Colourful imagery depicting a connection to the planet now greets patrons of the Toldo Lancer Centre as they enter the facility for a workout, swim, or to cheer on Lancer student athletes.

Protecting Mother Earth is a three-metre-long wall hanging by Walpole Island First Nation artist Teresa Altiman. The piece of textile art is a celebration of nature as seen through Indigenous culture. There are dozens of animals depicted, including a sandhill crane and other birds, a bear, turtle, and more.

“It has things in it that are important to me and to the Anishinaabe people,” Altiman said.

A graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design, Altiman, 74, has created many pieces of public art, including a turtle sculpture and textile piece at Point Pelee National Park, designs along the Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway, and paintings on the towers of the Gordie Howe International Bridge. Elsewhere on campus, she designed the banners lining Turtle Island Walk representing the seven grandfather teachings inherent in Indigenous culture.

Every element of the piece hanging in the Toldo Lancer Centre has meaning. At the top of the piece are a row of white eagle feathers depicting the sacred teachings. A seventh feather is clutched by a bear, an animal that while rooting along the ground gathers knowledge of the earth.

A boy stands in the foreground of the bear near the bottom of the piece. On his chest is the traditional medicine wheel.

“When children come in here, they will be at the same level as that boy,” Altiman said. “It makes me happy to know they will see that little boy and the bear.”

The work is comprised of hundreds of pieces of fabric, some as slender as toothpicks. Altiman hand-painted some elements, like the eye and other details on the loon’s head. A final touch are dozens of glass beads, some infused with copper, for additional shine.

“I don’t keep track of things like that,” Altiman said with a laugh when asked how many different pieces of fabric she used or how many hours it took.

“It was everywhere in my house,” she said of the pieces. “It was all-consuming. I thought about it from the moment I woke up in the morning and I was thinking about it as I would go to sleep.”

The wall hanging is so detailed people will notice new elements each time they look at it. There are deer tracks weaving through the design and tiny triangles representing arrowheads.

“The arrowheads represent our ancestors who have walked the land before us,” Altiman said. “It is important to remember our ancestors and those who came before us.”

Toldo Lancer Centre designer Craig Goodman, principal at CS&P Architects, said the wall hanging is the perfect touch for the entry foyer.

“We always had the idea of feature walls and we knew we wanted something special for this space.” Pointing out etchings on the stairway glass that look like weaving, he said Altiman’s artwork made of fabrics continues the theme.

“We wanted this building to be a background for these special moments and her piece is definitely a special moment.”

—Sarah Sacheli

The Board of Governors of the University of Windsor is pleased to announce the re-appointment of Mary Jo Haddad to a second term as Chancellor.

Dr. Haddad was installed as the University of Windsor’s eighth chancellor during spring 2019 Convocation ceremonies and has been a strong proponent of the importance of leadership throughout her first term.

She established the Chancellor’s Leadership Series to promote the importance of leadership in society and building capacity through scholarship and inspiration by engaging thoughtful leaders in Canada. The series rests on four pillars: leadership, innovation, sustainability, and diversity.

“We are grateful for Dr. Haddad’s continued commitment to the University of Windsor and the community it serves,” says UWindsor president Robert Gordon.

“Among her many contributions over the past three years, Dr. Haddad’s prominent support of the University’s campus transformations and capital campaigns, including the $35 million Transforming Windsor Law project and the $73 million Toldo Lancer Centre, have had a significant impact on their successes. Our campus community owes her a debt of gratitude and we are fortunate that we can continue to count on her support and leadership for her second term.”

She served as president and CEO of the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto from 2004 to her retirement in 2013, following a career that began in 1984 and included service as the hospital’s executive vice-president and chief operating officer.

“Dr. Haddad’s dedication to leadership and the welfare of children and young people has been an incredible asset to the University of Windsor community,” says University of Windsor Board of Governors chair Helga Reidel, noting the Chancellor’s commitment to improvements to global child health, and as a champion of research and innovation through the creation of the Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning -- building capacity and commitment to discovery and applied research and commercialization.

Among her many efforts to promote child health, Haddad has served as founding chair of MaRS Innovation; chair of the Council for Maternal Child Health; director at the Vector Institute; and founding chair of the board of Children First Canada, where she remains as a member of the Council of Champions.

Haddad was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2010 and received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. She was also a recipient of the Premier’s Award for Outstanding Achievement.

“In the coming years I look forward to continuing my work to support the strategic goals of the University of Windsor through strong engagement with both internal and external communities,” Haddad says.

“It has also been my privilege to support student success and encourage student and faculty leadership through the Chancellor’s Leadership Series – an initiative I intend to continue as a financial champion, role model, and mentor.”

She says oversight of Convocation programs and the opportunity to preside over Convocation ceremonies will continue to be key components of her duties as chancellor.

“Being present for University of Windsor students and their families as they are recognized and acknowledged for their hard work and dedication is definitely a highlight for me,” Haddad says.

“Having the opportunity to wish students well as they take their University of Windsor education out to do good in the world and establish themselves as leaders in their own communities and workplaces is an exceptional honour.”

The Office of Human Rights, Equity and Accessibility (OHREA) is celebrating its annual OHREA Awards with a virtual introduction by director Kaye Johnson and UWindsor president Rob Gordon, set to launch today at noon through this link.

The OHREA Awards recognize and celebrate the contributions made by individuals and groups who advance human rights, social justice, inclusivity, employment equity, mental health, and accessibility at the University of Windsor and the broader community.

A call for nominations was issued to the campus community. Award recipients were determined by a committee based on the individual or group’s demonstrated dedication to human rights, their contributions that led to the improvement or promotion of human rights, and activity that fostered a culture of inclusivity at the University.

OHREA Awards are presented in the areas of:

• Accessibility
• Employment Equity
• Human Rights and Social Justice
• Mental Health Champion
• The OHREA Award (General Human Rights Improvement or Promotion)

This year’s recipients are:

• Luka Mlinarevic, Pavneet Sarao, Alea McLellan, Jasmine Bull, and Saifaldin Abdelhamid, students under capstone co-ordinator Colin Novak, associate professor of Mechanical, Materials and Automotive Engineering — Accessibility Award
• Karen Pillon, associate University Librarian — Employment Equity Award
• Danardo S. Jones, assistant professor in the Faculty of Law — Human Rights and Social Justice Award
• Krista Chandler, professor of human kinetics — Mental Health Champion Award
• Lacy Carty, legal counsel for the Windsor-Essex Children's Aid Society — OHREA Award

Videos featuring interviews with each of this year’s recipients will be launched daily the week of Monday, Dec. 12, through the UWindsor YouTube and social media channels.

Comprehensive internationalization is a strategic, co-ordinated framework that integrates policies, programs, initiatives, and individuals to make universities more globally oriented and internationally connected, says Chris Busch, associate vice-president, enrolment, and the University’s senior international officer.

To support comprehensive internationalization, the University of Windsor is a member institution of the Canadian Bureau for International Education, the national voice advancing international education by creating and mobilizing expertise, knowledge, opportunity, and leadership.

With membership, the University’s staff and faculty benefit from being part of an inclusive community of international education professionals across the full spectrum of education in Canada, including:

Community connection and leadership: Virtual Member Community Hub with more than 1,000 IE professionals nationwide, Professional Learning Communities, and leadership opportunities.

Professional learning and events: 20 per cent discount on the International Students and Immigration Education Program and discount of 20 to 30 per cent on webinars, events, and online courses.

Co-ordinated national voice: Support advocacy efforts to advance policy impacting international education in Canada, volunteer leadership opportunities on advisory committees, and access to the digital “Engage with Canada” toolkit.

Insights and resources: Access to curated resources on trends and perspectives, opportunities to participate in nationwide student mobility surveys, and exclusive access to student mobility data.

Global partnership network: Events to build partnerships with institutions and governments worldwide and opportunities to engage in international capacity-building projects.

“Faculty and staff can become involved with CBIE by creating an account to access resources, sign up for its newsletter, listen to a podcast featuring leaders and practitioners on timely international topics, participate in a workshop such as their upcoming anti-racism response training, or join a member community hub, café, or professional learning community,” Dr. Busch says.

“Connecting with colleagues to exchange ideas and share best practices with other Canadian institutions is key to advancing the University’s internationalization efforts.”

To learn more about CBIE, visit its website or email globalengage@uwindsor.ca.

The Office of Public Affairs and Communications has teamed up with Campus Community Police and the University of Windsor Students’ Alliance to produce a video reminding students, staff, and faculty to stay safe.

Campus Community Police director Matt D’Asti and UWSA president Alanna Olteanu host the three-minute video describing the tools and programs available to promote campus safety, such as the Safe Lancer App, emergency phones, and the Walksafe program.

Click here to watch:

A new program of the Entrepreneurship Practice and Innovation Centre (EPICentre) will provide learning and funding opportunities for budding social entrepreneurs in Windsor-Essex.

Sponsored by Libro Credit Union, the Social Enterprise Coaching Program is valued at more than $5,000 and is free of cost to all eligible participants.

“Our partnership will provide social entrepreneurs with resources and access to experts and coaches that will help them develop creative solutions to the most pressing problems in our communities,” says EPICentre director Wen Teoh.

Applications for the Social Enterprise Coaching Program are open through Jan. 20. To learn more, sign up for an info session: Dec. 19 or Jan. 10.