After recent allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct in the Canadian theatre industry, her students were asking questions about the issue, says drama professor Michelle MacArthur.

She and her colleagues in the School of Dramatic Art have decided to address these concerns with a community forum about making rehearsal halls, classrooms, and theatre spaces safe and equitable for everyone.

“#TimesUp/Now What? Taking Action in Theatre after #metoo” will feature a panel conversation at 4 p.m. Friday, January 19, in the Studio Theatre, Jackman Dramatic Art Centre.

“This comes on the heels of accusations against Albert Schultz, artistic director and co-founder of Toronto’s Soulpepper Theatre Company,” says Dr. MacArthur.

Four women filed civil lawsuits describing him as a “serial sexual predator,” prompting his resignation as artistic director earlier this month.

“This really opened up a conversation in the Canadian theatre community about why these incidents happen and what we need to change,” MacArthur says. “We want to respond to our students’ concerns about the industry and empower them to be agents of change.”

She will facilitate the discussion between panelists:

• Carol Branget, counsellor with the Sexual Assault Crisis Centre of Windsor;
• Dusty Johnstone, UWindsor Sexual Misconduct Response and Prevention Officer;
• Tina Pugliese, director of the School of Dramatic Art;
• Gina Lori Riley, associate professor, School of Dramatic Art; and
• Emily Rosser, co-ordinator of the Bystander Initiative to End Sexual Violence

on questions of how to negotiate consent and intimacy and how to enforce change in the professional field.

A community discussion aimed at identifying concrete actions to change the industry and artistic practice for the better will follow.

The event is free and open to the public. To indicate intention to attend, RSVP by January 18 to drama@uwindsor.ca.

The University of Windsor Board of Governors continues to work towards the goal of selecting the next President and Vice-Chancellor. The timeline for the completion of this search has been extended beyond February 2018.

This extension will assist the search committee as it continues to work toward completion of its very important task of bringing forward the candidate who best fits the position profile and mandate that were developed through wide community consultation.

A free event February 24 on the UWindsor campus will educate, inspire, and equip girls with the digital skills, confidence, and resources needed to pursue education in technology, computing, and engineering.

Go Code Girl is an opportunity for girls in Grades 7 to 11 across Ontario to learn about the exciting world of coding and software development.

UWindsor Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Science will host the event in partnership with the Ontario Network for Women in Engineering (ONWIE). It will run through the morning of Saturday, February 24, in room 305 of the Leddy Library’s west building.

Space is limited; register on the ONWIE website. Direct any questions to Shelly Scurr at 519-253-3000, ext. 2560, or shellys@uwindsor.ca.

Winning the Ron W. Ianni Memorial Scholarship in Music Performance is an honour that goes beyond its $500 prize, says second-year voice major Lilly Korkontzelos.

“To me, this represents not only my musical ability, but also that the work I have dedicated to honing my craft is just as imperative as talent,” says the jazz singer, who beat out six fellow music majors Sunday to finish atop a competition spanning instruments and genres. “Receiving the Ianni scholarship has further heightened my drive to succeed in the future.”

Korkontzelos studies with instructor Shahida Nurullah, and says that while she has trained in other genres, including classical and musical theatre, her love of jazz always seems to prevail.

The Ianni Scholarship Competition honours the late UWindsor president and features those students who performed best in the December juries. This year’s competition was judged by Vincent Georgie, director of the School of Creative Arts, and music professors Bruce Kotowich and Nicholas Papador.

Students who will spend their Reading Weeks Walpole Island First Nation or the Downtown Mission for Alternative Spring Break are hosting a fund-raising film night Wednesday, January 17.

On the bill are the two entries in the Blade Runner film series: the 1982 original and the 2017 sequel, Blade Runner 2049. In addition to the screening, organizers promise free popcorn and prizes for best costumes.

The event will begin at 7 p.m. in room 1120, Erie Hall; doors open at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $5.

A change in Ontario law to allow registered social workers to use the title “psychotherapist” will protect the public while ensuring greater access to mental health services, says Robin Wright, director of the UWindsor School of Social Work.

The provincial government passed the controlled act of psychotherapy as a component of the Psychotherapy Act, 2007, in December after a 10-year campaign by the Ontario Association of Social Workers. It makes psychotherapy a health profession regulated by the provincial government.

The landmark legislation will “ensure greater public protection by identifying that the practice of psychotherapy will be carried out by highly-trained registered social workers and other designated regulated professionals,” Dr. Wright says.

“This achievement is an outstanding recognition by the Ontario government of the contribution that social workers make in practice and research on the impact of mental health conditions on physical health and social well-being in our communities.”

In a letter to its members, the association said “the provision of these services has always been core to social work practice and failure to have this recognition posed the serious risk of downgrading how the public perceive our scope of practice.”

An information session Wednesday, January 17, will review the application process for the Canada Summer Jobs program, which provides funding to help employers create summer job opportunities for students.

Wednesday’s session is aimed at UWindsor faculty and staff and will begin at 10 a.m. in room 100, Joyce Entrepreneurship Centre. Register online.

The program is designed to focus on local priorities; as a public sector employer, the University of Windsor is eligible to receive funding for up to 50 per cent of minimum hourly wage for positions between 30 and 40 hours per week, for six to 16 weeks.

The Office of Career Development and Experiential Learning is working in partnership with the Department of Finance to co-ordinate one Canada Summer Jobs application from the University of Windsor to include all proposals received by the internal deadline.

Friday, January 26 is the deadline to submit a proposal. All applications must follow this process so that they may be signed by someone with the authority to enter an agreement on behalf of the University.

Find more detailed information about the criteria and access the online job proposal form on the Office of Career Development and Experiential Learning’s website.

Noon on Friday, January 19, is the deadline to apply as a presenter for Accessibility Awareness Day 2018 with the theme “More than Meets the Eye.”

The event will be held on March 28 in the CAW Student Centre. The Office of Human Rights, Equity and Accessibility has issued a call for presenters to those who wish to share their expertise particularly relating to raising awareness of accessibility for those with invisible disabilities.

Each session is to last one hour; presenters should prepare 45 minutes of material and allot 15 minutes for questions from the audience. To submit a proposal, complete the survey on the Accessibility Awareness Day website.