Sandra Muse IsaacsEnglish professor Sandra Muse Isaacs has recommended a list of books appropriate for #Indigenous Reads.

Reading list a guide to Indigenous literature

In celebration of National Indigenous History Month, professor Sandra Muse Isaacs of the Department of English Language, Literature, and Creative Writing has produced a list of books she recommends as #IndigenousReads, a project to encourage reconciliation by sharing Indigenous literature.

“My students have enjoyed the books and recommended them to their friends and family,” says Dr. Muse Isaacs. “Some recommendations are novels, and some are memoirs of sorts about residential school, and one of the texts is about ancient stories and oral tradition.”

  • Cheri Dimaline (Méetis), The Marrow Thieves. Dancing Cat Books, 2017.
  • Dawn Dumont (Cree), Rose’s Run. Thistledown Press, 2014.
  • Linda Hogan (Chickasaw), People of the Whale. Penguin Classics, 2008.
  • Basil Johnston (Anishinaabe), Ojibway Tales. Bison Books, 1993.
  • Thomas King (Cherokee), The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America. Doubleday Canada, 2012.
  • Isabelle Knockwood (L’Nuk), Out of the Depths: Experiences of Mi’kmaw Children at the Indian Residential School at Shubenacadie. Fernwood Books, 2015.
  • Eden Robinson (Haisla, Heiltsuk), Monkey Beach. Vintage Books, 2001.
  • Leslie Marmon Silko (Laguna Pueblo), Ceremony. Penguin Classics, 2006.
  • Richard Wagamese (Anishinaabe), Indian Horse. Douglas & McIntryre, 2018.

Muse Isaacs is of Eastern Cherokee and Gaelic heritage, and joined the UWindsor faculty through the President’s Indigenous Peoples Scholars Program in 2018.

She is the author of Eastern Cherokee Stories: A Living Oral Tradition and its Cultural Continuance, published in 2019 by Oklahoma University Press and available in hard cover or ebook format.

In June, Canadians celebrate National Indigenous History Month to honour the history, heritage, and diversity of Indigenous peoples in Canada. It is an opportunity to recognize the strength of present-day Indigenous communities, and a time for learning about, appreciating, and acknowledging the contributions First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people have made in shaping Canada.

Macdonald HallThe University of Windsor will be undertaking a review of all building names across campus.

University to review building names

The University has received a number of inquiries about the appropriateness of continuing to name one of our residences after Sir John A. Macdonald.

The University of Windsor does have a naming policy with oversight by our Board of Governors. Through the Governance Committee of the Board, the University of Windsor will be undertaking a review of all building names across campus, with the understanding that buildings should be named for individuals and organizations who reflect our institutional values and priorities. Discussions with students, faculty, staff, and alumni will inform this review, which will include a review of the naming of Macdonald Hall.

The final decision to name a building, or change the name of a building, rests with the University of Windsor Board of Governors. The Board will be in a position to look at Macdonald Hall when it again resumes meetings in the Fall.

logo for Lancer GamingUWindsor’s Lancer Gaming may be the first official university-level competitive esports team in Canada.

UWindsor to launch ground-breaking esports program this September

The University of Windsor will host what may be the first official university-level competitive intercollegiate esports team in Canada this September.

Through the combined efforts of the Office of Student Experience, the Student Success and Leadership Centre, the Faculty of Science, and the School of Computer Science, the program will bring together students from across campus to celebrate their passion for competitive video gaming.

Esports is a billion-dollar industry worldwide that features both professional and recreational teams in online gaming competitions. In 2019, esports had an online viewing audience of 443 million, with numbers continuing to grow. At the time of writing there are more than 200 collegiate esports teams in the United States and Canada, including St. Clair College.

Paul Meister, a PhD candidate in chemistry, is leading the project. He calls it an “incredible opportunity” for the University of Windsor and the community.

“Our students have been waiting for their chance to compete on the international stage,” he says. “I’m excited to finally give it to them with the support of the phenomenal partner ecosystem we’ve established.”

Meister and his team started last year and since September 2019, have signed on more than 250 UWindsor students from all faculties, including large contingents from engineering, science, and arts, humanities and social sciences.

The initial launch will involve a modest investment with a vision toward growth says Cindy Crump, director of the Student Success and Leadership Centre, which will be the home base of Lancer Gaming.

“Esports represents a great way to enhance the student experience and raise the profile of the University across the globe,” Crump says. “We’re excited to start a conversation with partners who want to see the University grow in this way.”

Chris Houser, dean of science, has supported esports activities, calling them an “innovative way for UWindsor to stand out” in the increasingly competitive recruitment environment, and noting that they present opportunities for research.

“Esports is not only about computer science and gaming, it also has ingredients of business, marketing, creative writing, visual and dramatic arts, and several other academic areas,” Dr. Houser says.

Lancer Gaming will make resources available for students to participate, including a room in Vanier Hall outfitted with high-speed internet and gaming consoles for those without access to suitable equipment.

Meister plans a 10-person team to represent UWindsor in upcoming international League of Legends tournaments and to have the school join the Ontario Post-Secondary Esports league set to launch this fall.

To learn more about esports on campus, visit uwindsor.ca/LancerGaming, follow @UWinEsports on Twitter, or email esports@uwindsor.ca.

cartoon of people moving about cityA community conversation Friday will consider a just, inclusive, and sustainable recovery in Windsor post-pandemic.

Windsor Law Centre for Cities promoting post-pandemic dialogue

Earlier this month, the Windsor Law Centre for Cities collaborated with the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) to publish a report on cities and COVID-19 after 100 days of shutdown. The report, which examines how life and governance — how we live, move, work, care, and prosper — in Canadian cities have changed over the first 100 days of the pandemic, was released Friday on COVID100.ca.

“Cities across Canada are faced with enormous challenges at this time, but there also unprecedented opportunities for change and innovation,” says Windsor Law professor Anneke Smit, director of the Centre for Cities. The team contributing to the CUI report included Dr. Smit and student research assistants Aucha Stewart and Hana Syed.

In an effort to support public dialogue about what is needed to ensure a just, inclusive, and sustainable recovery in Windsor post-pandemic, the centre is hosting a community conversation over Zoom this Friday, June 26, from 12 to 1:30 p.m.

Moderated by Mita Williams of the Leddy Library, panellists will include:

  • Elayne Isaacs, integrated care manager for the Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Action Coalition;
  • Jeremiah Bowers, national chair of the Black Students’ Caucus;
  • Hugo Vega, regional manager of settlement services at the YMCA of Southwestern Ontario;
  • Yousef Wahb, imam of youth, education, and outreach for the Windsor Islamic Association;
  • Janice Kaffer, president of Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare (HDGH); and
  • members of Windsor’s small business community.

Several UWindsor faculty members will also participate: associate dean of law Laverne Jacobs, director of the School of Creative Arts Vincent Georgie, and professors Edwin Tam of engineering and Sarah Woodruff Atkinson of human kinetics. Participants will make brief comments followed by a question-and-answer session.

“We are proud to have contributed to the important report on Canadian cities and COVID released by CUI, and even more so to support dialogue on these issues in our own community,” says Smit.

The event, hosted by Windsor Law Centre for Cities and supported by CUI, WE-Spark Health Institute, and several other local organizations, will be open to the public but advance registration is required. Further details and registration are available on the Centre for Cities website.

logo for Tech TalkA Tech Talk video demonstrates how to pop one-on-one or group chats in Teams into a separate window.

Video shows how to pop out a Teams chat

Have you ever felt like you’re stuck in a Teams meeting and can’t easily access other chats?

Watch Information Technology Services team member Ericka Greenham demonstrate how to instantly pop one-on-one or group chats out into a separate window in this 100-second Tech Talk video.

If you want more information about Teams and chat, click on the link in the Comments section below the video.

Tech Talk is a presentation of IT Services. More Tech Talks are available at www.uwindsor.ca/its/tech-talk.

Lisette Gagnon, Tyler SassoUWindsor music alumni Lisette Gagnon and Tyler Sasso will present a charity concert through Facebook on Friday, June 26.

Musical duo to perform benefit concert

UWindsor music alumni Lisette Gagnon (BMus 2016) and Tyler Sasso (BMus 2013) will present a charity concert through Facebook on Friday, June 26.

The two, who combine her vocals and his guitar as Lisette & Tyler, have been livestreaming performances almost weekly since the imposition of social distancing protocols in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Proceeds from Friday’s concert will support Canadian chapters of two organizations they describe as making a global difference:

The live show begins at 8 p.m. Find it here.

lightbulb representing ideasA webinar will offer guidance on “How to research similar business ideas,” Friday, June 26.

Market research subject of webinar

A webinar Friday is the second in a three-part series by the Entrepreneurship Practice and Innovation Centre (EPICentre) helping startups to turn their business ideas into reality.

“How to research similar business ideas” will discuss how to divide a concept into core components and conduct a thorough search for similar ideas. Participants will learn:

  • What attributes make your idea important?
  • Can you learn from other businesses?
  • Are there gaps in the market that you can fill?

Gain tools to search for competitors and allies, identify industries and markets, and ultimately identify the things that will become your core value.

The event runs on Zoom, 1 to 2 p.m. June 26. Find more details, including an online registration form, on the EPICentre website.