A new streamlined process for assessing eligibility and applying for a grant course release (GCR), as per H1.5.3 in the collective agreement between UPEI and the UPEI Faculty Association (UPEIFA) Bargaining Unit #1 (expires June 30, 2026), has been developed by the Office of Research Services in consultation with the UPEIFA Executive.

H1.5.3 As of date of signing, Faculty Members who hold, as principal investigator or co-principal investigator, one or more external, peer-reviewed research operating grants of $20,000 per year or more shall receive one (1) course release (3 contact hours) per grant to be used only when insufficient supervision credits under H1.4.2(d) exist to provide a release. Releases must be used during the period of the grant and only one such release may be used in any academic year. Faculty Members subject to H1.5.1 are eligible for a release under this section.

Effective immediately, to request a GCR, faculty members can find more information about eligibility and then follow the application process outlined here. For questions or further information, please contact researchservices@upei.ca. 

Due to the civic holiday on Monday, August 5, there will not be any outgoing courier or mail service.  Shipping and Receiving will be open for all your other shipping needs. Sorry for the inconvenience. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at shipping@upei.ca

Renewal of Employee Parking Permits who use payroll deduction is now open for Faculty and Staff for 2024–2025. Please visit the UPEI Security web page and select “Buy a staff or faculty parking pass” or click on the app link below (note: app will not work with Internet Explorer). Permits holders in Lots B, C, DRC, and reserved spaces have no expiry date, but must be renewed yearly as well.

Please DO NOT select the lot you may wish to move into—that is what the wait list is for (see below). New employees will be assigned to the General Lots. All permit holders will be reassigned to their current lot/space.

https://www.upei.ca/office-vice-president-administration-and-finance/security/parking-services/get-staff-and-faculty-parking-permit

We would like to advise that there will be an increase in permits this year. The last increase for a permit was in 2014. The cost of a permit will increase by 5%. This change will affect any permits issued or sold for the 2024-2025 school year. If you use payroll deductions your biweekly deductions will increase on September 13, 2024. 

If you use payroll deduction, and no longer use a UPEI lot to park, please email parking@upei.ca so we can stop your deduction. 

Employees taking a leave of absence from UPEI and using parking lots B, C, F, G, or DRC must email parking@upei.ca with their ID#, name, departure date, and expected return date to maintain access to their assigned lot. 

All fields with a red asterisk must be filled in, including office phone number and if you have an electric vehicle.

If you have a student in your household that is starting UPEI in September and they have their own vehicle, remember to include the vehicle info, their name, and ID# on the application if you are paying for their parking. Students will only be assigned a general permit.

If you are in a gated lot and you have a student that will be using your vehicle to come and go during the workday, please include their information on the application as an additional driver. If you wish to add additional information after you have submitted your form, you must resubmit a new application and inform parking@upei.ca that you have done so. 

If you change your vehicle, please email parking with the Make, Model, Province/State, Plate #.

If you would like to be added to the wait list for a designated lot or wish to change lots, please email parking@upei.ca with the following information. (Note: if you are already on the wait list there is no need to resubmit.) While you are on the waitlist, you will be assigned to your current lot until a spot opens in your requested location. 

Employee ID #:
Name (last, first):
Contact Email:
Phone Number:
Current lot:
Requested lot:

Please direct any questions or information changes to parking@upei.ca

If you have already applied for your 2024-2025 Parking Permit, you can disregard this email.

902-566-0312
parking@upei.ca

NOTE:  Parking meters are enforced year round, M-F,  8-5.

A new streamlined process for assessing eligibility and applying for a grant course release (GCR), as per H1.5.3 in the collective agreement between UPEI and the UPEI Faculty Association (UPEIFA) Bargaining Unit #1 (expires June 30, 2026), has been developed by the Office of Research Services in consultation with the UPEIFA Executive.

H1.5.3 As of date of signing, Faculty Members who hold, as principal investigator or co-principal investigator, one or more external, peer-reviewed research operating grants of $20,000 per year or more shall receive one (1) course release (3 contact hours) per grant to be used only when insufficient supervision credits under H1.4.2(d) exist to provide a release. Releases must be used during the period of the grant and only one such release may be used in any academic year. Faculty Members subject to H1.5.1 are eligible for a release under this section.

Effective immediately, to request a GCR, faculty members can find more information about eligibility and then follow the application process outlined here. For questions or further information, please contact researchservices@upei.ca. 

Emancipation Day celebrates the strength, courage, and perseverance of people of African descent in Canada, recognizes their struggles to end enslavement, and acknowledges their contributions towards Canadian society. Canadians and Islanders are invited to reflect, educate, and engage in the ongoing fight against both anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism and discrimination. Read more

On August 1, Emancipation Day will be marked by the following events: 

1. Official Opening of “Black Islanders: Four Centuries and Counting” exhibition at Beaconsfield Historic House at 11:00 am, presented by the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation. Curated by the PEIMHF with invaluable contribution from families of Black Islanders, this exhibition aims to bring to light the untold stories and significant contributions of the Black community on PEI over the past four centuries. The exhibition will be on display until October 24.
    
2. Emancipation Day 2024 Celebration at The Bog (Rochford Square) in Charlottetown from 5:00–8:00 pm, presented by the Black Cultural Society of Prince Edward Island. This special event commemorates the abolition of slavery across the British Commonwealth, including in Canada, on August 1, 1834. There will be entertainment, and attendees can enjoy a series of activities, games, food, and more at this all-ages event.

All are welcome.

DId you know that the UPEI Health and Wellness Centre is a distribution site for HIV self-test kits? We have partnered with Reach Nexus, developers of the "I'm Ready to Know" campaign or "I'm Ready".

Established in June 2021, I’m Ready is a national program that is implementing and evaluating low-barrier options for access to HIV self-testing. The goal is to reach the undiagnosed and give people choices about how to connect to the care they need. The program is an integrated and online technology platform that allows clients to access up to three free HIV Self-Test Kits (HIVST kits), to learn about HIV self-testing initiative and to get support before, during and after testing. This fully integrated solution allows clients to access resources and support either through a website or a mobile app. The website directs clients to download the mobile app to arrange for delivery of the HIV self-test kit or pick up at one of many community-based organizations. Once received, the app guides clients through the self-test administration, survey completion and uploading of test results. At any time while using the mobile app, the client can choose connect to a peer navigator (live person) through a scheduled appointment using a secure telehealth platform.

• If someone wants to “know my status”, they can: • Download the I’m Ready, Test app, register for the program and complete a survey • Order up to 3 free HIV self-testing kits for either delivery or pick up • Upload your results • Once they have the kit(s), they can use the app to test on their own and get more information about HIV care and prevention • Along the way, they will answer survey questions through the app • Can book time with a peer navigator for support with testing and connection to care at any point before, during or after they take the test.

In summary, download the I'm Ready app (apple app or google play) and register. Come to the UPEI Health and Wellness Centre and pick up 3 kits. Take the kits to a location of your choosing and complete the test. Log into the app for support before, during and after your test. Your results are known only to you and if you choose to tell someone. If your test is positive, you will need a confirmatory blood test and that can be arranged at the UPEI Health and Wellness Centre.

There will be a UPEI Bloodborne Pathogen Training Session on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, from 10:30 am-12:00 pm.

This session is for those individuals whose research involves human blood, tissue, and other bodily fluids. If you wish to attend you must pre-register by contacting Jacky Buell at HSE@upei.ca before Thursday, August 8, 2024. Please provide your name, department and email address. 

If you have any questions about this training session, please contact Dr. Rhoda Speare, rspeare@upei.ca.

Dana Hospitality will host a weekly BBQ every Thursday this summer from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm (weather permitting) in front of the AVC main doors. Check out the menu here. For potential weather cancellations and up-to-date information, please visit @UPEI_Eats. 

UPEI alumni, friends and members of the campus community are invited to take in the excitement of a Canadian Premier League match as the HFX Wanderers host Atlético Ottawa. This is a family friendly event with group tickets secured in The Kitchen.

Saturday, August 24, Halifax, Nova Scotia
12:30 pm | Gahan House Nova Centre
2:00 pm | Walk to Wanderers Grounds
3:00 pm | HFX Wanderers vs Atlético Ottawa

Ticket price: $20

Join us for pre-match munchies at Gahan House Nova Centre beginning at 12:30 pm and score some UPEI gear to add to your kit before we march together to the Wanderers Grounds at 2 pm. 

Reserve your tickets now

Questions about the Wanderers and the Wanderer Grounds? Please visit What to know before you go

General questions about the event or UPEI Alumni? Please get in touch with us by email at alumni@upei.ca or call Stephen at 902-388-6578

Calling all International students in PEI! Are you in your final semester/year at the University of Prince Edward Island, Holland College, or Collège de l'Île? 

Looking to stay in PEI after graduation? 

Don't miss the chance to apply for the Study & Stay PEl program. Apply now at studypei.ca.  

This incredible program offers the support you need to excel in your career and fully embrace your time in PEI. Program highlights:   

• Cultural and Social Adaptation    
• Professional Communications and Networking Skills   
• Career and Labor Market Support  
• Access to Immigration Resources & Support 
• Mentorship Opportunities 

Applications close on Thursday, September 5, 2024, 11:59 pm.  

Please contact us at studyandstaypei@upei.ca if you have any questions. 

With gratitude, all UPEI staff, faculty, and their families are invited to have VIP access for the first three hours of Ladner's Source for Sports' biggest summer sale in their history.

Date: Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Time: 5:00-8:00 pm

Location: Ladner’s Source for Sports, 375 University Ave., Charlottetown

You will have the opportunity to shop and get the biggest deals before the store opens to the general public on Thursday morning.

A portion of all sales from Wednesday night will be donated to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation.

Emancipation Day celebrates the strength, courage, and perseverance of people of African descent in Canada, recognizes their struggles to end enslavement, and acknowledges their contributions towards Canadian society. Canadians and Islanders are invited to reflect, educate, and engage in the ongoing fight against both anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism and discrimination. Read more

On August 1, Emancipation Day will be marked by the following events: 

1. Official Opening of “Black Islanders: Four Centuries and Counting” exhibition at Beaconsfield Historic House at 11:00 am, presented by the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation. Curated by the PEIMHF with invaluable contribution from families of Black Islanders, this exhibition aims to bring to light the untold stories and significant contributions of the Black community on PEI over the past four centuries. The exhibition will be on display until October 24.
    
2. Emancipation Day 2024 Celebration at The Bog (Rochford Square) in Charlottetown from 5:00–8:00 pm, presented by the Black Cultural Society of Prince Edward Island. This special event commemorates the abolition of slavery across the British Commonwealth, including in Canada, on August 1, 1834. There will be entertainment, and attendees can enjoy a series of activities, games, food, and more at this all-ages event.

All are welcome.

Due to the civic holiday on Monday, August 5, there will not be any outgoing courier or mail service.  Shipping and Receiving will be open for all your other shipping needs. Sorry for the inconvenience. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at shipping@upei.ca

World Hepatitis Day 2024 is annually observed on July 28. This day was identified to provide advocacy and education about hepatitis, in particular hepatitis B and C. The theme this year is "It's Time for Action". 

An estimated 304 million people worldwide live with hepatitis B or C. For most, testing and treatment remain beyond reach. Viral hepatitis is the second leading infectious cause of death globally, with 1.3 million deaths per year—the same as tuberculosis. Of these, 83% are caused by hepatitis B and 17% by hepatitis C. In Canada it is estimated that 1/100 Canadians have hepatitis C and 13.1 per 100,000 individuals in Canada have hepatitis B.

In the WHO European Region, an estimated 10.6 million people are living with hepatitis B and 8.6 million with hepatitis C. These types of hepatitis account for an estimated 53 000 deaths.

While guidance and tools exist to diagnose, treat and prevent chronic viral hepatitis, services are often out of reach for communities and are sometimes only available at centralized or specialized hospitals.

The new WHO guidelines on hepatitis B prioritize simplified treatment criteria for adults and adolescents, and expanded eligibility for antiviral prophylaxis for pregnant women to prevent mother-to-child transmission of the hepatitis B virus.

The guidelines also focus on enhancing diagnostics through point-of-care viral load testing, addressing diagnosis of hepatitis D coinfection using testing protocols, and delivering high-quality services.

Contact the UPEI Health and Wellness Centre (healthcentre@upei.ca; 902.566.0616) to request a test today!

Renewal of Employee Parking Permits who use payroll deduction is now open for Faculty and Staff for 2024–2025. Please visit the UPEI Security web page and select “Buy a staff or faculty parking pass” or click on the app link below (note: app will not work with Internet Explorer). Permits holders in Lots B, C, DRC, and reserved spaces have no expiry date, but must be renewed yearly as well.

Please DO NOT select the lot you may wish to move into—that is what the wait list is for (see below). New employees will be assigned to the General Lots. All permit holders will be reassigned to their current lot/space.

https://www.upei.ca/office-vice-president-administration-and-finance/security/parking-services/get-staff-and-faculty-parking-permit

We would like to advise that there will be an increase in permits this year. The last increase for a permit was in 2014. The cost of a permit will increase by 5%. This change will affect any permits issued or sold for the 2024-2025 school year. If you use payroll deductions your biweekly deductions will increase on September 13, 2024. 

If you use payroll deduction, and no longer use a UPEI lot to park, please email parking@upei.ca so we can stop your deduction. 

Employees taking a leave of absence from UPEI and using parking lots B, C, F, G, or DRC must email parking@upei.ca with their ID#, name, departure date, and expected return date to maintain access to their assigned lot. 

All fields with a red asterisk must be filled in, including office phone number and if you have an electric vehicle.

If you have a student in your household that is starting UPEI in September and they have their own vehicle, remember to include the vehicle info, their name, and ID# on the application if you are paying for their parking. Students will only be assigned a general permit.

If you are in a gated lot and you have a student that will be using your vehicle to come and go during the workday, please include their information on the application as an additional driver. If you wish to add additional information after you have submitted your form, you must resubmit a new application and inform parking@upei.ca that you have done so. 

If you change your vehicle, please email parking with the Make, Model, Province/State, Plate #.

If you would like to be added to the wait list for a designated lot or wish to change lots, please email parking@upei.ca with the following information. (Note: if you are already on the wait list there is no need to resubmit.) While you are on the waitlist, you will be assigned to your current lot until a spot opens in your requested location. 

Employee ID #:
Name (last, first):
Contact Email:
Phone Number:
Current lot:
Requested lot:

Please direct any questions or information changes to parking@upei.ca

If you have already applied for your 2024-2025 Parking Permit, you can disregard this email.

902-566-0312
parking@upei.ca

NOTE:  Parking meters are enforced year round, M-F,  8-5.

Come say hi, have a snack, and play a round of Jenga with UPEI's new Employee Engagement Officer, Jessica Field! 

Jessica would like to hear from you and get your thoughts on all things employee engagement. How do you think we should welcome new employees to UPEI? How would you like to be recognized for the work you do? What professional growth opportunities would be most meaningful to you? What initiatives would you like to see on campus that would enhance your experience while at work? What are some areas that make our workplace great that we should leverage? How can we make a positive impact in our communities, both on and off campus?

Thursday, August 1, AVC 280N, 10:00 am-12:00 pm

Wednesday, August 7, SDU Main Building 201 - Faculty Lounge, 12:00-2:00 pm

Tuesday, August 13, Kelley Memorial Building 234, 10:30 am-12:30 pm

Open to all employees at UPEI. Complimentary light refreshments will be provided, and attendees will have a chance to win UPEI swag!

Unable to attend? 

Stay tuned for future opportunities. If you'd prefer to connect individually, please feel free to reach out to Jessica at jfield@upei.ca 

Dana Hospitality will host a weekly BBQ every Thursday this summer from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm (weather permitting) in front of the AVC main doors. Check out the menu here. For potential weather cancellations and up-to-date information, please visit @UPEI_Eats. 

World Hepatitis Day 2024 is annually observed on July 28. This day was identified to provide advocacy and education about hepatitis, in particular hepatitis B and C. The theme this year is "It's Time for Action". 

An estimated 304 million people worldwide live with hepatitis B or C. For most, testing and treatment remain beyond reach. Viral hepatitis is the second leading infectious cause of death globally, with 1.3 million deaths per year—the same as tuberculosis. Of these, 83% are caused by hepatitis B and 17% by hepatitis C. In Canada it is estimated that 1/100 Canadians have hepatitis C and 13.1 per 100,000 individuals in Canada have hepatitis B.

In the WHO European Region, an estimated 10.6 million people are living with hepatitis B and 8.6 million with hepatitis C. These types of hepatitis account for an estimated 53 000 deaths.

While guidance and tools exist to diagnose, treat and prevent chronic viral hepatitis, services are often out of reach for communities and are sometimes only available at centralized or specialized hospitals.

The new WHO guidelines on hepatitis B prioritize simplified treatment criteria for adults and adolescents, and expanded eligibility for antiviral prophylaxis for pregnant women to prevent mother-to-child transmission of the hepatitis B virus.

The guidelines also focus on enhancing diagnostics through point-of-care viral load testing, addressing diagnosis of hepatitis D coinfection using testing protocols, and delivering high-quality services.

Contact the UPEI Health and Wellness Centre (healthcentre@upei.ca; 902.566.0616) to request a test today!

All are invited to view the online thesis defence of Anthony Harris for Master of Science (Mathematical and Computational Sciences) on Wednesday, July 31, at 1 pm. 

Title of the Thesis: “Spatial Temporal Connection: A Disaster-Resilient Application-Level Protocol” 

Abstract:

We live in a digital age where communication networks are accessible from even the most remote locations on earth. Unfortunately, a side effect to this high availability is an increased dependency on centralized communication networks such as internet and cellular service providers. This reliance translates to more corporate oversight to handle the data processing and transmission, exposing us to governing, privacy and network fragility concerns in the event of a natural or man-made disaster.

This thesis explores these centralized communication vulnerabilities through a disaster-resilient lens and proposes a novel solution in the form of an application-level protocol named Spatial Temporal Connection or STC. This protocol, when combined with the open-source, mobile Android application DewSTC, provides an ease-to-use messaging service when centralized networks fail.

Founded on the dew computing principles of Independence and Collaboration, DewSTC acts as both client and server, relaying local and neighboring user data in a delay-tolerant and ad hoc Bluetooth mesh network. Text messages can eventually reach their destination using the concept of movement-over-time without the need for cables, a constant power supply, or even pre-established connections.

While the protocol cannot guarantee message delivery, its routing architecture increases user autonomy, network adaptability and robustness during periods of limited to no connectivity.

Dana Hospitality will host a weekly BBQ every Thursday this summer from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm (weather permitting) in front of the AVC main doors. Check out the menu here. For potential weather cancellations and up-to-date information, please visit @UPEI_Eats.