As part of the UPEI Hearing Conservation Program, audiometric testing will take place on November 27 and December 3, 2024. These tests take approximately ten minutes to complete. 

It is important to have your hearing tested annually, especially in workplaces with high noise levels. All UPEI employees are welcome to participate.

Please pre-register for audiometric testing by contacting Jacky Buell at HSE@upei.ca or 902-566-0901 by November 26, 2024.

This year, Giving Tuesday at UPEI is all about showing our love for the Robertson Library! 

The Robertson Library has been at the heart of our campus for nearly 50 years, supporting student success. Founded with a vision for change, the library has continued to evolve with the times, providing outstanding resources, innovative digital spaces, and welcoming environments for all students, faculty, staff, and community users.

On Giving Tuesday, your support will help us elevate the Roberston Library to new heights, empowering every student to reach their full potential! Our library is more essential than ever, and we have a shared vision for its future to better serve our users. UPEI’s growth demands a world-class library, and to bring this idea to life, we have embarked on a fundraising campaign with the goal of raising $15 million to support the revitalization of the library and continue to serve generations of students to come.

Every donation designated for the "Robertson Library Revitalization Campaign" made on or before Giving Tuesday will be MATCHED by an extremely generous anonymous donor--up to a total of $20,000!  

Get ready to make your mark on Giving Tuesday and be part of something truly extraordinary! Let's come together, donate, and support the Robertson Library Revitalization Campaign!   

Donate on Giving Tuesday! Together we can create a vibrant future for the Robertson Library! 

Visit the Love our Library website and support the revitalization project or call 902-894-2888.

Giving Tuesday is a global movement for giving and volunteering that takes place each year after Black Friday. As the “opening day of the giving season,” it is a time when charities, companies, and individuals join together and rally for favourite causes. To learn more about Giving Tuesday, visit givingtuesday.ca. 

The UPEI Alumni Association invites you to join us for the second annual Family Fun Day at Mill River Resort, on Saturday, January 25, 2025! 

FAMILY FUN
Our friends at Mill River Resort are offering UPEI Alumni a 20% discount on individual and family outdoor activity day passes and equipment rentals. You can get a family pass for just $44 and enjoy all the outdoor activities at Mill River! Your pass includes tubes, snowshoes, and cross-country ski rentals. Guests must bring their own skates. Discounted passes can be purchased from the Pro Shop beginning at 9:00 am or when you arrive at the resort.

For more information on winter activities at the resort please visit: https://millriver.ca/activities/winter/ 

GATHER TOGETHER
Join us for an end-of-day campfire with complimentary s'mores, hot chocolate, and a gift, beginning at 3:00 pm.
To help us order the correct amount of hot chocolate and s'mores, please RSVP using this form.

MAKE IT A WEEKEND GETAWAY
Want to make a weekend of it? Mill River is offering standard rooms (two queen beds) for just $189+ tax. This is $60 off regular rates, available for the nights of January 24/25 only. To take advantage of this special rate, please call Mill River Resort directly at 1-844-375-3555 and mention that you are part of the UPEI alumni group. This rate is based on room availability. Please book your room by Wednesday, December 11, 2024.

Questions? Get in touch with Stephen sloo@upei.ca or 902-388-6578

Current and new members of the UPEI Community of Practice: Excellence in Graduate Supervision are invited to the next CoP meeting on November 27, at 4:00 pm, in the Teaching and Learning Centre, Roberston Library 230. Join Dr. Raquel Hoersting for a conversation about the practical applications of the supervision discrimination model to various practices within graduate supervision. Following a brief overview of the model applied to their own clinical supervision, Dr. Hoersting will engage CoP members in discussing ways the model can be applied to their own graduate supervision.

To request a calendar invitation, or for more information about the Community of Practice, please contact Kendra Mellish, FGS Graduate Programs Officer, at kmellish@upei.ca

Depending upon the work requirements of University Departments, the holiday schedule will be in effect from December 24, 2024, through January 1, 2025, inclusive. Office and regular business hours will resume on Thursday, January 2, 2025.

PAY DATE DEADLINES:

For the December 6 pay: The deadline for submitting timesheets and overtime pay is November 25 at 10 am. The deadline to submit PTFs, pay changes, etc. (November 15) has passed.

For the December 20 pay: The deadline for submitting timesheets and overtime pay is December 9 at 10 am. The deadline to submit PTFs, pay changes, etc. (November 21) has passed.

For the January 3, 2025, pay: The deadline to submit PTFs, pay changes, etc. is December 5 by noon. The deadline to submit timesheets and overtime is December 16 at 10 am.

For the January 17, 2025, pay: The deadline to submit PTFs, pay changes, etc. is December 17 by noon. The deadline to submit timesheets and overtime is January 6 at 10 am.

GIFT DAYS:

The following days will be given to permanent and term staff as paid time off: December 24, 27, 30, and 31, 2024 (4 gift days). For those employees who must work on any of these days, time off will be given at a later date. 

Please note: Students and casual employees are not eligible for the “gift” days of December 24, 27, 30, and 31. 

SCHEDULE FOR SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS:

The holiday schedule for specific departments is as follows:

Security Services will continue over this period, 24 hours a day. 

Shipping/Receiving and Mail Services will resume regular hours on January 2, 2025.

Development and Alumni Engagement will be open December 30 and 31, 2024 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Veterinary Teaching Hospital will be available for emergency service only throughout the holiday period; it will resume regular hours on January 2, 2025.

Chi‐Wan Young Sports Centre will be open on December 15, 9 am to 8 pm; December 16 to 20, 6 am to 8 pm; December 21 and 22, 9 am to 8 pm; December 23, 8 am to 8 pm; December 26, 9 am to 5 pm; December 27, 8 am to 8 pm; December 28 and 29, 9 am to 8 pm; December 30, 8 am to 8 pm; January 2 and 3, 6 am to 8 pm; and January 4 and 5, 9 am to 8 pm. It will be closed on December 24, 25, and 31, and January 1. Regular operating hours will resume on January 6, 2025. Hours are also posted at https://www.upei.ca/ar/athletic-facilities/chi-wan-young-sports-centre/hours

Diagnostic Services will be closed on December 25, 26, and 29, and January 1. It will be open on December 24, 28, and 31 from 8 am to 12 pm, and on December 27 and 30 from 8 am to 4:30 pm. Regular operating hours will resume on January 2, 2025.

SUPPORT STAFF DURING THE HOLIDAY:

Departmental authorities who require support staff over the holiday period should make their requirements known to the Human Resources Department no later than two weeks prior to the holiday. 

From November 25 until December 10, Canada observes 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. This international campaign raises awareness of gender-based violence and calls us to take action to make our communities safer for everyone. 

This year, the UPEI Student Union's Mental Health team and the UPEI Sexual Violence Prevention & Response Office (SVPRO) invite everyone to join us in McMillan Hall, W.A. Murphy Student Centre, on November 27, from 12:00 to 3:00 pm, as we make a community “quilt” for gender-based violence prevention.

Each participant may create a canvas square for the quilt with a message about gender-based violence prevention:

• Paint an image 
• Create a poem 
• Write a message of support to survivors

Art supplies, snacks, and some goodies will be provided!

Attention UPEI staff and faculty members! 

The UPEI M365 Project is looking to verify UPEI’s staff and faculty telephone information to ensure that our system catalogue is accurate and up to date.

By participating in this activity, you are helping support the planning and implementation of our new telephone systems once we are ready to deploy them on campus. 

We encourage all staff and faculty members to take part in this survey even if you have recently updated your telephone data. We appreciate your individual confirmation to ensure that our records are accurate.

The first group who will be engaged are those who have a single assigned telephone number or share a telephone (number) with other team members. For those who meet these criteria, you will receive an email the week of November 25 from M365Project@upei.ca with further information and a link to the survey.

Mobile phones and associated numbers are excluded from this activity.

This survey will take 1-2 minutes to complete.

Thank you for your time and support. 

M365 Project Team

The search committee for a tenure-track position in the Faculty of Indigenous Knowledge, Education, Research, and Applied Studies (IKERAS) announces upcoming Talking Circles and public presentations by each of the three finalist candidates. Since the search began in July, the committee has conducted a comprehensive search and selected the following finalists for a series of meetings on campus. 

Erin Reid, Métis, is a published Indigenous author and researcher. She has supported educator and student learning across many cultures. She has served as an Indigenous literacy consultant, provincial curriculum writer, Indigenous content reviewer, Indigenous panel contributor, and professional development creator and facilitator. She is a PhD student at Nipissing University. She holds a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership and Management from Royal Roads University and a Bachelor of Science in Education from Minot State University. She is an Indspire Educator nominee who has taught in and led school communities across northern and western Canada. Her research interests involve Métis educator connections, narrative inquiry, arts-based research, educator mentorship, and effective use of technology in Canadian classrooms.

Thursday, November 21, 2024:

• Talking Circle, 10:30 am-12:00 pm, Bill and Denise Andrew Hall, Room 142
• Public presentation, 2:00–3:00 pm, Bill and Denise Andrew Hall, Room 142

Neil Forbes is an urban Indigenous member of Saddle Lake Cree Nation who lives with his family in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. He is an Interdisciplinary PhD candidate at the University of New Brunswick and the Science Lead for Indigenous Allyship and Engagement for the Maritime SPOR Support Unit. His PhD thesis focuses on the systemic complexities that urban Indigenous organizations face in trying to serve their underserved community best. His research interests include settler colonization/decolonization, Indigenous ways of knowing and being, Indigenous research methodologies, and urban Indigenous health and wellness. Before he began his academic journey, he worked as the Director of Education with Lennox Island First Nation and as the project manager for the Wabanaki-Labrador Indigenous Health Research Network at Dalhousie University. Mr. Forbes has his Master of Education degree from the University of New Brunswick and a Bachelor of Elementary Education from Mount Saint Vincent University.

Friday, November 22, 2024:

• Talking Circle, 10:30 am-12:00 pm, Bill and Denise Andrew Hall, Room 142
• Public presentation, 2:00–3:00 pm, Bill and Denise Andrew Hall, Room 142

Dr. Enooyaq Sudlovenick is Inuk from Nunavut in the Qikiqtaaluk region (Baffin). She has a PhD from the University of Manitoba, working on beluga whale health and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ-Inuit Knowledge). She specializes in Arctic marine mammal health through contaminants, pathogen serosurveys, One Health approaches, and IQ. She also works to document Inuit knowledge and uses it as a research framework in her research projects (see https://www.enooyaqsudlovenick.com/). She has completed a Master of Science in veterinary medicine at the Atlantic Veterinary College, UPEI, working on ringed seal health in Iqaluit, NU. Additionally, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from the University of Guelph. Dr. Sudlovenick was born and raised in Iqaluit, Nunavut, and grew up hunting and camping throughout Baffin Island. Inuktitummit sivulliqpaa uqausiqaqtunga (Inuktitut is my mother tongue). 

Friday, November 29, 2024:

• Talking Circle, 10:30 am-12:00 pm, Bill and Denise Andrew Hall, Room 142
• Public presentation, 2:00–3:00 pm, Bill and Denise Andrew Hall, Room 142

The 2024 Global Village celebration will take place in McMillan Hall, W.A. Murphy Student Centre, on November 30 at 3:30 pm.

Global Village is a celebration of the multiculturalism and diversity that exists on campus, so students from all over the world showcase their culture and traditions, as well as help encourage cultural sensitivity and a global perspective. Global Village is held annually to showcase all the different cultures represented at UPEI both within and outside Canada. 

The student-led celebration will feature 15 cultural booths, a procession with flags representing countries of students at UPEI, performances, and a dance with a DJ. There will also be trivia and door prizes. 

All students, staff, and faculty are welcome!
 

The second UPEI Board of Governors meeting of the 2024-2025 academic year will take place on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. in Room 102, Alumni Hall.  All board meetings generally include sessions that are open to the public. Certain agenda items, including but not limited to human resources discussions, may require the board to go into a closed session. For logistical purposes, members of the public who wish to attend the open session of a meeting are asked to contact board@upei.ca one week prior to the meeting. Members of the public wishing to attend the public portion of a meeting must adhere to the UPEI Board of Governors' Meeting Observer Guidelines.

The MacLauchlan Panther Pitch is returning this winter semester! To celebrate the return of this storied competition, the Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship is kicking off the program with an official launch event on Thursday, November 28, from 5:00-7:00 pm, in Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall. 

Join us in celebrating the return of Panther Pitch, get the earliest scoop about what’s in store for this round of the competition, listen to past winners and their experiences in the program, and network with like-minded students about entering the competition! Light refreshments will be provided.

The Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering is interviewing two candidates for a tenure-track position. Each candidate is invited to give a public research presentation, which everyone is welcome to attend.

On Monday, November 25, 2024, at 9:00 am, Dr. Bingxian Mu, Lead Technical Specialist of the Smart Products Department at Zhejiang Yate Electric Co., Ltd.,  will give a presentation titled "Advances in Optimal Control and Planning for Autonomous Vehicles" in FSDE 205.

On Wednesday, November 27, 2024, at 9:00 am, Dr. Mohammed Abouheaf, Associate Professor of Intelligent Systems and a co-founder of the Robotics Engineering program at Bowling Green State University, will give a presentation titled "Emerging Machine Learning Technologies for Intelligent Systems" in FSDE 205.

On Tuesday, November 26, 2024, join Robertson Library in taking a coffee/tea break! At 10:00 am, stop by the lobby with your reusable cup for a free coffee or tea and a little treat!

This year, Giving Tuesday at UPEI (December 3) is all about showing our love for the Robertson Library! The Robertson Library has been at the heart of our campus for nearly 50 years, supporting student success. On Giving Tuesday, your support will help us elevate the Robertson Library to new heights, empowering every student to reach their full potential! UPEI’s growth demands a world-class library, and to bring this idea to life, we have embarked on a fundraising campaign with the goal of raising $15 million to support the revitalization of the library and continue to serve generations of students to come.

Every donation designated for the "Robertson Library Revitalization Campaign" made on or before Giving Tuesday will be MATCHED by an extremely generous anonymous donor--up to a total of $20,000!  

Get ready to make your mark on Giving Tuesday and be part of something truly extraordinary! Let's come together, donate, and support the Robertson Library Revitalization Campaign!   

Donate on Giving Tuesday! Together we can create a vibrant future for the Robertson Library! 

Visit the Love our Library website and support the revitalization project or call 902-894-2888.

Giving Tuesday is a global movement for giving and volunteering that takes place each year after Black Friday. As the “opening day of the giving season,” it is a time when charities, companies, and individuals join together and rally for favourite causes. To learn more about Giving Tuesday, visit givingtuesday.ca. 

This is a reminder that the UPEI Biosafety Program requires that all principal investigators confirm the security and complete inventory of all biohazardous materials being used or stored. This confirmation is due in November of each year.  

Inventory records must be kept up to date throughout the year. Any inventory discrepancies noted during an annual lab inspection may lead to an in-depth inventory audit by the Biosafety Committee. Please ensure your inventory is up to date throughout the year, including prior to completing the steps listed below.

To confirm your inventory is up to date, take the following steps:

1. Access your inventory at http://biosafety.vre3.upei.ca.  Remember to ignore the prominent "Access Denied" that appears on your screen. Just click on "Log in" at the top of the screen, in the grey bar.
2. Log in 
3. Click Edit 
4. Scroll down this page until you see the November 2024 box and enter the date.
5. Hit Save! Task completed. 

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Please contact Rhoda Speare (rspeare@upei.ca or ext. 5071) if you have any questions.

As part of the UPEI Hearing Conservation Program, audiometric testing will take place on November 27 and December 3, 2024. These tests take approximately ten minutes to complete. 

It is important to have your hearing tested annually, especially in workplaces with high noise levels. All UPEI employees are welcome to participate.

Please pre-register for audiometric testing by contacting Jacky Buell at HSE@upei.ca or 902-566-0901 by November 26, 2024.

Current and new members of the UPEI Community of Practice: Excellence in Graduate Supervision are invited to the next CoP meeting on November 27, at 4:00 pm, in the Teaching and Learning Centre, Roberston Library 230. Join Dr. Raquel Hoersting for a conversation about the practical applications of the supervision discrimination model to various practices within graduate supervision. Following a brief overview of the model applied to their own clinical supervision, Dr. Hoersting will engage CoP members in discussing ways the model can be applied to their own graduate supervision.

To request a calendar invitation, or for more information about the Community of Practice, please contact Kendra Mellish, FGS Graduate Programs Officer, at kmellish@upei.ca

Depending upon the work requirements of University Departments, the holiday schedule will be in effect from December 24, 2024, through January 1, 2025, inclusive. Office and regular business hours will resume on Thursday, January 2, 2025.

PAY DATE DEADLINES:

For the December 6 pay: The deadline for submitting timesheets and overtime pay is November 25 at 10 am. The deadline to submit PTFs, pay changes, etc. (November 15) has passed.

For the December 20 pay: The deadline for submitting timesheets and overtime pay is December 9 at 10 am. The deadline to submit PTFs, pay changes, etc. (November 21) has passed.

For the January 3, 2025, pay: The deadline to submit PTFs, pay changes, etc. is December 5 by noon. The deadline to submit timesheets and overtime is December 16 at 10 am.

For the January 17, 2025, pay: The deadline to submit PTFs, pay changes, etc. is December 17 by noon. The deadline to submit timesheets and overtime is January 6 at 10 am.

GIFT DAYS:

The following days will be given to permanent and term staff as paid time off: December 24, 27, 30, and 31, 2024 (4 gift days). For those employees who must work on any of these days, time off will be given at a later date. 

Please note: Students and casual employees are not eligible for the “gift” days of December 24, 27, 30, and 31. 

SCHEDULE FOR SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS:

The holiday schedule for specific departments is as follows:

Security Services will continue over this period, 24 hours a day. 

Shipping/Receiving and Mail Services will resume regular hours on January 2, 2025.

Development and Alumni Engagement will be open December 30 and 31, 2024 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Veterinary Teaching Hospital will be available for emergency service only throughout the holiday period; it will resume regular hours on January 2, 2025.

Chi‐Wan Young Sports Centre will be open on December 15, 9 am to 8 pm; December 16 to 20, 6 am to 8 pm; December 21 and 22, 9 am to 8 pm; December 23, 8 am to 8 pm; December 26, 9 am to 5 pm; December 27, 8 am to 8 pm; December 28 and 29, 9 am to 8 pm; December 30, 8 am to 8 pm; January 2 and 3, 6 am to 8 pm; and January 4 and 5, 9 am to 8 pm. It will be closed on December 24, 25, and 31, and January 1. Regular operating hours will resume on January 6, 2025. Hours are also posted at https://www.upei.ca/ar/athletic-facilities/chi-wan-young-sports-centre/hours

Diagnostic Services will be closed on December 25, 26, and 29, and January 1. It will be open on December 24, 28, and 31 from 8 am to 12 pm, and on December 27 and 30 from 8 am to 4:30 pm. Regular operating hours will resume on January 2, 2025.

SUPPORT STAFF DURING THE HOLIDAY:

Departmental authorities who require support staff over the holiday period should make their requirements known to the Human Resources Department no later than two weeks prior to the holiday. 

Attention UPEI staff and faculty members! 

The UPEI M365 Project is looking to verify UPEI’s staff and faculty telephone information to ensure that our system catalogue is accurate and up to date.

By participating in this activity, you are helping support the planning and implementation of our new telephone systems once we are ready to deploy them on campus. 

We encourage all staff and faculty members to take part in this survey even if you have recently updated your telephone data. We appreciate your individual confirmation to ensure that our records are accurate.

The first group who will be engaged are those who have a single assigned telephone number or share a telephone (number) with other team members. For those who meet these criteria, you will receive an email the week of November 25 from M365Project@upei.ca with further information and a link to the survey.

Mobile phones and associated numbers are excluded from this activity.

This survey will take 1-2 minutes to complete.

Thank you for your time and support. 

M365 Project Team

UPEI Bookstore will hold its staff and faculty appreciation week from Monday, November 25, to Saturday, November 30. 

UPEI staff and faculty will be able to charge purchases from the UPEI Bookstore to their personal account and pay for them via payroll deductions in 2025. 

SAVE 30% on all hoodies, crews, and zip-up sweaters! For other clothing and giftware items, the regular 20% discount will apply.

We have extended hours on Thursday, November 28 until 7:00 pm and on Saturday, November 30 from 10:00 am-3:00 pm. 

Please contact bookstore@upei.ca for any questions.

Join us on Monday, November 25, at 3:00 pm in the Health Sciences Building, Room 104, for our monthly Pizza Seminar. Dania Tamayo-Vera, assistant professor in the School of Mathematics and Computational Sciences, will speak about the immense effects that generative AI has had and will have in the future, and how we can position ourselves to lead in this new era. Stick around afterward for free pizza and pop.