Over the past several months, the Search Committee for the Vice-President Academic and Research (President Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, Dr. Cathy Ryan, Dr. Kathy Gottschall-Pass, Mr. Scott Harper, Ms. Margo Thompson, Ms. Tara Judson, Mr. John Rix) has received and considered expressions of interest and supporting documents from potential candidates for the position. Four outstanding candidates proceeded to the interview process. As a result, one candidate has been selected by the committee to deliver a 30-minute public presentation to campus.

Dr. Robert Gilmour, Jr. will present on Tuesday, March 21, from 2:00–2:30 pm in Lecture Theatre A at the Atlantic Veterinary College, followed by a one-hour opportunity for dialogue with the audience. The session will be moderated by Dr. Cathy Ryan.

The campus community is invited and encouraged to participate. The search committee values feedback and would appreciate receiving written comments following the presentation by email at VPARsearch@upei.ca by 5:00 pm, Monday, March 27, 2017. 

All graduates are required to rent and wear a gown and hood to their Convocation ceremony on May 13, 2017.

The cost to rent convocation regalia is $25.00 + taxes (or $30 onsite). Prepaid regalia can be picked up on Friday, May 12 and on Convocation Day, Saturday, May 13 upon presentation of a UPEI ID and the Gaspard online confirmation form. Regalia must be returned an hour and a half following the ceremony.

Graduating students are encouraged to order early—and no later than April 25, 2017— to guarantee that a gown and hood will be available for them on Convocation Day by visiting https://www.buildagrad.ca/upei

Faculty planning to attend Convocation also need to order their academic regalia through Gaspard: https://www.buildagrad.ca/upeifaculty

For more information, visit upei.ca/convocation or contact Eileen Kinch at kinch@upei.ca.

Ethics protocols that involve ‘more than minimal risk’ must be reviewed by the full UPEI Research Ethics Board. The next deadline for submitting these protocols is Friday, April 7, 2017. These submissions will be reviewed at the April meeting. Protocols involving ‘more than minimal risk’ that are received after April 7 will be reviewed at the May 2017 meeting.

Other ethics protocol submissions, including new applications that do not involve ‘more than minimal risk’, renewals, and amendments may be submitted at any time. They will be sent for delegated review as soon as all necessary forms are received.

Please ensure that you download and use the current forms found here. Please use Adobe Reader to complete forms.

Submit the following:
• one hard copy of the signed application form and associated documents to Joy Knight at the Office of Academic and Research, 200 Kelley Memorial Building and
• one e-copy of all documents to reb@upei.ca

For more information, please contact Joy Knight at 620-5104 or reb@upei.ca

The Robertson Library is offering a presentation, with hands-on time, on Wednesday, March 22 at 12:30 pm in the LINC classroom in the Library. If you or your students use Google Scholar, this is a great chance to learn some useful time-saving tips! If you are unable to make this time but would like to learn these tips, please contact Melissa Belvadi, mbelvadi@upei.ca.

Frederic Chatigny, Biomedical Sciences, will give a seminar entitled "Assessing the side-effects of lidocaine used as an analgesic on rainbow trout" and Laura Taylor, Biomedical Sciences will give a seminar entitled "Effects of the Organophosphate Chlorpyrifos on the Survival of the American Lobster (Homarus americanus)" on Wednesday, March 22, 2017 at 3:00 pm in AVC Lecture Theatre "A". 

Everyone welcome!

Is there a staff or faculty member that stood out to you this year? Do you think they deserve an award for going the extra mile? The UPEI Student Union is currently accepting nominations for the Faculty/Staff of the Year Award! Nominate a staff or faculty member you think deserves to win this award. Deadline for submissions is Thursday, March 23.

Standing desks increasing in popularity on campus! We are in the process of planning new standing desk research projects, and would like input from members of the campus community. What questions do you have about the pros and cons of standing desks? What would you like researchers to study regarding standing desks? Have you had any positive or negative experiences with standing desks?

We will be hosting a discussion on the above topics on March 23 from 12:00-1:00 pm in the Applied Human Sciences Boardroom, Health Sciences Building Rm. 323.

No standing desk experience required. To attend, please RSVP: trsaunders@upei.ca

All are welcome!

The next deadline for submitting Biosafety applications including new applications, renewals and/or amendments is Friday, March 31, 2017. These applications will be reviewed at the April 2017 meeting. Please ensure that you download and use the current forms, found here. Please use Adobe Reader to complete these forms.

Submit the following:
• one hard copy of the application form with signatures and associated documents to Joy Knight at the Office of Academic and Research, 200 Kelley Memorial Building and
• one e-copy of all documents to reb@upei.ca

Please note that applications received after this deadline will be reviewed the following month. For more information, please contact Joy Knight at 620-5104 or reb@upei.ca

Members of CUPE 1870 and the Faculty Association are invited to come together for a Signing Celebrtion event following successful labour negotiations.

Come socialize with colleagues and enjoy refreshments on Thursday, March 16 at 3:00 pm in Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall.

All are welcome!

As we continue to transition to myUPEI, experts will be stationed at a Help Booth to answer questions about planning, scheduling, registering, degree audit, student account, and other topics related to myUPEI.

You can drop by a myUPEI Help Booth on:

● Thursday, March 16, 1:00 pm–4:00 pm, W.A. Murphy Student Centre
● Tuesday, March 21, 9:30 am–12:30 pm, “The Pit”, Robertson Library building

If you have any pressing questions, send an email to studentsupport@upei.ca.

The Scholarships and Awards Office welcomes members of the university community to submit their recommendations for the 2017 Dr. Regis Duffy Academic Achievement Award, which will be presented at Convocation.

There are also a number of scholarships for deserving graduating students to apply for, including students who may be continuing onto professional programs. These awards are presented at the Senior Class Awards Ceremony.  Please feel to share the following with any students you may know qualify:

Arlie Parks Scholarship - In Memory of Dr. Kenneth MacIntyre
David Austin O'Malley-Keyes Memorial Award
Dr. Graeme and Alberta Bryant Boswall Award
Dr. L. I. Duffy Memorial Award
Frank J. Costello Scholarship
Gerald M. "Gerry" Birt Memorial Award
John Eldon Green Memorial Award
Joseph A. Ghiz Memorial Scholarship
Marylou Hughes Scholarship
W. Chester McLure Memorial Fellowship

The deadline for submissions is April 1, if there are any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at scholarships@upei.ca.

UPEI’s Executive MBA program offers a high-quality learning experience for working business professionals. The program is designed for those working in, or aspiring to work in, a management or leadership position. Classes are offered bi-weekly on Fridays and Saturdays with the option to complete the program in 20 months.

To learn more about the program and to meet with staff, faculty and students from the Faculty of Business, we invite you to attend an information session on Wednesday, April 5, 2017 at 5:00 pm in The Guild, Charlottetown.

Please call (902) 566-6474 or email mba@upei.ca to reserve a seat. For more information on UPEI's EMBA Program, click here. 

The following recitals will take place in the Dr. Steel Recital Hall, unless otherwise stated. Tickets will be available at the door for those recitals where admission is charged.

• Thursday, March 16, 2017 at 7:30 PM Architek Percussion. Admission Adults & Seniors $20/Students $15
• Saturday, March 18, 2017 at 7:30 PM Junior Recital featuring Leah Jordan, clarinet in collaboration with Frances McBurnie, piano. Free admission.
• Tuesday, March 21, 2017 at 7:30 PM at the Kirk of St. James, Charlottetown, SHOWCASE Recital featuring UPEI Music Majors in performance. Free admission.

*New date*: Friday, March 24, 2017 at 7:30 PM Junior Recitals featuring Zachary Bernard, trombone in collaboration with Stephanie Cole, piano and Justin Amador, horn, in collaboration with Frances McBurnie, piano. Free admission.

Justin Pater, UPEI Biology graduate, and PhD candidate at Memorial University, will present the next seminar in the ESC-HUB seminar series. Mr. Pater's seminar is entitled, “A common mutation in CLDN14 causes precipitous, prelingual sensorineural hearing loss in multiple Newfoundland families due to founder effect”.

Please join us on Friday, March 17, 2017 at 12:30 p.m. the Duffy Science Centre, Rm. 204.

All are welcome!
 

The next UPEI on-site training session in animal use and care will be held on Wednesday, April 5, 2017 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the McCain Foundation Learning Commons Rm 278 N, AVC.

This will be a 3 hour training session with handouts, based on CCAC Recommended Syllabus (exam included).  The Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) requires that all personnel involved with the use of animals in research, teaching, testing and service take this course.  (A refresher course is required every 5 years).

Please notify Sherri Pineau by e-mail at animalcare@upei.ca by 12:00 noon on Wednesday, March 29, 2017 if you or any of your staff will be attending this session.

As we continue to transition to myUPEI, experts will be stationed at a Help Booth to answer questions about planning, scheduling, registering, degree audit, student account, and other topics related to myUPEI.

You can drop by a myUPEI Help Booth on:

● Wednesday, March 15, 10:30 am–1:30 pm, W.A. Murphy Student Centre
● Thursday, March 16, 1:00 pm–4:00 pm, W.A. Murphy Student Centre
● Tuesday, March 21, 9:30 am–12:30 pm, “The Pit”, Robertson Library building

If you have any pressing questions, send an email to studentsupport@upei.ca

The next deadline for submitting Biosafety applications including new applications, renewals and/or amendments is Friday, March 31, 2017. These applications will be reviewed at the April 2017 meeting. Please ensure that you download and use the current forms, found here. Please use Adobe Reader to complete these forms.

Submit the following:
• one hard copy of the application form with signatures and associated documents to Joy Knight at the Office of Academic and Research, 200 Kelley Memorial Building and
• one e-copy of all documents to reb@upei.ca

Please note that applications received after this deadline will be reviewed the following month. For more information, please contact Joy Knight at 620-5104 or reb@upei.ca

The Canadian Cancer Society is gearing up for their annual fresh cut daffodil sales and UPEI is lucky to be a part of the pre-sale campaign. Daffodils will be delivered to UPEI on Monday March 27th. Please consider purchasing daffodils in support of the research, education and patient services programs provided to Islanders and their families living with cancer.

One bundle of 10 daffodils is only $8. Please email Kathryn Harrison at kharrison@upei.ca by 2 p.m. Thursday, March 16 if you would like to pre-order daffodils. Money will be collected on March 27th when daffodils are delivered. Alternatetively you can telephone Kathryn at 902-566-0901.

• Beginner Yoga with Cynthia Dennis begins Monday, March 20 at 4:30 pm.
• Circuit Fit with Maria Campbell begins Tuesday, March 21 at 4:30 pm.
• PiYo with Bernadette Currie begins Tuesday, March 21 at 12:05 pm.
• Hatha Yoga with Cynthia Dennis starts Thursday, March 23 at 4:30 pm.

If you're interested in joining one of these groups, please stop by the Panther Central desk at the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre to register. Cost for 6 classes is $35 + hst for Sports Centre members and full time UPEI students. For non-members cost is $45 + hst.

Pre-registration is required before the start of the program.

Check out all program details by clicking here! 

The deadline for Animal Care Protocol Submissions (new, renewal, or amendment) is Friday, April 7, 2017. Both the signed hard copy and electronic protocol submission must be submitted by the deadline date. 

Ensure you always:

· Download the current forms found here.

· Use the most current Adobe Reader to complete forms and only current forms will be accepted.

· Submit one copy of original protocol with signature to AVC - North Annex, Biomedical Sciences Dept. Rm. 2302

· Submit an electronic copy to animalcare@upei.ca

The Committee requires at least one month for processing applications. Potocol submissions received after the deadline will be reviewed the following month.

For more information, please contact Sherri Pineau, ACC Administrative Assistant, at 902-566-0973.