November 2013 InsideLaurier

Laurier opens landmark research centreCentre for Cold Regions and Water Science home to scientists from across Canada

InsideWILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY Waterloo | Brantford | Kitchener | TorontoNOVEMBER 2013

7Julie Mueller studies how iPads can be used effectively in elementary school classrooms.

6Meet Valerie Clement, administrative assistant and power-lifting world record holder.

8Music instructor Christine Vlajk lets students choose their homework.

Laurier graduated more than 1,200 students at fall convocation in October and awarded honorary degrees to businesswoman Eileen Mercier, and medical doctor and writer Vincent Lam.

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By Mallory O’Brien

Last month, Laurier and partners celebrated the opening of the Centre for Cold Regions and Water Science, located on Laurier’s Waterloo campus. Research within the centre will involve scientists from across Canada, and will focus on some of the country’s most pressing questions about water and environmental issues in cold regions, with implications for policy development and resource management.

The opening began with a traditional Aboriginal welcome from Jean Becker, Laurier’s senior advisor: Aboriginal initiatives, followed by words from Max Blouw, Laurier’s president and vice-chancellor.

“It really is a special day, and I think by the buzz in this room everyone is excited to see the building come to completion,” said Blouw. “This will be the home of leading-edge research from scientists all across Canada and, in fact, internationally.”

The two-storey facility will house Laurier’s Canadian Aquatic Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Boreal Ecosystem Research (CALIBER); Laurier’s Cold Regions Research Centre (CRRC); and the Laurier Institute for Water Science (LIWS). It will also house the ecotoxicology activities of the Southern Ontario Water Consortium (SOWC), including equipment and labs, sample preparation and staging areas for mobile trailers.

The facility and the research it houses represent a partnership between Laurier, the Government of the Northwest Territories, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation, and SOWC.

Minister Michael Milten-berger of the Government of the Northwest Territories spoke about the partnership between the university and the territory.

“The relationship we have with Laurier is a very important one

to us,” said Miltenberger. “As an indication of how important … we have come 4,900 km to be here to share this moment with you.

“The physical structure is beautiful, but we are very, very interested in what’s going to happen in here when it’s operational. This building is

symbolic of the relationship we have, and the importance of the work you’re doing and going to continue to do.”

Peter Braid, MP for Kitchener-Waterloo, said the centre is integral to training the next generation of scientists.

“The construction of the Centre

for Cold Regions and Water Science would not have been possible without the cooperation of many partners, including the governments of the Northwest Territories and Ontario,” said Braid. “This new centre will

Water science see page 2

The opening of Laurier’s Centre for Cold Regions and Water Science included tours of the building that showcased some of its

many features, including four bio-chambers for plants and invertebrates, deep freezers and aquatic tanks.

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NOVEMBER 2013Inside

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Your university experience should be among the best years of your life. It is a time to meet new people, explore new ideas, discover yourself and experience new activities. You have youth and energy on your side and a world of possibilities ahead of you.

At the same time, there is no denying that earning a degree is both challenging and stressful. The workload is heavy, the financial costs are significant, and the expectations placed on students by loved ones and themselves can be overwhelming.

Indeed, the mental health of post-secondary students has attracted a lot of attention in recent years. A survey of 30,000 students conducted by the Canadian Organization of University and College Health found that nearly 90 per cent reported feeling overwhelmed, 50 per cent had feelings of hopelessness, 63 per cent reported feeling very lonely, and 9.5 per cent had seriously considered suicide in the past year.

These findings are disturbing. Clearly, the mental health of our students needs to be a high priority of post-secondary insti-tutions.

Laurier has long been committed to providing our students with exceptional academic and wellness support. I am proud to say that our staff, faculty, and students continue to be leaders in this area and are always looking for ways to enhance our support services.

Consider just a few of the developments that have taken place in the past year:• Laurier created the position

of Mental Health/Student Support Team Leader,

making Laurier one of the first Canadian universities to do so.

• The Laurier staff member who holds this position, Adrienne Luft, worked with students to create the Mental Health Education Group, which strives to increase discussion and awareness of mental well-being on our campuses.

• The university applied for and received a $40,000 grant from the Bell Let’s Talk Community Fund, which has been used to support mental health and awareness training for faculty, staff and students.

• The Office of the Vice-President, Student Affairs, facilitated an external review of “Student Wellness at Laurier” earlier this year. The report endorsed Laurier’s mental health strategic focus on policy, education, service, peer-to-peer engagement, and community outreach. The report also commended the wellness “circle-of-care” approach — combining health and counseling services — which exists

at the Brantford Campus, and it encouraged a similar approach at the Waterloo campus. Work is now under way to implement this new model in Waterloo as part of a larger-scale Student Wellness initiative.

• A First-Year Experience Task Force was struck last fall to recommend a more comprehensive institutional approach to all aspects of the first-year student experience at Laurier. The task force draft report is now being circulated for feedback.

• Student leaders recently created a Wellness Hub Facebook page to provide the Laurier community with a peer-driven resource space to obtain information, self-help options, and personal coping and success stories.

• Waterloo Lutheran Seminary recently opened The Delton Glebe Centre, a holistic creative counseling facility that serves the Laurier community as well as the surrounding community.

• Laurier’s Faculty of Education will soon offer teachers a post-degree

certificate program in mental health. The first of its kind in Canada, this professional development certificate will help teachers understand, identify and work with students with mental health issues.

As chair of the Council of Ontario Universities (COU), I should also mention the collab-orative work being done across the province. Of particular note is a new COU website, www.acces-siblecampus.ca, which provides practical resources to help faculty and staff accommodate accessible learning needs and to identify students in distress as the result of anxiety, stress and other mental health afflictions.

My thanks go out to all those who are committed to providing our students with the very best support and guidance they need to be successful in their university experience.

Max Blouw

Send us your news, events & stories

All submissions are appreciated, however not all submissions will be published. We reserve the right to edit all copy for accuracy, content and length.

Deadline for submissions: November 15

InsideLaurier

Volume 8, Number 3, November 2013

Editor: Stacey Morrison

Contributors: Tomasz Adamski, Lori Chalmers Morrison, Kevin Crowley, Elin Edwards, Jamie Howieson, Kevin Klein,

Sandra Muir, Mallory O’Brien, Amy Rook

Available online at www.wlu.ca/publicaffairs.

InsideLaurier is published by Communications, Public Affairs & Marketing (CPAM)

Wilfrid Laurier University 75 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5

InsideLaurier welcomes your comments and suggestions for stories.

Tel: (519) 884-0710 ext. 3341 | Fax: (519) 884-8848 Email: [email protected]

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Opinions expressed in InsideLaurier do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or the university’s administration.

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Next issue of

December 2013

Student mental-health support a priority for LaurierpRESIDENT’S mESSAgE

Email: [email protected]

InsideDec

Flu clinics start this monthLaurier Health Services is offering flu clinics for staff, faculty and students by appointment or on a walk-in basis on the Waterloo campus in November. Appointments are available Nov. 13, 14 and 22 between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. in the Student Health and Development Centre on the Waterloo campus. To book an appointment, visit www.wlu.ca/flushots.

Participants are asked to wear short-sleeves and bring a health or UHIP card. After receiving the injection, you will be required to wait in the centre for 15 minutes.

Staff and faculty on the Brantford campus can contact the Student Wellness Centre at ext. 5803 to book an appointment.

Water science continued

integrate the expertise of the university’s research groups and centres already studying various aspects of water management, and it will improve our understanding and preservation of the Canadian boreal forest as one of the largest natural sources of freshwater in the world.”

After the opening speeches, an art installation by Patrick Mahon was unveiled. His work, titled Water Movements/Multiple States, was produced specifically for the Centre for Cold Regions and Water Science building. Mahon utilized layers of semi-transparent coloured resin on plexiglass, as well as frosting techniques that modulate the clarity of the surfaces, to develop an arrangement of fluid forms that emphasize mobility and change. The piece emphasizes physical change as

a constant, inferring the impor-tance of attempts to know and control a fluid that is central to human and planetary life, while also acknowledging it as both vulnerable and uncontrollable.

The event ended with a ribbon-cutting ceremony,

followed by tours of the building that showcased some of its many features, including four bio-chambers for plants and invertebrates, deep freezers (capable of temperatures as low as

-80°C) and aquatic tanks.

An art installation by Patrick Mahon created for the building is unveilled.

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Laurier President Max Blouw addresses the audience at the pinnacle of a stu-dent’s academic journey: convocation.

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NOVEMBER 2013

Laurier student breaks Rubik’s Cube recordTo Eric Limeback, it really is hip to be square. The third-year business student twisted his way into the record books in October by solving a Rubik’s Cube 5,800 times in 24 hours. The previous record was 4,786 cubes solved.

The challenge began at noon Oct. 3 in the Fred Nichols Campus Centre Concourse on Laurier’s Waterloo campus and concluded 24 hours later.

Limeback, a world-class Rubik’s Cube competitor who has broken eight different national records since he began competing at the age of 14, used up to 10 different Rubik’s Cubes in his successful attempt. A team of volunteers scrambled the cubes in different configurations following randomly generated algorithms to ensure no two cubes were alike.

Limeback is currently ranked first in Canada for solving the Rubik’s Cube blindfolded in 38 seconds. He has made appearances on CTV’s Canada AM, The Oprah Winfrey Show and Daily Planet and has been featured in several national newspapers.

Laurier receives $1-million gift for startup fundLaurier recently announced a $1-million gift from Michael and Hennie Stork in support of a new Laurier Startup Fund. The announcement took place at an event showcasing the ideas and

projects of Laurier’s undergraduate Innovation + Entrepreneurship program.

“The Laurier Startup Fund will have an important impact on our ability to create a new generation of business leaders with a track record of successful investments in early start-ups, even before they graduate,” said Micheál Kelly, dean of Laurier’s School of Business & Economics.

Supported by a professional advisory board, the student-run fund will invest in entrepreneurial activity within Waterloo Region. The fund will operate through a practicum course, under the supervision of Laurier professor Brian Smith, who holds the newly announced BMO Professorship in Entrepreneurial Finance.

Michael Stork said the decision to invest in the Laurier Startup Fund was based on the belief that the surge in innovative technology

breakthroughs within Waterloo Region must be partnered with highly skilled business management.

“The purpose of this investment is to provide a living-lab environment at Laurier where qualified business students will learn to make investment recom-mendations on real, early-stage companies in Waterloo Region,” said Stork. “The students will learn to perform due diligence and other related business analysis as they make their recommendations.

penderecki String Quartet performs for namesakeWilfrid Laurier University’s ensemble-in-residence, the Penderecki String Quartet (PSQ), performed in New York City last month as part of an 80th birthday concert for Polish composer/conductor Krzysztof Penderecki, whom the quartet is named after.

The concert took place in New York’s Symphony Space and featured the PSQ performing the composer’s third string quartet, titled Leaves of an Unwritten Diary (2009). The PSQ worked closely with Penderecki as they prepared his Quartet No. 3 prior to the New York concert.

“It has been many years since we’ve worked with Maestro Penderecki,” said Jerzy Kaplanek, long-standing PSQ violinist.

“The opportunity to be directly connected to his new quartet by working with him in person is a big honour, and gives us an important place in the legacy of this great composer.”

Regarded as Poland’s greatest living composer, Penderecki’s works include several operas, symphonies and other orchestral pieces among others. He was won many awards, including three Grammy Awards.

The PSQ will also bring Penderecki’s birthday celebration to Waterloo, performing String Quartet No. 3 on Nov. 7 for Laurier’s noon-hour concert series.

Alumni’s $1.5-million gift will fund research on military historyBrad Dunkley (BBA ’98), co-founder of Waratah Advisors, and Sara Dunkley (BBA ’99), president of Stellar Outdoor Advertising, recently provided the Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies with a gift of $1.5 million. The gift, made

through the Dunkley Charitable Foundation, will fund the Dunkley Chair in War and the Canadian Experience.

“We believe that researching and teaching Canada’s military history is important,” said Brad Dunkley.

“Nearly 115,000 Canadians have lost their lives while in service for our country. Telling our veterans’ stories, learning the lessons of war, and understanding how soldiers, their families and our society have been affected by war, is one way to honour those who have given us so much.”

Laurier a finalist in Canada’s passion Capitalist awardsWilfrid Laurier University has been named a finalist for the second year in a row in a national awards program that honours “passion capital” — the energy, intensity, values and culture that help organi-zations achieve long-term success.

Canada’s Passion Capitalists is an awards program based on a book by Paul Alofs called Passion Capital. The awards recognize and celebrate organizations that achieve enduring success by fostering “passion capital” — the energy, intensity, and sustain-ability needed to generate superior results.

Representatives from the university attended a reception in Toronto Oct. 21 where Laurier received a certificate of recog-nition. National winners will be announced Nov. 11.

NEWS What’s new and notable at Laurier

Student Eric Limeback breaks a world record by solving a Rubik’s Cube 5,800 times in 24 hours on Laurier’s Waterloo campus.

Faculty invited to Inspired Change Summit at Laurier

Academic conference attracts nearly 500 scholars and studentsBy Mallory O’Brien

Nearly 500 scholars and students from across North America and throughout the world descended on Laurier’s Waterloo campus for the 2013 Peace and Justice Studies Association (PJSA) conference, hosted in partnership with Conrad Grebel University College.

The conference, which took place Oct. 17-19, consisted of three parts: a main academic conference on peace and justice; a Teacher’s Professional Development Strand organized by Laurier’s Faculty of Education for Kindergarten to grade 12 teachers; and a parallel conference for undergraduate and grade 11 and 12 students.

The Teachers’ Development Strand was a new aspect of the conference that utilized the expertise of Laurier’s Faculty of Education. The strand addressed themes related to peace and conflict resolution within the classroom, as well as teaching global peace and conflict to children in the K-12 setting.

The undergraduate student conference was large enough for students to learn from each other while having access to the top scholars from the academic conference. In addition to being able to attend the five academic plenary addresses, students had five plenary addresses tailored to

the youth perspective on peace and justice. The student plenaries included a performance by Emmanuel Jal, a hip-hop artist and former child soldier.

Additionally, many of Laurier’s Global Studies students had assign-ments attached to panel discus-sions, which they attended and responded to in writing. Edmund Pries, assistant professor of Global Studies and chair of the PJSA 2013 Host Steering Committee, said these assignments not only exposed students to new, creative thoughts, but also these students ended up contributing a great deal to the involvement of all students at the conference.

Altogether, there were almost 250 academic presentations during

the conference. Among the many notable keynote speakers, Idle No More cofounder Sylvia McAdams’ session on Aboriginal justice inspired conference goers to attend an impromptu Idle No More rally at Waterloo Town Square, led by Laurier’s Aboriginal Student Centre. McAdams explored a brief history of Aboriginal oppression and resis-tance in Canada during her talk.

McAdams’ speech began with a performance by Laurier drummers and singers, and each plenary session at the conference also began with a short piece of music by musicians from Laurier’s Faculty of Music and Conrad Grebel University College.

The conference’s music theme continued with an end-conference performance of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem at the Centre in the Square by the Grand Philharmonic Choir and Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony with choirs from Laurier and the University of Waterloo.

“Linking an academic event to a community event worked excep-tionally well, and what was most exciting for me was the teamwork at Laurier and Conrad Grebel,” said Pries. “All the different groups at Laurier were incredibly supportive and the response of conference goers to our facilities, students, staff and faculty was extremely positive — that was really gratifying.”

Sylvia McAdam, co-founder of Idle-NoMore, was welcomed to the PJSA conference by drummers and singers.

By Mallory O’Brien

Wilfrid Laurier University’s Office of the Vice-President: Academic & Provost, in collaboration with the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC), will host the Inspired Change Summit: Innovation in University-Community Enterprises Nov. 20, for Laurier faculty members.

The summit, which is part of AUCC’s Open Doors, Open Knowledge: Community-University Engagement initiative, will highlight models of university-community-enterprise partnerships. Through engaged dialogue, the one-day summit will raise the profile of social entrepreneurship, the creative economy and innovation in the arts, humanities, music and social sciences — including social work — at Laurier.

“Laurier was chosen by AUCC to host this showcase event because of our exceptional community engagement,” said Deb MacLatchy, vice-president: academic and provost. “All faculty members are invited to attend and discover how to bring community-university engagement to an even higher level through entrepreneurial approaches.”

The day will include a keynote from Jonathan Isham, faculty director of the Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and professor of

Economics, Middlebury College, who will discuss how to teach social entrepreneurship, two panel discus-sions and a social hour with a poster session. Attendees can also sign up for two of four seminars: • “Social Work, Social Entrepre-

neurship and Social Change: Lucrative Pragmatism in University-Community Collab-oration,” presented by Ginette Lafrenière, director, Social Innovation Research Group (SIRG), and director, Manulife Centre for Healthy Living.

• “Laurier LaunchPad: Model for Social Enterprise Creation,” presented by Steve Farlow, executive director, Schlegel Centre for Entrepreneurship.

• “I owe everything to my bassoon teacher,” presented by Glen Carruthers, dean; Peter Hatch, professor; and Lee Willingham, professor, Faculty of Music.

• “Brantford 2.0: Hacking the Operating Systems of Cities,” presented by Kevin Magee, Citizen Magee, Brantford, Ontario.

The event runs from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Senate & Board Chamber and the Paul Martin Centre at Laurier’s Waterloo campus.

For the full schedule of events, visit wlu.ca/inspiredchangesummit. Registration is required, and can be completed at inspiredchange-summit.eventbrite.ca.

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Name: Emily Lowther Job Title: Designer, CPAM Restaurant: PUBLIC Kitchen & Bar, Kitchener

Open Wednesday through Sundays, PUBLIC features a Tapas menu (or ‘small plate’ dishes) intended for sharing. On my last visit, dining with a group of four allowed us to sample a wide variety of dishes from the ever-changing menu. That evening we noshed on warmed olives, pork belly and the incredible Patatas Bravas — herbed spicy fried potatoes served with an amazing mayo dipping sauce. For a memorable meal that will make your mouth water, get to PUBLIC!

Name: Ravi Gokani Job Title: Coordinator, Community Service- Learning, Brantford Book Title:Late Victorian Holocausts: En Nino Famines and the Making of the Third World Author: Mike Davis

This book informed me about how the British Empire, in control of the Indian subcontinent, instituted and enforced policies that protected England’s market and preference for foods during the 19th-century En Nino famines in India. These famines contributed to the deaths of 12 to 29 million people in India over two famine periods of three and six years. This book is a great source for anyone interested in colonial and imperial history, and the making of the Third World.

Training and assistance available to complete IpRm evaluation templates

Construction begins on new Digital Library and Learning Commons in BrantfordBy Kevin Klein

Construction on a new Digital Library and Learning Commons (DLLC) commenced Oct. 16 on Laurier’s Brantford campus.

The new space, which is located on the lower level of Grand River Hall, will include student study and group-work areas, a service desk for research questions, computer work stations, on-site offices for Laurier Brantford librarians, and other features designed to facilitate student success.

Laurier Brantford’s physical

library collections will remain housed at the Brantford Public Library following the opening of the new space.

“We are thrilled to be moving forward with this important project for the Brantford campus,” said Gohar Ashoughian, Laurier’s university librarian. “The new Library space at Brantford will have a major positive impact on our ability to support the schol-arship of Laurier students and faculty. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our friends at the Brantford Public

Library for their continued active partnership.”

The current timeline for DLLC project calls for work on the new space to be completed by December 2013, with full occupancy scheduled for January 2014. Where possible, work on the space will be completed during off-hours to minimize disruptions to classes and faculty office hours.

The creation of a full academic library on the Brantford campus remains a priority as the campus continues to grow, as outlined in the master plan.

What are you eating?

By Mallory O’Brien

Wilfrid Laurier University’s Residence Learning Communities (RLCs) bring together students with similar academic interests to stimulate learning outside the classroom. This year, Laurier has 14 RLCs with interests ranging from departments such as French and History to themes such as Songwriters and Women in Science. In addition to supporting Laurier’s integrated and engaged learning mandate, RLCs are now bridging the gap between students and faculty members, with nearly 30 professors visiting RLCs this semester.

“The intent is to create an out-of-class connection between first-year students and faculty members,” said Dave Shorey, associate director

of residence education. “I think that first-year students are often hesitant to approach professors, even though they hold office hours and invite students to meet before or after class. There is still a perceived barrier, and having a faculty member come into a residence is a way to help break down that barrier.”

Faculty members who visit RLCs talk to students about their personal histories and research, exam preparation and how to be a successful student. They will also accompany students to special events on campus.

For example, Assistant Professor of French Jane Newland visits the RLC La Maison Française almost every week, welcoming students to the discipline, cooking French foods such as crêpes and

conducting a reading group. Assistant Professor Laura Allan and Associate Professor Sofy Carayannopoulos from the School of Business and Economics have visited the business RLC to speak to students about how their first year at Laurier translates to success in upper years. Assistant Professor of Sociology Linda Quirke has helped students look at sociology from a practical, application-based lens by conducting activities in residence.

“This connection helps students’ performance in the discipline they are in, and encourages them to engage with faculty more regularly. We hope that we can help first year students discover their passion by connecting their curricular and co-curricular experiences,” said Shorey.

Residence Learning Communities connect students and faculty

By Mallory O’Brien

Laurier began a process in late 2012 to develop a new institutional website that will feature state-of-the-art functionality and a fresh design that provides information, reflects Laurier’s visual identity and tells the Laurier story of inspiring lives of leadership and purpose.

The university engaged a web-strategy firm for the consul-tation/research phase of the website renewal project, during which widespread consultation occurred with members of the university community. This feedback, together with analysis of other institutions’ activities and industry best practices, informed the development of a recom-mended web strategy.

Laurier then established Content Management System (CMS) requirements based on the web strategy document, stakeholder interviews, research, discussion and prioritization of CMS require-ments. After reviewing proposals from a shortlist of companies, the university selected the Cascade

CMS by provider Hannon Hill.The CMS is the framework of the website and the system that admin-istrators will use to upload content.

With the underlying framework determined, Laurier is now seeking a firm to bring the public face of the website to life: a strategic consulting contractor with extensive marketing and communications experience and a high profile in higher education. This firm will complete a full website redesign that includes CMS implementation. Once the firm has been selected, the second phase of the website renewal process — the development of the new Laurier website — will begin, and timelines will be set and communicated.

An important part of the second phase is a content audit. Working with the website team, depart-ments and faculties at Laurier will be asked to create an inventory and evaluate existing content as well as determine what additional content needs to be generated.

Visit www.wlu.ca/webreview for future updates.

Search underway for developer to create Laurier’s new website

By Lori Chalmers Morrison

The Integrated Planning and Resource Management (IPRM) process will answer the funda-mental question, “How will we continue to make Laurier a better institution?” by identifying the key principles and priorities that are essential to Laurier’s future, and then putting resources toward those priorities.

Templates have been designed to gather a mix of qualitative and quantitative information about each academic program and each administrative program based on the evaluation criteria that were established during the summer.

The templates have been pilot tested and are being issued to program areas in a staged distri-bution beginning in November. Templates will be pre-populated where appropriate with data from a common data set compiled by the Office of Institutional Research.

“The pilot testing results have been very helpful in enabling us to refine the templates and

to create rubrics that will help both the people filling out the templates and the teams evalu-ating the templates,” said Kim Morouney, Planning Task Force (PTF) co-chair. “The structured nature of the data collection process, the reporting process and the evaluation process ensure that no program has an advantage over another.”

Training sessions will be available to assist with the interpretation of the common data set, to offer instructions on completing the templates, and to answer frequently asked questions.

The goal of the PTF during the prioritization phase is to maintain the open and transparent nature of the IPRM process, and to provide as much information and assistance as possible to those filling out the templates.

“We strongly encourage people to take part in the training, to ask questions and to set aside enough time to work on the templates,” said Mary-Louise Byrne, PTF co-chair. “It’s also important

to think about the people that you’ll need to collaborate with to answer specific questions and to ensure the broadest possible input. It’s definitely not something that should be completed in isolation.”

The Academic Priorities Team and the Administrative Priorities Team will evaluate the completed templates as they are submitted. Once their evaluations are complete, the teams will submit recommendation reports to the PTF for review and evaluation. The target for completion is late spring/summer 2014.

The templates, glossary of terms, evaluation rubrics, criteria, PTF co-chair videos and other information will be made available on the IPRM website. Answers to frequently asked questions will be posted to the website, and questions are encouraged through [email protected].

For specific information and ongoing updates about the priori-tization templates or resource management process, please visit www.wlu.ca/IPRM or email [email protected].

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NOVEMBER 2013

For a complete list of appointments visit www.wlu.ca/hrpEopLE AT LAURIER

Bake contests kick off United Way campaign

New appointments:

Kaitlyn Ammerman, academic program assistant, Dean’s Office(Brantford campus).

Claire D’Alton, administrative assistant/receptionist, Laurier International (Waterloo campus).

Kim Elworthy, development, communications and design specialist, DAR (Waterloo campus).

Chris Kelly, senior project lead, ITS (Waterloo campus).

Jackie Leach, scholarships and awards administrator, Student Awards (Waterloo campus).

Carlton Li, financial analyst (Arts/Library), Financial Resources (Waterloo campus).

Ipek Nur, ITS program assistant, ITS (Waterloo campus).

Fred Verboom, manager, administrative information systems, ITS (Waterloo campus).

Changes in staff appointments: Sarah Baker, administrative assistant, Dean’s Office (Brantford campus).

Jessica Buckle, administrative assistant to the dean, Faculty

Liberal Arts (Brantford campus).

Lori Chalmers Morrison, acting director, CPAM (Waterloo campus).

Valerie Clement, administrative assistant, CAU (Brantford campus).

Kevin Crowley, acting AVP, CPAM (Waterloo campus).

Lori Lougheed, international applicant relations coordinator, Recruitment & Admissions (Waterloo campus).

Janice Maarhuis, manager, Creative Services, CPAM (Waterloo campus).

Teaching Support Services is accepting nominations from the Laurier community for the Award for Teaching Excellence and the Teaching Assistant Award of Excellence.

The Award for Teaching Excel-lence recognizes one full-time faculty member and one contract academic staff member who excel in teaching. Recipients will receive a certificate, a permanent notation in the university calendar and a spot in Laurier’s Teaching Hall of Fame.

Nominations are due to the Faculty/School dean by Jan. 15, 2014, and to the Office of Educa-

tional Development by Feb. 1, 2014.The Teaching Assistant Award

of Excellence recognizes the outstanding achievement of one undergraduate and one graduate teaching/instructional assistant at Laurier.

Recipients will receive a $500 scholarship, a spot in Laurier’s Teaching Hall of Fame and a framed certificate at convocation, at which time a citation will be read. Nominations are due March 1, 2014.

For eligibility requirements and further information about both awards, visit www.wlu.ca/edev/awards and choose Institutional Awards from the left-hand menu.

Nominations being accepted for Laurier teaching awards

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Laurier’s Waterloo and Brantford campuses kicked off United Way campaigns in October with baking contests. In Brantford, contestants faced off for the prize of most delicious treat to raise awareness of the campaign. In Waterloo, a baking competition raised more than $2,500 for the charity.

Laurier employees Rebecca Barnes (left) and Sarah Lamb (right) were among a group of 15 staff members helping out at the Brantford Food Bank in October. They were volunteering as part of the first United Way Day of Caring, hosted by the university’s Brantford campus.

United Way Day of Caring

men’s varsity baseball wins first oUA titleBy Jamie Howieson

The Golden Hawks men’s baseball team captured its first Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championship banner in October, defeating the Brock Badgers 5-3 in the championship game at Hastings Stadium in Guelph.

The team, which was led by its pitching staff all year long, once again got a strong performance from the group. Starter Ian Filion, and relievers Andrew Ziedens and Mitchell Clarke, combined to allow just four hits while striking out six to guide the team to victory.

“It’s been a long time coming for us,” said Scott Ballantyne, head coach, after receiving a traditional Powerade shower from his team.

“I’ve been around this program for 15 years. This has been a really great team. This was a really great season. And this weekend we showed we were the best team.”

In a rematch of the opening round of the championship, it was the Badgers who got off to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning.

The Hawks responded with an RBI double to cut the lead to one. The Hawks took a 5-3 lead in the fourth and held it for the rest of the game, thanks to solid pitching.

With the win, the Golden Hawks advanced to the OUA/OCAA championship.

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CoFFEE WITh A Co-WoRkER

How long have you been at Laurier? I’ve been at Laurier Brantford since August 2012. I started as an academic program assistant in English and History, and started in this new role in September of this year. I was a student at the Waterloo campus from 2004-2008, and graduated with an Honours History degree.

What is your typical workday like?Because my position is so new, there really isn’t a typical work day. It is exciting because there is no standard schedule where first I do this, and then I do that. Right now, I come in and play it by ear. I’m working on meeting agendas, minutes,

setting up a filing system for the office, and working on projects as they come up. We’re really trying to see what my role is. But one thing I do every day is have chocolate at 2 p.m.!

What do you like to do in your spare time? I do a lot of crafts — I sew, knit, and cook. I actually make all my dog’s food at home, including fermented vegetables and meat patties. I make everything from scratch. I’m a modern day Martha Stewart!

What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?I’m a competitive power lifter, personal

trainer and power-lifting coach at STG Power and Strength in St. George, Ont. I’m the kind of person who likes to challenge myself to do something new, and lifting was something I never would have considered. My team has set over 50 world records in four organiza-tions, of which five are mine (the 88-lb bench press, 250-lb deadlift, 145-lb squat, 483-lb total lift and 250-lb deadlift only, all completed at age 24 in the 60-kg weight class). Since I competed, I have hit a double-bodyweight deadlift and have significantly improved my bench press and squat, which is awesome. Rogers Television also films in the gym, and my partner is the host and I’m a model for the exercises.

What do you like most about working at Laurier: Laurier has a great environment. It is a real family environment, which is nice. Everyone goes out of their way to help you be successful. And as an alumna, it is interesting to see what happens behind the scenes of the education you’re receiving.

What are your plans for the future?I’m not a big planner. Whatever makes me happy and successful, I go with. I’m much more of a wait-and-see-what-happens kind of person.

By Kevin Klein

A look at staff and faculty across campus

Name: Valerie Clement

Title: Administrative Assistant to the Central Academic Unit

Where you can find her: St. Andrew’s Community Centre, STA 300, Brantford campus.

Drink of choice: Hot chocolate.

ComINg EVENTS For a complete list of events visit www.wlu.ca/events

Check out what the Laurier community has been tweeting about at twitter.com/lauri-ernews. Laurier also has official sites on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Lauri-erNow and YouTube at www.youtube.com/LaurierVideo.

@THEMUSEUM – Oct. 23 #WaterDialogues, presented by @LaurierNews, continues this weekend with 4 speakers local water issues ow.ly/q6zfw ( http://t.co/9Jcep7LIfv ) @OntUniv – Oct. 22

“Flipped classrooms” redefining professor-student relation-ship, improving class experi-ence @LaurierNews @uofg bit.ly/16qtNrW ( http://t.co/2i6hbjeRGY ) @GE_Canada – Oct. 22 #Laurier’s Centre for Cold Regions & Water Science will advance research excellence #innovation (cc: @Lauri-erNews) invent.ge/1d3OGvg ( http://t.co/DMhyFhrMwT ) @brantunitedway – Oct. 17 RT @LaurierNews: @United-WayCanada Thanks for your tweet! The bake sales at the Waterloo and Brantford cam-puses went really well! @craignorriscbc – Oct. 18 Launched by @LaurierNews prof, +150 smartphones have been distributed in Haiti. 640, @BlackBerry’s Rob McBride tells us how it’s going. #kw

Water & Tower Allegory by Patrick MahonWhen: Until Dec. 7Where: Robert Langen Art Gallery, Waterloo campusCost: Free

This exhibit is an exploration into architectural forms, decorative and analytical patterns, and built structures to reference the human connection to shifting environmental condi-tions. Artist Mahon has created inventive works where solids and liquids intersect to produce provocative forms.

Bargain Book SaleWhen: Nov. 12 – 148 a.m. – 8 p.m. (Nov. 12 & 13) and 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Nov. 14)Where: Concourse, Waterloo campus

This Bookstore sale offers up to 75 per cent off and faculty receive an additional 10 per cent discount.

Risky Retirement and the Role of Public PolicyWhen: Nov. 13Noon – 1 p.m.Where: Kitchener Public Library, Forest Heights BranchCost: Free

Lecturer Tammy Schirle from Laurier’s School of Business and Economics, will be the guest speaker at this lecture at the Kitchener Public Library.

Laurier Milton Lecture Series: Superhero Comics and Why We Should Care About ThemWhen: Nov. 137 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.Where: Milton Centre for the Arts, MiltonCost: Free

This talk by Cindy McMann from the Department of English and Film Studies will explore the political dimension of superhero comics: how comic books invite us to identify with their values, how the “superhero” changes the way we perceive ourselves and our worlds, and how their ethics can work to support or undermine the political ideologies of our day.

Elder’s Teaching SeriesWhen: Nov. 2010 a.m. – noonWhere: Aboriginal Student Centre, 187 Albert St., Waterloo campusCost: Free

Gale Cyr, an Anishinaabe kwe (Algonquin woman) and member of Timiskaming Band will be the guest speaker. She has many years of experience in the field of Indig-enous social work practice, and is a storyteller. Participants will learn about her wholistic healing practice.

Laurier Women’s MBA Studio PanelWhen: Nov. 215:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.Where: Verity, Queen Richmond Place, 111 Queen St., E. TorontoCost: Free

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Administrative assistant Valerie Clement at her desk at the Brantford campus, and with a medal at a power-lifting competition.

A panel of some of Laurier’s top female MBA alumnae will discuss their career goals and successes, and how they completed their MBA degrees, while balancing their family and professional lives. Seating is limited. You can preregister by contacting Maureen Ferraro at [email protected].

The Aquatic Invasion: Canada-U.S. Environmental Cooper-ation in the Great LakesWhen: Nov. 27Noon – 1 p.m.Where: Kitchener Public Library, Forest Heights Branch

Cost: FreeDebora Van Nijnatten from Laurier’s Department of Political Science, will be the guest speaker at this lecture at the Kitchener Public Library.

Music at NoonWhen: Nov. 28Noon – 1 p.m.Where: Maureen Forrester Recital Hall, Waterloo campusCost: Free

Bring your lunch and enjoy the music of Krisztina Szabo, mezzo-soprano and Anna Ronai, piano.

Inside

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NOVEMBER 2013

By Elin Edwards

Baby bottles, water bottles and plastic food containers are often, to our relief, labelled “BPA free.” In the past several years, debates over the safety of bisphenol A (BPA) have continued and countries have either banned the substance outright or specifically for use by infants and children. Simon Kiss, assistant professor of journalism at Laurier’s Brantford campus, was intrigued by how BPA became such a hot-button issue, especially in Canada.

Initially, Kiss was interested in the way Canadian media covered the BPA controversy more intensely than the United States and other countries. One Canadian reporter had called attention to the risks after inter-viewing a number of scientists, beginning a wave of media coverage “exposing the risk” of BPA in baby bottles.

In response, Kiss looked at several research studies that weren’t very robust in estab-lishing BPA’s harm at current levels of exposure. Moreover he found that most regulatory agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration, the World Health Organization and the European Food and Safety Authority, as well as most toxicologists are not convinced there is a threat to human health.

“I read way more toxicology than any political scientist ever should,” said Kiss.

He wasn’t persuaded that BPA posed a serious risk. The question remained of why, then, did Canadian media coverage identify BPA as a “pressing concern to human health?”

“This got me interested in why there are fears,” he said. “Why are people afraid of truly minute levels of chemicals?” His investi-gation led him to the larger field of the politics of risk and risk

perception, looking in a broader way at why some things seem to be risks while others are not. He sees a “total mismatch between what are actually risks and what are seen as risks in public and political discourse.”

Kiss has formed the general conclusion that a person’s perception of risk is first and foremost an experience of underlying ideology.

According to his research, Kiss says we construct the particular

“risks” we identify based on our vision of society. For example, if we choose to value an egalitarian society, with less technological intervention in the natural world, we are likely to see risk in chemical products that are part of that intervention. But if we choose to value a more tradi-tional, hierarchically structured society, we will see risks from crime, gay marriage or technol-ogies that undermine traditional roles. The crucial thing for Kiss, however, is that people first choose a vision of the good society and risks are constructed that flow from that commitment.

Kiss now has a Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Insight Development Grant to develop a survey structure that asks questions sensitive to the Canadian cultural context.

Canadians and Americans have different political cultures. Canadian culture may not be as

simple and may be more multi-dimensional. Collaborating with Andrea Perrella, associate professor of political science at Laurier, two researchers from the University of New Brunswick, and Yale University Professor Dan Kahan, the researchers are using focus groups to develop made-in-Canada survey questions to look at correlations between culture and risk perception.

The ultimate results of their research “could help us explain why some people see risks and others don’t, regardless of logic, scientific evidence, and personal experience,” said Kiss.

In the larger arena, the researchers are hoping to develop a mechanism that will help policy-makers ensure that

“chemicals and other products that really are dangerous are limited, but that beneficial things are brought to market, adopted or accepted.”

RESEARCh FILE

Effectively using ipads in the classroom

Researching Canadians’ risk perception

Julie Mueller researches how mobile tablets benefit elementary students

Simon Kiss studies how we identify risks based on how we view society

By Elin Edwards

Mobile computing devices like the iPad are finding their way into elementary school classrooms in growing numbers. In her research on technology and learning, Julie Mueller, assistant professor in Laurier’s Faculty of Education, started with a simple question: How are teachers using iPads to teach, and how are students using them to learn?

When Mueller began her investigation in 2010 as part of a SSHRC-funded research grant with Eileen Wood, professor in the Psychology Department, she planned to look at the use of Blackberry devices in the Laurier MBA program, and iPods in Waterloo Region District School Board elementary schools. The development of mobile devices continued, however, and iPads became the focus of Mueller’s project. In fact, iPads became an integral part of the research both as the subject and as a beneficial tool for the researchers themselves.

“Learning to problem solve and be innovative about technological solutions was the real task of our research,” said Mueller.

Today, Mueller and her graduate students are completing the research by expanding their knowledge mobilization plan to bring suggestions for using mobile devices to teachers in local schools.

Working with psychology graduate students, Karin Archer

and Domenica De Pasquale, and part-time Master of Education student, Raegan White, Mueller set out to look at the difference between using mobile tablets as individual devices and using them as tools for self-directed learning, which allows students to take control of their learning, “with, of course, a knowledgeable teacher supporting them.”

A number of observations emerged from their research.

The tension between iPads as personal devices and classroom tools became obvious. Students don’t need to be taught how to use the technology — that is already part of their world — but they do need guidance in using the technology responsibly. “This is another reason we need to teach digital citizenship in our classrooms,” said White.

According to Mueller, there are

multiple points of learning with mobile devices. “You can’t use them for absolutely everything in the classroom, but that’s OK.”

The researchers concluded that the potential contribution of mobile technology to learning is its potential to support the devel-opment of self-regulation, which is a key component of student assessment in Ontario elementary schools.

During the study, the researchers discovered that students used mobile technology for four main uses: • Research: using the iPad as a

resource tool for information and figuring out questions.

• Backchanneling: using an in-class live stream allowing students to follow while the teacher reads aloud, asking and answering questions, and making observations.

• Gaming during free time: the challenge of playing with peers.

• Curriculum resource: using dictionary, music, math and French apps.What was the impact

of this use of iPads as a classroom tool on students’ learning? First, students found searching for infor-mation easier and broader. Second, students valued the ease of access and porta-bility of the devices. And finally, using the

iPads was enjoyable, resulting in students who were more engaged and motivated.

Building on evidence that effective teachers have differing levels of experience, knowledge and comfort with technology integration, their research concluded that the teacher’s role was to understand all three: the technology, the pedagogy (what kind of learning is happening), and the content that is available.

Right from the beginning, the investigation occurred in actual classrooms. Within the Waterloo Region District School Board’s Computers Across the Curriculum program, Mueller and her team were involved in a pilot project that brought iPads into a handful of schools. Since then, the school board has rolled out iPads in every school in the district.

From their experience with

local teachers integrating iPads into their classrooms, the researchers realized the need for a practical guide, which could be shared with the school board.

“There are so many apps out there. Teachers are gung-ho and have often done a lot with iPads on their own, but it’s hard to know where to start in the schoolroom setting,” said Archer.

“Teachers need a theoretical base for making sound pedagogical choices, too, not just a list,” said Mueller.

As Mueller and her team communicated their research results, among the book chapters and journal articles that are stock in trade for academics, they recently completed the guide, titled “Put their learning in their hands: a guide to iPad implemen-tation in the classroom.”

The guide helps teachers through the process of incorpo-rating iPads into the classroom, from evaluating their own knowledge and comfort with the technology to recommendations for applications that have proven to be useful in the classroom.

“I like to see a practical outcome to research,” said Mueller. “This study was done collaboratively with the school board, and we discovered they were asking the same questions that we were. Integrating our conclusions, we’ve developed a theoretical framework for the use of mobile technology that has informed the practical applica-tions we are recommending.”

Simon Kiss

NOVEMBER 2013Inside

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IN ThE CLASSRoom

Christine Vlajk asks students to choose a piece to play for their individual lessons because it creates more enthusiasm for the musical work.

Creating a deeper love of music

Brantford campus celebrates homecoming 2013

Instructor: Christine Vlajk

Class: MU390B, Practical Study for Performance Majors

Description: An individual, weekly master class in viola instruction/performance, for students intending to become professional performers in an orchestra, quartet, or another chamber ensemble.

Artist-in-Residence Christine Vlajk asks her students to prepare something for the week — scales, studies or repertoire — to play for her.

“If I feel it is not quite right for their stage of development, I’ll make another suggestion, but I do find that students have more enthusiasm for works they choose so I try to honour that when ever possible,” she says.

Vlajk says it is a real pleasure to watch, listen and observe a student’s growth as a player and as a person. “If students put in the right amount of time and discipline, and dedicate themselves to the art of playing, it is a very satisfying and fascinating journey to take with these young people, teaching and learning from them.

“My intention with students is to give them a good foundation and to encourage them to be fascinated by the process of learning. I hope they take away from their time at Laurier a deeper love of music, a better under-standing of themselves and a sense of their place in the music world.”

By Mallory O’Brien

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From top left: Braving rainy weather on the Brantford campus; cheering on the var-sity hockey team (the Golden Hawks lost 4-2 to the Windsor Lancers); a warm meal for a chilly day; and the puck drop at the Brantford and District Civic Centre.

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