The University of Prince Edward Island and the University of Prince Edward Island Faculty Association (UPEIFA) are pleased to announce that a collective agreement has been reached.

The University and the UPEIFA, Bargaining Unit #1 representing faculty members, librarians, sessional instructors, and clinical nursing instructors have reached an agreement for a four-year collective agreement from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2020. 

“UPEI prides itself in offering great learning opportunities to all of our students so they can reach their full potential. This is only possible due to the collective contributions of our outstanding faculty,” said Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, President and Vice-Chancellor. “I look forward to working with our faculty association members and campus community at large to continue our momentum in providing an exceptional learning environment and great service to our Island community.”

“The Faculty Association is very pleased that negotiations have resulted in a collective agreement that ensures fairness and equity for our Members. We look forward to continuing to do what’s important to all of our members which is educating our students, continuing important research, and contributing to UPEI and our community at large,” said Dr. Nola Etkin, President of the UPEIFA.

The UPEIFA and UPEI’s Board of Governors unanimously voted for ratification.

Highlights of UPEIFA agreement:

• The agreement will include an across the board increase of 2% each year. 
• Under the new collective agreement, Deans will ensure, through working with the Chairs, that teaching workloads are equitable and fair.
• Commencing on July 1, 2017, future retirees will pay 45% of the cost of supplemental health care benefits. 
• The parties have agreed to establish an ad hoc committee, chaired by the VP Academic and Research, and consisting of  faculty members from each faculty and school and three Student Union representatives to review existing practices and examine other procedures with the aim to continue enhancing teaching and learning at UPEI.

The University of Prince Edward Island started the negotiation process with all unions in February 2016. 

Every week, UPEI Athletics and Recreation recognizes two student-athletes for their hard work and dedication to their respective sports. Congratulations to Jenna Mae Ellsworth (Women’s Basketball) and Tyler Scott (Men’s Basketball), the UPEI Panther Subway Athletes of the week for October 31-November 6!

Jenna Mae Ellsworth is a first-year guard on the UPEI Women’s Basketball team, and a Bachelor of Science student from Charlottetown. In her first two games in a Panther uniform, she shot 50% from the field, averaged 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, and shot 100% from the free-throw line. “Jenna Mae had a great first weekend in AUS play,” said coach Greg Gould. “She plays hard at both ends of the court on every possession!”

Tyler Scott is a fifth-year guard and a Bachelor of Arts student. The Panthers split a pair of games over the weekend with St. Francis Xavier University. Scott scored 56 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, and 2 blocks. “Tyler is one of the best, if not the best, players in the nation,” said coach Tim Kendrick. “He had another great weekend for us here at UPEI.”

It’s not too late to purchase your Panther Package, the best sports deal on Prince Edward Island! Your $75 season ticket gets you into every home Panther home game, in every sport (except Men’s Hockey). Find more details at gopanthersgo.ca.

The University of Prince Edward Island is pleased to announce that a pension agreement has been ratified with all of the unions.

The final step in the approval of the pension agreement happened last night when UPEI’s Board of Governors approved the agreement. The University’s unions, which include UPEIFA Bargaining Unit #1, UPEIFA Bargaining Unit #2, IBEW 1928, CUPE 1870 and CUPE 501, ratified the new pension agreement last week.

“The pension plan’s sustainability was critical to all employees of the University which is why I am so pleased with the new pension agreement’s structure,” said Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, President and Vice-Chancellor. 

Highlights of pension agreement include:

• The University and the UPEI unions will transition to a Jointly Sponsored Pension Plan effective January 1, 2017. 
• The Sponsor Board will make decisions on funding and benefits. 
• The Jointly Sponsored Pension Plan will be administered by a Board of Trustees. 
• Both the Sponsor Board and the Board of Trustees will have equal representation from the University and the unions. 
• The Jointly Sponsored Pension Plan will have 50/50 cost sharing between the University and the unions. 

The Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) honoured the late Dr. Brian Hill, a founding faculty member, with the 2016 Honourable Eugene F. Whelan Green Hat Award for his contributions to the early development of the College.

Mel Gallant, former assistant dean finance and administration at AVC, nominated Dr. Hill for the award, and read the citation at an award ceremony held at AVC on Monday, November 7. Dr. Jim Miller, a close friend and colleague of Dr. Hill, accepted the award on behalf of his family, who were not able to attend.

Dr. Hill came to AVC in May 1986 as the founding chair of the Department of Companion Animals, and also served as co-director of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, along with Dr. Bob Curtis, founding chair of the Department of Health Management. A respected clinician, teacher, and administrator, Dr. Hill served as Interim Dean from 1989-1991. Originally from California, he graduated from veterinary school at Colorado State University in 1973 and taught at Iowa State before coming to AVC.

A skilled negotiator and administrator, he was instrumental in the integration of the College into the University of Prince Edward Island. He also played an important role in building the College’s human resources and technical support at the veterinary teaching hospital, successfully recruiting faculty members at a time of significant faculty shortages.

Dr. Hill died in January of 2000 at the age of 51. Shortly after his death, his family, colleagues, and friends established the Brian L. Hill Memorial Award in his memory. This award is given to a graduating student in Veterinary Medicine who demonstrates excellence in small animal medicine and surgery, as well as outstanding interpersonal skills with clients and colleagues—all qualities that Dr. Hill exemplified.

“I have many wonderful memories of Brian—as a colleague and a friend,” said Mel. “He was a true gentleman, a disarmingly funny guy, a sailor, a natty dresser, and a keen poker player! I thank you for this opportunity to remember a good friend and colleague, and a relentless supporter of the Atlantic Veterinary College.”

About the Honourable Eugene F. Whelan Green Hat Award:

In 2000, the Atlantic Veterinary College established the Honourable Eugene F. Whelan Green Hat Award to recognize individuals who have played a significant role in the establishment and growth of the College. The greatest honour bestowed by AVC, the award is named after the Honourable Eugene Whelan, who, as federal minister of agriculture under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, was a driving force behind the creation of AVC in the early 1980s. The award is affectionately known as the Green Hat Award because Minister Whelan was well-known for wearing a green Stetson.

The Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) honoured 11 innovators, leaders, connectors, and emerging stars of international education with its 2016 Excellence Awards. Among them was UPEI’s president and vice-chancellor, Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, who was named the recipient of the President’s Award for Distinguished Leadership in International Education. Great friend of President Abd-El-Aziz and to Prince Edward Island, Dr. Thomas H. B. Symons received the Founders Award for Excellence in International Education. Read the CBIE release

The distinguished leadership award recognizes an “individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in the internationalization of Canadian education and/or the international education profession beyond their home institution.”

The citation for Dr. Abd-El-Aziz from the CBIE reads:

“At twenty-six years old, Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz travelled to the University of Saskatchewan as an international student from Cairo University. Over the next 30 years he went from international student to President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI). Dr. Abd-El-Aziz created the first International Development Relations Office (IRO) at UPEI in 2012. He has been active in the front-line participation of recruitment trips to China, India, South Africa, Brazil, and the Middle East. In just four short years, the international student population has increased by 50% at UPEI and UPEI students now have the opportunity to study abroad at 55 institutions in 21 different countries.”

“It gives me great pleasure to recognize these dedicated and passionate people whose contributions pave the way for our collective internationalization goals,” said Karen McBride, President and CEO of CBIE, “and I am proud to join with our members and partners in celebrating their outstanding achievements.”

The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.

Every week, UPEI Athletics and Recreation recognizes two student-athletes for their hard work and dedication to their respective sports. Congratulations to Marie-Soleil Deschenes (Women’s Hockey) and Dut Dut (Men’s Basketball), the UPEI Panther Subway Athletes of the week for November 7-13!

Marie-Soleil Deschenes is a fifth-year Bachelor of Science student from Île-Perrot, Quebec, and a goalie on the UPEI Women’s Hockey team. The Panthers split a pair of games over the weekend, including a win over the CIS #2 ranked Saint Mary’s University Huskies. “Marie continues to be one of the strongest goalies in the AUS,” said coach Bruce Donaldson. “ She competes very well and loves to challenge the shooter.  She has great reflexes, is quick, and moves well.  Game-in and game-out she is a leader with her work ethic on the ice.”

Dut Dut is a fifth-year forward on the UPEI Men’s Basketball team, and a Bachelor of Arts student from Ottawa, Ontario. The Panthers dropped two games over the weekend to the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds, but Dut shone with an average of 17 points-per-game, and 20 rebounds for the weekend. “Dut Dut turned in two solid games for us this weekend,” said coach Tim Kendrick. “He played hard at both ends of the floor and was our most consistent player in every way.”

It’s not too late to purchase your Panther Package, the best sports deal on Prince Edward Island! Your $75 season ticket gets you into every home Panther home game, in every sport (except Men’s Hockey). Find more details at gopanthersgo.ca.

The UPEI Wind Symphony will perform its final recital of the Fall semester on Friday, November 25 at 7:30 pm at Park Royal United Church in Charlottetown. With performances in recent years at local Churches – Saint Dunstan’s Basilica and Zion Presbyterian – the Wind Symphony is continuing a tradition of performing beyond campus. The exceptional acoustics of Park Royal will make this performance memorable, and the seating capacity will allow for all Wind Symphony supporters to attend.

The centrepiece of this recital will be Frank Ticheli’s Angels in the Architecture, a massive, landmark work for the wind band medium. Opening with a single soprano voice and accompanied with crystal-like backgrounds, this work features contrasting sections of force and power with tranquil moments of lyricism and colour. The work unfolds as a dramatic conflict between the two extremes of human existence–one divine, the other evil. The work’s title is inspired by the Sydney Opera House itself, where it received its premier performance, with its halo-shaped acoustical ornaments hanging directly above the performance stage.

Featured soloist will be saxophonist Emily Proude, who will perform Claude T. Smith’s Fantasia, a work that exploits both the technical and lyrical qualities of the saxophone. Ms. Proude, a fourth-year Bachelor of Music student UPEI, is establishing a significant profile in performing many of the saxophone’s most challenging works with considerable poise and artistry. Currently, she is a student in the studio of Dr. Nicole Strum, and is principal saxophonist of the Wind Symphony and the UPEI Saxophone Quartet.

Under the direction of Dr. Karem J. Simon, the Wind Symphony is known for its programming of eclectic contemporary repertoire. James David’s All Dark Is Now No More is one such piece which includes electronics with the band. These electronics amount to granular synthesis – a process of breaking apart large sounds into many segments that are then rearranged into algorithmic clouds of digital chaos. Other pieces on the programme will include Derek Bermel’s quirky Ides March, Joaquin Turina’s colourful La Procession du Rocio, and Gordon Jacob’s classic An Original Suite.

Performances this Fall have brought the Wind Symphony to Saint John, New Brunswick, Amherst Nova Scotia, and Summerside, PEI. These represent UPEI’s commitment to community outreach while providing its music majors with additional performance exposure.

During the past eighteen years the Wind Symphony has produced an annual compact disc featuring selected repertoire from each year’s performances. Cathedrals, released in May 2010 received the 2011 Music PEI Award for Best Classical Recording. In February 2011 the Wind Symphony released its O Canada CD, a project exclusively for PEI public schools. Its most recent compact discs, Freebirds, Lord of the Rings, Four Horsemen, Rumpelstilzchen, Lincolnshire Posy, and Magnolia Star have been highly acclaimed.

Tickets for this performance at $15 Adults/Seniors and $10 Students may be acquired at the UPEI Music Department and at the admission’s desk the evening of the recital. 

The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.

The University of Prince Edward Island signed memorandum of understandings (MOUs) this week with three universities at the Canadian Bureau of International Education (CBIE) Annual Conference in Ottawa. 

Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, President and Vice-Chancellor, who was at the CBIE conference to receive a 2016 Excellence Award, formalized agreements with officials from the Universidad da Vinci de Guatemala, Intec institute de Formation Technique Professionelle in Haiti, and Galen University in Belize.

“Today, we are very pleased to meet and work with representatives from these three universities,” said President Abd-El-Aziz. “These MOUs mark the first time that UPEI partnered with universities in Central America and Haiti. This historic occasion will allow the University to offer more academic and research opportunities to students, faculty, and staff.”

Each MOU indicates that UPEI and the partner university will endeavour to explore and mutually collaborate on a variety of activities such as:

• the exchange of academic staff for the purposes of teaching and research,
• the exchange/study abroad programs for students,
• the participation in joint seminars, lectures, training, and academic meetings,
• the exchange of research materials in the fields of mutual interest,
• research/consulting contracts, and
• program collaborations.

Representatives from the three institutions toured UPEI last week on a pre-conference visit to several post-secondary institutions in eastern Canada.

“That our International Relations Office was able to secure these partnerships so quickly speaks volumes about our ability to be nimble and respond to opportunities as they present themselves,” added President Abd-El-Aziz. “I am very proud that UPEI is moving forward with internationalization efforts to achieve growth and a thriving, sustainable future.”

Students from UPEI’s School of Business won second place at the Scotiabank Ethics in Action Case Competition held at Dalhousie University over the weekend of November 4 and 5.

As part of the Scotiabank Ethics in Action Conference—which includes a panel discussion, speakers, workshops, and networking opportunities that allow students to interact with industry experts and peers from across the country—the case competition provides an opportunity for students to develop the skills and knowledge used in practicing ethical leadership. It challenges students with complex ethical dilemmas that they are likely to face in today's corporate world and tasks them with making strategic business decisions, while adhering to ethical principles.

“The students worked hard to truly understand what it means to be ethical leaders in a practical sense, and I am so proud of the hard work and dedication they have shown over the semester,” said Mary Whitrow, coach of the UPEI case team.

UPEI won second place against nine other teams from across Canada and the United States. The UPEI team included Hannah Dawson (fourth-year BBA, marketing specialization), Shanna Blacquiere (second-year BBA), Krista Lee Oliver (fourth-year BBA, accounting specialization), and Carter MacDonald (fourth-year BBA, accounting specialization). The team also competed in the Atlantic Schools of Business Case Competition in late October, where they placed first.

“I am so happy that our team was able to get these results for UPEI,” said team member Krista Lee Oliver. “We feel honoured to have kept this track record going.”

Ten days before the competition, students received a business case (a narrative about a real life business and the problems it is facing) they had never seen before. Using all resources available to them (Internet, textbooks, faculty, etc.) they prepared a 12-minute presentation to deliver on the first day of competition to a panel of academics and industry professionals, which was followed by a three-minute question period.

“This was an excellent learning experience for our team,” said team member Carter MacDonald. “It challenged us to see problems from multiple points of view and to solve those problems ethically.”
The following day, the team received another case. This time, they had just three hours to analyze it and create a solution to present to the judges, without the assistance of the Internet or textbooks. The judging panel said UPEI’s team stood out for delivering a solution that was both ethically sound and realistic.

“To have such consistent results is impressive,” said Dr. Juergen Krause, dean of UPEI’s School of Business. “Congratulations to the students and their coach on a job again well done.”

Past UPEI Results at Scotiabank Ethics in Action

2016 – 2nd place
2015 –2nd place
2014 –1st place
2013 – 1st place

UPEI Athletics and Recreation are hosting the tenth annual Shoot for the Cure fundraiser Saturday, November 26.  The UPEI Women’s Basketball team will host the Memorial Seahawks with a tip off of 6:00 pm.

Shoot for the Cure is a fundraising initiative led by University Sport’s Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) to raise money for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, and other related charities. The campaign has proven an overwhelming success since it was launched in the fall of 2007, having collected over $1 million in donations. This season, and for the sixth year in a row, all 47 University Sport women's basketball schools are set to participate in the program.

At the 2016 CIS championship last March, the WBCA presented a cheque for $98,776 to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. An additional $25,837 was amassed by universities that donated their fundraised money to local or provincial organizations, bringing the overall Shoot for the Cure total for the 2015–16 season to $124,613.

The entire Panther team is involved in the local fundraising effort, this year led by fourth-year student-athlete Kiera Rigby. The team hopes to achieve their $2000 fundraising goal through selling Shoot for the Cure t-shirts, collecting donations, and holding a bake sale. Some players have also set individual fundraising goals.

"We each have our individual reasons, but are united by our desire to take care of one another and find a cure for this disease,” said Rigby. “If we can help even one individual, it is well worth the effort. In addition to our team’s efforts, I am donating my hair to the Pantene Beautiful Lengths campaign that makes wigs for women who have lost their hair as a result of cancer treatment. This is in honour of my grandmother, Sandra McNeilly who passed away fighting cancer, as too many others have.”

Rigby will have her hair cut and donate over eight inches of hair to a Canadian Cancer Society representative at halftime during the UPEI Men’s Basketball game (tip off at 8:00 pm).

“The UPEI Women's Basketball team is pleased to again be taking part in the University Sport National Shoot For The Cure campaign in support of breast cancer research,” says head coach Greg Gould. “Our players always look forward to this game and work hard to ensure its success. I hope our fans and the entire Island community come out to support this worthy cause!”

To donate to Kiera Rigby’s individual effort to support Shoot for the Cure, click on her Canada Helps page or find it on her Facebook profile.