Federation of Students President Danielle Burt, Health Services Director Dr. Barb Schumacher, and Graduate Student Association Maryam Shahtaheri were all smiles yesterday at the official opening of the Family Health Clinic at the Health Services Complex.

The Family Health Clinic has a team that includes four physicians and three nurses, as well as health promotions and support staff, that will provide primary medical care services to scholars, researchers, students and eligible family members.

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United Way Campaign achieves goal

by Jacqueline Martinz.

This year’s University of Waterloo United Way Campaign raised over $250,000. It's enough to make a significant difference in the community, and the campaign team couldn't be happier.

When the milestone was reached, Nancy Bird, vice-president of resource mobilization for the United Way Kitchener Waterloo and Area explained what kind of impact the generosity of faculty, staff, and retirees would have.

“United Way KW started a Strong Neighbourhood Strategy this year with a pilot in one Kitchener neighbourhood,” she said. “This strategy engages residents with the help of community partners, and provides them with the support and guidance they need to learn to work together and take action on issues important to their neighbourhood. The funds raised by the University of Waterloo is enough to support work like this for approximately five years!” 

Pictured above are Jim Frank, Chris Read, James Skidmore, Mark Haslett, Robert Crow, Douglas Peers, Ian Orchard, Katherine Bergman, Nancy Bird, and Nadine Collins at the campaign volunteer appreciation event held at the University Club on November 13.

The campaign was launched on October 1 and officially ended on the 31st. Donations were accepted until the last day of November. Campaign co-chairs Nadine Collins and James Skidmore are grateful to the long-term donors for their unwavering assistance, and hope new donors continue to contribute in 2015. 

More information about the campaign including how to give during the holiday season is available online.

Photograph by the United Way Campaign.

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Health Services issues statement on Ebola

The University of Waterloo has developed plans to keep the community safe and assist travellers to keep themselves and those around them safe during the busy travel season, according to a joint statement by Dr. Barb Schumacher, director of Health Services and Nello Angerilli, associate vice-president, international that was circulated via email earlier this week.

"As our fall term progresses, recent news reports regarding the presence of Ebola infection on our continent have raised concern about the risks for post-secondary institutions arising from international travel for study and research, dormitory housing and work/social gatherings," the statement says by way of background. "Health professionals reassure us that this infection is not airborne; Ebola cannot be easily transmitted by coughing or sneezing, as is the case with influenza. Keeping one metre from infected persons without contact with bodily fluids protects against transmission of the virus."

"The Canadian government’s decision to temporarily pause processing of visa applications from certain areas of West Africa means that a small number of students who would normally travel home may not be able to do so. We are encouraging students impacted by this decision to stay in Waterloo and to participate in Winterloo over the holiday. SSO staff members are offering assistance with housing and support."

According to the full statement, which is published on the Health Services and Waterloo International websites, the University will "proactively" attempt to identify all individuals arriving in January from Ebola-affected areas for the start of the winter term. Information is being prepared for incoming travellers to help them determine their personal risk for Ebola by providing guidance on their circulation in the community and "monitoring body temperatures during the 21 days following disembarking from an Ebola-affected area." These people will also receive information about Ebola symptoms and will be given contact information for a Health Services nurse.

Those who fear they may be at risk of Ebola infection are being advised not to come to Health Services in person, but to call the Health Services appointment line at 519-888-4096 to speak with a nurse. "If the telephone risk assessment confirms a possible Ebola concern, Health Services will arrange for appropriate transport to a hospital emergency department for assessment and care."

"For front line service providers, faculty and staff who are asked for help by someone with concerns that they may have Ebola, please ask the person to remain in a room with closed door separate from others and call Health Services nurse for advice.  More detailed guidance is on Health Services website," the statement continues.

The statement also contains resources for those travelling abroad. "Waterloo International has links on its website to Travel Advisories and pre-departure advice that should be consulted before undertaking all international travel. "Waterloo faculty, staff and students are advised that requests to travel to countries or regions assigned Government of Canada “Avoid all travel” or “Avoid non-essential travel” warnings, will not be authorized."

Travellers are advised to take advantage of professional travel health advice and preventative treatments appropriate to their itinerary and personal health situation by booking an appointment to attend the Travel Clinic at Health Services at least 6 weeks before leaving on their trip. This service is available to all members of the campus community (employees, students, visiting scholars, retirees) and their families.

"One of the most important ways to keep our families and communities healthy after travelling to an Ebola-affected area is self-monitoring. If a fever or symptoms develop then call, do not go to, your family doctor’s office for advice and instructions," says the statement. "This means that at first sign of symptoms people must stay home or, if onset of illness is while at work or school, go home by private car and not public transit. Keep to yourself in a room with a closed door and call a Health Services nurse during office hours 519-888-4096 or Telehealth Ontario after hours."

Advice to travellers with instructions for self-monitoring and symptoms of illness which indicate a need to consult a physician is also available.

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Showcasing a new social innovation fund

by Eugenia Anderson.

St. Paul’s GreenHouse will be awarding $5,000 in social startup funding today from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Alumni Hall. The event is called the Social Innovation Showcase, and will feature presentations by the finalists.

In the running for this funding are seven groups of students with startup ideas that range from a pan-Canadian university program, to an app that aggregates global news media stories and uses analytics to distill fact from opinion, to a startup that will enhance early childhood education in urban slums around the world.

“There are huge problems that I didn’t believe could be solved by 22-year-olds,” says Hannah Furlong, a GreenHouse innovator. “Now, through GreenHouse, I’ve found a really good fit with a problem I’m in love with. I can make a career out of a project with meaning like this!”

The projects vying for one of the grants are:

• IdeaSpace – Prianka Siva wants to create a social network so that the best ideas for social and environmental change don’t get lost in the discussion
  
• BabySteps Academy – Alisha Karmali and her team want to enhance early childhood education in urban slums
  
• Pan-Canadian University – Geoffrey Evamy Hill says students often attend university close to home, which deprives future leaders of a necessary understanding of the strengths of the regions of Canada; his new pan-Canadian program will solve that.
  
• Sitting is the New Smoking – Laura Barkin aims to make studying an active experience by bringing FitBikes to UWaterloo so they can exercise while studying
  
• RockStar Café – Hannah Furlong says today’s youth unemployment and environmental crises need a revolutionary solution, and revolutions start in cafés like the one she’s working on
  
• Water Epiphany – Samiya Hirji was washing dishes when she had an epiphany about how much water we mindlessly waste and what she could do to raise awareness and reduce water consumption on campus
  
• Civil News – In a world of thousands of news sources, how do you ever know whom to listen to? Kwame Ansong aims to cut through the chatter to get to the facts with his app.

If you’d like to see or be part of this showcase of young social entrepreneurial talent, please register for this free event.

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Wednesday's notes

Human Resources has reported that Beverly Schmidt has retired as of December 1. She began her employment at the University in September 1986. She was a Housekeeper in Village One.

The Five Days of Christmas Re-Gifting begins tomorrow. It's easy to participate:

• Register by sending an email to uwworkwl@uwaterloo.ca. You can do this alone, with a friend, or create a team. Be creative and give yourself a festive name.
• Find a “Re-Gift”, wrap it up and bring it with you as you visit all the interesting locations outlined in the clues posted in the Daily Bulletin each day. Get your travel stamps on your “Re-Gift” as you go and bring your passport.
• Since it is the holiday season and giving is key, if you are able, please bring a new toy for a child when you come to the final destination. The toy will be placed under the Angel Tree and donated to children in need.
• Bring your unwrapped toy for the Angel Tree Donation, your stamped “Re-Gift”, as well as your passport to the final destination where hot chocolate and cookies, a Re-Gift Exchange and lots of fun will be enjoyed by all at the University Club on 4:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 10.

Your passport and travel details and locations will be posted daily on the Daily Bulletin.

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