Monday, August 9, 2010

  • On living, learning, and communities
  • Notes on 8/9/10
  • Editor:
  • Chris Redmond
  • Communications and Public Affairs
  • bulletin@uwaterloo.ca

On living, learning, and communities

Brandon Sweet

A logo for Living-Learning Communities at Waterloo.“It’s been a busy and rewarding year for Housing,” said University Housing Officer Chris Read during his presentation to senate on May 21st about the state of Living-Learning Communities on campus.

These communities take the form of students living in “pods” or groups based on common academic programs. “Being in a Living-Learning Community means that many of your neighbours are also your classmates,” reads a statement on the Housing and Residences website.

Living-Learning entered the university’s everyday vocabulary in 2005, when a project committee produced a report on living-learning strategies and delivered it to senate for discussion. The report, authored by Bud Walker, interim Associate Provost, Student Services, Lois Claxton, Secretary of the University, and two members of the housing department, encouraged this university to commit to a number of “key competencies” that all students should possess by the time they graduate, including:

• a thorough and comprehensive understanding of their chosen discipline;
• an appreciation of the interdisciplinary context of their studies;
• an appreciation for intellectual, social, cultural and political diversity;
• critical thinking skills;
• effectiveness in using information and communications technology;
• strong interpersonal and communication skills;
• well-honed problem-solving skills; and
• an understanding of the importance of and commitment to civic stewardship, civility in discourse, and ethical conduct.

“These competencies," the report stated, “can be the product of an enabling and supportive educational experience, honed not only in the classroom and the lab, but also in work, living and social environments.” Most of the report’s recommendations dealt with programs that could be carried on in student residences to leverage “social, cultural, and civic” learning.

Read summarized what has happened since that report was first brought to senate in October 2005. “The program over the last four years includes over 12 different Living-Learning communities from different programs with over 500 students participating.”

Currently there are Living-Learning communities in Accounting and Finance, Arts and Business (the largest such community on campus), Health Studies, Recreation and Leisure Studies, Biology, Physical Sciences, Social Development Studies (at Renison), the Faculty of Environment (at St. Paul’s), Music and Peace and Conflict Studies (both offered at Conrad Grebel), and one for those students in the “2+2” program with Nanjing University in China.

One of the unique elements of the living-learning program at the University of Waterloo is that the activities developed in these communities are open to all students in that academic program, whether they are in residence or not. “In all of our living-learning communities, there are faculty members and graduate students taking time to engage undergraduates in our residences,” continued Read.

A tutorial in Ron Eydt Village.A second element of achieving those key competencies is the university’s tutoring program, offered in residences by Housing and Residences and at faculty and departmental levels across campus.

Read introduced Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences PhD candidate Michael Makahnouk, who gave an overview of the Chemistry department’s contribution to tutoring programs. In 2006, 125 students took advantage of the Chemistry mid-term prep sessions offered by the tutoring centre. By 2009 that number had climbed to 260. Final exam prep session participation reached a high of 282 students in winter term 2008. “We are clustering students together where otherwise they would be doing it at home,” he said.

According to Makahnouk, who has helped to develop a Tutoring In Residence program for first-year chemistry students since 2003, the tutoring programs help to foster student engagement.

Encouraging students to take advantage of the tutoring programs is essential, but so is ensuring that resources are available. “There are only so many tutors out there,” Makahnouk explained. It is also important to note that Housing and Residences is not out to compete with the departmental tutoring options. “We partner with the faculties and departments,” Read said. “We facilitate the space and organize it, but resources come from the faculties…we don’t want to be redundant so we rely on our faculty partners to know about what programs are already in place.”

As for the future of living-learning initiatives on campus, Read and Makahnouk agreed that increasing interdisciplinarity is the key to long-term success. “We’re very proud of VeloCity,” Read said. “That’s a great example to follow in a residence-based program with faculty support.” This interdisciplinary focus will require committed individuals working to effect student retention.

“We truly believe the residence living experience is a unique opportunity to engage students and we’re looking for partners to leverage and take our experience further,” concluded Read.

An aerial photo of the Northdale areaThe discussion about student accommodation strategies then turned to the ongoing Northdale issue. “Of course we’re very interested in that because a lot of our students live in Northdale,” said Read. He said that representatives from the university were working with the mayor, city council, and city staff to find good long-term solutions.

As for the two proposals put forward at city council’s request, “we’re not thrilled with either of them,” says Read. The preferable model is where the university partners with the private sector to construct higher-density housing designed for student tenants, with Housing and Residences providing ongoing infrastructure support and other services to students. “We’re much more in favour of housing that has community space and green space.” Read told the senators.

On June 7, Waterloo City Council passed a resolution calling for a comprehensive land use study for the Northdale area.

Back to top

Notes on 8/9/10

The Button Factory is aiming to attract more students. Uptown Waterloo's iconic button manufactory-turned-arts centre is launching its fall program schedule with a student-friendly twist. Starting this year, the Waterloo Community Arts Centre is making its art classes and workshops more accessible to university and college students by waiving the registration fees for two students in each course and workshop. Anyone interested in taking advantage of the offer needs to show a valid student ID at the time of registration. "We can appreciate how over-extended students are financially," says executive director Lauren Judge. The offer is open to students from Wilfrid Laurier University, the University of Waterloo, and Conestoga College. For program dates and fees, go to www.buttonfactoryarts.ca and click on "New Summer Workshops." Says Judge, "We hope this will open up new opportunities for the student art lovers in our community to build on new skills and interests, and to learn more about the facilities available to them in Waterloo. We want to see more art happening in the Region."

The logo for the Waterloo Institute for Hellenistic Studies.Greek life recognized at Waterloo. At the March Senate meeting, approval was given for a new Waterloo Institute for Hellenistic Studies: “The purpose of the institute is to create an international node of scholarship in the field of Hellenistic studies, and to develop UW into an international leader in this area. The institute will draw upon existing strengths in UW's Department of Classical Studies, other units within UW, and other Hellenistic scholars — regionally, nationally, and internationally — and will transform the local energies into a solid foundation for the institute's appeal.” The institute is the first research centre in North America dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of the Hellenistic age. The term "Hellenistic" refers to the period in history when Greek culture was spread throughout and beyond the Mediterranean. As for certain Greek organizations on campus, they remain unrecognized at Waterloo.

 

Back to top

Link of the day

Meteor showers this week

When and where

Road just north of MC building and building's loading dock will be closed to vehicles and pedestrians, except emergency vehicles, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily starting August 9, for about two weeks, to install steel structure for new math bridge.

Class enrolment on Quest for fall term courses: open enrolment began July 26.

MC-DC bridge, upper level, between fourth-floor MC and third-floor DC, will be closed July 19 to May 31, 2011, for construction tie-in.

Library hours for spring exam period, July 25 to August 14. Davis Centre open 24 hours a day, except closed Sundays 2 - 8 a.m. for system maintenance. (Dana Porter open regular hours: 8 a.m. - 11 p.m., Monday-Friday; 11 a.m. - 11 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.)

Spring term examinations August 3-14 (online courses, August 6-7). Unofficial marks begin appearing on Quest, August 16. Marks become official September 20.

Co-op job postings, main group, for fall 2010 work terms, on JobMine August 3 – 9; daily postings thereafter.

Men’s hockey “shooting to score” camp for boys & girls 5-14, August 16-20, 23-27, August 30 to September 3, Icefield. Details.

Ontario Mennonite Music Camp for students aged 12 to 16, August 8-20 at Conrad Grebel University College. Details.

Women’s hockey camps: Future Warriors, girls ages 6-15, daytime; “elite conditioning camp” for girls 15-19, evenings, both August 9-13, Icefield. Details.

All retail services stores and on-campus copy centres will be closed Wednesday, August 11 for staff annual general meeting. Regular hours resume August 12.

Selected Areas in Cryptography Conference, August 12-13, Centre for Environmental and Information Technology room 1015. Registration/reception August 11. Details.

Star gazing party Thursday, August 12: join faculty members and enthusiasts to watch Perseid meteor showers, north campus soccer pitch near Columbia Icefield, after nightfall (weather permitting). Details.

Utility shutdown on the second floor of Physics, for a cooling loop extension, Thursday, August 12, 8 a.m. - 11:59 a. m. Work will take place outside Room 222.

Feds Used Books opens Saturday, August 14, in addition to regular weekdays, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Women’s hockey “future Warriors camp” for girls 6-15, August 16-20, Icefield. Details.

Men’s volleyball coed summer camp August 16-20, Icefield. Details.

UWRC Book Club discusses The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, Wednesday, August 18, 12:00, Dana Porter Library room 407.

Domestic hot and cold water will be shut off in Hagey Hall while water lines are removed for new room 170, Thursday, August 19, 7:30 a.m. - 11:30 a. m. The entire building will be affected.

University Club closes August 23; reopens September 8.

Domestic hot water will run cold in all buildings within the Ring Road and in Village 1, Tuesday, August 24, 1 a.m. to Thursday, August 26, 11:30 p.m., to allow maintenance on steam mains.

No water from domestic hot water taps in all buildings within the Ring Road and in Village 1, Tuesday, August 24, 8 p.m. to Wednesday, August 25, 7 a.m., to allow connection for new math building.

National Cherry Popsicle Day: UWRC event with improv theatre TOTE, Thursday, August 26, noon, Biology 1 room 271. Free; please register.

Surplus sale of university furnishings and equipment, Thursday, August 26, 12:30 to 2:00, East Campus Hall. Details.

St. Paul’s University College Masters Golf Tournament, Friday, August 27, Glen Eagle Golf Club, Caledon. Details.

Fall term fees due Monday, August 30 (fee arrangements), September 8 (bank payment). Details.

Women’s field hockey camp August 30 through September 1, Warrior Field. Details.

Women’s basketball back-to-school camp August 30 through September 3, Physical Activities Complex. Details.

WatCACE financial support for research on co-op: proposals deadline September 1. Guidelines.

 

Friday's Daily Bulletin