Please find attached a staff evaluation for Erin Oldynski, WPIRGs Coordinator of Programming and Volunteer Support.

During a new staff members interim period, it is standard procedure to carry out a staff evaluation. Volunteers are not required to complete the attached evaluation, but you will provide valuable feedback for Erin and for WPIRG as a whole.

Please take your time in completing the evaluation, and return no later than September 10th, (electronically if possible) to jonathanafrank@gmail.com. If you choose to fill it out in hard copy, you may wish to provide more space between questions. Hard copies can be returned to a drop box in the office.

Everyone’s responses are confidential and anonymous, but please provide your name at the bottom for the Evaluation Committee’s (Jonathan Frank and James Law, WPIRG Board of Directors) organizational purposes.

Thank you very much for your time!

Peace,
Jonathan and James, on behalf of the WPIRG Board of Directors.

Please Click the link below to download the form:

STAFF EVALUATION – Form for Volunteers

APPLY TODAY! (here’s how….)

The Waterloo Public Interest Research Group is governed by a Board of Directors of up to nine members. We have one opening on our Board for either a student or community member, available immediately with the terms of service ending by the next Annual General Meeting in March 2011. This position will run from September 2010-March 2011.

Who can apply?
To be a Board member, you must be a UW full-time undergrad who has not obtained a refund from WPIRG, or any community member who has purchased a WPIRG membership (contact us to find out how to get a membership).

WPIRG has a mandate of anti-oppression and seeks diverse experiences and identities in its leadership. We welcome and encourage individuals from marginalized communities to participate in leadership, including people who identify as Aboriginal, people of colour, people with disabilities, multi-racial/multi-cultural, gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer, transgendered, trans-sexual, intersexed, as well as women, men, single parents, and immigrants.

What qualities are we looking for?
Someone with knowledge, interest and/or experience in social justice and/or environmental justice work. We are looking for someone who is preferably familiar with WPIRG, is enthusiastic, motivated, positive, organized, group-oriented, committed to social change and willing to learn. WPIRG promotes learning through leadership, peer-to-peer knowledge sharing and student directed research. We welcome those with Board-relevant skills and experience, such as facilitation and consensus decision-making, policy development and financial management.

Board member responsibilities:

- Participate in decision-making at regular bi-weekly board meetings on organizational development, finances, and boarder organizational direction.
- Assume financial and legal liability for the organization
- Become trained in anti-oppression and consensus decision-making (training will be provided)
- Participate in committees of the Board working on specific issues, such as marketing, AGM planning, developing policies and activist development
- Evaluate projects, events and organizational priorities regularly
- Recruit and train new Board members, and hold annual elections and meetings
- Assist staff in setting priorities and conduct staff evaluations
- Recruit and hire new staff, when necessary
- Track the needs and successes of the organization throughout the year
- Develop an annual budget and monitor spending through the treasurer
- Hold visioning sessions to set annual priorities
- Monitor organizational policies and by-laws and update them when necessary

Board members can also:
- Represent WPIRG at provincial OPIRG network meetings, and work to strengthen the network
- Mentor other volunteers through leadership and peer-to-peer learning
- Conduct research for new WPIRG initiatives and projects
- Work with staff to apply for grants, plan events, and network with other groups
- Participate in volunteer orientation, training and appreciation
- Represent WPIRG at events and meetings

Most of these tasks are done in collaboration with staff who provide valuable knowledge, support and institutional knowledge of the organization.

Time Commitment
This appointment is a short-term position until March 2011. Board members are elected for 2 year terms at the WPIRG Annual General Meeting held every March, but in accordance with WPIRG Policy #10, the Board can appoint someone to fill Director vacancies between elections.

Board members should be prepared to dedicate between 4-7 hours per week, including attending Board meetings, reading documents, reading emails, participating in committee work, and any additional duties.

How to apply
Please submit a brief letter describing your experience and why you would make a good WPIRG Board of Director, as well as your resume to info@wpirg.org by Friday September 3, 2010.

For additional information email info@wpirg.org

Sad that you couldn’t go to California for the festival? Never fear – WPIRG is here! Look out for our annual Rainbow Reels Queer Film Fest (QFF) coming up in March 2011! Visit http://wpirg.org/rainbowreels/ for information on QFF 2010. For a list of films screened at the QFF in previous years, click on the “Projects” tab at the top of this page. Then click on “Current Projects” and “Queer Film Festival”.

(Each event name links to a description of the event!)

September 12 – Scavenger Hunt

1:00pm-4:00pm: Meet-up at the WPIRG office (SLC 2139) at 12:45pm and then walk to the starting point in Waterloo Park.

September 16 – Action Group Fair

10am-3pm Great Hall, Student Life Centre

September 16 – Take Back the Night

March begins at 6:30pm at Waterloo Public Square. Meet up at the UW Women’s Centre (SLC 2102) at 5:45pm and then walk to Uptown together.

September 17 – Park-ing Day

Time and location TBA

September 21 – Volunteer Meeting

5pm-7pm Multi-Purpose Room, Student Life Centre

September 22 – Car Free Day

11am-4pm various locations throughout the Student Life Centre: Great Hall, Courtyard, and Atrium

September 23 – Zine-Making 101

5pm-7pm Student Life Centre room 2143

September 24 – Critical Mass

Meet at 4:30pm at the Waterloo Park Bandshell

September 25 – Spark in the Park Music Festival

All day long, Waterloo Park Bandshell

September 26 – Bike Repair Workshop for Beginners

12pm-5pm UW Bike Centre, Student Life Centre room 101a

September 28 – Art, Activism & Technology Workshop

5pm-8pm Multi-Purpose Room, Student Life Centre

September 29 – Academic Alternatives Discussion

5pm-7pm The Bombshelter Pub, Student Life Centre

September 30 – Stuff Swap and Market

3pm-7pm Waterloo Town Square

September 30 – Love Your Body Zine-Making Workshop

5-7pm Multi-Purpose Room, Student Life Centre

September 30 – Reel Injun Film Screening

7pm-9pm Great Hall, Student Life Centre

Recent comments regarding the Public Service Employment Act by two federal Tories insinuating employment equity, which is a federal measure meant to ensure candidates from marginalized groups get the jobs they are qualified to do, is keeping white canadians out of public service jobs has got people talking.

Colour of Change Network is urging people and organizations to respond to the comments by the Hon. Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism who state that all Canadians should have an equal opportunity to work for the federal government based on merit, regardless of race or ethnicity, as if to suggest that unmerited candidates from racialized communities are keeping white Canadians out of jobs. Minister Jason Kenney and Stockwell Day are calling for a review of the Public Service Employment Act, which suggests a review of the mechanics of employment equity measures.

If you’re interested in adding your voice to this issue and if you believe the federal government should continue to support the eradicating of racialized discrimination think about sending a letter. Here is a template to be sent to the Prime Minister:

An Open Letter to the Right Honourable Stephen Harper:

Dear Prime Minister:

Re:            Stop the Attack on Employment Equity

As Canadians who believe in a discrimination-free society, we are writing to express our grave concerns regarding recent comments made by the Hon. Stockwell Day, President of the Treasury Board, who insinuated that the Federal Employment Equity program is barring qualified Canadians from job opportunities in the federal public service.

We are equally dismayed by similar comments made by the Hon. Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, who stated that all Canadians should have an equal opportunity to work for their government based on merit, regardless of race or ethnicity, as if to suggest that unmerited candidates from racialized communities are taking over the jobs of qualified white candidates, thanks to the Federal Employment Equity measures.

The truth, as you are well aware, is the opposite.  Employment equity guarantees merit-based hiring because it removes artificial barriers to employment.  All too often, qualified candidates from racialized communities do not get hired because of their race or ethnicity.

The current legislative framework that supports employment in the federal public service is found in the Employment Equity Act, 1995, s. 15 (2) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and provincial human rights legislation and policies. The purpose of this framework is to ameliorate the historical and current marginalization of members of designated groups not only in hiring practices, but in promotion and retention practices as well.

Yet despite nearly 25 years since the Employment Equity Act was first put in place, there continues to be serious under-representation of workers from the Aboriginal communities, visible minorities, women, and people with disabilities in the federal public service, the single largest employer in Canada.

In a recent report of the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights, Reflecting the Changing Face of Canada:  Employment Equity in the Federal Public Service, the Senate Committee examined issues of discrimination in the hiring practices of the federal public service and found that employment equity targets among the four designated groups were not fully being met, especially for visible minorities.  Based on data available for the core public service in 2008-2009, visible minorities were represented at 9.8%, a figure that was much lower than their workforce availability rate at 15.3%.

The fact that discrimination persists despite governments’ best efforts should motivate our political leaders to redouble their resolve to advance policies and programs to make our workplace truly inclusive.   That Minister’s Jason Kenney and Stockwell Day are now asking for a review of the Public Service Employment Act suggests either a lack of understanding of the purpose or the mechanics of the Employment Equity Act, or an attempt to divert attention away from the Government’s failure to deliver on its obligation to eradicate discrimination in employment.

Contrary to the Ministers’ assertion, employment equity has proven to be an effective measure to ensure candidates from marginalized groups get the jobs that they are qualified to do.  It also promotes diversity in the workplace, something that most Canadians value.  For these reasons, an increasing number of business leaders have embraced employment equity as the model for their corporations.  In short, employment equity makes good business sense because it works.

Rather than perpetuating the myth about employment equity as replacing merit-based hiring, we need you to affirm the Canadian Government’s commitment to equity and diversity by strengthening employment equity measures, and by educating all Canadians about the need for such programs.

Yours truly,

Wednesday August 4th at 5 PM in the WPIRG office (SLC rm 2139)

Vermicomposting is simply composting with worms. The use of worms speeds up the process of decomposition to produce a richer end product, and also allows the process to occur indoors, making it an ideal system for apartment-dwellers. It’s true that earthworms aren’t pets for the squeamish, but they are great little composters!

If you live in an apartment, or fear tramping through your backyard in blizzard-like conditions, then vermicomposting is for you!

This workshop will be informal, lead by an environmentally knowledgeable activist and gardener. The WPIRG office is wheelchair accessible. Email us at info@wpirg.org if you have any questions.

Wednesday, July 21

5-7pm in the WPIRG office (SLC room 2139)

There will be delicious baked goods and food, music, and games. We will have a quilt-making project for you to create part of a WPIRG quilt that will tell the collective story of how volunteers have been involved with WPIRG. Current volunteers as well as folks interested in learning about what WPIRG has been up to this past semester are all welcome!

Most importantly we will be honoring our volunteers with awards for all their hard work. A group photo will be taken so come on out!

-WPIRGers

EVENT DETAILS: Thursday, July 8^th, 3:30-5:00pm

Centre for Environmental & Information Technology (EIT) Room 1015

“I am concerned that the people running the tar sands are short-sighted when they are calculating profits and costs of the oil sands. It seems to me that there is a total disregard for the suffering and well-being of the animals and environment,” said Bart Fu, UW student.

Fu’s sentiment is reflected in a recent ruling against Syncrude Canada for failing to prevent 1,600 ducks from dying in the Aurora Tailings pond in April 2008.

“I am concerned that the environmental and health costs of the oil sands are felt by the residents and ecosystems of Northern Alberta, while the majority of profits and resources benefit people elsewhere,” says Kathryn Gwun-yeen Lennon, UW alumni.

A nation-wide campaign, lead by Environmental Defence, a not-for-profit working on environmental issues, has criticized the tar sands as the largest environmental catastrophe on the planet. “The tar sands are the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions on the planet,” says Ian Curey, Tar Sands Climate Outreach Campaigner for Environmental Defence. “I don’t think this is want Canadians want, people want investments in renewable energy and don’t support the expansion of the tar sands.”

Jonathan Bleackley, also with Environmental Defence says, “I think we know enough reasons why the tar sands are a bad idea, what I’m really scared of is all the reasons we don’t know yet.”

For more info on the impact and destruction caused by the tar sands check out Environmental Defence’s campaign for reports and articles.

ENGL 322 – Postcolonial Literature of the Americas – Winfried Siemerling

ERS 489 – Global Food System – Steffanie Scott

INTST 101 – Introduction to International Studies – Brian Orend

PACS 201 – Roots of Conflict, Violence and Peace – Nathan Funk

PACS 202 – Conflict Resolution – Betty Pries

PACS 318- Peace-building, Human Rights – Lowell Ewert

PHIL 328 – Philosophy of Human Rights – Brian Orend

PHIL 202/WS 222 – Gender Issues – Shannon Jennifer Dea

PHIL 224 – Environmental Ethics – Instructor TBA

PHIL 402/WS 422 – Modern Feminism -

PSCI 260 – Canadian Government and Politics – Instructor TBA

PSCI 291 – The Canadian Legal Process – Instructor TBA

PSCI 456 – Ethnic Conflict and Conflict Resolution – John Jaworsky

PSCI 458 – Cultural Explanations of Politics – William Moul

PSCI 462 – Politics of Indigenous Peoples – William Coleman

PSYCH 318 – Psychosexual Organization – BJ Rye

SMF 204 – Introduction to Human Sexuality – BJ Rye

SMF 305 – Social Issues and Controversies – Carmela DeSantis

SMF 310 – Sexual Ethics – T. Penny Light

SOC 101 – Intro to Sociology – various instructors

SOC 224R – Poverty Canada and Social Consequences – Tracy Peressini

SOC 232 – Technology and Social Change – John Goyder

SOC 234 – Social Psychology and Everyday Life – Robert Prus

SOC 327 – Policing in a Democratic Society – Frederick Desroches

SPCOM 226 – Intercultural Communication – Jennifer Simpson

SPCOM 228 – Public Communication – Robert Ballard

WS 202 – Women Across Cultures – Srabani Maitra

WS 205 – Gender, Culture and Technology – Nicholas Matte

WS 206 – Women and the Law – Tina Davidson

WS 302 – Thinking Through Gender – Alicja Muszynski

Let us know if there are any other cool social justice/environmental/critical theory courses that we’ve missed and we’ll add them to our list! Email us atinfo@wpirg.org with your suggestions.

Have a great term!