Media Releases

Health PEI Welcomes 10 New Nurse Practitioners Graduates

Anna MacDonald — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:46:13 -0300

The following news release was issued by the Province of Prince Edward Island on April 13, 2026:

Health PEI is pleased to announce the hiring of 10 newly graduated Nurse Practitioners (NPs), who will begin joining health care teams across the province in May and June, with additional hiring anticipated in the coming months.

As part of Health PEI’s ongoing commitment to connecting Islanders to care, seven of the newly hired NPs will work in primary care settings in Charlottetown, Summerside and Montague. Their work will help more patients and families access timely, team-based care closer to home.

The remaining three NPs will serve in specialty Nurse Practitioner roles, expanding clinical expertise and strengthening support in key areas across the Island which includes seniors care, acute care and specialty care services.

“We are so pleased to be welcoming these 10 new NPs into our system this spring,” said the Honourable Cory Deagle, Minister of Health and Wellness. “We want Islanders to have better access to primary care. Bringing more Nurse Practitioners into our system will strengthen services across the province and help connect more people to a primary care provider.”

The addition of these NPs supports Health PEI’s broader work to build strong, interdisciplinary care teams and ensure Islanders receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

“These Nurse Practitioner graduates represent meaningful progress in our efforts to strengthen primary care and improve access for Islanders,” said Shannell MacKinnon, Director NP Clinical Practice and Education at Health PEI. “Nurse Practitioners play a vital role in our health system, and their addition will strengthen care teams and support patients, families, and communities throughout the province.”

“The ��vlog��ý is proud to be graduating its largest cohort of Nurse Practitioners in our program’s history,” said Dr. Wendy Rodgers, ��vlog��ý President and Vice-Chancellor. “With their expanded scope of practice, NPs are essential in primary care environments, which is why we are so pleased that 10 of our 11 graduates will be contributing to health care right here on PEI.”

Health PEI remains committed to ongoing recruitment to strengthen the workforce and enhance access to high-quality care.

Island Lecture Series features a presentation by MAIS faculty member Andrew Halliday on April 21

Anna MacDonald — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:03:02 -0300

Andrew Halliday, a faculty member in the ��vlog��ý Master of Arts in Island Studies program, will give a lecture titled “Borders, Boundaries, and Jurisdictional Islanding: Placemaking in Atlantic Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic” on April 21, 2026, at 7 pm, in the Faculty Lounge (Room 201), SDU Main Building, ��vlog��ý.

Halliday’s presentation is part of the Island Lecture Series, hosted by the Institute of Island Studies.

The interdisciplinary field of Island Studies continues to reflect upon island understandings. Halliday will explore placemaking that occurred on a regional level in Atlantic Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic through the creation of the Atlantic Bubble in the summer of 2020. New conceptual island constructs of “COVID-islands” and “COVID-archipelagos” are introduced as frames of inquiry and explained as policy constructs, which occurred at both micro and macro levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. “COVID-islands” and “COVID-archipelagos” are defined by their relativity to other places, spatial and temporal aspects, social construction, and the permeability and interaction with their borders and defined boundaries.

Halliday is cross-appointed in the Island Studies and Cleantech Leadership and Transformation interdisciplinary graduate programs at ��vlog��ý. He is an interdisciplinary scholar with an academic and public service background across various domains under the broad umbrella of political science. He has extensive government experience through the provinces of PEI and Alberta and the Government of Canada. He is a member of the International Small Islands Studies Association, the Small Islands Cultural Research Initiative, and the International Geographical Union’s Commission on Islands.

The lecture is free, and all are welcome. For more information, contact Bren Simmers at 902-566-0386 or ispstaff@upei.ca.

��vlog��ý engineering students win gold in national competition

Anna MacDonald — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:23:44 -0300

Students in the ��vlog��ý Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering brought home three gold medals from the Canadian Engineering Competition (CEC), held at the Université de Sherbrooke from March 20 to 23, 2026.

This win comes on the heels of an excellent showing by ��vlog��ý students at the 2026 Atlantic Engineering Competition (AEC) in January. Twenty-one of the 34 students who competed in the Atlantic competition qualified for the CEC.

Of the eight categories at the CEC, six teams from ��vlog��ý competed in five and won gold in three—the most of any school in Canada.

Richard Hetherington, Elijah Dodd, Morgan Maclean, Luke Jennings, and Noor Mazhar won gold in the Innovative Design category for inventing a brace that allows people with knee injuries to perform daily tasks hands-free. In this challenge, teams had to showcase their entrepreneurial spirit by designing an innovative product.

In the Re-Engineering category, Syed Imran Ali and Syed Daniyal Ali took gold for a plan they developed for a data centre in Sherbrooke, Quebec. Teams in this challenge were asked to redesign AI data centres for increased computing power and improved thermal management.

Myah Van’t Veld and Emma Ledgerwood (missing from photo) won gold in the Communications category for a presentation about biomimicry in engineering. Biomimicry is the emulation of the models, systems, and elements of nature for the purpose of solving complex human problems. Teams had to demonstrate thorough understanding of a topic and were judged on the clarity and consistency of their presentation, oral communication skills, and their ability to make an engineering topic accessible to all.

Ledgerwood’s win this year makes her the first ��vlog��ý engineering student to win two medals at the CEC; last year, she was on a team that won bronze in the consulting category.

Since its inception in 1985, the CEC has been an annual celebration of engineering excellence, bringing together Canada’s best engineering students to tackle real-world challenges. The event brings together over 200 students for a weekend of competition and networking with some of the top engineering companies in the country.

Balanced operating budget of $231.5 million approved by ��vlog��ý’s Board of Governors

Nicole Phillips — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 16:20:39 -0300

The ��vlog��ý Board of Governors approved a balanced operating budget for the 2026–2027 fiscal year at its meeting on March 31, 2026, despite a challenging financial environment primarily caused by federal immigration policy affecting international enrolments and significant, but normal, inflationary cost pressures. The 2026–2027 Operating Budget is at $231.5 million, representing an increase of 3.8 per cent over the previous fiscal year.

In a joint message to the campus community, Dr. Wendy Rodgers, President and Vice-Chancellor, and Tim Walker, Vice-President Administration and Finance, outlined that the $231.5 million budget is spread across three budget packages which are treated independently and for which each has its own special funding model:

Atlantic Veterinary College at $59.6 million
Faculty of Medicine at $26.6 million
Main operating budget at $145.3 million

“We have managed to achieve a balanced budget by managing costs as well as reflecting increased revenue from our government partners; tuition and fees; and ancillary revenues,” said President Rodgers. “The main operating budget remains aligned with University values, supporting Making Our World a Better Place: ��vlog��ý Strategic Plan 2025–2030 and our ��vlog��ý Action Plan. While clearly focused on constraint and restraint, the 2026–2027 budget also includes targeted investments in several key strategic priorities, including student recruitment and retention.”

Maintaining the focus on student success was paramount throughout the budget process. As of October 1, 2025, the official enrolment was 5,503 students, including 1,630 international students. This represented a 2.9% decrease compared to the 2024 count. With federal policy decisions related to international students still impacting ��vlog��ý (as with all Canadian post-secondary institutions), the 2026–2027 Operating Budget reflects an overall projected enrolment decrease of 4.8% from enrolment in fall 2025.

��vlog��ý will increase tuition by 6.5% and international fees by 7.5%. The equivalent of 1.0% of the increase in international fees will be deployed toward increased emergency bursaries for international students. The Atlantic Veterinary College will increase tuition and unsubsidized fees by 4.0%. Medical learners studying at the Faculty of Medicine Regional Campus are subject to tuition rates set by Memorial University of Newfoundland. Those tuition rates are not yet known for 2026–27.

Despite the increases, ��vlog��ý’s undergraduate annual tuition for domestic students remains one of the lowest in the Maritime Provinces. Island students also benefit from the George Coles Student Bursary, which significantly offsets the tuition costs experienced by students attending ��vlog��ý in the amount of $3,500 annually to a maximum of $14,000 over four years.

As in previous years, ��vlog��ý must await final enrolment figures—particularly as they relate to international student enrolment—and to assess how strategic enrolment management efforts are affecting ��vlog��ý’s student attraction and retention rates. In addition, this budget has been approved prior to the Government of Prince Edward Island’s announcement of annual operating and restricted grant funding for the 2026–27 fiscal year and beyond. ��vlog��ý will adjust, as required, to the resulting financial realities as those details become known.

“Many thanks to the University leadership, budget managers—both academic and non-academic, and to the Government of PEI for their ongoing efforts and support in what has been a particularly challenging budget cycle,” said Walker. “As the provincial university, together, we will address the challenges presented by 2026–27 and ready ourselves for more adjustments so that we can stabilize, and then strategically grow in the future, to support our students, employees, and communities.”

View the 2026–2027 Operating Budget Plan

2026–27 OPERATING BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS

Operating budget – $231.5M, reflecting an increase of 3.8% ($8.5M) compared to 2025–2026 Operating Budget (restated)
Budgeted salary and benefits – $154.9M, reflecting an increase of 5.2% ($7.5M) compared to the 2025–2026 Operating Budget (restated)
Unrestricted operating grant (Main budget) provided by Government of PEI – $49.9M, reflecting an increase of 3.5% ($1.7M) compared to 2025–2026 Operating Budget (restated)
Faculty of Medicine Operating Grant – $26.0M, reflecting an increase of 15.6% ($3.4M) compared to the 2025–2026 Operating Budget (restated)
Annual Undergraduate Domestic Tuition – $8,130, among the lowest undergraduate tuition rates in the Maritimes

Message from the President: Living our values

Nicole Phillips — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 16:03:46 -0300

The following message was also emailed to ��vlog��ý faculty and staff on April 9, 2026.

As Winter 2026 winds down, we welcome the renewal of the warmer weather and the opportunities to reset and prepare for the next academic year. Spring also brings new energy to campus as we welcome new students, conference attendees, and visitors—each an important part of our ��vlog��ý community.

We are continuing to implement our strategic plan, including the refresh of our University values: academic freedom; accountability and integrity; pursuit of excellence; equity, diversity, inclusion, and a sense of belonging; and reconciliation. Over the last few months, we have engaged broadly with our University community through town halls, student sessions, leadership sessions, and sessions focused on members of our professoriate to explore what it means to live our values.

What we heard was both thoughtful and consistent. Several themes emerged from these conversations including open-mindedness, kindness, humility, compassion, and respect. Community members also identified how these qualities come to life within each of our values:

Accountability and Integrity: self-awareness and taking responsibility
Academic Freedom: best practices and curiosity
Pursuit of Excellence: standards and quality and a growth mindset
EDI and Belonging: listening, learning, and taking action
Reconciliation: taking on self-learning and education

Recently we asked what tiny thing might help people feel better. We heard responses including ‘said thank you’, ‘bought me a coffee (or another treat)’, ‘smiled’, and ‘listened’. I invite everyone to think about how we can each enact our shared values day-to-day, in small and meaningful ways.

There are so many reasons to be proud of our University. In recent months, ��vlog��ý was recognized by Forbes as one of Canada’s 2026 best employers; our students won top prizes at national academic competitions; and our Panther student-athletes competed at regional and national championships—all attesting to the foundational strength and spirit across our institution.

In all we do, we strive for inclusion, and we seek to equitably support all members of our community. Thank you to our students, faculty, and staff for your ongoing contributions to continue to strengthen our University. Congratulations to our graduating class on this significant achievement—we are very proud of all you have accomplished and wish you every success.

Best wishes to all for an enjoyable and restorative spring!

Wendy

Wendy M. Rodgers, PhD (she/her)

President and Vice-Chancellor

��vlog��ý

902-566-0400 president@upei.ca

��vlog��ý Message: Board of Governors approves balanced 2026–2027 Operating Budget

Nicole Phillips — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:21:47 -0300

Dear ��vlog��ý Community,

On March 31, 2026, the ��vlog��ý Board of Governors approved the 2026–2027 Operating Budget, fee schedule, and capital budget. The planning process started in October 2025 and included consultation with University leaders (i.e., Deans and Directors) and account authorities across campus.

��vlog��ý has a long record of balanced budgets, and the 2026–2027 Operating Budget is no exception. However, while the budget is balanced, it reflects the second of at least four years of continued recalibration caused by lower international student enrolment and our collective efforts to address the significant, but normal, inflationary cost pressures that all post-secondary institutions in Canada face.

We have managed to achieve a balanced budget by managing costs as well as reflecting increased revenue from our government partners; tuition and fees; and ancillary revenues. In this context, the University continues to explore and budget incremental revenues and cost recoveries. We also continue to challenge traditional service models hoping to enhance the student and employee experience and reduce costs wherever possible.

The main operating budget remains aligned with University values, supporting Making Our World a Better Place: ��vlog��ý Strategic Plan 2025–2030 and our ��vlog��ý Action Plan. While clearly focused on constraint and restraint, the 2026–2027 Operating Budget also includes targeted investments in several key strategic priorities. These include strategic enrolment management, expanded investment in the Office of Continuing Education and Professional Development, and support for faculties seeking to develop or expand ��vlog��ý’s online course offerings.

��vlog��ý’s 2026–2027 Operating Budget totals $231.5 million across three budget packages, which are treated independently and for which each has its own special funding model:

Atlantic Veterinary College at $59.6M
Faculty of Medicine at $26.6M
Main operating budget at $145.3M

As of October 1, 2025, the official enrolment was 5,503 students, including 1,630 international students. This represented a 2.9% decrease compared to the 2024 count. With federal policy decisions related to international students still impacting ��vlog��ý (as with all post-secondary institutions across Canada), the 2026–2027 Operating Budget reflects an overall enrolment decrease of 4.8% from enrolment in fall 2025.

��vlog��ý will increase tuition by 6.5% and international fees by 7.5%. The equivalent of 1.0% of the increase in international fees will be deployed toward increased emergency bursaries for international students. The Atlantic Veterinary College will increase tuition and unsubsidized fees by 4.0%. Medical learners studying at the Faculty of Medicine Regional Campus at ��vlog��ý are subject to tuition rates set by Memorial University of Newfoundland. Those tuition rates are not yet known for 2026–27.

Despite the increases, ��vlog��ý’s undergraduate annual tuition for domestic students remains one of the lowest in the Maritime Provinces. Island students also benefit from the George Coles Student Bursary, which significantly offsets the tuition costs experienced by students attending ��vlog��ý in the amount of $3,500 annually to a maximum of $14,000 over four years.

This budget is not without risk. As in previous years, ��vlog��ý must await final enrolment figures for 2026–27—particularly as they relate to international student enrolment—and assess how our strategic enrolment management efforts are affecting ��vlog��ý’s student attraction and retention rates before we can confirm our current assumptions.

In addition, the 2026–2027 Operating Budget has been approved prior to the Government of Prince Edward Island’s announcement of annual operating and restricted grant funding for the 2026–27 fiscal year and beyond. ��vlog��ý will adjust, as required, to the resulting financial realities as those details become known.

Of course, our facilities are aging. We begin to see signs that some of our infrastructure is reaching a critical point. Investment will need to be made to sustain our campus as a healthy, safe environment worthy of the student experience toward which we strive.

��vlog��ý remains confident that it can, and will, navigate this risk. We will, as the provincial university, address the challenges presented in 2026–2027 and ready ourselves for more adjustments so that we can stabilize—and then strategically grow—to support our students, employees, and communities.

We thank the University leadership, and our broader community and partners for ongoing support in our efforts to enhance our student experience, our campus culture, and our academic and financial sustainability.

Sincerely,

Wendy Rodgers, PhD
President and Vice-Chancellor

Tim J. Walker
Vice-President Administration and Finance

2026–27 OPERATING BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS

Operating budget – $231.5M, reflecting an increase of 3.8% ($8.5M) compared to 2025–2026 Operating Budget (restated)
Budgeted salary and benefits – $154.9M, reflecting an increase of 5.2% ($7.5M) compared to the 2025–2026 Operating Budget (restated)
Unrestricted operating grant (Main budget) provided by Government of PEI – $49.9M, reflecting an increase of 3.5% ($1.7M) compared to 2025–2026 Operating Budget (restated)
Faculty of Medicine Operating Grant – $26.0M, reflecting an increase of 15.6% ($3.4M) compared to the 2025–2026 Operating Budget (restated)
Annual Undergraduate Domestic Tuition – $8,130, among the lowest undergraduate tuition rates in the Maritimes

Message from the Chair, ��vlog��ý Board of Governors: Finishing What We Started

Nicole Phillips — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:25:54 -0300

The following message was also emailed to faculty, staff, and students on April 7, 2026.

As the Chair of the Board of Governors, I have been reflecting on what it actually takes for an institution to change in a meaningful way—not simply to acknowledge shortcomings, but to respond in a way that is visible, durable, and worthy of trust.

The Rubin Thomlinson report (��vlog��ý Review) marked one of those moments. It asked this University to confront difficult realities and to do more than recognize them; it required us to act in ways that would lead to real and lasting improvement for those who had come forward, often at significant personal cost.

In the time that followed, I saw many people across the University engage seriously with that responsibility. The work was deliberate and, at times, difficult. Faculty, staff, students, and external advisors spent months working through what a better system should look like, not in theory but in practice. There were differences of view, as there should be especially in an academic institution, but there was also a shared understanding that the outcome mattered.

One of the most important results of that effort was the development of a new Harassment and Discrimination Policy, along with a companion Sexual Violence Policy. These were not rushed documents or symbolic gestures; they were built carefully, through sustained engagement and revision. They are clearer, more coherent, and more responsive than what came before, and they reflect both current legal standards and what members of this community have said they need in order to have confidence in the system.

That work is now complete, and there is no meaningful dispute about the substance of these policies. Concerns were raised, revisions were made, and what remains is a framework that reflects a serious and collaborative process.

Under ordinary circumstances, that would be the point at which implementation follows. This would be the point where we could, after years of diligence, truly address a fundamental weakness in our foundational policies.

In this case, however, it has not reached that point, yet.

The consequences are not abstract. For the women who came forward more than a decade ago and those who came forward in the Rubin Thomlinson review process, these policies were part of a commitment to them—that their experiences would lead to change, and that the institution would take what they shared seriously enough to improve its systems. I know we honour that commitment and I know that we are very serious about improving systems, but I fear our shared demonstration of this commitment is not coming through in the way I would like to see it.

For students, and for others who may need to rely on these policies in the future, what matters is whether those systems are clear, accessible, and capable of being trusted when they are needed. The policies need to be there and ready for use. We are beyond overdue for providing that security to our community.
A policy that cannot be put into practice cannot meet that expectation for our community.

Over the past several years, the University has made genuine and tangible efforts to move forward. Governance has been strengthened, processes have been refined, and there has been a clear attempt—imperfect but real—to align institutional action with institutional commitments. That kind of work requires consistency, discipline, and, at times, restraint.

It also requires follow-through. What is difficult to reconcile in this moment is not the presence of disagreement, but the fact that something built through such a careful and collaborative process can remain stalled even after the substance has been settled. At a certain point, the continued delay becomes less about the complexity of process and more about what we are prepared to prioritize.

Universities inevitably operate at the intersection of competing interests and perspectives, and that tension is part of their strength. But not every issue can be treated as a question of balance in the same way. Policies that govern how an institution responds to harassment, discrimination, and sexual violence are foundational; they are part of the conditions under which people are asked to study, work, and participate in the life of the University.

My hope is that the University community will choose together to complete what it has started, not because it is convenient, but because it is necessary—it is owed. The work that followed the Rubin Thomlinson report was never intended to end with the drafting of policies; it was intended to result in systems that people could rely on in practice.

We are very close to that outcome.

The remaining question is whether we are prepared to take the final step. We all have a part to play in the future of our community. As a Board of Governors, we are at a point of full endorsement of the policy work of this community. As a community, we await the Faculty Association’s express written consent. Also, as a community, I expect everyone can now reflect on the role that each member can play to become familiar with the board-endorsed (not approved) Harassment and Discrimination Policy and the Sexual Violence Policy, and champion their final approval and ultimate implementation. We all have a role to play, and we truly owe this respect to each other at a very personal level.

I am so proud of the work that has been done by everyone and on the eve of the final step, I want to thank this truly impressive community in all that you do for caring so much about a future environment of safety and security for all.

Sincerely,

Shannon MacDonald, FCA, CPA, ICD.D (she/her)
Chair, ��vlog��ý Board of Governors

��vlog��ý graduate students captivate audience at 2026 Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition

Anna MacDonald — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 10:01:53 -0300

Big ideas took centre stage at the ��vlog��ý on March 20 as graduate students transformed complex research into compelling three-minute stories at the 2026 Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition, held at The Fox & Crow in the W.A. Murphy Student Centre.

Taking first place was Owen Brown (Master of Applied Health Services Research) for his presentation, “A Different Kind of Virtual Care: Simulating an Emergency Department.” He will represent ��vlog��ý at the regional 3MT® competition, which will take place at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on June 5, 2026.

Second place was awarded to Kaushik Raj Bengahalli Kundu Raja (MSc, Sustainable Design Engineering) for “Industrial Vision for Frozen Fries: Measuring Blemish Severity, Enabling Automated Sorting.” Third place went to Mukhayyo Sultonova (PhD, Molecular and Macromolecular Sciences) for “Developing New Strategies to Find Protein Targets.”

The competition brought together an outstanding group of graduate student researchers who delivered fast-paced, engaging presentations to faculty, staff, students, and community members. Each presenter was challenged to communicate their research clearly and creatively in three minutes using just one slide, demonstrating academic excellence and exceptional storytelling.

The students in this year’s competition showcased an impressive range of topics, including drone-based agricultural decision-making, wildfire risk mapping, virtual emergency care simulations, machine learning applications in food quality assessment, protein targeting strategies, neurodegenerative disease research, sustainable crop protection, using the arts to help future teachers make students feel included and engaged, renewable energy challenges, and climate impacts on wild blueberry production in Atlantic Canada.

The competition highlighted not only the diversity of research at ��vlog��ý but also the ability of graduate students to translate complex ideas into accessible, impactful messages for a broad audience.

The judges included Dr. Marva Sweeney-Nixon, Associate Vice-President Research and Dean of Graduate Studies; Nancy Russell, CBC reporter and ��vlog��ý alumna; and Doug Keefe, Senior Director, Cyber, Information Management and Data Service, Veterans Affairs Canada.

Dr. Wendy Rodgers, President and Vice-Chancellor of ��vlog��ý, welcomed everyone in attendance and also announced the winners.

The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition is an internationally recognized academic event that challenges graduate students to present their research in just three minutes. It celebrates research excellence, creativity, and the ability to connect with diverse audiences.

Agreement with IBEW 1928 ratified

Nicole Phillips — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:41:44 -0300

Last month, ��vlog��ý reached a tentative agreement with IBEW 1928. This new collective agreement has now been ratified by both parties and is in place. We are grateful to the bargaining teams for their hard work and their constructive, respectful approach to negotiations.

As ��vlog��ý prepared for collective bargaining this winter, we conducted a comparative analysis of salaries in the context of relevant comparators. While the salary scales for all other unions were comparable to their market, IBEW 1928 salaries had fallen behind local comparators. Therefore, as part of this agreement, these employees will receive a market adjustment.

IBEW 1928 members are utility workers, maintenance repairmen, electricians, and service workers. We are committed to maintaining fair and comparable salaries for these employees and all employees at the University.

We will continue to share updates on collective bargaining with the ��vlog��ý community on our Labour Relations web pages.

��vlog��ý students succeed at RBC Student Pitch Competition

Anna MacDonald — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 11:07:26 -0300

��vlog��ý students excelled at the RBC Student Pitch Competition held at the J Herbert Smith Centre for Technology, Management, and Entrepreneurship, University of New Brunswick-Fredericton, on March 16, 2026.

Twelve groups totalling 20 students were accepted into and pitched in the ideas stream, which is intended for undergraduates. In total, 23 teams from across Atlantic Canada pitched their ventures in the ideas stream. The RBC Student Pitch Competition is intended for post-secondary students who are developing or have recently launched start-up ventures.

AquaPath AI, founded by Jonathan Zul Luna (BSc Computer Science), Ana Kwon (BSc Computer Science), Daniel Lopez (BBA), and Camille Neri (BSc Environmental Sciences), finished first in the ideas stream and received $3,000. Currently under development, AquaPath AI is a B2B diagnostic platform that automates the detection of MSX disease in eastern oysters using a novel cascading AI architecture. By pre-screening whole slide images and generating explainable, text-based clinical reports, pathology review time is reduced, which helps to address a critical labour shortage in aquaculture health. Developed in collaboration with the Atlantic Veterinary College, this solution leverages a proprietary dataset to provide a commercially viable, biologically validated triage tool for high-volume diagnostic labs with a focus on explainability and transparency.

Avoxify, founded by Ilyas Aderbaz (BSc Computer Science), finished second in the ideas stream and received $2,000. Avoxify is an AI front-office infrastructure platform that helps service businesses capture more revenue by answering calls, qualifying leads, and automating follow-up 24/7. It is deployed across industries such as construction, med spas, clinics, hospitality groups, and automotive businesses. By replacing missed calls and inconsistent response times with an intelligent, human-sounding voice and workflow automation, Avoxify turns customer interactions into structured, scalable systems that drive measurable growth.

AquaPath AI and Avoxify are finalists in the Harry W. MacLauchlan Entrepreneurship Program and will pitch at the Panther Pitch on April 15. All 12 teams were participants in the Harry W. MacLauchlan Entrepreneurship Program and saw the competition as an opportunity to practice and prepare for the Panther Pitch.

“Preparing for and participating in the RBC Student Pitch Competition was a great learning experience for our students—one they took to heart and ran with,” said Amy Andrews, manager of entrepreneurship, ��vlog��ý Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship. “They worked hard and performed very well. We are so proud of them.”

This was just the second year that teams from ��vlog��ý participated in the RBC Student Pitch Competition. In 2025, Purely PEI, a start-up venture that makes healthy pet treats from local products, finished second in the ideas stream, winning $2,000.

The ��vlog��ý Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship provided transportation and support for all teams who attended the event.

Notice to Bargain Received from CUPE 501 and ��vlog��ýFA BU #1

Nicole Phillips — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 09:25:46 -0300

��vlog��ý has now received Notice to Bargain from the Canadian Union of Public Employees 501 (CUPE 501) and the ��vlog��ý Faculty Association Bargaining Unit #1 (��vlog��ýFA BU #1). Negotiations are anticipated to commence in the coming months.

We are committed to respectful, collaborative negotiations, and to reaching an agreement that is fair for employees and sustainable for the long‑term health of the institution.
Consistent with our bargaining principles, we will continue to engage in good‑faith discussions and focus on shared priorities that support our employees, uphold a strong student experience, and maintain the overall stability of the institution.

As discussions progress, we will continue to share updates to keep the ��vlog��ý community informed. To view previous updates or for details on our approach to collective bargaining, visit the Labour Relations web pages on upei.ca.

New children’s book about food discovery to be launched on April 4

Anna MacDonald — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 16:46:08 -0300

Basil Bunny, a children’s book co-written by Dr. Misty Rossiter, professor of foods and nutrition at ��vlog��ý, and Leah Ellis, a member of the performance group Tunes and Tales, will be launched on April 4 from 10 am to 12 noon at the Charlottetown Learning Library, at 97 Queen Street, Charlottetown.

Suitable for ages two to nine, Basil Bunny is a gentle, playful story about curiosity, food exploration, and the joy of discovering favourite foods—perfect for young readers, picky eaters, and families who love stories filled with warmth, humour, and heart.

“Leah Ellis, who is an author and music teacher, heard about the research Dr. Jessie-Lee McIsaac and I were doing through the CELEBRATE Feeding Project,” said Dr. Rossiter. “She approached me to see if I was interested in a creative collaboration, and together we wrote Basil Bunny, a children’s story that aligns with some of the key themes of the CELEBRATE Feeding project.”

The CELEBRATE Feeding research team has created many different resources for educators and published a variety of academic papers, she said

“Basil Bunny complements the resources that have been created and is an opportunity for younger audiences to engage with some of the key messages of our work.”

The event will include a book reading with music and crafts and opportunities to engage with the themes of the book through food exploration and sensory fun. Books will be available for sale at the event and also can be purchased on Amazon.

��vlog��ý faculty member speaks at international conference on cooperation and competition in space

Anna MacDonald — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 16:40:09 -0300

Dr. Jeff Collins, assistant professor of political science, was invited by the Global and National Security Institute, University of South Florida, to speak at the St. Petersburg World Affairs Council Conference on Cooperation and Competition in Space, held at the University of South Florida’s St. Petersburg campus from February 10–11, 2026.

He participated in a panel titled “Orbital Tensions: Policing the Final Frontier” that addressed these questions: “With more space-faring nations and more telecommunications and military equipment in space, what agreements and international organizations protect space security and safety? How do space-based weapons increase tensions among geopolitical rivals on Earth? Who guarantees the peaceful uses of outer space?”

Dr. Collins provided a Canadian perspective on space defence cooperation with the United States. Regarding tensions, he made the case that Canadian-US defence cooperation in space is grounded in norms and institutions dating back to 1938, right before the Second World War.

“Tensions are impacting the relationship, but geography and a long history of successful cooperation means that neither country can afford to neglect the other,” he said. “Defence and security in the Arctic require cooperation in space, for example, satellite coverage for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; data feeds from ground and airborne sensors to satellites to detect hypersonic weapons.”

��vlog��ý celebrates outstanding student-athletes at Awards Gala

Ron Annear — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 23:00:34 -0300

Outstanding student-athletes were recognized by the ��vlog��ý Department of Athletics and Recreation at its Panther Celebration–Athletics Awards Gala on Friday, March 27, for their excellence in sport, in the classroom, and in the community during the 2025–26 season. The annual event, held at the Rodd Charlottetown Hotel, included student-athletes, coaches, and team staff from both varsity and club sport programs.

��vlog��ý’s varsity program includes Women’s Field Hockey, Men’s Soccer, Women’s Soccer, Women’s Rugby, Men’s Hockey, Women’s Hockey, Men’s Basketball, Women’s Basketball, Men’s Cross Country, Women’s Cross Country, Men’s Track and Field, Women’s Track and Field, Men’s Curling, and Women’s Curling. ��vlog��ý club sport teams include Men’s Rugby, Men’s Lacrosse, Ringette, Ultimate, Equestrian, Men’s Baseball, Flag Football, and Cheer.

“Dedication, perseverance, teamwork, and leadership are all qualities embodied by our student-athlete award winners,” said Jane Vessey, ��vlog��ý’s Director of Athletics and Recreation. “From standout performances to the quiet contributions behind the scenes, I am so proud of their achievements in their respective sports, and for their success in academics and in the community. Thank you, student-athletes, coaches, and team and department staff, for a fantastic year of ‘Panther Sport.’ Let’s continue to support each other and make next season even better. Congratulations!”

The ��vlog��ý Alumni Association’s Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year award went to Kayla Batchilder, ��vlog��ý Women’s Field Hockey. The Male Athlete of the Year winner was Kyree Thompson, ��vlog��ý Men’s Basketball.

The W.A. Ledwell Award is presented annually to a student who has demonstrated outstanding athletic ability in the intercollegiate program, academic excellence, and the qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, and citizenship. This year’s recipient was Grace Lancaster, ��vlog��ý Women’s Basketball.

The Gordon and Muriel Bennett Award is presented to a male or female student athlete who, over four years, has best combined athletic achievement and academic excellence. This year’s winner was Devon Lawlor, ��vlog��ý Women’s Basketball.

The Lone Oak Unsung Hero Award, a new award this year to recognize a student-athlete whose impact goes far beyond the scoresheet and who embodies toughness, selflessness, and an unwavering commitment to their team, was presented to Sam Chisholm, ��vlog��ý Men’s Basketball.

Varsity and competitive club team awards were also presented. These included the Most Valuable Player (MVP), Rookie of the Year, J.T. “Mickey” Place, and Principles of Panther Pride Coach’s Award.

The J.T. “Mickey” Place Awards are presented by the ��vlog��ý Student Union to varsity team student-athletes who contributed to student leadership on their team and on campus. Each coach presents the Principles of Panther Pride Coach’s Award to the student-athlete on their team, who best exemplifies purpose, preparation, respect for people, positivity, professionalism, presence, passion, and perseverance.

Team Award Winners for 2025–2026

Varsity

Women’s Field Hockey: Kayla Batchilder and Livi Lawlor (MVP), Bria Matthews (Rookie of the Year), Kali Smith (J.T. “Mickey” Place Award), and Charlotte Thompson (Principles of Panther Pride Coach’s Award)

Men’s Soccer: Jahmal Boursiquot (MVP), Isaac Sommerville (Rookie of the Year), Kyle St. Jean (J.T. “Mickey” Place Award), and Will Campbell (Principles of Panther Pride Coach’s Award)

Women’s Soccer: Olivia James (MVP), Sophie Gallant (Rookie of the Year), Kate Campbell (J.T. “Mickey” Place Award), and Lydia Hamill (Principles of Panther Pride Coach’s Award)

Women’s Rugby: Emma MacLean (MVP), Robyn Moffat (Rookie of the Year), Sarah Bain (J.T. “Mickey” Place Award), and Jasmine Mohtadi (Principles of Panther Pride Coach’s Award)

Men’s Hockey: Jakob Robillard (MVP), Donovan Arsenault and Colby Huggan (Rookie of the Year), Joe Ranger (J.T. “Mickey” Place Award), and Josh Smith (Principles of Panther Pride Coach’s Award)

Women’s Hockey: Kierra St. Peter (MVP), Kali MacDonald (Rookie of the Year), Erin Cabaday (J.T. “Mickey” Place Award), and Sarah Fraser (Principles of Panther Pride Coach’s Award)

Men’s Basketball: Kyree Thompson (MVP), Matthew Carmichael (Rookie of the Year), Owen Smith (J.T. “Mickey” Place Award), and Sam Chisholm (Principles of Panther Pride Coach’s Award)

Women’s Basketball: Grace Lancaster (MVP), Ingrid Khuong (Rookie of the Year), Lily Vrugteman (J.T. “Mickey” Place Award), and Sydney Lawlor (Principles of Panther Pride Coach’s Award)

Cross Country (men): Joel Gallant (MVP), Luc Doucette (Rookie of the Year), and Jack Roberts (Principles of Panther Pride Coach’s Award)

Cross Country (women): Stefania Angona (MVP and J.T. “Mickey” Place Award), and Sarah Irwin (Rookie of the Year)

Track and Field (men): Scott Davis (MVP) and Colin Blanchard (Principles of Panther Pride Coach’s Award)

Track and Field (women): Lilly MacVicar (MVP and Rookie of the Year), Bianca Boutilier (J.T. “Mickey” Place Award)

Men’s Curling: Jack MacFadyen (MVP)

Women’s Curling: Rachel MacLean (MVP), Ella Lenentine (Rookie)

��vlog��ý Student Union Vice-President Finance and Administration Kushi Damry, far right, presented J.T. "Mickey" Place Awards to ��vlog��ý club team members Kelton Trainor (Men's Lacrosse), Forest McPhee (Ultimate), Alex Hache (Men’s Baseball), Meghan Fox (Equestrian)

Club

Men’s Rugby: Yinghao Long (MVP), Charles Ross (Rookie of the Year), Devan Gormley (J.T. “Mickey” Place Award), and Camden Hutchison (Warhorse Award)

Men’s Lacrosse: Ethan Reeves (MVP), Quintin Beck (Rookie of the Year), Kelton Trainor (J.T. “Mickey” Place Award), Reece Packman (Principles of Panther Pride Coach’s Award), and Logan Boyce (James Thomson Memorial Award)

Ultimate: Sinéad Riordon and Benjamin Galloway (MVPs); Owen Gillespie, Shunta Kojima, and Abbi Holmes (Rookies of the Year); Forest McPhee (J.T. “Mickey” Place Award); and Naomi Haig and Jack Kouwenberg (Spirit of the Game Players)

Equestrian: Jordan Luddington (MVP), Lorena Burrell (Rookie of the Year), Meghan Fox (J.T. “Mickey” Place Award), and Regan Matchem (Principles of Panther Pride Coach’s Award)

Ringette: Jamie MacAulay (MVP), Addi Chaisson (Rookie of the Year), and Tori Chapman (Principles of Panther Pride Coach’s Award)

Men’s Baseball: Duncan Picketts (MVP), Brandon Murray (Rookie of the Year), Alex Hache (J.T. “Mickey” Place Award), and Sam Worth (Principles of Panther Pride Coach’s Award)

About the ��vlog��ý Athletes of the Year

Kayla Batchilder

Kayla Batchilder’s dominant season with ��vlog��ý Field Hockey earned her ��vlog��ý’s Female Athlete of the Year honours. In her third year, the dynamic forward led the Atlantic University Field Hockey (AUFH) league with 20 goals, showcasing her elite finishing ability and consistency as one of the most dangerous attackers in the conference.

An AUFH MVP, all-star, and U SPORTS All-Canadian, Batchilder was the driving force behind ��vlog��ý’s continued success. She powered the Panthers to a fourth consecutive AUFH championship and delivered a historic performance on the national stage—scoring all of ��vlog��ý’s goals at the Field Hockey Canada U SPORTS Invitational Championship to help secure a bronze medal on home turf.

Kyree Thompson

Kyree Thompson’s standout fourth season with ��vlog��ý Men’s Basketball earned him ��vlog��ý’s Male Athlete of the Year honours. The dynamic guard put together a career-best campaign, averaging 16.7 points per game, along with 4.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.8 steals, establishing himself as one of the conference’s most complete two-way players.

An AUS first team all-star, Thompson was instrumental in leading the Panthers back to the AUS final. He delivered in the biggest moments, helping power ��vlog��ý to a statement semifinal upset over the St. Francis Xavier X-Men to punch their ticket to the championship game. For his efforts, he was named an AUS tournament all-star.

Go Panthers Go!

Action Plan IMPACT: Creating a culture of listening with students

Nicole Phillips — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 15:27:17 -0300

A common thread woven throughout the ��vlog��ý Action Plan is to maintain an enhanced level of consultation across campus, which is further elaborated in Goal 3—to improve ��vlog��ý’s campus culture by creating a culture of listening and improving campus information sharing.

��vlog��ý has increased the “ways of listening” through a variety of channels—town halls, listening tours, small-group gatherings, etc. To address, in part, Action 3.1.1.—“to create a culture of listening for students”—Dr. Wendy Rodgers, President and Vice-Chancellor, initiated a new way to listen with students last year. The first annual Student Engagement Mixer was held in March 2025, while the second event was held on February 26, 2026, at McMillan Hall, W.A. Murphy Student Centre, from 4:00–6:00 pm, attended by almost 100 students.

Caitlyn Sallavo, VP Student Life with the ��vlog��ý Student Union, stands next to a "check the pulse" board. Students were asked to place their name tag under a happy face or sad face in response to the question: Did you enjoy this event?

The purpose of this annual event is to understand the experiences of students to help drive meaningful change, as well as provide students with the opportunity to engage with members of the ��vlog��ý Board of Governors and ��vlog��ý’s senior leadership team. Students were provided with an open and welcoming space to discuss their experiences at ��vlog��ý, highlighting what is working, suggesting potential improvements, and sharing ideas.

Students were greeted at the entrance of the event by ��vlog��ý staff who asked them to register and fill out a ballot for a chance to win a tuition credit. Some non-identifiable data was also gathered during registration. For example, we learned that, of the 97 students who registered, 33.3% were from the Faculty of Science, 26.0% from the Faculty of Arts, 21.9% from the McDougall Faculty of Business, 9.4% from the Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering, and 3.1% each from the faculties of Education and Nursing and the Master of Cleantech Leadership and Transformation program.

Student participation by year was as follows: first year, 32%; second year, 22%; third year, 29%; and fourth year, 10%. The breakdown between undergraduate and graduate students was 88.5% to 11.5%, while 26% lived in residence, 55% off campus in Charlottetown, and 17% off campus outside of Charlottetown.

As students enjoyed appetizers from The Fox and Crow, they were asked to rotate through nine tables where they would have a chance to interact with 18 of ��vlog��ý’s senior leaders and members of the Board of Governors. Students were prompted to move to the next table every nine minutes by co-emcees Dr. Donna Hardy-Cox, Associate Vice-President, Students, and Anthony Gill, Director of Development and Alumni Engagement.

At each table, two senior leaders and/or Board members were assigned some “conversation starters,” but in most instances, the nine-minute chats were free-flowing, generating lots of discussion and great ideas across a variety of topics, including academics, residence/campus life, housing, food security, work-integrated learning, athletics and recreation, public transit/parking, and extracurricular activities. The feedback was noted at each table and gathered at the end of the event by the Office of the President team.

At the end of the mixer, President Rodgers, senior leaders, and board members drew names for the various door prizes. The winner of the tuition credit was Myra Pham, a third-year McDougall Faculty of Business accounting student.

We will be telling the stories of important progress on the ��vlog��ý Action Plan on a regular basis, under the “Action Plan IMPACT” banner. Articles will share how the Action Plan implementation activities are being operationalized, becoming entrenched in our culture and living on long past the plan—making real IMPACT. To submit your own Action Plan IMPACT story, contact communications@upei.ca. To view the last Action Plan IMPACT story, click here.

��vlog��ý’s Active Living Lab conducting campus transportation survey

Anna MacDonald — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:35:22 -0300

Researchers from ��vlog��ý’s Active Living Lab are looking to understand how students, faculty, staff, and community members get to and from the ��vlog��ý campus.

This will help identify ways to make it easier to get to and from ��vlog��ý with or without a vehicle. The survey will take five to ten minutes to complete, and participants who complete the survey will be eligible for a draw for one of five $50 VISA gift cards.

For more information or to complete the survey, please visit ActiveLivingLab.com or https://forms.office.com/r/Ck97PRtw4N.

For questions, please email the lead investigator, Dr. Travis Saunders, at trsaunders@upei.ca. This project has been reviewed by the ��vlog��ý Research Ethics Board.

2026 Chief Justice Thane A. Campbell Lectureship in Law scheduled for March 30

Anna MacDonald — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 09:25:42 -0300

Al Hounsell, Senior Director of AI, Innovation & Knowledge at the international law firm Gowling WLG, will deliver the 2026 Chief Justice Thane A. Campbell Lectureship in Law on March 30, at 4:30 pm.

The lecture, titled “Human-Centered Knowledge Work in the Age of AI,” will take place at the Charlottetown Library Learning Centre’s Rotary Auditorium, 100-97 Queen Street, Charlottetown.

Hounsell leads Gowling WLG’s AI strategy and innovation initiatives, focusing on reimagining how legal services are designed and delivered through advanced technology. With more than a decade of experience in legal innovation, he combines his background in law, entrepreneurship, and software development to build AI-driven processes, streamline legal operations, and enhance client outcomes. His work spans automation, legal design, workflow transformation, and applied AI across the enterprise.

He is an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School and the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, teaching Legal Innovation, AI, and Technology. He was named one of Canada’s Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers (2025) and received the International Legal Technology Association’s Innovative Leader of the Year award (2024), in addition to multiple Canadian Law Awards for Best Use of Technology in a Law Firm.

Co-sponsored by the ��vlog��ý and the Law Foundation of Prince Edward Island, the Chief Justice Thane A. Campbell Lectureship in Law honours Thane A. Campbell, a Rhodes Scholar, a former premier of Prince Edward Island, and the first chancellor of ��vlog��ý.

For more information, please email artsadmin@upei.ca.

��vlog��ý thanks community for input re: high-performance training facility

Nicole Phillips — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 13:06:14 -0300

“I am so appreciative to our community—both on and off campus—for their engagement and feedback,” says Tim Walker, Vice-President Administration and Finance.

As outlined in our January communication, ��vlog��ý is considering the creation of a high performance training facility at the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre by redeploying 3,146 square feet of space from its current use as squash courts and “Studio One” (a flexible exercise space). Under the proposed business case, new and existing funding would cover both the renovation and annual operating costs. ��vlog��ý’s financial sustainability would not be negatively impacted by this proposal.

��vlog��ý’s Campus Plan Update (dated January 2019) outlines that future development and investment should support an “Athletic Campus” zone and specifically notes a “High-Performance Training Centre” as part of the vision for ��vlog��ý’s Sports Centre. The current proposal for such a facility could support approximately 250 varsity and 200 club athletes by:

Attracting new student-athletes in a competitive post-secondary/varsity sport market.
Reducing the likelihood of student-athlete injuries and shorten recovery times should they occur.
Allowing collaboration, training, and research opportunities for students and faculty in ��vlog��ý’s kinesiology (and likely other) programsEnhancing training opportunities for community stakeholders such as Sport PEI members and provincial sport organizations.
Allowing for a formal relationship with the Canadian Sport Institute to support the development and high performance of PEI and ��vlog��ý athletes and coaches. (PEI is the only province without one.)

“We received almost 300 emails. I have met with representatives of ��vlog��ý Student Union, Squash PEI, and potential partners in the Faculty of Science to discuss arguments for and against the proposal. While almost 200 (or 66%) of emails were favourable, we recognize the strong support for the activities held in these spaces, most notably, the squash courts. The potential impacts to our campus— and broader—community are also important factors in our deliberations and discussions since the feedback period ended (on February 20, 2026).”

Walker is also aware of online petitions both for and against the current proposal.

“After careful consideration,” Walker continues, “��vlog��ý will proceed to the next phase of project evaluation. A competitive process will be struck to determine whether the proposed facility is achievable within the funds available for purpose. This will be a final evaluation factor determining whether this project proceeds.”

Dr. Wendy Rodgers, ��vlog��ý’s President and Vice-Chancellor, is very appreciative for the meaningful engagement afforded the VPAF through this process. “These decisions are hard. We know that not every community member will see themselves in the conclusion reached. I can assure our ��vlog��ý community that this conclusion—and the process by which it was reached—is grounded in ��vlog��ý's mission and values. We’re excited to see where this new chapter takes us.”

Public forum about music education to be held at ��vlog��ý on March 28

Anna MacDonald — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 11:35:27 -0300

Members of the public are invited to attend a free public forum on music education on Saturday, March 28, from 1:00 to 4:15 pm, at the ��vlog��ý Performing Arts Centre.

The forum is being held to present the findings of Access to Music Education (AMusE), a multidisciplinary research project led by Dr. Annabel Cohen, professor of psychology at ��vlog��ý, with co-lead Dr. Linyuan Guo-Brennan, professor of education.

During the forum, there will be presentations from parents; teachers; ��vlog��ý faculty members and current or former students from Education, Business, Economics, Psychology, Music, and Mathematics; and other stakeholder representatives. Audience members will have the opportunity to provide feedback. There will also be musical performances.

The goal of the AMusE project, which began in 2021, was to determine whether the Canadian school system meets the need for musical education, to identify possible inequities and barriers, and to consider ways to reduce them. The investigators also sought to understand the musical experience of educational stakeholders.

“Music streaming makes music far more accessible than it was even a decade ago,” said Dr. Cohen. “Music consequently has become increasingly a part of the lives of most individuals. But what about access to music education? While school children today know a lot of music, do they understand it in the same way as they do STEM subjects?”

Listening to music is not the same as understanding principles of musical structure, differences in styles, the cultural context of different genres, singing a song, singing in harmony, playing a musical instrument, or composing, she said. These skills have parallels in learning about languages, and they deserve no less status as valuable knowledge.

“Children in primary school can sing, make up songs, play instruments, have fundamental knowledge of music theory, but by the time they finish high school, how many of them will still be musically competent in this way?”

The AMusE research team also examined factors that could affect the availability of music education in schools and concluded that this is dependent on many things, only one of which is funding.

“Does the child want to take music in the first place? What and who influences preference for music classes?”

Snacks, coffee, and non-alcoholic beverages will be available at 12:45 pm, prior to the 1:00 pm start of the forum, with refreshment breaks during the event.

The project was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council’s New Frontiers in Research Fund-Exploration stream.

Attendance at the event is free, but people are asked to register. To register, and for further information, please go to https://musicog.discoveryspace.ca/amuse.

Message from the V-P, People and Culture: ��vlog��ý Fair Treatment Policy Replacement Update

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 11:20:13 -0300

The following message was also emailed to ��vlog��ý faculty and staff on March 20, 2026.

Dear ��vlog��ý community,

Please find attached a letter sent to the ��vlog��ý Faculty Association this morning with regard to the replacement of the ��vlog��ý Fair Treatment Policy.

The University is ready and committed to implement policies that equally apply to all members of the community, consistent with its legal and governance responsibilities.

If you have any questions, please contact me at VPPC@upei.ca.

Sincerely,

Jane Ngobia, PhD (she/her)
Vice-President, People and Culture

Flags on campus lowered to half-mast in honour of the late Hon. Mark McLane

Nicole Phillips — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 17:54:59 -0300

The ��vlog��ý was saddened to learn of the passing of the Honourable Mark McLane, former Minister of Health and Wellness and Minister of Finance, MLA for Cornwall-Meadowbank; ��vlog��ý alumnus (BBA ’93); and ��vlog��ý Men’s Hockey Panther (1989–92) on March 17, 2026. He was a tireless advocate of health education; in particular, he supported the expansion of the ��vlog��ý Nursing program and the development of a Doctor of Medicine program on PEI.

The flags in front of the Kelley Memorial Building have been lowered to half-mast in his memory. Flags on all provincial government buildings, including libraries, schools, and all health facilities, have also been lowered to half-mast and will remain so until sunset on the day of the private funeral, Tuesday, March 24. (Read the obituary for the full funeral arrangements)

To allow Islanders to share their sympathies and honour the memory of Minister Mark McLane, Books of Condolences have been established by the Government of Prince Edward Island beginning Thursday, March 19, 2026, at the following locations:

Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island (Hon. George Coles Building)
175 Richmond Street, Charlottetown; hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 am– 4:30 pm
Shaw Building (Provincial Administrative Building)
95 Rochford Street (South Entrance), Charlottetown; hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 am–4:30 pm
Town of Cornwall – Town Hall
15 Mercedes Drive, Cornwall; hours: Monday– Saturday, 8:30 am– 4:30 pm
Online: https://www.lgpei.ca/form/shareyourcondolencesministermclane

The ��vlog��ý community expresses its condolences to Minister McLane’s wife Margie; daughters Maria, Bethany, and Katherine; and family, friends, and colleagues.

Much-loved poet Lorna Crozier to give reading at ��vlog��ý on March 26 (new date)

Melanie Anderson — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 14:07:09 -0300

RESCHEDULED from March 19 to March 26, at 7 PM, Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall, ��vlog��ý

Since the 1980s, Lorna Crozier, from Saskatchewan and British Columbia, has been one of Canada’s most popular and influential poets. She will give a public performance of her poetry on Thursday, March 26, at 7:00 pm, in Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall, ��vlog��ý.

An Officer of the Order of Canada and Professor Emeritus of Creative Writing at the University of Victoria, Crozier is cherished for her poems about the natural environment, women’s lives, human relationships, and the interplay among nature, human history and myth, and spiritual elements infusing existence and experience. Her poetry is also celebrated for her delightfully subversive wit, for example, “The Sex Life of Vegetables,” and her deep commitment to social justice.

Crozier’s reading is sponsored by the ��vlog��ý Faculty of Arts and Department of English. Admission is free.

��vlog��ý Faculty of Graduate Studies hosts 3 Minute Thesis competition on March 20

Anna MacDonald — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 10:55:35 -0300

The ��vlog��ý Faculty of Graduate Studies will host the annual ��vlog��ý 3MT™ (3 Minute Thesis) competition on Friday, March 20, 2026, from 4:00–6:00 pm at the Fox & Crow, W.A. Murphy Student Centre.

The 3MT™ competition challenges thesis-based master’s and doctoral students to explain their research project to a non-specialist audience in just three minutes. This year’s competition features competitors from a wide range of disciplines including Education, Nursing, Science, Sustainable Design Engineering, and Veterinary Medicine.

Topics will include simulating an emergency department, mapping wildlife risk and exposure in British Columbia, fighting crop disease without synthetic pesticides, the hidden costs of a solar future, and more.

Members of the public are welcome to attend to learn more about the impactful research ��vlog��ý graduate students are doing. The top three competitors will win cash prizes, and the first-place winner will represent ��vlog��ý at the regional competition, which will be held at Saint Mary’s University on June 5.

��vlog��ý Environmental Studies students host public symposium on AI and the environment

Anna MacDonald — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 08:51:05 -0300

Students in ��vlog��ý’s Environmental Studies program will host a public symposium exploring the relationship between artificial intelligence (AI) and the environment on March 25.

Titled AI and the Environment: Impact and Innovation, the symposium will take place from 6:00 to 8:00 pm in the Alex MacKinnon Auditorium (Room 242), Don and Marion McDougall Hall, at ��vlog��ý. All are welcome to attend.

The symposium is being organized by fourth-year Environmental Studies students Audeane Bourassa and Aashima Sharma as part of their capstone course project. The event will bring together academic perspectives from computer science and ethics to explore the opportunities and challenges associated with artificial intelligence in the context of environmental sustainability.

Artificial intelligence has become an increasingly influential topic in global conversations about technology, innovation, and sustainability. The symposium is designed to encourage balanced and thoughtful dialogue that examines both the potential benefits of AI and its environmental impacts, rather than presenting the technology as entirely positive or entirely negative.

Three speakers will share their expertise and perspectives on the topic.

Dr. Dania Tamayo-Vera, ��vlog��ý School of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, will discuss how artificial intelligence can help address complex environmental challenges and support sustainable development. Her research focuses on integrating AI techniques with environmental applications, including the use of machine learning to improve crop modelling and optimize agricultural strategies in the context of climate change.

Dr. Tushar Sharma, Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Computer Science, will explore some of the environmental costs associated with AI, including water and energy consumption. He will also discuss ways to make AI technologies more efficient, drawing on his research in sustainable AI and software engineering.

Dr. Pamela Courtenay-Hall, ��vlog��ý Department of Philosophy, will examine the social and ethical dimensions of AI development. Her talk will consider how the significant funding directed toward AI technologies can result in unevenly distributed benefits and environmental costs. Her research focuses on the interconnected challenges of environmental degradation and social inequality.

As part of the event, the student organizers will also design and display an informational poster highlighting their research insights and critical perspectives related to the symposium’s theme.

Following the presentations, audience members can participate in a question-and-answer period with the speakers.

Island Studies Press launches new book of poetry by Judy Gaudet on March 24

Anna MacDonald — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 16:03:02 -0300

A new book of poetry by PEI poet and artist Judy Gaudet will be launched on March 24, at 7 pm, in the Faculty Lounge (Room 201), SDU Main Building, ��vlog��ý.

Another Landscape—Gaudet’s third poetry collection—is published by Island Studies Press.

In this collection, Gaudet “brings us heart-deep and eye-level with Prince Edward Island’s fields, woods, and shores,” says Deirdre Kessler, former PEI Poet Laureate.

Another Landscape addresses the ordinary wonders of a life shared with her partner and their dog, where “Nothing is needed. Everything is here between us.” Although the poems grow out of this one life on the Island, Gaudet takes the long view of time. She sees at once the molecules of the red sandstone cliffs and her own, which have held together for greatly different timespans. The poems gather small but notable moments of Island life and insist we look closer, for “this is life, as long as we have it.”

Readers will recognize the “fishing boats and their bright primaries” and “that open spot where the water is moving fast enough to not freeze up.”

Gaudet’s poems “speak to the human capacity to be renewed and deeply transfigured by observant intimacy with nature,” writes Dr. Richard Lemm, Professor Emeritus of English. “And they return again and again to gratitude: ‘What luck to spend a lifetime/seeing what things are’ and to her uplifting faith that there is ‘good luck and gold / flying up everywhere.’”

Gaudet’s other books are Conversation with Crows (Oberon, 2014) and Her Teeth Are Stones (Acorn, 2005). She is the editor of 150+: Canada’s History in Poetry (Acorn, 2018).

The event is free, and all are welcome. Thanks to the Bookmark, books will be available for purchase. For more information, contact Bren Simmers at Island Studies Press at 902-566-0386 or ispstaff@upei.ca.

��vlog��ý’s inaugural Restorative Practices Capacity-Building program launched

Melanie Anderson — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 13:11:54 -0300

��vlog��ý held a ceremony to launch its inaugural Restorative Practices Capacity-Building program on March 11 at The McCain Foundation Learning Commons, Atlantic Veterinary College.

The ��vlog��ý Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Human Rights (EDIHR) department, in cooperation with Alderwick and Associates, developed the program in alignment with the ��vlog��ý Action Plan’s activity to develop training programs for University leaders in areas such as active listening, EDI, cultural competencies, mitigating unconscious bias, implementing policies and processes effectively, conflict management, emotional intelligence, and bystander training.

Over the course of the four-month program, the initial cohort of 19 ��vlog��ý employees will get in-depth train-the-trainer restorative skills development to become facilitators, and about 100 senior leaders and middle managers will subsequently receive foundational training in restorative practices.

The program, inspired in part by the Government of PEI’s Restorative Justice Program, is designed to build participants’ capacity to respond to harm using restorative and relational approaches that complement, rather than replace, formal investigative and disciplinary processes. It strengthens skills in facilitation, accountability, and repair of harm, while reducing the risk of re-traumatization and centering survivor agency and human rights. It offers alignment with University policy and legal obligations while amplifying best practices in community restoration.

Dr. Jane Ngobia, Vice-President People and Culture, opened the ceremony with a land acknowledgement, explained the program, and introduced its participants.

“At ��vlog��ý, we honour the Mi’kmaw tradition of consensus-based dialogue, a practice that elevates relational accountability, shared voice, and healing. These teachings shape many of today’s restorative practices in Canada, reminding us that justice lives in relationships and in repairing those relationships that are broken,” she said. “We draw on these teachings with humility and with care. We intend to commit these practices, so we consent to accountability, and we consent to healing and respectful relationships with one another.”

Milé Komlen, managing director, Ethical Associates Inc., has been contracted to assist ��vlog��ý’s EDIHR department with implementing recommendations from an assessment of the department completed in 2025, including a structural realignment to position it to perform its mandate and advance the goals outlined in the ��vlog��ý Action Plan. He spoke about ��vlog��ý’s approach to addressing harm and conflict at the University and the model that it is working towards.

“Universities are sites of resistance, sites of activism, sites of change, and because of that, there are often some tensions that arise. The work that I do is looking at ways to handle those types of disputes that occur on campus and … resolve issues in a collaborative way that restores relationships among people within the work environment,” he said. “My hope in this program is that the participants are going to take their learning and knowledge and spread that information to others throughout the campus community and really be the thought leaders on … how we can build that sense of cohesive campus community so that we can work towards transformative ways of doing our work and really serving the communities that we’re here to work for.

Stacey Alderwick, Principal Consultant with Alderwick and Associates, introduced the facilitators and explained how the program is delivered.

“Helping people keep the channels of communication open has long been my mandate. I believe in making space for honest, authentic dialogue, for responsibility, and for the possibility of repair,” said Alderwick. “Now we recognise the experiences of harm and injustices are shaped by identity and power. Systemic indifferences are also a part of that. We’re committed to approaches that are compassionate, trauma-aware, and inclusive. We believe that justice must be accessible and community-centred. That’s why it feels important to work with the people who are on the front lines of resolution because it will give us insights that we couldn’t possibly have otherwise. We’re really looking forward to this journey with this first cohort from ��vlog��ý.”

Shannon MacDonald, Chair of the ��vlog��ý Board of Governors, who joined virtually, said that her early years at ��vlog��ý provided a strong educational foundation and a supportive community that helped prepare her for a successful career. She emphasized the importance of carrying that same spirit of support forward by allowing positivity to grow within the University community and by intentionally sharing it with one another. While ��vlog��ý works to help students feel confident and prepared to succeed in the wider world, she noted, it is equally important for members of the community to support and care for themselves and each other.

In concluding the ceremony, Dr. Wendy Rodgers, ��vlog��ý President and Vice-Chancellor, said the University’s current efforts represent an important journey that began when certain issues came to light, even though the conditions that allowed them to occur had existed for some time. She noted that understanding these historical and contextual factors is an important step toward strengthening the campus community, acknowledging that they have contributed to conflict and challenges around trust, particularly when clear pathways for addressing concerns were not always in place. Rodgers emphasized the value of thoughtful reflection, encouraging individuals to consider both their present and past roles in shaping the University’s environment as it works toward stronger relationships, greater accountability, and renewed trust.

The Restorative Practices Capacity-Building program includes eight bi-weekly Reflective Learning Sessions and two Training-for-Facilitators workshops. Delivery of the program combines virtual and in-person sessions and will run until June 10.

Tentative agreement reached with IBEW 1928

Nicole Phillips — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 08:41:51 -0300

The following statement was also emailed to ��vlog��ý faculty and staff on March 11.

After a day and a half of bargaining earlier this week, ��vlog��ý has reached a tentative agreement with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW 1928). The tentative agreement is subject to ratification by both parties.

We appreciate the dedication and professionalism of both bargaining teams in their work to reach a timely agreement, and the respectful and constructive manner in which they approached the negotiations.

Guided by ��vlog��ý’s core values and bargaining principles, we remain committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive, and supportive environment for all members of our campus community and look forward to continuing our work together. Details on our approach and agreements can be found on our website: Collective Bargaining.

Updates will continue to be shared with the ��vlog��ý community as the ratification process moves forward.

��vlog��ý celebrates new undergraduate program in Indigenous Studies

Anna MacDonald — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 10:57:50 -0300

The ��vlog��ý marked another step forward on its journey of reconciliation at an event held on March 4, 2026, to announce a new undergraduate major in Indigenous Studies.

Starting in the Fall 2026 semester, the major in Indigenous Studies will be offered by the Faculty of Indigenous Knowledge, Education, Research, and Applied Studies (IKERAS). Those who complete the program will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Indigenous Studies.

The event featured traditional ceremonies led by emcees Bethany Paulisyn and Grace McQuaid, including an Honour Song performed by Elder Dr. Judy Clark, ��vlog��ý’s Elder in Residence; Elder Thirly Levi; IKERAS senior lecturer Doris Googoo; and administrative assistant Alicia Muttart. The Seven Sacred Teachings in Mi’kmaq were also shared by Googoo.

Guest speakers included ��vlog��ý President and Vice-Chancellor of ��vlog��ý Wendy Rodgers; Vice-President Academic and Research Greg Naterer; Regional Chief Wendell Labobe, representing the Assembly of First Nations; President and Chief Lisa Cooper, PEI Native Council; IKERAS faculty member David Varis; Indigenous student Shannon MacEwen; and IKERAS Dean Angelina Weenie.

“This is an important moment for ��vlog��ý,” said Rodgers. “The new program speaks to our commitment to our journey toward reconciliation. We will embrace the program and support our IKERAS faculty and students in their pursuit of knowledge.”

The program will focus on land-based education and traditional in-person learning. Students will gain new knowledge and proficiency in addressing Indigenization, decolonization, and reconciliation.

“It is very meaningful to be one of the first students in the Bachelor of Arts with a major Indigenous Studies program,” said MacEwen, who is currently taking the minor in Indigenous Studies program.

The major is the University’s latest initiative to provide a supportive environment to Indigenous students and to others who are interested in Indigenous Studies. Currently, students in the University’s arts, business, and science faculties are able to take a minor in Indigenous Studies.

“I am proud that we have completed the Bachelor of Arts with a major in Indigenous Studies,” said Weenie. “It is an honour and a privilege to be the dean of IKERAS.”

��vlog��ý honoured 2025 Founders on February 26

Anna MacDonald — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 10:38:52 -0300

The ��vlog��ý held its 2025 Recognition of Founders ceremony on Thursday, February 26, 2026, in Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall.

The award acknowledges those who have contributed to the University in a significant way and honour the many contributions, commitments, and sacrifices that have brought higher education in PEI to where it is today.

Recognized as 2025 Founders during the ceremony were Donna Barnes, retired veterinary technician, Atlantic Veterinary College; Dr. Gerald Johnson, Professor Emeritus of Pathology and Microbiology, Atlantic Veterinary College; and Dr. Debbie MacLellan, Professor Emerita of Applied Human Sciences.

The citations were read by Rebecca Michelin, fourth-year veterinary student, for Donna Barnes; Julia Skinner, fourth-year veterinary student, for Dr. Johnson; and Luciana Quiroa Paredes, ��vlog��ý Student Union president, for Dr. MacLellan.

��vlog��ý choral music students Sadie Ghiz, Marius Lavoie, and Evelyn McEwen sang O Canada, and University Chaplain Sister Sue Kidd gave a blessing.

��vlog��ý President and Vice-Chancellor Wendy Rodgers thanked the Founders for their dedication to the University, which contributed to its tradition of excellence in teaching, research, and service.

About the Founders:

Donna Barnes

Donna Barnes served as a veterinary technician in AVC’s veterinary teaching hospital for 28 years, retiring in 2015. During her time at the College, she was highly respected for her dedication to her work, patient care, and student learning, and for fostering a positive work environment. She supported and helped train hundreds of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students, as well as veterinary technician students, post-doctoral students, and many staff members. Her extensive experience and unwavering professionalism set a standard against which all others in the veterinary technician profession were measured. Click here to read the complete citation.

Dr. Gerald Johnson

Dr. Gerald Johnson, Professor Emeritus of Pathology and Microbiology, is a renowned educator, researcher, and visionary in aquatic veterinary medicine. Largely through his efforts, AVC and ��vlog��ý became known as one of the premier academic institutions in veterinary medicine for aquatic food animals and associated graduate training. Dr. Johnson’s support of aquatic veterinary pursuits at AVC connected the College to industry-driven projects, making it an integral part of aquaculture success in the Atlantic region. His pioneering work in the 1980s and 1990s, as the founding member of fish pathology and the Coordinator of Fish Health at AVC, impacted national and international programs in fish health. Click here to read the complete citation.

Dr. Debbie MacLellan

From student to faculty member and administrator, Dr. Debbie MacLellan, Professor Emerita of Applied Health Sciences, has a longstanding connection to ��vlog��ý. During her tenure as a faculty member, she made significant contributions to ��vlog��ý through teaching excellence, administrative and service roles, and program development. In the late 1990s, she and her colleagues created a new vision for foods and nutrition at the University. She has had a significant impact on the profession of dietetics in Canada and internationally, pioneering research on client-centredness in nutrition counselling. For her dedication as a dietetic educator and contributions to her field, she was awarded the prestigious Ryley-Jeffs Memorial Award from Dietitians of Canada in 2020. Click here to read the complete citation.

��vlog��ý extends condolences upon the passing of honorary degree recipient Catherine Hennessey

Anna MacDonald — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 10:24:45 -0300

The ��vlog��ý extends condolences to the family and friends of Catherine Hennessey (��vlog��ý LLD ’87), well-known PEI heritage activist, who passed away on March 3, 2026, at the age of 92.

Born and raised in Charlottetown, Hennessey was a passionate trailblazer in the preservation of heritage and history on PEI. In 1970, she founded the PEI Heritage Foundation, now the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation, and served as executive director until 1980. Subsequently, she served on Charlottetown’s heritage review committee and its City Council.

Hennessey received numerous accolades for her work to preserve the province’s heritage. In 2011, the City of Charlottetown created the Catherine G. Hennessey Heritage Award in her honour. During its annual heritage awards ceremony, the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation presents the Catherine Hennessey Heritage Activism Awards, one to a member of the public age 26 and older, and one to a young adult 25 and younger, who have demonstrated impactful community activism around heritage in tangible projects including digital initiatives.

In 2001, she was invested as a Member of the Order of Canada, and in 2017, she was named to the Order of PEI. In 1988, she received the Lieutenant Government’s medal from Heritage Canada.

In 1987, she was awarded an honorary degree from ��vlog��ý. The citation reads in part:

“While it is worth noting among Mrs. Hennessey’s accomplishments that she is a member of several provincial and national organizations that deal particularly with Canadian history, Canadian architecture, Canadian heritage, it is, nevertheless, for her work in Island heritage that she will be best remembered.

“Together with a few associates some 15 years ago, Cathy Hennessey founded the Prince Edward Island Heritage Foundation and began a long pioneering process of bringing Islanders to the realization that ‘old’ is neither a synonym for ‘obsolete’ and ‘useless’ on the one hand, nor for ‘antique’ and ‘heirloom’ on the other, that our heritage is our culture, our culture our heritage, and that the past has much in it worth preserving. It has been said, with truth, that Mrs. Hennessey ‘pioneered a heritage awareness across the Island.’

“Some people are born teachers, Mr. Chancellor. They have enormous energy, eyes that see and appreciate, an innate ability to transfer the appreciation and love that they feel to their listeners. Mrs. Hennessey is like that: her enthusiasm is infectious, her energy boundless, her criticism always tinged with good humour.”

A video recording of Hennessey receiving her honorary degree may be viewed here. A celebration of her life will be held at a later date.

Recognizing Remarkable Colleagues—February 2026, Issue 1

Melanie Anderson — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 10:16:08 -0300

Recognizing Remarkable Colleagues continues to be a meaningful way for our community to celebrate one another. To date, 179 submissions have highlighted the exceptional work, dedication, and kindness of our colleagues.

Thanks to the ongoing interest and participation, submissions will continue to be featured in upcoming issues of Campus Connector. You can read this month’s submissions (organized in alphabetical order) below.

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to share stories of appreciation and celebration for their colleagues. It’s inspiring to see our community come together to recognize those who go above and beyond every day.

Submissions for next month are now open! Share your note of recognition by the last Friday of the month, and let’s continue celebrating the amazing colleagues who make our campus shine.

As part of our continued efforts to grow and improve this program, we’ve introduced a new submission form. With this updated process, the colleague being recognized will automatically receive an email notification that they have been recognized and will appear in the next month’s Recognizing Remarkable Colleagues issue. For more details on the program, including links to past issues and details on the new submission form, please click here.

Jenni Dumont, Academic Affairs, Faculty of Medicine
Jenni has supported the Faculty of Medicine through her work in the admissions section of academic affairs but has also recently undertaken various stretch assignments to support other priority initiatives with respect to the program development within the faculty. Jenni approaches all of her work with the same detail-oriented and responsive attitude, always working to achieve high results with a strong sense of accountability and accuracy in her work, and she does it all with a friendly smile. Jenni brings to any team a thoughtful and thorough approach that she carries out with utmost respect and attention for her work and for her colleagues.

Ana Mendes Garcia, Experiential Education/English Language Centre
Ana works in both Experiential Education and the English Language Centre. Ana consistently seeks out information, asks thoughtful questions, and takes the time to fully understand processes, needs, and expectations. This strength benefits both departments, as her inquiries often help uncover gaps, clarify assumptions, and improve overall workflows. Once she has a solid grasp of a task or project, Ana is highly self‑directed, efficient, and reliable. She has a genuine interest in learning, building relationships, and contributing meaningfully to her teams. Her natural helpfulness and positive rapport with both staff and students make her a valued colleague. Ana is truly a pleasure to work with and learn from.

Donna Lawless, Office of the Vice-President Academic and Research, and Cecia Huang, Office of the Registrar
Please recognize two of the many AMAZING admin staff on the ��vlog��ý campus. Both Donna and Cecia are such great resources for information, advice, and help around campus. They are both doing such great work in very busy and demanding environments. They are both also always happy to help out when other admins, other staff, faculty, or students need their help. I don’t think we do enough recognition, acknowledgement, or thanking for the very important work that these and all ��vlog��ý admins do—without them this University could not function and educate its many wonderful students.

Emma MacLean, Counselling and Academic Support Services, Office of the Associate Vice-President, Students
Please recognize the great work of Emma MacLean. She started as the admin for the Counselling and Academic Support Services units on January 28, 2026, and already she has excelled in that role! She is so quick to learn and to offer to help students and her colleagues. She has such a welcoming and approachable attitude. The Counselling and Academic Support units are lucky to have her as part of their team!

Marven MacLean, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Atlantic Veterinary College
A client was transporting their horse to the AVC for emergency surgery when, unfortunately, they were in an accident. The trailer was destroyed, and the horse and its owners were stranded. At 1:00 am, despite dangerous road conditions, Marven drove to New Brunswick, picked up the horse, and brought it to the AVC, where it received care. This is truly an example of going above and beyond to provide excellent care to our patients and their owners.

Grace McCourt, McDougall Faculty of Business
I would like to recognize Grace McCourt for her outstanding commitment to the success of the MBA program. Her dedication is evident in the thoroughness and attention to detail she brings to every task, ensuring our work is completed with exceptional care and accuracy. Grace’s upbeat, positive attitude brightens everyone’s day and contributes to a welcoming and collaborative environment for faculty and students alike. She is approachable, easy to talk to—both professionally and personally—and always willing to take part in whatever activity or initiative is underway. We in the McDougall Faculty of Business truly appreciate Grace’s hard work, enthusiasm, and unwavering support of the program, the department, and the staff, faculty, and students.

Steff Taylor, McDougall Faculty of Business
Steff has been an outstanding addition to the McDougall Faculty of Business. She consistently brings positivity and a smile to every day, and the expertise she gained during her time in the Registrar’s Office and other departments on campus has been invaluable to the smooth operation of our department. Always proactive and professional, Steff is quick to jump in and offer support wherever it’s needed, and she is very supportive of both colleagues and students. She and Virginia make an exceptional team when it comes to student advising, providing our students with thoughtful and effective guidance. And when it comes to holiday spirit—look no further than Steff! Her enthusiasm and creativity brighten every celebration.

MJ Wardle, Facilities Management
MJ recently returned as the cleaner for Dalton Hall, and we are so happy to have her back! MJ is such a hard worker and does an amazing job of keeping our high traffic building safe and clean. She always has a smile on her face and is so pleasant to work with. We are happy to have you back, MJ!

��vlog��ý varsity curlers capture PEI Mixed Doubles Curling Championship

Ron Annear — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 09:32:05 -0300

��vlog��ý Curling student-athletes Jack MacFadyen and Ella Lenentine earned the PEI Mixed Doubles title at the Summerside Curling Club on February 22, 2026. They will proudly represent PEI at the Curling Canada national championships in Surrey, British Columbia from March 21–27, 2026.

MacFadyen, who is from Charlottetown, PEI, is nearing the completion of his business degree, and Lenentine, from New Dominion, PEI, is in her first year of studies in science.

The pair concluded the championship with a 6-2 win-loss record. They defeated defending champions husband-and-wife duo Ed and Jenny White in the final by a score of 7-2.

At the AUS Curling Championships held in Fredericton, New Brunswick, from January 15–18, MacFadyen skipped the ��vlog��ý Panthers men’s team, which included third Chase MacMillan, second Luke Butler, and lead Davis Nicholson. Lenentine played third on the women’s team skipped by fellow Panther Rachel MacLean, which included second Kacey Gauthier, lead Clara Jack, and fifth Beth Stokes.

MacLean and MacMillan also competed at the PEI Mixed Doubles event, finishing third.

Congratulations to our ��vlog��ý Curling student-athletes on these outstanding achievements.

Go Panthers Go!

2026 Summer Job and Career Fair and Climate Career Day March 11

Melanie Anderson — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 09:18:55 -0300

The 2026 Summer Job and Career Fair, hosted by ��vlog��ý’s Experiential Education department, will take place on March 11, 2026, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, at McMillan Hall in the W.A. Murphy Student Centre.

The fair will bring together a diverse range of employers from various industries actively seeking to hire students and recent graduates. Attendees will have the chance to network with employers and explore both summer job positions and full-time career opportunities. Job seekers are encouraged to dress professionally and bring copies of their résumé.

Attendance is free for students, and no registration is required. There will be coffee and cookies available during the event as well as a chance to win door prizes. New this year is a sensory reduced space in the ��vlog��ý Student Union boardroom.

For any inquiries, contact Community and Industry Outreach Coordinator Jess Cameron at careerfair@upei.ca.

Students are also invited to the Climate Career Day on March 11 from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm in the Faculty Lounge (Room 201), SDU Main Building, to meet with local professionals and organizations that work with climate issues. This opportunity is intended to connect students with potential employers while also learning about different career paths.

Guest speakers will take part in a panel discussion at 11:00 am where they will talk about their roles in climate work, climate projects their organizations are working on, and how to find joy in a challenging field of work.

Island Lecture Series features author Frank Gillan on March 17

Anna MacDonald — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 09:11:05 -0300

The Institute of Island Studies’ Island Lecture Series will present a talk titled “Finding Place: An Irish Story” by author Frank Gillan on March 17, 2026, at 7 pm, in the Faculty Lounge (Room 201), SDU Main Building, ��vlog��ý.

During his talk on St. Patrick’s Day, Gillan will share a personal story about one Irish family’s search for security. In 1953, Marion Gillan’s husband was killed piloting a private plane. Their only family income disappeared on that May afternoon, and employers were not interested in hiring a widow with five young children. But challenge was something Marion had seen before. In 1919, her father died, leaving her 34-year-old mother, Jennie McCarthy, with a 70-acre mixed farming operation and four young children, Marion being the oldest at age seven. In an era where women had few rights, both women were determined to find a way to keep the family together. Both had inherited resilience and resourcefulness from their Irish roots.

For generations, their ancestors had lived under oppressive British laws in Ireland. Their land was taken from them, and they were forced to be tenants in their own country, living under the constant threat of eviction. In addition, Irish Catholic daily lives were regulated under the stifling Penal Laws, intended to obliterate their culture and religion—and to keep them poor. The Gillan ancestors’ emigration from Ireland to PEI was a search for better opportunities. PEI offered hope but also considerable challenges.

A sixth-generation Irish Canadian, Gillan published The Gillan Journey: County Antrim to Peakes Road in 2022 and They Can’t Take the Kids: the Mooney/McCarthy/Gillan Legacy, his mother’s family story, in 2025. He and his wife Cathy are retired and live in Charlottetown.

The lecture is free, and all are welcome. For more information, contact Bren Simmers at 902-566-0386 or ispstaff@upei.ca.

��vlog��ý mourns the passing of honorary degree recipient and ��vlog��ý supporter F. Allan Curran

Melanie Anderson — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 09:10:56 -0300

The ��vlog��ý extends its condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of F. Allan Curran who passed away on February 19, 2026, at his home in Bay Shore, New York, at the age of 86.

A leader in the machine tool manufacturing industry, and previous owner of Royal Products, Curran was well-known as an entrepreneur, family man, advocate for ��vlog��ý, and a person who lived the mantra “service before self.”

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Curran had strong roots on Prince Edward Island. He followed in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps by attending Saint Dunstan’s University, one of ��vlog��ý’s two founding institutions, in 1958 to study commerce.

After graduating in 1962, he returned to New York to work full-time with his father at Royal Products where he gained hands-on understanding of the business. After being drafted in 1965, Mr. Curran served for two years in the US military, later returning to the family business where he eventually assumed the role of president after the passing of his father Robert Curran in 1968. He was a long-time member of the Association for Manufacturing Technology.

Curran was a passionate supporter of the ��vlog��ý Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering, establishing the Allan Curran Engineering Award for a third-year engineering student. In 2017, ��vlog��ý awarded him an honorary degree in recognition of his community service, business leadership, and support of ��vlog��ý.

In August 2024, Curran made the largest single private donation in one day that ��vlog��ý has ever received—$6 million in total to the Robertson Library and the Faculty of Medicine. The funds were divided, with $4 million for the Robertson Library’s “Love Our Library” $15 million revitalization campaign and $2 million for the Faculty of Medicine’s $10-million fundraising campaign. His very generous donation to these two transformative projects will each have enduring impacts, reflecting both existing and new core components of the University.

Negotiations commence with IBEW 1928

Nicole Phillips — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 09:42:37 -0300

The following statement was also emailed to faculty and staff on March 9, 2026.

��vlog��ý begins negotiations today towards a new collective agreement with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW 1928). Meetings are scheduled to take place March 9, 10, and 11.

We remain committed to respectful and constructive dialogue as we work to reach an agreement at the bargaining table that is fair for employees and sustainable for the long‑term health of our institution.

We will continue to share updates throughout the collective bargaining process. For more information, please visit ��vlog��ý’s Labour Relations web page.

Abby Chapman receives prestigious international award for research in Biomedical Engineering

Melanie Anderson — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 13:34:14 -0400

Abby Chapman, a fourth-year ��vlog��ý Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering (FSDE) student, recently received an Optica Women Scholar 2026 award. This international award is given to 20 women students, based on merit, to empower the next generation of women leaders in optics and photonics. In addition to grant funding, scholars gain access to a global network of mentors and supporting companies.

Chapman is the only Canadian in this year’s cohort to receive this prestigious award—an exceptional achievement at her stage of study, particularly as she was competing against undergraduate and master’s students on an international level. Over the past year, she conducted research in Biomedical Engineering under the supervision of Dr. Sundeep Singh, assistant professor of engineering, and Dr. Bill Whelan, professor of physics. Her dedication, professionalism, and perseverance have been instrumental in earning this distinguished recognition.

“Abby is one of the brightest minds in our undergraduate engineering program at ��vlog��ý,” said Singh. “As her research supervisor and instructor, I have had the privilege of working closely with her and have consistently been impressed by her intellectual curiosity, exceptional motivation, and deep passion for translating engineering research into transformative advances in human health. I am immensely proud to see her recognized with this prestigious international honour. It is a testament to her academic excellence, research rigour, and emerging leadership in optics and photonics. I am confident that she will use this opportunity to further advance her research, spark innovation, and make a lasting impact in the field.”

Prior to attending ��vlog��ý, Chapman, who grew up in Stratford, Prince Edward Island, graduated from Pearson College, a United World College on Vancouver Island, with an International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma. As a research assistant, she employs experimental and computational modelling techniques to study thermal therapies for cancer treatment. In her work, she has characterized the photothermal properties of polydopamine nanoparticles for enhanced photothermal therapy, including a case study of their use in treating squamous cell carcinoma.

Chapman is currently studying the effect of breast density and power delivery protocol on microwave ablation procedures for breast cancer treatment. Through the development of a patient-specific model derived from the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of a breast cancer patient, she aims to advance personalized and precise cancer care. She hopes to pursue graduate studies in the field of biomedical optics after graduation. In her spare time, Abby is the co-president of ��vlog��ý’s Ultimate (frisbee) team and rows with the PEI Rowing Club.

“I am incredibly grateful to be named one of the 2026 Optica Women Scholars, and I feel inspired to be joining such a wonderful community of women in optics and photonics,” said Chapman. “My research into improved thermal therapies for cancer treatment is incredibly fulfilling, and I hope to carry this passion forward once I graduate. I am especially thankful for my supervisors, Dr. Sundeep Singh and Dr. Bill Whelan, for their invaluable mentorship and for supporting my research endeavours. I am excited to continue my research and make meaningful contributions to the field of biomedical optics.”

Dr. Whelan congratulates Chapman on her recognition from Optica, the leading global society for optics and photonics research, and for her research contributions and overall success as a ��vlog��ý engineering student.

Optics is the branch of physics that studies how light travels, interacts with materials, and is manipulated by instruments. Photonics is a branch of engineering that focuses on the creation, manipulation, and detection of light at the particle level, specifically through the use of light particles called photons.

From the Desk of the Vice-President, Academic and Research: Teaching, Learning, and Research Initiatives

Nicole Phillips — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 16:45:59 -0400

As we move into March, I am pleased to share exciting academic and research progress over the past month. We have secured new research funding opportunities for Island Studies and vaccine research, among others. The AI Advisory Group has awarded funding for projects that strengthen the University's capacity in thoughtful and evidence-based curriculum redesign that incorporates artificial intelligence. This month's newsletter provides a brief update on other teaching, learning, and research initiatives across campus.

Curriculum Coherence

The Academic Planning and Curriculum Committee (APCC) developed a curricular coherence initiative in April 2025 which aims to reduce or remove unnecessary obstacles that impede student progression to graduation. The Teaching and Learning Centre has recently shared data for a set of curriculum coherence indicators for the past year and averages for the past three and five academic years for each academic program at ��vlog��ý. The data was compiled from various sources, including the Academic Calendar. Academic units have been asked to reflect upon the data for their program(s) and consider possible ways to improve curricular coherence. Please contact Dr. Charlene VanLeeuwen, Manager, Teaching and Learning Centre, with any questions, for assistance, or to identify any issues with the curriculum coherence data.

Canada Impact+ Research Chairs

A new Canada Impact+ Research Chair program was announced by the federal government in December 2025. The program aims to attract internationally renowned researchers, from outside of Canada, in designated areas of strategic importance to Canada. I am pleased to report that ��vlog��ý was granted an application limit of $3M/year, which would fund up to three Impact+ Chairs, valued at up to $8 million each ($1 million per year for eight years). A Research Training Award that funds Doctoral and Postdoctoral training was also announced. ��vlog��ý is allocated one Doctoral fellowship valued at $40,000 per year for three years and one postdoctoral fellowship at $70,000 per year for two years.

Designated areas of the program align well with existing ��vlog��ý strengths such as health, biotechnology, climate resilience, democratic and community resilience, and clean technology. There will be two competition rounds, with deadlines in March and June. While the accelerated timeline has been demanding, it has sharpened our focus on identifying top-tier candidates and streamlining our application process. A Search Committee was formed to nominate a candidate(s) for the March competition, with further nomination(s) anticipated for June. Nominations for the Impact+ Training Awards were sent for submission to the Tri-Agency prior to the submission deadline of March 4.

Research Grant Administration Platform (from Romeo to Endpoint IQ)

��vlog��ý’s current research grant administration platform, Romeo, has reached its end of life. The platform was originally developed by a company called Process Pathways, which was later acquired by a larger company, Cayuse.

A request for proposals was issued in June 2024 to select ��vlog��ý’s next grant administration platform. Proposals were received from Cayuse, Worktribe (a UK-based software platform for higher education research and curriculum management) and Endpoint IQ (a research management software company in Toowong, Australia) and their products were beta-tested. For several reasons, including better functionality, more user-friendly interface, and extra features for graduate program administration as well as cost, the selection group decided that the best direction forward will be Endpoint IQ. The new platform offers all core Romeo capabilities (e.g., functionality for tracking funding applications and research ethics compliance). In addition, it is configurable, and provides the flexibility to digitize adjacent workflows, reduce administrative burden on users, meet all Canadian regulatory reporting requirements, and ensure critical processes don’t fall through the cracks.

Our current Romeo license will expire at the end of this year. The team in the Office of Research Services (ORS), in collaboration with IT Systems and Services, is planning to begin a migration of research data and training users over the spring and summer 2026 in time for a full transition in the upcoming fall/winter terms. Endpoint’s Scholar IQ graduate research student management platform will also have valuable features to support every phase of the graduate student lifecycle, from application to examinations and thesis submissions, and advanced analytics, among others. Stay tuned for more information coming from ORS as this new platform rolls out. For further information, please contact Dr. Marva Sweeney-Nixon, Associate V-P Research, and Dean of Graduate Studies.

Senate Committee on Teaching Evaluation

The Senate Committee on Teaching Evaluation is meeting monthly to investigate alternative holistic approaches to teaching evaluation. A process of consultation with the University community has begun—starting with student focus groups. A second phase will be happening shortly with faculty, sessional instructors, students, and administrators. A call for expressions of interest will be circulated. Please consider participating in a focus group. The second phase of focus groups will be examining, in detail, alternative methods that are used at other universities, the suitability of different approaches to the ��vlog��ý context, and elements that you would like to see incorporated into teaching evaluation processes at ��vlog��ý. The goal is to improve our current methods of teaching evaluation to mitigate bias, while still including student voices and feedback in teaching evaluations. A webinar with an invited speaker is tentatively planned for late March or early April, to provide an overview of teaching evaluation methods across higher education. This webinar will be open to the entire campus community and will precede the second phase of focus groups.

Teaching and Learning Workshops

Please mark your calendar for upcoming professional development workshops and Lunch and Learn sessions to be hosted by the Teaching and Learning Centre in RL 230.

Multiple Choice Testing: Myths and Misconceptions (March 18 at 11:30 am)
Tenure/Permanency and Promotion workshop series, including Putting it All Together (March 13 at 12:30 pm); and Explaining your Professional Clinical Service Activities (May 14 at 1:30 pm)
Moodle Gradebook (March 24 at 1:30 pm—ONLINE)
Moodle Essentials (April 22 at 1:30 pm—ONLINE)

The annual ��vlog��ý Teaching Community Conference will be held on April 28, 2026. Further details are available here. Please note that the deadline for submission of proposals has been extended to Monday, March 9, 2026.

Greg F. Naterer, PhD, P.Eng. (he / him)
Vice-President, Academic and Research
��vlog��ý
Charlottetown, PE Canada C1A 4P3

New Director of EDI and Human Rights appointed

Nicole Phillips — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 13:32:14 -0400

The following message was also emailed to members of the ��vlog��ý community on March 5, 2026.

Dear ��vlog��ý Community,

I am pleased to share the news that, after a national search, Sula Levesque has been appointed to the position of Director of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (EDI), and Human Rights. Currently serving as Human Rights Resolution Specialist with ��vlog��ý’s Department of EDI and Human Rights, Sula will begin her new role on March 30, 2026.

The ��vlog��ý announced in December 2023 that it had created a new administrative department for EDI and Human Rights. The Department has three major categories of responsibility: (i) equity, diversity, and inclusion; (ii) sexual violence prevention and response; and (iii) administration of harassment and discrimination complaints. The Director position is responsible for oversight of the Department and for advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion within the University community.

Sula brings extensive experience, education, and expertise to this critical leadership position. She is an experienced post-secondary administrator with over 20 years of progressive leadership in equity, diversity, inclusion, and human rights (EDIHR). In her most recent role at ��vlog��ý, Sula has been working to establish infrastructure for informal conflict resolution and guiding the community through the University's harassment and discrimination policies.

Sula has proven record of values-driven strategic planning, including building the Centre for EDIB at Georgian College from the ground up and co-leading a bi-campus EDI Action Plan at the University of New Brunswick. She views equity work as a system-level engine for culture change rather than a siloed or reactive function, focusing on changing how institutional decisions are made. With experience in executing change, operational leadership, human rights, and policy innovation, Sula is known as a trusted advisor; for her relational, capacity-building approach; and for achieving results, all while embedding equity as a living practice and leading with courage and respect.

Many thanks to the selection committee—Dr. Philip Smith, Dr. Tarek Mady, Katie Morriscey, Jonathan Hewitt, Kylie Fraser, and Eyitayo Ajibaibi—and to all those who contributed to the search process.

My sincere thanks go to Dr. Nola Etkin, Dean of Science, who served as Special Advisor to me and oversaw operations of the EDI and Human Rights department for the last six months. Dr. Etkin’s leadership was instrumental in ensuring that the University continues to foster a welcoming, inclusive, and respectful environment for all members of our community. I also thank Mile Komlen, who was contracted to assist us with implementing recommendations from the EDIHR assessment, including the structural realignment of the unit to position it to perform its mandate and advance the goals outlined in the ��vlog��ý Action Plan.

We are so fortunate to have the benefit of Sula’s expertise in leading our excellent EDI and Human Rights team as we continue our journey of building a culture of trust, safety, and inclusion.

Congratulations, Sula!

Sincerely,

Jane Ngobia, PhD
Vice-President, People and Culture
��vlog��ý

New parasitology residency program tackles heartworm as an emerging health risk for dogs in Atlantic Canada

Nicole Phillips — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 13:05:04 -0400

The following news release was issued by Boehringer Ingelheim on March 5, 2026.

The Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) at the ��vlog��ý, with support from Mitacs and Boehringer Ingelheim Canada, has launched a Veterinary Parasitology Residency Program with one major goal: to address the growing threat of heartworm to dogs in Atlantic Canada.

The program's first resident, Dr. William Robbins, brings deep expertise in parasitology and is investigating the emergence of dog heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) in the region. Once absent from Atlantic Canada, heartworm is now appearing in both dogs and wildlife such as coyotes and foxes. Dr. Robbins' research also examines the risk of drug-resistant strains entering Canada through imported dogs, aiming to improve awareness, early detection, and prevention strategies for veterinarians and pet owners.

"Few parasitic diseases of companion animals are known to have such economic and pathological effects as Dirofilaria immitis, the causative agent of heartworm disease," said Dr. Robbins. "Until recently, D. immitis was not established in Atlantic Canada. It is imperative to investigate this emerging parasite to help guide companion animal treatment and management practices in the region."

Dr. Nina Germitsch, Assistant Professor of Veterinary Parasitology at AVC, highlights the importance of understanding the emergence of parasites in Atlantic Canada."

"In recent years, several parasites have been emerging in Atlantic Canada. Among them, the dog heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) has become an increasing concern," said Dr. Germitsch. "Although multiple cases have been diagnosed in Atlantic Canada, our understanding of its broader implications for the local animal population remains limited."

Recognizing the importance of exploring parasitology from a Canadian perspective, Boehringer Ingelheim Canada provided funding to help establish the residency program.

"Parasites like heartworm threaten animal health in Canada," said Fabio Barone, Vice President, Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Canada. "Through innovative research and strong collaboration with our academic partners, we're working to protect the health of dogs and wildlife and help prevent the spread of dangerous parasites. This residency program is a testament to what can be achieved when industry and academia join forces to advance parasitology and safeguard pets across the country."

Dr. Germitsch explained the importance of the residency program and how it will benefit animal and public health.

"With the first recognized Parasitology Residency Program in Canada, we are taking a major step toward strengthening our national capacity to study and manage parasitic infections," said Dr. Germitsch. "This program will not only help us better address emerging concerns such as dog heartworm in Atlantic Canada but also build long-term expertise that benefits animal and public health across the country."

Mitacs provided matching funding for the residency program.

"Mitacs is proud to support the launch of the new Parasitology Residency Program at the Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC), ��vlog��ý," said Ives Kennedy Eyquem, Business Development Advisor, Atlantic Canada, Mitacs. "Through its partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Canada Inc., Mitacs contributed matching funding to help establish the program. Mitacs is committed to advancing Canadian research and innovation by connecting industry and academia to address real-world challenges."

About Mitacs

As a leading Canadian innovation organization, Mitacs connects businesses and researchers with unrivalled access to talent, financial support, and the partnerships needed to turn ideas into impactful innovations. Through unique collaborations, Mitacs is driving productivity and positioning Canada as a global innovation leader.

Mitacs is funded by the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, the Government of British Columbia, Research Manitoba, the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Nova Scotia, the Government of Ontario, Innovation PEI, the Government of Quebec, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Government of Yukon.

About the ��vlog��ý

A leader in academic excellence and research innovation, the ��vlog��ý is committed to providing its students with an exceptional learning experience and environment, thus helping them to reach their full potential. ��vlog��ý offers a wide range of relevant programs and degrees to a diverse population of over 5,500 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students. Home to Canada Research Chairs, a UNESCO Chair, endowed and sponsored research chairs, and 3M National Teaching Fellows, ��vlog��ý offers its students access to exceptional faculty, researchers, and staff. Students come from local, regional, national, and international locations to study at ��vlog��ý, the only degree-granting institution in Prince Edward Island.

About Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd.

Boehringer Ingelheim is a biopharmaceutical company active in both human and animal health. As one of the industry's top investors in research and development, the company focuses on developing innovative therapies that can improve and extend lives in areas of high unmet medical need. Independent since its foundation in 1885, Boehringer takes a long-term perspective, embedding sustainability along the entire value chain. More than 53,500 employees serve over 130 markets to build a healthier, more sustainable, and equitable tomorrow. The Canadian headquarters of Boehringer Ingelheim was established in 1972 in Montreal, Quebec and is now located in Burlington, Ontario. Boehringer Ingelheim employs approximately 500 people across Canada.

Learn more at https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.ca/en

Action Plan IMPACT: ��vlog��ý Governance 101 – Part 2

Nicole Phillips — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 11:36:18 -0400

��vlog��ý community members may have noticed a job posting in September 2024 for a senior role called “University Secretary.”

In part 1 of ��vlog��ý Governance 101, we learned that governance is the system of rules, processes, and practices by which institutions and organizations are managed and controlled. The job of managing governance in a university setting falls to the university secretariat, which is overseen by a governance professional called the university secretary.

While university secretaries exist at most other Canadian institutions, up until 2025, it wasn’t the case at ��vlog��ý. For most of the University’s existence, there was dedicated administrative support for the Board and Senate, but not a governance professional to provide oversight and facilitation, ensuring the effective and efficient operation of the University's bicameral system of governance.

Governance gaps became apparent in the ��vlog��ý Review (Rubin Thomlinson report) and were addressed in Action 2.2.3 of the ��vlog��ý Action Plan, “Review Board Governance Board of Governors.” The action item resulted in “An external review of the ��vlog��ý Board Governance,” prepared by Cheryl Foy, President, Strategic Governance Consulting Services Ltd.

Foy identified that “given the complexity of university governance…there is much work to do to rebuild and to improve” governance at ��vlog��ý, recommending that “��vlog��ý seek a governance professional with university governance experience or comparable experience.”

In February 2025, after a competitive, national search, Pascal Robichaud joined ��vlog��ý as its first University Secretary. He serves as an officer of the University, reporting to the President and Vice-Chancellor, and in respect of governance, has a dotted line reporting relationship to the Chair of the Board of Governors. He has oversight of the University's compliance with the PEI University Act, including the preservation of ��vlog��ý’s autonomous governance structure as set out in that legislation.

In just one year, Pascal has hit the ground running, using the Governance Review as well as Goal 2 in the ��vlog��ý Action Plan, “Strengthen ��vlog��ý’s governance and leadership structure” as guideposts. Some accomplishments include activities under Action 2 (Refresh the ��vlog��ý Board of Governors with new members and create an enhanced accountability and oversight structure) and Action 3 (Improve onboarding and training of ��vlog��ý Board of Governors and Senate members):

2.2.4 Increase Board oversight by reviewing the Terms of Reference of Board standing committees to ensure that Board oversight responsibilities are adequately met
2.2.5 Develop new reporting mechanisms to inform the Board of Governors re: resignations/terminations and trends of harassment and/or discrimination.
2.2.6 Develop a Board policy for appointing acting and interim administrators,
2.3.1 Develop orientation and training materials for the Board of Governors and Senate: provide training on governance and other relevant expertise; provide EDI training
2.3.2 Develop training schedule and tracking process for the Board of Governors and Senate: identify institutional resources to support the development of training programs and related materials; develop a training plan for Board of Governors and Senate; develop a process to track training participation of those in governance-related roles

To learn more about governance at ��vlog��ý and see some of the recent initiatives in action, refer to the upei.ca web pages regarding the Board of Governors and the Senate.

We will be telling the stories of important progress on the ��vlog��ý Action Plan on a regular basis, under the “Action Plan IMPACT” banner. Articles will share how the Action Plan implementation activities are being operationalized, becoming entrenched in our culture and living on long past the plan—making real IMPACT. To submit your own Action Plan IMPACT story, contact communications@upei.ca. To view the last Action Plan IMPACT story, click here.

��vlog��ý creates new undergraduate program in Indigenous Studies

Anna MacDonald — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 10:47:42 -0400

The ��vlog��ý has taken another step forward on its journey of reconciliation by creating a new undergraduate major in Indigenous Studies.

The major in Indigenous Studies, which will be offered by the Faculty of Indigenous Knowledge, Education, Research, and Applied Studies (IKERAS), will be launched at a public event on Wednesday, March 4, from 12:30 to 2:30 pm, in Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall, ��vlog��ý. The celebration will feature traditional ceremonies led by emcees Bethany Paulisyn and Grace McQuaid, including an Honour Song performed by Elder Dr. Judy Clark, ��vlog��ý’s Elder in Residence; Elder Thirly Levi; IKERAS senior lecturer Doris Googoo; and IKERAS administrative assistant Alicia Muttart, as well as the Seven Sacred Teachings in Mi’kmaq shared by Googoo.

The major, which will begin in the Fall 2026 semester, will focus on land-based education and traditional in-person learning. Students will gain new knowledge and proficiency in addressing Indigenization, decolonization, and reconciliation. Those who complete the program will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Indigenous Studies.

“The new major will respond to the need for learners to understand the diverse cultures and societies of Indigenous peoples, their histories, languages, and cultures,” said Dr. Greg Naterer, Vice-President, Academic and Research. “We are proud to expand our academic offerings in Indigenous education, which further support the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #63: ‘Building student capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy, and mutual respect.’”

This new undergraduate program is the University’s latest initiative to provide a supportive environment to Indigenous students and to others who are interested in Indigenous Studies. Currently, students in the University’s arts, business, and science faculties are able to take a minor in Indigenous Studies.

“I am very proud that we are now offering an Indigenous Studies major as well as the minor program already in place,” said Dr. Angelina Weenie, Dean of the Faculty of IKERAS. “The new major offers students the opportunity to broaden their knowledge of Indigenous people on Turtle Island. It is a significant advancement in Indigenous education at ��vlog��ý—and for the still young Faculty of IKERAS.”

Some of the other ongoing reconciliation initiatives at ��vlog��ý include the presentation of keepsake stoles to Indigenous graduates at Convocation; placement of a traditional tipi on the campus grounds; provision of academic support to Indigenous students through Accessibility Services; inclusion of land acknowledgments on ��vlog��ý’s web pages; and placement of Indigenous posters and artwork throughout campus buildings.

Erin Cabaday and Cole Larkin named ��vlog��ý Panther Source for Sports Athletes of the Week

Ron Annear — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 10:20:36 -0400

Every week, ��vlog��ý Athletics and Recreation recognizes student-athletes for their achievements and contributions to their respective sports. The ��vlog��ý Panther Source for Sports Athletes of the Week for February 23–March 1 are Erin Cabaday (women’s hockey) and Cole Larkin (men’s hockey).

Cabaday is a third-year business student from Oakville, Ontario. Facing the top team in the conference is no small task, but she has answered the call. Through three semifinal games against St. Francis Xavier University, she owns a 2.49 goals against average and .918 save percentage, battling in the crease and keeping the Panthers within striking distance.

“Erin has been the backbone of our team on this playoff run. She’s giving us a chance to win every night with her consistent play and quiet confidence,” said Sean Fisher, ��vlog��ý Women’s Hockey Panthers head coach.

Larkin is a third-year business student from Mermaid, PEI. Against a University of New Brunswick squad that has proven difficult to crack, Larkin has been a steady presence on the back end. The veteran defenceman has provided leadership in tough minutes and broke through with a goal in Game 2 of a best-of-five seminal series on February 28.

“Cole has been tremendous for us all season. He’s a guy we’ve leaned on to handle a heavy workload, and this weekend was no different. He brings a calming, stabilizing presence to our back end,” said Forbes MacPherson, ��vlog��ý Men’s Hockey Panthers head coach.

Go Panthers Go!

��vlog��ý Panthers this Week (March 2–8)

Ron Annear — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 16:04:37 -0400

The ��vlog��ý Panthers are looking forward to semifinal games and competition at home and on the road.

Monday, March 2
AT HOME:
7:00 pm: The ��vlog��ý Women’s Hockey Panthers will host the St. Francis Xavier University X-Women at MacLauchlan Arena for Game 4 of their best-of-five semifinal series.

Tuesday, March 3
AT HOME:
7:00 pm: The ��vlog��ý Men’s Hockey Panthers play the University of New Brunswick Reds at MacLauchlan Arena. This is Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series.

Wednesday, March 4
AT HOME:
7:00 pm: The ��vlog��ý Men’s Hockey Panthers play the University of New Brunswick Reds at MacLauchlan Arena. This is Game 4 (if necessary) of their best-of-five semifinal series.

Thursday, March 5
AWAY:
7:00 pm: The ��vlog��ý Women’s Hockey Panthers play the St. Francis Xavier X-Women. This is Game 5 (if necessary) of their best-of-five semifinal series.

Friday, March 6
AWAY:
8:00 am: Lilly MacVicar, AUS 300m gold medallist, will compete at the U SPORTS Track and Field Championships, hosted by the University of Manitoba Bisons.

7:00 pm: The ��vlog��ý Men’s Hockey Panthers play the University of New Brunswick Reds in Fredericton, NB. This is Game 5 (if necessary) of their best-of-five semifinal series.

Ticketing
Playoff hockey tickets can be purchased at panthertickets.ca.

Gold Rush
��vlog��ý Panthers Gold Rush can be played through the app—��vlog��ý Panther Recreation—found on Apple and Android, or via upei.goldrush.causable.io.

To view the full season schedule, visit gopanthersgo.ca.

��vlog��ý’s Theology on Tap features talk on Greek Mysticism on March 12

Anna MacDonald — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 14:32:16 -0400

As part of the ��vlog��ý 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.

“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.”

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

��vlog��ý mourns passing of Founder and Founding Dean of Nursing Margaret Munro

Nicole Phillips — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 12:19:11 -0400

The ��vlog��ý is mourning the passing of Dr. Margaret Munro, ��vlog��ý Founder and Founding Dean of the ��vlog��ý School of Nursing, now the ��vlog��ý Faculty of Nursing, on February 25, 2026.

Originally from Ontario, Dr. Munro began her career as a registered nurse and then moved on to the education of nurses. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1963, followed by a Master’s and a PhD degree in Education. She devoted her entire professional career to educating nurses, teaching at the University of Saskatchewan, the University of Toronto, the University of Calgary, and ��vlog��ý.

In 1990, she was seconded from the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Calgary to develop a nursing program at ��vlog��ý. As a result, the ��vlog��ý School of Nursing was established in 1992, led by Dr. Munro as Founding Dean. Under her leadership, the school transformed nursing education from the diploma to the baccalaureate level, making PEI the first province in Canada to adopt baccalaureate education as the exclusive entry-to-practice requirement for registered nurses.

Because of her vision, the school’s curriculum was the first in Canada to be developed based directly on the principles of primary health care. She and her faculty team developed the PEI Conceptual Model for Nursing: A Nursing Prospective of Primary Health Care. Her groundwork paved the way for a school rich in leadership, research, and partnership.

She was a strong advocate for nursing students, encouraging them to be critical thinkers and thoughtful practitioners. She enjoyed mentoring them and supported them through numerous awards and scholarships.

Dr. Munro served as dean of the ��vlog��ý School of Nursing until her retirement in 1997. In 2000, she wrote the book Forward in Faith: Establishing the School of Nursing at the ��vlog��ý, which tells the story of the creation of the nursing program. In 2011, she was named a Founder of the University for her vision of and contributions to nursing education at ��vlog��ý. In 2012, she was awarded the Queen Elizabeth ll Diamond Jubilee Medal.

The full obituary may be read here. The University extends condolences to Dr. Munro’s family, colleagues, former students, and friends.

��vlog��ý’s Tim Walker recognized as Fellow of Chartered Professional Accountants of New Brunswick

Melanie Anderson — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 11:25:12 -0400

Tim Walker, Vice-President, Administration and Finance (VPAF) at ��vlog��ý, has been recognized as a Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants of New Brunswick (CPA NB). The award was presented to him at a special event held on February 21, 2026, in Moncton, New Brunswick.

The title of Fellow is intended to formally recognize Canadian and Bermudian CPAs who have rendered exceptional services to the profession, or whose achievements in their careers or within their community, have earned them distinction and brought honour to the CPA profession.

“I am deeply humbled by this honour. It was 30 years ago exactly, in 1996, that I passed my uniform final exam,” said Walker in his acceptance speech. “Like our journeys through studies and convocation, this Fellowship reflects an investment of time—sometimes a lot of time—spent away from our day jobs, and more importantly from our families, to serve the communities around us. Time is a precious resource, and sharing time is a powerful thing. For this reason, I would like to recognize my wife and our two daughters for their patience through decades while I was studying and serving my profession and my communities.”

Prior to joining the senior management team at ��vlog��ý in April 2025, Walker served as the Vice-President of Finance and Administration at New Brunswick Community College (NBCC), overseeing key areas including enterprise risk management, facilities and ancillary services, financial operations, information technology, and continuous improvement initiatives.

“On behalf of the ��vlog��ý community, I extend my warmest congratulations to Tim on being named a Fellow of CPA New Brunswick,” said Dr. Wendy Rodgers, ��vlog��ý President and Vice-Chancellor. “This distinguished honour recognizes not only exceptional service to the profession but also leadership, integrity, and a steadfast commitment to excellence. We are proud to see Tim’s professional achievements and community contributions acknowledged in this way, as they reflect the very values we strive to uphold as an institution and bring great honour to both the CPA profession and our University.”

Update: Completion of Policy Development Work

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:07:27 -0400

The following message was also emailed to faculty and staff on February 26, 2026.

The ��vlog��ý is pleased to share that the work of the Fair Treatment Replacement Policy Committee has now concluded, following more than 15 months of sustained engagement, consultation, and careful deliberation.

The Committee was constituted in December 2024, in accordance with the current Fair Treatment Policy (12.7.1), to engage in a university-wide consultative process, with the aim of arriving at a recommendation for a new Harassment and Discrimination Policy and Sexual Violence Policy. The current Fair Treatment Policy was developed in 2003. The last reviewed Version Date is November 21, 2005. The policy was due for review in 2007.

Evidently, the committee was tasked with addressing policy areas that were long overdue, highly consequential, and complex. Throughout its mandate, members engaged deeply with diverse perspectives and navigated difficult and, at times, contentious issues with professionalism, care, and a shared commitment to the long-term well-being of the ��vlog��ý community.

Chair of the Fair Treatment Policy Review Committee, Mr. Brian Thompson, has provided a report of the work of the FTPRC in developing the new Sexual Violence Policy and the Harassment and Discrimination Policy. The details of this work can be found here.

The University extends its sincere appreciation to the committee members for the significant time, expertise, and thoughtful leadership they brought to this work. Their efforts were strengthened by extensive engagement across the institution and beyond. In particular, ��vlog��ý wishes to acknowledge:

The active and ongoing engagement of our valued union partners—IBEW, CUPE 1840 and 501, the ��vlog��ý Faculty Association, and the ��vlog��ý Student Union—whose participation helped ensure the policies were informed by lived experiences and collective agreement considerations.
The expertise and guidance of external legal counsel engaged to support the development of sound and legally robust policy frameworks, GLT Corporation and Nijhawan McMillan & Conlon Barristers.
The many faculty, staff, students, survivors, and service provider consultations, as well as the written submissions received, which provided essential insight and informed committee deliberations.
The contributions of the Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee, whose perspective was critical to responsible and responsive policy development.
The leadership and sustained support of the offices of the President and the Vice-President, People and Culture as well as expert advice of the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (SVPRO) throughout the process.
The engagement and oversight provided by members of the Board of Governors, whose governance role helped guide the work to completion.

This process reflects ��vlog��ý’s commitment to thoughtful governance, meaningful consultation, and principled decision making, particularly when addressing issues that were difficult and contested. The policies emerging from this work are stronger because of the breadth and depth of participation involved.

Next Steps

With the committee’s work now complete, the policies will proceed through ��vlog��ý’s required approval processes. In accordance with Article A17.1 of the FA1 Collective Agreement, the next step is to receive the express written consent from the Faculty Association, which the University believes will be forthcoming. Subject to that consent, the policies will then be advanced for consideration and approval by the Board of Governors.

Completion of these steps will result in two community-driven, legally sound, and long needed policies. Their development responds directly to the ��vlog��ý Action Plan following the 2023 ��vlog��ý Review (RT Report), and reflects ��vlog��ý’s responsibility to act with care, accountability, and transparency.

The University thanks everyone who contributed their time, expertise, and perspectives over the past 15 months. This work represents an important milestone and will continue to shape ��vlog��ý’s institutional practices in the years ahead.

For future and past updates regarding this policy replacement process, visit the Fair Treatment Policy Review web page.

Sincerely,

Jane Ngobia, PhD (she/her)
Vice President, People and Culture
��vlog��ý

��vlog��ý’s Luciana Quiroa Paredes earns McCall MacBain Regional Award for leadership and community service

Melanie Anderson — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 09:01:40 -0400

Luciana Quiroa Paredes, a student at the ��vlog��ý, has earned a McCall MacBain Regional Award. This scholarship recognizes students who have demonstrated exceptional character, community engagement, leadership potential, entrepreneurial spirit, academic strength, and intellectual curiosity.

Originally from Peru, Luciana is a fourth-year Bachelor of Business Administration student at ��vlog��ý. She has immersed herself in campus life since arriving in Charlottetown.

Luciana started the ��vlog��ý Latin Society, edited the yearbook, co-chaired the ��vlog��ý Relay for Life chapter, and organized an experiential event that raised awareness of accessibility challenges. She also helped create a social enterprise to address food waste through Enactus. This year, she serves as President and CEO of the ��vlog��ý Student Union, overseeing 50 staff, and as a board director of the PEI Literacy Alliance.

Luciana is applying for master's programs in policy and management.

“I am deeply honoured to receive the McCall MacBain Regional Award. It is a meaningful recognition of the work I have done throughout my university journey at ��vlog��ý, but more importantly, it motivates me to continue pursuing excellence, evidence-based decision-making, and meaningful impact through post-secondary education,” she said.

“Volunteering is deeply fulfilling, as I am motivated by work that has purpose,” Luciana added. “It allows me to contribute to positive change while learning directly from real-world challenges. It has taught me to actively listen, collaborate, and find practical, innovative solutions that support others and strengthen the communities I am part of.”

Luciana ranked among the top 15 of thousands of international applicants this year, and she will receive a C$10,000 Regional Award. The Regional Award can be applied to eligible master’s or professional studies at any public university in Canada.

The McCall MacBain Scholarships are the result of a landmark $200 million gift in 2019, then the largest single donation in Canadian history, by John and Marcy McCall MacBain.

Applications will open in June 2026 for the 2027 cohort. More information about the McCall MacBain Scholarships can be found at mccallmacbainscholars.org.

��vlog��ý Relay for Life to be held on March 14

Melanie Anderson — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 14:46:35 -0400

The ��vlog��ý Relay for Life is a student-led initiative dedicated to supporting the Canadian Cancer Society. The event will take place on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre, and committee members are asking for campus and community support.

Through fundraising and community engagement, the Canadian Cancer Society strives to support those affected by cancer and fund groundbreaking research. Last year, the ��vlog��ý student team raised over $16,000. This year, they have set their sights even higher with a goal of $20,000 and are asking for donations and participation in the event.

Event Details:

When: Saturday, March 14, 2026
Time: 11:30 am to 5:00 pm
Location: Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre indoor walking track
What: A day of fun activities, entertainment, food, and beverages. Most importantly, it is a time to celebrate cancer survivors and honour those who lost their lives to cancer.

Registration and Impact:

General registration: $20 (100 per cent of proceeds are donated directly to the Canadian Cancer Society.)
Survivors: We invite all survivors to register and participate free of charge as our honoured guests.

Cancer survivors will lead the way and cut the ceremonial banner to officially start the walk. After the opening lap, participants are encouraged to walk between activities and entertainment as much as they would like.

Registrants can participate in two ways:

Join a team: Join an existing group and make some new friends.
Create your own: Rally your family, friends, or coworkers to start a new team. While teams are typically around 10 people, there is no limit, and all groups are welcome.

“To make this event a success and reach our $20,000 goal, we are reaching out to our community for support,” said Rowan Drake, ��vlog��ý Relay for Life co-chair. “We are asking local businesses to contribute in any way possible and for community members to register for our event. Any and all contributions would be greatly appreciated.”

For more information, to donate, or to register as an individual or team, email upeirelayforlife@outlook.com, or visit ��vlog��ý Relay for Life.

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