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!

The Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, invites all to attend Justine Brown’s public dissertation defence presentation of her PsyD research titled “Exploring PEI elementary school teachers’ mental health literacy and decision-making processes regarding student mental health concerns.”

Please join us virtually on March 5, 2025, from 3-5 pm AST at https://upei.zoom.us/j/61428838697?pwd=S7rSMfjBQLYJYHwcIquanIsyeLZsYz.1
Meeting ID: 614 2883 8697
Passcode: 983605

Refworks is a great tool for organizing your research and referencing easier. In this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to organize and track citations for your projects; automate bibliography creation for any citation style; and insert automated citations through Word or Google Docs as you write.

The facilitator is Keri McCaffrey, One Health and Scholarly Communications Librarian. The audience is current UPEI masters and doctoral students.

Workshop options:

• February 26, noon to 1 pm: In person. To register, go to https://forms.gle/rCNybXxwo2my2iNN8
• March 5, noon to 1 pm: Virtual. To register, go to https://forms.gle/XE61AwPo9B3RoUJfA

For questions about the workshop, please contact Kendra Mellish, Graduate Programs Officer, at kmellish@upei.ca

This year, the UPEI Chaplaincy Centre is celebrating 10 years of Soup for the Soul! Our celebration continues with two more events in February. Mark your calendars for February 11 and 25, when we will serve free bowls of soup for the campus community from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm (or until we run out!). See you at the Chaplaincy Centre!

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.

The Robertson Library and the International Student Office invite the UPEI community to celebrate Black History Month with a lunchtime film screening of "Sounds and Pressure" on Monday, February 24 at 12:30 pm, in the Robertson Library, Room 235. Doors open at noon. Bring your lunch; we'll provide snacks! Total runtime: approx 1 hour and 20 minutes. 

"At the height of the golden age of reggae, some of Jamaica’s brightest stars left their homeland behind to shine their light in an unlikely hub of Caribbean creativity: Toronto. Through rare archives and infectious beats, this captivating five-part anthology series takes you from Kingston to Kensington Market to see and hear how reggae made roots in Canada against all odds." -NFB

The PEI Advisory Council on the Status of Women, in partnership with the UPEI SVPRO, is hosting an on-campus discussion group on February 26, at 3:00 pm in Kelly Memorial Building, Room 210, to explore themes of gender-based violence, migratory labour, the environment, student debt, and extractive industries in "DUCKS: Two Years in the Oil Sands" by author Kate Beaton. Snacks and emotional support are available during the event. It is not required to own your own copy or have read the book prior to the event. Copies are available at the Robertson Library and Charlottetown Learning Library. 

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/.

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.

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!

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.

The UPEI Philosophy Reading Group will meet on Monday, February 24, from 5:00-6:00 pm in the Lady Slipper Room, Charlottetown Library Learning Centre, 97 Queen Street, Charlottetown. All are welcome.

During this gathering, we will discuss Mark Fisher's "Capitalist Realism: Is There No Alternative?" The following passages capture the spirit of the book:

"Without imagination we cannot see truly, for to be lukewarm in a glowing world is to miss the truth"—Ella Lyman Cabot, "Everyday Ethics"

"It is easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism. After 1989, capitalism has successfully presented itself as the only realistic political-economic system - a situation that the bank crisis of 2008, far from ending, actually compounded. The book analyses the development and principal features of this capitalist realism as a lived ideological framework. Using examples from politics, film (Children Of Men, Jason Bourne, Supernanny), fiction (Le Guin and Kafka), work and education, it argues that capitalist realism colors all areas of contemporary experience [including mental health and our approaches to it], is anything but realistic and asks how capitalism and its inconsistencies can be challenged. It is a sharp analysis of the post-ideological malaise that suggests that the economics and politics of free market neo-liberalism are givens rather than constructions."

If you would like to attend, please reach out to Dr. Max Schaefer at mschaefer@upei.ca for more information.

Dear UPEI Campus Community,

We need your help at the Campus Food Bank! As we prepare to distribute pre-packed bags for students, we’re looking for volunteers to assist with many important tasks including but not limited to

Tuesday (12-5 pm):

• Bagging rice
• Writing names and requested items on paper bags
• Packing items into bags
• Other duties as assigned by the food bank coordinator

Wednesday (10 am-3 pm):

• Distributing grab bags at the kiosk
• Other duties as assigned by the food bank coordinator

If you’re interested in helping, you can sign up for Tuesday here and Wednesday here.

Thank you for supporting our students who are facing food insecurity. Your time and effort make a real difference!

Refworks is a great tool for organizing your research and referencing easier. In this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to organize and track citations for your projects; automate bibliography creation for any citation style; and insert automated citations through Word or Google Docs as you write.

The facilitator is Keri McCaffrey, One Health and Scholarly Communications Librarian. The audience is current UPEI masters and doctoral students.

Workshop options:

• February 26, noon to 1 pm: In person. To register, go to https://forms.gle/rCNybXxwo2my2iNN8
• March 5, noon to 1 pm: Virtual. To register, go to https://forms.gle/XE61AwPo9B3RoUJfA

For questions about the workshop, please contact Kendra Mellish, Graduate Programs Officer, at kmellish@upei.ca

Try the very popular sport of pickleball! This program will run from January 7-April 8.  We have paddles for you to use, but feel free to take your own if you have them. No experience is necessary. This is a great environment to try out the sport and connect with colleagues. The program is FREE for UPEI staff/faculty/retirees and provided by the Healthy Campus Committee.  

Pre-register by logging in at recreation.upei.ca. Be sure to click on the UPEI LOGIN button to enter your upei email address and password. Please do not put your email address in the community email box and/or click on Community. Once logged in, go to the Wellness icon and then click on the class to register. Registration opens six days before each date. You must register weekly.

For assistance or questions, please contact Angela Marchbank, Coordinator, Fitness and Wellness, at amarchbank@upei.ca.