Communications and Public Affairs | University of Waterloo

Bill Gates, founder and current chairman of Microsoft, made a return visit to the University of Waterloo on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008.

What is CPA? (staff directory)

Welcome to Communications and Public Affairs' home page. CPA is responsible for strategic communications, as well as enhancing Waterloo's already outstanding reputation and that of its community of students, faculty, staff and alumni world-wide.

We produce communications pieces both online and in print, from the Daily Bulletin to our alumni-focused University of Waterloo Magazine, as well as special reports and brochures.

We provide counsel, training and expertise to the university community in areas of communications, marketing, media relations, event planning, and issues management, and also play a pivotal role in communicating essential information to our communities in time of crisis.

CPA provides resources, such as a writing style guide and event planning manual, for our campus community's use. We are currently updating and improving our experts guide for media.

Our office is also the media gateway for the University of Waterloo — we organize news conferences, issue news releases and develop relations with members of the media to get Waterloo's many stories out to the community and the world.

We are located in Needles Hall, 3021. To contact us, please go to our staff directory and e-mail or call the person who can best help you.

Ellen Réthoré,
Associate Vice-President, Communications and Public Affairs

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Events this week (UW Events)

Conference Proceedings
This hands-on session will introduce you to deciphering conference proceedings citations and provide you with the tools to navigate the often complicated search process.
Tuesday, February 14 from 10:00am to 12:00pm
Where: FLEX Lab, 3rd floor, Dana Porter Library

Valentine's Lunch
Saint Valentine would love this bill of fare! Chef Roland has created a romantic menu to nuture your soul today; featuring pan-seared chicken breast, spinach and feta tarts, scalloped potatoes and finished off with "hugs and kisses" cake. Lovely, sweet and satisfying.
Tuesday, February 14 from 11:00am to 01:45pm
Where: Festival Fare

Clearing the Fog of Geriatrics: Applying Complex System Thinking to the Health and Care of Older Adults
Robert S. McNamara uses the term 'fog of war' to describe the uncertainty that is raised by the multifaceted situations that are often found in times of conflict. Analogous to war, geriatric medicine is packed with uncertainty, numerous interacting and non-independent features, non-linear relationships, and numerous potential outcomes (i.e., full recovery, mortality, hospitalization, institutionalization). This complexity in the health and care of older adults is what I have termed 'the fog of geriatrics'. Within this "fog" occur a number of prevalent geriatric syndromes including age-related cognitive decline, delirium, and frailty. These health conditions greatly impact the quality of life and disability status of many older individuals, however, there is currently little known about their etiologies, pathologies, and prevention strategies. This presentation will examine the complexity found within health and care of older adults and suggest that geriatric medicine research shift away from the reductionist approach that is most often used in biomedical research.
Tuesday, February 14 from 02:00pm to 04:00pm
Where: EV3-3412

It's All About Your Skills
Knowing your skills and abilities AND being able to clearly and confidently convey them to employers is critical to your success in the employment process. Learn how to identify and articulate your strengths and discover potential areas of growth. You will also devise a plan to enhance these skills.
Tuesday, February 14 from 03:30pm to 05:00pm
Where: Tatham Centre 1112

Valentines Dinner
Made with love and Cupid approved! Chef Sean has created a menu that was inspired by romance and features heart shaped ravioli, char-grilled NY steak, lobster bisque, shrimp cocktail and many more....all made with love. Don't miss the decadent dessert bar crafted for this Valentines feast.
Tuesday, February 14 from 04:30pm to 08:00pm
Where: REVelation

More UW Events ...

Latest News Releases (more)

All news releases

Resources

Your Waterloo Positioning Guide

This online guide has been put together for everyone who represents the University of Waterloo. While it covers the university's new visual identity, and how to apply it when working with print materials, it also provides information on what makes Waterloo distinct, along with tips on writing and photography.

Your Waterloo Positioning Guide.
Download Waterloo wordmarks from the positioning guide website.
Web phasing protocol (to be implemented on all Waterloo websites by March 2011).

Communications and Public Affairs style guide

This style guide is used for Communications and Public Affairs-produced documents, and is available for use by any part of the university community.

CPA uses the Canadian Press (CP) Stylebook and its companion, CP Caps and Spelling. We consult the Canadian Oxford Dictionary for words not found in CP. Exceptions and Waterloo-specific references are included in the CPA guide. As well, our guide covers common writing errors.

The guide has several parts:

Style and Spelling
Capitalization
How to write lists
University building names
uWaterloo acronyms and initialisms

Powerpoint templates

Need to make a PowerPoint presentation representing the University of Waterloo? Here are a series of templates in Waterloo's new design. We encourage all faculty, researchers and staff to adopt these for a consistent Waterloo look.

Waterloo PowerPoint templates

Event Planning Guide

Planning an event on campus? Our Event Planning Manual has all the details.

Recent Advertisements

Below are some recently published advertisements for the University of Waterloo:

“Ideas start here: RSC” featuring Waterloo’s newest Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada
“Ideas start here: campaign” featuring Campaign Waterloo
“David Johnston has a dream” featuring the record of former president David Johnston
“Ideas start here: QNC” featuring the Mike and Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum Nano Centre
“Our natural resource is talent” featuring Waterloo people named to Canada’s Top 40 Under 40
“They’re building a better future” featuring Waterloo people named to Waterloo Region’s Top 40 Under 40

"Waterloo is a special place" featuring Bill Gates
"Relevant. Enterprising. He must work at Waterloo." featuring Janusz Pawliszyn, winner of a Manning Innovation Award
"Ideas to build on" featuring the Institute for Quantum Computing
"Driving energy solutions" featuring the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy
"Water, for life" featuring Waterloo water researchers
"A recipe for innovation" featuring Velocity students