Laverne Jacobs, associate dean for research and graduate studies in Windsor Law, has been nominated by the Government of Canada for election to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

An expert in the areas of disability equality and the law, human rights, and administrative law, Dr. Jacobs’s work has been cited by disability organizations, government, law reform agencies, and courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada. She is a member of the Berkeley Center on Comparative Equality and Anti-Discrimination Law and co-director of its disability rights working group. She also founded and directs the Law, Disability, and Social Change Project — a research and public advocacy initiative housed at Windsor Law that works to foster and develop inclusive communities.

“It is an absolute honour to be nominated by the Government of Canada as its first candidate for the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,” says Jacobs. “As a member of the disability community, I am also excited by the prospect of participating in its work. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is a vital international instrument for the implementation and concretization of the rights of people with disabilities around the world. I look forward to contributing to the process and I am truly delighted to receive this nomination.”

Composed of 18 independent experts of high moral character and recognized competence in the field of human rights, the UN committee will aim to fill nine seats at the June 2022 Conference of States Parties to the Convention in New York. If elected, Jacobs will be the first Canadian ever to serve on the committee and her term will be effective January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2026. Before the June 2022 election, she will be involved in an international campaign.

“Dr. Jacobs is a well-respected and recognized legal scholar whose extensive work in the areas of human rights and disability law has made her a strong voice of advocacy, and a highly valued source of expertise by law reform agencies and courts across the country and the world,” said UWindsor president Robert Gordon.

“As founder and director of the University of Windsor’s Law, Disability and Social Change Project — a research and public advocacy initiative that works to foster and develop inclusive communities — Dr. Jacobs inspires all of us to work toward a more inclusive and just society for individuals of all abilities.”

Her nomination and candidacy for election to the UN committee was announced by Carla Qualtrough, Canada’s Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, at the 14th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on Thursday morning, followed by a local press conference by Windsor-Tecumseh MP Irek Kuzmiercyzk Thursday afternoon.

The University of Windsor is partnering with Rocket Innovation Studio to create a pipeline of top tech talent in the region.

Rocket Innovation Studio, a downtown Windsor-based technology leader, will deliver a series of workshops beginning this month for students in the Master of Applied Computing (MAC) program. The workshops will focus on financial technology — shortened to fintech, a rapidly growing field in Ontario.

“This is an exceptional opportunity for our students,” said Ziad Kobti, director of UWindsor’s School of Computer Science. “We are creating a connection with the fintech industry. Rocket Innovation Studio is looking for tremendous talent, and we are training our students to match industry’s needs.”

The first of the four online workshops begins today: Friday, June 18. The for-credit workshops are mandatory for MAC students, but others in UWindsor’s computer science program can also enroll.

“With our growing presence in the Windsor tech community, Rocket Innovation Studio is playing a key role in preparing students for a successful future,” said Jasen Sams, the information technology company’s vice-president.

“Students will see real-life examples of the concepts they are learning in the classroom and experience first-hand how technology can improve experiences for consumers across North America.”

Rocket Innovation Studio opened in 2019, contributing to Windsor’s downtown revitalization when it moved into the former Fish Market building on Chatham Street. The company provides tech solutions to the businesses it serves, including back-end and front-end development, data science, and product development.

Rocket Innovation Studio is a member of Rocket Companies and serves the tech needs of other fintech enterprises on the Rocket Companies platform. These include Rocket Mortgage — the largest mortgage lender in the United States — along with real estate brokerage Rocket Homes and online vehicle sales company Rocket Auto.

The partnership with Rocket is important, said dean of science Chris Houser, whose faculty houses the School of Computer Science. “This provides an exciting opportunity for our students and supports economic growth and diversification of the Windsor-Essex region.”

The UWindsor School of Computer Science has been cited by Maclean’s magazine as one of the top computer programs in the country. The University’s MAC program has also been named one of the best computer science programs in Canada, attracting students from around the world.

The program, which offers a specialization in artificial intelligence, helps address a national shortage of skilled workers in computing and data science. It also offers paid internships of four to eight months. More than 94 per cent of students in the program earn paid internships and 100 per cent find employment upon graduation, Dr. Kobti said.

“This is an elite program that arms students with the advanced computing skills that are in demand by industry.”

Last year, UWindsor partnered with Blackberry on a 10-week online course. The mandatory course for MAC students was dubbed Blackberry Bootcamp and focused on cybersecurity.

“Our MAC students have a very high rate of finding permanent employment following graduation,” said Johanna Beneteau, business development co-ordinator in the UWindsor’s department of Co-operative Education and Workplace Partnerships. “These industry-partnership courses will only enhance that.”

A new scholarship fund will support nursing students who identify as First Nation, Métis, or Inuit.

The inaugural award of the Camille Dan Family Scholarship in Nursing offers $5,000 to a graduate student in the winter of 2022. Subsequent years will see it split between an undergraduate and a graduate student.

“I hope that this scholarship, as part of the outstanding University of Windsor School of Nursing education, helps as a step forward offering opportunities for achievement and advancement of nursing and health care within our First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities in Canada,” said donor Camille Dan (BScN 1982).

After a career in nursing, she founded the private investment firm Talitna Enterprises, and earlier this year published the book Aaron's Energy: An Unexpected Journey Through Grief and the Afterlife With My Brilliant Son.

Dean of the Faculty of Nursing, Debbie Sheppard-Lemoine, welcomed the announcement of the scholarship fund.

“I want to express my sincere thanks for the establishment of this new award that will provide scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students of Indigenous heritage,” she said. “We are looking forward to supporting this first-ever funding opportunity for an Indigenous nursing student.”

The scholarship will make a difference for its recipients and beyond, said Russell Nahdee, co-ordinator of the Aboriginal Education Centre.

“The Camille Dan Family Scholarship in Nursing award promises to positively change Indigenous students’ lives and shows that good things are happening in the world of nursing,” Nahdee said. “The promise to inspire, educate, and help Indigenous students to feel more supported and at ease in their current careers and prospective careers, further supports the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action.”

The Indigenous History Month “Fry Bread Challenge” continues this week with a recipe from the Cree and Saulteaux people of Muskoday First Nation in Saskatchewan.

Try this recipe at home and submit photos of your creations for a chance to win a copy of Tawâw: Progressive Indigenous Cuisine, and a $50 grocery store gift card. Email submissions to leddycommunications@uwindsor.ca by Monday, July 5.

Full recipes and contest rules can be found on the Leddy Library website.

Traditional Bannock, Muskoday First Nation

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup of lard, butter, or bacon grease
• 3/4 - 1 cup of water

Directions

• Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
• Add the fat (lard, butter, or bacon grease) to the mix. The fat should be evenly distributed in the mix.
• Gradually add water and mix the ingredients together with your hands.
• Knead the dough gently adding more water if needed. Dough should be easy to handle without being too sticky. Add small amounts of flour if needed.
• Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick.
• Using a fork, poke holes throughout dough.
• Place on baking sheet or directly on oven rack and bake at 425°F for 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, carefully flip bread and bake for another 10 minutes.

Source: Nellie Bear Demmans, Muskoday First Nation.

Explore the library’s Indigenous food collection to learn more about Indigenous history, food, and cooking.

Campus partners are working to maintain a robust set of Knowledge Base Articles (KBAs).

The team will continue to compile a weekly digest of the most-referenced KBAs to streamline student-focused questions to ask.UWindsor to support consistent communication with current and future students.

These are this week’s top-five referenced KBAs:

• How do I know when to register for classes? (311)
• I am starting to plan my courses for Fall 2021; what should I know? (751)
• I have accepted an offer of admission to UWindsor. How do I set up my multi-factor authentication options? (536)
• How do I extend my UWin Account? (314)
• What is the University of Windsor's Tuition Guarantee? (743)

You can submit common questions or make suggestions to the KBA team at askkba@uwindsor.ca.

Bites from insects like mosquitoes, fleas, ticks, and blackflies can cause itchiness, irritation, and potentially serious diseases, but protection in the form of repellant can help, according to the June 2021 edition of Workplace Wellness E-Digest.

Published by the Department of Human Resources’ Office of Employee Engagement and Development, it offers advice about the different types of repellents, how to select the best one, and how to use it safely.

The newsletter shares safety tips for barbecuing and camping, as well as ides on how to camp from the comfort of your own home. Read the entire issue of the Workplace Wellness E-Digest.