UPEI is receiving a number of calls regarding what happens if a storm occurs during the exam schedule.

Storm closure procedures are administered by the Office of the Vice-President Administration and Finance. Any decision to postpone or cancel morning classes or exams due to poor weather will be made by 7:00 am, if possible, on the day in question. Announcements of this decision will be made on the UPEI website, Campus Closure and Alert Line and to local radio stations. The website will also include information on when exams will be rescheduled as soon as it becomes available.

Please check upei.ca for updates.

UPEI women's hockey Head Coach Bruce Donaldson is pleased to welcome Winsloe native Emma Martin to the Panther program for the 2013-14 season.

'We are excited to have Emma join the Panther program,' said Donaldson. 'She has great size, she's a very strong skater, and she's someone we feel will develop into a key defensive player as she moves through her AUS varsity career.'

Martin, a Colonel Gray high school student, was dubbed 'Female Rookie of the Year' for 2011-12. She was also the recipient of the 'Atlantic Bantam Female MVP' in 2011-12, and captain of the 2012 Team PEI U17 women's hockey team. In 2010, Martin was selected for a Hockey Canada Skills Competition during the 4 Nations Cup, an annual women's ice hockey tournament held among four major national teams in the sport-Canada, the United States, Sweden, and Finland.

UPEI is happy Martin has decided to join the Panther family. 'I'm sure Emma will enjoy her experience as a student-athlete at the university level,' said Bill Schurman, Director of UPEI Athletics and Recreation.

'I'm honoured and excited to be a Panther next year,' said Martin. 'I'll do my best to contribute to the team in any way I can.'

Martin will begin her business administration degree at UPEI in September 2013.

UPEI women's hockey Head Coach Bruce Donaldson is pleased to welcome Glenboro, Manitoba native Teagan Pringle to the Panther program for the 2013-14 season.

'I look forward to Teagan joining the program this fall,' said Donaldson. 'She comes from a very well run organization that fits nicely with our team's objective of working hard and continuing to develop each and every year. Teagan will bring some offence to our line-up along with size and speed.'

Pringle, an honour roll student, is a hard working and consistent performer for the Westman Wildcats out of Hartney, Manitoba. Currently in her third season with the team, she has scored 34 goals and 56 assists. She has proven she is the ultimate team player as many of her teammates look up to her both on-and-off the ice.

'We are pleased that Teagan is coming to eastern Canada to become a Panther,' said Bill Schurman, Director of UPEI Athletics and Recreation. 'We will do everything possible to help Teagan excel both academically and athletically.'

'I can't wait to be a UPEI Panther,' said Pringle.

Pringle is enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts program at UPEI and plans to major in Psychology.

UPEI case teams travelled to Halifax last month to compete in the third annual Atlantic Throwdown Case Competition hosted by Dalhousie University. UPEI teams placed second and third and were awarded the challenge trophy once again this year for highest cumulative total competition points.

This competition is designed to give new UPEI and Dalhousie case students a competitive analysis experience in preparation for next year's competition class. Members from UPEI's current team took part as mentors.

'The hard work by both the new case students and their mentors paid off and I'm proud of their dedication and commitment to this extracurricular program,' said faculty advisor Edward Gamble. 'Seeing the students excited about the case competition and eager to spend their weekend working on a tough business problem speaks volumes to their characters.'

Success at these events does not come easily, and is the result of many hours of preparation combining classroom knowledge with analytical skills precisely wrapped in a commanding style to present their conclusions.

Josh Hayden, a member of the UPEI second-place team, was impressed by the professionalism of the Dalhousie competition and felt that the setting was ideal to prepare the students to solve real-world business problems. 'I learned how to solve problems efficiently under time-constraints. Teamwork was also a large part of the weekend and it was a great learning experience to see how different people can work together and solve a problem in only three hours,' said Hayden. 'My team had motivated mentors and in the future, I hope to be a mentor and share my new-found knowledge with upcoming case competitors,' he added.

Case competitions are an integral part of business education. The scenarios provide students with the requirement to analyze real-world business situations and make recommendations as if they were the business executives or consultants.

More about the Atlantic Throwdown Case Competition

• In its third year of competition, UPEI has retained the challenge trophy each year

• Second-place team: Michelle Clow, Josh Hayden, Justin Lank, and Kelcy McNally

• Mentors: Allison Baillie, Michael Both, and Mary Whitrow

• Third-place team: Katie Adams, Rebecca Cole, Colin Cornish, Patrick MacIntyre, and Cearagh Vessey

• Mentors: Andrew Harding and Alex Whalen

• UPEI faculty advisor: Edward Gamble

An exciting new coaching structure for UPEI soccer is underway as the 2013-14 season draws closer. Award-winning UPEI soccer coach Lewis Page has been asked to lead both the men's and women's varsity soccer programs. UPEI is moving forward with Page's dual coaching role as a pilot project.

Page has been head coach of the UPEI men's soccer team since 2000, having won an AUS championship in 2002, and has taken teams to the CIS Nationals in 2002, 2005, and 2009. Page has been named AUS Coach of the Year on four occasions, as well as CIS Coach of the Year in 2002. He holds an 'A' license coaching certification from the Canadian Soccer Association. Page has served for eleven years as a national team coach, winning a silver medal at the 2002 U19 FIFA Women's World Cup, and a gold medal at the 2011 Pan Am Games.

In addition to his coaching duties, Page has been asked to develop the soccer programming for the new Panther Academy-'a high performance experience'-which will introduce programming and camps available for youth of all ages. The 2013 spring/summer offerings include youth spring training, active-start mini soccer, and summer soccer camps. Page will direct the groups while members of the UPEI men's and women's soccer teams will act as instructors.

'It's great timing to pilot the Panther head coaching model, and Lewis is the right coach for the opportunity,' said Bill Schurman, director of UPEI Athletics and Recreation. 'Lewis will be spending equal time with each program while helping to develop our Panther Academy as the soccer leader.'

'I'm excited about the opportunity to guide both programs on a full-time basis. We have great coaching staff to support both the men's and the women's teams and our goal is to do the ‘double' and win national championships in both programs,' said Page. 'I'm equally as excited about building the soccer development programs in the Panther Academy and helping to develop the next generation of Panther soccer players.'

Page will have two lead assistant coaches on his soccer coaching staff-Bruce Norton on the men's side and Amy Connolly on the women's side.

Norton is a former football, soccer, and curling Panther. In 1990 and again from 1994-99, Norton was head coach of the men's soccer team and, in 1996, was named AUS Coach of the Year. In 1998, Norton led the men's team to an AUS championship, and returned to UPEI in 2003 to assist Page. In 2011, Norton was named co-AUS Coach of the Year alongside Page. Norton has also coached at both the high school and junior high levels for over 30 years.

Connolly is a former UPEI Panther soccer all-star-winning UPEI Rookie of the Year and numerous UPEI Most Valuable Player awards. She also received three AUS first team all star awards, and one CIS first team all star award. Connolly was also named UPEI Athlete of the Year in 2005-06 for her outstanding soccer career where she finished her final season strong receiving the AUS Female Soccer Most Valuable Player award and the CIS Female Soccer Most Valuable Player award. In addition to her experience as a varsity athlete, Connolly has coached for the past six years-from 2007-09 she acted as Colonel Gray high school's head coach, before moving on to Holland College where she became assistant coach for two years followed by head coach for two years.

Want to know what university is really about? UPEI is launching Experience U (XPU)-a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) for free, delivered on Facebook, and open to anyone-hopeful new students, supportive parents, high school teachers, or just interested observers who are eager to engage and connect with some of the key concepts that make the university experience unique. XPU provides a platform for students to chat with their peers and faculty members, get answers to their questions, meet great people, and make connections before classes even begin.

XPU is a free, five-week course, organized by current UPEI students and begins on Thursday, April 25. Students can enroll at any time between April 25-May 30. Topics include 'what's a student,' 'what's a syllabus,' 'what's research,' 'how do I succeed at university,' and 'what's a professor'?

'The internet gives us an amazing opportunity to work and learn together. We've been doing that with MOOCs here on campus in one form or another since the first one in 2008. This time we're hoping to get high school students involved,' said Dave Cormier, UPEI's manager of web communications and innovations who is spearheading the XPU initiative. Cormier also coined the term MOOC in 2008.

This open course provides an overview of university, offers a context for the preparations and decisions students need to make, and provides a fun and engaging way to share questions about university. Each week, the course will introduce guest lectures, videos, live Q&A sessions, and some assignments.

As course participants, students will get a window into the UPEI university experience and get a handle on some of the 'ins and outs' of succeeding at the next level. The student organizers will put together discussions based on participant questions and answers to build a survival guide for starting university.

To sign up for the course, or to simply check it out, visit XPU.ca

The University of Prince Edward Island's IT Systems and Services (ITSS) department announced this month that UPEI is now a member of the federated network access service, 'eduroam.'

eduroam, a worldwide educational and research institution initiative provides 'education roaming' or a simple way for students, faculty, and staff to get instant and secure access to the Internet while visiting other participating institutions. eduroam participants simply enter their own institution's login credentials to gain access to the eduroam service while visiting other campuses.

'We are very pleased to participate in eduroam which serves to break down barriers to wireless network access among participating institutions,' said Blair Vessey, director of UPEI's ITSS department.

eduroam is a secure, worldwide roaming access service developed for the international research and education community. The service is offered at more than 5,500 institutions in over 50 countries. At UPEI, the eduroam service is provided throughout campus where wireless access is available.

For more information on eduroam, and for a complete list of participating institutions, visit https://www.eduroam.org/index.php?p=where

The UPEI Panther Golf Classic will have a new look beginning this summer after securing Stewart McKelvey, one of Atlantic Canada's leading law firms and the largest law firm on the Island, as a presenting sponsor for the next three years.

'The UPEI Panther Golf Classic is one of the premier golf tournaments held on the Island each summer and we are very pleased that Stewart McKelvey has agreed to be the presenting sponsor for the next three years,' said UPEI Director of Athletics and Recreation Bill Schurman. 'This is a wonderful commitment to the UPEI Panthers by a valuable member of our corporate community.'

'Stewart McKelvey shares a long, rewarding relationship with UPEI,' said Spencer Campbell, Stewart McKelvey Charlottetown's managing partner. 'Many of us are UPEI alumni, have worked and taught at UPEI, and we are proud, long-standing supporters of the University. UPEI is an integral part of our community and we are excited to have an opportunity to partner in this important and unique event.'

The UPEI Panther Golf Classic presented by Stewart McKelvey takes place on Friday, July 26 at Green Gables Golf Course in Cavendish. Registration is $650 per team of four and the individual fee is $170 per person. Shotgun start at 8:15 am. The tournament is held annually on the last Friday in July, which is also the beginning of Reunion Weekend at UPEI.

For more details on the UPEI Panther Golf Classic presented by Stewart McKelvey visit, gopanthersgo.ca or call Panther Central, (902) 566-0368.

UPEI alumni who graduated in 2007 with a bachelor's degree are invited to participate in the National Baccalaureate Graduate Outcomes Survey, which is being conducted by Mosaic Research Solutions, on behalf of a consortium of over 30 Canadian universities including the University of Prince Edward Island.

Emails were sent earlier this month to these graduates to invite them to participate. According to UPEI's institutional research officer, Dr. Yuqin Gong, she's pleased with the responses received so far but hopes that more individuals will complete the online survey before it closes on May 10.

'We want to reassure those who have received the invitation that UPEI is conducting the survey and that we appreciate those who have already completed it as it's of huge benefit to the University,' said Gong.

The survey provides information about the student's experience at UPEI, post-graduate involvement in the workforce and/or further education, as well as social and civic engagement. The information will help UPEI improve program quality, assessment, and accountability.

Responses will be held in strict confidence and will only be used in aggregated form for statistical purposes.

In appreciation for completing the questionnaire, graduates of 2007 will be automatically entered into a draw for a chance to win one of two Amazon.ca or UPEI Bookstore gift certificates valued at $250 each. This offer is exclusive to UPEI alumni only.

If 2007 graduates feel they haven't received the invitation or have questions related to UPEI's involvement in this survey and how the University intends to use the results, they can contact Dr. Yuqin Gong, institutional research officer, ygong@upei.ca or 902-566-0361.

The University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) and Holland College announced a new agreement today to work together to administer resources in the areas of research and development, and commercialization. A memorandum of understanding (MOU), signed by Dr. Audrey Penner, Holland College's Director of Applied Research, and Dr. Robert Gilmour, UPEI's Vice-President Research, outlines the terms of the agreement.

'This is an important step in the growth of research at both institutions,' said Dr. Gilmour. 'The university and college have made giant leaps in the last decade in terms of R&D and commercialization of new technology. That growth requires resources for proper management and administration. It only makes sense that we work together.'

Under the terms of the agreement, Holland College and UPEI will cooperate in partnerships with industry, research, commercialization, submission of grant proposals, intellectual property development and protection, and the sharing of facilities. The institutions also agree to work together to review grant applications, negotiate contracts, and conduct compliance reviews for animal care, biosafety, and research ethics.

'Holland College has gained a national reputation for excellence in applied research,' said Dr. Penner. 'Together, two institutions can model outstanding research collaboration that supports industry and economic growth for this province.'

Both institutions have enjoyed tremendous growth in R&D since the turn of the millennium. Holland College has accumulated research activity totaling more than $10 million since 2002, while overall research activity at the college increased 16 per cent in 2012 alone. Annual research expenditures at UPEI have grown from approximately $2 million in 2000 to nearly $16 million in 2012.

For information:

Sara Underwood
Media and Communications Officer
Holland College
(902) 566-9695
sunderwood@hollandcollege.com

Dave Atkinson
Research Communications Officer
UPEI
(902) 620-5117
datkinson@upei.ca