Why should we care about human rights when it comes to artificial intelligence and academic integrity? You can find out more in this webinar, Human Rights, Artificial Intelligence, and Academic Integrity, on December 10, 2024, from 4:00-5:30 pm Atlantic time. Register at workrooms.ucalgary.ca/event/3845765

The final payments being issued to vendors for 2024 will be on December 18. Please have all documentation submitted to invoices@upei.ca by 4:00 pm on December 16 to make this deadline. The first payments scheduled for 2025 will be on January 8.  Currently, only vendors with EFT information are being paid due to the Canada Post strike. If you have a vendor that will be picking up a cheque, please indicate this clearly with your payment request. 

The Registrar's Office (3rd floor, Dalton Hall) and the Scholarships Office (2nd floor, Dalton Hall) will be closed on Tuesday, December 17, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm for a staff team-building activity. Regular hours will resume on Wednesday, December 18, at 8 am. For assistance during the closure, please email studentsupport@upei.ca. Thank you for your understanding.

On Tuesday, December 10, 2024, ITSS will conduct required maintenance on the myUPEI portal and related services from 8:00 pm to 12:00 am (midnight). During this time, there may be intermittent access to and performance issues with myUPEI, Self-Service, Colleague, and grade submission.

We encourage students, faculty, and staff who may need documents or links located on myUPEI to plan ahead and bookmark or download the resources they may need during this period.

As a reminder, you can access Moodle directly using https://moodle.upei.ca and Outlook email directly using https://outlook.office.com.

If you have any questions, please contact the ITSS Help Desk at 902-566-0465.

The Institute of Island Studies will host a presentation by PEI lobster fisher Marlene Chapman titled “How adaptive is the PEI lobster fishery? An exploration of climate change and the social structures influencing the local fishery” on December 10, 2024, at 7 pm, in the Faculty Lounge, SDU Main Building, UPEI. Chapman, who fishes out of Murray Harbour, PEI, recently completed her Master of Arts in Island Studies graduate thesis on climate adaptation in the PEI lobster fishery. 

“The lobster fishery has been a prominent feature of the Island’s economy and culture for over 150 years. In recent decades, it has become the most lucrative fishery in all of North America. Is it threatened by climate change? How adaptable are our fishers? What is the government’s role in protecting this fishery and the communities that depend on it?”

During her presentation, Chapman will share the findings of her research, which was informed by interviews with local fishers, her personal experience, and evidence found in scholarly and other literature.

This presentation is part of the Institute of Island Studies’ 2024 Island Lecture Series. All are welcome to attend.

Classes are over, and you just have to make it through exams. The Robertson Library is here to help, and not just with books and research advice. Every day between December 10 and 19, we'll provide some sort of treat, craft, or activity to give your brain a break. Follow @RobertsonLibrary on Instagram and Facebook so you never miss a Pop-Up Surprise. (Here's a freebie: on December 10, a special guest from the PEI Public Library Service will join us in the Robertson lobby to issue public library cards to UPEI students, faculty, and staff. Don't miss out!) 

We'll also be transforming the lobby lounge into the Stress-Free Zone for the duration of exams. Relax with colouring pages, yarn, origami, and so much more!  

Good luck with your finals! 

The deadline for Animal Care Protocol Submissions (new, renewal, or amendment) is Friday, January 3, for the January 2025 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."

UPEI ACC SOPs and Codes of Practice can be accessed through myUPEI at https://portal.upei.ca/facultystaff/administrativeservices/AVCAnimalCare/Pages/default.aspx. 

Protocols received after the deadline will be reviewed the following month. The committee requires at least one month to process applications.

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 closed on December 24, 25, and 31, and January 1. It will be open on December 23 from 8 am to 8 pm; December 26 from 9 am to 5 pm; December 27 from 8 am to 8 pm; December 28 and 29 from 9 am to 8 pm; and December 30 from 8 am to 8 pm. Regular operating hours will resume on January 2, 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. 

The Faculty of Education invites all to attend the public presentation of Elizabeth Blake's PhD dissertation proposal titled "Troubling Inclusion with/in a Posthumanist Education" on December 12 at 11:00 am. Please join us in person in Memorial Hall, Room 308, UPEI, or via Zoom at https://upei.zoom.us/j/67395878456?pwd=2QVI4qvuue9r2E1kzQGCBDRw9b70g2.1

The Faculty of Education invites all to attend the public presentation of Melissa Bishop's PhD dissertation defence, "Virtual Beginnings from Classroom to Screen: Early Elementary Teachers’ Accounts of Planned and Lived Curricula." Please join us on December 11, at 10:30 am, in Memorial Hall Room 417 or through Zoom at https://upei.zoom.us/j/69944764703?pwd=2oK1n2fzsK2gEl2IbXbKRbeVZgUkJ7.1

On Tuesday, December 10, 2024, ITSS will conduct required maintenance on the myUPEI portal and related services from 8:00 pm to 12:00 am (midnight). During this time, there may be intermittent access to and performance issues with myUPEI, Self-Service, Colleague, and grade submission.

We encourage students, faculty, and staff who may need documents or links located on myUPEI to plan ahead and bookmark or download the resources they may need during this period.

As a reminder, you can access Moodle directly using https://moodle.upei.ca and Outlook email directly using https://outlook.office.com.

If you have any questions, please contact the ITSS Help Desk at 902-566-0465.

We are now open until 7:00 pm on Thursdays and from 10:00 am-3:00 pm on Saturdays until December 21. 

Our annual UPEI Bookstore Christmas sale is now until December 14. All customers save 20% on clothing, giftware, and office supplies

Shop online 24/7 at upei.ca/bookstore 

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest new items and promotions.

The Institute of Island Studies will host a presentation by PEI lobster fisher Marlene Chapman titled “How adaptive is the PEI lobster fishery? An exploration of climate change and the social structures influencing the local fishery” on December 10, 2024, at 7 pm, in the Faculty Lounge, SDU Main Building, UPEI. Chapman, who fishes out of Murray Harbour, PEI, recently completed her Master of Arts in Island Studies graduate thesis on climate adaptation in the PEI lobster fishery. 

“The lobster fishery has been a prominent feature of the Island’s economy and culture for over 150 years. In recent decades, it has become the most lucrative fishery in all of North America. Is it threatened by climate change? How adaptable are our fishers? What is the government’s role in protecting this fishery and the communities that depend on it?”

During her presentation, Chapman will share the findings of her research, which was informed by interviews with local fishers, her personal experience, and evidence found in scholarly and other literature.

This presentation is part of the Institute of Island Studies’ 2024 Island Lecture Series. All are welcome to attend.

Classes are over, and you just have to make it through exams. The Robertson Library is here to help, and not just with books and research advice. Every day between December 10 and 19, we'll provide some sort of treat, craft, or activity to give your brain a break. Follow @RobertsonLibrary on Instagram and Facebook so you never miss a Pop-Up Surprise. (Here's a freebie: on December 10, a special guest from the PEI Public Library Service will join us in the Robertson lobby to issue public library cards to UPEI students, faculty, and staff. Don't miss out!) 

We'll also be transforming the lobby lounge into the Stress-Free Zone for the duration of exams. Relax with colouring pages, yarn, origami, and so much more!  

Good luck with your finals! 

Celebrate the season with Dana Hospitality at the Faculty and Staff Festivus Dinner, Wanda Wyatt Dining Hall, on Friday, December 20, 2024!

Two seating options:

• 11:30 am
• 12:45 pm

Menu highlights:

• Atlantic Young Turkey Carvery
• Honey Ham Carvery
• Field Roast Tofurkey
• Whipped PEI Potatoes, Savory Stuffing, and Meatballs with Gravy
• Roasted Vegetables, Lazy Man Cabbage Rolls, and Gravy with Dripping
• Dinner Roll with Butter and House Made Cranberry
• Pumpkin Seed Slaw and Garden Salad
• Bakeshop Seasonal Treats and Seasonal Punch

Cost: $17.99 per person

Reservations are required. Secure your spot by emailing jodie.antonchuk@dexterra.com.

Don’t miss this festive feast! 

As you're studying for exams or completing final projects, Robertson Library has a workspace for you. We will be adjusting our study zones from December 6 to 19.

The entire upper floor, with two exceptions, will become a silent zone. Those who want silent study spaces can continue to use the sunroom, the upstairs study carrels, and the one-person study rooms (320-327 and 331-336). We ask that people using or traveling through the stacks and the upstairs lobby observe silence during exams.

Those who are working on group projects or who prefer some background noise can use the upstairs reading room or any of the spaces on the main floor of the library. The group study rooms can be reserved by groups of 2-8 people. Since the group study rooms are not soundproof, those in the upstairs group study rooms are asked to be mindful of the silent zones nearby.

The UPEI Arts Review is a student-led writing publication that highlights and publishes student work every year. This year's edition is currently calling for submissions.

UPEI students can submit academic or creative writing, as well as visual art that could appear on the cover or within the book. We highly encourage any student who has an interest in getting their art published to submit. Multiple submissions are allowed!

To submit, email your work to artsreview@upei.ca. Submissions close on December 20, 2024. Feel free to email or contact us on our Instagram page, @upei.artsreview, if you have any questions or concerns.

Presenter: Carissa Grove

Location: AVC 205N

Date/time: December 9, 2024, 2:00 pm

Title: “Population Genetics and Return Migration Behaviour of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo Salar) In Prince Edward Island, Canada”

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) are declining across their native range where many populations in eastern Canada are threatened or endangered. In order to facilitate population recovery, widespread stocking has occurred throughout the region with over 37 million Atlantic salmon being stocked in Prince Edward Island (PEI) rivers since 1880. There is now evidence that stocking may put local genetic integrity at risk and impacts local adaptation on a population scale. A previous study identified two genetic populations on PEI, one unique to PEI and the other similar to other Gulf of St. Lawrence populations. In Chapter 2 of this thesis, we evaluated 884 individuals from 20 rivers on PEI known to contain Atlantic salmon. A panel of six microsatellites and next-generation sequencing were used followed by Bayesian clustering methods to infer groupings of populations. Generally, we see three major groupings on PEI including northeastern, southern, and northwestern to central draining rivers. Stocking intensity was not a good predictor for genetic variation. There are multiple genetic stocks on PEI that may be reflective of post-glacial colonization and local adaption. Upstream migration varies among and within rivers due to local conditions and genotypic differences. In order to assess migration behaviour, Chapter 3 evaluated the upstream migration of adult Atlantic salmon in North Lake Creek (NLC). Returning Atlantic salmon were caught and tagged with passive integrated transponders (PIT). Arrays were set up on multiple locations on NLC as well as adjacent rivers. Other morphometrics were taken at time of capture and environmental variables measured to determine what other factors influence movement. Individual fish detection was significantly associated with increased flows and decreased temperature. Additionally, time spent in the river averaged (SEM,n) 27.6 days (7.18, 10), meaning they stay in the river for a short period of time to spawn and leave to over-winter in the estuary or back to the ocean. The upstream migration of returning Atlantic salmon is complex and still being evaluated and understood however, it is important to evaluate these variances in light of genetic differences since it has been shown to play a role in timing.

Everyone is welcome.

Come and try chair yoga on Thursday, December 5 and 12, from 12:10-12:55 pm, at the UPEI Fitness Centre, Studio 1. Chair yoga is a gentle form that is done while seated or using a chair for balance and support. No yoga experience is necessary. Instructor Pam Harris will guide you through a workout that will help reduce stress while boosting mental well-being. This class is for UPEI staff, faculty, and retirees only and is free. The class is brought to you by the UPEI Healthy Campus Committee.

Pre-register by logging in at recreation.upei.ca (top righthand corner of page). Click on the UPEI LOGIN button to enter your upei email address and password. Please do not put your email address in the community email box and/or click on community. Once you have logged in, go to the wellness icon and then click on the class to register. For assistance or questions, please contact Angela Marchbank, Coordinator, Fitness and Wellness, at amarchbank@upei.ca

Presenter: Saurav Neupane 

Title: “Arts Participation and Academic Achievement Of Canadian Boys and Girls: A Causal Mediation Analysis” 

Date: December 10, 2024, 9:00 am

Location: Health Sciences Building, Room 104

Adolescent girls consistently report higher academic achievement than boys. Girls also tend to participate in arts more than boys, which is notable since adolescents participating in arts tend to reach a higher level of academic achievement. This study addresses a gap in the literature by examining whether arts participation may partially account for the differences in academic achievement between girls and boys. To that end, we estimate (1) the causal effect of arts participation on academic achievement and (2) the potential mediating role of arts participation in the relationship between girls' and boys' academic achievement. Utilizing data from the 2017/18 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey, our analysis demonstrates a positive causal effect of arts participation on academic achievement. Specifically, adolescents who participate in arts have 1.37 times higher odds of achieving excellent marks compared to those who do not. Furthermore, our findings suggest that providing boys with the same rate of arts participation as girls could potentially reduce differences in academic achievement by approximately 14.3 %. This study highlights that arts participation can improve adolescents' academic achievement and may contribute significantly to the observed differences in academic achievement between boys and girls. The results advocate for policies that increase arts education opportunities for all adolescents to foster academic equity in Canadian schools.

Everyone is welcome.