The annual call for applications for the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) 2025 program is open.Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) is a program under the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy, which aims to provide flexible and holistic services to help all young Canadians develop the skills and gain paid work experience to successfully transition into the labour market.

Applicants can seek funding to hire youth (people aged 15-30 years and must have Canadian Citizenship) between April 21, 2025, and August 30, 2025; the latest start date is July 21, 2025. Work placements must be full-time (30-40 hours per week) quality jobs with a minimum duration of six weeks and a maximum of 16 weeks.

Approved employers will be eligible to receive a wage subsidy reimbursement of up to 50% of the provincial or territorial minimum hourly wage of $16.00/hour unless there is an increase prior to April 21, 2025.

For additional information and application information for this program please click here.

To apply for this program, you will need to contact Human Resources:

• Gabe Blunte at staffing@upei.ca (902) 620-5359
• Monique Geurts at mgeurts@upei.ca (902) 566-0515.

The closing date for applications in Human Resources is December 16, 2024.

The UPEI Centre for Health and Community Research is seeking individuals to join a research advisory council to help create story maps showcasing how climate change can affect different communities across the island. No research experience is required. Applicants must be currently living on PEI and be 18+ years old.

Advisory members will share their experiences and insights to guide equitable decision-making and improve support for those most impacted by climate change. Advisors will take part in six 90-minute meetings between December 2024 and March 2025, with a final workshop in March 2025. Members will be compensated $400 for their time and will receive support to attend meetings. Applications are open until December 8, 2024. To apply, visit https://forms.office.com/r/fz1dQLR6za

The UPEI Concert Choir invites you to share in "A European Christmas," an afternoon of music inspired by the iconic festive markets of Europe. The choir will be joined by members of the PEI Regiment Band to perform Schubert’s majestic "Deutsche Messe." The program will also include favourite selections from "The Sound of Music" with pianist Leo Marchildon, glorious carols, and a special low brass feature. The UPEI Concert Choir is under the direction of Hannah O’Donnell, and the PEI Regiment Band is under the direction of Captain Rory O’Donnell, both of whom are UPEI music alumni.

The recital will take place in Steel Recital Hall on December 8, starting at 2:30 pm.

Accessible parking is available, and accessible entry to the recital hall is available via elevator.

 As we navigate changes in the age of generative AI, aligning our assessment strategies with the distinctly human skills and AI literacies we aim to foster is important. In this workshop, instructors will work collaboratively in small groups to revise and develop assessments that reflect their course learning outcomes. Join us to explore innovative approaches to assessment that not only acknowledge the presence of AI tools but may also leverage them to support student learning. Please bring an assessment you’d like to revise and a digital device of your preference to work with to the TLC, Robertson Library Annex, Room 230, on December 12 at 10:00 am. Kindly RSVP here. 

Depending upon the work requirements of University Departments, the holiday schedule will be in effect from December 24, 2024, through January 1, 2025, inclusive. Office and regular business hours will resume on Thursday, January 2, 2025.

PAY DATE DEADLINES:

For the December 6 pay: The deadline for submitting timesheets and overtime pay is November 25 at 10 am. The deadline to submit PTFs, pay changes, etc. (November 15) has passed.

For the December 20 pay: The deadline for submitting timesheets and overtime pay is December 9 at 10 am. The deadline to submit PTFs, pay changes, etc. (November 21) has passed.

For the January 3, 2025, pay: The deadline to submit PTFs, pay changes, etc. is December 5 by noon. The deadline to submit timesheets and overtime is December 16 at 10 am.

For the January 17, 2025, pay: The deadline to submit PTFs, pay changes, etc. is December 17 by noon. The deadline to submit timesheets and overtime is January 6 at 10 am.

GIFT DAYS:

The following days will be given to permanent and term staff as paid time off: December 24, 27, 30, and 31, 2024 (4 gift days). For those employees who must work on any of these days, time off will be given at a later date. 

Please note: Students and casual employees are not eligible for the “gift” days of December 24, 27, 30, and 31. 

SCHEDULE FOR SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS:

The holiday schedule for specific departments is as follows:

Security Services will continue over this period, 24 hours a day. 

Shipping/Receiving and Mail Services will resume regular hours on January 2, 2025.

Development and Alumni Engagement will be open December 30 and 31, 2024 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Veterinary Teaching Hospital will be available for emergency service only throughout the holiday period; it will resume regular hours on January 2, 2025.

Chi‐Wan Young Sports Centre will be open on December 15, 9 am to 8 pm; December 16 to 20, 6 am to 8 pm; December 21 and 22, 9 am to 8 pm; December 23, 8 am to 8 pm; December 26, 9 am to 5 pm; December 27, 8 am to 8 pm; December 28 and 29, 9 am to 8 pm; December 30, 8 am to 8 pm; January 2 and 3, 6 am to 8 pm; and January 4 and 5, 9 am to 8 pm. It will be closed on December 24, 25, and 31, and January 1. Regular operating hours will resume on January 6, 2025. Hours are also posted at https://www.upei.ca/ar/athletic-facilities/chi-wan-young-sports-centre/hours

Diagnostic Services will be closed on December 25, 26, and 29, and January 1. It will be open on December 24, 28, and 31 from 8 am to 12 pm, and on December 27 and 30 from 8 am to 4:30 pm. Regular operating hours will resume on January 2, 2025.

SUPPORT STAFF DURING THE HOLIDAY:

Departmental authorities who require support staff over the holiday period should make their requirements known to the Human Resources Department no later than two weeks prior to the holiday. 

The Faculty of Education invites all to attend the public presentation of Elizabeth Blake's PhD dissertation proposal titled "Troubling Inclusion with/in a Posthumanist Education" on December 12 at 11:00 am. Please join us in person in Memorial Hall, Room 308, UPEI, or via Zoom at https://upei.zoom.us/j/67395878456?pwd=2QVI4qvuue9r2E1kzQGCBDRw9b70g2.1

December 6 is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, which marks the day in 1989 when 14 young women at Polytechnique Montreal (12 of whom were engineering students) were murdered in a violent act of misogyny that shook our country. 

A candlelight vigil is being hosted in the Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering building on Friday, December 6, at 10:00 am, at the Academic Staircase, to honour those who lost their lives in this tragedy. A commemorative display will also be set up near the entrance all day for those who wish to write messages of reflection and hope. Light refreshments and snacks will be provided following the ceremony. All are welcome.

The Faculty of Education invites all to attend the public presentation of Melissa Bishop's PhD dissertation defence, "Virtual Beginnings from Classroom to Screen: Early Elementary Teachers’ Accounts of Planned and Lived Curricula." Please join us on December 11, at 10:30 am, in Memorial Hall Room 417 or through Zoom at https://upei.zoom.us/j/69944764703?pwd=2oK1n2fzsK2gEl2IbXbKRbeVZgUkJ7.1

As you're studying for exams or completing final projects, Robertson Library has a workspace for you. We will be adjusting our study zones from December 6 to 19.

The entire upper floor, with two exceptions, will become a silent zone. Those who want silent study spaces can continue to use the sunroom, the upstairs study carrels, and the one-person study rooms (320-327 and 331-336). We ask that people using or traveling through the stacks and the upstairs lobby observe silence during exams.

Those who are working on group projects or who prefer some background noise can use the upstairs reading room or any of the spaces on the main floor of the library. The group study rooms can be reserved by groups of 2-8 people. Since the group study rooms are not soundproof, those in the upstairs group study rooms are asked to be mindful of the silent zones nearby.

UPEI honours its rich heritage and traditions by acknowledging members of the campus community who have contributed to its mission in an exceptional way by naming them “Founders.” View the list of Founders. The University of Prince Edward Island is now accepting nominations for the 2024 Founders. 

Recognizing our Founders is an opportunity to honour those who have worked diligently and passionately to build the University into the highly regarded institution of higher education it is today. The award is presented to members of the campus community who have played a direct role in 

• supporting the vision, reputation, and continued success of the University, and/or
• creating a new era of educational, research, and/or service excellence at the University. 

Active faculty and staff members are not eligible for the award. Typically, two to three nominees are selected each year to receive the designation as Founder by a committee established for this purpose. The recipients will be honoured at a Recognition of Founders Ceremony on a date to be confirmed. 

If you wish to submit a nomination for this award, please complete the online form, or email your submission to communications@upei.ca. Emailed nominations should include your name, daytime telephone number, and relationship to the nominee along with the name, address, telephone number, and email address of the person you wish to nominate. Nominations are limited to 500 words in length and should address how the nominee meets the above criteria. Anyone may submit a nomination and past nominations will also be considered.

Completed nominations must be received by Friday, December 6, 2024, at 12:00 pm AT (noon). 



 

Presenter: Carissa Grove

Location: AVC 205N

Date/time: December 9, 2024, 2:00 pm

Title: “Population Genetics and Return Migration Behaviour of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo Salar) In Prince Edward Island, Canada”

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) are declining across their native range where many populations in eastern Canada are threatened or endangered. In order to facilitate population recovery, widespread stocking has occurred throughout the region with over 37 million Atlantic salmon being stocked in Prince Edward Island (PEI) rivers since 1880. There is now evidence that stocking may put local genetic integrity at risk and impacts local adaptation on a population scale. A previous study identified two genetic populations on PEI, one unique to PEI and the other similar to other Gulf of St. Lawrence populations. In Chapter 2 of this thesis, we evaluated 884 individuals from 20 rivers on PEI known to contain Atlantic salmon. A panel of six microsatellites and next-generation sequencing were used followed by Bayesian clustering methods to infer groupings of populations. Generally, we see three major groupings on PEI including northeastern, southern, and northwestern to central draining rivers. Stocking intensity was not a good predictor for genetic variation. There are multiple genetic stocks on PEI that may be reflective of post-glacial colonization and local adaption. Upstream migration varies among and within rivers due to local conditions and genotypic differences. In order to assess migration behaviour, Chapter 3 evaluated the upstream migration of adult Atlantic salmon in North Lake Creek (NLC). Returning Atlantic salmon were caught and tagged with passive integrated transponders (PIT). Arrays were set up on multiple locations on NLC as well as adjacent rivers. Other morphometrics were taken at time of capture and environmental variables measured to determine what other factors influence movement. Individual fish detection was significantly associated with increased flows and decreased temperature. Additionally, time spent in the river averaged (SEM,n) 27.6 days (7.18, 10), meaning they stay in the river for a short period of time to spawn and leave to over-winter in the estuary or back to the ocean. The upstream migration of returning Atlantic salmon is complex and still being evaluated and understood however, it is important to evaluate these variances in light of genetic differences since it has been shown to play a role in timing.

Everyone is welcome.

We have a variety of small group training options available in the winter semester with one of our three personal trainers! Combine elements of different training styles for a well-rounded workout under the guidance of a certified personal trainer to ensure proper form and technique. UPEI students, staff, faculty, and retirees all receive discounted prices.

Fees (plus applicable taxes):

• Full-time students-$65
• Staff, faculty, and retirees-$75
• All others-$150

Each session has 10 classes. There is a maximum of six individuals per group. Pre-registration is required.

For a list of times, dates, etc, log into recreation.upei.ca (top righthand corner of the page). Be sure to click on the UPEI LOGIN button to enter your UPEI email address and password. Please do not put your email address in the community email box and/or click on community. Once you are logged in, go to the fitness training icon and then the small group training icon, Click on the program for details and to register. For assistance or questions, please contact Angela Marchbank, coordinator, Fitness and Wellness, at amarchbank@upei.ca

Come and try chair yoga on Thursday, December 5 and 12, from 12:10-12:55 pm, at the UPEI Fitness Centre, Studio 1. Chair yoga is a gentle form that is done while seated or using a chair for balance and support. No yoga experience is necessary. Instructor Pam Harris will guide you through a workout that will help reduce stress while boosting mental well-being. This class is for UPEI staff, faculty, and retirees only and is free. The class is brought to you by the UPEI Healthy Campus Committee.

Pre-register by logging in at recreation.upei.ca (top righthand corner of page). Click on the UPEI LOGIN button to enter your upei email address and password. Please do not put your email address in the community email box and/or click on community. Once you have logged in, go to the wellness icon and then click on the class to register. For assistance or questions, please contact Angela Marchbank, Coordinator, Fitness and Wellness, at amarchbank@upei.ca

The UPEI Writing Centre (RL 274) will close for the exam period and the holidays on Thursday, December 5, at 5:00 pm. We still have a handful of appointments available. Please book at https://upei.mywconline.com/

Everyone (students, faculty and staff, general public) is invited to the following events to view and celebrate the work of undergraduate students in the Faculty of Arts. Feel free to ccome to any or all of the following events on Friday, December 6:

Curiosity Fair, W.A. Murphy Student Centre, 9:00-11:00 am:

• "Authenticity in the Age of AI" hosted by students in UPEI 1020 Inquiry Studies. This is an interdisciplinary showcase of curiosity-led research, where part of the design is unbuilding, innovation, experimentation, and making something different than what’s on the cover of the box.

Faculty of Arts Student Showcase

Individual and group projects and presentations, creative performances, and displays recommended by individual course instructors will be presented at the Showcase to highlight the “best of the best” of undergraduate student work. The agenda for each session and room will be posted on the doors of SDU Main Building rooms 211 and 213 on December 6.

10:00-10:50 am: Faculty of Arts Student Showcase Session 1, SDU Main 213

10:50-11:10 am: Refreshment break (outside SDU Main 211 and 213)

11:10 am-12:15 pm:

• Faculty of Arts Student Showcase Session 2, SDU Main 211
• Faculty of Arts Student Showcase Session 2, SDU Main 213

12:40-1:30 pm: Bachelor of Music Students' Recital, Steel Recital Hall. Like all of the weekly Friday afternoon student recitals in this series, this final recital of the term will feature a variety of instrumentalists and singers performing classical music spanning 300 years.

We hope that you can join us!

The Faculty of Education invites members of the campus community--students, faculty, and staff--to attend public presentations on “What is the most critical issue in science education?” by candidates for a tenure-track position in science education. Presentations are in a hybrid format--in Memorial 308 and via Zoom--as follows:

December 4, 1:15–2:15 pm: Dr. Madj Zouda

Zoom: https://upei.zoom.us/j/61103946043?pwd=0BnPtB7yvg1FqgNpzqq7txQsPOI9te.1

Meeting ID: 611 0394 6043

Passcode: 846462

December 13, 1:00–2:00 pm: Dr. Kyla Smith

Zoom: https://upei.zoom.us/j/61172730481?pwd=3quGIKMFfbkcKJbMJ6nQFRj5B5hu8f.1

Meeting ID: 611 7273 0481

Passcode: 159033

 For further information, contact Karen-Anne O’Halloran.

The Department of Psychology is pleased to present three candidates for two tenure-track assistant professor positions. 

Please join us for the following presentations:

• On Thursday, December 5, at 11:30 am, Dr. Margaret Manges will present her research talk titled “A Minority Stress Approach for Advancing Clinical Interventions: Addressing Suicide Risk in LGBTQ+ People and Individuals with Psychosis.” The presentation will take place in SDU Main Building, Room 211. 
•  On Monday, December 9, at 12:00 pm, Dr. Brent Macdonald will present his research talk titled “Mental toughness and executive functioning development in adults with ADHD: A collaborative proposal for the PEI community." The presentation will take place in Memorial Hall, Room 308. 
• On Thursday, December 12, at 10:15 am, Dr. Elena Kosterina will present her research talk titled “Understanding Community Psychology Topics Through Qualitative Interdisciplinary Research.”  The presentation will take place in SDU Main Building, Room 420. 

The UPEI Alumni Association invites you to join us for the second annual Family Fun Day at Mill River Resort, on Saturday, January 25, 2025! 

FAMILY FUN
Our friends at Mill River Resort are offering UPEI Alumni a 20% discount on individual and family outdoor activity day passes and equipment rentals. You can get a family pass for just $44 and enjoy all the outdoor activities at Mill River! Your pass includes tubes, snowshoes, and cross-country ski rentals. Guests must bring their own skates. Discounted passes can be purchased from the Pro Shop beginning at 9:00 am or when you arrive at the resort.

For more information on winter activities at the resort please visit: https://millriver.ca/activities/winter/ 

GATHER TOGETHER
Join us for an end-of-day campfire with complimentary s'mores, hot chocolate, and a gift, beginning at 3:00 pm.
To help us order the correct amount of hot chocolate and s'mores, please RSVP using this form.

MAKE IT A WEEKEND GETAWAY
Want to make a weekend of it? Mill River is offering standard rooms (two queen beds) for just $189+ tax. This is $60 off regular rates, available for the nights of January 24/25 only. To take advantage of this special rate, please call Mill River Resort directly at 1-844-375-3555 and mention that you are part of the UPEI alumni group. This rate is based on room availability. Please book your room by Wednesday, December 11, 2024.

Questions? Get in touch with Stephen sloo@upei.ca or 902-388-6578

The Robertson Library’s OER Development Program is accepting grant applications for the creation or adaptation of open educational resources (OERs). The grant types include 

• Open Educational Resource or Textbook Grant: up to $7,000 for the development of a new open textbook on a topic that is currently not covered by an existing open textbook, or major adaptations of existing textbooks; 
• Open Textbook Adaptation Grant: up to $4,500 for the adaptation of one or more open educational resources or open textbooks to create a new version or edition of a resource (i.e. a Canadian edition of an existing open textbook); 
• Supplementary Resources Grant: up to $2,500 for the creation of ancillary materials for existing open textbooks, including, but not limited to test banks, slide decks, recordings, or interactive media, etc. 

Applications that support first-year courses will be given priority as they reach the greatest number of students, but all applications will be reviewed and considered. The deadline for applications is January 31, 2025. For more information, or to apply, visit https://library.upei.ca/OERProgram/grants. 

Questions about your grant idea? Don’t need a grant, but you’d like to make an OER? Contact Keri McCaffrey, One Health and Scholarly Communications Librarian, at knmccaffrey@upei.ca or Charlene VanLeeuwen, Manager, Teaching and Learning Centre, at cvanleeuwen@upei.ca. 

The fourth meeting of the UPEI Senate will take place on Friday, December 13, 2024, from 3:00 to 5:00 pm in Room 102 at Alumni Hall (618 University Avenue). To view the 2024-2025 calendar of Senate meetings or documents for the upcoming meeting, click here.

All meetings are open to members of the University community, although certain in-camera items (e.g., granting of degrees) may require the Senate to go into a closed session. Only members of Senate are permitted to address the Senate unless otherwise recognized by the chair. 

For logistical purposes, members of the UPEI community who wish to attend the open session of a UPEI Senate meeting are asked to contact senate@upei.ca one week prior to the meeting. While Senate is an in-person meeting, members of the University community may request a virtual connection when they are unable to attend in person.