5, 2010 – Deadline for concept proposals to be considered at the third committee meeting. • Nov. 19, 2010 – Final deadline
for submission of concept proposals for Round 4. For more information about the fund and how to submit a proposal, visit the website at www.wlu.ca/innovationfund. * Please note that the President’s Innovation Seed Fund is separate and distinct from the Strategic Investment Fund.
Send us your news, events & stories
Email: insidelaurier@wlu.ca Deadline for submissions: October 25
All submissions are appreciated, however not all submissions will be published. We reserve the right to edit all copy for accuracy, content and length.
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October 2010
After successfully defending his doctoral dissertation, Joel Marcus has become Laurier’s first graduate of the School of Business & Economics’ doctor of philosophy in management program. “Joel has completed his studies with the highest result possible on the graduate candidate record and we are so proud to welcome him to our alumni family as our first from the PhD management program,” said Ginny Dybenko, dean of the School of Business & Economics. The objective of the four-year program, which launched in 2005, is to train students to become independent research investigators in their chosen field of study. In his dissertation, titled “Human Values and Corporate Actions Propensity: Examining the Behavioural Roots of Societal Sustainability,” Marcus explores how different personal values relate to the propensity of corporations to engage in actions that benefit or harm society across the economic, social and environmental domains. Marcus will receive his degree at Laurier’s fall convocation Oct. 29.
What’s new and notable at Laurier
Brantford campus receives federal funding Laurier Brantford has received $466,145 in federal funding to enhance academic facilities and learning technology at the downtown campus. The money comes through the second round of the Community Adjustment Fund (CAF), part of the Government of Canada’s Economic Action Plan. In June, Laurier Brantford received $253,750 from the CAF to assist with the design phase of a joint YMCA/Laurier Brantford athletics and recreation facility. The new funding will be used to install state-ofthe-art video-conferencing technology at Laurier Brantford. As a multi-campus university, Laurier has programs and expertise at its campuses in Brantford and Waterloo, and at its Faculty of Social Work in Kitchener and its office in downtown Toronto. The new videoconferencing technology will allow Brantford students and faculty to participate in lectures and guest-speaker events being held at other Laurier locations. It will also enable staff and faculty to participate in meetings via video-conferencing.
WLU Farm Market opens
The WLU Farm Market opened in September and runs every Tuesday in the Concourse from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It offers local, organic and other sustainable options for produce, baked goods and snacks.
CENTENNIAL continued
community can now request Laurier’s centennial logo for use, but CPAM must have final sign off on all pieces that include the logo, whether electronic or in print. Guidance and assistance with marketing
Laurier professor named director of Academic Council on UN Systems Alistair Edgar appointed to three-year term at ACUNS By Mallory O’Brien Laurier political science professor Alistair Edgar has been appointed executive director of the prestigious Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS) for a three-year term. Edgar previously held the executive director position from 2003 to 2008, the first five years ACUNS was hosted at Wilfrid Laurier University. Laurier continues to host the council for a second term, which runs until 2013. “Dr. Edgar’s area of expertise in post-conflict peace and reconstruction, as well as in various aspects of global governance, make him a good fit academically for this position,” said Deborah MacLatchy, Laurier’s vicepresident: academic and provost. “Coupled with his previous and ongoing commitment to ACUNS, it was an easy decision for the ACUNS board of directors and myself to make this administrative appointment.” Edgar has a BA in history from Cambridge University, an MA in political science/international relations from the University of British Columbia, and a PhD in political science/interna-
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tional relations from Queen’s University. From 1992 to 1993, Edgar was a John M. Olin Doctoral Fellow in Economics and National Security at the Center for International Affairs, Harvard University. He began his academic career at Laurier in 1993. Edgar said he is pleased to return to ACUNS and is looking forward to working with his friends and colleagues once more. “ACUNS is a dynamic and exciting association with a great variety of engaged members around the world, and with tremendously valuable links
Alistair Edgar
Photo: Dean Palmer
Laurier graduates first student from PhD management program
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to the United Nations, national governments, and other international and local organizations,” he said. “The opportunities to learn about new ideas in this environment are hard to match anywhere else.” Outgoing ACUNS executive director Patricia Goff has returned to her full-time teaching and research activities as an associate professor at Laurier. ACUNS is an international association of educational and research institutions, individual scholars, teachers and practitioners active in the work and study of multilateral relations, global governance and international cooperation. Through its core activities ACUNS stimulates, supports and disseminates research and analysis on the UN, multilateralism and international organization. A special effort is made to ensure that advanced research conducted in universities finds its way into the programs of the UN system. ACUNS was founded at Dartmouth College in 1987. It was later hosted by Brown University and Yale University. In 2003, ACUNS moved to Laurier. For more information visit www.acuns.org.
and promotional activities and materials will also be available through CPAM. The events held over the next 12 months have been designed to be attractive to many different groups so that everyone has the opportunity to participate in multiple initiatives
throughout our anniversary year. Hundreds of staff, faculty and students have planned initiatives to commemorate this milestone in our history, and we hope they will bring a renewed sense of pride in being part of the Laurier family.
Laurier’s Toronto office marks successful first year By Lori Chalmers Morrison It has been one year since Laurier planted its foot firmly in the centre of Toronto’s financial district on King Street between York and Bay streets. In that time, Laurier Toronto’s Exchange Tower office has entertained the likes of Toronto mayor David Miller, welcomed countless alumni, students, employers and friends of the university. Laurier representatives even rang the opening bell of the Toronto Stock Exchange. “Toronto is home to a significant Laurier community,” said Laurier president Max Blouw. “It is essential for us to have a Toronto presence to continue to engage our Toronto alumni, government representatives, prospective students and friends of Laurier.” The Toronto office serves as an information portal to all of Laurier’s campuses and supports the weekend-format MBA program. The office is also a welcoming “home base” for students interviewing for co-op jobs, alumni looking to reconnect, and even Waterloo- or Brantford-based business people in need of a short-term work or meeting space. Maria Locacciato, Laurier Toronto’s manger of administration and marketing, says the
alumni speaker series, which attracts speakers such as wastediversion expert Damian Bassett, has been the hallmark of the office. While newer programs such as alumni speed-networking sessions are moving the office forward, Locacciato says there is great potential for staff and faculty from Laurier’s other campuses to use the facility. “With a central location and a vibrant space, we offer a unique venue for meetings and interviews with Toronto contacts or to hold intimate receptions and speaking engagements,” said Locacciato. “We’re available to collaborate with departments in Waterloo, Brantford and Kitchener, and discuss the opportunities available to them in Toronto.” For further information about the Toronto office, visit www.wlu. ca/lauriertoronto or email Maria Locacciato at mlocacciato@wlu.ca.
Photo: Tomasz Adamski
NEWS
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people at Laurier
Roly Webster, Laurier’s associate director: alumni relations, is working at the United Way of Kitchener-Waterloo and Area as a sponsored employee until Dec. 17. As United Way’s associate campaign director, Webster is managing a team of five other sponsored employees, and helping to develop the organization’s strategies for the recruitment and retention of senior volunteers. He is also striving to improve United Way’s relationship with its individual donors and build advocacy with corporate donors.
New appointments: Grace (Qiaoying) Gao, library interface developer (special project), Library. Heather Redden-Greer, coordinator, external programs, Faculty of Education. Christina Kerr, access services/ reference associate, Faculty of Social Work. Kristen McFall, lab coordi-
For a complete list of appointments visit www.wlu.ca/hr
nator, Kinesiology & Physical Education. Tamsynn Moodley, coordinator: JUMP, Conference Services.
Philip Munz, lab coordinator, Mathematics. H. Frederick Perkins, ESL facilitator. Erin Riggin, coordinator: educational assistant, Accessible Learning.
trarial & Recruitment Services (Brantford). Sarah Innes, academic advisor, Dean’s Office (Brantford). Melissa Ireland, aboriginal student support coordinator, Student Services (Brantford). Christopher Simpson, faculty, Archaeology & Classical Studies. Sarah Tedesco, disability consultant, Student Services (Brantford).
Retirements: Petrina Drago, custodian, Physical Resources.
Jason Toole, ESL facilitator. Cindy Lou Wood, health services supervisor/nurse educator, Student Services (Brantford).
Changes in staff appointments: Tammy Horton Drago, supervisor, Special Constable Service. Elaine Francombe, academic advisor, Dean’s Office (Brantford). Lois Hines, administrative assistant to manager, Regis-
Kate Connolly, director, Community Service-Learning (effective Oct. 1). Karen Scott, reference associate, Library (effective Oct. 18). Bonnie Woelfle, binding associate, collections, Library.
Do you have a personal or professional milestone to share with the Laurier community? Email insidelaurier@wlu.ca.
Two Golden Hawks represent Canada in Egypt Two representatives from Laurier have travelled to Alexandria, Egypt, to represent Canada at Rescue 2010, the World Lifesaving Championships. The competition takes place Oct. 2-17. Pat Kitchen, associate director, recreation and facilities, accompanied the team as the Lifesaving Society’s national sports commissioner. Varsity swimmer Brittany Shaw is also participating as a member of the country’s
Author Lawrence Hill visits Laurier as writer-in-residence
Photo: Mallory O’Brien
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12-member national lifesaving behalf of the International Life team. Saving Federation. More than 3,700 participants are taking “I’m pleased to attend this part in the event. event to support our Canadian athletes, including Laurier’s own Brittany Shaw,” said Kitchen. ”As the volunteer sport commissioner of Canada, I will be observing the ILS sport meetings and look forward to gaining new insights.” Rescue 2010 is hosted by the Egyptian Diving and Pat Kitchen, left, and Brittany Shaw. Lifesaving Federation on
Penderecki String Quartet performs for Music at Noon
Author Lawrence Hill, above left, signs copies of his best-selling novel, The Book of Negroes, in the Concourse. Hill spent a week in September visiting Laurier as writer-inresidence. His schedule included public readings, a luncheon with students, undergraduate lectures, a roundtable discussion and a fundraising dinner.
What are you reading
?
Name: Tania John Job Title: Development Officer, Annual Giving & Alumni Relations Book Title: A Thousand Splendid Suns Author: Khaled Hosseini
What are you reading
?
What are you listening to?
A Thousand Splendid Suns is a story about two Afghan women and how their paths cross and become intertwined over 43 years. I felt like I knew the characters intimately and could feel all their happiness, injustice and sorrow. If you enjoy feeling a million emotions while reading a book that you can’t put down, you’ll love Khaled Hosseini’s work.
What are you listening to?
Photo: Mallory O’Brien
Name: Amanda St. Marie Job Title: Publications Coordinator CD Title: Sigh No More Artist: Mumford & Sons
From left: Jerzy Kaplanek, Jeremy Bell, Christine Vlajk and Jacob Braun.
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British band Mumford & Sons offers a unique blend of country, bluegrass and folk. This CD is filled with warm stories of love, loss and banjos. In their own words, they are a band with “fire in their bellies, romance in their hearts and rapture in their masterful, melancholy voices.” I encourage people to definitely lend an ear to this exciting new act.
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RESEARCH FILE
Researching the rights of migrant workers Jenna Hennebry studies the challenges faced by temporary workers in Canada
The sun beats down on Jenna Hennebry’s back as she prunes a 10-foot pine tree with a machete. It’s high summer in the Ontario greenbelt in 2002. Sweat beads on her forehead while the buzz of insects fills the air. Toiling alongside Hennebry are migrant workers from Mexico. She has joined them for a season on a farm to learn about their lives and their working conditions. She eats with them, shops with them, and spends months with their families in Mexico to observe the impact their migration has back home. For the past decade — since she was a PhD candidate working in the field — Hennebry has been studying the challenges faced by migrant workers in Canada and Spain. Today, she is sitting in her office, but the faces of the migrants she has worked with over the years adorn the walls around her, and she is still learning about their lives. The communications professor and associate director of Laurier’s International Migration Research Centre (www.wlu.ca/imrc) is researching the problems and possible solutions associated with temporary migration in Canada and elsewhere. In the postwar period, the introduction of government programs resulted in a surge of temporary migration in many countries around the globe, including Canada, the United States, Germany and Australia. During this period, Canada developed and expanded its temporary migration program, the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP), which is still in place today. Migrants began arriving from Jamaica, Mexico and across the Caribbean. Temporary migrants tend to work in more dangerous jobs with higher rates of accidents or injury. Afraid to complain or demand safety equipment, they are often exposed to pesticides and fertilizers, and often don’t receive the same kind of training as Canadian workers. “It’s not a news flash that temporary migrants are working the jobs that Canadians don’t want to do — jobs that are dirty and dangerous,” said Hennebry. “They find themselves underpaid and in situations where they are vulnerable to exploitation, health risks and injuries.” In September, for example, two migrant workers died while working at a farm in Owen Sound. “Sadly, there are a number of deaths every year, and hundreds of others who have been injured.” The temporary migrant-worker
Photo: Dean Palmer
By Mallory O’Brien
Jenna Hennebry, above, and in Mexico with the family of a migrant worker, left, is hoping her research will improve the rights of migrant workers, and help shape national and international policy.
population is growing and Canada has seen an expansion of programs such as SAWP, most of which fall under the umbrella of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. These programs further heighten migrants’ vulnerability, some argue, and have even greater problems. However, qualitative research that highlights the role of poor working conditions for migrants has been dismissed as involving only “a few bad apples.” Consequently, Hennebry and her team of Laurier graduate students recently completed the largest survey of migrant workers in Canada: almost 600 workers from Jamaica and Mexico were interviewed and examined by a medical doctor, giving both qualitative and quantitative data for Hennebry to work with. A significant number of migrant workers said their jobs were hazardous to their health. For example, many had health problems tied to pesticide exposure. Sixty-two per cent of Mexican workers said they had not received any training, and nearly half of the migrants who worked with chemicals did not use protection such as gloves, masks or goggles. Nearly half of those surveyed said their co-workers work when they are sick because they are afraid of their employer, and 55 per cent worked because they didn’t want to lose any pay. “What’s important about this survey is that it really does demonstrate it’s just not one or two people, this is a much wider
and more structural problem,” said Hennebry. They also asked questions about having access to Ontario’s Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB). A staggering 93 per cent of people interviewed said they had no idea how to make a claim, “or really even what it was.” The findings spurred the WSIB to fund a research project led by Hennebry that looks at migrants working in Canadian agriculture and their access to WSIB. “The WSIB is supposed to be in place to help workers who are injured or sick, regardless of where they are from, and it doesn’t always pan out in practice,” said Hennebry. “What I think is heartening is the funding for this study actually comes from WSIB, because it is interested to know if there are problems in terms of access or gaining the support that’s needed.” Hennebry says there are significant barriers to filling out a compensation claim. For example, migrant workers often return home as required when the season is over. They often live in rural areas and are unable to demonstrate to Canadian doctors that their illness or injury is work-related. There is also a language barrier, as the required paperwork must be filled out in English or French. And because employers often do not speak the language of their workers, there is no training offered when migrant workers come to Canada. As a result, they find themselves unaware of the legal framework of Canada’s Occupational Health and Safety Act. Hennebry’s second major
research project is a SSHRCfunded study that looks at the influence private-sector groups have on temporary migration, and how this heightens the exploitation of workers. Private-sector groups include recruiters, the businesses that hire them, and organizations such as the International Organization for Migration (IMO), which are now playing an increasing role in Canada’s migration system. Hennebry says that while the temporary migration programs may be federal programs, the government is largely downloading the entry, recruitment, and in some cases, regulation and monitoring of temporary migrants to private companies and conglomerates.
“
You have industry having a lot of say in how migration
happens and very little government regulation or monitoring.
”
For example, the Foreign Agriculture Resource Services is a private, incorporated body made up of grower associations, and it does everything from determining where a foreign worker will be placed, to organizing travel. “You have industry having a lot of say in how migration happens and very little government regulation or monitoring.” This opens the door for
private-sector businesses to take advantage of migrants. In order to come to Canada as a temporary migrant, you need a job offer. To secure an offer, migrants from Central or South America often use recruiters, who legally aren’t allowed to charge money to get them a work permit. Hennebry, however, has come across cases where a worker pays a fee for services such as building a “resumé” or “profile” — fees that may be called something else but are really to get them a permit. “It actually can be quite awful because some migrants have to borrow the money from local lenders who take a lean on their house or charge them 50 per cent interest. Many go into debt to come to Canada, and end up in precarious employment situations, with their migration status tied to the name of the employer on their work permit.” In other cases, migrants have paid thousands of dollars to recruiting agents, thinking they are getting work permits in Canada, only to find the permits are falsified. Because their status as temporary workers is tied to their employers, migrants can’t move around and work freely; if they lose their job, it’s expected they leave the country. “They run out of options very quickly and end up working in even less safe circumstances ‘under the table’ as a non-status migrant,” said Hennebry. “Not only are they taking on work that might be unsafe, but they also end up in a situation where they are doing so without any proper documentation.” It isn’t always bad news. Sometimes, a company will intervene on an employee’s behalf, such as the case of Maple Leaf Foods in Manitoba. More than 500 of the company’s workers have been accepted for permanent residency through a provincial nominee program. From 2005 to 2007, there has been a 122 per cent increase in the number of employer requests for migrant workers. There is also growth in the number of employers getting permission for migrant workers, and the number of migrant workers themselves. In the context of this growth, Hennebry’s goal is to improve the rights of migrant workers, and make policy recommendations on national and international levels about the management of migration. “The fabric of Canadian society is multiculturalism, but how can we be a multicultural Canada if we have a huge underclass of temporary migrants whose rights aren’t protected in the same way?” 5
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October 2010
LAURIER APP continued
international audiences.” The Laurier app consists of members of the media, friends of text, image and video updates Laurier, faculty or staff members, “pushed” out to users, who can then share the information with they can control the type of Laurier notices uploaded to their friends on Facebook, Twitter or email at the click of a button. smartphone by selecting from Interactive features and five information channels. These additional university inforinclude What’s Happening at Laurier, Athletics and Recreation, mation channels will be strategically added to the app Career Centre, Residence Life, during its second phase of and Future Students. development. “Organizations are increasThe Laurier app was ingly expected to provide launched at the Ontario information via a variety of Universities Fair on Sept. 24, vehicles so that people can with exposure to thousands choose their preferred method of prospective Laurier of delivery,” said Jacqui students. Those students who Tam, associate vice-president, downloaded the Laurier app CPAM. “The mobile app gives will now receive ongoing Laurier the ability to provide targeted information to specific information about Laurier direct to their smartphones in local, provincial, national and the months leading up to their decision about where to attend university. Tom Buckley, assistant vicepresident: academic services, says the app will be beneficial to all Laurier students. “Students are coming to university with smartphones in hand. It’s another way for us to reach students and for students to enhance their connection to Laurier.” The Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union has also developed an app, which features WLUSU-specific information. To download the Laurier app
for free on an iPhone, iTouch or iPad, visit Apple’s App Store and search “Laurier app.” To download the app on a BlackBerry (operating system 4.7 or higher), enter www.laurierapp. com into the BlackBerry browser.
Alumnus composes winning score for Laurier centennial By Sunil Kuruvilla
Laurier gets social The university recently launched official institutional Facebook, Twitter and YouTube sites. These social media sites will help the university engage in ongoing dialogue with its various audiences, increase Laurier’s visibility and generate awareness about news and events. Visit the sites at: twitter.com/LaurierNews facebook.com/LaurierNow youtube.com/Laurier Video The sites can also be accessed from the Communications, Public Affairs and Marketing web page on the Laurier website. For a list of more Laurier social media sites, visit the “extended info” section of our Facebook page. For further information about social media, or to obtain a copy of Laurier’s social media guidelines, email socialmedia@ wlu.ca.
Kerry Roebuck (BMus ‘95) is the winner of the WLU Centennial Fanfare Composition Competition, which was held to commemorate the university’s 100th anniversary next year. He will receive a cash prize, and his composition will be premiered at a March 10, 2011 concert featuring the WLU Symphony Orchestra and the K-W Symphony Youth Orchestra at Kitchener’s Centre In The Square. The competition accepted submissions from Laurier grads in the spring. Roebuck studied clarinet while at Laurier. He now lives in Montreal where he enjoys a successful career as a music teacher and conductor — he is currently the musical director of many ensembles, including the Montreal West Operatic Kerry Roebuck
Laurier students help bring soccer fever to South African school Donations provide soccer posts and nets for impoverished students By Stacey Morrison While the world was caught up in the excitement of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa this summer, a much smaller celebration occurred at a school in one of the country’s impoverished townships. Thanks to the efforts of a group of four Laurier students, the Zweliyazuza Primary School outside of Pietermaritzburg installed its first goal posts and nets, the initial step to creating a soccer field for the
school’s students. “It was ironic that in all the hype leading up to the World Cup, a school in the host country was too poor to have its own soccer facilities,” said Len Friesen, associate professor of global studies and history, who worked with the Laurier group as their university faculty mentor. The Laurier students — Sanja Brankovic, Cassandra Taylor, Denise Garneau and Kevin Desmarais — are all Garfield Weston Scholars. They formed
With the school’s new posts and nets in place, students suit up for a game of soccer.
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a connection with the school during an international learning trip funded by their scholarships in 2008. During a visit, the group learned the school had very few resources and no library. The Laurier students and Friesen made individual donations to fund a new library, though the students say they gained more than they gave. “The time we spent at Zweliyazuza was transformative for all of us,” said Brankovic. “It was a moving experience to be with students and staff, and to be so welcomed by all of them.” Their initiative struck a chord with Roger Lindsay, a friend of the university and a trustee of The W. Garfield Weston Foundation. He contributed to the library project, but also wanted to do something that would be more playful for the children at Zweliyazuza. Inquiries were made, and out of these came the decision to fund goal posts and nets to coincide with the World Cup. Immediately after the posts were installed, students donned their soccer uniforms and tried out the new nets. Beaming student faces and shouts of joy told the story.
“Soccer fever has hit South Africa, even to the depths of the rural areas and we are so pleased to be included in this way,” said Zweliyazuza Primary School principal Musi Zuma upon receiving the gift. “The posts will serve as a daily reminder of your kindness to us.” “It’s such a thrill to know that our time at Laurier started a process that has allowed students in need to be able to celebrate sports through soccer in addition to the library project,” said Brankovic, who has since graduated along with her peers. In August 2011, a new group of four Laurier Garfield Weston scholarship recipients will travel to South Africa and visit the school. They intend to raise funds for the school library in the coming year in anticipation of their visit to Zweliyazuza. “Any assistance we can provide will pay dividends for the whole community,” said Friesen. “And it speaks to the students’ efforts, to the generosity of Mr. Lindsay, and to how small deeds can help those down and out have something to celebrate.”
Society. Previously, he served as director of the national youth orchestra in Trinidad and Tobago. An active composer, Roebuck wrote his winning piece for double brass quintet, remembering a fourth-year paper he wrote on the history of music at Laurier. Honoring Laurier’s roots in the Lutheran Church, he replicated, musically and physically, the five corners of the cross in the heart, and the five corners of the Lutheran Rose, supplying a blueprint with his composition that shows how its musicians should be arranged on stage. “Musically, the first quintet represents the cross in the heart, not only in the warmth of the harmonization, but in the solidity of the rhythmic pulse,” Roebuck said. “The second quintet represents the petals of the rose in both brilliance and presence as it has the flashier notes.” The one-minute piece is also in the key of G-Major, because a low G measures about 100 Hz and is set at a tempo of 100 beats per minutes, paralleling the centenary.
SUCCESS FACTORS continued
not just what we do,” said Allison Rawn, assistant vicepresident, Human Resources. The five Employee Success Factors are: • Collaborates to promote team and organizational success • Seeks opportunities for continuous improvement • Values relationships and community • Supports a culture of service • Models leadership and accountability “These factors reflect an important set of criteria against which we can evaluate ourselves and strive to improve as individuals and as an organization,” said Blouw. “They celebrate all of the attributes that make Laurier a unique and engaging community in which to work.” The Employee Success Factors have been integrated into the performance appraisal process for management as part of the goal-setting process for the coming year. In the future, they will provide the foundation for many aspects of the Laurier employee experience, including recruiting, developing, recognizing and rewarding employees. To help explain and evoke the spirit of the Employee Success Factors, the university has produced an engaging video that features interviews with Laurier employees. To view the video and learn more about the Success Factors, visit the website at www.wlu.ca/successfactors.
October 2010 coffee with a co-worker
CAMPUS COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
VOL. 1 NO. 1 APRIL 7,2008
CAMPUS CONNECTIONS COMMUNITY
VOL. 1 NO. 1 APRIL 7,2008
A look at staff and faculty across campus
Laurier in the city Name: Maria Locacciato Job: Manager, administration and marketing, Toronto office. Where you can find her: At Laurier’s Toronto office at King and York streets. How she takes her coffee: Cream and sugar. It’s a Starbucks Americano because it’s right downstairs. Maria Locacciato manages Laurier’s Toronto office. She welcomes visits from staff, faculty, students and alumni.
How did you come to work at Laurier Toronto? I loved Laurier as a student (BA ’95, Dipl ’98), so joining Laurier’s new Toronto office last August was a great opportunity. I have a strong affinity for the school. Even in my previous roles in charitable organizations, many board members turned out to be Laurier alumni, and I always said, “All good things come from Laurier!” Who walks through the doors of Laurier Toronto? Alumni, parents, MBA students — I even had someone’s uncle come in and pick up a pamphlet. Tom Jenkins, the CEO of Open
coming Events
Oktoberfest When: Oct. 8-16 Where: Kitchener-Waterloo, various locations Enjoy Canada’s greatest Bavarian festival with great music, food and events for the whole family. For event details, visit www.oktoberfest.ca Life After Laurier Science Speaker Series When: Oct. 15 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Where: Science Building, N1002 Cost: Free Psychology alumna Lisa Côté, senior director of marketing operations, consumer services marketing at Rogers Cable, will speak about her life and career after graduating. The Entitlement Generation: Implications for the Classroom When: Oct. 20 12:30 p.m. Where: SBE 1230 Cost: Free Jeanette McDonald, manager: educational development, will present this session covering the key themes and implications for teaching and learning involving students from the “me” generation. Developing a Service Culture When: Oct. 21 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Where: Bricker Academic, BA305
Text, came in to use our office space, and Dave Lacey the race car driver came in — I recognized his face from the cover of our alumni magazine! Although I miss being around the energy of students on campus, I like representing the school in this venue. I talk up Laurier and help anyone who comes in.
the space and how it can work for them and their goals. I love when alumni see our signs and come in to visit. Alumni are so generous. They’ve given their time as speakers and attendees at our speaker series. I also enjoy the career co-op day in Toronto — employers interview here and students come here to relax before their next interviews.
What are some of the highlights from Laurier Toronto’s first year? There are so many things. Having faculty and staff from the Waterloo and Brantford campuses visit. When they get here, they see the benefits of
What is it like working in downtown Toronto? I live in Woodbridge and take the Go Train. Downtown is an exciting, professional atmosphere. I really feel that we’re in the heart of the business district.
For a complete list of events visit www.wlu.ca/events
Cost: Free to all Laurier staff and faculty Every interaction between alumni, a student, faculty or staff member provides the opportunity for our university to make a favourable and lasting impression. This workshop will further develop your success as a service-minded member of Laurier’s community. To register, visit the Training & Development web page. Imposter Phenomenon When: Oct. 21 11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. Where: Peters Building, P1007 Cost: Free Have you ever felt like an academic imposter? If you answered yes, you are not alone. This workshop is designed to help you better understand your feelings and provide you with strategies for coping and overcoming fears and behaviours associated with academic impostership. Presented by Sally Heath, Educational Development. Music at Noon When: Oct. 28 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Where: Maureen Forrester Recital Hall Cost: Free Bring your lunch and listen to Anya Alexeyev on piano.
A Harmonious and Profitable Exchange: China’s New Diplomacy When: Nov. 4 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Where: Faculty of Social Work, Community Room History professor Blaine Chiasson is the guest speaker at this popular noon-hour lecture series, co-presented by the Kitchener Public Library. 4th Annual MBA Alumni Awards When: Nov. 4 5:30 p.m. – 10 p.m. Where: Toronto Board of Trade Cost: TBA
Have you seen any interesting sightings from your windows? We recently had a request to film the TV show Nikita outside our building. They covered up our signs to make us look like a bank. What can you tell us about your co-op students? I love working with students and supporting out-of-the-classroom learning and development. I encourage leadership development, which includes opportunities to be innovative and creative. At the same time, I learn a lot from them — they come with go-getter attitudes. Laurier really does produce leaders.
How do you keep busy outside of work? I have two wonderful little girls (six and four years old) and a wonderful husband who is a star and keeps things going at home during my hour-long commute to and from work. I’ve taken up running and I love it! I’m also finishing up a course to become a Certified Association Executive. The course covers board-member governance and how to run an association. I’ll be able to apply it to my work at Laurier.
By Lori Chalmers Morrison
Winter driving: be prepared With winter weather just around the corner, now is the time to ensure your car is ready for winter conditions. • Have your winter tires checked or replaced before the snow flies. Never mix tires of different tread, size and construction. • Check your tire air pressure frequently, as it decreases in cold weather. • Check or replace windshield wipers.
items such as your battery, belts, hoses, lights and brakes. • Keep a winter survival kit in your car that includes items such as a shovel, booster cables, flashlight and batteries, extra clothing, blanket, matches, candles and non-perishable food. Adopted from Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation. For more information, visit www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/ safety/winterdrive/winterdrive.shtml
• Make sure you have sufficient windshield washer fluid that is rated at a minimum of -40ºC. Keep an extra jug in the vehicle. • Get a maintenance check-up for
Join alumni and friends as former students are honoured for their contributions to career achievement and community service. For more information, contact Megan Harris at mharris@wlu.ca or ext. 2948. Life After Laurier Science Speaker Series When: Nov. 12 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Where: Science Building, N1002 Cost: Free Chemistry and mathematics alumnus Heinz Plaumann, manager of technology, detergents and formulators development at BASF corporation, will speak about his life and career after graduating.
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CAMPUS COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
VOL. 1 NO. 1 APRIL 7,2008
CAMPUS CONNECTIONS COMMUNITY
VOL. 1 NO. 1 APRIL 7,2008
October 2010
In the classroom
A look inside the lecture hall
Visual learning Professor: Russell Kilbourn Class: FS102: Film and the Image Description: An introduction to the filmic image through close textual analyses of selected films in relation to their cultural contexts.
Apart from the knowledge of specific films, theories, and other course material, Russell Kilbourn wants to help students become more critically aware and culturally literate. “My goal is to ‘wire’ the classroom to get the students to feel as excited as I do about the material,” he said. “Even in very large classes I always try to engage with students, soliciting and answering individual questions, ensuring as far as possible that they understand, showing them that I am interested in what they have to say about the topic.” Kilbourn says trying to get the attention of 300 students is challenging. He puts a lot of work into his lectures, building them around extensive PowerPoint presentations, with plenty of screen captures and other images. “I have to be their TV, YouTube, Facebook and MSN all in one for that hour and a half, once per week, and it’s not easy.” By Mallory O’Brien
Photo: Jim Hertel
Russell Kilbourn uses visual aids, such as PowerPoint presentations, to get the attention of his students.
Orientation Week welcomes first-year students Games, giveaways and academic sessions mark start of fall term
Clockwise from top left: Shinerama in Brantford; team-building exercises in Waterloo; the green team shows their spirit in Waterloo; free t-shirt giveaway in Alumni Hall; tug-of-war in Brantford.
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