CAMPUS | COMMUNITY | CONNECTIONS
CAMPUS | COMMUNITY | CONNECTIONS
• February 2011
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Strange trip: did controversial beat poet Allan Ginsberg really visit Laurier back in the day?
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Staff and faculty get festive at the annual seasonal lunches in Waterloo and Brantford.
Picturing inequality: what the images in annual reports can tell us about organizational bias.
“Mr. Laurier” says goodbye but not farewell
CAMPUS services, CONNECTIONS COMMUNITY VOL. 1 NO. 1 career APRIL 7,2008 Mike Belanger, director of residential retires after a long and varied CAMPUS | COMMUNITY | CONNECTIONS |
In a ballroom at the St. George Banquet Hall in Waterloo, hundreds gathered Jan. 13 to honour Mike Belanger’s contributions to Laurier. When the outgoing director of residential services was asked for his guest list of family, friends and colleagues, he admits it was hard to put people into different groups. “Family is easy. But there is a whole world of people I know from Laurier, and I don’t really think of them as colleagues. I think of them as friends. In many ways, they are more of a family than anything else,” said Belanger. The feeling is mutual for many of those friends and family members – including some who still affectionately call him “Bones” because he was so tall and skinny when he first came to campus as a student in 1971. He’s also known to many as “Mr. Laurier” for the various staff and volunteer roles he’s held on campus over the last 40 years including, but not limited to, manager of the Turret, director of housing and coach of the varsity golf team. One of
his most notable contributions was the creation of a renowned residence-life program that fosters a supportive student environment and encourages mutual respect. “He’s been here forever. He’s touched every part of Laurier,” said Chris Dodd (’92), manager of housing services and residential life. “He is Mr. Laurier.” When Belanger arrived on campus four decades ago as a first-year geography student, he planned to go on to do an MA. But after finishing his undergrad degree, he decided to pay off his student debt first and got a job managing the Turret. That’s where he met Leah, who worked in the games room. The two were married in 1980. That same year, while Belanger was helping to launch the original Wilf’s, the director of housing position opened up. It was a doorway to a new career path, and an opportunity to fully showcase the leadership skills that former dean of students Fred Nichols recognized in him. “I kind of watched him grow from when he first enrolled here. I saw leadership qualities in him right away,” said Nichols, who
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Photo: Dean Palmer
By Sandra Muir
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Mike Belanger, retiring director of residence life. “He’s been here forever. He’s touched every part of Laurier.”
hired Belanger. “He’s one of the best things to happen to Laurier.” The opportunity to show those leadership skills came early on when Belanger decided to revamp the don system. Back then, don camps were held the weekend before students
arrived. The majority of the time was spent socializing, with a few hours of instruction on first aid and what to do when kids got into trouble. “We started to think about how could we can change things,” said Belanger. “We thought,
why don’t we try teaching students not to do things, rather than waiting for them to do something wrong. And so we started to take more proactive measures.” MIKE BELANGER see page 5
Laurier Brantford unveils Laurier garners Grammy nomination Professor and instructor perform on disc, alum conducts new RAC west wing By Sandra Muir
By Sandra Muir In the sun-filled foyer of the brand new west wing of Laurier Brantford’s Research and Academic Centre (RAC), Laurier officials, politicians from all levels of government, business professionals, donors and students gathered Jan. 21 to celebrate the latest addition to the campus. Laurier President Max Blouw applauded the work of the many people involved in making the state-of-the-art building a reality, noting that it was completed “on time, on budget and in good spirit.” “The new building, which includes a 3,700 sq. m east wing
that will open later in the year, will help Laurier Brantford develop innovative academic programs,” said Lesley Cooper, acting principal/vice-president of Laurier Brantford. It will also allow the campus to expand from its current 2,600 students to 4,500 students in the next five years, she said. The new 2,800 sq. m west wing houses advanced teaching and research facilities, administration and student facilities. It is also home to the new storefront Stedman Community Bookstore, which opened in December. The bookstore was built with the support of community philanRAC see page 3
Move over Michael Bublé. Laurier will be represented at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards with a nomination for a choral recording involving Laurier alumnus Noel Edison (BMus ’95), Faculty of Music Professor Leslie De’Ath and instructor Carol Bauman. The nomination in the category of Best Small Ensemble Performance features the worldrenowned Elora Festival Singers, which is conducted by Edison. De’Ath contributed piano on two tracks and Bauman contributed percussion on one track for Eric Whitacre: Choral Music. The CD features 11 choral masterworks by Eric Whitacre, a
renowned American composer. “It’s an overwhelming vote of confidence that the singers have done well and an honour to be in such prestigious company with the others that have been nominated. Regardless of the outcome, I am looking forward to attending the awards in
February,” said Edison. De’Ath, who teaches piano and lyric diction and directs Laurier’s opera productions, plays piano on “little tree” and “Little Birds.” “The Grammy nomination doesn’t surprise me in terms of its performance quality. The choir sounds magnificent,” said De’Ath. Bauman, who teaches musical skills and percussion techniques at Laurier, provided percussion on Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machine. “I’m always excited to work with Noel and the choir. Their consummate musicianship is inspiring,” said Bauman. GRAMMYS see page 2
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February 2011
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Brantford success shows potential for a Milton campus The recent grand opening of the Laurier Brantford Research and Academic Centre’s west wing was an exciting success. More than 100 people braved a cold and snowy morning to celebrate a significant milestone in the development of the Laurier Brantford campus. The Research and Academic Centre provides our students and faculty in Brantford with a landmark building that was specifically designed to enhance the campus’s learning and research environment. When the east wing opens later this year, we will have a superb educational facility that will enable the campus to accommodate an additional 2,000 students in future. As I celebrated the opening of the west wing alongside representatives from the city, the federal and provincial governments, and the community, I was struck by the transformative power of partnerships and the leadership role that education can play in enriching all aspects of a community. It was clear to all who witnessed the BRAC opening that Laurier has provided Brantford with a welcome foundation upon which the community is building its future. “This is a fantastic opportunity,
a fantastic moment for programming and our city,” said Mayor research activity at one Chris Friel. “We’ve campus can be extended gone through a process to students and faculty where, industrially, members at other we got kicked in the campuses, enriching teeth… now we have opportunity for all. recovered, with this The proposed Milton university.” campus will help the The same high level provincial government of enthusiasm exists satisfy the urgent need Photo: Sandra Muir in the Town of Milton, for university spaces in which has invited Laurier Dr. Max Blouw and Federal Minister of State Gary Goodyear the Greater Toronto Area. attended the Laurier Brantford RAC opening in January. to partner in a proposed Demographic projections state-of-the art “Education of cooperation and common suggest that tens of thousands of Village” adjacent to the magnifpurpose that, I believe, will university spaces will be needed icent Niagara Escarpment. ensure the long-term success in the GTA in the coming Milton’s circumstances are of Milton’s post-secondary decades. Our own research different than those of Brantford. aspirations. suggests that a Laurier Milton Milton is a fast-growing As in Brantford, a campus campus could accommodate community on the edge of the in Milton has the potential to 4,500 undergraduate and Greater Toronto Area with a strengthen the local community. graduate students by 2019-20, strong and diversified economy. And, as in Brantford, it has and 10,000-15,000 domestic and Nonetheless, the town – like the the potential to enrich Wilfrid international students over the City of Brantford – understands Laurier University as a whole following decade. that a post-secondary educaby leveraging community and You may ask: Why should tional institution is critically government funding to support Laurier be the one to satisfy this important to be competitive new academic and research challenge in the GTA? Well, for in the new economy and will programs that the university starters, many of our current contribute significantly to the would not otherwise be able students come from the GTA. If intellectual, social and economic to support. State-of-the-art we don’t satisfy the demand for health of the community. communications technology, as education, another university Laurier has been exploring well as the proximity of Milton surely will – with the potential the Milton opportunity with to the Waterloo and Brantford for impact on enrolment at the town since early 2008. Last campus (less than an hour’s our Waterloo and Brantford month, a number of additional drive to either), will enable a campuses. partners formally joined significant degree of interaction Framed in a more positive the process. This broader between students and faculty at light, a Milton campus will partnership reflects a level all Laurier campuses. Academic provide Laurier with an extraor-
University initiates visual identity review Design firm engaged, input sought from Laurier community Laurier is reviewing its visual identity, and is looking for your input. The university is conducting a visual identity review, which means examining the university’s graphic elements such as the crest and wordmark. Building on the work already done during the Envisioning Laurier and Academic Planning processes, the review will answer two questions: should we update or change the university’s visual identity, and if so, how can we update the visual identity in a cohesive way that reflects our strengths, values and traditions? The university engaged design
firm Scott Thornley + Company (STC) in 2010 after a comprehensive RFP process. STC’s client list includes Columbia University, University College London, the Fields Institute, the National Arts Centre, the Royal Conservatory, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, and the Trudeau Foundation and many others. STC has come to know Laurier well in recent months. They conducted focus groups with Laurier’s Centennial Steering Committee and did extensive secondary research before developing the LAURIER100 logo. They’ve since designed the centennial banners, website
and advertisements that are beginning to appear in national publications. Now, STC is consulting with students, faculty, staff, alumni and others prior to developing the creative brief that will answer the questions noted above and guide their design work. You can share your thoughts via an online forum or on Laurier’s official Facebook page. Visit www.wlu.ca/vir or visit http://www.facebook.com/ LaurierNow beginning February 10 to leave your comments! For more information about Laurier’s visual identity review, please visit www.wlu.ca/vir.
InsideLaurier is published by Communications, Public Affairs & Marketing (CPAM) Wilfrid Laurier University 75 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5
InsideLaurier Volume 3, Number 7, February 2011 Editor: Nicholas Dinka Assistant Editor: Lori Chalmers Morrison Design: Erin Steed Contributors: Amanda St. Marie, Sandra Muir, Mallory O’Brien, Lori Chalmers Morrison, Kevin Crowley, Dean Palmer
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GRAMMYS continued
Edison is the conductor and artistic director of the Elora Festival Singers and Toronto’s Mendelssohn Choir - worldclass choral ensembles. He
dinary opportunity: the ability to design a brand new campus with exciting programming and research opportunities, all with financial support from a range of community, government and private-sector partners. Capital funding is the big question, and it has not yet been resolved. It is clear, however, that we need a firm and substantial commitment from the provincial government in order to proceed with a Milton campus. It is also clear that we need to continue discussion of this opportunity within the Laurier community. We have provided regular updates and input opportunities since 2008 (see www.wlu.ca/miltoncampus) and we have scheduled a joint meeting of the university’s Senate and Board of Governors on Feb. 17 to share information and discuss the proposed Milton campus. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and opinions about this important opportunity for the future of the university.
Max Blouw President & Vice-Chancellor
is a former part-time faculty member and conductor of the WLU Choir. In 2009, he was made a member of the Order of Ontario. The Grammys will be broadcast Feb. 13, 2011.
Correction: On page one of the December 2010 issue, it was incorrectly stated that Barry Ries is a former member of the Board of Governors. Ries is a current member.
Send us your news, events & stories
Email: insidelaurier@wlu.ca Deadline for submissions: February 17
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. 2,100) is published eight times a year by CPAM. Opinions expressed in InsideLaurier do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or the university’s administration. Available online at www.wlu.ca/publicaffairs. Printed on recycled paper
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February 2011 RAC continued
thropists Mary and the late Ruth Stedman, who each contributed $250,000. The Stedman family is known for the chain of book and stationery stores that originated in Brantford over 100 years ago. At the opening of the west wing, Laurier officials paid tribute to the support of federal Minister of State Gary Goodyear, Brant MP Phil McColeman and Brant MPP Dave Levac. “We can put the dollars out but I know the hard work that goes into it,” said Goodyear. “Thank you for helping us get the economy on its way back on track.” The federal and provincial governments each contributed $13 million toward the building. The provincial government committed to supporting the project in its 2009 budget as part of its investment in postsecondary institutions across Ontario. The federal contribution was part of the Government
of Canada’s Knowledge Infrastructure Program. Blouw made note of the “shared vision” between Laurier and the city, while Brantford Mayor Chris Friel applauded the university for helping to turn the city around. “We’ve gone through a process where, industrially, we got kicked in the teeth,” he
“We just kept getting kicked and kicked. Now we have recovered, with this university.” -Brantford Mayor Chris Friel said. “We’re not unique. Other cities have gone through the same thing. But we just kept getting kicked and kicked. Now we have recovered, with this university.” Laurier Brantford has expanded rapidly since it first
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opened in 1999. Originally a one-building institution – located in the Carnegie building, which once housed the Brantford Public Library – today it is a campus of 19 refurbished or new buildings spread throughout the downtown core. “I get six or so requests every year from other communities to have us build a campus for them,” said Blouw. “Why don’t they call some other university? The answer is very clear. What’s happening here is known province wide.” Retired Laurier president Bob Rosehart, who presided over the first years of growth in Brantford, encouraged Blouw to keep building. He said in the early days when there were fewer buildings, students didn’t think the campus had the atmosphere of a full-fledged university. “I’m very pleased to see Max’s leadership and the leadership in Brantford,” he told the crowd. “Walking around, I can see that it now has the university feel.”
The RAC building incorporates environmental and energy-efficient design elements. Both wings are Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver registered projects.
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High recycled and regional content in construction materials
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Low VOC interior materials
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Energy-efficient design and construction – 25 per cent to 33 per cent more efficient than standard buildings
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Reduced indoor water use by over 30 per cent
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Water cistern for use of roof water for irrigation purposes
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Construction waste diversion – diverted over 90 per cent of construction waste from the landfill, instead of sending it for
Photos: Sandra Muir
The RAC has the following environmental features:
recycling or reuse •
Carpooling parking spots and bicycle racks installed to reduce reliance on cars
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Living wall in the lobby of the RAC-West
Back row: Laurier President Max Blouw, Brant MPP Dave Levac. Front row: City of Brantford Mayor Chris Friel; Federal Minister of State Gary Goodyear; Acting Principal/Vice-President: Laurier Brantford Lesley Cooper; and Brant MP Phil Coleman.
New MOU supports continued exploration of Milton campus By Kevin Crowley
out the partnership needed to develop the broader concept Efforts to bring post-secondary of a Milton Education Village education to the Town of — a comprehensively planned, Milton will continue through a 450-acre neighbourhood that new memorandum of underwould include a university standing (MOU) that identifies campus, research park with a specific areas to be examined technology commercialization in the development of the centre, a variety of housing proposed Milton Education Village — a 450-acre neighbourhood centred around a 150-acre university campus. Eight municipal, business and education partners, including Laurier, are part of the new MOU, which was announced Jan. 24 at a meeting of Milton Town Council. The new MOU complements an existing memorandum between Milton and Laurier. Similar to the first memorandum, the new three-year MOU outlines the intention of Laurier and Milton to continue invesTown of Milton tigating the potential for a university campus on 150 acres of land on the southwest options, and retail support side of the community, services. adjacent to the Niagara Funding remains a Escarpment. The new MOU major consideration. The includes additional partners new MOU, which must be with the expertise and approved by the Laurier financial resources to round Board of Governors, states
that the proposal “requires an acceptable level of funding from the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities” for construction, capital and operating costs for the university campus. The provincial government is currently preparing its 2011-12 budget, which is expected to include a new 10-year capital plan, including investment in post-secondary education infrastructure. Academic programming at a Laurier Milton campus would be governed by the Wilfrid Laurier University Senate, which governs all academic programming at Laurier’s multi-campus sites. “This new memorandum of understanding brings new partners to the Milton Education Village initiative and continues the exploratory work that is needed to assess the feasibility of establishing a Laurier campus in Milton,” said Max Blouw, Laurier’s president and vice-chancellor. “A Laurier Milton campus could produce significant benefits for the university, for the local community, and for students and residents in the broader GTA,” said Blouw.
“However, we must proceed with due diligence. To this end, we will continue to share information and seek input from the Laurier community as we examine all aspects of this exciting opportunity.” The university and its senior administrators have provided numerous updates and opportunities for discussion about a Milton campus since the first MOU was signed in March 2008. To continue the discussion about the possibility of a Milton campus, a joint meeting of the university’s Senate and Board of Governors is scheduled for Feb. 17, starting at 1 p.m. in the Senate and Board Chamber. In addition to Laurier, the other signatories to the new MOU include: the Town of Milton, Sheridan College Institute of Applied Arts and Technology, the Regional Municipality of Halton, Milton Hydro Distribution Inc., Mattamy Homes Ltd., Del Ridge Investments, and Milton Land Four Investments Ltd. To read the takeaway notes from the various sessions, visit http://www.accoonline.org/ccls/ Summit2010/
Areas identified for further investigation • The need for adequate provincial funding for capital and operating costs for the proposed Laurier and Sheridan campuses. • Laurier and Sheridan College will develop their own MOU to explore joint academic programming and the development of the Milton Education Village and their individual campuses. • Laurier and Milton will work together on a proposal in which the Town would finance the construction and operation of a parking infrastructure for the Laurier campus. • Laurier, Milton and Mattamy Homes will jointly explore student residence needs. • Laurier, the Town of Milton, and Milton Hydro will jointly investigate best practices in developing a sustainable, economical and energy-efficient campus that incorporates principles of green and clean technologies. • Laurier, Sheridan and the Town of Milton will work together to investigate a universal transit pass. 3
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February 2011
Giving thanks for a generous gift
A real Canadian winter
University acknowledges $8.5 million in student support range of projects, including a new floor for the AC gym, enhancements to the MyLaurier. ca portal, and acquisitions for the Brantford library, among many others. A total of 71 projects were funded at the Waterloo campus, while 19 projects were funded at the Brantford campus. “The students decided to help the school,” said Richard Diodati, a first-year Bachelor of Business Administration student who attended the recognition event. “I think [this event] shows the school cares about the students and our contribution.” The recognition event included speeches celebrating the students and their gift by Donelson, VicePresident Student Affairs David McMurray, and Laurier President and Vice-Chancellor Max Blouw. “It’s the student leadership at Laurier that makes such a significant difference to the quality of education we provide here,” said
Blouw. “It’s subsequent generations of students who actually benefit. That is a true act of philanthropy and generosity, and I congratulate all of you for that.” In 2003, Andy Pushalik, then WLUSU president, and Ben Durrer, then WLUSU chair of the board, signed the current Student Life Levy agreement on behalf of the students. Several current and former WLUSU presidents and board chairs attended the recognition event on Jan. 27. “The Student Life Levy gives us the ability to shape our own student-life experience, because when you’re a donor of that magnitude the university takes you seriously,” said Allan Cayenne, President of WLUSU from 2006 to 2007. “It’s really helped the students here.” A recognition event at the Brantford campus will be held in the near future.
What are you reading
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What are you listening to?
On a snowy day in mid-December, the Atrium’s glass walls weren’t letting in much sunlight. Winter came early this year, and it did not tread lightly. On Jan. 24, the mercury at the Waterloo International Airport touched -24.6 ° C, close to the record low of -25 ° C set in 2004. But average winter temperatures in Ontario have been relatively balmy in recent years – cold comfort on those blustery winter days.
What are you reading
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What are you eating?
Over 1,000 students attended the Student Life Levy recognition event on Jan. 27. Above: Dr. Blouw thanks students for their donation.
Remembering the way it was What are you Professor’s new book explores his family’s colourful history listening to? By Mallory O’Brien
Laurier Professor Thomas O. Hueglin explores his family history in a new book from WLU Press titled We All Giggled: A Bourgeois Family Memoir. We All Giggled shares the intimate stories of two families that came together when Hueglin’s parents met and married in 1945. The Hüglins, as they were known then, lost most of their fortune over the course of the two world wars. The Wachendorffs survived the wars despite their Jewish ancestry; the book features a photo of Hueglin’s half-Jewish uncles with Adolf Hitler. Hueglin wrote the book based on his own memories, but he also read family journals and diaries and spoke with his 91-year-old aunt in Germany. He recollects growing up in postwar Germany in an environment of stability and comfort, and chronicles his family’s ups and downs and abiding love for music, food
and art. “When you put your mind to it, it’s amazing what you remember,” said Hueglin, who wrote the book for his children. “I just wanted to write down
What are you eating?
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the old stories. What emerged was an entire family memoir, spanning several generations.” We All Giggled weaves a rich tapestry of anecdotes about opera singers, restaurants and travels, as well as family relations, romance and the kind
of “impromptu reactions to people, places, and situations that often result in uncontrollable giggles,” Hueglin wrote in the book. “This book reminds us what the ideal family actually is: a collection of colourful, delightfully imperfect people who have, for better and worse, made up the music of our lives,” said Alison Wearing, author of Honeymoon in Purdah: An Iranian Journey, in a review of the book. “May we all remember and honour our families with such care, respect, and willingness to giggle and forgive.” Hueglin grew up in Germany and moved to Canada in 1983. He has been a professor of political science at Laurier since 1985. His recent book publications also include Comparative Federalism and Classical Debates for the Twenty-first Century: Rethinking Political Thought. We All Giggled is available now through WLU Press. For more information, visit www. wlupress.wlu.ca.
Name: Megan Piticco Job Title: Administrative Assistant, Office of the President Food Item: Seagram Wrap Where To Get It: Wilf’s Restaurant and Bar
The Seagram Wrap has a little bit of everything. The chicken is coated in a wing sauce of your choice, which gives it tons of flavour. It’s also filled with cheese as well as lots of fresh veggies, so it doesn’t feel too bad for you. To top it off I get a side order of sweet potato fries – a perfect complement. The price is just right for a meal “out,” and it will definitely fill you up!
What are you watching? Name: Mike Whitehouse Job Title: Coordinator, Communications & Technology, Athletics Movie Title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Director: Edgar Wright
I’ve been a video game fan for almost two decades, and this movie hit a soft spot for me with its highly stylized look and feel, which brought back memories of killing time with my favourite games back in the day. This is a film that will immediately appeal to a specific demographic, yet the strong script, music and cinematography make it an enjoyable ride for anyone.
Photo: Sandra Muir
Senior Laurier officials served up accolades and ice-cream sundaes to over 1,000 students on Laurier’s Waterloo campus Jan. 27, thanking them for eight years of support for Laurier’s Student Life Levy. Since its inception in 2003, the levy, funded entirely by students, has provided $8.5 million in support for projects that enhance student life at the university. A total of 90 enhancement projects have been funded, focusing on student life, technology, library acquisitions, and scholarships and bursaries. “This was an extraordinary gesture of generosity from Laurier’s students,” said Rob Donelson, vice-president of development and alumni relations. “We were delighted that so many of our students came out today to have their contribution acknowledged.” The fund supported a wide
PEOPLE AT LAURIER
New Appointments
For a complete list of appointments visit www.wlu.ca/hr
Patricia Belland Administrative Assistant, Dean of Arts
Chris Floto Leadhand Electrician
Claire Bennett Sustainability Coordinator, Physical Resources
Ross Fraser Student Support Specialist (Student Services), Brantford
Linda Bennett Administrative Assistant II, Sociology Donna Braund Coordinator: Financial & Biographical Services, Advancement Troy Caplan Custodian Ben Clifford Coordinator: Programs, Athletics Tracey Ens Manager, Procurement Services Kory Jeffrey Coordinator: Digital Media Hub & President’s Innovation Seed Fund, University Communications William Paul Johnson Technical Support Specialist, Brantford
Cora Hennel-Greer Communications Coordinator, Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Vanessa McMackin Records and Data Management Coordinator, Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Bridget Parris Information Specialist, Registrar’s Office Jennifer Porritt Manager, Training and Development Dorota Rams Skazinski Human Resources Assistant Andrea Swinson Sr. Administrative Assistant (PhD & Masters Prog), SBE
Terry Newlove Custodian Janice Vilaca EA Office of VP / Principal Brantford
Joan Saraco Director, ICT Solutions
Changes in staff appointments Dan Dawson AVP, Student Services
February 2011
Retirements Susan Pequegnat Information Specialist, Registrar’s Office
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New Director of Community Service-Learning appointed Laurier has appointed Megan Conway as the new director of the Laurier Centre for Community Service-Learning (CSL), effective February 1. Conway will apply her academic and professional experience to Laurier’s CSL program, which integrates meaningful community-service placements with theoretical learning in the classroom. David McMurray, Laurier’s vice-president: student affairs, says he’s delighted to have Conway leading what he describes as a transformative, high-impact teaching and learning practice with proven educational benefits. “Megan’s extensive community background and her academic and professional expertise will bring strong leadership to the strategic development of our CSL program,” said McMurray. Through its strong reflection component and specific learning outcomes, Laurier’s CSL program aims to enrich students’ learning experiences while benefitting community organizations and the individuals they serve. The program supports Laurier’s focus on inspiring lives of
Megan Conway
leadership and purpose. “I’m passionate about creating social change and learning through action, and these are integral components of Laurier’s Community Service-Learning program,” said Conway. “I’m excited to join the Laurier team and to develop projects that target specific community issues by fostering collaboration and working towards innovative, multi-sector solutions.” Conway recently served as director, strategic planning,
CAMPUS DECODER
evaluation and research at Mosaic Counselling in Kitchener, and as the director of Pathways to Education. She is in the final stages of her PhD in Urban Planning at the University of Waterloo, and holds a M.Phil. degree from Cambridge University and a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education from Queen’s University. Established in 2006, Laurier’s CSL program has grown to more than 1,600 Laurier students taking CSL courses in 12 different academic departments. The program includes curricular CSL, where service learning is incorporated into academic programs, and co-curricular CSL, where a service-learning and reflection component is built into volunteer initiatives like Shinerama. Laurier is a leader in the number of psychology courses incorporating mandatory CSL and has the only mandatory 40-hour community service component in a Canadian MBA program. Got a question? Send it to ndinka@wlu.ca
Photo: Sandra Muir
Today, dons arrive almost 12 days before students to undergo 10 days of training. The program still includes team building, but also incorporates instruction on how to help students participate in residence life. “When you come to university, your first year should be fun. But you have to be responsible, and learning to take responsibility is an important part of it,” said Belanger. There were also physical Mike Belanger (right) with a well-wisher at his retirement party last December in changes to housing that the Paul Martin Centre. Belanger helped lead. He played a key role in the A young fellow had collapsed co-founded by Chris Dodd creation of the Bricker in one of our residences. So and Rob Hums (’92). The Mike Residence, which opened I got up and got dressed and Belanger Residence Life Award in 1991 and was the first went down to the hospital in was created to provide financial residence on a Canadian time to the meet the don who support for future student university campus to feature was there. The doctor came out members of the Residence Life an apartment-style rather than and said, ‘he didn’t make it.’ It team who both improve the dormitory-style layout. was just such a shock. Laurier experience for students “The students told us what “And then the doctor said and demonstrate financial need. they wanted, and I helped ‘I’ve got another critical “There are so many people organize it.” emergency that I’ve got to go to. who have gone through Amid these successes have Could you stay here and meet residence life and been affected been challenges. Enrollment the parents?’” by Mike’s work,” said Dodd. has outpaced housing space Belanger’s ability to deal After all that hard work, in recent years, resulting in with any challenge has made Belanger is looking forward to a scramble every summer to him a sought-after member some down time. secure additional beds for of the Laurier community – “There are lots of things I students. and he has been a willing think I want to do,” he said. “Mike – he never gets excited. participant. He volunteered on “But for the first three or four He takes challenges and makes several committees, many of months, I kind of want to have them work. And I think that’s them for athletics (his tenure no schedule and do nothing as amazing on his part,” said as Laurier’s golf coach lasted a change. And then I’ll see.” Nichols. for almost 25 years). He helped In the meantime, it’s likely implement the Laurier One that Laurier will still play a big There are also calls from Card, was a head negotiator part in Belanger’s life. parents with day-to-day issues. for staff, and served as acting “Most of the activities and And then there are the devasdirector of Information Services. events and things that we do tating tragedies Belanger has Going forward, his ties to as a family are with Laurier had to deal with. the university will also include people, or at Laurier events or “I remember getting a call in a $1,000 bursary in his name Laurier activities,” he said. the middle of the night in 1986.
Photo: Rpoger Tschanz
MIKE BELANGER continued
Allan Ginsberg blows minds in Laurier’s room 1E1 on Feb. 4, 1980.
At a recent screening of the new movie “Howl,” about the work of legendary beat-generation poet Allen Ginsberg, a friend of mine mentioned she’d heard a rumour that Ginsberg once gave a poetry reading at Laurier. Is it true? It really all depends on how you define the concept of truth. For Ginsberg, a leading counterculture figure with a habit of questioning authority, those claiming to know the capital-T truth were always suspect. But putting all philosophical queries aside for the moment, yes, he was here. Ginsberg recited poetry to a packed house in Laurier’s room 1E1 on Feb. 4, 1980. It was the year of the Mount St. Helens eruption and the US government’s landmark bailout of the Chrysler Corporation to the tune of $1.5 billion. Ginsberg’s impact at Laurier seems to have been only slightly less momentous. You see, Ginsberg’s appearance was somewhat of a controversy given the nature of his poems and his ability to freely express himself. According to the Cord’s article on the performance, “people in the audience heaved sighs of
relief (that it was over) and of disbelief at the use of his crass language and vivid descriptions.” Tough crowd. The performance was part of the Festival of Contemporary Arts, organized by Laurier’s English department. Ginsberg was asked to attend the conference by Dr. Gary Waller, head of the English department at the time and an expert on creative writing. Ginsberg was no stranger to controversy, although most of his big battles were far in his past by the time he came to Laurier. “Howl,” his great early long poem, was the subject of a lengthy obscenity trial in the 1950s. He was cleared of all charges – a verdict that may have troubled some visitors to the Festival of Contemporary Arts. Ginsberg passed away in 1997, but thanks to the magic of film he was able to make a more recent appearance in the Waterloo area, at the Princess Cinema on King Street. This time around, Ginsberg’s performance was met with admiration, awe and acceptance. Perhaps “pretty boy” actor James Franco played a part in this, but it depends on who you’re talking to. 5
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February 2011
COFFEE WITH A CO-WORKER Name: Mark Baetz Job: Professor of Business; Associate Director, Laurier Centre for Community Service-Learning; and Academic Integrity Advisor. Where you can find him: On the third floor of the Peters building. Photo: Lori Chalmers Morrison
How he takes his coffee: I drink green tea every morning. I went to a nutrition seminar and the speaker said the single most important piece of advice was to drink green tea every day. Professor Mark Baetz displays an award he received for helping to start Laurier’s Corporate Service Club.
How long have you been at Laurier? Since July 1, 1980 – 31 years! You’re retiring in July – how do you feel? It’s been a great pleasure being here. I’m feeling good about retiring – I have a lot of irons in the fire. I’m working on events that will happen when I’m retired, like a Shinerama tennis tournament for Cystic Fibrosis that I’m organizing with four MBA students. You do a lot of work around the reflection process in community service-learning (CSL) why is it so important? Many people don’t realize how powerful the learning outcomes from communityCOMING EVENTS
Lunch and Learn: Happiness in Your Life When: Feb. 9, noon-1 p.m. Where: Read Lounge, Carnegie Building, Brantford Cost: Free to all Laurier staff and faculty Bring contentment into your life by altering the way you view challenges, by becoming more aware of your blessings and by living in the moment. To register, visit https://www. wlu.ca/hr/registration/login. php Music at Noon When: Feb. 10, noon – 1 p.m. Where: Maureen Forrester Recital Hall Cost: Free The New Art Quartet performs in this week’s installment of the regular series. Women’s Hockey vs. Waterloo When: Feb. 11, 7:30 p.m. Where: Sunlife Financial Arena, Waterloo Recreation Complex Cost: Varies The women’s hockey Hawks battle local rivals University of Waterloo. Visit www.laurierathletics.com for more information. Monteverdi Vespers When: Feb. 13, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. Where: St. Mary’s Catholic Church Cost: $10 In celebration of Laurier’s centennial, the Faculty of Music presents Claudio
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service learning and volunteering are until they’ve articulated them through the reflection process. When I was 15, I was the leader of a rock band that played at an event for the public school patrols sponsored by the Ottawa Police (it was around the time of The Beatles so we had a lot of 11-year-old screaming fans). I didn’t recognize it as a valuable volunteer experience until years later. I reflected on it and realized it involved leadership development, clarifying values, personal selfdevelopment and collaboration. Reflection allows you to look at an issue or experience from a “what, so what, and now what?” perspective.
What is the biggest impact of CSL on students? The awareness they gain. They help others and they learn about themselves. They look at where they’ve been, where they’re at and ask themselves what is it about their experience that they want to do more of. What are they passionate about? What are they good at? What community needs fit? It helps students to be more reflective and more strategic about their volunteer opportunities and their career path. Please tell us about the Corporate Service Club you helped to start at Laurier. Corporate Service Clubs of Canada applies the service-
club model within workplaces, over the lunch-hour, making it easy for members to help their communities. Participation benefits the employee, the university and the community. The ripple effect is incredible in ways people may not even appreciate. One Laurier employee invited her son to come along, and they went through the reflection process together. Her volunteering not only helped the community but it also benefitted her as a mother, as a role model, as an employee and it brought a new dimension to her relationship with her son. What are your plans for retirement? I plan to travel with my wife
and strengthen the networks and relationships I’ve already got around music, tennis and church. My relaxation comes through music (Baetz is in the band Professional Misconduct) and tennis. I also enjoy watching others benefit from getting actively engaged. I’ll stay involved with my research on academic integrity and work with the Volunteer Action Centre. And there’s a lot of opportunity out there for retirees around volunteering and reflection!
By Lori Chalmers Morrison
For a complete list of events visit www.wlu.ca/events
Monteverdi’s Vespers. Tickets are $10 at the door. This epic 90-minute work includes eight soloists, Laurier’s combined choirs and a 30-piece orchestra. Music at Noon When: Feb. 10, noon – 1 p.m. Where: Maureen Forrester Recital Hall Cost: Free David Rose, viola, performs in this week’s installment of the regular series. Gaza, the Goldstone Report, and the International Criminal Court When: Feb. 17, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. Where: Paul Martin Centre Cost: Free William A. Schabas, director of the Irish Centre for Human Rights at the National University of Ireland, Galway, analyzes the Goldstone Report on the 2008-9 Gaza war. The Limitations of NuclearFamily Living: Tales of the Journey into Parenthood When: Mar. 1, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. Where: Paul Martin Centre Cost: Free Professor Bonnie Fox of the University of Toronto discusses research on parenting and on the problems experienced by mothers in traditionally structured nuclear families. Opera Production: The Magic Flute When: Mar. 4-6, 2011, 8 p.m. – 10 p.m.
In “Elegy for the Stolen Land,” Peter Sibbald’s ongoing exhibition at the Robert Langan Art Gallery, the photographer explores the changes that humans have wrought on the landscape in Southern Ontario. His starkly beautiful blackand-white images explore how Where: Theatre Auditorium Cost: $20/$10 (St/Sr) This Laurier production of Mozart’s great opera was directed by Michael Kavanagh and conducted by Leslie De’Ath. Leupold’s Legacy: Inspiring lives of leadership and purpose When: Mar. 5, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Where: Waterloo Lutheran Seminary Cost: Free and open to the public This celebration of Ulrich Leupold’s contribution to music and theology will include historical displays throughout the seminary as well as lectures at 1:30 and 4 p.m.
waves of development, from farming through to suburban development, have impacted the landscape and pushed aside its aboriginal inhabitants. Sibbald grew up on the shores of Lake Simcoe, on lands previously inhabited by his pioneer ancestors. He
currently resides in the GTA. “I try to challenge viewers to explore how contemporary land-human relationships have evolved and to consider their own involvement in this ongoing process,” Sibbald says. Elegy for the Stolen Land runs to Feb. 19.
February 2011
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RESEARCH FILE
He reads corporate annual reports for the pictures Bruce McConomy analyzes the photographs in annual reports and finds some disappointing patterns If there’s one thing AMC’s hit television series Mad Men has taught the younger female generation, it’s that women in the corporate world have come a long way since the 1960s. But the more some things change, the more others stay the same, as the work of Laurier accounting professor Bruce McConomy unfortunately attests. McConomy and his research partner, Merridee Bujaki of the University of Ottawa, have found a unique way to study corporate attitudes towards women. They’ve analyzed the photographs in annual reports, and looked at the ways in which women are represented in these images – or aren’t represented, in some cases. “What we found was that while the percentage of women who work in many industries was quite high, the percentage of photos that featured women was very low,” McConomy says. “This seems to indicate that women are not portrayed as being a critical part of the company.” On average across all industries, 47 per cent of the workforce is female, but McConomy and Bujaki found that only 18.5 per cent of the pictures of people in annual reports include women. Not a single industry showed a greater percentage of women in pictures than actually work in the industry. McConomy says it may have something to do with the fact that the annual reports are representing senior management instead of the workforce. The numbers seem to back that up. Take the health care industry, for instance, where only 21.5 per cent of annual report pictures feature women. Fully 82 per cent of the workforce is female, but women only account for 13 per cent of senior management positions and 10 per cent of boards of directors. In the information technology industry, meanwhile, 46 per cent of the workforce is female, but only 8.7 per cent of senior management is female and a meager 4.4 per cent of people on the boards of directors are female. In the annual reports of information technology companies,
Photo: Dean Palmer
By Mallory O’Brien
Laurier Business Professor Bruce McConomy studied corporate annual reports and found that the pictures tell their own story.
only 16 per cent of the pictures of people featured women. The energy industry comes closest to accurately reflecting its workers, but that may simply be because the percentage of women working in the industry is so low – a mere 18 per cent. In the annual reports of energy companies, 14 per cent of the pictures included women. It is unlikely that Mad Men’s Peggy Olson would be particularly heartened by this statistic. Another thing the researchers looked at is how women were treated relative to men in annual report pictures. In one study, they coded each photo based on a number of dimensions, including age, ethnicity and manner of dress. When they tallied up the results, they found that women were more likely to be shown as youthful, or even as children. Women were less likely to be dressed professionally, more
likely to be smiling and more likely to be shown as customers instead of employees. Less than five per cent of the pictures showed men being a customer, but 33.3 per cent of the pictures showed women being a customer. “Women are depicted as being less serious and having less important roles while men are more likely to be shown as skilled employees or executives,” McConomy says. “Maybe that’s just their role in these industries, but part of it is just how they’re being presented in the industry – it’s difficult to disentangle the two.” Past research has shown that men are more likely to be talking in photos, and scholars have argued that such images, taken together, imply that men have “more to say” about the organization. “The pictures can represent, however subconsciously, discriminatory beliefs of senior
management, because these reports do have to be approved by senior management,” McConomy says. “But just how conscious are they of what’s in them?” All told there were 2,884 pictures in the 100 annual reports McConomy and Bujaki reviewed, which averages about 29 pictures per company. Of those 29 pictures, about 17 were of people. Of those 17 photos, 12.5 were pictures of just men, 2.5 were pictures of just women, and two were pictures of men and women together. In a second paper that looked more closely at the subset of photos that included both men and women – 106 of them – 73.5 per cent of men were speaking but only 20 per cent of the women were. McConomy says you will often see male prominence, such as a male manager standing with a woman working on the computer. McConomy
found that men were more prominent 65 per cent of the time, while women were more prominent only 25 per cent of the time. There is a small amount good news. “We found that companies that are more inclusive of women, reflected by the fact that women were represented in more photos, tend to have better financial performance,” McConomy says. “Diversity is good for the bottom line.” But overall, the annual reportpicture is still cloudy. Comparing his recent work with studies done in other countries more than a decade ago, McConomy notes there hasn’t been much change over the years. “You’d kind of expect that over time things would be improving, but they aren’t,” he says. “It’s the kind of research you could revisit in five to 10 years to see if things have changed – I’m hoping they will have.
Industry
Women in pictures
Women in the industry
Women on the board
Women in senior management
Energy
14.1%
18.3%
8.5%
9%
Consumer goods
26.3%
55.2%
13.3%
19.2%
Healthcare
21.5%
82.1%
10%
13.4%
Financials
23.5%
57.8%
11.5%
15.5%
Information technology
16%
46%
4.4%
8.7%
Selected statistics from McConomy and Bujaki’s paper ““The Portrayal of Women in Canadian Corporate Annual Reports”” published in Volume 27, Issue 3 of the Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences. 7
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February 2011
IN THE CLASSROOM
A look inside the lecture hall
Classroom engagement Professor: Alicia Sliwinski Class: GS211, Theories of Development Description: This course introduces students to the themes and issues that comprise development studies, and how these contribute to or impede social justice at the national and international levels.
To ensure students stay engaged during class, global studies professor Alicia Sliwinski uses the full space of the classroom. “I walk up and down the aisles, which allows me to have more direct contact with students,” she says. “This not only makes the formal lecture format livelier but also seems to enhance students’ knowledge acquisition. Even within a large class, it’s possible to create safe spaces for students to ask questions.” Sliwinski hopes students leave the course with a better appreciation of the complexities within the field of development and a curiosity to learn more. “Ultimately I hope I opened their eyes and stimulated their concern regarding global development issues that not only have an impact ‘out there’ but also in their own daily lives.” By Mallory O’Brien Alicia Sliwinski uses a dynamic, physically active teaching style to enliven her lectures.
Photo: Dean Palmer
Faculty and staff get festive at the seasonal lunch
Photos: Tomasz Adamski
Waterloo and Brantford campuses meet December 13 and 14 to celebrate the holiday season
On Dec. 13 and 14, staff and faculty at the Brantford and Waterloo campuses took a breather from the preholiday rush to enjoy some seasonal cheer with co-workers.
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But it wasn’t just about conversation and chocolate fountains. The seasonal lunch raised over $790 for the food bank, as well as a huge box of toys for the annual Laurier toy drive.