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• Libraries to undertake collections review
• Student-designed “insider” tours highlight accessible and inclusive campus spots

• The engineer’s iron ring is part of Canada’s national identity

• Co-op workplace simulation event today

Libraries to undertake collections review

A message from the Libraries.

Reviewing the collections is an ongoing part of the Libraries’ work to ensure alignment with and support of the University’s curriculum and research. External factors such as inflation and currency fluctuations increase the cost of subscriptions annually, impacting buying power in the best of times. In times of cost containment, the importance of a strategic approach to collections management becomes even more critical to ensuring we balance the needs of library users with the realities of the budget.

A cost containment strategy will mean subscription cancellations and reduced capacity to purchase new materials.

As the Libraries review subscriptions, our focus is on providing access to materials that best serve the instruction and research happening at ��ݮ��Ƶ. Access can be provided in a variety of ways, including ownership, open access and interlibrary loans. We will explore all options to ensure access to the information needed to serve library users.

The Libraries will provide updates and engage campus about changes to the collections and services as our work to contribute to the financial sustainability of ��ݮ��Ƶ continues. Information is available on our website’s strategic priorities and integrated budget planning page.

We will consult with campus stakeholders as part of the review process this summer/early fall; in the meantime, if you have any questions, contact Beth Namachchivaya, university librarian, at universitylibrarian@uwaterloo.ca.

Student-designed “insider” tours highlight accessible and inclusive campus spots

A message from the office of the Associate Provost, Campus Support and Accessibility.

It is National AccessAbility Week (NAAW), and each day this week we are featuring a different University initiative that demonstrates a commitment to advancing accessibility and disability inclusion. Today, we are featuring the Student Success Office and a Connection Collective student leader, Isaac Ocampo.

The Connection Collective is a group mentorship program from the Student Success Office that supports equity-deserving students through events designed and led by upper-year students. One example of these events is the Collective Crawl, designed by Isaac Ocampo, a fourth-year student in Urban Planning and Legal Studies, and other Connection Collective leads.

The Collective Crawl is more than just a tour – it’s an exploration of campus from an inclusive lens. Designed by students, for students, this initiative supports incoming students in navigating campus in accessible ways and finding key “insider” spots.

Isaac and other Connection Collective leads wanted to design campus tours that highlighted the hidden spots essential to an inclusive campus experience. Isaac was inspired to create the Collective Crawl based on the campus-life barriers he experienced, as well as those experienced by his peers. The Collective Crawl ran in Fall 2024 and introduced first-year students to accessible spaces and amenities, like bridges and tunnels between buildings, recommended study spots, and inclusive student spaces. ��The Connection Collective is excited to offer these student tours again in Fall 2025 as student leaders continue designing accessible and inclusive campus-life experiences.

Isaac described how he found campus spaces throughout his degree that made him “feel safe and comfortable” and that he wanted to “give that back to the community” by sharing these spaces with other students. Feedback from student attendees emphasized that the most meaningful part of the tour was connecting with upper-year students and seeing campus through their eyes.

The Connection Collective is led by Tara Kleinsteuber, Student Equity Programs Specialist in the Student Success Office, and is funded by the Ontario Post Secondary Access and Inclusion Program, through Ministry of College and Universities.

National AccessAbility Week is just one opportunity to learn about accessibility and disability inclusion initiatives at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ. Join the channel or connect with aoda@uwaterloo.ca for more information.

The engineer’s iron ring is part of Canada’s national identity

By Dean Mary Wells.��This is an excerpt of an opinion piece by Dean Mary Wells of ��ݮ��Ƶ Engineering and Dean Suzanne Kresta of the University of Prince Edward Island's Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering that recently appeared in the��.��Join Dean Wells and TVO to celebrate 100 years of the Iron Ring with a conversation on the future of engineering in Canada at tonight's TRuST Lecture:��The Iron Ring at 100 - Trust, Transformation and the Future of Canadian Engineering.

Nearly a century ago, Canadian engineers conducted the first iron ring ceremony, a way for the profession to symbolize its commitment to the public good following a moment of failure and broken trust.

The ceremony traces its origins to Canadian mining engineer and professor Herbert Haultain, who was deeply affected by the tragic collapse of the Quebec Bridge in 1907, a disaster that claimed 75 lives.

In the early 1920s, Haultain envisioned a future where engineers would uphold the highest standards of integrity, competence and responsibility. He believed this could be achieved through a formal commitment to ethical principles and professional conduct, leading to the first iron ring ceremony in 1925.

That ceremony is now referred to as the “Calling of an Engineer,” where graduating Canadian engineers receive their own iron ring,��a simple band of stainless steel worn on the pinky finger of their dominant hand.

Just as Haultain imagined more than 100 years ago, the ring is not merely an adornment but an ever-present reminder of an engineer’s professional obligations to society. The physical presence of our rings symbolizes the ever-present moral and ethical responsibilities of the engineering profession, taken on as our students emerge into their professional lives.

This ceremony is a tradition that binds our engineering community to the values of integrity, responsibility and trust. These values have never been as important as they are today. This commitment has not only shaped the identity of Canadian engineers — it has also driven their contributions to Canada’s economic development and prosperity.

Consider the engineering feats that have defined Canada: the Confederation Bridge linking Prince Edward Island across the Northumberland Strait to New Brunswick; the oil-sands technologies balancing resource extraction with environmental stewardship in Alberta and Saskatchewan; and the cutting-edge work in artificial intelligence emerging from hubs like Montreal, Toronto and Kitchener-��ݮ��Ƶ, Ontario.

As we celebrate the last 100 years of Canadian engineering, we must also look forward. The challenges of the 21st century — climate change, digital transformation and global inequality among them — require engineers to act not just as innovators but as stewards of public trust. The iron ring is one example that underscores the ethical obligations engineers in Canada must undertake to safeguard the public and ensure their work benefits society.

Read the full story on ��ݮ��Ƶ News

Co-op workplace simulation event today

A message from Velocity.

Join Velocity for an engaging simulation where your mission isn’t to fix a problem—it’s to���ܲԻ������ٲ��Ի���it. Show your employer how you can go from Excellent to Outstanding and gain the skills you need to win part of the $7,250 available through the Velocity Co-op Problem Awards.

In this unique experience, you'll meet AI-powered coworkers, ask them questions, listen to their stories, and piece together the hidden challenges shaping your workplace. Learn to ask sharper questions, gather real insights, and level up how you think on the job.

Challenge yourself this summer and set the stage to make a meaningful impact during your co-op by attending this workshop. This event empowers you to tackle real-world problems, no matter your field of study.

Why show up?

• Real-World Skills: Experience a workplace simulation to test and refine your problem-solving abilities.
• AI Advantage: Use AI tools for research and analysis, gaining a competitive edge.
• Stand Out: Learn to present solutions effectively, showcasing your initiative.
• Network: Connect with peers and expand your professional circle.
• Expert Coaching: Get exclusive coaching from Velocity staff to boost your entrepreneurial skills.
• Immediate Impact: Gain skills you can immediately apply to your co-op or future roles and use them to enter the��Velocity Co-op Problem Award.