Windsor Law opened its doors last week to a multi-million-dollar renovation within the brick shell of the Ron W. Ianni Faculty of Law Building on the corner of Sunset and University avenues.

Many of the spaces are unrecognizable with new, bright, and open student lounges, modern furniture, learning spaces, collaboration zones, and the state-of-the-art Don Rodzik Moot Court where students can replicate court proceedings. The entire building was retrofitted to establish an open concept design connecting all three floors and allowing natural light to filter through skylights from top to bottom.

“This newly redesigned building represents Windsor Law’s commitment to creating a legal education that represents its student body,” said Reem Bahdi, dean of law. “By creating a welcoming and accessible environment, it will promote dynamic learning and student wellness.”

The addition of expansive windows reduces energy costs and grants views of the busiest border crossing in the world — a reminder of the faculty’s transnational commitments. The physical space also highlights the school’s obligation to Indigenous peoples with themes woven throughout the building’s architecture, including areas for smudging.

A ventilation system that formerly dominated the heart of the building has now been moved to the roof, and has been replaced with a large, usable area featuring a collaborative space and high-tech meeting rooms.

“Transforming the University of Windsor’s law building is much more than a renovation of a 50-year-old brutalist-style building,” said Duncan Higgins, principal at Diamond Schmitt Architects. “The approach was to embrace the architectural character of the facility and its history on campus, while creating an open and collaborative space that offers flexibility for diverse modes of learning and supports the pedagogies of the 21st century.”

New elevators, ramps, automatic doors, tactile surfaces, accessible entrances, and universal washrooms are integral to the design and uphold the University’s strategic priorities of creating a welcoming campus. Classrooms are fitted with moveable furniture for a variety of teaching and learning needs and are equipped with advanced communications and presentation technology to reach a broader group of experts, mentors, and audiences beyond campus.

Besides the architects, contributing partners included EllisDon Corporation, the Fortis Construction Group, and donors from the Windsor Law community who raised almost $6 million, including a gift of $3 million from the Don Rodzik Foundation.

“It was critical for us to work closely with the architects to ensure the mission, vision, and values of the faculty were reflected in every new design feature and element of the retrofit. Accessibility, wellness, and inclusiveness are embedded in our practice, and it was important for it to be a physical part of the building,” Bahdi said.

“Thanks to the support of our dedicated friends and alumni, we have reinvented the Windsor Law building to reflect the needs of the next generation of diverse law students and scholars who can now teach, learn, and serve their communities in a dynamic new setting.”

UWindsor president Robert Gordon joined members of the Rodzik family for a tour of the facility on Friday.

“Today, we celebrate not just the physical renovation of our law school, but the enduring spirit of generosity and belief in the power of education and importance of nurturing a sense of shared purpose,” Dr. Gordon said. “We are grateful for the support of the Don Rodzik Foundation for helping us create a lasting legacy through knowledge creation and by fostering an ethos of giving back and a commitment to creative positive change in the world.”

To commemorate this transformation, Windsor Law will hold a grand reopening celebration on Oct. 27 and 28. Learn more about Transforming Windsor Law at uwindsor.ca/law/twl.

—Dalia Mazhar

The Lab School in the School of Creative Arts together with Continuing Education will open its fall program in music instruction on Saturday, Sept. 23.

The program is designed for students ages 4 to 17 and offers group instruction for beginner and intermediate levels in string instruments: violin, cello, viola, or string bass, and — new this year — flute.

Students meet every other Saturday at either 2 or 3 p.m., depending upon skill level, in the School of Creative Arts’ Armouries building. They participate in 60-minute group lessons to develop technical skills, ensemble and ear training, concert etiquette, and master class performance experiences. The classes encourage social interactions with peers grouped by age and skill level.

The Lab School’s instructors and key collaborators are composed of University of Windsor faculty. At the heart of the Lab School’s offerings is its commitment to experiential learning, which fosters social interactions and musical development, with a research component that supports new ideas in music pedagogy as well as culture vibrancy and community development.

The school is also a centre and laboratory for research. Supported by funding from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council, the work of the lab focuses on how students learn and explores the implications of music study on communities. It is a collaborative endeavour that engages faculty, undergraduate and graduate students in the pursuit of this critical work.

The research assesses how string education may fulfill social benefits, well-being, cultural identification, integration, and belonging within the Canadian context. In the process, researchers have established innovative pedagogies and skills in string and flute performance while building towards a continued understanding of how music can play a role in politics, society, and culture.

For more details and to register, visit the Continuing Education registration page. UWindsor alumni, staff, students, and group registrations are eligible for a discount. Direct inquiries to continue@uwindsor.ca.

It is a great honour for the School of Social Work to host Wanda Thomas Bernard for a series of presentations this week, says director Robin Wright.

Dr. Bernard, a social worker, educator, researcher, community activist, advocate, and mentor, will conduct workshops with faculty, students, and staff; class visits with all undergrad and graduate students; and online webinars for members of the Canadian Association of Social Workers.

A founding member of the Association of Black Social Workers, a former chair of the Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women, and a founding member of the Africadian Empowerment Academy, Bernard is highly regarded for addressing racial and cultural diversity in social work education and in the community.

“As a well renowned academic in Canadian social work, our faculty, students, and staff are looking forward to her in-class teaching and participation in her workshops,” says Dr. Wright.

Bernard has received numerous awards, certificates, and recognition over the years for her trendsetting work and effective community leadership, including the Order of Nova Scotia, the Order of Canada, and three honorary doctorates. She was appointed to the Senate of Canada in 2016 under the new independent appointments process.

Born in East Preston, Nova Scotia, Bernard was the first African Nova Scotian hired in a tenure track position at Dalhousie University in 1990. She served as director of its School of Social Work for 10 years, retired in 2017, and is now a professor emeritus.

—Susan McKee

A public reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13, will offer a chance to view “Kickstart,” an exhibition of artworks by faculty and students in the School of Creative Arts.

Curated by fourth-year BFA students Phoebe Findlay and Yvonne Gascon, the show features a diverse array of artistic styles, media, and disciplines, highlighting the possibilities nurtured within the School of Creative Arts.

“It has been a great experience in our field of study,” says Findlay. “We are grateful to our faculty advisor, Prof. Catherine Heard, for this opportunity.”

The gallery in the SoCA Armouries houses the exhibit and Wednesday’s reception. It is located at 37 University Ave. East.

The first cohort of Elevate interns showed off the results of their summer research projects in poster presentations before the start of the fall semester.

Elevate scholarships, a new program by dean of engineering Bill Van Heyst, afford opportunities to students from equity-deserving groups: those who identify as Black, female, non-binary, or Indigenous. Along with a $5,000 award, they offer research positions working directly with faculty in the summer following the completion of first year.

Thirty-two students participated this year.

“The feedback from our Elevate recipients and their faculty advisors has been phenomenal,” says associate dean Jennifer Johrendt. “For practically all students, this is their first encounter with engineering research, and many are eager to continue pursuing research during the completion of their undergraduate degrees. A few told me that they would be open to considering graduate school, an idea that was never on their radar before this summer.”

Faculty and staff were invited to attend the poster presentations vote for prize winners.

• Huda Saleh and Autumn-Rain Turpin took honours for best poster for their project, “EV Technology.”
• Brooklyn Boucher and Bansari Patel were named most informative presentation for “Investigating the Future of EV Technology in CHARGE Lab.”
• Amber Enns won for most engaging presentation for “Sustainability Rating Systems in Communities.”

To learn more about the Elevate scholarships or the opportunity to mae a donation that will be matched, visit the engineering website.

—Naomi Pelkey

The latest cohort of Graduate Teaching and Learning Fellows, Mahsa Jalali and Ailin Barzegar in the Faculty of Engineering, will facilitate professional development opportunities and mentorship for graduate and teaching assistants.

The program, supported by individual faculties and the Centre for Teaching and Learning, aims to improve the pedagogical knowledge, skills, abilities of GAs and TAs, as well as the student experience overall.

“The fellowship program has proven to be a valuable way to encourage professional development training for our valuable GAs and TAs through a more informal and relaxed peer-to-peer format,” says dean of engineering Bill Van Heyst. “I’m excited to have both Mahsa and Ailin as our fellows for the 2023-24 academic year and can’t wait to see what they will accomplish.”

Learn more about GTL Fellowships on the program website.