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WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY
Waterloo | Brantford | Kitchener | Toronto
Photo: Sandra Muir
SEPTEMBER 2013
The Golden Hawks got an early start on the football season with August practices at University Stadium in Waterloo. The team’s next home game is Sept. 21 against Western University.
IPRM process continues to move forward Teams working to identify Laurier’s academic and administrative priorities By Lori Chalmers Morrison When the Integrated Planning and Resource Management (IPRM) process was first introduced to the Laurier community, it was paired with a fundamental question: How will we continue to make Laurier a better institution? Members of the IPRM working groups have been working over the summer to lay the foundation for the two components of IPRM that will answer this question: program prioritization and resource allocation. “I commend the IPRM working groups for their hard work and dedication over the spring and summer months,” said Laurier President Max Blouw. “The teams have maintained their commitment to a collaborative and transparent process that is being driven by members of the Laurier community. I have no doubt that their efforts will contribute to Laurier’s strategic success in the years ahead.”
How is the resource allocation process progressing? The Resource Management Team has been researching different budget models, the application of those models in the Canadian and U.S. university setting, their development and implementation, and their strengths and weaknesses. The team has also received a presentation on the budget model and process currently in place at Laurier. How is the program prioritization process progressing? Based on input from and consultation with deans and administrative areas, the Academic Priorities Team and the Administrative Priorities Team have compiled a comprehensive list of the university’s academic and administrative programs, and developed the criteria and weights by which these programs will be evaluated. Their criteria recommendations have been reviewed and approved by the Planning Task Force (PTF). The working groups are testing
draft templates that gather information based on the evaluation criteria. It is anticipated that these templates will be distributed to all academic and administrative programs for completion commencing in the fall. Key to the prioritization process are criteria by which each academic and administrative program will be evaluated. For the purposes of IPRM, a program is defined as having a common set of activities that can be discretely defined, having clear and definable clientele, and consuming resources. Academic programs include all programs for credit, as well as service teaching and research. Administrative programs include all additional functions within units such as information technology, human resources, co-op and career, dean’s offices, registrarial services, the library, etc. All programs at the university will be reviewed by one of the two teams. The following criteria will be incorporated into one academic
template and one administrative template. A completed template will be required for each program at Laurier. More detailed information about each of the criteria
can be found in the “How does the program prioritization process work?” section of the wlu.ca/IPRM website. IPRM see page 5
Laurier campuses gear up for Homecoming 2013 It’s almost time to put on your purple and gold for Homecoming 2013 on the Waterloo campus Sept. 27-29 and the Brantford campus Oct. 19. The Waterloo event will see thousands of faculty, staff, alumni, students and friends return to campus for a full weekend of fun events, including the Laurier Golden Hawks football game against the Windsor Lancers. Favourite activities include a free pancake breakfast in the Dining Hall Quad and the Legend of Laurier Lecture Series, this year featuring Professor Emeritus of English and Film Studies
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Meet James Yuhasz, manager Brantford’s Special Constable Service and avid golfer.
Is the boss ignoring you? Sukhvinder Obhi’s research helps explain why.
Paul Tiessen. Enjoy a tour of your favourite spots on campus before taking the kids to the Junior Hawks children’s program, featuring story time, crafts and face painting. The highlight of the weekend is the Golden Hawks football game, with the Endzone Tailgate Party leading up to the kickoff on Saturday at 1 p.m. at University Stadium. Later that evening enjoy a night at Wilf’s or the Turret, go to the Cabaret in the Senate and Board Chamber or catch-up with friends Homecoming see page 5
8 Centre for Cold Regions and Water Science opens next month.
Inside
SEPTEMBER 2013
president’s message
The year ahead: innovation, adaptation and progress The start of a new academic year is always exciting. Our campuses spring to life with the arrival of new and returning students, our faculty and staff are busy preparing for a new term, and an invigorating sense of anticipation can be felt right across the university. Indeed, there is much in store for Laurier and the post-secondary sector in the year ahead. Higher education continues to undergo a dramatic transformation, one being shaped by a combination of economic, technological and social forces. These include significant financial challenges affecting all levels of government and public-sector institutions; an increasing expectation that all qualified individuals should have access to higher education, and the pressure this places on maintaining quality; the emergence of new learning modalities, many of which are rooted in digital technology; and the recognition that national and corporate competitiveness is tied to the creation and mobilization of new knowledge. At Laurier, we have been preparing for these changes for some time. Our strategy is to build on Laurier’s proven strengths, including teaching excellence and
a high-quality student experience, and to increase capacity in key areas, such as research intensity, global engagement and information technology. With regard to teaching, Laurier is focused on developing its integrated and engaged learning model. Faculty and staff have been implementing many innovative approaches to learning, from the Faculty of Arts’ active learning classroom to first-year seminars, the common reading program, the Launchpad entrepreneurship program, the community engagement option, the “flipped” classroom technique employed by a number of professors, including Stephen MacNeil in chemistry and Christopher Alcantara in political science, the mathematics online supplementary model, Brantford’s foundations courses, and many other programs. On the research side, the university has been attracting increasing resources to support research, grant applications and knowledge mobilization. A task force is hard at work developing a fresh Strategic Research Plan for the university. Two key initiatives that will improve how we operate as an
organization are underway and making great progress. The first is Integrated Planning and Resource Management (IPRM), a highly consultative exercise designed to identify Laurier’s academic and administrative priorities and to improve our resourceallocation processes so these priorities are funded appropriately. The entire process is designed to answer the question, “How will we continue to make Laurier a better institution?” I am pleased to report the key IPRM committees have been working hard since the spring and are making steady progress. For updates, I encourage you to visit www.wlu.ca/iprm. The other initiative involves the implementation of Laurier’s multi-campus governance plan. The foundational principles, or “consensus points,” which have guided this initiative were developed through the Presidential Task Force on Multi-Campus Governance and endorsed by both the Senate and the Board of Governors. A great deal of work has been done since then to bring the consensus points to life. Perhaps the most tangible example is on
Max Blouw talks with students in front of a newly installed painting of Sir Wilfrid Laurier in the Senate and Board Chamber.
the Brantford campus where two new faculties have been created: the Faculty of Liberal Arts and the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences. Implementation on the administrative side is also taking shape. You will be hearing more about developments in multi-campus governance in the coming months. There are many other events coming up and activities making progress, including the opening in October of the new Centre for Cold Regions and Water Science on the Waterloo campus, the development of a new Laurier website,
and the ongoing construction of the new home for the School of Business and Economics and the Department of Mathematics. It is going to be another exciting year at Laurier. I look forward to working with you as we adapt, as we must, to the changes taking place in higher education, and as we continue to make Laurier a truly outstanding university.
Max Blouw President and Vice-Chancellor
Brantford mentorship program supports new students By Kevin Klein Laurier has always emphasized its feeling of community and the interaction between students, faculty and staff. This fall, students enrolled in the Honours Arts –No Major program at the Brantford campus will experience this at an even greater level as part of a new faculty/staff mentorship program. Research has shown that engagement with campus life raises a student’s academic performance. As a result, the mentorship program is designed to encourage students to take part in all the campus has to offer by pairing students with a faculty or staff member who can introduce them to individuals and services on campus.
The idea for the mentorship program came from the retention committee at the Brantford campus. Rather than a common peer-mentor program, the committee decided to take it one step further with a faculty/staff model. “The mentors will act as guides, and, rather than simply providing answers, they will empower students to use the services available to them,” said Chris Brunskill, transition and retention coordinator at the Brantford campus. “We are among the first in Ontario to use the faculty-staff model, and we’re excited to begin the program in the fall.” Honours Arts – No Major students were targeted as a result of their specific needs and their shared academic history
and academic experience. The students in the program don’t meet the requirements for the program of their choice, but received an offer to this new program at Laurier. Students will hopefully transition successfully to a program at the end of their first year. Alysha Cory, a recent graduate of the Laurier-Nipissing Concurrent Education program, has been developing the program based on extensive research into similar programs over the summer. “The research shows there is a strong correlation between academic success, campus engagement and overall wellness,” said Cory. “Mentors will encourage engagement and wellness, which will hopefully
InsideLaurier is published by Communications, Public Affairs & Marketing (CPAM) Wilfrid Laurier University 75 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5
InsideLaurier Volume 8, Number 1, September 2013 Editor: Stacey Morrison
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lead to academic success.” Mentors will meet with their students at least five times over the year, three times in the fall and twice in the winter. Students will also be able to contact their mentors between meetings with questions or concerns.
There are just over 100 students in the program, with between one and three students per mentor on average. The retention committee plans to evaluate the program and the students, with hopes to expand the program in the future.
Send us your news, events & stories Email: insidelaurier@wlu.ca Deadline for submissions: September 16 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
Contributors: Lori Chalmers Morrison, Kevin Crowley, Jamie Howieson, Kevin Klein, Sandra Muir, Mallory O’Brien,
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.
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Next issue of Inside October 2013
SEPTEMBER 2013 Inside NEWS
What’s new and notable at Laurier
Laurier president appointed chair of the Council of Ontario Universities Max Blouw, Laurier’s president and vice-chancellor, has been appointed chair of the Council of Ontario Universities. The membership organization represents Ontario’s 21 publicly-funded universities. Blouw says his first priority as chair will be to champion the many ways a university education enriches lives, societies and economies, both at home and globally. “Yes, a university education prepares people very well for the workforce. There is real evidence that in today’s knowledge-based economy employers are seeking the kind of critical and analytical thinkers universities produce,” says Blouw. “But the university experience provides more than the ability to earn a living. It teaches people to get involved in their communities, to be good citizens, to get out and vote, to make a positive difference in the wider world.”
Laurier improves campus videoconferencing technology Laurier’s videoconferencing technology now has double the capacity and improved ease of use. The improvements will help enhance Laurier’s collaborative environment, both academically and administratively. Previously, Laurier had 12
videoconferencing units that covered about 300 seats. To improve capacity, one of the 12 units was moved from a 10-seat room in the Peters Building on Laurier’s Waterloo campus, and turned into a portable unit for the Paul Martin Centre and the Senate and Board Chamber. Another unit was moved from a 40-seat classroom in Peters to BA102, a 200-seat classroom in the Bricker Academic Building on Laurier’s Waterloo campus. Laurier has also acquired about 50 licenses to use Cisco’s Jabber technology, which allows users to remotely connect to a videoconference using a laptop or tablet. The in-house technology will allow for better control as well as improve the quality and reliability of the connection.
Laura Allan receives Laurier’s Residence Academic Partnership Award Laura Allan, an assistant professor in the School of Business & Economics, has received Laurier’s Residence Academic Partnership award. The award recognizes faculty members who support academic initiatives within the university’s residences. Allan has been involved with
the Business & Economics Residence Learning Community (RLC), one of Laurier’s themed residence environments designed to extend opportunities for learning and development into residence buildings, since its creation in 2009. She frequently visits the RLC to conduct question and answer sessions about course content and the BBA program, run mid-term and final exam preparation courses, and mentor students through their first year of study. The Residence Academic Partnership award is bestowed to one faculty member each term. Previous recipients include Bob Sharpe, associate professor of geography, Julie Pong, an academic advisor in the Faculty of Arts, and Mercedes Rowinsky-Geurts, associate professor in the Languages & Literatures Department.
Laurier increases Internet connection by tenfold Laurier has increased its outbound Internet connection on the Waterloo campus from one gigabyte to 10 gigabyte, a tenfold increase that matches its existing inbound capacity. The improvement will provide students, faculty and staff with a superior Internet experience, especially when sending large files
In June, Laurier’s Waterloo campus celebrated the official opening of the Mino-kummik community garden, which features a landscaped seating area, fire pit, fruit and vegetable garden and Aboriginal medicine garden.
during peak periods. “This is part of our proactive approach to IT planning,” said Ken Boyd, Laurier’s director of ICT Solutions. “We were occasionally bumping up against the 1 gigabyte limit and we wanted to get out ahead of the issue. Our users should now experience a smoother connection, especially students in our residence buildings.” The improvements were implemented with the assistance of the
Ontario Research and Innovation Optical Network (ORION), a highspeed fibre optic network that connects the Laurier network to the university’s Internet provider, Cogent Communications. ORION is a non-profit organization that exclusively supports research and education in Ontario. It provides highspeed connectivity to its member institutions, linking them to each other and to a global grid of research and education networks.
Key roles filled on Brantford campus Teaching Fellowship program to support multi-campus governance recognizes teaching excellence By Kevin Klein Multi-campus governance is starting to take shape and has landed some familiar faces in new places on the Brantford campus. The largest changes to date have been on the academic side, where two new faculties have been created and three existing faculties now offer programs at the Brantford campus. The Faculty of Human and Social Sciences includes Criminology, Health Studies, Psychology, and Leadership programs. Bruce Arai, former dean of the Brantford campus, was named dean, while Andrew Bruce Arai Welsh, former department chair in Criminology, will serve as associate dean. The Faculty of Liberal Arts includes Contemporary Studies, Journalism, History, English, Youth
Kate Carter
Lauren Eisler
and Children’s Studies, Human Rights and Human Diversity, Languages at Brantford, and Law and Society. John McCutcheon, John McCutcheon currently acting dean of the Brantford campus, will serve as acting dean of the faculty while a full search for a dean is undertaken. Kofi Campbell, former program coordinator in English will serve as associate dean. The School of Business and Economics will continue to offer the Business Technology Management program, while the Faculty of Social Work is offering the new Bachelor of Social Work program in Brantford. In addition, the Faculty of Graduate and Post-Doctoral Studies offers Master of Arts programs in Criminology and the new Social Justice and Community Engagement program, bringing the total number of faculties operating
Brian Rosborough
in Brantford to five. Additionally, two new interfaculty associate deans have been named. Kathryn Carter will be responsible for academic coordination (including academic advising) of intersecting faculty activities, and Lauren Eisler will be responsible for program development within and among faculties. These two associate deans report directly to the vice-president: academic (VPA) to reflect their university-wide mandate and to provide a day-to-day presence in Brantford for the VPA office. There has also been one significant change on the administrative side, with the appointment of Brian Rosborough as senior executive officer at the Brantford campus. The new role replaces the former vice-president/principal position. It has two core functions: to create opportunities and strategies that advance Laurier’s academic mission, and to build strong relationships with the Brantford campus’ partners and stakeholders.
Andrew Welsh
Kofi Campbell
A new Laurier Teaching Fellowship program will provide faculty members and librarians with opportunities to pursue teaching and learning initiatives, and high-impact practices that foster integrated and engaged learning and student success. It will also give fellows the chance to be part of a network of teachers with whom to collaborate and promote teaching excellence. The one-year fellowship will provide up to five faculty members and librarians per year with $10,000 each in support of their proposed program of activities. In addition, fellows will work together with Pat Rogers, associate vice-president: Teaching and Learning, to organize an event or initiative to benefit the Laurier community. “We want to honour faculty for their educational leadership and excellent teaching,” said Rogers. “We also want to make visible Laurier’s enormous strengths in teaching and learning, and have fellows act as university-wide advocates for initiatives that support these efforts.” The idea for a teaching fellowship was championed by student leaders and developed by the teaching and learning council, an advisory body to Rogers. The council was established by Deborah MacLatchy, vicepresident: Academic & Provost.
The Fellowship, which will be administered through Teaching Support Services, is open to full-time associate or full professors, including professional teaching faculty, or full-time professional librarians III or IV. The selection committee will be looking for candidates with a record of excellence in teaching and learning and/or teaching and learning support, as well as leadership in teaching within their faculty, library, department or program. The dean, university librarian or department/program chair or coordinator must also endorse the candidate. Some examples of programs fellows may be interested in pursuing include adapting a course into a blended format, establishing a discipline-specific teaching development program for teaching assistants, or developing a system of metrics for assessing teaching quality and learning effectiveness. There will be a maximum of one fellow per faculty or library per year. After the first year of the fellowship program, fellows may apply for a one-year extension. After five years they may apply for a second fellowship. Interested candidates are asked to submit a recent curriculum vitae, a teaching dossier, a project plan, and letters of support by Sept. 20, 2013. For more details, visit: www. wlu.ca/teachingandlearning. 3
Inside
SEPTEMBER 2013
Peace and Justice Studies conference will Carol Shaben wins 2013 feature prominent speakers and artists Edna Staebler award By Lori Chalmers Morrison Laurier will welcome hundreds of visitors to its Waterloo campus from North America and as far away as Africa, Asia, Europe, South America and Japan when it co-hosts the 2013 Peace and Justice Studies Association (PJSA) Conference, October 17-19. Hosted by Laurier and Conrad Grebel University College, the three-part conference offers a main academic conference on peace and justice, a Teacher’s Professional Development strand run by Laurier’s Faculty of Education, and a parallel student conference for Grades 11 and 12 and undergraduate students. The conference concludes with a public performance of the War Requiem by the Grand Philharmonic Choir and the KitchenerWaterloo Symphony. The conference will feature many prominent keynote speakers, including Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Prize winner and anti-landmine activist; Sylvia McAdam, Idle No More co-founder; James Orbinski, Nobel Peace Prize winner as president of Doctors Without Borders and Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) chair in Global Health; George Roter, co-founder and CEO of Engineers Without Borders; and Rhoda Howard-Hassmann, Laurier’s Canada Research Chair in Human Rights. Howard Zehr, professor of Restorative Justice at Eastern Mennonite University in Virginia and a pioneer in the field of restorative justice, will speak at a pre-conference workshop.
The conference’s Teacher Professional Development strand will feature Deborah Ellis, children’s rights advocate, author and philanthropist speaking on “Children, War and Literature.” In addition to attending the main PJSA keynote addresses, student conference attendees will enjoy a Friday-night keynote speech and performance by Emmanuel Jal, a South Sudanese hip-hop artist, former child soldier, and humanitarian advocate for social justice and human rights. There will also be addresses by Canadian activist Brigette DePape, and Shannon Moroney, restorative justice advocate and author of Through the Glass. More than 250 academic presentations on peace and justice, including several by Laurier faculty, will cover topics such as Aboriginal residential schools and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission; Aboriginal heritage and the quest for peace and justice; business innovations for peace and justice; science, technology, complexity and innovation for peace; religion, and war and peace; and music and protest. The Teacher Professional Development Strand is open to Kindergarten to Grade 12 teachers from local school boards and will address themes related to peace and conflict resolution within the classroom, and teaching global peace and conflict to children in the K-12 setting. “Through the conference, we intend to honour the history and accomplishments of the peace and justice studies
movement, while seeking new and innovative ways to promote the practice and culture of peace in a divided world,” said Edmund Pries, PJSA conference chair and assistant professor of Global Studies at Laurier. Laurier and Conrad Grebel are partnering with the Grand Philharmonic Choir and the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony for a public performance of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem on Oct. 19 at the Centre in the Square in conjunction with the conference. Britten, who was a pacifist, composed the War Requiem for the consecration of England’s new Coventry Cathedral in 1962 after the original building was destroyed in the Second World War. A double-sized orchestra and a 250-person choir made up of the Grand Philharmonic Choir and its Children and Youth Choirs, along with the Laurier Singers and the University of Waterloo’s Chamber Choir, will stage the performance. Artist Jamelie Hassan will present a conference-themed art exhibit, Could we ever know each other....? at the Robert Langen Art Gallery. The exhibit challenges viewers to re-evaluate their perceptions of cultural histories and the importance of civic responsibility. Laurier faculty and grad students are invited to register for the main conference, and Laurier undergraduate students can register for the student conference. For further information and registration links for both conferences, please visit www.peacejusticestudies.org/ conference.
Athletic Complex renovations delayed Programming such as intramurals, wellness, aquatics and dance will continue as scheduled, while extended open gym times at both the Athletic Complex and University Stadium will also be offered. “We sincerely thank all students, members and the Laurier community for their patience as we move forward in preparation for the opening of our new facility,” added Baxter. “In the meantime, our temporary setup
By Jamie Howieson
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Carol Shaben has won the 2013 Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction for Into the Abyss: How a Deadly Plane Crash Changed the Lives of a Pilot, a Politician, a Criminal and a Cop (Random House Canada, 2012). Award receptions to honour Shaben will take place Nov. 13 at Laurier’s Waterloo and Brantford campuses. In Into the Abyss, Shaben reconstructs a 1984 commuter plane crash in northern Alberta that killed six passengers and wounded four others, including Shaben’s father, a prominent cabinet minister. “It’s a stylishly written, fast-paced tale of redemption that’s more gripping and engaging than you might expect,” said Ute Lischke, award juror and Laurier professor of English and Film Studies. While the story is an expertly researched, detailed reconstruction of the crash and a call for better oversight of small, commuter airlines, its heart lies in the portraits Shaben draws of the crash’s survivors: her father, the pilot, and an RCMP officer and
the prisoner he was transporting. Through interviews and written documents, she paints a haunting portrait of the bond created among the survivors and how the crash affected their lives. Shaben is a freelance writer who lives in Vancouver with her husband and son. In 2005 she left a business career to focus on her long-time passion for writing, and in 2009 she was nominated for three National Magazine Awards, winning two: a Gold Medal for Investigative Reporting and a Silver Medal for Politics and Public Interest. Into the Abyss is her first book. In addition to Into the Abyss, the shortlist for the 2013 Edna Staebler Award also included: Intolerable: A Memoir of Extremes by Kamal Al-Solaylee (HarperCollins, 2012) and A Thousand Farewells: A Reporter’s Journey from Refugee Camp to the Arab Spring by Nahlah Ayed (Viking, 2012).
Name: Mike Carroll Job Title: Dean, Faculty of Arts Book Title: Heartstone Author: C.J. Sansom
I’m working my way through a series of books (Heartstone being my latest) focused on Matthew Shardlake, a lawyer working in England during the period of the English Reformation who finds he has a talent for solving mysteries brought to him by powerful people. The books recreate a turbulent time in which under cover of religious “reform” the rich became richer and poverty increased exponentially. The appeal of these books lies in Shardlake’s cleverness, in the people — some good, many not so good — that he meets on a day to day basis, and in the richness of the historical detail that the author provides.
What are you listening to?
Name: Tarah Brookfield Job Title: Assistant Professor, History and Youth & Children’s Studies, Brantford Podcast: National Public Radio (NPR): Pop Culture Happy Hour Photo: Sandra Muir
A revised completion timeline for the renovation to the Fitness Centre has been announced by Laurier’s Department of Athletics and Recreation. The delay is due to a combination of factors, including the late delivery of necessary materials as well as the availability of labour. “We continue to work together with the contractor and are considering all available options under the contract to ensure completion at the earliest possible date,” said Athletics and Recreation Director Peter Baxter. “As we move forward with the project, we are moving towards a partial occupancy of the Fitness Centre by mid-September and full occupancy shortly thereafter.” During the delay, the Athletic Complex will continue to offer the use of equipment in a variety of areas within the building. The squash courts and multipurpose classrooms will be the primary locations for cardio, circuit and strength equipment.
will provide all of our users with a balanced fitness experience.” The renovation of the Fitness Centre, which began in August 2012, will see the building more than double in square footage upon completion. The space will feature approximately $800,000 worth of new equipment as well as a dramatic increase in the space for cardio, free weights, strength training and stretching zones, while also adding a TRX training station and two studios.
By Mallory O’Brien
The Athletic Complex will offer the use of equipment in other areas of the building during renovations.
My favourite podcast is NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour. It is a friendly roundtable featuring analyses of pop culture events, fandom and nostalgia, as well as in depth looks at new movies, books, television, theatre and music. The four hosts have such great chemistry and affection for their listeners that each weekly episode has come to feel like I’m catching up with old friends, while getting great recommendations on things to read and watch.
SEPTEMBER 2013 Inside IPRM continued
Administrative program criteria (* weighting in brackets totals 100) 1. Essentiality and importance Academic program criteria to Laurier (20): importance (* weighting in brackets totals to the purpose and strategic 100) objectives of university and 1. Context (5): evolution, impact on the university. trajectory, responsiveness, 2. Demand (30): internal and history; captures context and external demand based responsiveness to change. on client, compliance/ 2. Demand (20): balance regulatory and other requirebetween program’s internal ments. and external demand. 3. Assessment of Inputs & 3. Quality (20): inputs, Processes (5): Reasonprocesses and outcomes; ableness of inputs and captures broad range of processes given program’s quality measures essentiality and demand. 4. Productivity & Impact (30): 4. Assessment of Outcomes value to students, academic & Impact (25): ability to unit, university, profession, effectively meet stakeholders’ local community, Canadian needs. economy and society. 5. Cost-effectiveness (15): value 5. Costs & Revenues (20): relative to the direct and direct and indirect costs and indirect operating costs, revenues. and efficiencies/ revenue 6. Opportunities (5): new oppor- generation. tunities available to programs 6. Opportunity analysis (5): given resources. potential for change or
enhancement to better meet university needs. What are the next steps in the program prioritization process? The Academic and Administrative Priorities Teams are testing the templates designed to gather information related to each program’s criteria. It is anticipated that templates will then be finalized and distributed in the fall. Data compiled by the Office of Institutional Research will be included in the templates, and training and support will be provided. Once completed and submitted, the templates will be reviewed and evaluated by the Academic or Administrative Priorities Teams. The teams will then provide prioritization recommendations to the PTF. These recommendations will form the basis of the PTF’s prioritization recommendations to the Senate and Board of Governors. To view the process timeline, visit www.wlu.ca/IPRM.
Where to find IPRM information Visit wlu.ca/IPRM for: • overall process and timelines • working group mandates, members and meeting updates • program evaluation criteria • frequently asked questions • background information and documents
people at Laurier
Email IPRM@wlu.ca for: • specific questions that aren’t in the website FAQs • to request a meeting with PTF co-chairs IPRM working group co-chairs: Planning Task Force (PTF): MaryLouise Byrne and Kim Morouney
Resource Management Team: Ruth Cruikshank and Joanne McKee Academic Prioritization Team: Bob Sharpe and Peter Tiidus Administrative Prioritization Team: Tony Araujo and Ray Darling
Website renewal underway By Mallory O’Brien Wilfrid Laurier University began a website renewal process in late 2012 to develop a new institutional website that will feature state-ofthe-art functionality and a fresh design based on Laurier’s new visual identity. The first phase of the website renewal process was a research/ consultation phase to assess the needs of the Laurier community and to survey current web design and technology. This phase provided the Laurier community with a number of opportunities to provide input in November 2012, including discussion sessions with mStoner Inc., the university’s phase one web-strategy consultant, and an online forum. A web strategy was developed based on the information gathered and formed the basis of a budget request during the 2013-14 budgeting process. Funding to proceed was approved in June 2013.
The second phase of the website renewal process is the development of the new Laurier website. Over the summer, a Content Management System (CMS) selection committee developed and issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to identify a system that would best meet the needs of the user community. Currently, the committee is reviewing proposals from CMS vendors. Once a CMS is chosen, another RFP will be issued, a firm will be selected, and the redesign and redevelopment of Laurier’s website will begin. An important part of the second phase is a content audit. Working with the website team, departments and faculties will be asked to create an inventory and evaluate existing content as well as determine what additional content needs to be generated. Watch for more information in the coming weeks. Visit www.wlu.ca/webreview for future updates.
Celebrate employee achievement The Employee Achievement Awards are based on the Employee Success Factors, and recognize and reward significant contributions by staff and faculty. To celebrate the 2013 award winners and long service employees of 15, 25, 35 and
40 years, all members of the university community are invited to a ceremony and reception on Sept. 25, 2013 at 2:30 p.m. at the Maureen Forrester Recital Hall. For more information about the awards, visit www.wlu.ca/achievementawards.
For a complete list of appointments visit www.wlu.ca/hr
New appointments: Victor Arora, lab coordinator (Physics), Faculty of Science (Waterloo campus). Roberto Ascencio, custodian, Physical Resources (Waterloo campus). Mandy Dunbar, intermediate administrative assistant III, Co-op (Waterloo campus). Jordana Garbati, writing consultant, Writing Centre (Waterloo campus). Natalie Gleba, communication and programming coordinator, WLUGSA (Waterloo campus). Matthew Gowing, technical support specialist I, ITS (Waterloo campus). Jessica Griffiths, international senior recruiter (Brantford campus). Scott James, desk services manager, Library (Waterloo campus). Fanli Jia, lab coordinator Psychology (Brantford campus). Brenda Jordan, coordinator, course materials, Bookstore (Waterloo campus). Quinn Major, lab coordinator (Chemistry), Faculty of Science (Waterloo campus). Patsye McCutchan, service desk
analyst/service coordinator, ICT Support (Waterloo campus). Adriana Papp, junior payroll administrator, Human Resources (Waterloo campus). Phyllis Power, manager, global engagement programming, Academic Services (Waterloo campus). Bryan Tinlin, associate registrar, records and registration, Office of the Registrar (Waterloo campus).
Changes in staff appointments: Margaret Allan, administrative assistant, SBE/MBA program (Waterloo campus). Marjana Bilandzic, intermediate administrative assistant V, (Languages & Literature), Faculty of Arts (Waterloo campus). Anna Bogdanowicz, leadhand custodian, Physical Resources (Waterloo campus). Tiffany Bradley, administrative manager, Balsillie School of International Affairs. Eva Dabrowska, senior administrative assistant II (Religion & Culture), Faculty of Arts (Waterloo campus). Monica Duyvestyn, financial aid administrator, student awards
(Waterloo campus). John Fraser, director, strategic academic initiatives, VPA Office (Waterloo campus). Mary-Jane Hainsworth, account administrator, Business Office (Waterloo campus). Martha Hook McGregor, director, institutional strategy and analytics (Waterloo campus). Adam Lawrence, dean of students, Student Affairs (Brantford campus). Charlene Mak, international programs assistant, Laurier International (Waterloo campus). Kerry Martin, manager, general merchandise, Bookstore (Waterloo campus).
Alumni Relations (Waterloo campus). Barry Ries, research awards officer, Research Services (Waterloo campus). Gail Roth, manager, Community Service Learning (Waterloo campus). Joeseph Schaefer, leadhand custodian, Physical Resources (Waterloo campus). Rebecca Skillman, financial analyst (FSW/Ed), Financial Resources (Waterloo campus). Linda (Gloria) Song, international applicant relations coordinator, Recruitment & Admissions (Waterloo campus). Kate Tippin, director, marketing and communications, SBE (Waterloo campus).
Dawn Matthew, reserve and user services associate, Library (Waterloo campus). Jan McGill, evening user services associate, Library (Waterloo campus). Sandra Muir, social media strategist, CPAM (Waterloo campus). Shelagh Pepper, manager, student information systems, ICT (Waterloo campus).
Homecoming continued at the Homecoming HawkTail Party in the Theatre with Auditorium. The weekend wraps up with a chapel service featuring the Alumni Choir, the 6th annual Laurier Loop run in support of Laurier’s Sun Life Financial Movement Disorders Research & Rehabilitation Centre (MDRC) and a trip to Stratford to see Fiddler on the Roof. The Brantford campus is also gearing up for its Homecoming Oct. 19. The one-day event will feature a lecture by Associate Professor of History and Contemporary Studies Peter Farrugia, tailgate party, a varsity hockey game with the Golden Hawks taking on the Windsor Lancers and an alumni pub social . For a full schedule of events and to purchase tickets for both the Waterloo and Brantford Homecomings, visit www. laurieralumni.ca/alumni/ homecoming-2013.
Retirements: Leysa Ligaya, intermediate administrative assistant, SBE (Waterloo campus). Elma Schweigert, senior administrative assistant II, Biology (Waterloo campus).
Deanne Piticco, associate director,
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Inside
SEPTEMBER 2013
coffee with a co-worker
A look at staff and faculty across campus
Name: James Yuhasz Title: Manager, Special Constable Service Where you can find him: Laurier’s Brantford campus
Photo: Sandra Muir
Drink of choice: Coffee, preferably Starbucks, sometimes with a shot of espresso. It’s not really to keep me awake. I just like strong coffee, so a shot of espresso is nice, with double cream.
When James Yuhasz isn’t managing the Special Constable Service on Laurier’s Brantford campus, he can be found on the golf course.
How long have you been at Laurier? I’ve been here seven years. I started as a supervisor and one of the first ones hired in the department. Two weeks after I started, we hired the three constables that are here now. It’s been nice to be here from the conception of the department, and watch the department evolve. My goal is to be here until I retire and look back on how the department has grown. What is your typical workday like? I’m usually in a bit before 8:30 a.m., and depending on the weather and what’s going on, I like to go for a walk on campus. As a manager I’m now out of uniform, but I still like to get out and be visible, and connect with the various departments and people on campus. I’ll have one or two meetings, and I’m also
usually working on a variety of projects, such as the Emergency Notification System. I may also help the constables respond to incidents if they need assistance. What do you like to do in your spare time? I would golf every day of my life if I could. I enjoy the fact that you can never master golf — it doesn’t matter how good you are, you can always improve. Plus I like the camaraderie, and the history and etiquette of the game. Outside of that, I like to spend time with my wife of 18 years and our five-year-old son, who keeps us busy. I’m trying to get my son into golf. He’s got his own set of little golf clubs that he carries around.
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/LaurierNow and YouTube at www. youtube.com/LaurierVideo.
@WR_Record – Aug. 19 Wedding proposal in aisle three http://ow.ly/o3ch0 @globeandmail – Aug. 14 Turning a student initiative into a full-time job http:// bit.ly/14y7GbC #careers #mycareer @LaurierNews – Aug. 12 @NPR features study on power and how it affects the brain by #Laurier’s @profsukhobhi: n.pr/19YMxPS #neuroscience #biz @WLUAthletics – Aug. 9 Faulds brings tickets to season seat holders dlvr. it/3n0NWy #WLUHawks @CarolShaben – July 30 Incredibly honoured to win: Wilfrid Laurier University Headlines https://www.wlu. ca/news_detail.php?grp_ id=0&nws_id=11430#. UfffdINHGYc.twitter @OntUniv – July 23 New COU Chair Max Blouw plans to champion the many ways university edu enriches lives, societies & economies bit.ly/1bJCZZr #cdnpse
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What is something people would be surprised to learn about you? As a university student I worked as a bank teller and I contemplated staying at the bank after graduation. But I was offered a job as a corrections officer at the Brantford jail, and the pay was better and the job was full-time, so I jumped ship. I spent 11 years at the Brantford jail, which is a maximumsecurity facility for adult males. We dealt with some pretty dangerous people, and there were also some serious incidents. One time a prisoner set fire to a bed, and some of the other inmates and staff were severely injured. A staff member and I were once trapped in a cell area after going in to subdue an inmate who was causing some trouble. Another inmate trapped us inside the area with 12 guys. Luckily we had a pretty good relationship with the
inmates at the jail. But we were in there for a little over an hour before we were able to talk our way out. It was pretty intense. What do you like most about working at Laurier? I really love the environment and people that we work with. I like the variety of the things that I get to do, and helping students have a positive experience. We really try in our department to get out and be part of the community, and not just when things go wrong. I really like that people are supportive and welcoming to us. It’s a very positive environment to be in. Hopefully my son will be a Laurier student one day!
By Sandra Muir
For a complete list of events visit www.wlu.ca/events
Alumni Toronto Blue Jays Game When: Sept. 14 2 p.m. for pre-game gathering; 4 p.m. game start Where: Pre-game gathering at Steam Whistle Brewing, Toronto, and game at the Rogers Centre. Cost: $40 Catch up with friends at Steamwhistle Brewery and then join fellow alumni to cheer on the Toronto Blue Jays as they take on the Baltimore Orioles. For tickets and information, visit the Events page at www.laurieralumni.ca. Could we ever know each other ...? by Jamelie Hassan When: Sept. 18 – Oct. 26 Where: Robert Langen Art Gallery Cost: Free Issues surrounding human rights, political conflict and cultural displacement have been a driving force throughout Hassan’s art. This mixed-media exhibit continues to explore these issues and challenges viewers to re-evaluate their perceptions of cultural histories and the importance of civic responsibility.
relation to Richard Wagamese’s book, Ragged Company, the 2013 One Book, One Community (OBOC) title. Cash Store Financial Freedom Run for Diabetes When: Sept. 21 8:30 a.m. – Noon Where: Waterworks Park, 390 Grand River Ave., Brantford Cost: TBD Walk or run in support for Diabetes Research and support the Canadian Diabetes Association and the 9 million Canadians living with diabetes or prediabetes! At this family-friendly event participants can choose between a 3K Family Fun Walk and 5K Run/ Walk. For more information visit http://www.events.runningroom. com/site/?raceId=9520. Max Blouw at Toronto Region Board of Trade When: Sept. 20 11:30 a.m. Where: Toronto Board of Trade, 77 Adeliade St., W., Toronto Cost: TBA
KPL Lecture: Storywork and Indigenous Communities When: Sept. 18 Noon – 1 p.m. Where: Kitchener Public Library, Forest Heights Branch Cost: Free
Laurier President Max Blouw will speak about the value of a postsecondary education. University staff, students and alumni receive a member discount to attend. For more information, email infotoronto@wlu.ca.
Laurier Professor Kim Anderson, of the Department of Contemporary Studies will discuss storywork and Indigenous communities in
Waterloo Homecoming When: Sept. 27-29 Where: Waterloo campus Cost: Varies
Put on your purple and gold, and visit campus for a variety of fun events, including a free pancake breakfast, varsity football game, music, alumni social events and the Laurier Loop charity run. For a full schedule of events, visit www. laurieralumni.ca/homecoming. KPL Lecture: So You Want To Be An Author: Starting the Publishing Process When: Oct. 2 Noon – 1 p.m. Where: Kitchener Public Library, Forest Heights Branch Cost: Free
Brian Henderson from WLU Press will help you get started as an author. Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest When: Oct. 11 – 19 Where: Various locations in Kitchener-Waterloo Cost: Varies Canada’s greatest Bavarian festival features more than 40 family and cultural events and the country’s largest Thanksgiving Day parade. For more information, visit www.oktoberfest.ca.
SEPTEMBER 2013 Inside research file
Research shows power really can go to your head Sukhvinder Obhi’s study shows how feelings of power changes the brain’s response to others By Sandra Muir If you’re feeling ignored by your boss, by political leaders, or even by a romantic partner, you may not be imagining it. A new study suggests powerful people may share a brain response that helps explain why those in positions of power may overlook or ignore subordinates. The study, published in The Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, for the first time identifies a mechanism in the brain that could back-up what social psychologists have previously discovered — that powerful people do not mimic underlings, while the opposite is true of those in junior positions. Mimicking another person’s hand or facial gestures during conversation is known to create rapport, and is called the chameleon effect. Using a brain stimulation technique known as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), researchers at Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Toronto were able to measure motor activity in the brain among people primed to either feel powerful, powerless, or neutral. “What we found is that people in a low-power state are more likely to show high excitability in this part of the brain,” said Sukhvinder Obhi, an associate professor of cognitive neuroscience in the Psychology Department at Laurier. “People in a neutral-power state show a moderate degree of excitability, but those who were put into a powerful state of mind showed much less excitability in this part of the brain.” Obhi, who co-authored a paper titled, “Power Changes How the Brain Responds to Others,” with Jeremy Hogeveen, a Laurier PhD student in his lab who ran the study, and Michael Inzlicht, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus, suggests this may be a biological response that helps to ensure survival.
Using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Sukhvinder Obhi’s research shows that people with less power mimic the behaviour of superiors to create rapport.
access to those resources. We’ve known about this pattern of mimicry for a while, but no one has ever figured out how the brain creates this state of affairs.” This study is the latest in a series of pivotal social cognitive neuroscience research by Obhi, who fell in love with the brain
behind why athletes perform the way they do. “The professor talked to us about memory and attention, and I just found myself gravitating more and more towards the brain,” he said. His passion for neuroscience led him to do a PhD
director of the Social Brain, Body and Action Lab. “My day is a mixture of designing experiments, supervising students, writing grants and papers, being an editor on journals, reviewing papers for the field, getting ready for conferences, and speaking with
“ We’ve known about this pattern of mimicry for
a while, but no one has ever figured out how the brain creates this state of affairs. ”
“Someone in a position of power already has access to resources, and therefore might not need to create rapport with an underling,” he said. “But for someone in a junior position, it would be extremely important to mimic behaviour to create good feelings to ultimately gain
during a master’s degree in sports psychology. Obhi — who grew up in England — had originally dreamed of becoming a sports psychologist and working with the British Olympic team. But after a cognitive psychology course, he started to gravitate more towards the science
at the prestigious Institute of Cognative Neuroscience at University College London. In 2003, Obhi came to Canada to do a postdoctoral fellowship at Western University, at what is now the Brain and Mind Institute. He joined Laurier in 2005 and is the founding
collaborators in different areas,” said Obhi. “I’m also always thinking about my research.” His current research on power and the brain is based on “mirror neurons” that fire when we see someone doing something, and then we ourselves do the same
thing. When those neurons are activated, it makes it more likely that we will mimic the behaviour we see. The researchers hypothesized that high-power individuals would show less evidence of ‘mirror’ activity in the brain, whereas low-power individuals would show evidence of more activity. To test the theory, 45 participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a low-power, high-power and neutral group. Participants in the low-power group wrote about an experience where someone had power over them. Those in the neutral group wrote about what happened to them the day before they came in for the study. In the highpower group, participants were asked to describe an experience when they had a lot of power. Using TMS, researchers then induced an electrical current to the participants’ brains to measure motor excitability, also known as resonance. At the same time, participants watched videos depicting a right hand squeezing a rubber ball between the thumb and index finger. The videos consisted of a single squeeze repeated three to seven times. High-power participants showed lower levels of motor resonance than low-power participants, suggesting those who feel more powerful may be less likely to mirror another person’s hand, body or facial gestures. “This brain response is seemingly automatic and not necessarily something that powerful people do on purpose. It could help explain behaviour such as CEOs who seem to look straight through their employees, or can’t remember a junior person’s name,” said Obhi. “Our experimental effects probably underestimate what happens in real life — imagine that, day in and day out, CEOs or political leaders were being primed with how powerful they are. The effects we observe in the lab, I would imagine, could be magnified even more.” However, Obhi says this study is measuring a seemingly default effect of power and so the response could possibly be altered. Mindfulness workshops or special training for executives could help people in positions of power become more aware of what they are doing and potentially change behaviour to create happier and more effective teams. “There are often power dynamics in personal relationships, either because one partner holds the resources, or has the emotional upper-hand,” said Obhi. “So there are many applications for this research.” 7
Inside
SEPTEMBER 2013
in the classroom
Real-world issues engage students Instructor: Rob Milne Class: ES496 – Theory and Practice of Sustainability
In this seminar course, students design an interactive workshop on a specific sustainability topic, which they then conduct with their peers. This challenges students to develop innovative methods, such as game design or role-playing, to engage each other in topics, including resource development, city planning and risk management. “To make the course more fulfilling and practical, we work with Laurier’s sustainability officer to develop projects that challenge students and assist initiatives that improve the environment of our campus,” said Associate Professor Rob Milne, recipient of Laurier’s 2013 Award for Teaching Excellence. Projects have included designs for additional green space, energysaving strategies and organics recycling in residences. “These exercises help students gain confidence in both recognizing and dealing with ‘real world’ problems, and allow them to see the potential of their work and degrees in their future employment.” By Mallory O’Brien
Photo: Mallory O’Brien
Description: A multidisciplinary perspective on challenges and approaches to achieving sustainability at regional, national and global levels.
Associate Professor Rob Milne meets with a student for his seminar course about the challenges and approaches to achieving sustainability.
New water research centre will open in October
Laurier’s new Centre for Cold Regions and Water Science building, located at 65 Lodge Street, Waterloo, will open next month, with an official opening ceremony taking place at 10 a.m. on Oct. 11. The event will include an official ribbon cutting, a speech from J. Michael Miltenberger, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources for the Northwest Territories, and building tours. Over the past three years, Wilfrid Laurier University researchers in the faculties of Arts and Science have established research initiatives focusing on water quality, based on long-standing 8
and growing expertise in the research area. The centre will house researchers from Laurier’s Cold Regions Research Centre and the Laurier Institute for Water Science. This includes the Canadian Aquatic Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Boreal Ecosystem Research, which was approved for funding support by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI), and facilities for the Southern Ontario Water Consortium (SOWC), a partnership of eight universities, several municipalities and industrial organizations.
By Mallory O’Brien Photo: Sandra Muir