The University of Windsor has renamed its St. Denis Centre fieldhouse as the Dennis Fairall Fieldhouse to honour the contributions of one of the most decorated coaches in the history of Canadian university sport.

UWindsor president Alan Wildeman announced the change Thursday during an event celebrating Fairall, who took a long-term medical leave in October 2015.

Among the hundreds of achievements his 30-year Windsor career, Fairall led Lancer teams to 25 Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) championships, 46 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) titles, and has been honoured 65 times as either CIS or OUA coach of the year in track and field or cross country. His Lancer teams have won 22 of the past 25 provincial championships in men’s track and field, and 17 of the past 25 provincial championships in women’s track and field.

“This is a fitting tribute to a man who has had an extraordinary impact on the lives of student athletes and on the University of Windsor,” Dr. Wildeman said. “Dennis is known across the country for his dedication to excellence in track and field, and has been a coach, mentor and friend to all he has worked with. He is a legend.”

Fairall began his coaching career in his hometown of Tillsonburg in 1974 when he founded the Tillsonburg Legion Track Club. He remained the club’s head coach until 1985 when he joined the University of Windsor. Fairall has coached a number of national teams and served as head coach of Team Canada at the 2005 Pan American Junior Athletics Championships held in Windsor. Under his direction, Team Canada earned its highest medal count in the history of the event.

“It is difficult to think of the Windsor Lancers without thinking of Dennis Fairall,” said Lancer director of athletics, Mike Havey. “Dennis is an iconic figure here at the University of Windsor and in the history of Lancer athletics. He has been a model of class, humility and professionalism his entire career and has been someone who has always put the team first. He has mentored generations of student-athletes, coaches and colleagues alike. We have all been made better because of his influence and leadership.” 

Though he has left the coaching staff, Fairall remains a member of the Lancer family and continues to coach Canadian middle distance runner and UWindsor alumna Melissa Bishop, who won a gold medal at the 2015 Pan Am Games and set a new Canadian record in the 800 metres last summer, while also capturing a silver medal at the 2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing. Last week, Bishop broke her own Canadian record twice in three days, setting a new mark at the Glasgow Indoor Grand Prix on Saturday.

This weekend, the Dennis Fairall Fieldhouse will host the OUA track and field championships and the final regular-season games of Lancer basketball.

A reception April 9 will celebrate the successes of Allan Conway as he comes to the end of his tenure as dean of the Odette School of Business.

The evening promises entertainment, refreshments and hors d’oeuvres, all in the faculty’s Odette Building home. Tickets are $50 per person; learn more on the event website.

Irish festivities will begin early this year but instead of corned beef and green beer, University Players is serving up a Tony award-winning play.

The company’s production of Dancing at Lughnasa will open tonight—February 26—and continue through March 13 in the Hatch Studio Theatre, Jackman Dramatic Art Centre.

In the rural town of Ballybag, Ireland, the Mundy sisters are bound together with courage and their devotion to the seven year old love-child, Michael. Michael warmly remembers the pagan harvest festival of Lughnasa during the turbulent times of 1936. The family’s first radio, visits from his unreliable father, the return of his missionary uncle, and the unconditional love of his aunts, mark the fading days of summer.

Wednesday through Saturday performances are at 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday matinees are at 2 p.m. On Sunday, February 28, a “Talk Back” discussion with the actors will follow the performance. Order tickets: online at www.UniversityPlayers.com, or by calling 519-253-3000, ext. 2808.

The payroll department has processed 2015 tax slips and issued T4 and T4A slips through the mail, and wishes to advise employees they may also access these slips through the myUWinfo information site.

Faculty and staff will need a UwinID and password to access the site, and must consent to be able to see tax slips online.

Once they log in, they may find a link to T4s and T4As under “My Pay.” Additional help is available through documentation on the site.

A Windsor Law grad will discuss the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls in a free public lecture Monday.

Beverley Jacobs is a former president of the Native Women’s Association of Canada and a member of the Mohawk Nation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

Her presentation will run noon to 1:30 p.m. February 29 in room 1100, Ron W. Ianni Faculty of Law Building.

For his February “Meet the Provost” event, Douglas Kneale is going to mix it up a bit—moving between two locations in the Human Kinetics complex.

Monday, February 29, he will visit with students, staff and faculty in the Human Kinetics Building’s atrium from 11 a.m. to noon, then decamp to the lobby of the St. Denis Centre from noon to 1 p.m., which he hopes will be an opportunity to visit with people from across campus who use the athletics facilities.

“One thing I really enjoy about these events is the opportunity to get out on campus and learn more about people’s lives, work, and learning,” says Dr. Kneale. “The human kinetics areas—both the kinesiology department and Athletics and Recreational Services—are important and lively community hubs, and I’m looking forward to this opportunity to spend some time with the people there.”

The monthly drop-in sessions are open to all members of the campus community.

A sale of used books in the Leddy Library will extend from Monday to Wednesday, raising funds to provide refreshments to patrons during examination study periods.

The event is set for the library’s lobby from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. February 29 and March 1, and 10 a.m. to noon on March 2.

In addition to used books in many subject areas, the sale will feature other materials donated in support of Student Appreciation Days activities.