Month: Apr 2016

FAUW Highlights: Visiting the School of Pharmacy

The FAUW Board recognizes that the University of Waterloo includes satellite campuses as well as the main campus. In mid-April, the FAUW Board took a field trip to the School of Pharmacy, located at the Downtown Kitchener Health Sciences Campus. This experience was the perfect opportunity for the FAUW Board to learn more about the perspectives, ideas, and innovations of a key University group.

On April 14, several Pharmacy faculty members participated in an informal discussion, which was strengthened by the various career stages represented at the table. The FAUW Board gained insight into a distinctive feature of the School of Pharmacy which is the amazing number of team-taught courses. Team-teaching ensures that each expert can connect with students at the appropriate place in the curriculum by sharing their knowledge on a specific topic. It is clear that Pharmacy faculty members function as a team in the classroom. Needless to say, the Board greatly appreciates the time Pharmacy faculty members took out of their busy schedules to meet with us!

As the official representative of all regular faculty members at the University of Waterloo, FAUW is continuously interested in the thoughts, questions & concerns of all University faculty. The FAUW Board strongly encourages any faculty member to contact FAUW at fauw@uwaterloo.ca anytime a question or issue comes up which is relevant to FAUW. We want to hear from you!

FAUW Highlights is a series of regular updates from the FAUW Board, written by Elise Lepage and Shannon Gordon.

FAUW Highlights: Meet SWEC, the Status of Women & Equity Committee

Greetings FAUWers,

Earlier this month, this blog explored the value of balanced and inclusive representation on the FAUW Board. With that theme in mind, we would now like to introduce you to the University’s Status of Women & Equity Committee, known across campus as ‘SWEC.’ The mandate of SWEC is to educate, advise, and advocate on matters related to the status of women, and broader equity issues such as those arising from gender, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, disability, religion, age, or gender identity.

SWEC is one of three major equity-promoting initiatives on campus, including the Office of Equity as an administrative body, and the UN Women’s HeForShe campaign (which many of you are likely aware of!). Each one plays a distinct role in improving the equity climate at Waterloo.

SWEC, a standing committee of FAUW, is composed of a diverse group of individuals with strong interests and experience in equity issues. With members from each of the six faculties, as well as one librarian, SWEC follows a community-based approach. In addition to liaising with related University committees, SWEC has a working relationship with the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) and the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT). SWEC Chair, Dr. Kathleen Rybczynski, also sits on FAUW Board of Directors as an Ex-officio/non-voting member of the Board.

To better serve as a proponent of equity, SWEC is in the process of broadening their community outreach. With the aim to create a locus of communication for equity initiatives, SWEC is currently redesigning their website content and would love your feedback (email Laura McDonald or Kathleen Rybczynski). If you are looking to connect on equity across campus, please contact us.

Each year, SWEC recognizes exceptional commitment to equity, diversity and inclusivity at UW with the annual Equity and Inclusivity Award. This month, SWEC is celebrating the achievements of FemPhys and its co-founders Sarah Kaiser, Emma McKay, and Jennifer Reid. Their leadership, and their organization of public lectures, mentoring nights, and community-building social gatherings, have improved the equity environment at UW, particularly for women in Physics and Astronomy as well as within the broader STEM community.

FAUW Highlights is a series of regular updates from the FAUW Board, written by Elise Lepage and Shannon Gordon.