We are delighted to welcome Dr. Carol Evans (Chair in Higher Education at the University of Southampton, UK National Teaching Fellow, and Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy) and Dr. Martina Doolan (Senior Blended Learning Fellow at the University of Hertfordshire, Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and UK National Teaching Fellow) for an afternoon of workshops and discussion on university teaching.

On May 7, 2018 two concurrent workshops will be offered at 2:00 pm in Don and Marion McDougall Hall:

Workshop A: “Pedagogical Framework For Collaborative Learning in a Social Blended E-Learning Context: an Overview of the Dialogic Shamrock” with Dr. Doolan (MCD 328).

Workshop B: “Enhancing Assessment and Feedback: a Pragmatic, Research-Informed Approach: EAT” with Dr. Evans (MCD 329).

Click here to learn about the workshops and how to register.

President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz cordially invites the University community to University Update 2018 on Thursday, May 3, 2018 at 2:30 pm in the Alex H. MacKinnon Auditorium, Room 242, Don and Marion McDougall Hall. 

All are welcome!

Do you need Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) training?

Health, Safety and Environment Department is preparing for the annual offering of Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Training here at UPEI.

Who needs the training?

In addition to WHMIS training, anyone who prepares/packages hazardous or dangerous goods for transport off campus should have this training. This includes employees in shipping and receiving functions, and even loaders within a business.

We ask that you consider your job duties and if you answer yes to any of the following questions you require TDG training.

• Do you require TDG training as dictated by your job duties?
• Do you prepare hazardous/dangerous goods for transport off campus?
• Do you transport hazardous/dangerous goods off campus?

Training will be offered in late May/early June.

Please contact Kathryn Harrison by May 11, 2018 if you answered yes to any of the questions above to arrange TDG training at 902-566-0901 or by email kharrison@upei.ca.

We also ask supervisors to review the job duties of their direct reports and advise if TDG training is required. Please note training costs will be covered by the HSE departmental budget.

UNESCO Chair in Island Studies and Sustainability, Dr. Jim Randall, will speak at the University of Waterloo on a special panel on “The State of Education for Sustainable Development at Your University” in early May, 2018. He will speak about what is taking place at UPEI's Institute of Island Studies and he would like to include other things that are happening at UPEI related to this topic.

Please contact him at jarandall@upei.ca if you have something to share from your area of education and research at UPEI related to sustainable development. In order to compile this information, please connect with him no later than May 5.

Graduate students at UPEI are invited to submit an abstract for the UPEI Multidisciplinary Graduate Research Conference being held on campus August 9-10, 2018. The deadline for submissions has been extended to April 30, 2018.

We are accepting abstracts from all disciplines and all stages of research, from literature reviews, work in progress, to completed research. Abstracts should be no more than 300 words and include the purpose of the study, findings, and the importance or implications. Questions, comments, and abstracts can be sent to gsa@upei.ca.

UPEI Comptroller Tara Judson wishes to remind the campus community that the University's fiscal year-end is April 30, 2018.

1. Requisitions for Purchase Orders, 2017–18 Budget Year
   All requisitions for purchases to be charged to the 2017–18 budget year will be processed by Procurement if received by noon on Monday, April 23, 2018, subject to budget availability. To ensure that 2017–18 expenditures are recorded in the 2017–18 operating year, all requisitions must be completed and approved by the appropriate spending authority in myUPEI no later than 12 noon Monday, April 23, 2018. Before creating a requisition, you should be reasonably certain that the purchase will be delivered and received in myUPEI by April 30, 2018 (see item 2 below). If it is necessary to enter requisitions for 2017-18 purchases after this deadline, contact Carolyn Garro at 902-566-0315.
    
2. Receiving Goods at myUPEI
   For purchases charged to the 2017–18 budget, the purchases must be invoiced, received on campus, and received by you in myUPEI on or before April 30, 2018, and as such, requisitions will be reviewed for acceptability prior to the April 23, 2018 final cut-off date. During this year end period, when requisitioning goods or services for delivery and receipt for the 2017-18 budget year, please ensure your supplier’s invoice is submitted to invoices@upei.ca for payment on or before May 11, 2018.• Goods invoiced or received after April 30, 2018 will be charged to the next fiscal year (2018-19). The April 23, 2018 cut-off date will be strictly enforced, so please make your plans now for the remaining week of the 2017-18 fiscal year.
    
3. Hourly-Rate Employees
   Hours worked and approved for the month of April will be charged to the 2017-18 fiscal year for students and other hourly-rate employees.

Thank you for your ongoing cooperation.

UPEI's new Teaching Community Conference will take place May 1 at 10:00 am in the Health Sciences Building. The conference will feature a morning of sessions put on by presents who teach or support teaching at UPEI. The afternoon will use an unconference style for participants to gather and discuss the topics that interest them.

The conference schedule is available here. If you're interested in attending, please use the online registration form.

Some refreshments will be served in the morning, but please note that lunch will not be provided. For more information please check out our event page or contact us at elearning@upei.ca.

Please join us for this year’s dinner and gala event for the Faculty Association Recognition and Awards. Everyone is welcome to celebrate the end of the academic year and to honour FA Award recipients and Retirees.

We will gather at the Fox Meadows Golf Club (167 Kinlock Road, Stratford, PEI) on Wednesday, May 9, 2018 for a reception at 6:30 pm and dinner commencing at 7:00 pm.
Tickets for an FA Member (plus guest) is $25 each, for non-members it is $50 each. Deadline to purchase tickets is Tuesday, May 1, 2018 at 12:00 Noon.

Please contact Heather Penny at hjpenny@upei.ca or 902-566-0438 for more details.

A special guest lecture in the Island Studies Lecture Series takes place Thursday, May 3, at 7 p.m. in the SDU Main Building Faculty Lounge on the UPEI campus. It features David Earl from Alderney, in the Channel Islands, speaking about Alderney: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats!

Click here to view more details on the UPEI Events Calendar.

The UPEI Department of Human Resources wishes to remind the campus community that–begining the first week of May and ending the last week of August–some departments and areas on campus may operate under summer hours. 

Click here to review the university's hours of operation on the UPEI website.

MacLean Construction Ltd has been awarded the contract for the W.A. Murphy Student Centre – Wave Renovations Project. Construction is expected to begin Monday, April 30, 2018 and is expected to be complete in August 2018. During this time there will be noise and possibly some vibrations. This area will be considered a construction zone. The project will focus on substantial interior fit up, including, electrical and architectural systems upgrades.

While the contractors have been instructed that the work be executed with the least possible interference or disturbance to the campus community, a certain amount of disruption is inevitable. Your patience and understanding is appreciated as we proceed with this renovation project that will enhance the facility.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Jackie MacPhail at 566-6034 or jmacphail@upei.ca.

Dr. Morad Abdelaziz, a candidate for a tenure-track faculty position in the Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering, will deliver a presentation entitled "Towards a smart and sustainable power system" on Wednesday, May 2, 2018, 1:00-2:00 pm in the School of Sustainable Design Engineering, Room 212.

All are welcome!

Dr. Grant McSorley, a candidate for a tenure-track faculty position in the Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering, will deliver a presentation entitled "The Changing Nature of PLM: From Product Structure to Product Behaviour" on Thursday, May 3, 2018, 1:00-2:00 pm in the School of Sustainable Design Engineering, Room 212.

All are welcome!

Congratulations to Allan Keoghan for completing the Morneau Shepell Total Health Index survey (THI) for UPEI employees that was launched on April 16, 2018! Allan is week one's winner of a new Samsung Galaxy Tab E!

There is still time to complete the survey and chances to win more great prizes! 

Click here to complete this important survey!

You will land on a "Sign-in" page where you must select the "Don't have an account?" option. You will then be taken to a "create an account" page which will allow you to begin the survey.

All UPEI employees are encouraged to take the 20 minute survey. It is completely confidential and under no circumstances will your employer have access to individual answers or results. If you have any question/concerns, please contact the co-chairs of the UPEI Healthy Campus Committee Sue Connelly at smconnolly@upei.ca or Sondra Gantner at sgantner@upei.ca.

Please join us for this year’s dinner and gala event for the Faculty Association Recognition and Awards. Everyone is welcome to celebrate the end of the academic year and to honour FA Award recipients and Retirees.

We will gather at the Fox Meadows Golf Club (167 Kinlock Road, Stratford, PEI) on Wednesday, May 9, 2018 for a reception at 6:30 pm and dinner commencing at 7:00 pm.
Tickets for an FA Member (plus guest) is $25 each, for non-members it is $50 each. Deadline to purchase tickets is Tuesday, May 1, 2018 at 12:00 Noon.

Please contact Heather Penny at hjpenny@upei.ca or 902-566-0438 for more details.

Please join us for this year’s dinner and gala event for the Faculty Association Recognition and Awards. Everyone is welcome to celebrate the end of the academic year and to honour FA Award recipients and Retirees.

We will gather at the Fox Meadows Golf Club (167 Kinlock Road, Stratford, PEI) on Wednesday, May 9, 2018 for a reception at 6:30 pm and dinner commencing at 7:00 pm.
Tickets for an FA Member (plus guest) is $25 each, for non-members it is $50 each. Deadline to purchase tickets is Tuesday, May 1, 2018 at 12:00 Noon.

Please contact Heather Penny at hjpenny@upei.ca or 902-566-0438 for more details.

UPEI Comptroller Tara Judson wishes to remind the campus community that the University's fiscal year-end is April 30, 2018.

1. Requisitions for Purchase Orders, 2017–18 Budget Year
   All requisitions for purchases to be charged to the 2017–18 budget year will be processed by Procurement if received by noon on Monday, April 23, 2018, subject to budget availability. To ensure that 2017–18 expenditures are recorded in the 2017–18 operating year, all requisitions must be completed and approved by the appropriate spending authority in myUPEI no later than 12 noon Monday, April 23, 2018. Before creating a requisition, you should be reasonably certain that the purchase will be delivered and received in myUPEI by April 30, 2018 (see item 2 below). If it is necessary to enter requisitions for 2017-18 purchases after this deadline, contact Carolyn Garro at 902-566-0315.
    
2. Receiving Goods at myUPEI
   For purchases charged to the 2017–18 budget, the purchases must be invoiced, received on campus, and received by you in myUPEI on or before April 30, 2018, and as such, requisitions will be reviewed for acceptability prior to the April 23, 2018 final cut-off date. During this year end period, when requisitioning goods or services for delivery and receipt for the 2017-18 budget year, please ensure your supplier’s invoice is submitted to invoices@upei.ca for payment on or before May 11, 2018.• Goods invoiced or received after April 30, 2018 will be charged to the next fiscal year (2018-19). The April 23, 2018 cut-off date will be strictly enforced, so please make your plans now for the remaining week of the 2017-18 fiscal year.
    
3. Hourly-Rate Employees
   Hours worked and approved for the month of April will be charged to the 2017-18 fiscal year for students and other hourly-rate employees.

Thank you for your ongoing cooperation.

A special guest lecture in the Island Studies Lecture Series takes place Thursday, May 3, at 7 p.m. in the SDU Main Building Faculty Lounge on the UPEI campus. It features David Earl from Alderney, in the Channel Islands, speaking about Alderney: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats!

Click here to view more details on the UPEI Events Calendar.

This is a reminder that in order to accommodate changes to software installed on computers in the student computer labs for the fall semester, we must receive requests including any installation media (CD’s, DVD’s, etc.) and any related licensing information such as serial numbers before June 1st, 2018. 

NOTE: Software should be Windows 7 and 10 compatible and emailed links to software will no longer be accepted. 

Email all requests to smahar@upei.ca and media can be dropped off to ITSS. Any requests received after June 1, 2018 will be applied in the next round of software updates. All software installations are required to be licensed as network installations and not single workstations only.

This deadline is necessary to allow us sufficient time to properly plan and implement the installation of new and upgraded software in order to ensure that our students have the software resources that they need. 

In order to ensure that your requested software is configured to meet your course requirements and specifications, please test your software after it has been installed before August 21, so that we can make any necessary adjustments.

Looking for an enriching volunteer experience this summer? The UPEI English Language Centre is looking for volunteers to join us in assisting with afternoon socio-cultural activities and acting as conversation partners in hosting this year’s English language Camps for International students! This is a fantastic opportunity to learn and strengthen valuable skills, experience other cultures, and of course have a blast doing it! Activities may include things such as trips to Anne of Green Gables, scavenger hunts, tours, on-campus workshops, beach visits, and more! If you are interested, please email Owen Shaw at oshaw@upei.ca, or call 902-566-0529.