From students and professors who have pivoted to remote learning and teaching, to the rapid response of researchers who have joined the fight against a global pandemic, COVID-19 has had a far-reaching impact across the UWindsor campus.

In response to the growing needs of the Faculty of Engineering, it has established the UWindsor Engineering COVID-19 Action Fund to accelerate time-critical research, help students who are experiencing hardships, and maximize curriculum resources for online distance learning.

Engineers are essential to finding innovative solutions to problems that are critical to society. As highlighted in the latest issue of WE, researchers, students, and community partners have come together to find innovative solutions to challenges sweeping the globe.

Many students are experiencing hardships, dealing with the uncertainty of employment and internships, a reduction or loss of part-time work.

Transitioning the curriculum online and maximizing resources for distance learning has become vital to ensuring students continue to have access to a high-quality education. This includes adapting traditional labs to online platforms so students can learn safely from home, bringing them high-fidelity experiences in areas such as aerospace, control systems, and robotics.

Support engineering education today by making a donation to this Action Fund at www.uwindsor.ca/donate — designate to “Engineering COVID-19 Action Fund.”

To make a greater gift or learn more about how you can support urgent funding priorities during these challenging times, contact Katie Mazzuca, major gift officer, at katie.mazzuca@uwindsor.ca or 519-253-3000, ext. 5959.

—Kristie Pearce

A report detailing a record number of anti-Semitic incidents in Canada in 2019 has prompted the launch of a new study on the phenomenon in Windsor-Essex.

UWindsor alumnus John Cappucci (BA 2006), principal of Assumption University and the Stephen A. Jarislowsky Chair in Religion and Conflict, noted that B’nai Brith Canada reported an average of six anti-Semitic acts per day.

“We know about the national and provincial situation but are somewhat uncertain about the local status,” Dr. Cappucci said. “I will examine communal perceptions of anti-Semitism in Windsor-Essex and experienced manifestations of anti-Semitism by members of the Jewish community.”

He has launched two online surveys, each requiring about 30 minutes to complete:

• For the first, participants need to identify as Jewish, currently live in Windsor-Essex, and be 18 years of age or older.
• Participants in the second survey must identify as Jewish, currently live in Windsor-Essex, be 18 years of age or older, and have personally experienced anti-Semitism in the last five years.

The most recent census data counted a Jewish population of 1,515 living in and around Windsor, Cappucci said.

He interviewed some 50 representatives of this group in 2019. The results of that study were published as a refereed journal article in Canadian Jewish Studies, entitled “Believe, Pray, and Obey: Three Indicators of Religiosity in a Jewish Canadian Community.”

To participate in the current survey, contact Cappucci at jcappucci@assumptionu.ca. The study has received clearance from the University of Windsor Research Ethics Board.

Assumption University is the Roman Catholic university federated with the University of Windsor. The Chair in Religion and Conflict was established at Assumption University in 2004; Cappucci took on the position in 2017.

The Peer Support Centre, a service of the University of Windsor Students’ Alliance, is now open in a virtual format to support students’ mental health during the final examination period, through Dec. 21.

Peer support volunteers are available via Zoom during drop-in sessions from 2 to 6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Students looking for more information, or to get connected with a peer support volunteer today, can visit https://www.uwsa.ca/pscconnect.

Campus partners are working to maintain a robust set of Knowledge Base Articles (KBAs).

The KBA team has compiled a digest of this week’s most-referenced KBAs to streamline student-focused questions to ask.UWindsor to support consistent communication with current and future students.

These are this week’s top-five referenced KBAs:

• What should students know before enrolling in an online course?
• What is the typical workload for an online course?
• Do students need to attend classes at specific times?
• What is an asynchronous course?
• Will the University be offering a tuition discount?

Find Winter 2021 KBAs by clicking here.

Submit common questions to askkba@uwindsor.ca.

DailyNews, the university’s e-newsletter, will reduce its publication to every second day leading into the holiday break.

Issues are scheduled for:

• Monday, Dec. 14
• Wednesday, Dec. 16
• Friday, Dec. 18
• Tuesday, Dec. 22

DailyNews will return to regular quotidian publication on January 4.

Editor Kevin Johnson reminds contributors to consider this reduced frequency of publication as they schedule submissions. He welcomes all story ideas and suggestions at Kevin.Johnson@uwindsor.ca.