Dear Colleagues:

As a follow-up to my September 29^th message, I’d like to provide an update on UPEI’s enrolment and course registration for fall 2015. UPEI’s enrolment results for 2015-16 tell an interesting story. Over the past year, UPEI succeeded in increasing application numbers and conversion rates, and significantly improved first year retention. UPEI also achieved growth in international student enrolment by 9%, domestic enrolment (students from outside PEI) by 3%, and graduate student numbers by 15%.  

The Association of Atlantic Universities (AAU) released data today from its 2015-2016 Survey of Enrolments. In relation to the other 15 universities in Atlantic Canada, UPEI placed sixth in respect to maintaining enrolment, with a 2 percent decline in the overall student body.  This places UPEI slightly above the Maritime average and just slightly below the Atlantic average for enrolment change as compared to 2014.

Although some levelling-off in student enrolment has been anticipated, shrinking demographics within our Island K-12 schools are a growing cause of concern for UPEI and our entire province. Between September 2013 and September 2014 alone, the total Grade 12 enrolment within PEI high schools fell by approximately 4%. From a regional perspective it is forecast there will be 34,900 fewer people in the typical university age range (18-24 years) in PEI, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick between 2012 and 2025.  PEI will see a decline of approximately 20% for this age group in the time frame.

While we cannot control the demographics in our region, with the number of high school students on the Island declining, we can control our accessibility to university studies through new academic programming, enhanced scholarships and awards, more support for students as they transition into university life, guaranteed residence accommodation for first year students, and earlier registration options for students. The quality of the student experience at UPEI is second-to-none and I know that together we continue to strive for excellence.

2015/2016 UPEI enrolment, by the numbers:

Total:                                         4,317 (down 2.0%)
Undergraduate:                         3,869 (down 3.6%)
Graduate:                                  448 (up 15.2%)
International:                             748 (up 9.2%)

A full breakdown of enrolment numbers for universities across the Atlantic Provinces can be found at the AAU’s website.

Thank you

Alaa

UPEI Athletics & Recreation is ready for one of the biggest weekends of the varsity season. It’s a Panther-packed weekend! All of our teams will be on the ice, on the field, in the pool, or on the track.

Nine teams are in action throughout the weekend, playing 13 games. Swimming and cross country will compete in AUS Invitational events. In addition, UPEI Athletics is hosting the Mickey Place Memorial Basketball Tournament and the home openers of the women’s and men’s hockey teams.

“Since my arrival at UPEI almost a year ago, I have been extremely impressed by the effort and spirit of our student athletes, coaches and staff,” said Chris Huggan, UPEI Athletic Director. “Their energy combined with the university’s commitment and support to athletics and recreation has positioned us extremely well for long-term growth and success. This Panther-Packed weekend involves all of our teams and is one we have been looking forward to for a long time. We are excited about hosting and connecting with our alumni and fans as we showcase our student-athletes, teams and game day experience.”

Friday, October 16

5:00 pm (W) Soccer vs UdeM
6:00 pm (W) Basketball vs Bishops (Mickey Place Tournament)
7:00 pm (M) Hockey vs DAL (Home Opener)
7:15 pm (M) Soccer vs UdeM
8:00 pm (M) Basketball vs UNB (Mickey Place Tournament)

Saturday, October 17

2:00 pm (W) Rugby vs SMU (Senior's Day)
6:00 pm (W) Basketball vs Ottawa (Mickey Place Tournament)
7:00 pm (M) Hockey vs StFX
8:00 pm (M) Basketball vs UMFK (Mickey Place Tournament)

Sunday, October 18

1:00 pm (W) Basketball vs Acadia (Mickey Place Tournament)
3:00 pm (M) Basketball vs HC (Mickey Place Tournament)
6:00 pm (W) Hockey vs MtA (Home Opener)

For more information on the Panthers weekend schedule visit: gopanthersgo.ca.

For information on the Mickey Place Tournament visit: gopanthersgo.ca/mickey-place-memorial-basketball-tournament.

All AUS regular season are webcast and available at www.austv.ca.

Follow the games on Twitter at @upeipanthers and by using the following hashtags #pantherpackedweekend2015 and #gopanthersgo.

Check out our UPEI Athletics & Recreation Facebook page for updates through the weekend and watch for upeipanthers1 on Instagram.

About UPEI Athletics and Recreation

• Nine varsity sports and six club team programs
• Proud member of the AUS and CIS
• Athletic facilities include: Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre, UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place and UPEI Turf
• Home of Panther Sports Medicine
• Other facilities available to students and the community at large include: fitness centre, squash and racquetball courts, competition and leisure pool with hot tub, and two ice arenas

UPEI Field Hockey is ready to challenge for the Atlantic University Field Hockey Championship this weekend in Halifax. After finishing regular season tournament play in third, the Panthers look to play their best field hockey of the season at the right time.

Coach Sheila Bell commented, “As we enter into our final tournament with high expectations and feeling confident in all areas of the field, we look forward to playing quality competition.  SMU has played us strong all season and we have made adjustments in order to reach our potential offensively.”

She added, “We will be counting on our veterans Kathryn Koughan and Sydney Stavert to set the tone and bring a new level of intensity as they have been doing leading up to this weekend. Laura Young has moved from centre back to the wing and has proven she has a natural scoring touch which will compliment Alyssa Ferguson up front.”

In Saturday’s pool play, UPEI will play SMU (1st in tier 1) at 1:00 pm and Acadia (3rd in Tier 2) at 3:00 pm.  Both games will be played on Dalhousie’s turf field. Championship Sunday will be hosted by SMU with Semifinal  #1  (1st Pool A vs 2nd in Pool B ) at 9:00 am  and  Semifinal #2 ( 1st Pool B vs  2nd in Pool A) at 10:15 am.

The AUFH Bronze Medal game is scheduled for 12:30 pm with the Championship at 2:30 pm. The All-Star and Major Awards presentation will follow the Championship game.

League play consisted for two tiers; tier 1 was comprised of UPEI, SMU, and DAL and tier 2 UNB, Acadia, St FX, and Mt A, but both tiers come together as one for the Atlantic Championship.

UPEI have two graduating students in their line up: Emily Ross, defender and fourth-year Nursing student and Katherine Koughan, sweeper and Business student. 

In honour of the late Ralph Manning, the Panthers will wear “RM” on their uniforms.  During the Field Hockey team’s recent home tournament at UPEI which included 16 games and 7 universities, Manning’s team of physiotherapists and trainers covered the entire tournament.  The team will be playing for Ralph this weekend.

“We are going into this tournament with heavy hearts,” said Bell. “And we will be remembering Ralph Manning and honouring his dedication and kindness he shared with so many.”

About UPEI Athletics and Recreation
• Nine varsity sports and six club team programs
• Proud member of the AUS and CIS
• Athletic facilities include: Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre, UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place
• Home of Panther Sports Medicine
• Other facilities available to students and the community at large include: fitness centre, squash and racquetball courts, competition and leisure pool with hot tub, and two ice arenas

UPEI Athletics and Recreation recognizes the hard work and dedication of talented Panther student-athletes to their respective sports by naming weekly Subway Athletes of the Week. The UPEI Panther Subway Athletes of the Week for the week of October 19–25 are Sydney Stavert, Field Hockey, and Cole MacMillan, Men’s Soccer.

UPEI Athletes of the Week are also nominated to Atlantic University Sport and Canadian Interuniversity Sport for possible recognition in the region and/or country.

Who:  Sydney Stavert, Field Hockey; and Cole MacMillan, Men’s Soccer

What: UPEI Panther Athletes of the Week

When: Week of October 19–25

Where: University of Prince Edward Island

Why:  Stavert, a third-year Bachelor of Science student from Charlottetown, played the best field hockey of her life during this past weekend’s AUFH Championship Tournament. Stavert controlled the games with intensity and passion, set the pace all weekend, and led the Panthers to almost perfect field hockey, even scoring a shootout goal. The entire Panther team enjoyed a strong weekend; their results shown through a 1-1 tie with SMU, a 4-0 win over UNB, and another 4-0 win over Acadia. They lost an exciting Championship game, 2-1, in overtime against Dalhousie.

MacMillan, a fifth-year Bachelor of Arts student from Stanhope, PEI, played two outstanding games over the weekend. In the Panthers 2-0 win at Mount Allison on Friday, MacMillan set up a goal, and then during Sunday’s 1-1 tie with Acadia kept his team in the game.

About UPEI Athletics and Recreation

• Nine varsity sports and six club team programs
• Proud member of the AUS and CIS
• Athletic facilities include: Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre, UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place and UPEI Turf
• Home of Panther Sports Medicine
• Other facilities available to students and the community at large include: fitness centre, squash and racquetball courts, competition and leisure pool with hot tub, and two ice arenas

The UPEI Panther Subway Athletes of the Week for October 26-November 1 are Jerika Gimpel, Women’s Soccer, and Darcy Ashley, Men’s Hockey.

UPEI Athletics and Recreation selects these talented athletes to recognize their hard work and dedication to their respective sports. UPEI Athletes of the Week are also nominated to Atlantic University Sport and Canadian Interuniversity Sport for possible recognition in the region and/or country.

Who:  Jerika Gimpel, Women’s Soccer; and Darcy Ashley, Men’s Hockey

What: UPEI Panther Athletes of the Week

When: Week of October 26-November 1

Where: University of Prince Edward Island

Why:  Gimpel, a fourth-year Bachelor of Science, Nursing student from Alliston, Ontario, had a strong season for the Panthers. During two tough losses on the weekend, 2-0 versus Mount Allison, and 3-1 versus University of New Brunswick, Gimpel’s speed, skill and intelligent runs helped create a number of scoring opportunities for the Panthers. She also scored a goal against UNB.

Ashley, a second-year Bachelor of Science student from Brooklyn, PEI, took his game to another level this weekend. During the Panthers’ 4-2 loss against Saint Mary’s and 4-1 loss versus Acadia, Ashley scored two goals and played with high intensity and determination.

About UPEI Athletics and Recreation
• Nine varsity sports and six club team programs
• Proud member of the AUS and CIS
• Athletic facilities include: Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre, UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place and UPEI Turf
• Home of Panther Sports Medicine
• Other facilities available to students and the community at large include: fitness centre, squash and racquetball courts, competition and leisure pool with hot tub, and two ice arenas

Below is a message from President Abd-El-Aziz that was issued to the campus community earlier today.

 
Dear colleagues,

Universities are rated and ranked by several organizations using a variety of methods. Some reports are international, while others like The Globe and Mail’s “Canadian University Report” and Maclean’s “University Rankings” are Canadian in scope. Some data is comparative, either comparing universities of similar size or within a region, while other data, like that collected in the National Survey of Student Engagement, is more customized so that the university can use it as an improvement tool. It turns out that both The Globe and Mail’s and Maclean’s data are issued in October.

The “2016 Canadian University Report”, published on October 22, rates UPEI as above average in terms of bursaries and awards, positive change, and library resources. I am so proud to see that UPEI student Alexandra Heighington is prominently featured in one of the stories included in the report about how location plays a part in a prospective student’s decision on what university to attend. Also, in the profile for UPEI, it states, “UPEI announced construction of the School of Sustainable Design Engineering, an interdisciplinary approach to engineering that aims to train students to be globally aware, creative problem solvers. The opening of the new school is one of the first steps in the university’s plan to tailor all programming to prioritize hands-on and applied learning.”

Maclean’s released its annual “2016 University Rankings” to subscribers last evening. I am pleased to report that UPEI has moved two spots from tenth to eighth position among primarily undergraduate universities in Canada. In the 25-year history of Maclean’s rankings, this is the 13th year in a row that UPEI has been in the top ten in the country.

We are proud that we have ranked in the top ten in nine of the fourteen categories that form the overall ranking, including fourth in “student awards” and “total research dollars.” We remain consistently strong in categories like “student/faculty ratio”, ranking seventh, and “operating budget”, ranking sixth.

A significant part of the Maclean’s rankings focuses on reputation. In the national reputational survey, UPEI has moved up two spots, as well as in the “high quality” and “innovation” categories. UPEI has jumped eight spots in the “building leaders of tomorrow” category. Also, for the first time this year, Maclean’s surveyed students directly. We were ranked sixth in “student life staff” and “administrative staff” and fifth in “bureaucracy” (having the least red tape). This reaffirms UPEI's efforts toward the student experience, a key priority in the “UPEI Strategic Plan, 2013-18”.

One category in the student portion of the rankings where UPEI did not fare as well was in “critical thinking.” We feel this will shift positively in the near future as it is a lagging indicator. As identified in our Strategic Plan, with every program initiative, such as Engineering, Mathematics, and in Arts, we are building this key skill development into project-based curricula that is married to theory.

We recognize that connecting what we teach and how we teach it is fundamental to moving UPEI forward. For the most part, the markers found in the “Canadian University Report” and “University Rankings” confirm that UPEI is a vibrant institution that supports the delivery of outstanding experiential learning opportunities.

I would like to thank you, our faculty, staff, and administrators for your commitment to our promise of delivering such quality higher education. You are second to none. We can all be proud of the education system in Canada, as there is really very little that separates the quality of our institutions from coast to coast to coast. Our system is ranked highly around the world, and UPEI plays its role. From discussions with many of our international partners, I have learned that they rate UPEI among the top in terms of quality and student interaction.

We must thank our students for choosing to be a part of our great UPEI community. Whether from PEI, across the country, or around the world, students are our reason for being, and we will continue to promise them a community of scholars and researchers that encourages them to develop to their full potential.

Let’s keep up the good work!

Best wishes,

Alaa

Dr. Alaa S. Abd-El-Aziz
President and Vice-Chancellor
University of Prince Edward Island

The public is invited to a free lecture by noted anthropologist Dr. Gilbert Herdt. His talk, entitled, “From Ritual Sex to Sexual Individuality: Sambia (Papua New Guinea) Sexual Culture Change Over 40 Years” is November 5 at 2:30 pm in the Alex H. MacKinnon Auditorium, room 242 of UPEI’s Don and Marion McDougall Hall.

Dr. Herdt is a founding professor and professor in the graduate program in human sexuality at the California Institute for Integral Studies. He is also emeritus director of the National Sexuality Resource Centre and a professor of sexuality and anthropology at San Francisco State University. Dr. Herdt has an international profile and distinction that spans the United States, Australia, the Pacific Islands, and Western Europe through more than thirty years’ research, teaching, policy and clinical studies. He was a Fulbright Scholar to Australia (1974-78), an individual NIMH Scholar at UCLA’s Neuropsychiatric Institute, and has been the recipient of Guggenheim, NEH, and Rockefeller Foundation fellowships. He has taught at Stanford University, University of Chicago, and San Francisco State University (SFSU). He has held major grants from the NIMH, Spencer Foundation, Ford Foundation, and others. Dr. Herdt founded the Department of Sexuality Studies and the Master of Arts in Human Sexuality Studies at San Francisco State University, the first in the United States. He is the founder of the University of Amsterdam Summer Institute on Sexuality and Culture and SFSU’s Summer Institute on Sexuality, Health and Society (2001-2010). His publications include thirty-five books, monographs, anthologies, and more than one hundred scientific papers. Dr. Herdt continues to conduct fieldwork among the Sambia and is a champion of sexual literacy and human rights in Pacific Island countries.

In his public talk, Dr. Herdt will discuss how in two short generations, the Sambia of Papua New Guinea experienced the most extraordinary transition: from constant warfare and ritual-controlled sexuality to contemporary individual-centered sexual meanings and relationships. Based upon long-term anthropological field work [1974-2010] and a humanistic eye both to detail and the big picture, this study reveals how Sambia sexual socialization and desire were grounded through ritual initiation and male-dominated arranged marriages in traditional warrior life, including prescribed secret homoerotic practices for all males. However, this ancient form of human development fell away in the colonial context of evolving interpersonal and individual norms, subjectivities, and behavioral development as evangelical Christian practice revolutionized gendered and sexual relationships through socio-economic development and primary schooling, thus greatly empowering young women. Today’s Sambia psychosexual reality is actually more complex because of a powerful inter-generational struggle over the meaning of “good” versus “bad” sexual practice. The Sambia have proved themselves resilient as individuals in this historic transformation, even as their traditional sexuality and hegemonic male rituals have not. Ritual sex is now a suppressed history as the Sambia make their way into the dreary marketplace of global 21st  century individualism. This transformation among the Sambia raises perennial questions regarding the plasticity and innateness of human nature and culture.

For more information, contact Dr. Jean Mitchell, mjmitchell@upei.ca or Ukrautwurst@upei.ca.

Four University of Prince Edward Island Rugby players were recognized on the national sport stage tonight at the CIS All-Canadian Banquet held in Kingston, Ontario in conjunction with the 2015 CIS Rugby Championship.

Prop Holly Jones and fullback Alysha Corrigan were named to the second All-Canadian team, while flanker Anneke Dykerman was a finalist for Rookie of the Year. Number eight Lauren Chamberlain received the prestigious Student-Athlete Community Service Award.

Chamberlain follows in the footsteps of teammate Shanda Mosher-Gallant, who merited the CIS student-athlete community service award a year ago.

A first-year doctor of veterinary medicine student from Fall River, Nova Scotia, Chamberlain is the UPEI coordinator for the national, student-led Get REAL program, which she single-handedly brought to the University. Get REAL involves university students across Canada who speak to high school students about unlearning LGBTQ discrimination and bullying, and creating an inclusive environment.

In addition to her work with Get REAL, the 5-foot-9 Chamberlain is on the committee that initiated “Bringing Back the Bystander” training at UPEI. The program raises awareness about sexual assault and encourages those who know of or witness incidents to speak out.

Chamberlain is also the Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) Class of 2019 sports and athletic representative, the representative for Let’s Talk Science at AVC, and a surgical assistant for the Cat Action Team—a coalition to aid feral cats in PEI.

Kim Patenaude of Sherbrooke, Rina Charalampis of McMaster, and Shannon Fitzpatrick of Victoria were also nominated.

“Lauren has always been a high achiever,” said Panthers head coach Shannon Atkins. “She attacks all that she does, and 2015 was no different. She volunteers for many great causes, and lives life to the fullest.”

“Lauren's passion and commitment to bringing Get Real to UPEI is admirable,” said UPEI Director of Athletics and Recreation Chris Huggan. “I am really proud of all she has done and thrilled that she received this recognition for all of her efforts. 

Huggan added, “Being recognized among the elite players in the CIS is an outstanding accomplishment. I am very pleased for Holly, Alysha, and Anneke as well as commend their teammates and coaching staff for a great season.”

Other winners announced during the banquet were Cindy Nelles, a fourth-year eight man from McMaster University who was named the CIS player of the year; Victoria eight man Gabrielle Senft, who was named rookie of the year; and Guelph head coach Colette McAuley, who earned the Jim Atkinson Award for the second time in her career.

The 2015 CIS championship kicks off Thursday at Queen’s University’s Nixon Field and concludes on Sunday with the gold-medal final at 3 pm. All 11 games from the eight-team tournament will be webcast live on CIS-SIC.tv.

Visit the Championship website. 
Read the full CIS release. 

Dr. Tina Saksida, an assistant professor of management in the UPEI School of Business, was a speaker in the Professional Development Workshop (PDW) entitled “Change the World, Teach Evidence-Based Management” that won the 2015 Best PDW Award in the Management Education & Development division of the Academy of Management annual conference. The award was sponsored by ASFOR (the Italian Association for Management Development).

Dr. Saksida, on behalf of her collaborators, Dr. Blake Jelley (UPEI School of Business) and Dr. Edward Gamble (Montana State University), presented a “Case for Competition: Learning about Evidence-Based Management Through Case Competitions.” The presentation was based on an article by Gamble and Jelley, which draws on and combines UPEI School of Business strengths in student case competitions and in evidence-based management. Saksida and Jelley are now adapting those ideas in a new course for second-year business students at UPEI.

Evidence-Based Management (EBMgt) is the integration of research and organizational evidence with individual expertise and stakeholder concerns. This workshop dealt with helping university students find and critically appraise evidence by themselves.

The Academy of Management (AOM) is the most influential professional organization for management researchers, instructors, and developers in the world. Based in the United States, AOM has members in more than 100 countries. Over 10,000 researchers, academics, students, and professionals met in Vancouver to present and learn about the latest research findings on management this past August 7-11. The Management Education & Development (MED) division, one of the largest groups, specializes in research about learning and teaching at all university levels.

Organized by Denise M. Rousseau (Carnegie Mellon University, USA), Eric Barends (Center for Evidence-Based Management, The Netherlands), and Sara Rynes (University of Iowa, USA), the award-winning workshop included speakers Xander Lub (VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands), Rob Briner (University of Bath, UK), Neil Walshe (University of San Francisco, USA), Barbara Janssen (TEN HAVE Change Management, The Netherlands), Rowena Kerkhove (Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands), and Tina Saksida (University of Prince Edward Island, Canada). 

On Sunday, November 1, the UPEI Music Department will present violinist Joshua Peters, winner of the Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition, at the Dr. Steel Recital Hall at 7:30 pm.

The Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition is the most important annually held contemporary music competition for exceptional emerging Canadian performing artists in piano,voice and strings. Established in 1976, the E-Gré Competition discovers, develops, and promotes exceptional young Canadian performing musicians who show artistic proficiency, knowledge, and keen interest in Canadian and international repertoire of the 20th and 21st centuries. The semi-final and final rounds are live recitals performed at Brandon University for an esteemed panel of jurors and enthusiastic audience members. Shortly after the competition, the winner performs recitals during a 3-week residency at the prestigious Casalmaggiore International Festival in Italy before the cross-Canada winner’s tour in November. For 38 years, the annual E-Gré Competition & Winner’s National Tour have played a significant role in the early careers of Canadian performers recognized nationally and internationally for their achievements in music.

This year’s winner, Joshua Peters, was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He began his violin studies at the age of four and continued his studies at McGill University and at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Particularly drawn to the performance of chamber music, Peters has collaborated with renowned musicians including Menahem Pressler, Kim Kashkashian, André LaPlante, Steven Dann, and members of the Emerson, Concord, St. Lawrence, and Pacifica quartets. He has appeared as a soloist on numerous occasions with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, as concertmaster of the McGill Symphony Orchestra, and as a member of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. Joshua is the First Prize Winner of the 2015 Eckhardt-Gramatté Music Competition, the First Prize Winner of the 2014 WMC Doris McClellan Competition, and also wishes to acknowledge the support of the Sylva Gelber Foundation and the Manitoba Arts Council.

Pianist Katherine Dowling will be accompanying Peters on this national tour. Following two seasons as a fellow of the Tanglewood Music Center, Katherine was awarded the Henri Kohn Memorial Prize and appointed to the contemporary ensemble-in residence of the center, the New Fromm Players. She has enjoyed working with esteemed artists including the Jupiter String Quartet, Shauna Rolston, Joel Sachs, Marc Destrubé, composers John Harbison, Anthony Cheung, Marco Stroppa, and David Lang, and visual artist Andrea Büttner. Katherine credits her teacher, Gil Kalish, as the major influence in her musical life.

Admission is $15 Adults / $10 Students & Seniors. Tickets are available at the door, online, or by calling or e-mailing the music office at 902-566-0507/music@upei.ca.