Campus Notices
A new book titled "Moral Puzzles: Contractarian Fix," by Dr. Malcolm Murray, professor of philosophy at UPEI, will be launched on Monday, October 19, at 7 pm in the Faculty Lounge (Room 201), SDU Main Building. Hosted by the Bookmark, this event is free, and all are welcome.
Standard approaches to moral puzzles rest on a shared premise: that morality is timeless, written into the fabric of the universe. In Dr. Murray’s view, morality is not a set of enduring truths but the outcome of human evolution and natural selection. This social contract—a system of rules that rational, self-interested agents agree to follow because it enables a safer, more co-operative social life—highlights the difference between idealized moral theories and the real-world applications that often fall short of those ideals. In elegant, entertaining prose, "Moral Puzzles" ventures beyond the popular understanding of morality as a natural product, revisiting problems in moral philosophy with striking results. Dr. Murray invites readers to rediscover the central puzzles of moral theory through fresh arguments and interpretations.
Dr. Murray is the author of six philosophy books including "Morals and Consent: Contractarian Solutions to Ethical Woes." In addition, he has written a collection of one-act plays titled "The Philosopher," and his short stories have appeared in "Snow Softly Falling," "Riptides," "Galleon," and "Fiction Fix."
UPEI honours its rich heritage and traditions by acknowledging members of the campus community who have contributed to its mission in an exceptional way by naming them “Founders,” an initiative established in 2000.
Recognizing our Founders is an opportunity to honour those who have worked diligently and passionately to build the University into the highly regarded institution of higher education it is today. The award is presented to those who have played a direct role in supporting the vision, reputation, and continued success of the University. View the list of Founders
All are invited to celebrate UPEI's 2026 Founders: Leonard Doucette, Dr. Don Mazer, Dr. F. Alan Reesor (posthumously), and Dr. Roberta MacDonald (in absentia).
Wednesday, October 7, 2026 - 2:30 pm
Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall
The Biosafety Officer (BSO) would like to inform the UPEI community that there is a new Biohazardous Agent Transfer Form Instruction document and an updated Biohazardous Agent Transfer Form (Revision 2.0) which are now available on the Biosafety SharePoint site. These documents outline the requirements and approval process for the transfer, shipment, receipt, import, export, and purchase of biohazardous materials.
All faculty, staff, and students involved in work with biohazardous materials are encouraged to review the new instructions and begin using the updated form immediately. The revised process is intended to support compliance with applicable biosafety, biosecurity, transportation, and regulatory requirements while ensuring the safe handling and tracking of biohazardous materials across the University.
As a reminder, the BSO must be notified before the import, export, purchase, receipt, shipment, or transfer of any biohazardous material, and a completed Biohazardous Agent Transfer Form must be submitted for review and approved prior to proceeding with these activities. No transfer or purchase of biohazardous agents may occur until approval has been obtained from the BSO.
Biosafety Website:
https://upeica.sharepoint.com/sites/HSE/SitePages/Biosafety.aspx
Documents:
- Biohazardous Agent Transfer Form Instructions (R1.0, September 2026)
- Biohazardous Agent Transfer Form (R2.0, September 2026)
If you have any questions regarding the updated process or require assistance completing the form, please contact the Biosafety Officer at biosafety@upei.ca.
Thank you for your cooperation in maintaining a safe and compliant University environment.
You can now pre-order a custom hoodie (Black or Forest Green) or a crew (Sport Grey) with your UPEI program on it. From September 28 to October 9 place your pre-order on our website or stop by the Bookstore and choose the custom program hoodie or crew of your choice. Pick up or delivery of all orders will be early December. If you are a current UPEI staff member enter the promo code STAFFWEB to use your staff discount. Contact us at bookstore@upei.ca for more information.
Join Marissa Clapson (Chemistry) and Ashton Dougan (Nursing) for an interactive lunch-and-learn where you won’t just hear about escape rooms, you’ll experience one. In this session, participants will take part in a mini educational escape room, explore the tactile and digital materials we use to design them, and learn how escape rooms can promote engagement, teamwork, critical thinking, and problem-solving across disciplines. We will share examples from nursing and chemistry, discuss student reactions and learning outcomes, and walk you through the first steps of planning your own classroom escape room. Whether you teach in the sciences, health, or beyond, you’ll leave with practical ideas, adaptable resources, and inspiration to bring playful, high-impact learning into your courses.
The deadline for Animal Care protocol submissions (new, renewal, or amendment) is Friday, November 6 for the November meeting.
Please note that as of June 1, 2020 all animal user protocols must be submitted through UPEI Researcher Portal at https://upei.researchservicesoffice.com/Romeo.Researcher/
For new protocols select ‘applications’ and for renewal or amendment protocols select ‘events’.
To view any UPEI ACC SOPs and Codes of Practice, they can be accessed through myUPEI at https://portal.upei.ca/facultystaff/administrativeservices/AVCAnimalCare/Pages/default.aspx.
Those protocols received after the deadline will be reviewed the following month. The Committee requires at least one month for processing applications.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to scramble your way through a presentation you have no control over? It’s more fun than you think, and you can experience it yourself (or just come to watch!) at the Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship in 201 Robertson Library this Fall! No pre-registration required! See the Fall schedule below
- Thursday, October 8, 3:00-5:00 pm
- Thursday, October 29, 3:00-5:00 pm
- Thursday, November 12, 3:00-5:00 pm
- Thursday, December 3, 3:00-5:00 pm
Note: If you would like to participate, please bring a phone or computer that can access wi-fi or cellular data.
How can course design reduce the need for late work policies altogether? A recent Grading for Growth blog post shares two alternative grading approaches that emphasize flexibility, multiple opportunities for success, and proactive extension requests, while reducing administrative burden for instructors. The article offers practical ideas for balancing student support with clear expectations around deadlines and learning. Check out How I'm Handling late work in Fall 2026.
All meetings are open to members of the University community. Certain agenda items, including but not limited to granting of degrees, academic dismissals, and human resources discussions, may require the Senate 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 senate@upei.ca by 3:00 pm on the day prior to the meeting. While Senate is an in-person meeting, members of the University community may request a virtual connection when they are unable to attend in person.
View the schedule of UPEI Senate meetings for the 2026–2027 academic year.
Faculty and staff are encouraged to share the event with their students, alumni and network:
Current UPEI undergraduate students and alumni are invited to learn more about studying at the graduate level. This event, presented by the Faculties of Arts and Graduate Studies, aims to demystify graduate studies, and feature UPEI graduate programs which may be of interest to students of the Faculty of Arts. Students and alumni from other faculties are welcome to attend, though this event will have an Arts focus.
The event will feature:
- 10:00-10:45- A panel moderated by Dr. Cinthya Guzman of UPEI faculty and alumni (Arts-based) sharing their first hand experiences and advice about graduate studies
- 10:45-12:00- Info Tables and opportunity for one-on-one chats with representatives of UPEI's graduate programs, graduate admissions, scholarships and awards plus faculty members and current graduate students
Featured programs:
- Masters of Arts in Island Studies
- Doctor of Psychology
- Master of Business Administration in Global Leadership
- Master of Education in Leadership in Learning, PhD Educational Studies, and Bachelor of Education
- Master of Cleantech Leadership and Transformation
There will be multiple prize draws, with some prize draws reserved for students/alumni who pre-registered only and one open to all student/alumni attendees. Winners must be present at the time of the draw to win.
To register: Registration form - Grad School: More Possible Than You Think!
Drop-in attendees are also welcome. Light refreshments provided.
Advertising posters (digital and/or printed) are available upon request to Kendra Mellish kmellish@upei.ca or Cinthya Guzman cnguzman@upei.ca
UPEI honours its rich heritage and traditions by acknowledging members of the campus community who have contributed to its mission in an exceptional way by naming them “Founders,” an initiative established in 2000.
Recognizing our Founders is an opportunity to honour those who have worked diligently and passionately to build the University into the highly regarded institution of higher education it is today. The award is presented to those who have played a direct role in supporting the vision, reputation, and continued success of the University. View the list of Founders
All are invited to celebrate UPEI's 2026 Founders: Leonard Doucette, Dr. Don Mazer, Dr. F. Alan Reesor (posthumously), and Dr. Roberta MacDonald (in absentia).
Wednesday, October 7, 2026 - 2:30 pm
Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall
A new book titled The Spiritual Imagination of C.S. Lewis, by Dr. Brenton Dickieson, Assistant Professor with the UPEI Faculty of Arts, will be launched on Tuesday, October 6, at 7 pm in the Faculty Lounge, SDU Main Building, at UPEI. Hosted by the Bookmark, the event is free, and all are welcome.
During the book launch, Dr. Dickieson will be in conversation with Dr. Kate Scarth, Associate Professor and Chair of L.M. Montgomery Studies and Applied Communication, Leadership, and Culture at UPEI.
With book sales exceeding 200 million copies, a billion-dollar film industry, and a bookshelf of critical, philosophical, and popular works, C.S. Lewis is at once the beloved author of The Chronicles of Narnia and a leading 20th-century English-speaking Christian public intellectual. Given the sheer diversity of Lewis's writing, what holds all this together? What is the beating heart of Lewis’ work? In The Spiritual Imagination of C.S. Lewis, Dr. Dickieson argues that what Lewis reveals throughout his writings is a cross-shaped, or cruciform, spirituality. This death-and-resurrection pattern unites Lewis's Christian thought and produces a hopeful and evocative spirituality that is embedded in his poetry and prose.
Join Marissa Clapson (Chemistry) and Ashton Dougan (Nursing) for an interactive lunch-and-learn where you won’t just hear about escape rooms, you’ll experience one. In this session, participants will take part in a mini educational escape room, explore the tactile and digital materials we use to design them, and learn how escape rooms can promote engagement, teamwork, critical thinking, and problem-solving across disciplines. We will share examples from nursing and chemistry, discuss student reactions and learning outcomes, and walk you through the first steps of planning your own classroom escape room. Whether you teach in the sciences, health, or beyond, you’ll leave with practical ideas, adaptable resources, and inspiration to bring playful, high-impact learning into your courses.
The deadline for Animal Care protocol submissions (new, renewal, or amendment) is Friday, November 6 for the November meeting.
Please note that as of June 1, 2020 all animal user protocols must be submitted through UPEI Researcher Portal at https://upei.researchservicesoffice.com/Romeo.Researcher/
For new protocols select ‘applications’ and for renewal or amendment protocols select ‘events’.
To view any UPEI ACC SOPs and Codes of Practice, they can be accessed through myUPEI at https://portal.upei.ca/facultystaff/administrativeservices/AVCAnimalCare/Pages/default.aspx.
Those protocols received after the deadline will be reviewed the following month. The Committee requires at least one month for processing applications.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to scramble your way through a presentation you have no control over? It’s more fun than you think, and you can experience it yourself (or just come to watch!) at the Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship in 201 Robertson Library this Fall! No pre-registration required! See the Fall schedule below
- Thursday, October 8, 3:00-5:00 pm
- Thursday, October 29, 3:00-5:00 pm
- Thursday, November 12, 3:00-5:00 pm
- Thursday, December 3, 3:00-5:00 pm
Note: If you would like to participate, please bring a phone or computer that can access wi-fi or cellular data.
UPEI honours its rich heritage and traditions by acknowledging members of the campus community who have contributed to its mission in an exceptional way by naming them “Founders,” an initiative established in 2000.
Recognizing our Founders is an opportunity to honour those who have worked diligently and passionately to build the University into the highly regarded institution of higher education it is today. The award is presented to those who have played a direct role in supporting the vision, reputation, and continued success of the University. View the list of Founders
All are invited to celebrate UPEI's 2026 Founders: Leonard Doucette, Dr. Don Mazer, Dr. F. Alan Reesor (posthumously), and Dr. Roberta MacDonald (in absentia).
Wednesday, October 7, 2026 - 2:30 pm
Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall
The Biosafety Officer (BSO) would like to inform the UPEI community that there is a new Biohazardous Agent Transfer Form Instruction document and an updated Biohazardous Agent Transfer Form (Revision 2.0) which are now available on the Biosafety SharePoint site. These documents outline the requirements and approval process for the transfer, shipment, receipt, import, export, and purchase of biohazardous materials.
All faculty, staff, and students involved in work with biohazardous materials are encouraged to review the new instructions and begin using the updated form immediately. The revised process is intended to support compliance with applicable biosafety, biosecurity, transportation, and regulatory requirements while ensuring the safe handling and tracking of biohazardous materials across the University.
As a reminder, the BSO must be notified before the import, export, purchase, receipt, shipment, or transfer of any biohazardous material, and a completed Biohazardous Agent Transfer Form must be submitted for review and approved prior to proceeding with these activities. No transfer or purchase of biohazardous agents may occur until approval has been obtained from the BSO.
Biosafety Website:
https://upeica.sharepoint.com/sites/HSE/SitePages/Biosafety.aspx
Documents:
- Biohazardous Agent Transfer Form Instructions (R1.0, September 2026)
- Biohazardous Agent Transfer Form (R2.0, September 2026)
If you have any questions regarding the updated process or require assistance completing the form, please contact the Biosafety Officer at biosafety@upei.ca.
Thank you for your cooperation in maintaining a safe and compliant University environment.
You’re invited to join the campus community at the next President’s Town Hall on Sustainability Planning and Action.
President’s Town Hall: Sustainability Planning and Action
• Monday, October 5, 2026 – 3:00 pm
• Amphitheatre in the Performing Arts Centre and Residence (PAC 121S)
As with past town halls, there will be brief updates provided and opportunities to ask questions. If you are unable to participate in person, you are welcome to join us virtually at this Teams Town Hall link.
