The following is a joint news release issued by Canada, Prince Edward Island, and the University of Prince Edward Island.

St. Peter’s Bay, Prince Edward Island, July 5, 2019— Investments in climate change research, scientific innovation and post-secondary education are essential for providing increased access to higher learning for Canadians, and to develop meaningful collaboration with communities, industry leaders, researchers and regional governments.

Despite a New Year's Day storm, hundreds of UPEI faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends attended the University's annual New Year's Levee. UPEI’s version of the social event, co-hosted by the UPEI Alumni Association, proved yet again to be a popular stop for levee-goers, and, with the inclement weather, led to participants staying a bit longer to mingle as a number of other levees were cancelled.

UPEI President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz and Valerie Abd-El-Aziz, Chancellor Catherine Callbeck, Board of Governors Chair Pat Sinnott and Darlene Sinnott, UPEI Student Union President Will McGuigan, and UPEI Alumni Association President Lisa Doyle-MacBain received over 400 guests. Several UPEI music students, attired in Victorian dress, sang seasonal carols and helped the revellers kick off UPEI's 50th anniversary in 2019, which celebrates 50 years of the University serving as a leader in education, research, and service. (Visit upei.ca/50 to learn more!) 

About the levee tradition

The word levee (from the French noun lever, to raise) originated with King Louis XIV of France whose custom was to receive his subjects just after arising, a practice that then spread throughout Europe. In the 18th century, the levee in Great Britain and Ireland became a formal reception given by the sovereign just before noon or in the early afternoon. It was in Canada that the levee became associated with New Year's Day when fur traders began the tradition of paying their respects to their government representative on January 1. The first recorded levee in Canada was held in 1646.

The Panthers kick off the New Year with an exciting mix of home games this weekend. UPEI’s basketball and hockey teams are keen to build on their momentum in the second half of the season (see Thomas Becker’s recap of the first half).

Friday

The action kicks off Friday night as the UPEI Men’s Hockey team plays the first in a hat trick of games for Hockey Day in PEI, in partnership with the Charlottetown Islanders. See all three games of Hockey Day in PEI for just $20! That deal is improved to just $10 for season-ticket holders of the Panthers or Islanders. Contact the Eastlink Centre Box Office for tickets.

The Panthers defend home ice in MacLauchlan Arena against Acadia University at 7:00 pm.

“This is another big weekend for us,” said Forbes MacPherson, coach of UPEI Men’s Hockey. “The second half of the season, we play a lot on the road, so it is critical that we take care of business at home. Every point is critical when making a push to make the playoffs.”

Saturday

A busy Saturday for the Panthers begins at 4:00 pm as the UPEI Women’s Hockey team plays Mount Allison University at Charlottetown’s Eastlink Centre.

“Mount A is a very hard working team with some key offensive players who can hurt you if you give them opportunities,” said Bruce Donaldson, coach of UPEI Women’s Hockey. “The focus this weekend will be to improve on our defensive play in all three areas of the game. Specialty teams will continue to play a big part of our success so we need to focus on doing both the power play and penalty kill well. We did a fairly good job defending in the first half, but we need to get better as we progress through the second half of the season.” 

The men play one more home game Saturday night, hosting Saint Mary’s University at 7:00 pm.

Saturday is also a busy day on the basketball court in UPEI’s Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre as both the UPEI Women’s and Men’s Basketball teams host Cape Breton University. The women play at 6:00 pm. The men tip off at 8:00 pm.

“The team is excited to get back on the court to kick off the second semester versus CBU,” said Matt Gamblin, coach of the UPEI Women’s Basketball team.

“The Capers are a well-coached team that finished the first half of the season on a winning streak,” said Darrell Glenn, coach of the UPEI Men’s Basketball team. “We are excited about being back in the gym and working on the things that we felt hurt our progress in the first half of the season. This is a big weekend points-wise, because the winner will pick up four points. Anytime you are at home and you have a chance to get four points in this league, you really want to make sure you’ve done all you can to prepare.”

Sunday

The UPEI Women’s Hockey team finishes the weekend with a game against St. Thomas University. The game starts at 3:30 pm in Souris’ Eastern Kings Arena.

“STU is ranked fifth in the country with only two losses, so clearly they are playing very well,” said Bruce Donaldson, coach of UPEI Women’s Hockey. “They have a very mature line-up with strong goaltending, so it’s critical that we keep the game in front of us and play to our strengths.”

As usual, all UPEI students get into home games for free! Come on our and cheer on your Panthers!

Go Panthers Go!

The Island Studies Lecture Series January lecture returns with Dr. Margôt Maddison-MacFadyen, speaking on the topic, “To be free is very sweet”: The story of Mary Prince, a West Indian slave. The lecture is Tuesday, January 15, at 7:00 pm in the Faculty Lounge of UPEI’s SDU Main Building.

Join Dr. Maddison-MacFadyen on a historical-geographical journey through Mary Prince’s life, where she details primary source evidence that not only confirms Prince’s testimony, but broadens her story of slavery and freedom.

The story of Bermudian slave Mary Prince is fascinating. In 1828 she freed herself when she walked out her owners’ door in London, England, and never came back. She is the first known black woman to escape colonial enslavement, tell her story of survival, and have it compiled and written down. The History of Mary Prince, A West Indian Slave, Related by Herself, first published in 1831, was part of a successful abolitionist strategy that pressured British Parliament to legislate into law freedom for enslaved British subjects throughout the British Empire. This was achieved through the 1833 Slavery Abolition Act that commenced on August 1, 1834. Born in Bermuda in 1787 or 1788, Prince also lived on three other islands: Grand Turk Island and Antigua in the West Indies, and Great Britain. Recent research suggests Prince returned to Antigua in 1833, but her death date is not known. She became a Bermudian National Hero in 2012.

Dr. Margôt Maddison-MacFadyen lives at Rennies Road, PEI. She graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland’s Interdisciplinary PhD Program in 2017. Her non-traditional dissertation is titled “Reclaiming Histories of Enslavement from the Maritime Atlantic and a Curriculum: The History of Mary Prince.” She is the recipient of a 2018 Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). Maddison-MacFadyen is currently investigating the latter years of Mary Prince’s life for the Government of Bermuda.

Admission to the lecture is free and everyone is welcome to attend.

The next lecture is scheduled for February 19. Mark your calendars! For more information, please contact Laurie at iis@upei.ca or (902) 894-2881.

The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.

Every week, UPEI Athletics and Recreation recognizes two student athletes for their achievements and dedication to their respective sports. Congratulations to Karla Yepez and Jamesly Jerome, the UPEI Panther Subway Athletes of the Week for January 1 to 6!

Karla Yepez is a third-year guard and a Faculty of Arts student from Quito, Equador. The Panthers handed Cape Breton University its first loss of the season in a huge game, grabbing first place in the AUS. Yepez tallied 12 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and a block. “Karla’s basketball IQ and play-making ability are second-to-none in the AUS,” said coach Matt Gamblin. “She continues to fill up box scores and step up in big moments.”

Jamesly Jerome is a first-year forward and Faculty of Arts student from Montreal Quebec. The Panthers dropped a game, 90–70, to Cape Breton University, but Jerome scored an impressive 10 points in 23 minutes of play. He also pulled down 10 rebounds, blocked 2 shots, and made 2 steals. “Jamesley continues to impact our game in a variety of ways, and his development is trending very positively,” said coach Darrell Glenn.

Go Panthers Go!

The decision to "close"* UPEI due to weather is not made lightly. However, in weather situations where the potential risk to UPEI’s students and employees as well as property, are high, the University may close, meaning classes and exams are cancelled and services are reduced. In 2017, a new University Closure Policy was approved by the UPEI Board of Governors and endorsed by the University Senate. The policy and associated University Closure Procedures help guide senior management in making decisions about storm closures and how to communicate them.

Here is some important information about how we communicate about storm / weather-related closures and things you should keep in mind about parking on campus when UPEI is closed.

How will I know if UPEI is closed?
The University uses a number of different channels to communicate storm closures. These include:

• A message on the home page of upei.ca
• An email via our mass notification system, UPEI Emergency Alert, to all students, faculty, and staff to their upei.ca email account (learn more about UPEI Emergency Alert and how to sign up to receive texts)
• Tweets from University’s Twitter account, follow us @UPEI
• Media outlets (radio, TV, and print news websites) are informed and encouraged to share our status
• A message is placed on the UPEI Campus Closure and Alert Phone Line (902-894-2882)
• A message is placed on the UPEI Campus Screen network (there are screens in several buildings across campus).

When will I know if UPEI has decided to delay opening or close?
When conditions develop outside of normal operating hours, announcements will be made according to the following schedule:

• 6:30 am - The decision to delay opening or close the University will be made on or before 6:30 am. If there is a delay, there will be a further announcement at 10:00 am.
• 10:00 am - The decision to open the University at 12:00 pm or again delay opening will be made on or before 10:00 am. If there is a further delay, the next announcement will be made at 2:00 pm.
• 2:00 pm - The decision to open the University at 4:00 pm for evening classes or close the University for the remainder of the day will be made on or before 2:00 pm.

If the decision to close the University is made during normal operating hours, it will be announced as soon as possible through the University’s various communications channels as outlined above.

Will the UPEI reopen after a closure announcement is made?
When the conditions that caused the closure improve and no longer pose a danger to the University community or prevent the normal operation of the campus, UPEI may reopen all or parts of the campus. The change in status will be announced as soon as possible through the University’s various communications channels as outlined above. For more information, email communications@upei.ca

Winter Parking Restrictions
From November 1 to April 30, winter restrictions on overnight campus parking are enforced. Parking Lot “A” is the only lot where overnight parking is permitted for the winter season. Residents of Andrew Hall and Bernardine Hall may park overnight in the Andrew Hall lot, provided that their vehicles are moved to Lot “A” during storm conditions and until the lots have been plowed after a storm.

If vehicles are left in any parking lot other than Lot “A” during storms or before snow removal is complete, the vehicle will be towed at the owner's expense. Facilities Management appreciates your co-operation to ensure parking lots are cleared safely. If you have any questions or concerns regarding winter parking, contact Mark Pharand, Manager, Security Services, at mpharand@upei.ca.

*Technically, UPEI is only closed completely in extreme circumstances, as there are essential personnel who need to work on campus and we have students living in residence. However, the University will use the word “closed” to communicate to the campus community that classes and most services are suspended.