Summer 2011
By Sandra Muir
With provincial plans for significant increases in student numbers in coming years, growth remains top of mind – something that Blouw noted in his speech to staff and faculty at the event. He said it’s healthy to have debate about the issue, and encouraged everyone to participate. “The growth and size of the university has also engendered some complexity,” he said. “As we end our first century of operation, we need to think of the implications of growth. “As long-serving employees… you are people others will look up to,” he said. “I believe our future is extraordinarily positive.” Langford, who has no plans to retire anytime soon, agrees that debate is good for an organization. “If there isn’t a little bit of back and forth, then an organization is stagnant,” he said.
Photos: Sandra Muir and Tomasz Adamski
When Carl Langford started at Laurier 35 years ago in Information Technology Services, computers looked and worked quite a bit differently than they do now. There was one big mainframe, card decks and magnetic tapes, and disc drives the size of washing machines. Langford, manager of network operations, has watched technology – and the university – evolve over more than three decades. So have the dozens of other faculty and staff members who gathered April 27 for a Long Service Recognition event in the Turret, marking 10, 15, 20, 25 and 35 years of service as of 2010. “This is a community that once people join, they find very fulfilling,” said Laurier President Max Blouw. “And I think they stay because it is wonderful to work here.”
Susan Weigel, a senior medical secretary in the Health Services Department, says she’s enjoyed every minute of her 10 years at Laurier. She’s also seen many changes, including a renovation in 2003 designed to give students more privacy at the campus medical clinic while they wait for their appointments. In addition, all the files are now electronic, and there are many more staff members than when she started. “When I look back, the years have gone so quickly,” she said. Weigel was one of 63 employees marking a 10th anniversary. That’s a slightly higher number than in recent years because 2000 was a big hiring year. Since 1997, the university has steadily increased the student population, said Mary Jo DaSilva, an HR and pension administrator at Laurier. “This has in turn meant more faculty and staff hires,” she said.
Staff and faculty gathered at the Turret on April 27 to honour longserving staff members.
people at Laurier
New Appointments Ann Brandt associate director, Development & Alumni Relations, Brantford campus Andrew Parda junior technical support specialist, ITS Kandice Baptiste Aboriginal student recruitment and retention officer, Aboriginal Initiatives Sarah Wiley academic program assistant, Dean’s Office, Brantford campus Nikola Vukovic special constable, Brantford campus
Max Blouw congratulates Carl Langford on 35 years of service to the university.
VOL. 1 | NO. 1 | APRIL 7,2008
CAMPUS | CONNECTIONS | COMMUNITY
VOL. 1 | NO. 1 | APRIL 7,2008
Got a question? Send it to ndinka@wlu.ca
Photo: Laurier Archives
Long-service employees honoured
campus decoder
CAMPUS | COMMUNITY | CONNECTIONS
A: Today’s concourse is a highly functional, open-concept space featuring a Starbucks and plenty of seating, but once upon a time it was a different sort of space more suited to an age of letterman jackets and poodle skirts. Fitted out with a dinerstyle food counter, where the computer lab is now situated, it was a place where students could enjoy a cup of coffee or a sundae (price: 20 cents) while chatting with friends. It was also briefly the site of controversy: in the 1960s, the “Christ or coffee scandal” erupted when the university’s administration locked up the Torque Room during chapel hours to encourage more students to pay
their holy respects. First opened in the 1950s, the Torque Room was originally located on the bottom floor of the Arts Building, but was later relocated to the site of today’s concourse. In the cafeteria’s heyday, The Cord published “TorqueRoom Tallies” and “Torque Talk” gossip columns, written in a conversational style, as if transcribed from conversations overheard in the space. In the summer of 2000, the computer lab was put in and the concourse took on its present form, more or less, with separate lounge and study areas and an upscale coffee bar (the forerunner of the Starbucks). Today’s concourse is a lively and popular spot for students to study and catch up between classes, but it’s hard not to feel a little nostalgia for the old-fashioned charm of the Torque Room of yore.
Jessica Bell receptionist/ admissions assistant, Admissions
Ann Kaufman switchboard operator
Q: I’ve heard that the concourse area on the Waterloo campus (some people call it the Torque Room), was once the location of a fifties-style diner. What’s the story?
For a complete list of appointments visit www.wlu.ca/hr
services assistant, Leaf Program, Brantford campus Anna Barichello instructional design specialist, Teaching Support Services Janine Castanier residence life area co-ordinator, Residential Services Shawn Jefferson third-class operating engineer, Physical Resources Jeff Johnston third-class operating engineer, Physical Resources Aeron Lawrence recruitment officer, Student Recruitment Holly Patton event coordinator, SBE
Jamie Howieson coordinator: communications (athletics), Athletics and Recreation
Crystal Shadwell recruitment officer, Student Recruitment
Indranie Jagmohan director, financial reporting and systems, Finance
David Siegers third-class operating engineer, Physical Resources
Azhar Rauf systems analyst III, Enterprise Solutions
Debbie Brittain reporting analyst, Registrar’s Office
Heather Smith coordinator, residence facility operation, Residential Services
Changes in staff appointments Hilary Potts administration assistant (associate dean), Faculty of Science
Olga Stukalov technology transfer officer, Office of Research Services
Colin Reiner network support technician, ITS
Abby Goodrum vice-president: Research
Peter Thompson project coordinator, Physical Resources
Alicia Wilkinson LEAF student
Michael Welk project
coordinator, Physical Resources Paula Peplinski switchboard operator, ITS Stephanie D’Lima national recruitment coordinator, Student Recruitment Andrew Moase network engineer, ITS Melissa Huszczo, associate registrar, Brantford campus Bridget Parris admission assistant – OSS applications, office of the registrar Leanne Hagarty, BBA project research assistant, School of Business & Economics Sheldon Pereira congress 2010 project coordinator, Student Services Lucy Carreiro, senior administration assistant IV, Psychology Sue Dawson manager, Parking Services Ellen Menage office and services administrator, WLUGSA Bridget Parris admissions assistant – OSS applications, Office of the Registrar Cara Pulkics information specialist, Registrar’s Office
Vanessa Parks publications coordinator, Communication, Public Affairs & Marketing Cameron Terry area manager, custodial, Physical Resources Christine Hauk information specialist, Registrar’s Office Valerie Kilgour Coordinator, LEAF undergraduate program, Brantford campus Stephanie Kuntz manager ICT Service Desk, ITS Jessica Berrigan health and safety administrator, EOHS Mary Mason senior administration assistant, Department of Sociology Yolanta DiFelice leadhandcustodian, Physical Resources Tanya Diriye OneCard systems assistant, OneCard Jody MacDonald custodian, Physical Resources Paul Schell mechanic/ groundsperson, Physical Resources Peggy Freymond program assistant (Graduate Programs), Faculty of Education
Reitrements
Florence Nadrofsky Food Services Ira Ashcroft Faculty of Arts: Language & Literature Mark Baetz, professor of business (policy); associate director, Faculty Relations James (Jim) McCutcheon, Faculty of Business & Economic Michael Moore Faculty of Arts: English F.H. Rolf Seringhaus Faculty of Business & Economics Christopher Simpson Faculty of Arts: Archaeology Brooke Skelton librarian Paul Tiessen Faculty of Arts: Film Studies Anne Westhues Faculty of Scoial Work Lynne Doyle Faculty of Arts: senior administrative assistant
Grace Gao reporting analyst, Advancement 5