A panel will discuss a proposal by Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens to have the city’s police partner with a video-sharing social network promoted by Amazon as a security system, on Wednesday, Jan. 22, in the Performance Hall, SoCA Armouries.

Amazon Ring produces a doorbell which allows users to see, talk to, and record people who come to their entrances. Its social media app enables members to post videos of suspicious activity and crimes outside their front doors, and view those from other people within a specified radius.

More than 700 police services in the United States have signed on, which gives them the ability to notify users in the event of a crime and ask for their relevant camera footage. In a September radio interview, Dilkens emphasized that talks were in the preliminary stages. Windsor would be the first Canadian city to use the tool.

Wednesday’s event, “Safer Communities in a ‘Smart Tech’ World,” will feature Chris Gilliard, a professor of English at Macomb Community College, as well as UWindsor law professor Kristen Thomasen and Mita Williams, head of the Leddy Library’s information services department. Education professor Bonnie Stewart will moderate the discussion.

It begins at 7 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Learn more at http://ring.aedileworks.com/.

Calling all undergraduate and graduate students! The sixth annual UWill Discover Conference, March 31 to April 2, is an interdisciplinary conference dedicated to showcasing students’ academic work and creative projects, providing students a chance to share their research campus-wide.

The deadline to submit proposals to UWill Discover has been extended to Feb. 7. Submission details are available on the conference website, https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/uwilldiscover/.

Pre-conference writing workshops are available for students seeking assistance with their proposals. Register at https://ctl2.uwindsor.ca/workshops/ctl/110/.

Submissions will be accepted based on the four grand challenge themes representing the University of Windsor’s principal areas of research and development, as well as a fifth open challenge theme category. The themes are as follows:

1. Safeguarding Healthy Great Lakes
2. Building Viable, Healthy and Safe Communities
3. Fostering Sustainable Industry
4. Understanding and Optimizing Borders
5. Open Challenge

Cash prizes will be awarded to the top presentations in each of the five theme categories, as well as a People’s Choice Award.

For more details about the grand challenge and open challenge themes, visit https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/uwilldiscover/2020/.

The Student Mental Health Strategy Implementation Committee is seeking new membership for the one-year term beginning March 1. The committee was formed to support and guide the implementation of the Student Mental Health Strategy so that the University effectively implements its 39 recommendations.

Committee members meet three times per calendar year to review the University’s progress on the strategy and provide guidance to units responsible for implementing recommendations. The committee also provides direction on funding disbursement to campus-wide mental health efforts through the selection of applications to the Mental Health Initiatives Fund that support recommendations and University wellness priorities.

For more information on the Student Mental Health Strategy Implementation committee, visit http://www.uwindsor.ca/studentexperience/448/strategy-implementation.

All inquiries and membership interests can be directed to studentexperience@uwindsor.ca. Faculty, staff, and students are welcome to become members of the Implementation Committee. If you are aware of a student who is interested in supporting wellness at UWindsor, please share this opportunity with them.

Student Experience will be accepting requests to join the committee until Feb. 7.

The Leddy Library welcomes the Windsor Public Library Bookmobile back to campus every third Wednesday, starting tomorrow — Jan. 22.

Nicknamed FRED as an acronym for “Freedom to Read, Educate, and Discover,” the vehicle delivers recreational and educational materials to students, faculty, and staff with a free public library card.

Library members can access popular books, DVD’s, magazines, games, newspapers, and thousands of e-resources including movies, eBooks, and audiobooks through digital streaming apps like Kanopy and Hoopla. FRED even boasts a tool lending library.

To claim your card, bring a valid UwinCARD, a government-issued photo ID, and a document with your current mailing address to the bookmobile during its campus visits: Jan. 22, Feb. 12, Mar. 4, Mar. 25, and April 15, from noon to 2 p.m.

Learn more on the Leddy Library website.

The Women’s Campus Safety Grant Committee is accepting applications for funding for projects to promote safety for women on campus. The committee invites creative, innovative proposals from members of the university community, including faculty and staff (individuals or groups) and student organizations.

The deadline for the next round of submissions for funding through the Women’s Campus Safety Grant will be Jan. 31.

In accordance with the parameters set by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, submissions are required to support one of the following broad categories or objectives:

• Awareness or education (e.g., workshops, websites, awareness campaigns)
• Student services and supports (e.g., campus walk safe programs, sexual assault prevention initiatives, volunteer training, resource materials)
• Facilities and equipment (e.g., lighting, mirrors, security cameras, emergency phones)

Funding requests are accepted on an ongoing basis by the Office of Human Rights, Equity and Accessibility at:

• www.uwindsor.ca/ohrea/48/forms
• by e-mail to ohrea@uwindsor.ca,
• or by phoning 519-253-3000, ext. 3400.

Projects funded in the current round must be completed — and invoices paid — by March 15, 2021.

Cold weather got you feeling chilled? The Campus Bookstore can get you covered — in a warm sweatshirt on sale this week.

The store is slashing 25 per cent off the cost of all regular-priced sweatshirts through Friday, Jan. 24. With a wide selection of styles, sizes, and colours, there’s something for everyone.

Check out the stock in the Campus Bookstore, located on the lower level of the CAW Student Centre.