Today, UPEI President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz delivered University Update 2013 - a presentation to staff, faculty, and students on three key areas of focus - enrolment, resources, and priorities.

Abd-El-Aziz discussed the regional demographic challenge; UPEI enrolment; student origin; application and registration figures; retention; and recent rankings. Overall, the University's enrolment goal will be to attract and retain more students.

The President then spoke on the current resources in place noting planning goals of 2012 and 2013; the budget process; the University's operating revenues and expenditures; a tuition comparison; support and funding; and human resources.

The University Update finished with the University's priorities with a particular focus on defining what success looks like for UPEI; improving recruitment, retention, and enrolment planning; and the need to develop current strengths in experiential and active learning. The President also described the continued need to encourage all students to develop their full potential through dynamic learning opportunities in and out of the classroom. Needs to strengthen existing programs and identify niche programs were discussed alongside the delivery opportunities, including the proposed engineering degree, as well as modifications to various programs.

The UPEI Men's Hockey team is hosting its final home games before the holiday break on Friday, November 29 and Saturday, November 30. In support and celebration of the holiday season, a few events will be taking place during the games.

On Friday, November 29, Panther fans are encouraged to participate in National Jersey Day by wearing their favourite jerseys in support and love for sport. Fans are also asked to bring along any non-perishable food items as donations are being collected at both games in support of the UPEI Campus Food Bank.

On Saturday, November 30, the 'UPEI Student-Athlete 10 4 10 $10,000 Draw' will take place. Fans can purchase tickets at the weekend games, or from any student athlete before the games. A special Santa Claus Race will also take place between periods on Saturday night. In addition, a beer garden will open an hour before game time, and as always, fans will be treated to giveaways, promotions, and entertainment at both games.

Cheer on your UPEI Panthers as they take on the St. Francis Xavier X-Men on Friday at 7:30 pm and the Saint Mary's University Huskies on Saturday at 7:00 pm. The Panthers, currently ranked tenth in the CIS are tied for fourth in the AUS standings with the X-Men, while the SMU Huskies remain in fifth place.

Go Panthers Go!

For information:
Ron Annear
UPEI Athletics and Recreation
(902) 566-0991, annear@upei.ca

UPEI Athletics and Recreation announced the UPEI Panther Athletes of the Week for the week of November 25-December 1. UPEI Athletics and Recreation showcases these talented athletes to recognize their hard work and dedication to their respective sports throughout the season. UPEI Athletes of the Week are also nominated to Atlantic University Sport and Canadian Interuniversity Sport for possible recognition in the region and/or country.

Who: Amy Gough, Women's Basketball; and Chris Desousa, Men's Hockey

What: UPEI Panther Athletes of the Week

When: Week of November 25-December 1

Why: Amy Gough, a fourth-year nursing student from St. John's, Nfld. averaged 15 points and five rebounds per game against CBU and StFX over the weekend. She leads the Panthers in scoring, averaging 13.9 points per game, and is currently seventh overall among AUS scorers, first in free throw attempts for the AUS, and third in the CIS. She is also fifth in free throw percentage. Gough was previously selected as a UPEI and AUS Athlete of the Week during the week of November 4-10.

Chris Desousa, a third-year arts student from Mississauga, Ont. scored four goals during the Panthers crucial 5-3 win over SMU on Saturday. Desousa was a fierce competitor in the game, in particular in even strength, power play, and penalty killing. Desousa was also previously selected as a UPEI Athlete of the Week during the week of September 16-22.

Gough and Desousa will be recognized at this week's UPEI Athletes of the Week Celebration on Thursday, December 5 at 12:45 pm in the W.A. Murphy Student Centre's McMillan Hall. All are welcome.

Upcoming Panther exhibition action include:

December 19
5:30 pm (W) Basketball vs. UPEI Alumni
8:00 pm (M) Basketball vs. Holland College

December 20
12:00 pm (M) Basketball vs. Crandall University

Go Panthers Go!

Amy Gough, Athlete of the Week

Former accounting professor Ab Ferris was awarded by the Rotary Club of Charlottetown Royalty with its 2013 Mentor Award at a recent ceremony at the Charlottetown Convention Centre. Ferris is a retired professor and current president and CEO of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of PEI. He receives this prestigious award for his strong personal efforts to make a difference in the lives of future accountants. Ferris taught in UPEI's School of Business for 27 years. Read the full story from The Guardian here

UPEI sends its best wishes and congratulations to Ab!

Students, staff, and faculty are advised that the master online exam schedule has been updated with information for exams that were rescheduled from Wednesday, December 4 to Sunday, December 8 due to the storm. This information, including locations and times, will also appear in all students' individual exam schedules, accessible through Campus Login.

UPEI is normally closed on Sunday, however, with this revised schedule, the University has arranged for weekday services to be available. Buildings where exams are being written will be open as if it were a weekday.

The Wanda Wyatt Dining Hall will be opening earlier than usual to accommodate the scheduled exam times. Doors will open at 8:15 am on Saturday, December 7 and Sunday, December 8.

Samuel's Cafe, located in the Robertson Library is scheduled to open on Saturday, December 7 and Sunday, December 8 from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm. The opening time correlates with the Robertson Library's posted extended hours (http://library.upei.ca/hours).

The Atlantic Climate Adaptation Solutions Association (ACASA) has begun phase two of its Regional Adaptation Collaborative (RACII) program for Atlantic Canada through collaboration between Natural Resources Canada and the four provinces. This effort will be lead by the Climate Research Lab at the University of Prince Edward Island. Activities will target issues such as coastal erosion, coastal and inland flooding, infrastructure design, water management and community assessment.

'These initiatives of Natural Resources Canada help us in Atlantic Canada to prepare effectively for climate change and its impacts,' said Dr. Adam Fenech, Director of UPEI's Climate Research Lab. 'The decision makers in our region need relevant tools, knowledge, networks, and policies when it comes to climate change adaptation.'

The work of phase two of the Atlantic Regional Adaptation Collaborative is a project totaling over $691,500 for four tasks:

To establish and support an expert panel on adaptation in Atlantic Canada

• To enhance the capacity of adaptation practitioners in Atlantic Canada

• To provide policy analysis and integration

• To provide coordination, integration, and financial management for the project

'UPEI is extremely proud to host ACASA, and to take on the leadership of the Atlantic RAC,' said Dr. Robert Gilmour, Vice-President Research and Graduate Studies at UPEI. 'This partnership has enabled the provinces to build capacity for climate change adaptation through training sessions and conferences on adaptation and climate modeling. This is another exciting step toward ensuring we're prepared in Atlantic Canada for the changes ahead.'

ACASA is operated with federal support through Natural Resources Canada's Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Program. A changing climate presents both risks and opportunities for Canada's regions and resource sectors, and collaboration across multi-jurisdictional areas is important. To promote such collaboration, Natural Resources Canada is reinvesting in the Regional Adaptation Collaborative program to increase adaptation awareness and capacity at the regional level. The ACASA will be a focal point for adaptation knowledge, information, resources and expertise in Atlantic Canada.

For Information:

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

The UPEI and Holland College men's basketball teams have partnered to co-host the inaugural Maritime Challenge High School Boys Basketball Classic on December 20-21. The event will begin at the Holland College Centre for Community Engagement on Friday, December 20, followed by games at UPEI's Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre on Saturday, December 21.

The six-team tournament features Island teams Colonel Gray, Charlottetown Rural, and off-island teams Fredericton, Citadel, Leo Hayes, and Dartmouth high schools.

'We are excited to host some of the best high school basketball teams in the region at this first annual tournament, with our partner, Holland College,' said UPEI Men's Basketball Head Coach Tim Kendrick. Holland College's Head Coach Josh Whitty echoed Kendrick's comment.

'We have six of the top high school basketball programs in the Maritimes competing in this event, and I am very excited to see these games,' said Whitty. 'We look forward to bringing the Classic to Charlottetown, and making it an annual must-see event. It's a great time of year to get families out to watch excellent high school basketball and potentially see future Hurricane and Panther student-athletes.'

Classic Schedule:

HC Centre for Community Engagement
Friday, December 20

2:00 pm Gray vs. Dartmouth
4:00 pm Rural vs. Citadel
6:00 pm Fredericton vs. Gray
8:00 pm Leo Hayes vs. Rural

UPEI Chi-Wan Young Sports CentreSaturday, December 21

9:00 am Citadel vs. Leo Hayes (@ HC)
9:00 am Dartmouth vs. Fredericton
12:00 pm #3 vs. #3
2:00 pm #2 vs. #2
4:00 pm #1 vs. #1

Tournament admission is $5/day for adults and non-UPEI or Holland College students; under-12 free.

Preceding the Classic, on Thursday, December 19, an exhibition basketball game will be held between the UPEI Panthers and the Holland College Hurricanes at 8:00 pm at the UPEI Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre.

Go Panthers Go! Go Canes Go!

For information:

Ron Annear
UPEI Athletics and Recreation
(902) 566-0991, annear@upei.ca

Daniel Cudmore
Holland College Athletics and Recreation
(902) 894-6870, dccudmore@hollandcollege.com

UPEI Panther Matt Maione was selected as assistant captain of Canada's Men's Hockey Team for the World University Games taking place in Trentino, Italy. Today's CIS announcement dubbed the fourth-year arts student of Unionville, Ontario as an assistant captain to UNB's Chris Culligan who will lead the pack as team captain. The 26th Universiade begins today with Team Canada playing an exhibition game against Japan at 8:00 pm local time (9:00 pm AST). Read the full CIS release here

Way to go, Matt!

The University of Prince Edward Island is making changes to its Bachelor of Education program. 'The program has been re-organized in order to allow its graduates to be more marketable and competitive when seeking jobs,' stated interim UPEI Dean of Education Ron MacDonald today.

The changes came about after a three-year program review by the Faculty of Education and approval of a proposal made to the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission. The renewed program features elements such as an expanded student experience and improved preparation for diverse classroom settings as well as other types of educational environments.

The renewed program will be delivered in a compressed format over one year. 'The quality of the program will be maintained in the new BEd,' said MacDonald. 'We will retain the same number of courses, the same practicum expectations, and the same specializations. The program will begin in May 2014 and end in May 2015, one year later.'

Every year, up to 300 teachers are newly certified in PEI. Of that number, UPEI's program has contributed approximately 85 graduate certifications-BEd (French, English, and Music). After determining that many potential students go elsewhere because they can complete the degree in a shorter timeframe, the Faculty looked at a one-year program. To transition to the new format, in May 2015, UPEI will graduate two classes. In the following years, an annual cohort of 75 students is expected to graduate from BEd programs.

Recruitment efforts will target Math, Science, as well as French undergraduates in order to address high need areas in the K-12 system on PEI, and elsewhere in Canada. Students will also be taking more Math and Science teaching preparation courses to enhance graduates' ability to teach math and science.

Pre-service teachers will take core K-12 based courses designed to expose students to the full gamut of learning opportunities for all children. Gaining a more complete understanding of this total experience will facilitate pre-service teachers' understanding of the teaching and learning process, as well as reorienting their views of education by examining the culture of school and schooling. Every BEd student will also take a course in EAL (English as an Additional Language). This addresses the need for EAL teacher training, preparing graduates for both Canadian and international settings.

The BEd now has three specializations-International, Indigenous, and Adult Education. The International and Indigenous specializations have long been a popular option for many BEd students, and the addition of the Adult Education focus will now allow students the opportunity to work with adults outside of the traditional K-12 classroom. The experiences will give students the skills and mind-set they can apply in many contexts, which will set them apart from BEd graduates from other programs.

UPEI BEd graduates are known for their high-calibre skillset and are well received by principals and employers. Students are ready for the classroom and can adapt to a multitude of educational environments thanks to a lengthy practicum-20 weeks-among the longest in the country, and practical, relevant courses.

The UPEI Panther Basketball teams are taking advantage of the holiday break through exhibition play to prepare for a strong start to the second half of the AUS regular season.

With the exam period winding down, both Men's Basketball Head Coach Tim Kendrick and Women's Basketball Head Coach Greg Gould are resuming practices to prepare for next week's exhibition games.

'Our team has been working hard on their fitness for the past 10 days, and the team is now looking forward to returning to the gym to work on their skill development, in preparation for the second half of the schedule,' said Gould.

Coach Kendrick added, 'On the men's side, we are looking to maintain and build on the momentum from our 3-1 finish in the first half of the season. We have some solid exhibition games coming up, and then we can begin our second half AUS schedule at home vs. CBU. It sure would be great to see the Panther Faithful out in full force for all of these games.'

In exhibition play prior to the holidays, the UPEI Women's Basketball team takes on UPEI alumnae on Thursday, December 19 at 5:30 pm, followed by the UPEI Men's Basketball game against Holland College at 8:00 pm. Both games will be held at UPEI's Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre.

Practices will resume on December 27 in preparation for the following holiday exhibition tournaments:

On the Women's side:
The Dyrick McDermott Tournament at Mount Saint Vincent University (January 3-5):

January 3, 2014
4:00 pm UPEI vs. StFX
9:00 pm MSVU vs. UPEI

January 4, 2014
3:00 pm Lakeland vs. UPEI

January 5, 2014
12:00 pm #1 vs. #2 Championship Game

For tournament information, click here

On the Men's Side:
Rodd Shoveller Memorial Basketball Tournament (January 2-4):

January 2, 2014
6:00 pm UPEI vs. StFX

January 3, 2014
8:00 pm Dalhousie vs. UPEI

January 4, 2014
5:00 pm SMU vs. UPEI

For tournament information, click here

Still looking for gift ideas for your sports fan? UPEI Athletics and Recreation is offering basketball season pass special pricing, AUS women's basketball championship tickets are now on sale, and the Men's Basketball team is have a holiday apple sale. For more information, visit or call Panther Central at (902) 566-0368.

For information:
Ron Annear
UPEI Athletics and Recreation
(902) 566-0991, annear@upei.ca