The Fair Treatment Policy Redevelopment (FTPR) Committee was formed as part of the Action Plan commitments to replace the Fair Treatment Policy and to finalize revisions to the Sexual Violence Policy. The FTPR Committee is using a consultative process to gather input and has been meeting regularly. 

Faculty, staff, and students are invited to attend an FTPR Information Sharing Session, where campus community members can

• learn about the Committee and the work it is doing,
• ask questions, and
• provide feedback to the Committee on perspectives and/or ideas for the Harassment and Discrimination Policy and the Sexual Violence Policy. 

The session will be held on Monday, March 3, 2025, from 2:30–3:30 pm in Andrew Hall, Room 142 (AH142).

For those who are unable to attend in person, you are welcome to join us virtually at this Teams link.  

Cooperative Education and Work-Integrated Learning (CEWIL) Canada has a call for proposals open for curricular work-integrated learning projects taking place between May 1 and December 31, 2025. Full details of the CFP can be found through their website. Please note that the funding has criteria to meet around eligible students, partners, opportunities, and spending. If you have an idea for a proposal and would like to help, the Experiential Education office has submitted many successful applications through past rounds and can support you. Email Shannon at smsnow@upei.ca to explore possibilities. Applications close on March 18. 

The UPEI Faculty of Science Graduate Studies Committee invites the campus community to a presentation titled "Ketogenic interventions and exercise to rescue brain energy deficits during aging" by Dr. Etienne Myette-Cote, Department of Applied Human Sciences. The presentation is part of the regular ESC/HB Seminar Series and will be held in the Duffy Science Centre, Room 204, on Friday, February 28, at 12:30 pm. 

Everyone is invited. 

Students' sense of belonging has long been linked with student engagement, well-being, and academic performance, but large classes present a challenging context. Add to that the question of those students who cannot or who do not want to fit. The author of this blog post considers how the sense of mattering might be a more helpful way to think about student belonging at university and applied this in re-designing a large first-year biology course. Student engagement and sense of mattering in a large UG course

This blog is part of a series on cultivating meaningful student experiences in higher education: In-class Perspectives to Engaging and Empowering Learners.

Good data organization is the foundation of any research project. Most researchers have data in spreadsheets, so it’s the starting place for many research projects. To use tools that make computation and analysis more efficient, such as programming languages like R or Python, we need to structure our data the way that computers need the data. This workshop aims to teach researchers basic concepts, skills, and tools for working with data to get more done quickly and with less pain. In this lesson, you will learn good data entry practices, how to avoid common formatting mistakes, approaches for handling dates in spreadsheets, basic quality control and data manipulation, and exporting data from spreadsheets.

This virtual workshop will take place on February 26 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. To register, go to https://www.acenet.training/courses.
 

UPEI will host Research on Tap with a presentation titled “The Puzzle of Existence and Reality” on Tuesday, March 11, at 6:00 pm, at the Upstreet Brewery Taproom, 41 Allen St., Charlottetown, PEI.

Dr. Nebojsa Kujundzic, Professor, Department of Philosophy, is the guest speaker for the event.

"The relationship between existence and reality is complex, as some things exist without being real, while others are real without existing physically," he said. "Language and technology further blur this distinction, especially with virtual reality and social media. For instance, Facebook pages of the deceased exist digitally but hold reality only through the emotions of those who remember them."

Currently there is no storm date for this event.

Research on Tap is a discussion series featuring UPEI researchers and is open to students, faculty, staff, and the general public. There is no charge to attend. All are welcome to attend.

UPEI has a current posting for internal and external candidates for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Nutrition, Physical Activity, or Health.

The posting details are available on the UPEI HR site.

Please contact UPEI’s Research Services Office (mlsteele@upei.ca) for eligibility details, and consult the CRC program for complete program information, including further details on eligibility criteria at http://www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/program-programme/nomination-mise_en_candidature-eng.aspx.

The UPEI community was saddened to learn about the tragic passing earlier this month of UPEI student Michael Oppong-Ampomah as a result of a motor vehicle accident. Michael was expected to graduate with his Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Design Engineering this spring.

A Service of Remembrance will be held to honour Michael on Thursday, February 27, at 5:00 pm in the UPEI Chaplaincy Centre. While Michael’s uncle from Ontario plans to attend the service, family from Ghana will travel to Charlottetown later in the spring.

A Book of Condolences has been set up in the UPEI Chaplaincy Centre for anyone who would like to write a memory about Michael or a message to his family. It will be available to sign until the Service of Remembrance.

Counsellors with UPEI Student Affairs are available for students needing support through this difficult time. To make an appointment, please contact them at studentserv@upei.ca. UPEI students, faculty, and staff can also access resources on the Department of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Human Rights site while eligible employees can call the Employee Assistance Program at 1-800-387-4765 for support.

Join the Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship for a workshop focused on financial fundamentals with Kimberly Norgaard, Senior Manager at MNP LLP. The workshop will take place at Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall, on Monday, March 3, from 4:00-6:00 pm. This workshop will provide an introduction to completing the core financial proformas required of a business startup: income statement, balance sheet, and cash flows. It will also discuss planning out your initial startup costs. This workshop is open to both Harry W. MacLauchlan Entrepreneurship Program participants as well as the general public. Pizza will be provided!

Sign up to attend here!

Accessibility Services invites colleagues to our session, “What are Executive Functions,” on Monday March 3, 2025, from 12:30 to 1:30 pm in the TLC. Learn about executive functions, what they look like in action, and effective supports and strategies for instructors, staff and students. Specifically, the session will cover prioritizing and goal selection; planning and organizing; working memory; attention and flexibility; self-regulation; inhibition and initiation; and execution and goal attainment.

A new book titled "The Belfast Riot of 1847," written by Dr. Callum Beck, sessional lecturer at UPEI, and published by Island Studies Press, will be launched on March 5, 2025, at 7 pm, in the Faculty Lounge (Room 201), SDU Main Building, UPEI.

In his book, Dr. Beck examines the social and political conditions that led to the Belfast Riot of March 1, 1847. The riot involved about 200 Scottish Protestants and 300 Irish Catholics and resulted in at least three men dead and up to 100 others injured; it set the stage for the hardening of the sectarian conflict between Protestants and Catholics on PEI for the next 125 years. Dr. Beck introduces us to the major players on both sides, provides a detailed account of its unfolding, and takes a nuanced look at who was to blame. 

"The Belfast Riot of 1847" was published with the support of a SSHRC Exchange Publication Award from the Office of the Vice-President, Academic and Research at UPEI. 

Another launch will take place in Summerside on March 30, at 1 pm, at the Eptek Art and Culture Centre.

Both events are free, and all are welcome. Thanks to the Bookmark, books will be available for purchase. For more information, contact Bren Simmers at Island Studies Press, 902-566-0386 or ispstaff@upei.ca.

Good data organization is the foundation of any research project. Most researchers have data in spreadsheets, so it’s the starting place for many research projects. To use tools that make computation and analysis more efficient, such as programming languages like R or Python, we need to structure our data the way that computers need the data. This workshop aims to teach researchers basic concepts, skills, and tools for working with data to get more done quickly and with less pain. In this lesson, you will learn good data entry practices, how to avoid common formatting mistakes, approaches for handling dates in spreadsheets, basic quality control and data manipulation, and exporting data from spreadsheets.

This virtual workshop will take place on February 26 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. To register, go to https://www.acenet.training/courses.
 

Welcome to the following new employees who joined the University of Prince Edward Island community in January 2025:

• Jennifer Alabiso, Registrar’s Office
• Lindsay Albert, Human Resources
• Soodabeh Asadi Dezaki, School of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, Faculty of Science
• Amanda Ashley, Faculty of Nursing
• Menakshi Bhat, Dean’s Office, Atlantic Veterinary College
• Alf Blanchard, Development and Alumni Engagement
• Vanessa Cajayon, Financial Services
• Susan Carr, Companion Animals, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Atlantic Veterinary College
• Gresa Dedinca, Faculty of Nursing
• Megan Douthwright, Faculty of Nursing
• Stephanie Eeles, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Atlantic Veterinary College
• Aliscia Henderson, Faculty of Nursing
• Scott Kennedy, Security Services
• Dave Kubert, IT Systems and Services
• Danielle Lacey, Faculty of Nursing
• John Matchim, Applied Communication, Leadership, and Culture, Faculty of Arts
• Gregor McEwan, Health Management, Atlantic Veterinary College
• Brittany Parker, Faculty of Nursing
• Andrea Rogers, Student Affairs
• Robert Squire, Faculty of Medicine
• Maryann Thiagarajan, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Atlantic Veterinary College
• Ellen Verdonschot, Faculty of Nursing
• Matthew Walker, Diagnostic Services
• Julia Ann Walsh, Applied Human Services
• Samuel Wandio, Security Services
• Emily Watters, Clinical Learning and Simulation Centre, Faculty of Medicine
• Nabeel Zafar, Student Affairs

We are excited to have you join the UPEI team!

Nordic Ambassadors expand the visibility of Nordic nations in Canada with a visit to UPEI February 25

Five Ambassadors from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden will be part of a panel discussion with students and faculty on Tuesday, February 25, 10-11:15 am, in SDU Main Building, Room 117. Dr. Laurie Brinklow (Island Studies) will bring welcome remarks and Dr. Yuliya Rashchupkina (Political Science/Climate Change) will introduce the panel and chair the session. 

Please join us to learn more about the five Nordic countries’ approaches to climate change, clean technology, sustainability, transatlantic security, peacekeeping, democratic transition, and other global issues. Everyone is welcome.

A workplace culture of gratitude and recognition makes a real impact. The University Awards of Excellence are a chance to highlight the dedication of colleagues who uplift others through their work. Nominating someone is a meaningful way to show appreciation. Every effort counts, and every thank-you matters. 

Submit your nomination today!

Nominations close Friday February 28, 2025.

For more information about each award including, eligibility and the nomination process, please click here.

Dr. Shannon Murray, UPEI Department of English, will moderate a virtual Freedom to Read Week event with Ira Wells, author of "On Book Banning: Or, How the New Censorship Consensus Trivializes Art and Undermines Democracy," on Thursday, February 27, at 7 pm.

Hosted by The Bookmark, the event is free, but spaces are limited to 300. Those interested are asked to pre-register at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/freedom-to-read-week-virtual-event-with-ira-wells-tickets-1226483668669?aff=oddtdtcreator. A zoom link will be emailed to registered participants on the morning of the event.

Ira Wells is a critic, essayist, and an associate professor at Victoria College in the University of Toronto, where he teaches in the Northrop Frye stream in literature and the humanities in the Vic One program. His writing has appeared in "The Atlantic," "The Globe and Mail," "The Guardian," "The New Republic," and many other venues. His most recent book is “Norman Jewison: A Director's Life.” He lives in Toronto with his wife and children.

Freedom to Read Week takes place from February 23 to March 1, 2025. For more information, visit https://www.freedomtoread.ca/freedom-to-read-week/.

Members of the UPEI community are invited to submit a proposal for this year's Teaching Community Conference, which will take place on Monday, April 28, 2025, at 9:00 am. This year's theme is "Teaching at the Intersections: Inclusion, Accessibility, and Courage in Education." The Teaching Community Conference aims to share experiences, challenges, and opportunities of advancing teaching and learning at UPEI, giving staff and faculty opportunities to engage in dialogue and share their experiences of teaching at the intersections. 

We are looking for proposals from the UPEI community that highlight current teaching and learning initiatives, share new ideas, and build collaborative strategies for a more inclusive accessible and courageous university. Proposals from staff and faculty are welcome. There are four formats suggested for proposals: 

• Traditional oral presentation: Presenters share a talk about a teaching and learning project or topic related to the theme, speaking for about 20 minutes, followed by 5-10 minutes for questions. 
• Lightning talk: "Small Shifts, Significant Gains." Presenters share a teaching strategy or practice that they’ve found effective in supporting student learning, speaking for about ten minutes, followed by a short group discussion. 
• Interactive workshop: A hands-on session that encourages active participation and collaboration among attendees. The workshop could involve group activities, discussions, practical exercises, etc. 
• Indigenous Sharing Circle: A facilitated, safe space for individuals to come together to discuss topics related to the theme, share their experiences, listen to each other, build relationships, offer support, and connect with each other.

The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 28, 2025. Successful proposals will be announced by April 4, 2025. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to TLC@upei.ca. 

Proposals can be submitted here.

RSVP to attend the Teaching Community Conference.

The UPEI community was saddened to learn about the tragic passing earlier this month of UPEI student Michael Oppong-Ampomah as a result of a motor vehicle accident. Michael was expected to graduate with his Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Design Engineering this spring.

A Service of Remembrance will be held to honour Michael on Thursday, February 27, at 5:00 pm in the UPEI Chaplaincy Centre. While Michael’s uncle from Ontario plans to attend the service, family from Ghana will travel to Charlottetown later in the spring.

A Book of Condolences has been set up in the UPEI Chaplaincy Centre for anyone who would like to write a memory about Michael or a message to his family. It will be available to sign until the Service of Remembrance.

Counsellors with UPEI Student Affairs are available for students needing support through this difficult time. To make an appointment, please contact them at studentserv@upei.ca. UPEI students, faculty, and staff can also access resources on the Department of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Human Rights site while eligible employees can call the Employee Assistance Program at 1-800-387-4765 for support.

Asian Studies and the Centre for Korean Studies invite UPEI students to this special event: the 2025 Korean Speech Contest, on March 21, 10:00 am–12:00 pm, SDU Main Building 201 (Faculty Lounge). The contest is open to UPEI students who can speak basic Korean at the beginner’s level. Other students are welcome to attend the contest as the audience. Refreshments will be provided.

Prizes with a certificate: first prize: $700 scholarship; second: $500; third prize: $300.

Deadline for application and speech draft: March 14, 2025

Submit to Dr. Somi Lee at somlee@upei.ca (Korean Studies professor, UPEI), cc'ing Dr. Edward Chung at chung@upei.ca (AST and KS Project Director).

Contest category: Beginner’s level of spoken Korean
Speech length: 4-5 minutes

For the application form and details on the contest guidelines and criteria, email somlee@upei.ca.  For this event poster, email jbbandara@upei.ca or chung@upei.ca.

Acknowledgement: This speech contest is funded by Prof. Edward Chung’s international Seed Program for Korean Studies project grant (AKS-2022-INC-2230004) at UPEI, thanks to Korean Studies Promotion Service (KSPS), the Academy of Korean Studies (AKS), the Ministry of Education, Government of South Korea.

Got a business idea you’re excited about? Join the Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship for MiniPitch on Tuesday, February 25, 5:30 to 7:00 pm. It’s a great opportunity for students to sharpen their presentation skills and develop new ideas. Prepare a three-minute pitch, face a three-minute Q&A, and participate in a two-minute feedback session to discover what you did well, where you can improve, and what steps you should take next to move forward with your idea!

The first eight presenters to register will have their spots booked, and we will have some wildcard spots at the event if you don’t get registered in time!

Sign up here!