Reminder: The UPEI Parking Advisory Committee is conducting a parking study to help determine current and future parking needs within our community by collecting input and ideas from students, faculty, and staff through an anonymous survey.

Please take a few minutes to complete the survey to help shape future parking, mobility, and accessibility at UPEI.

The deadline to submit your input through the survey is March 22, 2024.

Here is the survey link if you missed it: https://forms.office.com/r/tggDGitKjN

Thank you,

Parking@upei.ca

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in Canada, and every three days, someone on PEI is diagnosed with Colorectal Cancer.

Current colorectal cancer screening guidelines on PEI recommend a FIT test (fecal immunochemical test) every two years for Islanders aged 50-74 years of age for average-risk individuals.  If you are at a higher risk for colorectal cancer (positive family history, blood in the stool, history of colorectal cancer, change in bowel movements, unexplained weight loss, vomiting, long-standing diarrhea or constipation), then you should have a colonoscopy. This can be arranged through the UPEI Health and Wellness Centre, which is located on the second floor north of the W.A. Murphy Student Centre (above the bookstore).

The FIT test is available for anyone who is average risk and aged 50-74 at the UPEI Health and Wellness Centre. If you identify as being higher risk, make an appointment to see a nurse practitioner at the health centre. They can review the screening that is best for you and make a referral for a gastroenterology consult if necessary.

Detecting colorectal cancer at an earlier stage improves your chances of survival and avoidance of treatment. For more information, check out Health PEI’s provincial colorectal cancer screening program at https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/information/health-pei/colorectal-screening-program-fit. For additional information on colorectal cancer screening, visit the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer for information on screening projects across Canada at https://www.partnershipagainstcancer.ca/news-events/news/article/pan-canadian-success-colorectal-cancer/

The Scholarships and Awards Office is encouraging application submissions for convocation, senior class, and year-end scholarships and awards! The application deadline for the following awards is Monday, April 1, 2024. Click the links provided below to access the application and/or recommendation forms for more information. Please submit your application(s) and any supporting documents electronically to scholarships@upei.ca or in person to Dalton Hall 202.

• Arlie Parks Scholarship - In Memory of Dr. Kenneth MacIntyre (Science)
• Marylou Hughes Scholarship (Science)
• Gerald M. Gerry Birt Memorial Award (Science/Nursing/Arts)
• David Austin O'Malley-Keyes Memorial Award (Arts/Music)
• Frank J. Costello Scholarship (Arts/Education)
• Joseph A. Ghiz Memorial Scholarship (Law)
• PEI's Famous Five Graduating Student Award (Arts/Campus Community)
• Dr. Graeme and Alberta Bryant Boswall Award (Campus Community)
• Dr. Regis Duffy Academic Achievement Award (Campus Community)
• UPEI Class of 1989 Award (Campus Community)

As part of continuing to engage with the various audiences that make up the campus community, Dr. Greg Keefe, interim President and Vice-Chancellor would like to invite you to a series of Campus Town Halls where he will give brief updates as well as listen to your concerns and respond to questions.

Six 90-minute in-person events are planned: two each for faculty, staff, and students to help accommodate schedules. Those who cannot attend in person due to work-from-home arrangements/other accommodations can join via Zoom.

Participants are asked to attend one of the two town halls for the group that is applicable to them.

Faculty Town Halls

1. Wednesday, March 20, 3:00–4:30 pm
   Alex H. MacKinnon Auditorium, Don and Marion McDougall Hall (MCDH 242)
   Zoom: https://upei.zoom.us/j/63841183049?pwd=WS9vU1c4Z0pmNkIra21UVlc1R2pldz09

2. Friday, March 22, 10:00–11:30 am
   Duffy Science Centre Amphitheatre (DSC 135)
   Zoom: https://upei.zoom.us/j/69749369292?pwd=RUswS0pvNnhDQTlHc01USGhiUTRLQT09

Staff Town Halls

1. Monday, March 25, 1:00–2:30 pm
   Performing Arts Centre Theatre (PAC 121 S)
   Zoom: https://upei.zoom.us/j/64618483493?pwd=SHQwUCt1Y3ZOYkt0ckovaGRKdmhGQT09

2. Wednesday, March 27, 10:00–11:30 am
   Duffy Science Centre Amphitheatre (DSC 135)
   Zoom: https://upei.zoom.us/j/65439065003?pwd=MjZ6TXFvdnNDLzc3d0MxK2FUcUlldz09

Student Town Halls

1. Tuesday, March 26, 3:00–4:30 pm
   Performing Arts Centre Theatre (PAC 121 S)
   Zoom: https://upei.zoom.us/j/66581563155?pwd=MXc1YnpsOFBkNFAyL1NDd2svU0Z0dz09

2. Thursday, March 28, 1:30–3:00 pm
   Performing Arts Centre Theatre (PAC 121 S)
   Zoom: https://upei.zoom.us/j/69611619672?pwd=bWhMeUFRZFBkWXF4RFZoY1hVa2xFdz09

If you are unable to participate in the scheduled town halls, you are welcome to provide feedback or send comments to president@upei.ca at any time.

**PLEASE NOTE UPDATED DEADLINE of March 22, 2024:***

SkillsPEI is a division of the PEI Department of Workforce, Advanced Learning, and Population. It manages the design and delivery of employment and skills development programming funded by the Canada-Prince Edward Island Labour Market Development Agreement and Canada-PEI Workforce Development Agreement. 

Through SkillsPEI, the Post-Secondary Student Program supports full-time post-secondary students working a minimum of 12 to a maximum of 18 weeks during the summer. The exact number of weeks designated per placement will be based on factors such as but not limited to position, wage, and the likelihood of opportunity for experiential learning. Students must be entering or returning to full-time post-secondary studies in the fall.  

Wage subsidy offered:

• Employer can set the wage rate but must provide a minimum of $14.50/hour and will be funded up to $15.80/hour. 
• Employers will be reimbursed 100% of the approved hourly wage plus 4% vacation pay to a maximum of 40 hours per week for the total weeks approved.
• Note: The subsidy does not include 8% benefits, so additional funding must be sourced elsewhere.

To centralize the administration of this program for UPEI researchers, Research Services is accepting/submitting research-related applications. To apply for the program, please provide the following details to Research Services (researchservices@upei.ca) by the closing date of March 22, 2024:

• Project or activity description
• Position title 
• Job activities/duties 
• Objectives to be achieved
• Education and skills required
• Duration including start and end date and total weeks
• Rate of pay (hourly)
• Mentorship plan
• Supervisor name and contact details 

For additional information about the program, please click here. UPEI researchers may contact Maria Steele, Manager of Research Services, for more details (mlsteele@upei.ca).

Join Courtney Matthews and Kim Mears for a Lunch and Learn session to learn about Open Educational Resources (OERs) and some alternatives for licensing Indigenous OERs. They'll start with the larger OER conversation and how OERs benefit students and the academy, share resources for finding existing OERs, and then take a look at the local UPEI OER context. There will be ample time to discuss details that specifically support OER creation for Indigenous researchers and educators. We'll be in the Teaching and Learning Centre, Robertson Library Annex, Room 230, on April 5 from 11:30 am-12:30 pm.

On Wednesday, March 20, ITSS will conduct routine maintenance on the myUPEI portal and related services from 8:00 pm to midnight. During this time, there may be intermittent access to and performance issues with myUPEI, Self-Service, and Colleague.

We encourage students, faculty, and staff who may need documents or links located on myUPEI to plan ahead and bookmark or download the resources they may need during this period.

As a reminder, you can access Moodle directly using https://moodle.upei.ca and Outlook email directly using https://outlook.office.com.

If you have any questions, please contact the ITSS Help Desk at 902-566-0465.

Presented by the Institute of Island Studies at UPEI, the March 26 edition of the Island Lecture Series will island-hop across the northern North Atlantic to see who lives there and how they got there. Biogeography is the three-way crossroads of history, biology, and geography. For most of these islands--the Shetlands, the Faeroes, Iceland, and many others--this history started when bare land emerged from under melting ice about 10,000 years ago, with creatures soon arriving by wing or wind. Humans came too, some by primitive boats that we know almost nothing about. But history can also have recent beginnings, such as the explosive birth of Surtsey Island off Iceland in 1963. Speaker David Cairns will recount the rich biological traditions of island biogeography, and shows that their insights apply equally well to people.

The lecture will take place at 7:00 pm in the Faculty Lounge, SDU Main Building. All are welcome.

Join the International Student Office and the Robertson Library on Tuesday, March 19, as we present What Walaa Wants, the compelling story of a defiant young woman who dreams of becoming a policewoman in the Palestinian Security Forces (PSF). The film will be shown in the Robertson Library, Room 235, at 6:00 pm. Doors will open at 5:30 pm.

The Faculty of Business will host an Open House for the Master of Business Administration in Global Leadership (MBA-GL) program on Tuesday, March 19, from 4:30–6:00 pm in Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall.

This session will offer attendees the opportunity to learn more about the program and application process, have any questions answered, and meet with students, alumni, professors, and staff from the Faculty of Business.

Attendees will be able to apply on-site (please bring a laptop or mobile device) and have their UPEI application fee waived ($50 CAD value).

For more information about UPEI’s MBA in Global Leadership program, please visit upei.ca/globalmba, or email mba@upei.ca.

The excitement for this Saturday's Gold Rush draw is growing as big as the pot! With no winners in the last FOUR draws, the total pot has grown to more than $13,255, with half going to the winner of the draw.

Gold Rush is a virtual fundraising initiative that raises funds for UPEI’s athletic and recreation programs. You can now select a specific team, club, or program to direct your proceeds from each of your tickets. 

Play today and every week for a chance to win! Download the UPEI Panthers app from the App Store or on Google Play, or play from your computer. The weekly draw is held at 8:00 pm every Saturday.

As part of continuing to engage with the various audiences that make up the campus community, Dr. Greg Keefe, interim President and Vice-Chancellor would like to invite you to a series of Campus Town Halls where he will give brief updates as well as listen to your concerns and respond to questions.

Six 90-minute in-person events are planned: two each for faculty, staff, and students to help accommodate schedules. Those who cannot attend in person due to work-from-home arrangements/other accommodations can join via Zoom.

Participants are asked to attend one of the two town halls for the group that is applicable to them.

Faculty Town Halls

1. Wednesday, March 20, 3:00–4:30 pm
   Alex H. MacKinnon Auditorium, Don and Marion McDougall Hall (MCDH 242)
   Zoom: https://upei.zoom.us/j/63841183049?pwd=WS9vU1c4Z0pmNkIra21UVlc1R2pldz09

2. Friday, March 22, 10:00–11:30 am
   Duffy Science Centre Amphitheatre (DSC 135)
   Zoom: https://upei.zoom.us/j/69749369292?pwd=RUswS0pvNnhDQTlHc01USGhiUTRLQT09

Staff Town Halls

1. Monday, March 25, 1:00–2:30 pm
   Performing Arts Centre Theatre (PAC 121 S)
   Zoom: https://upei.zoom.us/j/64618483493?pwd=SHQwUCt1Y3ZOYkt0ckovaGRKdmhGQT09

2. Wednesday, March 27, 10:00–11:30 am
   Duffy Science Centre Amphitheatre (DSC 135)
   Zoom: https://upei.zoom.us/j/65439065003?pwd=MjZ6TXFvdnNDLzc3d0MxK2FUcUlldz09

Student Town Halls

1. Tuesday, March 26, 3:00–4:30 pm
   Performing Arts Centre Theatre (PAC 121 S)
   Zoom: https://upei.zoom.us/j/66581563155?pwd=MXc1YnpsOFBkNFAyL1NDd2svU0Z0dz09

2. Thursday, March 28, 1:30–3:00 pm
   Performing Arts Centre Theatre (PAC 121 S)
   Zoom: https://upei.zoom.us/j/69611619672?pwd=bWhMeUFRZFBkWXF4RFZoY1hVa2xFdz09

If you are unable to participate in the scheduled town halls, you are welcome to provide feedback or send comments to president@upei.ca at any time.

**PLEASE NOTE UPDATED DEADLINE of March 22, 2024:***

SkillsPEI is a division of the PEI Department of Workforce, Advanced Learning, and Population. It manages the design and delivery of employment and skills development programming funded by the Canada-Prince Edward Island Labour Market Development Agreement and Canada-PEI Workforce Development Agreement. 

Through SkillsPEI, the Post-Secondary Student Program supports full-time post-secondary students working a minimum of 12 to a maximum of 18 weeks during the summer. The exact number of weeks designated per placement will be based on factors such as but not limited to position, wage, and the likelihood of opportunity for experiential learning. Students must be entering or returning to full-time post-secondary studies in the fall.  

Wage subsidy offered:

• Employer can set the wage rate but must provide a minimum of $14.50/hour and will be funded up to $15.80/hour. 
• Employers will be reimbursed 100% of the approved hourly wage plus 4% vacation pay to a maximum of 40 hours per week for the total weeks approved.
• Note: The subsidy does not include 8% benefits, so additional funding must be sourced elsewhere.

To centralize the administration of this program for UPEI researchers, Research Services is accepting/submitting research-related applications. To apply for the program, please provide the following details to Research Services (researchservices@upei.ca) by the closing date of March 22, 2024:

• Project or activity description
• Position title 
• Job activities/duties 
• Objectives to be achieved
• Education and skills required
• Duration including start and end date and total weeks
• Rate of pay (hourly)
• Mentorship plan
• Supervisor name and contact details 

For additional information about the program, please click here. UPEI researchers may contact Maria Steele, Manager of Research Services, for more details (mlsteele@upei.ca).

The Faculty of Education invites members of the campus community–students, faculty, and staff–to attend a public presentation by Deneen Gallant-Norring, candidate for a ten-month term position in our Bachelor of Education (français langue seconde) program. The presentation takes place from 1:15 to 2:15 pm on Monday, March 18, in Memorial Hall 308. For further information, contact Karen-Anne O’Halloran.

The Department of Physics has been getting many inquiries from members of the campus community about how and where to acquire eclipse glasses. To ensure that you get safe eclipse glasses, you should purchase from a vendor or brand that is listed on the American Astronomical Society's Suppliers of Safe Solar Viewers and Filters page. There are many vendors there that are listed as being in Canada, which can save you time and money on shipping. You may also be able to purchase eclipse glasses from some local retailers, although stock is shifting rapidly so you will have to do your own inquiries to find where glasses are still available.

Our department has also prepared a website with general information about the solar eclipse on PEI. The eclipse will take place on the afternoon of Monday, April 8. It will be a partial (~99%) eclipse in Charlottetown, but it will be a total eclipse in parts of western PEI. You can find details of the timing of the event on our eclipse website and information about safe viewing.

We hope for clear skies on April 8 and that you can all view the eclipse safely.

The Office of Commercialization, Industry, and Innovation (OCII) and UPEI Co-operative Education are hosting a joint event on March 21 at 2:30 pm in AVC 286A to build awareness of funding undergraduate co-op student placements through partnered Mitacs Business Strategy Internships (BSI) and Mitacs Accelerate grants. This event will be structured around information sharing and networking, where industry, community organizations, UPEI faculty members, and co-op students will be invited to discuss collaborative project ideas and funding opportunities. This will provide a setting for external companies/organizations to visit UPEI, connect with faculty members with relevant expertise, and find co-op students interested in their projects. Co-op awards for students and employer of the year will also be presented during the networking part of the event. 

Faculty interested in learning more about these partnership opportunities are encouraged to register using the following form - https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=9KUeeE99lUaXGGaCg81bvoJXmU6pEYpHtwAB4QF7YchUNkdGTEQ2WUtMVVdOMEVWWkpPUjNMSVdJWS4u

On Wednesday, March 20, ITSS will conduct routine maintenance on the myUPEI portal and related services from 8:00 pm to midnight. During this time, there may be intermittent access to and performance issues with myUPEI, Self-Service, and Colleague.

We encourage students, faculty, and staff who may need documents or links located on myUPEI to plan ahead and bookmark or download the resources they may need during this period.

As a reminder, you can access Moodle directly using https://moodle.upei.ca and Outlook email directly using https://outlook.office.com.

If you have any questions, please contact the ITSS Help Desk at 902-566-0465.

Presenter: Emmanuel Neokye

Title: "The role of climate change and its Impacts on marine fisheries resources”

Date/Time/Location: Tuesday March 19, 2024, 9:00 am, AVC 287N

Everyone is welcome.

Shannon MacDonald, Chair of the UPEI Board of Governors and Presidential Search Committee, issued a message to the campus community on March 5 about the Fireside Chats with the Finalist Candidates for the UPEI Presidential Search. Read the full message.

These sessions are in-person and limited to current UPEI students, staff, and faculty. Campus community members are asked to keep all discussions and comments confidential and not share names of the candidates during or after their visits to the University. Recording the fireside chats is strictly prohibited and no recordings will be distributed following the sessions.  

All those who wish to attend must pre-register using their UPEI credentials through this form (https://forms.office.com/r/UFvwj3USD5). Those who cannot attend in person due to work-from-home arrangements/other accommodations can indicate this in the form and will be sent a Zoom link to watch live.

• Candidate 1, Friday, March 8, 2024, 1:30–2:30 pm, Performing Arts Centre 121S
• Candidate 2, Monday, March 11, 2024, 1:30–2:30 pm, Duffy Science Centre Amphitheatre 135
• Candidate 3, Monday, March 18, 2024, 1:30–2:30 pm, Performing Arts Centre 121S

Members of the campus community members have an opportunity to provide feedback anonymously regarding the candidates following the fireside chats and small-group meetings until March 21, 2024, at https://forms.office.com/r/F6YY4K6J1D

The UPEI Health and Wellness Centre is conducting a survey to receive feedback on the services it provides. The deadline to participate in the survey has been extended to March 22, 2024, at 4:00 pm. If you or your family member have used the services of the health centre in the past two years, please take five minutes to complete the survey at https://forms.office.com/r/h0JzhrStAs?origin=lprLink. 

We appreciate your time and consideration. We are always looking for ways to improve the services we provide, and your feedback can help us to identify what is working well and what could be improved. Thank you!