With the onset of cold and flu season, following public health measures can help to prevent illness, says Sherri Lynne Menard, director of campus safety and emergency planning.

“As we enter autumn and winter, we can expect to see an uptick in respiratory illness,” she says. “The most important way to prevent its spread is to stay home when you’re feeling ill.”

She notes that preventive steps taken against COVID-19 will work for other respiratory illnesses as well:

• Stay at home if you feel unwell and especially stay away from people at higher risk of serious illness.
• Get all recommended vaccines, including influenza and COVID-19 boosters.
• Practise respiratory etiquette if you have symptoms: wear a mask in indoor public spaces, and cough and sneeze in your elbow.
• Clean your hands regularly and avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, mouth, and nose.

COVID testing kits are available free to anyone with a UWinID from the Chemical Control Centre in room B37, Essex Hall; the information desk in the CAW Student Centre; and the front desks in Cartier, Laurier, and Alumni residence halls.

Should you have any questions or concerns, or require further health information, contact the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.

The University of Windsor has achieved its highest-ever position in one of the most influential global rankings.

The 20th edition of the World University Rankings by the Times Higher Education was released Sept. 27. Windsor made a notable jump, moving up nearly 100 spots to enter the 501-600 tier for the first time, placing it among the top third of universities globally.

Nationally, Windsor was ranked seventh among non-medical Canadian universities and fourth among non-medical Ontario universities.

“Our progress in this prestigious ranking is gratifying and motivating,” said UWindsor president Robert Gordon. “It reflects the extensive efforts of our faculty, researchers, and staff who have been pushing boundaries, as individuals and as a collective, to advance knowledge and discovery in new and different ways.”

The 2024 World University Rankings were the most comprehensive to date, including a record number of institutions — 1,904 across 108 countries and regions — and an updated methodology. New measures were introduced to assess research strength, excellence, influence, and industry knowledge transfer. In total, universities were assessed on 18 performance indicators within five areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry connections, and international outlook.

The University of Windsor improved its research quality and industry scores and earned a place in the top 25 percent of all universities globally for its research environment, which considers productivity, reputation, and income generation.

“Our focus on excellence in research, scholarship, and creative activity has helped UWindsor reach new heights in this prestigious global ranking, driven by our gains in research quality, partnerships, and impact,” said Shanthi Johnson, vice-president, research, and innovation. “We will continue to champion innovation and collaboration, both locally and globally.”

Windsor has now achieved its highest-ever placement in an international university ranking for the second time in recent months. In July, it was listed among the top 44 percent of universities worldwide in the QS World University Rankings, where it also moved up 100 positions.

“Our University’s ongoing advancement on the world stage is a source of immense pride for the entire UWindsor community,” Gordon said. “It underscores the impact of change and improvement and propels our continued pursuit of excellence on a larger scale.

“As we progress with both gradual and monumental strides, we remain committed to our mission of empowering positive change through innovative teaching, research, diverse perspectives, and creative initiatives.”

Times Higher Education is a leading source of data, insight, and expertise on higher education worldwide. This year, its World University Rankings analyzed 134 million citations, 68,402 scholar responses, and data from 2,673 institutions. Results are published only for universities meeting specified performance criteria; an additional 105 were included this year compared to 2023. The top 200 universities are ranked, and the others categorized into tiers.

An online information session Thursday, Oct. 5, will provide details on the 2024 Innovative Designs for Accessibility (IDeA) student competition.

The competition challenges UWindsor students to develop innovative, practical, and cost-effective solutions to address accessibility barriers which affect persons with disabilities. Entrants can win up to $500 to be applied to their UWinCard.

The competition runs through Feb. 2 and will accept ideas created and developed as a part of coursework.

“I can’t wait to see what creative solutions our students will come up with this year,” says Cherie Gagnon, accessibility manager in the Office of Human Rights, Equity, and Accessibility. “It’s exciting to see accessibility on the mind of students from so many faculties.”

She encourages interested students and faculty to attend Thursday’s session on MS Teams, which will feature a short presentation on the IDeA competition and how to enter, followed by a question-and-answer period. It will run 3:30 to p.m.; click here to register for access to attend.

Calling all student entrepreneurs, changemakers, and big thinkers: nominations are now open for the inaugural Student Entrepreneur Awards recognizing entrepreneurial excellence, resilience, and innovation.

The Entrepreneurship Practice and Innovation Centre (EPICentre) invites nominations of deserving student entrepreneurs for one of three awards, each accompanied by a trophy and a $500 cash prize:

• Entrepreneurial Trailblazer, recognizing visionary leadership and significant entrepreneurial success;
• Innovation Award, celebrating remarkable innovation, creativity, and positive impact potential;
• Best Bounce Back Award, honouring resilience in overcoming challenges to achieve entrepreneurial goals.

Current University of Windsor students and those who graduated in the academic year 2023 are eligible. Nominees do not have to be members of EPICentre.

Nominations close at 2 p.m. Nov. 6, with winners announced at EPICentre’s 10th Anniversary Celebration on Jan. 19. Get all the details on the awards website.

A colloquium Oct. 5 will explore applying research into emotion skills in children to clinical treatment approaches.

Kristel Thomassin, associate professor in the clinical child and adolescent psychology program at the University of Guelph and director of its child emotion and mental health lab, will deliver “Leveraging Emotion Science Findings to Inform Psychotherapeutic Interventions” at 4 p.m. Thursday in room 202, Toldo Health Education Centre.

Dr. Thomassin’s research focuses on children’s emotional functioning. In particular, she is interested in the ways the family system contributes to children’s development of emotion skills and the role they play in child psychopathology.

She seeks to translate this knowledge to the clinical care context as a means of gaining insight into how treatment approaches may be adapted to maximize therapeutic outcomes for youth.

This event is hosted by the Department of Psychology as part of its colloquium series.

WE-Spark Health Institute hosts monthly networking events for members of the Windsor-Essex health research community to get to know one another through fun and casual conversations. There is no formal agenda, and all are welcome.

This is an opportunity for anyone interested in health research to make connections in an informal and enjoyable atmosphere. The next event will be held Thursday, Oct. 5, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Bourbon Tap & Grill, 1199 Ottawa St. No RSVP is required.

WE-Spark Health Institute is supported by a partnership of the University of Windsor, Erie Shores HealthCare, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, St. Clair College, and Windsor Regional Hospital that brings together health research strengths, expertise, and infrastructure from across the Windsor-Essex region.