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Dr. Michael English pursues groundwater research while on sabbatical in New Zealand.
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Dr. Sean Doherty brings research into the classroom for an interactive student experience.
Laurier welcomes students and parents for March Break open houses.
Laurier opera takes centre stage CAMPUS | COMMUNITY | CONNECTIONS
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Female athletes honoured
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Photo: Tomasz Adamski
Photo captions can go in here
When kinesiology and physical education student Hollie Nicol isn’t in class, she can be found on the ice at the KW Granite Club practicing with Laurier’s varsity curling team or volunteering with the Special Olympics program. Nicol’s academic, athletic and volunteer efforts were recently recognized when she was named the 2009 Outstanding Woman of Laurier (OWL) at a gala luncheon for more than 300 people that featured Olympic cyclist Leigh Hobson as keynote speaker. Daiene Vernile, anchor and producer of the CTV current affairs program Provincewide, hosted the event. Nicol, who is graduating this year, is skip of the women’s varsity curling team, which
Laurier students Tavis Weber, left, and Brittany King, right, perform in the opera Dialogues of the Carmelites by Francis Poulenc, which was staged by the Faculty of Music in March. Thirty people formed a double cast for the production, which also involved 65 orchestral players. Staff member Helen Basson, resident at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, assembled the wardrobe.
Laurier celebrates International Women’s Day
Activities highlight female achievements and the changing role of women By Mallory O’Brien
Photo: Mallory O’Brien
Laurier marked International Women’s Day in March with a variety of activities, bringing together students, alumni, staff and faculty of both sexes.
The School of Business & Economics held a lunch panel called “Celebrating the Greatness Within, ” which featured a group of the university’s most influential women discussing the changing role of
Former Laurier student and photographer Zoey Heath, right, talks to students about her images of Laurier women and their inspiring messages for International Women’s Day.
women in society. Staff and faculty on the panel included Dr. Ruth Cruikshank, associate professor, SBE; Patricia Kitchen, associate director: recreation and facilities; Dr. Mercedes RowinskyGeurts, associate professor, languages and literature; and Sandra Castellanos, administrative assistant and president of the Wilfrid Laurier University Staff Association (WLUSA). Laurier alumni Tracey Weiler and Patricia Diver, as well as students Danielle Decourcy and Humera Javed, also participated. Dr. Kim Morouney, associate dean of business: academic, acted as the event’s moderator She said that even though more women are undertaking important roles, there still
OWL award winner Hollie Nicol.
aren’t a lot of women “in the boardroom.” Cruikshank agreed, saying that times have changed, but there’s still progress to be made. “Though there are still fewer women in higher positions, such as chairs and vice-presidents, university is a wonderful microcosm for gender equality that is not necessarily reflected in the real world.” A national swimming champion, Patricia Kitchen started her career in athletics and recreation as a student athlete. “When I reflect on my university experience there were certainly funding inequalities,” she said. “I remember competing in a provincial championship in the late ‘70s, and the men flew while the
won its second consecutive national title in March. Earlier this season, she led the team to a silver medal at the 2009 Winter Universiade in Harbin, China, and was also chosen as flagbearer for the closing ceremonies. Nicol was named the CIS athlete of the week in 2009, and was awarded MVP of the varsity curling team in 2008, 2007 and 2006. Her volunteer work with the Special Olympics program includes instructing wheelchair curlers and working with a boy with arthritis. She has also volunteered at numerous celebrity skip charity tournaments. “I am honoured to receive this award considering the quality of applications,” said Nicol.
WOMEN see page 6
ATHLETES see page 4
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April 2009
president’s message
Budget task remains challenging Much time and effort has been invested across all of our campuses to address Laurier’s budget challenges. I would like to thank all of you for your contributions to date, and to provide you with an update on the budget process. The Ontario government tabled its much-anticipated budget on March 26. In the preceding weeks and months, the province had cautioned universities to temper their • Temporary solvency funding expectations in light of the relief for pension plans many competing requests for affected by the ongoing government funding coming turmoil in financial markets, from all sectors of our troubled pending formal regulation economy. amendments under the The provincial budget did Pension & Benefits Act. include two items of particular Both items are an indication significance for universities: of much-appreciated support by • A share, with colleges, of the province for post-secondary $150 million in one-time funding for the current fiscal education. But they do not resolve the serious financial year and a further $150 challenges facing Laurier. The million in 2009-10.
budget cuts announced in January — an overall 6.4 percent reduction in 2009-10 and 7.7 percent in 2010-11 — are still required. It remains critical that Laurier address two sources of deficit. One is the ongoing structural deficit that most universities in Ontario struggle with as a result of partial rather than full funding of inflation and enrolment increases. The second involves declines in the value of the Laurier pension fund, which, like pension funds everywhere, has experienced a significant drop in value due to the turmoil in financial markets. Regulatory obligations require us to top up the fund over a number of years to maintain specified levels. In setting Laurier’s operating budget, we will balance these pressing challenges with the need to ensure that the
university remains as strong and vibrant as possible. To date, budget managers from all faculties and administrative departments have submitted detailed plans to achieve the budget-cut targets. Development of baseline submission data has involved much back and forth communication with budget units to seek clarity on the options being proposed. All this information is now being reviewed by President’s Group, a body that includes the university’s most senior administrators. We will assess the proposals and seek further clarification and information as required. We will then oversee the preparation of the final budget package for the Board of Governors according to established processes, including prior review by Senate and its relevant committees.
Laurier’s budget is normally presented to the Board in April. However, it will be delayed to June this year because we believe it is critically important to provide sufficient time to understand the complexities of integration across the university of all that is being proposed, and to fully digest the implications of the provincial budget. These are difficult and stressful times for everyone in the Laurier community. But I am convinced that Laurier will emerge with a renewed sense of direction and the strength and determination to thrive.
Dr. Max Blouw President and Vice-Chancellor
Renowned clarinetist visits Laurier Professional clarinetist James Campbell visited the Waterloo campus in March to lead master classes for Laurier music students. He also performed in a free concert as part of the MWM Financial Group Distinguished Artist Series. Called “Canada’s pre-eminent clarinetist and wind soloist” by The Toronto Star, Campbell has participated in more than 40 recordings since 1975. He has performed with many of the world’s great musicians, including the late Glenn Gould and Aaron Copeland, and with more than 30 string ensembles, including the Amadeus, Guarneri, Vermeer, New
Zealand, St. Lawrence, Fine Arts, and Allegri string quartets. Campbell has won a Juno Award and been appointed to the Order of Canada. Currently, he is a faculty member at Indiana University’s School of Music. “He is one of the top clarinetists in the world,” said Paul Pulford, Laurier strings professor and conductor of the Wilfrid Laurier University Symphony Orchestra. Campbell was the second performer in the MWM Financial Group Distinguished Artist Series, which was inaugurated last spring with a visit to Laurier by Grammy Awardwinning oboist Alex Klein.
Photo: Mallory O’Brien
Send us your news, events & stories
Email: insidelaurier@wlu.ca
Clarinetist James Campbell, left, gives instruction to Laurier student Afendi Yusuf during a master class session.
Deadline for submissions: May 15
InsideLaurier is published by The Department of Public Affairs Wilfrid Laurier University 75 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5
InsideLaurier Volume 2, Number 1, April 2009 Editor: Stacey Morrison Assistant Editor: Lori Chalmers Morrison Design: Erin Steed Contributors: Tomasz Adamski, Kevin Crowley, Mallory O’Brien, Dean Palmer, Mike Whitehouse
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: insidelaurier@wlu.ca
InsideLaurier (circ. 2,000) is published nine times a year by the Department of Public Affairs. Opinions expressed in InsideLaurier do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or the university’s administration.
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April 2009
Winners announced for staff and faculty stock market competition Laurier’s biannual Staff and Faculty Stock Market Competition wrapped up at the end of March with staff member Keith Goulet taking top prize with a portfolio value of $160,882. Second place went to business professor Greg Clark with a portfolio worth $144,260, followed by staff members Ellen Tian at $126,659 and
William McPhee at $119,115. This year 98 staff and faculty participated in the contest. The top four winners will receive a prize valued at $100.
Brantford Academic and Research Centre construction to begin this spring Construction on Laurier Brantford’s Academic and Research Centre will begin in late spring 2009 with a target completion
date of fall 2010. In the first phase of the project, the 30,000 square-foot building will include an expanded community bookstore, as well as academic and office space. Residence space and food services will be added through a public-private partnership at a later date. Laurier is aiming to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver certification for the facility.
Social Work celebrates milestone
Laurier students Lee Chandler, left, and Colleen Finlay, right, get artistic in the Concourse during the third annual Artistic Peace Festival, a multimedia exhibition that promotes peace through art. While some paintings were created ahead of time for the gallery display, students, staff and faculty could grab a blank canvas, dip their brushes and give their artistic skills a whirl.
Photo: Mallory O’Brien
The Faculty of Social Work and its Social Innovation Research Group (SIRG) celebrated five years of partnership with the Kitchener downtown core this March. SIRG is a research and training incubator designed to meet the needs of faculty, student and community members interested in university/community collaboration. More than 100 community members and Laurier alumni celebrated in typical birthday style with balloons, hats and cake, and honoured a diverse group of individuals who have made a difference in civic life through engagement, capacity building and raising awareness. The highest honour went to Waterloo Region District School Board trustee Catherine Fife for her exemplary and committed contribution to community development and social justice in Waterloo Region. SIRG
Author Bruce Serafin wins Edna Staebler Award Editor and essayist Bruce Serafin has been posthumously awarded the Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction for Stardust, a collection of essays by the author published in June 2007. “I’m very honoured to accept this award on Bruce’s behalf,” said Sharon Esson, Serafin’s wife. “Creative non-fiction is a special type of writing and there’s no doubt that Bruce was good at it, but he always felt his writing needed to make its own way in the world. I know this recognition would mean so
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What’s new and notable at Laurier
Painting for peace
By Mallory O’Brien
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much to him; he worked very hard to finish this book before he passed away.” Esson plans to use the $10,000 award to prepare for publishing another book that Serafin was working on at the time of his death. The essays in Stardust range from the author’s experiences as a post office employee to commentary on literary and intellectual luminaries such as Roland Barthes and Northrop Frye. The title essay, “Stardust,” offers a personal perspective on the late 1960s student counterculture. Best known for founding and
running the arts and culture magazine Vancouver Review, Serafin most recently taught editing at Douglas College in New Westminster, B.C. He is also the author of Colin’s Big Thing, a memoir that the Globe and Mail named one of the 100 best books of 2004. The short list for the 2008 Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction also included: Baptism of Fire: The Second Battle of Ypres and the Forging of Canada, April 1915 by Nathan M. Greenfield; French Kiss: Stephen Harper’s Blind Date with Quebec by Chantal Hébert, and The Red Wall: A Woman in the RCMP by Jane Hall. The Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction is supported by an endowment established by author and award-winning journalist Edna Staebler, who died in 2006 at the age of 100. The award was established in 1991 to recognize a beginning Canadian writer publishing a book with a Canadian subject or location. It is administered by Wilfrid Laurier University, the only university in Canada to bestow a nationally recognized literary award.
Staff, faculty, alumni and friends celebrated SIRG’s five years of community partnerships.
also highlighted a number of its research and community projects. “It was a wonderful occasion to highlight SIRG’s achievements, but more importantly to say thank you to our alumni who have contributed to SIRG as well as our community partners with whom we have worked for several years,” said Dr. Ginette Lafrenière, director of SIRG.
Students brave cold for charity Students from Laurier’s School of Business & Economics braved cold, wind and hunger for five days in March, raising more than $7,000 for local homeless shelters. Ginny Dybenko, dean of business and economics, joined the students for an overnight sleepover.
Students participating in the annual 5 Days for the Homeless fundraiser had to follow a strict set of rules: no food or drinks other than donations, no access to shelter, no disposable income, only publicly accessible media and electronics, no access to showers or bathrooms other than public facilities, and they had to fulfill all academic responsibilities. “I am hoping this opportunity will help put certain things in perspective and change my life for the better,” said fourth-year BBA student and participant Erin Jaczenko. This year, proceeds will go to the Argus Residence and ROOF, shelters that provide housing and life-skills training for homeless youth in Waterloo Region.
Laurier director meets with prime minister
Photo: Office of the Prime Minister
NEWS
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Steve Farlow, director of Laurier’s Schlegel Centre for Entrepreneurship, far left, joined Prime Minister Stephen Harper, far right, and Canadian Youth Business Foundation board members for a roundtable discussion to speak about the role of student entrepreneurship in creating a prosperous Canadian economy. “It’s a simple fact that jobs are created in the entrepreneurial sector; new businesses mean new jobs,” says Farlow, who is also a CYBF board member and mentor. “It’s our students who are producing the new ventures that will contribute to the Canadian economy. “It was a great experience to meet our prime minister. Everyone was scheduled to speak for only a few minutes, but it became a much longer, more relaxed discussion.” 3
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April 2009
people at laurier
Sandy Campbell, instructor with the Faculty of Social Work, was chosen to receive the 2009 Canadian Association of Social Workers’ Distinguished Service Award for Ontario. It is the highest honour awarded to a social worker by the provincial and national professional association and recognizes outstanding contribution to the profession and the promotion of social justice and/or human rights. Dr. Eli Teram and Dr. Carol Stalker from the Faculty of Social Work collaborated with University of Saskatchewan and University of Alberta researchers on the second edition of the Handbook on Sensitive Practice for Health Care Practitioners: Lessons from Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse. The handbook outlines nine principles of practice to help health care practitioners — from physicians to physical therapists — provide sensitive care for male and female adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
For a complete list of announcements visit www.wlu.ca/hr
New appointments: Ashleigh Bell, office assistant, Laurier Brantford.
Lauren Holder, information specialist, Registrarial Services. Kevin Klein, external relations coordinator, Laurier Brantford.
Anna Done Choudhury, international student advisor, Laurier International.
Deanne Larsen, residential service assistant, Housing Services.
Ralph Daehn, lab co-ordinator: Languages & Literatures.
Sabrina Morris-Jones, dishwasher, Food Services.
Tabatha Dominguez, marketing and communications manager (contract), School of Business & Economics.
Bridget Parris, admissions assistant, Faculty of Education.
Colleen Ginn, receptionist/ admissions assistant, Registrar’s Office. Karilynn Olsen, administrative assistant, Geography. Ashley Sayers, health services educator/supervisor, Laurier Brantford. Raymund Trinidad, systems analyst III, Enterprise Systems.
Changes in staff appointments: Ashley Coe, administrative assistant I, Counselling Services.
Do you have a professional or personal milestone to share with the Laurier community? Email your announcement and photo to insidelaurier@wlu.ca.
“From what we have just heard about these women, you can really see how Laurier develops amazing athletes and leaders.” Laurier launched the Outstanding Women of Laurier award in 2006 to recognize female students who combine athletic and academic achievement with an active commitment to leadership and the development of young athletes through community teaching or coaching. Nicol received a gold pendant and $1,000 for her accomplishments.
Eighteen women competed for the prestigious award this year, including three who joined Nicol as finalists: Renata Adamczyk, captain of Laurier’s varsity women’s basketball team; Tesca Andrew-Wasylik, captain of Laurier’s varsity women’s volleyball team; and Megan Gilmore, who plays for the varsity women’s volleyball team. Each of the finalists also received a gold pendant and a $500 award. This year’s event raised about $60,000 to help support women’s athletic initiatives, scholarships and the mentoring program at Laurier.
This month in history: What happened in April? April 4, 1968: Civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King was shot and killed by a sniper in Memphis, Tennessee. April 6, 1896: After a break of 1,500 years, the first Olympics of the modern era was held in Athens, Greece. April 15, 1912: The Titanic sank off the coast of Newfoundland after striking an iceberg. April 23, 1564: Although there is some debate surrounding his birth date, it is thought that William Shakespeare was born on this day in Stratford-on-Avon, England. April 1997: Laurier awarded its first PhD in geography.
Lady Hawks win curling gold, hockey silver The Laurier women’s curling team repeated as national champions, defeating the Saint Mary’s Huskies 6-4 at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) championships in Montreal. Earlier this season, the team, led by skip Hollie Nicol, finished with silver at the winter Universiade in Harbin, China. “It’s the last year the four of us will be playing together for Laurier,” said team member Danielle Inglis. “The tournament this time around was tough to get through with all these skilled teams.” The CIS championship is the only one for Laurier this year, after winning four provincial titles earlier this season (women’s and men’s soccer, women’s field lacrosse and women’s hockey). In other CIS play, the Laurier women’s hockey team won the silver medal at the CIS championships in March.
ATHLETES continued
William Shakespeare was baptized on April 26, 1564, making it likely that he was born three days earlier.
What are you reading
The No. 2 nationally ranked women’s hockey team advanced to the gold medal game after defeating the Ottawa Gee Gees and the University of Moncton Aigles Bleues. The Golden Hawks played for gold against the McGill Marlets, losing a hard fought match 3-2. Laurier has competed in the national championships seven times, winning one gold and three silver medals with the most recent win in 2007/2008. The Golden Hawks advanced to the national championships in Antigonish, Nova Scotia after capturing their sixth consecutive provincial championship, ousting the Guelph Gryphons with a 3-2 victory in the third game of the title best of three series. The Golden Hawk athletics program has now earned 11 national and 55 provincial titles in its 22 varsity programs.
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Name: Dr. Katherine Spring Job Title: Assistant Professor, English and FIlm Studies Book Title: The Art Instinct: Beauty, Pleasure and Human Evolution Author: Denis Dutton
What are you reading
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What are you listening to?
This fascinating book by Denis Dutton examines the intersection of evolutionary psychology and art. With utterly absorbing prose, Dutton argues that art is not merely a by-product of human evolution; rather, art and our aesthetic tastes serve a range of evolutionary functions. As a scholar of film studies, I was especially gratified by Dutton’s discussion of art’s cross-cultural traits.
What are you listening to? Name: Sunil Kuruvilla Job Title: Marketing and Recruitment Coordinator, Faculty of Music CD Title: Fulfillingness’ First Finale Artist: Stevie Wonder
The women’s hockey team hoists their sixth consecutive provincial banner.
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Photo: Mike Whitehouse
This is the first record I purchased when I was a kid, and I have just introduced it to my six-month-old son. Every song is fantastic: Creepin and Please Don’t Go are my favourites, and Boogie On Reggae Woman is instant magic, as my son is always happy when we groove around the room to that one. The artwork on the album cover, which I still have, is also really neat.
April 2009 coffee with a co-worker
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A look at staff and faculty across campus
Event planning: it’s academic Name: Deborah Currie Job: Manager, academic events. Laurier employee for 14 years. Where you can find her: In her art- and sunshine-filled office looking over University Ave. How she takes her coffee: Medium with cream.
As a preteen, Debbie Currie wanted to live near David Cassidy. This year she finally met the ‘70s pop star at Centre in the Square.
What does your job involve? I organize and manage academic-related events such as Laurier Lectures and facultysponsored conferences and events. Our office also looks after the Robert Langen Art Gallery. Suzanne Luke, the gallery curator, works with faculty members to incorporate gallery exhibits into the curriculum. This spring, Sondra Schwartz and I will organize convocation for the first time, and I’m planning for Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, which we’re hosting with UW in 2012. We’re expecting up to 8,000 people.
coming Events
Laurier MBA Information Session When: April 23 & 30 5:30 p.m. Where: SBE, Room 1230 Cost: Free Thinking of building on your education? Learn about Laurier’s MBA degree and the program formats available. Do You Think You’re Good at Mathematics? When: April 24 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Where: BA308 Cost: Free Presented by the Faculty of Education and hosted by Dr. Joanne Lee, Amanda Schell and Lauren Farrar from the Department of Psychology. For more information contact Dr. Donna Kotsopoulos at dkotsopo@wlu.ca The Canadian Alliance for Community Service-Learning Spring Symposium When: April 29 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Where: Senate and Board Chambers Cost: $30 (subsidy available) Voices from the community reflect on being partners in community service-learning. For more information contact Meredith Stockie at stoc2870@ wlu.ca.
What’s your most memorable career moment so far? Working with Paul Heinbecker and the CIGI staff in 2004 when 100 United Nations ambassadors and workers came to Laurier for two days. We converted the Senate and Board Chamber into a UN-style room with doubletiered seating and special microphones. We worked with the police tactical squad and bomb-sniffing dogs. We had three weeks to put it together! Can you tell us about your community involvement?
I’m on the Waterloo Regional Children’s Museum board, and I volunteer with the Out of the Cold program. I also work with the Supportive Housing of Waterloo campaign team, and will chair a special event committee for the Magnetic North Theatre Festival, coming to K-W in 2010. I’m also the Laurier appointee on the Prosperity Council’s Creative Enterprise steering committee. Have you always lived in Waterloo? I was born in England. I lived near Heathrow airport, and
For a complete list of events visit www.wlu.ca/events
Opportunities and New Directions: A Research Conference on Teaching and Learning When: May 6 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Where: University of Waterloo, Conrad Grebel College campus Cost: $90 The Teaching-Based Research Group (TBRG) invites you to participate in this one-day conference of research on teaching and learning. Network with colleagues from multiple disciplines and engage in conversations about new research, work in progress and emerging ideas. To register, visit http://cte.uwaterloo. ca/research/TBRG/OND/ ONDConference-cfp.htm. Summer Camp Fair When: May 6 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Where: University Stadium, Waterloo Cost: Free Are you looking for the right summer camp for your child? This is an opportunity to meet with camp representatives and have your questions answered. Voice Care for the Instructor Workshop II When: May 6 & May 12 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Where: TBD (Waterloo campus) Cost: Free
Do you suffer from hoarseness, vocal strain or the inability to project your voice in the classroom? Join Kimberly Barber, voice instructor in the Faculty of Music, to learn vocal exercises that can help. This workshop will only run if registration numbers warrant. For more information or to register, contact Debbie Lutz at edev@ wlu.ca. Navigating Your Career at Laurier When: May 13 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Where: TBD Cost: Free * Open to all Laurier employees
used to go there to watch the planes with my gramps. I wanted to be a pilot (or a singing princess!) when I grew up. We moved to Waterloo when I was nine. Were you excited about moving to Canada? When we were interviewed by Canadian immigration, the officer asked, “Why do you want to move to Canada?” I said, “Because I want to live near David Cassidy!” Thanks to a friend, I had the chance to meet him when he performed at the Centre in the Square this year.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone organizing an event, what would it be? Collaboration — build good relationships and strong partnerships with people. What do you do when you’re not working or volunteering? I love to travel. I have a strong interest in Renaissance art, so I travel to places that have good museums like London, New York, Washington and especially Paris.
By Lori Chalmers Morrison
Spring cleaning for your office Clean and organize your workspace with these easy steps:
• Use the appropriate tools to clean off your computer monitor and keyboard.
• Remove everything from your desk and give the surface a good cleaning.
• Sort through your files. Label the folders and organize them in a way that makes sense to you (i.e. alphabetically).
• Place a notebook by the phone for phone messages and notes. • Keep a day planner open to keep track of meetings, appointments and to-do lists.
• Take a few minutes at the end of each day to tidy your desk and keep it organized.
• Use an “in” and “out” box to sort paperwork. • Return supplies you don’t use to the supply area and keep the ones you do use in one drawer.
Do you wonder how senior leaders at Laurier navigated their careers to move up the ladder? This panel-style lunch and learn workshop will feature leaders from Laurier sharing their career paths and providing advice on career planning and progression. To register, visit www.wlu.ca/ilovemyjob. Spring Convocation When: June 3-5 & 10 Where: Various locations in Waterloo and Brantford Cost: Free Celebrate with our most recent graduates! For more information, visit the Office of the Registrar’s web page at www. wlu.ca/registrar.
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Kielburger speaks at Laurier Proceeds fund development in Sierra Leone By Lori Chalmers Morrison Marc Kielburger, author and executive director of Free the Children, visited Laurier’s Waterloo campus in March to help raise awareness and support for development in Sierra Leone, Africa. Kielburger was the keynote speaker at Sukudu-Fest, an event organized by The Global City Partnership, which matches cities in impoverished areas of the world with affluent cities. As its first match, all the funds raised from the event in Waterloo will go towards development initiatives in the African village of Sukudu, Sierra Leone.
“We want to use the knowledge, skills and capital in a developed city to help the developing city prosper,” said Sean Campbell, director of The Global City Partnership. “We hope that by partnering operations in two cities, we can develop a human connection and allow people to see the tangible good their donations will create over time.” Campbell said he chose to focus on Sierra Leone because, “It’s a peaceful democracy — still in its infancy — with a world of potential. But the dangers of its past are clawing from behind.” Kielburger, who was the youngest person to win the
Marc Kielburger of Free the Children was the keynote speaker at Sukudu-Fest.
WOMEN continued
women took a bus. Today, we fund based on needs and not gender at Laurier.” In addition to discussing the changing role of women at Laurier and in the world, the panelists touched on topics such as finding focus and understanding one’s strengths. They advised students to find their passion and turn it into something tangible, and to work with others to achieve success. They also shared personal stories
and spoke about the values they uphold, which they feel contributed to their own success. Cruikshank said that it was important to self-define success. “You can walk around with a cloud hanging over your head because you’re not a top CEO,” she said, “but narrowly defining success will kill you — be positive!” The afternoon’s main theme was about achieving success and making the right choices. When the position for president of WLUSA opened up,
Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship and received Canada’s Top 40 under 40 award at the age of 27, founded Free the Children with his younger brother Craig. The charitable organization provides daily education to about 50,000 children around the world. The event also featured motivational speaker, escape artist and hypnotist Scott Hammell. Canadian music group Vacuity also performed. In addition to raising awareness, the event marked the launch of The Global City Partnership’s 0.7 Challenge, which encourages everyone to donate 0.7 per cent of his or her income to development in Sukudu. “This is a percentage that former prime minister Lester B. Pearson promised the government would donate to the world’s poor 40 years ago, but the government has yet to meet his commitment,” said Campbell. The Global City Partnership works with the Laurier Students’ Public Interest Research Group (LSPIRG), and with the Canadian charity Free the Children to carry out development projects in Sukudu, Sierre Leone.
Castellanos wasn’t sure if she was up to the task. “But I knew I could give it a shot,” she said. She told the audience, “Let your inner voice guide you, not what other people tell you.” “If it feels right, go for it,” said Diver. “Making choices doesn’t have to be scary, and it doesn’t have to be ‘just this’ or ‘just that.’” Cruikshank instructed everyone to write the following piece of advice on their hands: “What’s the worst that could happen?” “But be sure to make informed
Slam poet addresses social issues Last month a full crowd at the Turret was treated to the art of performance poetry. New York City slam poet Carlos Andrés Gómez visited Laurier in honour of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Gómez delivered a workshop and gave a free evening performance. “He (Carlos) takes us beyond rhetoric to a place of emotional connection to issues of racism, sexism, colonialism and injustice in ways that both educate and inspire change,” said Dr. Jasmin Zine, who helped organize the event. Gómez, a former social worker and teacher, travels the world as an international slam poetry champion, delivering poetic verse with a social justice
decisions,” added Weiler, stressing that it’s important to talk to others and take calculated risks. For Rowinsky-Geurts, making choices comes down to bravery and a leap of faith. “You don’t know how your choices will turn out,” she said, “but if it doesn’t work out, learn from the experience and make new choices based on your new experience.” The lunch panel was one of several events in a week-long celebration leading up to
theme. He also starred in Spike Lee’s 2006 film, The Inside Man. In slam poetry, poems are spoken out loud, are politically charged, and carry with them messages of protest or criticism. Laurier’s sociology department, in partnership with the Laurier Students’ Public Interest Research Group (LSPIRG) and the Laurier Arts Students’ Advancement Program (ASAP) organized the event. The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination was declared by the United Nations in 1966. It is celebrated March 21 to commemorate the day in 1960 when police killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid pass laws in South Africa.
International Women’s Day on March 8. The day is designed to highlight women’s advancements and the need for continued vigilance and action. Some of the other events at Laurier included the Imagyn Film Festival, which explored issues of gendered violence; “Great Women, Great Stories,” a speaker series that took place at Laurier’s Waterloo and Toronto campuses; and “My Face/My Words,” a photography exhibit of Laurier students and their positive, feminist messages.
From left: Danielle Decourcy, Patricia Diver, Patricia Kitchen, Tracey Weiler, Dr. Mercedes-Rowinsky-Geurts, Sandra Castellanos, Dr. Ruth Cruikshank, Humera Javed and Dr. Kim Morouney.
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Photo: Mallory O’Brien
April 2009
CAMPUS COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
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CAMPUS CONNECTIONS COMMUNITY
VOL. 1 NO. 1 APRIL 7,2008
Research file
Research sabbatical: family style Dr. Michael English pursues groundwater studies in New Zealand By Barry Ries Geography and Environmental Studies professor Dr. Michael English spent the first six months of 2008 in New Zealand. Lucky him — he missed all that snow shovelling. But life was not all beer and skittles in the Land of the Long White Cloud. Rather, English used his sabbatical as an opportunity to pursue his research on how agricultural practices influence groundwater/surface water interactions. He also took along his family — wife Dr. Sherry Schiff (a geochemist at the University of Waterloo) and four children, aged 14 to 20. “They all wanted to go,” says English, and careful marshalling of Air Miles points managed to get everybody as far as Los Angeles before the meter started running. The family ended up in Hamilton, a city about the size of Waterloo located about 100 kilometres south of Auckland on the country’s North Island. The parents worked in an experimental agricultural research basin run by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA). The two youngest children attended high school, while the two eldest worked at a vineyard on South Island. NIWA is New Zealand’s leading centre of environmental research, with about 600 staff members located at 15 sites around the country. “We worked in an experimental agricultural research basin west of Hamilton called Whatawhata,” says English. It dates from the 1940s, when the government realized that a population of 65 million sheep was creating water quality problems for the country’s 2.5 million people. Houses were built for researchers at that time, allowing them to tap into an amazing 60 years worth of data. The 215-hectare basin at the research station has been divided into three sub-basins for research purposes. One has been returned to natural native vegetation, and sub-basins of the
Dr. Michael English and his wife Dr. Sherry Schiff on sabbatical in New Zealand.
other two have been altered to help determine the best method of reducing direct loading of nitrate into the surface streams. This includes reforesting some with fast-growing pine (maturity in just 17 years) for eventual use as biofuel and planting others with different types of crops, and excluding or including sheep and cattle. There are about 600 sheep at the research site and as many as 200 beef cattle, says English. Unlike Canadian farms, where livestock are to a significant degree penned up in barns, the gentle New Zealand climate allows the animals to free-range throughout the year. This means their waste is instantly in direct contact with the soil, including nitrogen-loaded cattle urine. Keeping the livestock out
Breathtaking scenery on the North Island’s Coromandel Peninsula.
of streams is the first step in improving water quality. The next step is establishing two-metre zones of vegetation alongside the streams. Water samples are taken, English says, to determine the proportional contributions of nitrogen moving from the sub-basins into the main stream, and how it changes during a storm event. The English family’s arrival in New Zealand coincided with the end of a two-and-a-half month-
long drought, which triggered a large input of nitrogen into the watercourses. “We were also determining the source of the nitrogen entering the stream,” English says, by examining nitrogen isotopes to see if the source is sheep, cattle, fertilizer, or occurring naturally from precipitation. “There are 300 frozen samples to be analyzed,” he says. English is no stranger to tracking nitrogen. He has been
involved in a research project in the Strawberry Creek watershed near Maryhill (between Kitchener and Guelph). Another research project is based at Daring Lake, about 325 kilometres north of Yellowknife, where he and fellow researchers are studying snowpack hydrology and how this is related to climatology. Being in New Zealand “was very different” than being in Canada, English says. Not only was there less snow to shovel and some very interesting beers to sample, but his research also allowed him to work with biologists and ecological modellers. And the research itself was different. “Field scientists live in our own caves,” he says. “The research I was involved with in New Zealand was in a similar vein to that I do here, but with different geologies and sheep instead of crops, so the chemistry was different. “The people were also different. There was a dynamic atmosphere. We had full access to labs and trucks. They basically said, ‘Do what you want to do.’” English rates his New Zealand experience “10 out of 10,” and not just professionally. His 14and 16-year-old daughters took high school courses they never would have experienced here, including a Grade 9 Maori class, and they made a lot of friends. “There is a community spirit there that you don’t have here,” says English. “They are very laid-back people, and it was a community we could fit into reasonably easily because of our research background. “We hope this project will grow and we’ll go back.” Of his period of overseas research, English says: “I’d recommend it to anyone.”
New Zealand’s population of 65 million sheep can create water quality problems for the country’s 2.5 million people.
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CAMPUS COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
VOL. 1 NO. 1 APRIL 7,2008
CAMPUS CONNECTIONS COMMUNITY
VOL. 1 NO. 1 APRIL 7,2008
April 2009
In the classroom
A look inside the lecture hall
Interactive learning Professor: Dr. Sean Doherty Class: Travel Behaviour, Geography and Environmental Studies Description: Understanding the movement of people and goods across space, including observed activity patterns, the urban transport planning process and contemporary traveldemand management policies.
Dr. Sean Doherty started his career at Laurier as an economics student in 1987, but after transferring to UW to enter the math program, he ended up hooked on human geography. He enjoys teaching Travel Behaviour because he is able to bring several aspects of his own research into the classroom, including the recent application of GPS-tracking using the BlackBerry. “I take the word ‘interactive’ seriously in my teaching,” he says. “I like to spend at least half of class time in open discussions and live problem solving/ conceptual development. My belief is that students become much more engaged in the topic and, hopefully, more excited and motivated to learn more outside of class.” By Mallory O’Brien
Geography and environmental studies professor Dr. Sean Doherty brings aspects of his own research into the classroom.
Photo: Dean Palmer
Laurier celebrates March open houses
Photos: Mallory O’Brien
University rolls out the welcome mat for more than 1,600 prospective students and parents
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