At the Chaplaincy Centre, thoughts are with the students during exam time, their success, and yes, of course, the chili dinner. On the first two days of exams - Wednesday and Thursday, December 3 & 4 -between 11:30 am–1:30 pm, a chili dinner is served at the Chaplaincy Centre, free for the students. About 300 students show up each day with smiles and conversation on this busy week. We are looking for faculty and staff to help out and provide encouragement for students on their exams. If you are able to volunteer some time, sign up here: https://docs.google.com/a/upei.ca/document/d/1cDmfQL-5YHXAlWCCEQTUANKyn…

Know a student coming home to PEI for the holidays? UPEI Athletics and Recreation is offering a "Home for the Holidays" one-month Sports Centre Membership to students from other post-secondary institutions for $50 + HST. Students will enjoy all membership benefits including our state-of-the-art Fitness Centre, Walking Track, Open Gym Times, and Squash and Racquetball Courts. Please call our Panther Central Desk at (902) 566-0368 for additional information.

The UPEI community is invited to attend the 2014 President’s Holiday Social and Tree Lighting on Thursday, December 4, 3:30-5:00 pm. The reception will take place in Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall, where the new "UPEI Commits to Care" campaign will also be launched, followed by a tree lighting ceremony at 4:45 pm, between Kelley Memorial Building and the W.A. Murphy Student Centre. UPEI student Bridgette Blanchard will provide music during the social and appetizers and light refreshments will be served. UPEI food bank items and/or monetary donations are graciously accepted. The Office of the President will match all donations. Hope to see you there!

UPEI students, faculty, and staff are reminded that students are required to present their valid UPEI Campus Cards for all exam sittings. Please refer to Academic Regulation 13 d. - Examination Regulation for complete information: http://www.upei.ca/programsandcourses/regulation-13-examination-regulat…

Join your colleagues and friends for a very FESTIVE celebration at the Annual Sugar Plum Luncheon. Enjoy all your favorite holiday foods and delight in the festive décor. We think Santa may even take time to stop by! The luncheon is on Thursday, December 18 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm in the Wanda Wyatt Dining Hall. Tickets are $20.95 + HST and can be purchased by contacting Marc Doiron at (902) 628-4370 or by emailing catering@upei.ca. Brought to you by Chartwells with support from the Office of the President. Thank you and happy holidays! Angela Mackenzie Chartwells Food Service Director

The past and present state of Island land use policy will be the subject of a Public Symposium to be held at UPEI’s MacKinnon Auditorium, Room 242, Don and Marion McDougall Hall. The event is rescheduled to this evening, Tuesday, December 2 at 7:00 pm. The Symposium will begin with presentations by two veteran observers of Island public life over the past 30 years, Jean-Paul Arsenault and Ian Petrie. Mr. Arsenault’s talk will be entitled “Factors Affecting Land Use Decisions: What Were They Thinking?” and Mr. Petrie will address the topic “Why Farmers Fight Regulations.” Descriptions of their talks can be found at http://projects.upei.ca/iis/events/ Members of the public are cordially invited to attend. Admission is free. This event is sponsored by UPEI’s Institute of Island Studies, in conjunction with UPEI Research Services.

Thursday's Blood Donor Clinic has been moved from the W.A. Murphy Student Centre to the 2nd floor of the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre. The Clinic will be held Thursday, December 4 from 11:00 am-3:00 pm. To book an appointment, call 1-888-2-DONATE, or go online to blood.ca.

There will be a UPEI blood borne pathogen training session on Tuesday, December 16, 9:00—11:00 am in room 313, Kelley Memorial Building. This session is provided for those individuals whose work involves the manipulation of human blood or other body fluids or tissues in the course of their work. If you wish to attend, you must pre-register by contacting Rita Stanley, Research Services and Graduate Studies, before December 8, 2014 by email (rstanley@upei.ca) or by phone (ext.4308). Please include your name, department, email address, and phone number in your email or voice message. If you have any questions on this training session, please contact Dr. Rhoda Speare, UPEI Biosafety Officer, by phone (ext. 5071), or e mail (rspeare@upei.ca).

There will be a UPEI Basic Biosafety training session on Monday, December 15, from 1:00-4:00 pm in AVC, room 287N. Topics to be covered include: basic biosafety principles and how they are applied at the University of Prince Edward Island, as well as biosecurity training. Please note: only those who attended a training session after November 2012 are currently considered to be “up to date” in their training requirements. If you wish to attend, you must pre-register by contacting Rita Stanley, Research Services and Graduate Studies, before December 8, 2014 by email (rstanley@upei.ca) or by phone (ext. 4308). Please include your name, department, email address, and phone number in your email or voice message. If you have any questions on this training session, please contact Dr. Rhoda Speare, UPEI Biosafety Officer, by phone (ext. 5071), or e mail (rspeare@upei.ca).

There will be a UPEI blood borne pathogen training session on Tuesday, December 16, 9:00—11:00 am in room 313, Kelley Memorial Building. This session is provided for those individuals whose work involves the manipulation of human blood or other body fluids or tissues in the course of their work. If you wish to attend, you must pre-register by contacting Rita Stanley, Research Services and Graduate Studies, before December 8, 2014 by email (rstanley@upei.ca) or by phone (ext.4308). Please include your name, department, email address, and phone number in your email or voice message. If you have any questions on this training session, please contact Dr. Rhoda Speare, UPEI Biosafety Officer, by phone (ext. 5071), or e mail (rspeare@upei.ca).

There will be a UPEI Basic Biosafety training session on Monday, December 15, from 1:00-4:00 pm in AVC, room 287N. Topics to be covered include: basic biosafety principles and how they are applied at the University of Prince Edward Island, as well as biosecurity training. Please note: only those who attended a training session after November 2012 are currently considered to be “up to date” in their training requirements. If you wish to attend, you must pre-register by contacting Rita Stanley, Research Services and Graduate Studies, before December 8, 2014 by email (rstanley@upei.ca) or by phone (ext. 4308). Please include your name, department, email address, and phone number in your email or voice message. If you have any questions on this training session, please contact Dr. Rhoda Speare, UPEI Biosafety Officer, by phone (ext. 5071), or e mail (rspeare@upei.ca).

The UPEI community is invited to attend the 2014 President’s Holiday Social and Tree Lighting on Thursday, December 4, 3:30-5:00 pm. The reception will take place in Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall, where the new "UPEI Commits to Care" campaign will also be launched, followed by a tree lighting ceremony at 4:45 pm, between Kelley Memorial Building and the W.A. Murphy Student Centre. UPEI student Bridgette Blanchard will provide music during the social and appetizers and light refreshments will be served. UPEI food bank items and/or monetary donations are graciously accepted. The Office of the President will match all donations. Hope to see you there!

UPEI students, faculty, and staff are reminded that students are required to present their valid UPEI Campus Cards for all exam sittings. Please refer to Academic Regulation 13 d. - Examination Regulation for complete information: http://www.upei.ca/programsandcourses/regulation-13-examination-regulat…

Join your colleagues and friends for a very FESTIVE celebration at the Annual Sugar Plum Luncheon. Enjoy all your favorite holiday foods and delight in the festive décor. We think Santa may even take time to stop by! The luncheon is on Thursday, December 18 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm in the Wanda Wyatt Dining Hall. Tickets are $20.95 + HST and can be purchased by contacting Marc Doiron at (902) 628-4370 or by emailing catering@upei.ca. Brought to you by Chartwells with support from the Office of the President. Thank you and happy holidays! Angela Mackenzie Chartwells Food Service Director

The past and present state of Island land use policy will be the subject of a Public Symposium to be held at UPEI’s MacKinnon Auditorium, Room 242, Don and Marion McDougall Hall. The event is rescheduled to this evening, Tuesday, December 2 at 7:00 pm. The Symposium will begin with presentations by two veteran observers of Island public life over the past 30 years, Jean-Paul Arsenault and Ian Petrie. Mr. Arsenault’s talk will be entitled “Factors Affecting Land Use Decisions: What Were They Thinking?” and Mr. Petrie will address the topic “Why Farmers Fight Regulations.” Descriptions of their talks can be found at http://projects.upei.ca/iis/events/ Members of the public are cordially invited to attend. Admission is free. This event is sponsored by UPEI’s Institute of Island Studies, in conjunction with UPEI Research Services.

Thursday's Blood Donor Clinic has been moved from the W.A. Murphy Student Centre to the 2nd floor of the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre. The Clinic will be held Thursday, December 4 from 11:00 am-3:00 pm. To book an appointment, call 1-888-2-DONATE, or go online to blood.ca.

All pay changes, PTF's, overtime submissions, paper timesheets, etc., must be received by Human Resources by noon on December 1, 2014 for the December 19, 2014 payroll; and December 8, 2014 for the January 2, 2015 payroll. Electronic timesheet deadline - December 15, 2014 for the January 2, 2015 pay. Any questions, please call the Payroll Office at (902) 566-0464.

The Ten Thousand Villages sale returns to UPEI for three days in the Murphy Student Centre. Since this is the last stop on the sale's tour, everything is 20% off. Find great fair trade gifts on Tuesday, December 2 and Wednesday, December 3 from 9:00 am-8:00 pm, and on Thursday December 4 from 9:00 am-2:00 pm. For more information, call Shannon at (902) 566-0404.

All this week you can do your holiday shopping at the UPEI Bookstore and charge your purchase to your UPEI staff account. Your purchase will be paid through payroll deductions in the New Year starting on January 16. Minimum purchase is $100 to a maximum of $500. Contact Kevin or Bea at the Bookstore for more information.

President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz cordially invites you to the Official Groundbreaking Ceremony for the School of Sustainable Design Engineering. Join the President; the Honourable Robert Ghiz, Premier; the Honourable Allen Roach, Minister of Innovation and Advanced Learning; UPEI Board of Governors Chair Tom Cullen; and UPEI Student Union President Lucas MacArthur as they mark the beginning of construction. Health Sciences Building Lobby Thursday, December 4, 2014 Time: 10:00 am Hot beverages will be served before proceeding to the construction site.