The University of Windsor and the Municipality of Chatham-Kent have officially launched a strategic partnership that will drive regional innovation and support sustainable growth through enhanced educational opportunities and collaborative research.

A Memorandum of Understanding signed Friday by representatives from both institutions formalized a commitment to address community needs, create meaningful learning experiences, and foster economic resilience across Chatham-Kent.

The five-year agreement outlines a framework for co-operation in several areas:

• Collaborative research and innovation: The partnership will connect the University’s academic expertise with Chatham-Kent’s unique needs in such fields as agriculture, health, and environmental sustainability. This collaboration will advance research initiatives that provide real-world solutions and strengthen the region’s economic and environmental resilience.

• Experiential learning: Through placements and internships facilitated within Chatham-Kent, UWindsor students will gain invaluable hands-on experience, merging their academic studies with practical, career-oriented opportunities. This focus on experiential learning not only enriches students’ educational journeys but also ensures that the local workforce is equipped with skilled, emerging talent.

• Professional development: UWindsor’s Continuing Education programs will deliver tailored training and development opportunities to Chatham-Kent’s workforce, empowering local staff and residents to build new skills, grow professionally, and contribute to the community’s long-term success.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Chatham-Kent in a partnership that will bring UWindsor’s expertise and resources to support transformative growth within the community,” said president Robert Gordon.

“The MOU outlines a shared commitment to training and retaining local talent in the Chatham-Kent region, allowing UWindsor students to gain practical skills and insights by contributing to community-focused projects.”

Chatham-Kent mayor Darrin Canniff said this partnership will serve to strengthen the community by aligning education and research with local needs.

“This partnership with UWindsor is a commitment to develop pathways to a brighter future and enrich the lives of the residents of Chatham-Kent,” Canniff said.  

“It supports economic development through research, innovation, and skill-building, benefiting residents and local businesses alike. It also strengthens Chatham-Kent’s ability to attract new residents who are looking for the excellent academic support that UWindsor can provide.” 

This new partnership underscores the commitment of both parties to fostering a resilient, forward-thinking community. With a focus on impactful research, skill-building, and shared knowledge, this collaboration promises to create lasting positive change in the region.

The 2024 faculty and staff campaign is more than just a call for monetary donations, says Annual Giving Program co-ordinator Chris Knack: it’s an opportunity to invest in the future of students and the University.

“Your gift, directed as you choose, can create meaningful change and empower students to reach their full potential,” Knack says.

Employees will receive a pledge form through campus mail this week. Those who make a donation by Dec. 15, either online at uwindsor.ca/supportuwindsor or by returning the completed form, will enter a draw for a free vacation day in 2025.

At the campaign’s centre point on Dec. 3, a Giving Tuesday event at 3 p.m. in the CAW Student Centre will feature a live performance by the classic rock cover band Leave Those Kids Alone, as well as opportunities to donate non-perishable goods to the Campus Food Pantry and winter clothing to the local Coats for Kids effort.

“As the beating heart of our campus, you work every day to make it a better place, and you are able to see first-hand the steps we’re taking toward a student-centered experience and spaces that inspire greatness,” says Knack. “Let’s unite in our commitment to higher education, shaping a campus that continues to inspire and nurture the next generation of leaders.”

Members of the campus community will gather at the Green Bean Café on Thursday, Nov. 28, for a special salon, entitled “Justice and Argument: The Legacy of Catherine E. Hundleby.”

Dr. Hundleby, a professor of philosophy and women’s and gender studies who died in August 2023, is remembered for her pioneering work in feminist argumentation. She developed the interdisciplinary doctoral program in argumentation studies, for which she served as its inaugural director and was still leading at the time of her death.

“Oppression,” she wrote in a 2013 paper, “pervades social politeness, marriage, and even the discipline of philosophy. Oppression shapes the people in those institutions and influences their argumentation practices, and the reception of their arguments.”

This stand is the focus of the panel, which takes its impetus from Hundleby’s work but quickly moves to explore wider questions that impact on Canadian issues of injustice, especially involving Indigenous communities.

Presenting are Alisha Jacobs, a PhD candidate in argumentation studies whose work focuses on social justice issues; Oxana Pimenova, a post-doctoral student at the Centre for Research in Reasoning, Argumentation and Rhetoric; and Christopher Tindale, Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Philosophy, CRAR director, and co-editor of the journal Informal Logic.

Thursday’s event, presented by the Humanities Research Group, is free and open to the public. It begins at 6 p.m. The Green Bean Café is located at 2330 Wyandotte St. West.

In co-ordination with this event, Leddy librarian Heidi Jacobs has created a reading list of Hundleby’s works. Anyone with Leddy Library access can find it here.

The Faculty of Science will welcome all local bird enthusiasts to Walkerville Brewery on Thursday, Nov. 28, for an evening of feathers and fun.

The community outreach event “Science On Tap: Birds and Beers IV” will include lightning talks by University of Windsor ornithologists, graduate student bird posters, a trivia contest, a Science Meets Art exhibit, and a prize draw for a pair of Vortex binoculars.

“Birds of a feather gather together,” said organizer Dan Mennill, associate dean of science. “This event will be a chance for local bird enthusiasts to gather together to learn about the world-class bird science taking place on our campus.”

The event is hosted jointly by the Faculty of Science and the University of Windsor Ornithology Club and is the fourth in the series. The first three Birds and Beers events each attracted more than 100 people.

True to the event’s name, every ticket purchased includes one beer or another drink of choice. Food will be available for purchase.

Windsor is a hot spot for birds,” Dr. Mennill said.

“Billions of birds migrate over the Great Lakes every year. This makes the Windsor region the perfect place to study bird biology,” he said. “This evening will be a great chance for us to share our research with the local community while we dip our beaks and share some chatter about research.”

The event runs from 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 28, at Walkerville Brewery, 525 Argyle Rd. Tickets are $15 ($10 for students), available for online purchase: https://tinyurl.com/birdsbeers4.

Offices on the third floor of Chrysler Hall Tower reached a noteworthy milestone last week: on Nov. 19, the water filling station serving the Faculty of Graduate Studies and the Office of Human Rights, Equity & Accessibility reached the equivalent of 20,000 disposable plastic bottles saved.

Its use since its installation in 2018 removed an estimated 35 pallets of water bottles from the waste stream, noted sustainability officer Nadia Harduar.

“This is a remarkable achievement,” she said. “The best part is that it’s one action every employee and student can emulate by drinking from reusable bottles and travel mugs when on campus. Lt’s all ditch single-use plastics and make better choices for a greener planet.”

Harduar singled out dean of graduate studies Patti Weir as a champion of the sustainability effort.

“Dr. Weir set this goal and encouraged her staff to incorporate environmental practices in their daily lives, starting with the reusables,” she said.

The Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences has appointed Trevor Pitcher, professor at the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research and the Department of Integrative Biology, as co-editor-in-chief with University of Toronto professor Martin Krkosek, starting Jan. 1.

Director of the Freshwater Restoration Ecology Centre, Dr. Pitcher brings a wealth of experience to the prestigious role, including more than 100 peer-reviewed publications. He previously served as an associate editor for the journal, which first began publication in 1901. He has been an associate editor for the journal Genetica and ethics editor for Animal Behaviour. Additionally, he has served on the board of directors for the International Association of Great Lakes Research, contributing to the publications committee for the Journal of Great Lakes Research.

Panorama, a tool that assists instructors and students with creating a more accessible learning environment within Brightspace, will become available to all users on Jan. 2.

Panorama will review files for instructors, provide reports, and assist with fixing common accessibility issues. Students will have access to alternate formats to support their learning needs. Panorama even allows users to customize how their Brightspace page will look for them. Check out the Panorama information page to learn more.

Instructors looking to get started can attend one of the instructor focused workshops on Panorama in the workshops page, Teaching with Tech or contact ooltech@uwindsor.ca. They can also check out the Panorama instructor getting started page or instructor getting started video.

Students looking to learn more about the accessible formats can attend one of the student focused workshops on Panorama in the workshops page, Teaching with Tech. They can also check out the student getting started page or getting started video.

The CAW Student Centre in collaboration with students from the School of Creative Arts is hosting a sale of unique works on Wednesday, Nov. 27.

The One-Day Art Market will run 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Student Centre Commons.

“With SoCA off site, a lot of our main campus students don't really get much opportunity to see the beautiful artwork and talents that we have downtown,” says organizer Sandra Riccio-Muglia. “Therefore, we wanted to bridge a bit of that gap and connect students to meet, socialize, view — and potentially buy — some amazing hand-painted artwork and other creations such as jewelry, portraits, and more.”

The student centre will serve coffee and cookies to students as they navigate the artworks and support the creative arts.

Looking for the perfect holiday gift? Your search is over, as the Windsor Lancers are here to help.

The blue and gold will hold merchandise pop-ups every Windsor Wednesday leading up to Christmas to help shoppers find the perfect gift for their loved ones. From sweatshirts and hats to pillows and flags, you’ll find what you’re looking for.

The pop-up will be located in the main lobby of the Toldo Lancer Centre on the following dates:

• Wednesday, Nov. 27, noon to 5 p.m.
• Thursday, Nov. 28, 5 to 9 p.m.
• Wednesday, Dec. 4, noon to 5 p.m.
• Wednesday, Dec. 11, noon to 5 p.m.
• Wednesday, Dec. 18, noon to 5 p.m.

Come check out the selection — you might even find gift ideas for yourself!

The Organization of Part-time University Students is collecting canned goods and other non-perishable foods through Dec. 16 for donation to the student food pantry.

It has set up collection boxes in the Leddy Library, the CAW Student Centre Commons, and its office in room 172 of the student centre. Drop off donations from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday, and Friday by appointment.

In addition, it will accept donations of canned goods during its annual potluck lunch. Bring a dish that will serve 15 to 20 people and join in the fun at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 28, in the OPUS office.