The elevator in the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre will be shut down today, January 24 for the majority of the day. This is required to perform necessary repairs. We apologize for any inconvenience this might cause.

Drs Kathy Ling and Anne Marie Carey, veterinarians with AVC’s Community Practice Clinic, will give a community workshop entitled “Overweight Pets: An Expanding Problem” on Tuesday, January 29, from 7-8:30 pm in the Atlantic Veterinary College’s Lecture Theatre A. Overweight pets are prone to weight-related illnesses that can shorten their lives, such as diabetes, arthritis, or kidney disease. Drs Ling and Carey will discuss causes of weight problems in pets, health problems that overweight pets may face, and ways to help pets lose weight. Weight control and management has been cited by veterinarians as one of the most important things pet owners can do to increase the length of the lives of their pets, says a pet wellness report published in 2011 by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association and Hill’s Pet Nutrition. According to veterinarians, overfeeding is the most common mistake pet owners make in feeding their dogs or cats. Sponsored by AVC Friends and Family, the workshop is part of AVC’s Community Workshop Series, which won a silver medal from the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education in 2011 for Best Community Outreach Initiative. Everyone is welcome. Admission is free and refreshments will be served. For information, contact (902) 566-0589 or visit upei.ca/avc

*We've planned two, half days over the break to introduce you to some of the possibilities. Faculty from around campus have been invited to show you what they are doing online. There will also be support staff to give you a sense of what services you can use to help you get started. The sessions will take place from 1:00-4:30 pm on February 19 and 9:00 am-12:30 pm on the morning of February 20. The workshops will be held in McDougall Hall 328 with light refreshments provided. There is no cost for the sessions, but faculty are invited to register with the Centre for Life-Long Learning via email: Lisa Mackinnon-Laybolt at lmmackinnon@upei.ca We also want to make it clear that the session is divided in two parts and both are meant to be attended. Questions about the event? Contact Daniel Lynds at dlynds@upei.ca

Dr. Daphne Gill, Department of Biomedical Sciences will give a seminar entitled "Lab Rats Speak Out: Designing a behavioural test battery for assessing autism-like symptoms in rodents" on Tuesday, January 29 at 1:30 pm in AVC, Lecture Theatre "C". Everyone is welcome.

Please bring your lunch and join Dr. Ed MacDonald (History) next Thursday, January 31 from 11:30 am-12:20 pm in the Faculty Lounge in the Main Building for a brown-bag lunch discussion of best practices in selecting students for class group work. We often talk about the pedagogical thinking behind group work, and we occasionally discuss how best to evaluate individual group members for what is essentially communal work. But we seldom talk about a related aspect of group work, the assembling of the groups themselves. How do we select group members? Randomly? By perceived abilities? Congruent schedules? Compatibility? What is the optimal size? How big is too big? Let's compare notes and see if we can come up with some best practice principles. Questions? Email gwandio@upei.ca at the Faculty Development Office. We hope to see you next week!

Get out of the cold and into the rink for some great AUS hockey. Friday, January 25 UPEI Men's Hockey vs StFX 7:00 pm Saturday, January 26 Alumni Day Green & White Games 4:00 pm over 40 alumni taking part UPEI Hockey Honours Michael O'Brien 6:50 pm UPEI Men's Hockey vs SMU 7:00 pm UPEI Women's Hockey vs STU 7:30 pm Lynn Boudreau UPEI Athletics & Recreation Communications & Events 566-0991 gopanthersgo.ca Donate your Aeroplan Miles to the UPEI Panthers today, visit: http://beyondmiles.aeroplan.com/eng/charity/123

Neuromuscular neurologist and author of The Spiritual Doorway in the Brain: A Neurologist’s Search for the God Experience, Dr. Kevin Nelson will be on campus on January 28 and will present “In the Borderlands of consciousness: spirituality arising from the brain in crisis” from 7–9 pm in AVC’s Lecture Theatre A. Dr. Nelson is the director of medical affairs, assistant dean for clinical affairs, and professor of neurology at the University of Kentucky located in Lexington. Nelson has a PEI connection as he’s married to Rustico native, Dr. Anne Steele (nee Gallant). Steele, who is a child psychiatrist, is also a UPEI alumna. Nelson and Steele enjoy vacationing at their summer cottage in Cymbria, PEI. Nelson will discuss the remarkable phenomena of near-death experiences and life-altering events, and how the brain is working during these moments. The lecture is free and all are welcome to attend. This lecture is hosted by the faculties of arts and science with assistance from the departments of psychology, philosophy, and religious studies.

Come out one and all and enjoy fun on the ice. The fourth night of the season is Friday, February 1 at 8:00 pm at the newly renovated Charlottetown Curling Complex, 241 Euston Street, 892-7467 that features the new Callbeck's Bar & Grill for evening dining. Cost is $8.00 per person. First 10 teams that sign up and pay are guaranteed a spot on the ice. Do not know how to curl? I can show you how if you show up a few minutes early the nights you sign up. Wear warm comfortable clothing. No street shoes please, bring clean sneakers. Sliders & brooms are provided. Winner buys the loser a drink and snacks are provided. Sign up as an individual or a team with Shelley Ebbett, 246S AVC, 0888, Ebbett@upei.ca So get your fellow classmates, friends, buddies, or co-workers and head out for a fun night on the ice. Sign up early so you do not miss out!

The UPEI Music Department is proud to present the 2013 Music Performance Competition Finals Concert on Thursday, January 24 at 7:30 pm at the Dr. Steel Recital Hall. For tickets or information, contact 566-0507 or music@upei.ca Tickets are $15/$10 (students/seniors) and will be available at the door. http://news.upei.ca/media/2013/01/21/music-performance-competition-fina…

Our campus food bank is busy at the beginning of a term as students put financial resources into texts and other school supplies. So while our food bank was full in early January, more recently it is looking bare. Tuna, peanut butter, cereal, crackers, salt, pasta, and sauces, granola bars and treats ... all are needed these days. Also we have an offer of eggs but have been asked to collect egg cartons. Why not drop off your empty cartons so someone else can have a full one? Food bank usage varies each month. Often we see 15-20 per month, some repeat visitors and some first-time, one-time users. Sister Sue Sister Susan Kidd Campus Minister 902-894-2876 sukidd@upei.ca

Dr. Daphne Gill, Department of Biomedical Sciences will give a seminar entitled "Lab Rats Speak Out: Designing a behavioural test battery for assessing autism-like symptoms in rodents" on Tuesday, January 29 at 1:30 pm in AVC, Lecture Theatre "C". Everyone is welcome.

Please bring your lunch and join Dr. Ed MacDonald (History) next Thursday, January 31 from 11:30 am-12:20 pm in the Faculty Lounge in the Main Building for a brown-bag lunch discussion of best practices in selecting students for class group work. We often talk about the pedagogical thinking behind group work, and we occasionally discuss how best to evaluate individual group members for what is essentially communal work. But we seldom talk about a related aspect of group work, the assembling of the groups themselves. How do we select group members? Randomly? By perceived abilities? Congruent schedules? Compatibility? What is the optimal size? How big is too big? Let's compare notes and see if we can come up with some best practice principles. Questions? Email gwandio@upei.ca at the Faculty Development Office. We hope to see you next week!

Get out of the cold and into the rink for some great AUS hockey. Friday, January 25 UPEI Men's Hockey vs StFX 7:00 pm Saturday, January 26 Alumni Day Green & White Games 4:00 pm over 40 alumni taking part UPEI Hockey Honours Michael O'Brien 6:50 pm UPEI Men's Hockey vs SMU 7:00 pm UPEI Women's Hockey vs STU 7:30 pm Lynn Boudreau UPEI Athletics & Recreation Communications & Events 566-0991 gopanthersgo.ca Donate your Aeroplan Miles to the UPEI Panthers today, visit: http://beyondmiles.aeroplan.com/eng/charity/123

Neuromuscular neurologist and author of The Spiritual Doorway in the Brain: A Neurologist’s Search for the God Experience, Dr. Kevin Nelson will be on campus on January 28 and will present “In the Borderlands of consciousness: spirituality arising from the brain in crisis” from 7–9 pm in AVC’s Lecture Theatre A. Dr. Nelson is the director of medical affairs, assistant dean for clinical affairs, and professor of neurology at the University of Kentucky located in Lexington. Nelson has a PEI connection as he’s married to Rustico native, Dr. Anne Steele (nee Gallant). Steele, who is a child psychiatrist, is also a UPEI alumna. Nelson and Steele enjoy vacationing at their summer cottage in Cymbria, PEI. Nelson will discuss the remarkable phenomena of near-death experiences and life-altering events, and how the brain is working during these moments. The lecture is free and all are welcome to attend. This lecture is hosted by the faculties of arts and science with assistance from the departments of psychology, philosophy, and religious studies.

Come out one and all and enjoy fun on the ice. The fourth night of the season is Friday, February 1 at 8:00 pm at the newly renovated Charlottetown Curling Complex, 241 Euston Street, 892-7467 that features the new Callbeck's Bar & Grill for evening dining. Cost is $8.00 per person. First 10 teams that sign up and pay are guaranteed a spot on the ice. Do not know how to curl? I can show you how if you show up a few minutes early the nights you sign up. Wear warm comfortable clothing. No street shoes please, bring clean sneakers. Sliders & brooms are provided. Winner buys the loser a drink and snacks are provided. Sign up as an individual or a team with Shelley Ebbett, 246S AVC, 0888, Ebbett@upei.ca So get your fellow classmates, friends, buddies, or co-workers and head out for a fun night on the ice. Sign up early so you do not miss out!

The UPEI Music Department is proud to present the 2013 Music Performance Competition Finals Concert on Thursday, January 24 at 7:30 pm at the Dr. Steel Recital Hall. For tickets or information, contact 566-0507 or music@upei.ca Tickets are $15/$10 (students/seniors) and will be available at the door. http://news.upei.ca/media/2013/01/21/music-performance-competition-fina…

Our campus food bank is busy at the beginning of a term as students put financial resources into texts and other school supplies. So while our food bank was full in early January, more recently it is looking bare. Tuna, peanut butter, cereal, crackers, salt, pasta, and sauces, granola bars and treats ... all are needed these days. Also we have an offer of eggs but have been asked to collect egg cartons. Why not drop off your empty cartons so someone else can have a full one? Food bank usage varies each month. Often we see 15-20 per month, some repeat visitors and some first-time, one-time users. Sister Sue Sister Susan Kidd Campus Minister 902-894-2876 sukidd@upei.ca

Please bring your lunch and join Dr. Ed MacDonald (History) next Thursday, January 31 from 11:30 am-12:20 pm in the Faculty Lounge in the Main Building for a brown-bag lunch discussion of best practices in selecting students for class group work. We often talk about the pedagogical thinking behind group work, and we occasionally discuss how best to evaluate individual group members for what is essentially communal work. But we seldom talk about a related aspect of group work, the assembling of the groups themselves. How do we select group members? Randomly? By perceived abilities? Congruent schedules? Compatibility? What is the optimal size? How big is too big? Let's compare notes and see if we can come up with some best practice principles. Questions? Email gwandio@upei.ca at the Faculty Development Office. We hope to see you next week!

Get out of the cold and into the rink for some great AUS hockey. Friday, January 25 UPEI Men's Hockey vs StFX 7:00 pm Saturday, January 26 Alumni Day Green & White Games 4:00 pm over 40 alumni taking part UPEI Hockey Honours Michael O'Brien 6:50 pm UPEI Men's Hockey vs SMU 7:00 pm UPEI Women's Hockey vs STU 7:30 pm Lynn Boudreau UPEI Athletics & Recreation Communications & Events 566-0991 gopanthersgo.ca Donate your Aeroplan Miles to the UPEI Panthers today, visit: http://beyondmiles.aeroplan.com/eng/charity/123

Neuromuscular neurologist and author of The Spiritual Doorway in the Brain: A Neurologist’s Search for the God Experience, Dr. Kevin Nelson will be on campus on January 28 and will present “In the Borderlands of consciousness: spirituality arising from the brain in crisis” from 7–9 pm in AVC’s Lecture Theatre A. Dr. Nelson is the director of medical affairs, assistant dean for clinical affairs, and professor of neurology at the University of Kentucky located in Lexington. Nelson has a PEI connection as he’s married to Rustico native, Dr. Anne Steele (nee Gallant). Steele, who is a child psychiatrist, is also a UPEI alumna. Nelson and Steele enjoy vacationing at their summer cottage in Cymbria, PEI. Nelson will discuss the remarkable phenomena of near-death experiences and life-altering events, and how the brain is working during these moments. The lecture is free and all are welcome to attend. This lecture is hosted by the faculties of arts and science with assistance from the departments of psychology, philosophy, and religious studies.