Updates and Venue Change for UPEI Community Town Hall on Monday, June 26
The following update was issued by email to students, staff, and faculty on Friday, July 23. It has been since updated with Zoom link information.
In his message to the University community on June 23, Interim President Greg Keefe invited students, staff, and faculty to attend a UPEI Community Town Hall on Monday, June 26, 2023, beginning at 1:30 pm at the Performing Arts Centre* in the south tower of the new residence building (PAC121S).
This is an opportunity for the University community to speak openly and freely about UPEI's culture, climate, and the Rubin Thomlinson report as we begin our journey of listening and developing an action plan.
PLEASE NOTE that the location has changed from McDougall Hall (MCDH 242) to the Performing Arts Centre in the south tower of the new residence building (PAC 121S).
NEW! The Town Hall will also be available live through Zoom for UPEI community members who are unable or prefer to attend virtually. While we want to be as inclusive as possible, the Town Hall is for members of the UPEI community, so attendance on Zoom will be restricted to those who have an @upei.ca email address. The Town Hall will not be recorded, and the camera will only be pointed to the front stage. Recording the Zoom session is prohibited. Here is the Zoom link:
https://upei.zoom.us/j/61687934895?pwd=NjJFTE1SN2VkWjZ4RUdZcXIrRXpWUT09
(Meeting ID: 616 8793 4895 Passcode: 064379)
The Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Officer will be available in a private room (PAC 110AS) near the Town Hall venue to provide assistance and support to anyone who may be triggered by the discussion.
In addition, counsellors from TELUS Health (formerly Lifeworks) Employee Family Assistance Program (EFAP) will be available in the Psychology Training Centre, second level of the W.A. Murphy Student Centre, to provide confidential one-to-one support on Monday, June 26, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm and on Tuesday, June 27, from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. To see a counsellor on a confidential basis, please check in at the reception desk.
UPEI has a number of resources for students through UPEI Student Affairs, including academic advising and personal counselling (studentserv@upei.ca), and the International Student Office (irostu@upei.ca).
Smudging available before UPEI Community Town Hall — All are welcome
In advance of the UPEI Community Town Hall, the Faculty of Indigenous Knowledge, Education, Research, and Applied Studies (IKERAS) along with Elder-in-Residence Dr. Judy Clark and Advisor on Indigenous Affairs Corinne Chappell are offering smudging to all faculty, staff, and students from 11:00 am–12:00 noon at the Indigenous tipi located in the quadrangle between the W.A. Murphy Student Centre and the Kelley Memorial Building.
Smudging is an Indigenous cultural practice and involves the burning of substances such as sweet grass, cedar, and sage. The practice is based on traditional beliefs that the smoke produced is a means of purification and creates a positive mindset for those involved in an activity or event. The smoke and scent produced during a smudge is minimal and often dissipates quickly.
All members of the University community are invited to participate. A reminder with any other logistical details/updates will be issued Monday morning to faculty, staff, and students.
*The venue location changed from what was originally communicated, MCDH 242, to the Performing Arts Centre in the south tower of the new residence building (PAC 121S). This space was previously booked for another purpose and became available late in the afternoon on June 23.
