Campus Notices
The excitement for this Saturday's Gold Rush draw is growing as big as the pot! With no winners in the last TEN draws, the total pot has grown to more than $35,725, with half going to the winner of the draw.
Gold Rush is a virtual fundraising initiative that raises funds for UPEI’s athletic and recreation programs. You can now select a specific team, club, or program to direct your proceeds from each of your tickets.
Play today and every week for a chance to win! Download the UPEI Panther Recreation app from the App Store or on Google Play, or play from your computer. The weekly draw is held at 8:00 pm every Saturday.
Feedback on University Librarian candidate presentations due September 19, 2025
The search committee for the University Librarian has arranged the recorded presentations of the finalists.
Svetlana Kochkina's presentation can be viewed at the following link: University Librarian - Candidate 1.mp4
Melissa Fraser-Arnott's presentation can be viewed at the following link: University Librarian - Candidate 2.mp4
Ignacio Albarracin's presentation can be viewed at the following link: University Librarian - Candidate 3.mp4
The search committee welcomes your feedback on the candidates. Please send feedback by email to vpar@upei.ca by 4:00 pm on Friday, September 19, 2025.
Thank you for your valued input into this search process. All feedback remains confidential.
Join us for an engaging bring-your-own-lunch session to learn more about Mootimeter, a live-polling tool inspired by Mentimeter. This tool has recently been added to our Moodle at UPEI. This session will go over how to setup and use the tool. Registration is not required, but registering will add you to the calendar event as a reminder: https://forms.office.com/r/juyQXaYtPw
Wednesday September 24 at 12:00 pm, Robertson Library Annex, Room 230.
The UPEI Writing Centre (Robertson Library 274) is now open for one-on-one support. This service is free and available to everyone in the campus community. Register now and get ready to make that first appointment!
Please note that availability will be limited until October 1 when we will add appointment times to our online schedule. Please go to https://upei.mywconline.com/ for more information.
We look forward to working with you!
The Healthy Campus Committee is pleased to support UPEI staff, faculty, and retirees with two weekly wellness programs this fall:
- Pickleball – Tuesdays, 12:00–1:00 pm, Gymnasium (September 16–December 2)
- Mindful Flow and Stillness – Thursdays, 12:10–12:55 pm, Studio 1 (September 18–December 11)
Both programs take place in the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre and are free of charge for UPEI staff, faculty, and retirees. Please note that weekly registration is required for each activity.
How to Register:
- Visit recreation.upei.ca or open the Panther Recreation app.
- Select UPEI LOGIN and enter your UPEI email address and password.
- Click the Wellness icon, choose your program, and follow the prompts.
For more information, please contact:
Angela Marchbank
Coordinator, Fitness & Wellness
The Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship invites you to join our Business Model Canvas workshop.
Learn how to design a sustainable business model using Steve Blank's Business Model Canvas. This tool is used to help build the skills needed to create a strong business plan, but has more flexibility than a traditional one.
The workshop will take place at Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship in Robertson Library on UPEI campus. Sign up here!
At times, teaching can feel isolating. With so many demands on our time and desiring to do the best for students, we can set high expectations for ourselves. And – we are expected to be life-long learners, by adapting our teaching approaches during the pandemic and now again in the wave of AI.
In this workshop, participants will receive a teaching resource that was developed by the 2024 3M National Teaching Fellows to create a sense of community and rediscover the joy of learning. Some instructors may like to use this resource as a daily planner or notebook, while others may use it to journal about their teaching practices.
Through the workshop, participants will explore how they use time and space, what some barriers to joy might be, engage in conversation to build community, and utilize a resource so that we can collectively rediscover the joy of learning. For more details regarding the learning objectives of the workshop and bios for the two wonderful 3M National Teaching Fellows from the 2024 cohort, please check out the campus events calendar.
There are two workshop options to choose from:
Monday Sept 22 at 9:00 am in the Teaching and Learning Centre - Robertson Library Annex - Room 230
Monday Sept 22 at 11:45am in the Teaching and Learning Centre - Robertson Library Annex - Room 230
Please let us know which workshop session you plan to attend. We have space for 20 participants in each session – RSVP. Come a few minutes early to enjoy refreshments, conversation with colleagues and to celebrate two 3M National Teaching Fellows.
Whether or not you attended events during UPEI's 2025 Welcome Week, your feedback helps us improve future programming for students, staff, and faculty across the UPEI campus. This year, various Welcome Week events were open to all Panthers, not only incoming new students.
This form will take less than 10 minutes to complete. Enter for a chance to win UPEI merch by providing your email address at the end of the survey! There will be two prize draws for staff, two for faculty, and 10 for students!
CLICK HERE for the survey.
If you have any questions, please contact studentculture@upei.ca. Thank you for your time! Go Panthers!
DEADLINE TO SUBMIT (EXTENDED TO): Monday, September 22, 2025
Note to Professors and Course/Lab Instructors:
Please add the testing information (date, test length, test format, aids allowed, etc.) for any in-person quizzes, tests, and midterms for the Fall 2025 semester to Accommodate, as soon as possible.
Students who are registered with Accessibility Services and want in-person testing accommodations must submit a booking request at least 7 days in advance. They cannot schedule their test until you have entered the testing information in Accommodate.
You do not need to add the test file until a few days before the test date. If needed, changes can be made to test dates after testing information has been added.
Below are some Faculty how-to resources:
How to schedule a test in Accommodate: Step-by-step guide
How to view student accommodations: Step-by-step guide
If you have any questions about adding a test in Accommodate or testing with Accessibility Services, please contact astesting@upei.ca.
Research on Tap provides an opportunity to talk about research and network with the public in a casual setting for an evening of informal discussion and dialogue. The next session will take place in October or November, specific dates to be determined based on speaker and venue availability.
Each session is led by one or two Faculty Researchers from UPEI who present the central theme/topic in a way that is accessible, insightful and exciting to the lay audience. The rest of the time is for questions and discussion. The conversation is interesting, engaged, and lively.
A second Research on Tap session is planned for the end of March (location TBD, likely off-campus) and based on speaker availability.
Are you and/or a colleague interested in leading one of these discussions? If so, please provide a short abstract to Research Services researchservices@upei.ca describing your topic and emphasizing how it would be of interest now to the PEI public. Please also indicate your preferred session (Fall 2025 or Winter 2026). The deadline for expressions of interest for both sessions of Research on Tap is end of day Friday, September 19, 2025.
For questions, please contact Jo Minx, Research Services Liaison jminx@upei.ca 902-566-0843.
PEI’s Sexual Assault Awareness Week, September 18 – 24, 2025 is a dedicated time to raise awareness about sexual violence in our community; to educate on sexual violence prevention; and to show compassion and offer support to survivors of sexual violence in our community. Check out this year’s Sexual Assault Awareness Week (SAAW) events at UPEI:
Sexual Assault Awareness Week Display, September 15-September 26: Robertson Library and the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (SVPRO) will be hosting a SAAW Display in the Robertson Library lobby. Make sure to drop by to learn more about SAAW and to take part in Love Letters to Survivors. Write a message of compassion, care, and support to individuals who have experienced sexual violence. Your message will be included in a collage of community care to hang in the SVPRO. Survivors visiting our office will see and feel your solidarity.
Consent Pizza, September 15, starting at 11:00 am: Head over to the hallway in Robertson Library for a slice of pizza and to share your opinion – What does Consent Look Like? Hosted by the UPEI Student Union and SVPRO.
Scatter Stones, September 16, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm: Join us in the Campus Life Lounge in the Student Union Building (W.A. Murphy Student Centre) to paint stones with messages of consent, respect, and community to be scattered across campus. Folks will receive two stones to paint: one to participate in the Scatter Stones event and one to paint and keep! Hosted by the UPEI Student Union, Campus Life, and SVPRO.
Venus Envy Workshop and Sex Toy Bingo, September 17, 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm: Join the UPEI Student Union at The Fox & Crow for an educational workshop hosted by Halifax’s Venus Envy followed by Sex Toy Bingo for fun competition and prizes!
PhotoVoice, The Art of Thriving, September 18; September 22–September 26: Women’s Network PEI and SVPRO partnered to offer a creative, community-based space for survivors of gender-based violence and individuals navigating life after trauma. Participants were guided through a process of reflection, story-telling, and visual expression, culminating in this photography exhibit. Each photo is a window into a personal journey. Some speak to recovery, others to silence, safety, freedom, or inner growth. Together, they remind us that healing takes many forms and every voice matters. The art will be on display in Concourse of the Student Union Building (W.A. Murphy Student Centre) on September 18 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm and in the Robertson Library lobby from September 22 to September 26.
For information about events happening off-campus, please check out the PEI Rape and Sexual Assault Centre’s SAAW webpage: https://www.peirsac.org/saaw
If you experience sexual or gender-based violence, you are not alone. The UPEI Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office is here to help: 902-620-5090 or sv-pro@upei.ca. You can also visit us in Room 115-118 Kelley Memorial Building from 8:30 am–4:00 pm, Monday – Friday.
Every day, our colleagues go above and beyond to make our university a vibrant, supportive, and inspiring place to work and learn. “Recognizing Remarkable Colleagues” is your space to give a shout-out to those who embody our mission and values—whether they’re championing a new initiative, supporting student success, lending a hand to a teammate, or bringing positivity to the workplace. You can also use this program to congratulate a colleague on a new role or wish them well in retirement.
Let’s celebrate the big and small wins that make our campus shine! Submit your note of recognition, and let’s cheer on our amazing colleagues together.
How to submit:
Complete this short form: https://forms.office.com/r/766cg9JsT6
You’ll be asked to share:
- Who are you recognizing? (Name and department/faculty)
- Why are you recognizing them? (Briefly describe what they did or the impact they made)
- Your name
Submit your form(s) by the last Friday of each month. Human Resources will collect the submissions and work with Communications to feature them in the Campus Connector. Please note, we now have a dedicated page for this program on the Human Resources SharePoint: Recognizing Remarkable Colleagues.
Not a current subscriber to Campus Connector? Click here for information on how to subscribe.
The deadline for our next issue is Friday, September 26, 2025
Please contact Human Resources at hrengage@upei.ca should you have any questions.
The UPEI Alumni Association invites students, staff, faculty, and alumni to join us as we celebrate and recognize the following 2025 Alumni Award recipients:
Distinguished Alumni
- Dr. Janice Keefe, BA 1984
- Dr. Lesley Steele, DVM 1997
Inspiring Young Alumni
- Dr. Derek Schipper, BSc 2006
- Katie Arsenault, BBA 2007
- Alexia Riche, BA 2020
Please RSVP using this form before September 17, 2025.
Visit the Alumni Awards and Recognition page to learn more or to submit a nomination for 2026.
The Department of Music invites UPEI alumni to help celebrate their new Yamaha CFX concert grand piano! Homecoming Week kicks off with a piano recital of attractive and accessible solo, piano duet, and two-piano music chosen to showcase the new piano’s range and versatility. Featuring UPEI piano professor Dr. Magdalena von Eccher along with invited guests Dr. Frances Gray, UPEI Professor Emerita, and PEI-based pianist Glen Montgomery.
Panther Perk Alert! Alumni are eligible for 20% off tickets with a special Homecoming promo code.
All faculty, students, and staff are invited to a cross-disciplinary workshop on ‘Decentralized Energy and Active Learning’ on September 24, 2:00-4:00 pm in Don and Marion McDougall Hall, Grant Thornton Lecture Theatre, Room 329.
What do renewable energy transitions and student-centered teaching strategies possibly have in common?
An overarching goal of decentralizing authority, a deep commitment to transparency, building trust amongst participants, and an active role for supporting institutions – to name just a few possible parallels.
In this workshop, leading experts from the fields of ‘decentralized energy systems’ and ‘active learning pedagogies’ will participate in a facilitated discussion about potential synergies between their fields. Audience participation will be encouraged throughout – and a Q&A session will be held with the thought leaders.
Coffee, tea, and light snacks will be provided.
Contact any member of the research team with questions: Dr. Nick Mercer (Environmental Studies/Island Studies) at nmmercer@upei.ca, or Jehaan Cooper (Student Research Assistant) at jcooper13697@upei.ca.
The Office of Continuing Education and Professional Development (OCEPD) is offering an exciting lineup of Certificates and courses this Fall to help you build skills, advance your career, and make an impact in your workplace.
UPEI Staff, Faculty, and Alumni save 15% on tuition!
Fall 2025 Offerings:
- “Indigenous Cultural Awareness” – September 24, 2025
- Certificate in Case Management – Specialization in Health Care – Starting October 1, 2025
- New Managers Certificate (in-person) – Starting October 7, 2025
- New Managers Certificate (online) – Starting October 14, 2025
- Certificate in Project Management – Starting October 20, 2025
- Certificate in Professional Office Administration – Starting October 28, 2025
- Certificate in Case Management – Advanced Collaboration in Care – Starting November 12, 2025
- Certificate in Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being – Starting November 12, 2025
- Certificate in Conflict Resolution – Starting November 27, 2025
Learn more and register: upei.ca/professional-development Email: pdp@upei.ca
Feedback on University Librarian candidate presentations due September 19, 2025
The search committee for the University Librarian has arranged the recorded presentations of the finalists.
Svetlana Kochkina's presentation can be viewed at the following link: University Librarian - Candidate 1.mp4
Melissa Fraser-Arnott's presentation can be viewed at the following link: University Librarian - Candidate 2.mp4
Ignacio Albarracin's presentation can be viewed at the following link: University Librarian - Candidate 3.mp4
The search committee welcomes your feedback on the candidates. Please send feedback by email to vpar@upei.ca by 4:00 pm on Friday, September 19, 2025.
Thank you for your valued input into this search process. All feedback remains confidential.
This Tea(ching) break article offers some recommendations for addressing sensory needs of neuro divergent students that are neuro-inclusive. To read more about what the authors have to say about how clear course structures, Universal Design for Learning, and responsive support services remove barriers for neuro divergent students which can benefit all students, here's a link to The importance of the sensory environment in Higher Education.
The Academic Integrity Badge only needs to be completed once during a student’s time at the University. It is no longer an annual requirement.
Students who have already completed the Badge do not need to retake it. Instructors are asked to update their course information accordingly.
The following September sessions may be of interest to faculty and students, and are free of charge.
- September 16, Introduction to ACENET and High Performance Computing (HPC)
- September 17, Introduction to the Linux Command Line
- September 18, Introduction to Shell Scripting
- September 19, Job Scheduling with Slurm
- September 25, Carpentries: Introduction to Computational Thinking
Registration is through our training portal — https://www.acenet.training/courses
There are more courses available for registration on the portal.
