The Robertson Library is pleased to welcome Dr. Svetlana Kochkina, who is taking up her duties as our new University [Chief] Librarian during the first week of March. Dr. Kochkina joins us from McGill University Libraries, where she held several key positions over the past 15 years, including a recently-concluded term as Acting Head of the renowned Osler Library of the History of Medicine. Dr. Kochkina is also a distinguished book historian and digital humanities researcher, and is Past President of the Bibliographical Society of Canada. A "meet and greet" is planned for later this month to give our UPEI and Island user communities an opportunity to welcome Dr. Kochkina in-person; further details will be announced shortly. 

Simon Lloyd, who served as interim University Librarian from July, 2025 - February, 2026, will be returning to his duties with our University Archives and Special Collections (UASC) unit, and will also be supporting Dr. Kochkina during her transition into the University Librarian role. 

The UPEI Department of Music is thrilled to be hosting its first Contemporary Music Festival, March 6-13, 2026. All events are open to the public and take place in Steel Recital Hall or the Performing Arts Centre Theatre.

The festival kicks off with pianist Megaria Halim in Archipelagic Voices: Folk and Contemporary Music by Southeast Asian Composers on Friday, March 6 at 7:30pm and continues with UPEI Department of Music Faculty in Bleakness and Beauty, featuring the music of PEI-born composer Amy Brandon, on Saturday, March 7 at 7:30pm.

Other performers or presenters include Indigenous cellist Cris Derksen, experimental jazz trio forgalhorn, and French contemporary music ensemble Proxima Centauri.

Tickets are available online or by cash at the door.

Join Sharon Meyers, William Whelan and John VanLeeuwen for a panel and Q & A session on Preparing for Tenure / Permanency and Promotion where they will talk about Putting it All Together. They will share observations from their experiences serving on review committees at the department and university level. Bring your questions about preparing your file to the Teaching and Learning Centre on Friday March 13 at 12:30pm.  

We had originally scheduled the second annual edition of the "Hearts and Flowers" President's Town Hall for February 12, to fall in the month sometimes known for the time to give “hearts and flowers,” as well as for the short days of midwinter. We had to postpone the event due to a university closure caused by inclement weather.

The Town Hall has been rescheduled, and will be now held on Friday March 6!

President's Town Hall: Hearts and Flowers!
Friday, March 6, 2026 
2:00–3:00 pm 
Amphitheatre, Duffy Science Centre, DSC 135

The Town Hall will be an opportunity to share examples of success, what we are proud of at UPEI, and to give heart emojis and flower bouquets! Let's give a shoutout to campus community members and celebrate our Panther Pride.  

If you are unable to attend in person, you are welcome to join us virtually at this Teams Town Hall link.

The Centre for Veterinary Epidemiological Research (CVER) will host the visit of Prof. Elaine M. S. Dorneles, a Brazilian scholar, this March. She will work with Prof. Sanchez during her visit. Prof. Dorneles will give a seminar as part of CVER academic activities.

Speaker:     Elaine Maria Seles Dorneles, DVM PhD, Professor, Federal University of Lavras, Brazil

Title:           From farm to public health: A One-Health perspective on zoonotic diseases in Brazil

Date:           Thursday, March 5, 2026

Time:          2-3 p.m.

Location:    AVC Lecture Theatre B

Bio: Dr. Elaine M S Dorneles is a veterinarian and professor at the Federal University of Lavras (Universidade Federal de Lavras, UFLA), Brazil. She works in the field of animal health and public health. Her research focuses on zoonotic diseases, particularly brucellosis and tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases affecting dairy cattle, with emphasis on One Health, antimicrobial use and resistance, and milk quality and safety. She coordinates and participates in research and extension projects aimed at improving disease control strategies at the farm level and reducing risks to public health.)

As part of the UPEI Department of Religious Studies’ Theology on Tap series, Dr. Doug Al-Maini, associate professor of philosophy, St. Francis Xavier University, will give a talk titled “Greek Mysticism Leading into the Christian Era” on March 12 at 7 pm. The presentation will take place at the Salvador Dali Café, The Arts Hotel, 155 Kent Street, Charlottetown. All are welcome to attend.

“Scholars have long noted and been fascinated by a tradition of mysticism within the broader history of Christianity; they have also noted how much that tradition was influenced by the Greek philosophers who preceded it,” says Al-Mani. “Indeed, Augustine famously says that ‘By the Platonic books I was admonished to return into myself . . . I entered and beheld with the eye of my soul a light unchangeable.’ There is wide agreement that Augustine is referring to the influence that reading Plotinus, among other authors, had on him, and how it helped him make sense of Christianity. But what was in those Neo-Platonic texts that was so affecting for Augustine?

“In this talk, I will attempt to give an overview of the main theses of the ‘Greek Mystics’ and the thinking that brings them to the positions they hold. Included among these ‘Mystics’ are figures such as Parmenides, Empedocles, Plato, Plotinus, and Proclus, some of whom are not usually associated with mysticism. In different ways, these philosophers argue to what they think is the limit of what can be properly expressed discursively and then show how that cannot give a full and satisfying account of Being itself and all that could be experienced; this in turn helps define the parameters of mysticism for future thinkers.”

For more information about the series, contact event coordinator Alexandra Durant at alexandrajdurant@gmail.com, or follow Theology on Tap PEI on Facebook.

Teaching Community Conference 2026 - RSVP and Call for Proposals

The UPEI Teaching and Learning Centre is hosting its annual full-day Teaching Community Conference on Tuesday April 28, 2026.  This year’s theme will be: Connected Teaching: Connecting with Community, Self, and Place. RSVP Here.

The Teaching Community Conference is an opportunity to breathe further life into our  strategic commitment to innovative and connected teaching, research, and scholarship by sharing our experiences, challenges, and opportunities of advancing teaching and learning at UPEI. Conference participants are invited to reflect on this theme and consider relevant questions such as:  

• What supports, skills, and critical capacities do faculty need to embrace the relational and connected nature of teaching?
• As we consider expanding the walls of our classrooms and broadening our partnerships, how do we ensure we aren’t simply supplementing traditional teaching practices but rather transforming what teaching itself means?
• How does a commitment to relational and connected teaching help build faculty capacity to recognize and respond to structural barriers students face?  

We are looking for proposals from the UPEI community that highlight current  teaching and learning initiatives, share  new ideas, and build collaborative strategies for a more inclusive accessible, and courageous university. Proposals from staff and faculty are welcome. There are four formats suggested for proposals:

• Traditional Oral Presentation: Presenters share a talk about a teaching and learning project or topic related to the theme, speaking for about 20 minutes, followed by 5-10 minutes for questions.
• Lightning Talk: "Small Shifts, Significant Gains." Presenters share a teaching strategy or practice that they’ve found effective in supporting student learning, speaking for about ten minutes, followed by a short group discussion.
• Interactive Workshop: A hands-on session that encourages active participation and collaboration among attendees. The workshop could involve group activities, discussions, practical exercises, etc.
• Indigenous Sharing Circle: A facilitated, safe space for individuals to come together to discuss topics related to the theme, share their experiences, listen to each other, build relationships, offer support, and connect with each other.
• Facilitated Round table Discussion: A structured, collaborative conversation led by a facilitator to encourage open dialogue, balanced participation, and exploration of shared issues among participants. The session is guided by clear objectives and prompts, resulting in documented insights and agreed‑upon themes or recommendations.  

The deadline is extended to Monday, March 9, 2026. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to TLC@upei.ca.  

Proposals can be submitted here.

Please be advised that the IT Help Desk will be closed Tuesday, March 3 from 1pm-4pm for a scheduled department development session. The Help Desk will remain closed for the remainder of the day.

Only truly critical issues will be responded to via the ITSS Critical Phone Line: 902-566-0465, Option 2

Thank you for your understanding as we continue to invest in ongoing service improvement.

ITSS Operations

Multiple-choice questions provide an efficient means of assessing a broad range of knowledge. Still, mistaken assumptions persist (such as multiple-choice tests being limited to only assessing recognition of basic facts, rather than the effective application of principles).

In this session, Drs. Scott Cassidy and Blake Jelley (both of whom have used psychometrics in high-stakes testing contexts), will discuss how multiple-choice testing can be effectively deployed within course assessments – with a specific focus on promoting psychometric effectiveness. The session, which will use examples from in-class tests, will include a general discussion regarding the construction, quality assurance, and refinement of multiple-choice questions; as well as a demonstration of how statistical information available through the Remark® software in ITSS can be used to evaluate and refine such assessments.

This lunch and learn will take place in the UPEI Teaching and Learning Centre, located in the Robertson Library Annex (RL 230) on March 18 at 11:30 am.

Register here. Registration is not required, but you will receive an event invitation.

If you have Professional/Clinical Service responsibilities and you are preparing a tenure or promotion application in the next year then this workshop is for you.  Join Aimie Doyle from AVC and Charlene VanLeeuwen in the TLC to talk about effective ways to share the many details of your professional service activities in your tenure or promotion application on May 14 at 1:30pm in the Teaching and Learning Centre. 

We are pleased to invite you to join us as we celebrate the launch of our new Major in Indigenous Studies.

This special event will introduce the program, highlight its vision and significance, and bring our community together in recognition of this important milestone.

Date: Wednesday, March 4
Time: 12:30 – 2:30 pm
Location: Schurman Market Square, Room 248, Don and Marion McDougall Hall

The celebration will feature traditional ceremonies led by our MCs, Bethany Paulisyn and Grace McQuaid, including:

• An Honour Song performed by Judy Clark, Thirly Levi, Doris Googoo, and Alicia Muttart
• Seven Sacred Teachings in Mi’kmaq shared by Doris Googoo

This new Major in Indigenous Studies reflects our ongoing commitment to Indigenous knowledge, education, research, and community engagement. We look forward to sharing more about the program and the opportunities it will create for our students and community.

We hope you can join us for this meaningful occasion.

Dale Saddleback, BEd, MEd, PhD candidate, and a candidate for the tenure-track associate professor position in the Faculty of Indigenous Knowledge, Education, Research and Applied Studies (IKERAS), will give a teaching demonstration titled "Old Ways New Beginnings: Reflecting on language and culture loss" on Monday, March 9, 2026, at 2:00 pm in Bill and Denise Andrew Hall, Room 142.

Dale Saddleback, BEd, MEd, PhD candidate, and a candidate for the tenure-track associate professor position in the Faculty of Indigenous Knowledge, Education, Research and Applied Studies (IKERAS), will give a research presentation titled "Indigenous First Nations Research Methodological Considerations" on Monday, March 9, 2026, at 11:30 am in Bill and Denise Andrew Hall, Room 142.

The Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship invites you to join our Financial Fundamentals workshop. This workshop will provide an introduction to completing the core financial proformas required of a business startup:

• Income statement
• Balance sheet
• Cash flows
• Planning out your initial startup costs

The workshop will take place at Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall on Friday, March 6. Sign up today!

The Faculty of Education invites all to attend the public presentation of Diane Montgomery's PhD Dissertation Defense, "A Student-Directed Holistic Assessment Approach to Help Teachers Develop Self-Regulated Learners and Support the Diverse Needs of Students in Inclusive Educational Settings "

Please join us in person at Memorial Hall, Room 417 or through Teams: see the link below:
D. Montgomery PhD Dissertation Defense | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams
 

Join us for a relaxed and informative Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) Lunch and Learn session focused on Maintaining Motivation and Engagement in your classes. This is a great opportunity to connect with colleagues, share ideas, and gain insights into connecting learning to real‑world purpose, building an interactive learning environment, fostering a sense of belonging, providing clear structure and expectations, offering autonomy and choice, giving meaningful feedback, and integrating active learning technologies.

RSVP: https://forms.office.com/r/c5DsnwcRTu

Bring your own lunch and join us for an engaging session hosted by: The Teaching and Learning Centre

Discover exciting summer job opportunities or kickstart your career at the 2026 Summer Job and Career Fair! Hosted by UPEI’s Experiential Education Department, this fair will bring together a diverse range of employers from various industries actively seeking to hire students and recent graduates. 

By attending, you’ll have the chance to network with employers and explore both summer job positions and full-time career opportunities. The fair will be held in person, so dress professionally and bring copies of your resume to make the most of your interactions with employers.

Key details: The fair will take place on Wednesday, March 11, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, at the W.A. Murphy Student Centre. In case of inclement weather, the storm date is March 12, same time and location.

What to expect: Attendance is FREE for students, and no registration is required. Don’t miss out on the chance to win exciting door prizes!

For any inquiries, feel free to contact Jess Cameron, Community and Industry Outreach Coordinator, at careerfair@upei.ca or 902-894-2817.

We look forward to seeing you at the fair!

You are invited to attend UPEI’s Administrative Services Showcase on Monday March 9, 12:00-2:00, McMillan Hall, W.A. Murphy Student Centre - an opportunity to connect directly with the administrative teams that support our campus community.

Information booths hosted by:

• Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Human Rights
• Human Resources
• Finance
• Communications
• IT Systems and Services
• Facilities
• Student Support Services

Each area will highlight what they do and the key processes and resources they manage - many identified through feedback shared during Dr. Jane Ngobia’s Listening Tour.

This event is designed to:

• Demonstrate how campus feedback has been heard 
• Showcase initiatives and improvements currently underway
• Clarify what colleagues can expect moving forward
• Identify items still under consideration
• Create space for renewed dialogue and campus engagement

Strengthen your understanding of administrative services, ask questions, gather resources, and be part of ongoing conversations about improving the systems that support learning and student success at UPEI. All faculty and staff are encouraged to drop in. Light snacks available

Please be advised that the IT Help Desk will be closed Tuesday, March 3 from 1pm-4pm for a scheduled department development session. The Help Desk will remain closed for the remainder of the day.

Only truly critical issues will be responded to via the ITSS Critical Phone Line: 902-566-0465, Option 2

Thank you for your understanding as we continue to invest in ongoing service improvement.

ITSS Operations

We are pleased to invite you to join us as we celebrate the launch of our new Major in Indigenous Studies.

This special event will introduce the program, highlight its vision and significance, and bring our community together in recognition of this important milestone.

Date: Wednesday, March 4
Time: 12:30 – 2:30 pm
Location: Schurman Market Square, Room 248, Don and Marion McDougall Hall

The celebration will feature traditional ceremonies led by our MCs, Bethany Paulisyn and Grace McQuaid, including:

• An Honour Song performed by Judy Clark, Thirly Levi, Doris Googoo, and Alicia Muttart
• Seven Sacred Teachings in Mi’kmaq shared by Doris Googoo

This new Major in Indigenous Studies reflects our ongoing commitment to Indigenous knowledge, education, research, and community engagement. We look forward to sharing more about the program and the opportunities it will create for our students and community.

We hope you can join us for this meaningful occasion.