An event February 25 will celebrate the hall of fame career of Dennis Fairall, head coach of Lancer cross country and track and field teams.

Since taking the reins at the University of Windsor in 1985, Fairall has led his teams to 25 Canadian Interuniversity Sport national championships and 46 provincial titles with Ontario University Athletics, in the process earning coach of the year honours at either level 65 times.

He is a member of the wall of fame in his hometown of Tillsonburg, Ontario, the Athletics Ontario Hall of Fame and the Windsor/Essex County Sports Hall of Fame. Fairall began a long-term medical leave in October 2015.

Celebrating Dennis! will feature a cocktail buffet and cash bar. It runs 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, February 25, in the Augustus Ballroom at Caesars Windsor, 377 Riverside Drive East. Tickets are $35; RSVP before February 19 at uwindsor.ca/CelebrateDennis or by phoning Mary-Ann Rennie at 519-973-7059.

It’s time once again to brush up on traditional dance moves, cook up a storm and proudly fly the flag of the nation of your heritage—all in preparation for Celebration of Nations 2016, scheduled for March 3 in the CAW Student Centre Commons.

The annual event brings hundreds of students, faculty, and staff out to celebrate the rich cultural diversity that exists within the campus community and throughout Windsor-Essex County. Everyone is invited to share their pride and participate in the all-day event that features a flag parade, dance performances, music, art and cultural demonstrations, and plenty of food to try.

Last year, participants representing 16 nations took part in what has become a highlight of the winter semester, with support from such partners as the International Student Centre; the Office of Human Rights, Equity and Accessibility (OHREA); the University of Windsor Students’ Alliance (UWSA); the Organization of Part-Time University Students (OPUS); the Muslim Student Association (MISA); and the International Student Society (ISS).

For more information and to register, visit: uwindsor.ca/nations.

Former Windsor-Tecumseh MP Joe Comartin will discuss the current state of national affairs in a free public presentation on campus Thursday.

Comartin, a UWindsor alumnus (BA 1968, LLB 1971), holds the position of distinguished political scientist in residence. He served as MP from 2000 to 2015, with additional duties as deputy opposition leader and deputy speaker of the House of Commons.

His lecture, entitled “The State of Canadian Democracy 2015: One Person’s Perspective,” will run 4 to 6 p.m. January 28 in room 203, Toldo Health Education Centre.

A series of workshops through the month of February will offer attendees the opportunity to develop skills valuable in their professional and personal lives.

Organized by the Department of Human Resources’ Office of Employee Engagement and Development, they are free to UWindsor faculty and staff and include:

• Creating Accessible Webpages
  February 3, 10:30 a.m. to noon
  Accessible websites take into account the variety of ways that people with disabilities navigate the web and understand online content. This session will highlight how to add content to web pages to meet accessibility standards. It will also outline the basic principles for ensuring that the documents you upload to your site have the structural elements necessary for people using adaptive technology.
• How Can I Help You? Projecting a Professional Image in Person and Over the Telephone
  February 10, 9 to 10:30 a.m.
  Projecting a positive image is key to the provision of an exceptional service experience to our students and other service users. What we say and how we say it impacts how others perceive the quality and effectiveness of the service provided. This session will provide an overview of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies that can enhance our service interactions.
• Protecting Yourself from Financial Fraud
  February 23, 10 to 11 a.m.
  Financial fraud can take many forms, such as identity theft and fake emails or websites that trick you into providing personal financial information. This session will highlight the most common types of financial fraud, tips to prevent you from being a victim of fraud and what to do if you think you have been a victim.
• Moving Through Change and Transition
  February 25, 10:30 a.m. to noon
  In today’s workplaces, change is a constant. We often have no control over the changes, but we are expected to rapidly transition and adapt to the new realities. This session will explore the change and transition process, common emotions and behaviours associated with change and strategies for moving forward.

Find information on locations, facilitators and registration on the Human Resources website.

Canterbury College is offering a non-credit course through February which will provide an overview of Christian theology in an ecumenical setting.

Through lectures, discussions, and directed readings, instructor Rev. Joe Thomas will help students to:

• understand the major doctrinal divisions of academic theological study;
• understand the nature, sources, and scope of the doctrines of theology; and
• recognize the importance of preaching and teaching the basic doctrines of Christianity.

Classes run every Saturday in February from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Find more information on the college’s website. To register, visit www.uwindsor.ca/canterbury/registration-theology-courses or phone 519-253-3000, ext. 4946.

The Windsor University Faculty Association’s Status of Women, Diversity, and Equity Action Committee is accepting nominations until February 29 for the 2016 Mary Lou Dietz Equity Leadership Award.

The award is named to honour Mary Lou Dietz—a late UWindsor faculty member and former head of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology—in recognition of her contributions to the advancement of women in Canadian universities and colleges.

The recipient will be a member or former member of the faculty association who demonstrates the spirit of equity leadership by:

• Innovative strategies, approaches and activities for creating a climate of equity and diversity on campus;
• Leadership in recruiting diverse candidates, colleagues and students;
• Providing mentorship, guidance, and support to students and colleagues in the spirit of equity and diversity;
• Service on equity and diversity committees;
• Service to the Faculty Association;
• Public advocacy on equity and diversity;
• Scholarly work, including paper presentations, lectures, or publications on equity and diversity;
• Excellence in teaching and innovative curriculum design to further the cause of employment equity and diversity.

Nominations must include the nominee’s name and credentials, as well as a single page outlining the nominee’s accomplishments and contributions, addressing the criteria set out above, and should be received by February 29.

Send nominations to the faculty association office by:

• e-mail to wufa@uwindsor.ca as an MS-Word document; or
• post to WUFA, 366 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, ON  N9B 3P4.

Find details and forms on the faculty association’s website.

The orientation program Head Start will welcome incoming students over six days, including two Saturdays, to meet other students while they learn about the campus community, their academic programs, student services, and more.

Here are the dates:

• May 27, 28, 30—inter-faculty programs as well as those in business, engineering, nursing and science;
• June 3, 4, 6—programs in human kinetics and the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

The Student Success Centre will post updates and details on Head Start 2016 on its website as they become available during the winter semester.