CAMPUS | COMMUNITY | CONNECTIONS
CAMPUS | COMMUNITY | CONNECTIONS
• October 2011
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Acclaimed recording artist K’naan performs at CIGI Campus grand opening.
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CAMPUS | COMMUNITY | CONNECTIONS Hard-core logo: Laurier Branding Chair Brad Davis studies corporate identity.
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VOL. 1 | NO. 1 | APRIL 7,2008 O yeah! Orientation week a festival of fun and silliness
A homecoming celebration for a hundredth CAMPUS | CONNECTIONS | COMMUNITY
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A record-breaking number of Laurier Golden Hawks came back to the Waterloo campus Sept. 30 to Oct. 2 to celebrate the university’s centennial at homecoming 2011. Awash in purple and gold, Laurier’s Waterloo campus
welcomed enthusiastic students, alumni and football fans. A celebration dinner honoured 100 of Laurier’s highest achieving alumni, while 520 people laced up for the fourth-annual Laurier Loop charity run.
Michael Lee-Chin appointed Laurier chancellor New crisis response procedures By Nicholas Dinka Renowned businessman, investor and philanthropist Michael Lee-Chin has been appointed chancellor of Wilfrid Laurier University. The appointment was unanimously approved by Laurier’s Board of Governors, with the unanimous support of the Senate, and will take effect Oct. 28, 2011 at an official installation ceremony at the university’s fall convocation. Lee-Chin succeeds John A. Pollock, who has served as Laurier’s chancellor since March 31, 2008. “Michael Lee-Chin epitomizes Laurier’s institutional proposition of inspiring lives of leadership and purpose,” said Max Blouw, Laurier’s president and vice-chancellor. “His internationally recognized achievements in the business and investment arenas are matched by his astonishing record of philanthropic work.
He is an ideal choice for this key role as the university celebrates its centennial and lays the groundwork for a bold and influential second century.” Blouw also thanked Pollock for his contributions to the university. “John Pollock has been a strong advocate for Laurier in the role of chancellor, and he has delighted in his connection with our students,” he said. “I would like to express my sincere gratitude to him for Michael Lee-Chin’s tenure as Laurier’s chancellor his unflagging belief in will take effect at an installation ceremony Oct. 28. the importance of post1973. As chancellor, Lee-Chin secondary education, and for will be a member of the Board his leadership and hard work of Governors and Senate, on behalf of the university.” and will serve on the Senate Lee-Chin is Laurier’s eighth chancellor since the university became a public institution in LEE-CHIN see page 3
give guidance to staff and faculty
Waterloo campus and the chair of the Student Support Team. It’s no secret that post-secondary “These procedures provide a course of action on how to best students are experiencing deal with those issues.” increasing levels of stress and In Brantford, the Campus anxiety, and Wilfrid Laurier Safety and Support Team also University is proactively helping has a number of resources for to support faculty, staff and faculty, staff and community students with the creation of members to refer to, including emergency response procedures a response chart and online and the work of student support reporting forms: www.wlu.ca/ and crisis teams. brantford/csst. The Student Support Team in “We want to keep channels Waterloo recently unveiled a set of Student Crisis Response Proce- of communication open,” said dures that outline the best course David Prang, director of Student Services and co-chair of the of action for faculty and staff to Campus Safety and Support take if they encounter a student Team on the Brantford campus. who may need additional levels In addition to discussing of support. Those procedures are specific student concerns, the listed here: www.wlu.ca/responcrisis teams at both campuses seprocedures. meet every three to four weeks “It’s important that faculty and to discuss emerging trends staff have a place to go if they and themes facing students have concerns about a student,” said Leanne Holland Brown, dean of students at Laurier’s CRISIS PROCEDURES see page 2 By Sandra Muir
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October 2011
president’s message
A very special academic year at Wilfrid Laurier University is off to an excellent start. We are celebrating 100 years of exceptional service as an educational and research institution in Ontario and Canada, and recent events and celebrations have been exceptional. Orientation Week provided an exhilarating welcome to the 4,700 new students who arrived on our Waterloo and Brantford campuses; we announced a new chancellor, Michael Lee-Chin, who epitomizes Laurier’s institutional proposition of inspiring lives of leadership and purpose; and our centennial celebrations — including another sensational Homecoming weekend — continue to engage and inspire members of the Laurier family and the broader community. The events of the past few weeks have again highlighted the many assets that Laurier enjoys as an educational institution. We have a well-deserved
reputation for teaching and research excellence, we have a rich and deep institutional heritage, a lively spirit, anda level of interpersonal and institutional engagement that, in combination, distinguish Laurier as a vibrant university with an exciting. These assets, which every one of you nurture on a daily basis, make Laurier an attractive choice for talented students, accomplished faculty, skilled staff, and generous supporters. An excellent example of this is the 100 Alumni of Achievement centennial initiative, which concluded with a wonderful gala dinner at Homecoming. Last year, our Development and Alumni Relations office sent out a call asking people to nominate graduates of Laurier and its predecessor institutions who had demonstrated true leadership and purpose in their lives, their communities and
their professions. The response was tremendous. The selection committee had a real challenge in narrowing the Alumni of Achievement list to just 100. However, guided by the criteria of leadership and purpose, they did an excellent job in producing a truly inspiring roster of exceptional Laurier alumni. The full list can be found at www.laurieralumni.ca. Another good example of how successful Laurier is as a university can be found in the quality of our chancellors. Laurier has a wonderful track record of attracting accomplished and committed individuals to the role of chancellor, each of whom has generously shared their knowledge and unique leadership talents for the betterment of the university. Our incoming chancellor, the successful entrepreneur and noted philanthropist Michael Lee-Chin, has a particular
K’naan opens CIGI Campus building Internationally acclaimed SomaliCanadian recording artist K’naan performed Sept. 16 before a crowd of 200 guests at the grand opening of the CIGI Campus building in Waterloo. The new building, designed by KPMB Architects, was built by the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), an independent, non-profit thinktank founded by Jim Balsillie of Research In Motion. The CIGI Campus is home to the Balsillie School of International Affairs, a unique academic partnership involving CIGI, Laurier, and the University of Waterloo. K’naan, who recently returned from a goodwill mission to Somalia, performed three songs at the CIGI Campus opening, including “Wavin’ Flag,” a version of which became the anthem for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Before K’naan took the stage, Jim Balsillie welcomed the 200 guests for the opening and thanked a number of supporters,
Laurier President Max Blouw speaks at the Centennial Alumni Celebration dinner at which the university’s 100 Alumni of Achievement were honoured.
affinity for Laurier’s emphasis on community engagement, leadership and purpose. His own motto is the Latin phrase prosperitas cum caritate, which speaks to his belief that businesses must “not only do well, but also do good.” Finally, I would like to thank our outgoing chancellor John Pollock, who has been a strong advocate for Laurier, a
CRISIS PROCEDURES continued
at Laurier. And in a spirit of collaboration and best practices, the two teams provide support and advice to one another in an effort to help students experiencing difficulties. “This is an attempt to bring together a group of people who are aware of students experiencing various challenges so we can provide timely support and help mitigate future risk,” said
Wavin’ the CIGI flag: K’naan performs at the opening of the CIGI Campus building.
including the governments of Canada and Ontario. Balsillie School Director David Welch, who was among a number of guest speakers, said he was lured away from a “very comfortable position” at the University of Toronto by the mandate to make the Balsillie School of International Affairs the best school of international affairs in the world. The event also marked the
10th anniversary of CIGI. Led by experienced practitioners and distinguished academics, CIGI supports research, forms networks, advances policy debate and generates ideas for multilateral governance improvements. Founded in 2007, the Balsillie School currently offers three graduate programs, including a Master’s in International Public Policy administered by Laurier.
InsideLaurier is published by Communications, Public Affairs & Marketing (CPAM) Wilfrid Laurier University 75 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5
InsideLaurier Volume 5, Number 4, October 2011 Editor: Nicholas Dinka Assistant Editor: Lori Chalmers Morrison Design: Erin Steed Contributors: Sandra Muir, Mallory O’Brien, Lori Chalmers Morrison, Kevin Crowley, Erin Klassen, Sara Lawrence, Samantha Dzikewicz, Vanessa Parks
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Photo: Tomasz Adamski
New academic year gets off to an inspiring start
wise counsel and invaluable sounding board for me personally, and who has taken great delight in his connection with our students, faculty and staff.
Dr. Max Blouw, President and Vice-Chancellor
Holland Brown. “We want to help provide the best circumstances for students’ success.” Prang, whose co-chair on the Campus Safety and Support Team is Special Constable Service Supervisor James Yuhasz, agrees it is a collaborative and supportive environment. “It creates a level of community and develops trusting relationships across campus,” said Prang.
Send us your news, events & stories
Email: insidelaurier@wlu.ca Deadline for submissions: October 15 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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University to launch centennial history book, new visual identity The Laurier community is invited to attend ‘Turning the Page’, the joint launch of the university’s centennial history book and the unveiling of the university’s new visual identity on Oct. 21. Simultaneous events beginning at 3:00 p.m. will be held on both the Waterloo and Brantford campuses. Specific locations will be announced in the near future on the Laurier homepage. The history book — Leadership and Purpose: A History of Wilfrid Laurier University — was commissioned by the university and written by historian Andrew M. Thomson, a Laurier alumnus and who has frequently taught at Laurier as a contract academic. Thomson will read from the book and talk about the research that went into it. Copies of the book will be for sale at the event and later in the Laurier bookstores on the Waterloo and Brantford campuses. The event will also include the unveiling of Laurier’s new visual identity. The university hired renowned design firm Scott Thornley and Company in 2010 to create a centennial logo and to review the university’s overall visual identity. The centennial logo was launched last fall. Scott Thornley and Company then spent several months meeting with a wide range of groups within the
What’s new and notable at Laurier
Laurier community — including students, faculty, staff and alumni — to discuss the university’s existing visual identity. A webpage was also launched to invite additional comment. A draft design was developed and those who participated in the initial consultations were invited back to comment on the proposed look. The draft design was then finalized and will be unveiled at the events on Oct. 21.
Edna Staebler Award winner announced Helen Waldstein Wilkes has won the 2011 Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction for Letters from the Lost: A Memoir of Discovery. A ceremony for Waldstein Wilkes was held in the Senate and Board Chamber on the Waterloo campus Oct. 4, with author readings on the Brantford campus and Toronto office. At age 60, Waldstein Wilkes opened a small box that was left by her father in their southern Ontario home. The box held “letters from the lost” – letters from family members left behind in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia. Her book follows the letters’ trail back to Europe to discover “the lost” – her homeland, past and family. The $10,000 award was and is administered by Laurier, the only Canadian university to bestow a nationally recognized literary award.
LEE-CHIN continued
The Ontario Heritage Trust has honoured Laurier with a provincial heritage plaque that commemorates the contribution made to the province over the past 100 years by the university and the Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, from which the university evolved. The plaque, unveiled Sept. 23 before a delighted crowd of staff, faculty, alumni, students and guests, has been situated along a walkway between the seminary and the university library on the Waterloo campus. The message on the plaque, written in both English and French, speaks to the origins of the seminary in 1911 and how the institution that was eventually called Wilfrid Laurier University grew from it over the course of a century of development and change.
As part of its centennial activities, Laurier hosted a reception on Oct. 3 to celebrate its long tradition of research, scholarship and creative activity. The 100 Years of Research event was held at the Communitech Hub in downtown Kitchener and featured remarks by Laurier President Max Blouw and VicePresident Academic Deborah MacLatchy, as well as an address by Vice-President Research Abby Goodrum entitled, Why Research Matters. “As we celebrate our centennial anniversary at Wilfrid Laurier University, we proudly honour our institution’s history of research, scholarship and creative activity,” said Goodrum. “That history has long been deeply rooted in meeting the needs of our society, our economy and our community.”
honorary degree committee and the Board Development Committee. He will also preside over graduation ceremonies and will officially bestow all degrees and diplomas. Chancellors of the university generally serve for a term of four years and may be appointed to a second term. “It is a great honour and a pleasure for me to accept this position as Laurier’s chancellor,” Lee-Chin said. “I have been impressed by the university and by the track record and energy of its people. I look forward to doing whatever I can in my new role to help the university continue to build its reputation, differentiate itself from other universities, and do a great job of meeting students’ needs in the 21st century.” One of Canada’s most successful entrepreneurs, Lee-Chin has frequently been included on Forbes magazine’s annual list of billionaires. As a philanthropist, he has contributed to a wide range of causes, including his 2003 donation of $30 million to the Royal Ontario Museum for its renovation by architect Daniel Libeskind. Lee-Chin is chairman of Portland Holdings, a privately held investment company that owns businesses in the media, tourism, health care, telecommunications, financial services and other sectors. Portland manages the Advantage group of mutual funds for Manulife Financial, and is also owner of the National Commercial Bank of Jamaica, the country’s largest bank, with more than 2,400 employees. Born in Port Antonio, Jamaica in 1951, Lee-Chin worked in his youth in his stepfather’s grocery store and in the engine room of a cruise ship. He came to Canada at age 19 to study civil engineering at McMaster University on a scholarship. Lee-Chin came to prominence after purchasing mutual fund company AIC Limited in 1987 and developing it into the Berkshire group of companies, which ran a number of leading Canadian mutual funds, among other activities. Manulife Financial acquired Berkshire in 2007 in exchange for stock, making Portland one of Manulife’s largest shareholders. Lee-Chin has won numerous awards and honours for his business and philanthropic achievements, including the Order of Jamaica, Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year (services category), and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Youth Business Foundation. He holds several honorary degrees – including honorary doctor of laws degrees from Wilfrid Laurier University, McMaster University, and the University of Toronto – and sits on the board of the Trust for the Americas.
The Golden Hawk poses with students at the Laurier Brantford homecoming baseball double-header vs. the Guelph Gryphons, Sept. 24.
Rae surveys a century of Canadian politics Upcoming Events Book launch: I Remember Laurier: Reflections by Retirees on Life at WLU – Oct. 13, 4 p.m. Paul Martin Centre, Waterloo campus Gwynne Dyer, “A New Middle East” lecture – Oct. 13, 7:30 p.m. RAC West, Room 002, Brantford campus Sir Wilfrid Laurier Statue Unveiling Ceremony – Tuesday, Oct. 18, 1 p.m. Waterloo campus Amphitheatre
Turning the Page: centennial history book launch and visual identity unveiling – Friday, Oct. 21, 3 p.m., locations TBA Centennial Opera Gala – Friday, Oct. 28, 8 p.m. Knox Presbyterian Church, Waterloo Ahead by a Century: The Final Evening – Saturday, Oct. 29, 2:30 p.m. Bingemans Ballroom Sunday in the Hall with Jane – Sunday, Oct. 30, 2 p.m. Maureen Forrester Recital Hall, Waterloo campus
Photo: Mallory O’Brien
Jill Bolte Taylor Lecture – Tuesday, Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m. Communitech Hub, Kitchener
Bob Rae gave a public lecture as part of the centennial celebrations on Laurier’s Waterloo campus on Sept. 22.
One of Sir Wilfrid Laurier’s most important legacies as a politician was his ambitious vision of Canada’s potential as a country—a vision he acquired in part from his rival Sir John A. Macdonald, says Bob Rae, leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. “Macdonald had a big vision, a big sense of the country’s possibilities,” Rae said during a recent public lecture at the university’s Waterloo campus. “Laurier learned from MacDonald to see Canada’s potential as bigger, grander, bolder than the individual communities that made up the sum of the parts.”
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Reception held in honour of 100 Years of Research
Centennial
Re-Imagine Conference: The Role and Future of Universities in a Changing World – Thursday, Oct. 20, all day, Senate and Board Chambers
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Ontario Heritage Trust unveils centennial plaque
Photo: Jorj Takacs
NEWS
October 2011
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It is a vision of Canada that the country could use more of today, said Rae, observing that current forces seem to be driving apart different geographic regions, ethnic groups and religious communities rather than bringing them together. A former chancellor of Wilfrid Laurier University, Rae returned to campus Sept. 22 to deliver a public lecture as part of a series entitled “100 Years after Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier: Canada’s Political Landscape.” The series celebrates the university’s centennial in 2011 and the 100 years since Sir Wilfrid
ended his 15-year term as prime minister on Oct. 6, 1911. During Laurier’s time, Canada experienced rapid growth and dramatic change, much of which involved a growing tension between the country’s colonial ties to Great Britain and its burgeoning economic ties to the United States. What helped Laurier navigate these challenges, Rae said, was his keen understanding that foreign policy was an extension of domestic policy, and that government actions abroad had to be sensitive to public issues at home.
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October 2011
Scholars Commons a new academic resource for staff and students By Lori Chalmers Morrison Laurier has launched Scholars Commons @ Laurier – an online digital repository of academic work that serves as both a research tool and a showcase for faculty and graduate students. Scholars Commons provides free, public access to the intellectual, creative and academic work of the Laurier community, including graduate theses and dissertations, conference and symposium materials and online journals. “Digital repositories are designed to supplement, not replace, academic journals,” said Deborah MacLatchy, vice-president: academic. “By becoming part of Scholars Commons, faculty and graduate students’ academic work can become publicly available, which not only makes knowledge more accessible for students and community members conducting research, but also increases exposure for Laurier scholars and their research efforts.” Launched in September, Scholars Commons is a thirdparty hosted site, maintained by the Wilfrid Laurier University Library and WLU Press. The project received Strategic Investment Funding, and has ties to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, the Office of Research, the Office of the Vice-President Academic and the Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies.
Digital repositories are used by a large number of universities and colleges in the United States and Canada. In Ontario alone, McMaster University, Ryerson University and the University of Western Ontario all have digital repositories hosted by the Berkeley Electronic Press, the electronic publishing firm chosen for the Scholars Commons initiative. “Scholars Commons already contains over 1,200 existing documents from the Library’s archives, and we are working to make the Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies’ academic journal available electronically,” said Caitlin Bakker, digital content projects coordinator. “We will begin to request research from faculty members in November, which we expect to upload beginning in December.” Faculty members interested in submitting research before November are welcome to contact Bakker at cbakker@wlu. ca. Coinciding with Laurier’s centennial year, Scholars Commons will also feature archival issues of The Cord on the site, dating back to 1926. “Scholars Commons serves as a public gallery of Laurier’s academic work,” says Bakker. “Current and future researchers can now preserve, share and promote their work worldwide for years to come.” Authors will receive monthly download reports and a
permanent URL for each of their items featured in the repository, which can be included on CVs and blogs. Scholars Commons will also be fully searchable through search engines such as Google, and entries can include multimedia and supplemental data files. Beyond the benefits of promoting research through digital repositories, a growing number of funding agencies are adopting policies that require that research be publicly accessible. All graduate students in the departments of Biology and Chemistry must now submit their theses through Scholars Commons @ Laurier, with other departments and faculties expected to follow in the future. Ultimately, the electronic submission process will be less time consuming and less expensive for students and administrators than the current paper process, which requires students to pay for four bound printed copies of their theses or dissertation. Laurier’s library will work closely with researchers and academic journals regarding copyrights. Authors retain all rights to their work, which means that no transfer of copyright will occur by depositing research in Scholars Commons. For more information about the project, please contact Caitlin Bakker at cbakker@wlu.ca or visit http://scholars.wlu.ca.
Author Yvonne Shorter Brown coming to Laurier the British Commonwealth of Author, educator and social Nations. justice advocate Yvonne Shorter “Dr. Brown is able to skillfully Brown will be leading a public move between autobiographical lecture and reading from her narrative and historical context critically acclaimed memoir in a way that is very engaging,” Dead Woman Pickney: A Memoir said Duncan. of Childhood in Jamaica Oct. 31 at In addition to the public 4 p.m. in Laurier’s Senate and Board Chamber. Brown’s visit – organized by the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Education – comes as the United Nations marks 2011 as the International Year for People of African Descent. “This is an opportunity to honour the aims of that UN initiative and to open up a dialogue about how relevant her Yvonne Shorter Brown will visit Laurier on Oct. 31. story is today,” said Carol lecture and reading, Brown will Duncan, co-organizer of the visit Duncan’s class, Religion and event and an associate professor Culture of the African Diaspora, in the Department of Religious Nov. 1. She will also facilitate Studies. a workshop on autobiography, Dead Woman Pickney (WLU narrative and memoir for faculty Press 2010) is a coming-of-age members and graduate students story that takes place in Jamaica in the Faculty of Education and from 1943 to 1965. The author’s in graduate programs associated personal experiences parallel with the Faculty of Arts. the political stages of Jamaica’s “One’s autobiography is what transition from the richest so often dictates how we view Crown colony of Great Britain the world and can influence to an independent nation within 4
research, but it often goes unanalyzed,” said Kristiina Montero, co-organizer of the event and an assistant professor in the Faculty of Education. “Brown will provide a broader-lens view of education.” Brown is a retired public school teacher, university lecturer, researcher, writer, and social justice advocate. She recently completed a post-doctoral fellowship on “Slavery, Memory, Citizenship” at the Harriet Tubman Institute for Research on the Global Migration of African Peoples. Her research, writing and workshops deal with how the legacies of the transatlantic slave trade and plantation slavery on the continent of Africa and in its diasporas are remembered in various struggles for citizenship. The Oct. 31 event is free and open to the public. The Department of Religion and Culture, the Faculty of Education Dean Colleen Willard-Holt, the Office of the Dean of Arts and the Diversity Office are sponsoring this event.
Hawk bus gets a special cargo
Photos: Sandra Muir
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Laurier staff load up the Golden Hawk varsity bus Sept. 21 – the United Way’s Day of Caring and official campaign kick-off – with donations to the Food Bank of Waterloo Region. Laurier donated over 1,500 pounds of food to the cause.
What are What are you reading you reading
?
Name: Vanessa Parks Job Title: Publications Coordinator Book Title: The English Patient Artist: Michael Ondaatje
What are you What are you listening to? listening to?
I am currently re-reading one of my favourite books, The English Patient. It’s the story of a young woman, Hana, and the burn patient she’s caring for in an abandoned and dilapidated Italian villa near the end of the Second World War. I love the way Ondaatje strings together the distinct stories of the four main characters – Hana, the English patient, Caravaggio and Kip – in a fragmented but rich reflection on love, loss and belonging. I’m looking forward to breaking the spine on my copy of Ondaatje’s latest novel, The Cat’s Table.
What are What are you eating? you eating? Name: Becca Caroll Job Title: Dean of Students, Laurier Brantford Restaurant: Warmington’s Bistro Dish: asiago chicken wrap
Being new to Brantford, I asked people about great lunch spots near campus. Many students and staff were polled in my experiment, but it took a colleague’s warm welcome (Learning Services Centre Coordinator Jenna Olender) to introduce me to my favourite spot – Warmington’s Bistro. The asiago chicken wrap is delightful.
October 2011
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100 words for 100 years: Centennial drabble contest winners announced In spring 2011 Laurier launched the “100 Words” Centennial Drabble Contest to celebrate the university’s 100th anniversary. Participants were asked to write a fiction story exactly 100 words long that explored one of the following topics: “inspiration,” “leadership” or “purpose.” More than 200 entries from staff, faculty, students and community members were received. Associate English Professor Tamas Dobozy, Director: WLU Press Brian Henderson and Associate English Professor Tanis MacDonald judged the contest. The winners were announced this fall, and celebrated at an event Sept. 29. “We were pleased to discover the variety of approaches that writers took to the challenge of composing a drabble; the stringency of that hundredword limit forced the writers to sharpen their diction and focus their intent,” said MacDonald. “The entries explored a range of topics in each of the assigned categories, and the winners all showed their ability to adhere to form while demonstrating innovative or strikingly original use of language.” Including the winning drabbles, 48 entries were published in an official book available at the Laurier bookstores on the Waterloo and Brantford campuses.
campus decoder
“Leadership” category winner:
Leap of Faith
By Brian Gabriel Smith
Overall winner:
Piece
By Emily Bednarz
Get an idea. One of the most beautiful things I have ever seen: a van and SUV change lanes in tandem. A smooth transition, a sweep of motion across the highway. Things move together after all. Wednesday morning, the guts of a university – waste management workers bring coffee to each other, shining spring light. Library assistants shelve books only named by number, sullen grey clouds. Students of various hue and disposition trudge and stretch the campus, still in darkness, looking for daylight or sunset or raincloud or hurricane. Balancing along the ridgepole of the farmhouse, attempting to reach the weathervane.
“Inspiration” category winner: “Purpose” category winner:
Laurifer
Peach Tree
By Eileen Morouney
By Nicholas Dinka
How she dreaded the encounter. She’d endured 1,285 kilometres of trepidation accompanied by humming rubber. She would never be free of his relentless demands and threats – a meeting to negotiate, he’d said. Last week a process server had materialized with a gift from the Halls of Justice, resplendent with stamps, seals and fancy signatures. The crumbling front steps looked completely unchanged. A cold sweat broke as she rang the bell and listened. A rusty spade, jagged edges encrusted with dirt, was propped by the door. As it opened, she swung with all her might. The drive home would be better.
Got a question? Send it to ndinka@wlu.ca
people at Laurier
New Appointments Cindi Wieg senior administrative assistant, Department of History
Photo: Mallory O’Brien
Shannon Dub advisor, Service Laurier Robyn Cook communication coordinator, Toronto Office Dennis Karn custodian, Physical Resources Q: I often walk down Bricker Avenue and have always wondered about the house between Bricker Residence and the parking lot off Chancellor Drive. What’s the story? A: It’s easy to miss amidst academic and residence buildings, but the house at 46 Bricker Ave. remains the only non-university property on the Laurier block bordered by Bricker Avenue, Albert Street, University Avenue and King Street. Who lives in this residential oasis in the middle of campus? 46 Bricker Ave. is the home of Mary Jo Guy, a retired teacher originally from Wisconsin who also happens to be a former Waterloo College student. The house was purchased in 1952 by Mary Jo’s mother and stepfather, and became Mary Jo’s home as well in 1953 when she came to Waterloo to study for a year before moving to New York. Mary Jo recalls the laying of the Arts building cornerstone shortly after she arrived in Waterloo. “At
“Awrrright! Who’s with me?” One lemming cleared his throat. “Gee, Frank, it’s… pretty far down.” Frank pointed his tiny paw skyward. “You think that crow’s thinking, Boo-hoo, it’s so far down!” Heads shook, no. “Know why?” “Cos he’s a bird?” “But not a chicken!” Frank clarified. The troublemaker peeked over the edge. “It’s just… all those little carcasses down there.” Staring down the crowd, Frank spoke softly. “You wanna sit here forever overthinking this, fine! I’ll send you a postcard from the stars!” That pride felt while plunging earthward, surrounded by the others’ screams – it gave Frank wings. Metaphorically speaking, of course.
that time,” she notes, “the campus was just starting to expand, but we weren’t expecting the kind of growth that has happened since.” After nearly 40 years in the U.S., Mary Jo returned to Waterloo in 1990 following her mother’s death to reconnect with friends she’d met here while visiting. “I love being here,” she says, “and I love this house. I came back to be among friends.” And now she’s surrounded by them. Today, 46 Bricker is tucked neatly into the campus and across the street from a number of off-campus residences. “I live in a ghetto,” Mary Jo jokes, but the truth is, aside from occasional parking challenges, she likes her neighbourhood. She enjoys chatting with students and maintaining connections with the university community. Next time you’re walking by 46 Bricker Ave., stop in and introduce yourself. Mary Jo can tell you something about the history of the thriving campus that has grown up around her little home.
What are you watching?
Marc Bauer production cook, Food Services Megan Lott residence life facilitator, Residence Services Stefan Todoroff education technology administrator, Educational Technology Dara Pappas counselor, Brantford campus Tara Velanoff manager, Brantford Retail & Printing, Printing Services, Brantford campus
At roadside there stood a peach tree, and one fine summer day while cycling past he reached out to pluck ripe fruit from branch. Juices drabbling down his chin, he crested hilltop, one-handed. But he’d gained excessive speed, and missed a stop sign coming down, slick fingers slipping from the brake. When the paramedic bent to administer CPR, her eyes widened as she tasted nectar on his lips. The peach, half-eaten, landed roadside; picked clean by ants, it endured wind and snow, heat and cold, became a tree. On summer days its branches, laden with fruit, overhung the road, beckoning.
For a complete list of appointments visit www.wlu.ca/hr
Brent Carpenter project co-ordinator (Renovation and Construction), Physical Resources Aundrea Massengale custodian, Physical Resources Roopa Reddy external co-op coordinator, Co-op Office Janice Maarhuis designer II, CPAM Jocelyn Jacob supervisor, Stedman Bookstore, Brantford Jessica Buckle academic receptionist, Dean’s Office, Brantford Kirsten Pries administration assistant II, Sociology
Changes in staff appointments Victoria Bain RLAC, Residential Services Richard Brown admissions specialist II, Admissions & Recruitment
Carolyn Morrison technical support specialist, ITS Christina Kerr prospect researcher, Advancement Jordan Packham ESL facilitator, Brantford campus Mark Dettweiler director: Planning, Design & Construction, Physical Resources Ray Robichaud director, Business & Facility Operations, Physical Resources Steve Simone custodian, Physical Resources Denise MacDonald leadhand, Peters Tim Hortons, Food Services Irm Lorfing leadhand, Peters Tim Hortons, Food Services Carolyn Marchand FSA – catering, Food Services Ben Waite grill cook, Food Services
Michael Bittle administration assistant II, History Department
Catherine O’Brien welcome centre co-ordinator, Brantford campus
Malgorzata Zych FSA – Dining Hall, Food Services
Sandra Davidson director, Budgets and Business Office, Financial Resources
Janell McGill access services assistant, Library
Charlene Mark administrative assistant, Laurier International
Kristina Huff-Malecki academic programs assistant, Brantford Campus
Retirements
Joanne Baria-Lai co-op co-ordinator, Co-op Office Joey Clayfield production cook, Food Services
Megan Piticco co-ordinator: digital media hub, University Community Relations
Lynne Doyle senior administrative assistant, Department of History
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CAMPUS | COMMUNITY | CONNECTIONS
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October 2011
coffee with a co-worker Name: Tony Araujo Title: Director, Campus Operations at Laurier Brantford Where you can find him: The SC Johnson Building, Room 406 Drink of choice: I drink probably two to three cups a day of dark roast coffee with a splash of milk. How long have you been at Laurier: I joined Laurier on February 11, 2008.
A fan of do-it-yourself home renovation projects, Tony Araujo also enjoys both sailing and motorcycling.
What is your typical workday like? I start my day at around 7 a.m. – usually working at home first – and then I go to either the Brantford or Waterloo campus for meetings. I spend a fair bit of time travelling back and forth between both campuses to attend meetings, work on multicampus projects, and consult with Waterloo-based specialists. About 30 to 60 per cent of my workday is spent in various meetings. These meetings could be related to financial, administrative, or facility activities including capital planning and the growth of the campus. Campus growth is a priority right now, and I spend a lot of time looking at different kinds of properties that the university
Heard on Twitter Check out what the Laurier community has been tweeting about at twitter.com/lauriernews. Laurier also has official sites on Facebook at www.facebook. com/LaurierNow and YouTube at www.youtube.com/LaurierVideo.
@LaurierTO Very excited to welcome Katharine Schmidt from @foodbankscanada to the office! I will be tweeting during the event so stay tuned #nonprofit Sept. 21, 2011 @LaurierFootball The @CFL has named #LaurierFootball’s Shamawd Chambers the #2 prospect in their September rankings: bit.ly/lxnPV8 #OUA #CIS Sept. 19, 2011 @LaurierNews Are you in Laurier’s Faces of O-Week Facebook album? Check out the friendly faces of Laurier! on.fb.me/ oOzx5Z #Laurier #wluoweek Sept. 9, 2011 @CareerTips2Go Got quick & helpful service from Laurier Library in Brantford today. Thanks @LaurierNews Sept. 6, 2011 @MacBerry I was there RT @LaurierTO: RT @ LaurierNews: Today’s #Laurier100 fact – Neil Young performed at Laurier’s Theatre Auditorium October 29, 1973 Aug. 29, 2011
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might be interested in and how we might be able to use them. We may or may not buy those properties, depending on whether they fit the vision of the campus master plan. The rest of my time is spent managing financial and human resources operations, special constable services, and health and safety. I also spend a lot of time volunteering on a number of committees both internally and externally. I’m on the committee for the President’s Innovation Seed Fund, as well as Brantford’s Downtown Action Committee. What do you like to do in your spare time? One of my hobbies is renovation. I’m currently renovating my
coming Events
Music at Noon When: Nov. 17, 12 p.m. Where: Maureen Forrester Recital Hall, Waterloo campus Cost: Free Enjoy Marcus Scholtes, violin and piano, in this edition of the weekly Thursday concert series. Teaching and Technology Community of Practice When: Nov. 16, 10 a.m. Where: GSA Grad Lounge, Waterloo campus Cost: Free This community in practice is a forum where faculty and educators from multiple disciplines can come together to share experiences and lessons learned about how to engage and interact with technology in the classroom (or as the classroom). Contact Mary Neil at mneil@wlu.ca or visit http:// wluteachingandtechnology. wikispaces.com/ for more information. Physical activity discussion When: Nov. 16 12 p.m. Location: 111 Darling St., Brantford campus Cost: Free Join the Aboriginal Student Association and the Southern Ontario Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative (SOADI) as they discuss physical activity. Learn activity tips, some facts, and meet someone new. Contact Marnie Antoniow at mantoniow@wlu.ca for more information.
basement, which includes a recreation room, exercise area and a library. A passion of my entire family is book collecting. For me, I like anything from science fiction to “How To” books, and even a few ghost books. We’ve tried to pare down our collection but I would guess it’s in the 500-book range right now. I have tried reading books electronically, but it doesn’t have the same feel as picking up a great paper book, although it certainly would free up some space! Sailing is another passion in my family. We have a number of sailboats. They range in size, but most are small single-handed sail boats or ones that can handle five or six people. They are all primarily day sailors. We
belong to the Oxford Sailing Club in Woodstock, and we try to get out to events there at least a couple of times a month. What is something people would be surprised to learn about you? I like to ride motorcycles, generally sport bikes like Yamaha with 500 and 1,000 CC engines. My 25-year-old son also likes to drive bikes. My two daughters (aged 24 and 22) prefer to ride on the back, although my youngest daughter has been debating getting her license. In the early 1980s, I rode out to Winnipeg and back. That was probably the longest trip I’ve ever taken on a bike.
What do you like most about working at Laurier? What I think I like the most is the opportunity to get involved in so many different types of activities and projects. Laurier has an environment that welcomes participation. Working in the post-secondary sector is also very positive because it’s an environment that offers positive and life-changing activities for most people. What are your plans for the future? I’m currently working towards a master’s degree in Integrated Studies in Leadership. I think it will be a great addition to my business background. By Sandra Muir
For a complete list of events visit www.wlu.ca/events
Laurier Brantford Brown Bag Faculty Research Talk When: Nov. 22, 12 p.m. Location: CB 100, Brantford campus TK Cost: Free Kate Rossiter of the faculty of Health Studies gives a talk on using theatre to engage bioethical thinking. Contact Gary Warrick at gwarrick@wlu. ca for more information. Dr. Zhivago When: Nov. 24, 7 p.m. Where: BA 101, Waterloo Campus Cost: Free As part of its popular Free Film Series, the Department of English and Film Studies presents Dr. Zhivago. Organized around the theme “Cinema With a Social Conscience,” the ten films selected for this term emphasize social and political subjects that have shaped the distinctive spirit of particular times and places. Music at Noon When: Nov. 24, 12 p.m. Where: Maureen Forrester Recital Hall, Waterloo campus Cost: Free This edition of the free weekly concert series features Ton Beau String Quartet. Writing Circle When: Nov. 25, 11 a.m. Where: Hawk’s Nest, Waterloo campus Cost: Free
The writing circle is meant to provide a open forum where Laurier faculty and educators can come together from multiple disciplines to share experiences, best practices, and lessons learned about how to develop and integrate writing assignments into the learning environment. Contact Mary Neil at mneil@wlu.ca or visit http://wluwritingcircle. wikispaces.com/ for more information on the group. WLU Symphony Orchestra: NUMUS Series When: Nov. 26, 8 p.m. Where: Theatre Auditorium,
Waterloo campus Cost: $10 - $24 NUMUS, one of Canada’s foremost new music organizations, joins with the Wilfrid Laurier University Symphony Orchestra for a show that features a stellar collection of virtuoso instrumentalists performing major recent works for soloists with orchestra. Laurier GMAT Information Session When: Nov. 29, 12 p.m. Location: Laurier Toronto Office, The Exchange Tower | 130 King Street West, Toronto Cost: Free
In the media “In our modern age the distinction between war and peace has become a whole lot less clear. What is required is more candour from the politicians to the public. They have to say, ‘We are making this important move and it is an important commitment.’”
Roger Sarty
– Roger Sarty, Department of History From “There are reasons why Obama wanted to Sanitize Libya involvement,” published in the National Post on August 27, 2011. The article, by Charles Lewis, discusses Western countries’ use of euphemisms such as “operation” and “intervention” to describe the war in Libya. Laurier community members are frequently featured in the local and national media. To see more coverage, visit www.wlu.ca/Laurierin thenews, and find out about our Experts at Laurier program, visit www. wlu.ca/experts.
October 2011
CAMPUS | COMMUNITY | CONNECTIONS
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RESEARCH FILE
School of Business and Economics gets a brand-new chair Brad Davis studies brand communication, its effect on businesses and its evolutionary roots organization does reflects the brand. While we may never see a Nike “As a business, you can swoosh on a cave drawing or do a multi-million-dollar ad find a polo horse on a prehiscampaign and then as a client toric tunic, the need to identify you can call and get a real with a brand has a place in snotty receptionist and that ad evolution – and is one of several means nothing,” says Davis. areas of research that Brad “Consumers absorb all sorts of Davis will focus on in his new experiences and we read things role as Laurier’s inaugural chair and hear things and we create of Brand Communication. brand identities that way. So “So much of what we do as you have to be conscious of consumers is hard-wired into every single thing your organius,” says Davis. “Every culture zation does in terms of what we have ever examined through that says about who you are.” history has put intangible value When asked if there are on to material objects. Materiany brands that do really alism didn’t used to be a dirty well, Davis says there are a word. It was just the idea that few – Dove, Coke, Cirque du certain objects possessed special Soleil, Campbell’s, Nike…. meanings or conveyed a social unfortunately there aren’t many standing.” Canadian brands on the list. As humans have evolved “Most of the brands that are so has our connection to successful have been around brands, says Davis. In today’s for quite a while. They have a consumer culture where there real understanding of what their is even more choice, brands brand is and what it means to have become much more consumers, and they keep true important in defining who we to that,” Davis notes. are and what sort of different You also have to be consistent tribes we belong to. One test, about your brand. For example, he says, is to time how long it Nike is a lifestyle brand, which takes for someone to identify means it can put its swoosh with a brand in a conversation. on almost anything as long as Typically, it doesn’t take that they remain consistent with long. that lifestyle attitude. Virgin is “Brand possession is often also a brand that stands for an an expression of our social attitude or lifestyle, says Davis. standing and groups we belong In contrast, Roots, which is to, and those are elements of more closely tied specifically to society that have always been apparel, tried to brand hotels there in one form or another.” and airlines and consumers said The human connection to no. objects is not the only thing that “If you know who you are has evolved. Brand communithen you know how far you can cation is also still evolving, and go with this and what you stand Davis plans to help prepare for.” future leaders for what’s ahead. Surprisingly, studies suggest “We are seeing real technothe most powerful Canadian logical change. Passive commubrand is the Royal Canadian nications is gone,” he says. “If Mounted Police – and Davis we can produce students that says the lack of other strong understand that, then they can brands here is a problem. But lead change.” he plans to help change that. Davis, who has an MBA and Shortly after being named PhD in advertising, started out Canada’s first chair in Brand as an “advertising guy.” When Communication in the summer the traditional advertising of 2011, he began working on model began to die out in the plans for new undergraduate 1990s, there was a move toward and graduate curricula at integrated marketing commuLaurier that will combine theory nication (IMC), which was and practical experience. intended to be more strategic He will also continue to in perspective. He remembers watch the evolution of brand a pivotal moment at an IMC by staying connected to the conference in Denver in 1994 marketing community. He that opened up the idea of foresees big changes ahead. The brand communication. emergence of social networking “The essence of the discussion has killed passive communica[at the conference] was that IMC tions. Today, companies can had failed; that the industry had track customers much more really just seen IMC as consiseasily than in the past, and the tency across media. They still timeline is faster and much didn’t get the strategic part of it.” more condensed. Anyone who He says there was a lot of tries to apply the old model to discussion about what IMC new media won’t be able to should evolve into, and the compete. general consensus was that “Laurier has one of the brand communication was the strongest marketing faculties future. In contrast to IMC, brand among Canadian universities,” communication encompasses he says. “This gives us an all communication content and opportunity to be a flagship the idea that everything your brand ourselves.”
Photo: Sandra Muir
By Sandra Muir
Brad Davis, Laurier’s inaugural chair of Brand Communication, says that corporate brands taps into deep human instincts. “So much of what we do as consumers is hard-wired into us. Every culture we have ever examined through history has put intangible value on to material objects.”
Q&A: how branding works What is a brand? One quick definition is that it is the sum of a consumer’s experiences. So it’s not the Nike logo, it’s what you feel when you see the logo. It’s a much more complicated structure than just awareness of a trademark or logo. Why are brands important? Social networking gives consumers a voice they never had before. But even before social media there was this idea that physical changes to your product were not a sustainable competitive advantage. Innovation is too easy to copy. So you can get into this loop so that every six months you have to add an attribute and re-launch – or
you can understand that with a lot of these brands it’s more about the intangible appeal. How do brands evolve? Often you start on a physical level, building a product that solves a problem, and then you involve the intangibles around it. You have to satisfy the functionality of your product’s market, and you cannot overlook the quality aspect – but you also can’t underestimate the other side. It’s tangible plus intangible attributes that create strong brands. What makes a brand successful? Most of the brands that are successful have a real
understanding of what their brand is and what it means to consumers, and they keep true to that. If you know who you are, you know how far you can go. Otherwise it just looks like a cash grab and today’s consumers won’t accept blatant marketing hype. What is an obstacle to successful branding? There is pressure on managers to expand rapidly so they usually push brands too far, too fast. Consumers say, ‘Hey wait a minute,’ and then they start to pull themselves back. Brand extensions have almost as high a failure rate as a new product launch.
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CAMPUS | COMMUNITY | CONNECTIONS
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CAMPUS | CONNECTIONS | COMMUNITY
VOL. 1 | NO. 1 | APRIL 7,2008
October 2011
In the classroom
A look inside the lecture hall
Caring for communities Professor: Ginette Lafrenière Class: SK501 Community Interventions (master’s level) Description: This course provides an introduction to concepts, theories and methods associated with social work practice in communities.
Associate Professor Ginette Lafrenière says it’s important to be authentic when teaching graduate social work students and to encourage them to critically examine what is going on around them. “Social workers often contend with rigid and oppressive systems which may contradict the values of empowerment and mutual respect which are inherent in social work practice,” she says. “To understand the textured nature of social work, students are encouraged to work with seasoned social workers on a variety of projects.” Because they are based in Kitchener’s downtown core, students can work with agencies on a variety of community development projects regarding domestic violence, homelessness and poverty. Lafrenière hopes her students will not be afraid to speak up and dismantle unjust systems everywhere they go. “The future of social work depends on it,” she says. By Mallory O’Brien
Ginette Lafrenière (centre) emphasizes authenticity in her teaching, and encourages students to speak up when they encounter injustice.
Photo: Tomasz Adamski
Photos: Mallory O’Brien, Lori Chalmers Morrison and Lindsay Morris.
O yeah! Orientation week a centennial festival of silliness
This year’s Orientation Week, Sept. 5 to 10, greeted Laurier’s largest-ever incoming class of first years:
Phantoms and Gold Buccaneers for the title of loudest and most absurd posse on campus. Meanwhile,
nearly 4,000 on the Waterloo campus, and about 700 on the Brantford campus. Red Ninjas, Blue Bots, Green
Shinerama, founded by Laurier students 50 years ago this fall, raised $147,823.90 for cystic fibrosis.
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