The conduct of a referendum earlier this semester on Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel failed to adhere to the rules set out by the University of Windsor Students’ Alliance, the University has concluded after receiving the results of an investigation into the matter, UWindsor president Alan Wildeman wrote in an open letter to full-time undergraduate students Thursday.

The investigation by Raj Anand, a partner at the law firm WeirFoulds LLP and former chief commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, substantiated five major allegations:

• the petition to hold the referendum did not meet the standard of 500 valid signatures;
• changes to the structure of the UWSA executive violated its bylaws;
• some members of the executive and council have not met the constitutional criteria for membership;
• the motion approving the referendum lacked quorum;
• the referendum question was unclear and ambiguous.

Dr. Wildeman stated that the University is committed to working with students to help them achieve effective student governance and promised further communication about possible next steps in that regard.

Read the entire letter on the presidential communications website.

Dance is an under-developed form of social activism, says communications professor Garth Rennie, but he is hoping to change that.

More than 100 of his students in classes on media aesthetics, podcasting and internet media will display their hand-made dance apparel and documentary media in an exhibition Friday, March 28, at Common Ground gallery.

Dr. Rennie defines dance activists as “those using dance to transform culture around the world.” He challenged his students to design T-shirts, tank tops or hoodies that could be used to spread messages on a dance floor.

“It seems to me dance activism hasn't actually been fully articulated as a form of activism,” he says. “I would like to link the initiative to work in other disciplines, from visual arts to drama, from women’s studies to political science.”

He expects the exhibit to encompass 50 student creations. A free public reception runs 7 to 10 p.m. Common Ground is located in the Mackenzie Hall Cultural Centre, 3277 Sandwich Street.

Nine finalists will explain their way to glory Monday during the final round of UWindsor’s Three Minute Thesis competition.

The event challenges graduate students to present their research and its significance to a non-specialist audience in an engaging way, with just three minutes and one slide. The event offers cash prizes for a winner, first runner-up and people’s choice, with the champion going on to represent Windsor at a province-wide competition at McMaster University on April 24.

Monday’s competitors include biology students Martin Crozier, Jessica Dare, Maria Ferraiuolo and Ingrid Qemo; chemistry students Hisham Dokainish, Michael Holmes and Pamela Ovadje; kinesiology student Yasina Somani and psychology student Brianne Brooker.

CBC Radio host Tony Doucette will act as master of ceremonies for the finals, which begin at 2 p.m. March 31 in Ambassador Auditorium, CAW Student Centre. Admission is free and open to the public—all those in attendance can vote their favourites for the people’s choice award.

Find more information, including a list of presentation titles, on the competition website.

Residence Services is collecting donations of non-perishable items for the student food bank in Iona College in advance of an April 5 Day of Action. As part of the Higher Education Reaching Out (HERO) Project, student volunteers will canvass South Windsor neighbourhoods for contributions to restock dwindling supplies.

“It’s not acceptable that many people in the Windsor area and the growing number of college and university students are faced with not knowing how they are going to eat each day,” says organizer Jacqueline Mellish. “With food banks not being able to keep up with the demand, it’s time that we reached out and gave our neighbours and students a helping hand.”

She and her fellow residence life coordinators are issuing a challenge to students, faculty and staff to join the ranks of campus HEROs. Supporters may drop off donations until April 4 at the Residence Services office, Vanier Hall’s room 49, or arrange for pick-up by contacting Mellish at jmellish@uwindsor.ca.

Students in professor Min Bae’s film studies class took a bird’s-eye view to Wednesday’s ground-breaking for the Welcome Centre.

Using a camera mounted to an F550 drone, the students captured aerial footage showing the building’s shape, outlined in orange on the ground, while some of its future occupants wave from the site of their offices.

The centre’s free-form design will create an open, welcoming feel for visitors to the building, slated to become a campus landmark and the gateway to an ever-growing and changing University community.

Watch the video: