A fundraising campaign for a state-of-the-art Data Analytics Teaching Lab at the Odette School of Business has received a $350,000 matching gift from the E. & G. Odette Foundation and the P & L Odette Charitable Foundation.

The Odette School of Business launched a $700,000 philanthropic campaign earlier this year with the goal of transforming its multipurpose computer lab into a premier Data Analytics Teaching Lab. The lab will support the school’s new undergraduate and graduate specializations in data analytics and increase its ability to recruit top business students and faculty from around the world.

“The use of a state-of-the-art computing lab is a fundamental need for our students,” said dean Mitchell Fields. “Data analytics has become an important driver for all programs at the graduate and undergraduate level at the Odette School of Business. As the use and availability of data explodes, business students require the skills to analyze and understand large data sets. Our vision is to create a lab that is among the best in all Canada.”

The lab will include 50 cutting-edge workstations, new monitor systems, advanced teaching technologies, high-end processors, high-speed wiring, and industry leading software. In addition to providing teaching support, potential uses of the lab may include but are not limited to research projects, case competitions, outreach events, and in-house club competitions. The total campaign will see the school raise $1.1 million, with the University of Windsor internally providing $370,000 in capital funding to kick it off.

The Odette School of Business is looking to its alumni and stakeholders to join the fundraising campaign. Donations to the initiative will be generously matched by the family foundations of Edmond and Gloria Odette, and Patricia and Louis Odette, who are also the school’s named benefactors.

“As a practitioner in the field of data analytics, I took part in the school’s external consultation process at the beginning stages of developing this lab,” said Lou Odette, son of Louis and Patricia Odette, and president of the P & L Odette Charitable Foundation. “I am confident that the lab will be a great opportunity for Odette students to learn and practise at the leading edge of data science.”

To date, the business school has received donations from the University of Windsor Alumni Association and several alumni that will be matched by the Odette foundations. Construction of the new lab is expected to be completed by fall 2021.

The University of Windsor Alumni Association will engage its members and friends in virtual celebration during Alumni Week 2021, Sept. 27 to Oct. 3.

A series of events and activities will renew old acquaintances and recall times past, with prizes for participating.

Alumni are invited to share positive messages about their time at UWindsor via the UWin Remembers form submission. Uplifting messages will be shared with current and graduating students.

Post a picture showing your Lancer pride to social media and tag @UWinAlumni for a chance to win a prize pack.

Find details, including a full schedule of activities, on the Alumni Week website.

The inaugural National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Sept. 30, coincides with Orange Shirt Day, bringing together Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in the spirit of hope and reconciliation to honour residential school survivors, their families and communities.

The University of Windsor Orange Shirt Day Committee has been working to raise awareness about these issues.

“It can be a challenging day for Indigenous members of our community and I am proud to be working alongside so many non-Indigenous students and colleagues who are doing the heavy lifting,” says Kat Pasquach, Aboriginal outreach and retention co-ordinator.

“These are steps we take towards reconciliation. The inter-generational trauma caused by residential schools continues to be felt and healing is a gradual process that will require understanding, time, and patience.”

The committee has launched a website to house information on relevant activities and resources, including:

• stories from the Indigenous community about their residential school experiences;
• details of upcoming events;
• healing and support resources for the Indigenous community; and
• educational resources for the campus community.

Sarah Hébert notes that the work would not be possible without the support of sponsors, listed on the Orange Shirt Day website. To add an event to the calendar on the website, email Hébert at shebert@uwindsor.ca.

Supporters can also order T-shirts and lawn signs to promote awareness.

• The shirts are $20 and will be available for pick-up by appointment on Sept. 28 and 29.
• The signs are $15 and can be picked up from the Office of Student Experience, room 117 in the student centre, on Sept. 24.

Order both on the uwindsor.ca/orangeshirtday website.

Members of the public and campus community are invited to join the Paul Martin Law Library's Truth and Reconciliation Sharing Circle for a virtual Orange Shirt Day event on Thursday, Sept. 30.

The group will meet over the Blackboard Collaborate platform at 4:30 p.m. to present two National Film Board films:

• This Was the Time (1970) shows how one village lived again the old glory, with singing, dancing, feasting, and the raising of a towering totem as a lasting reminder of what once was.
• Now Is the Time (2019) commemorates the 50th anniversary of the first new totem pole raising on British Columbia’s Haida Gwaii in almost a century. Haida filmmaker Christopher Auchter steps through history to revisit the day that would signal the rebirth of the Haida spirit.

Indigenous speakers and UWindsor professors Cynthia Stirbys of social work and Valarie Waboose of law will facilitate group discussions after each film screening.

The event will take place on Orange Shirt Day: every year on Sept. 30, people across Canada wear orange and participate in events that recognize and raise awareness about the history and legacies of the residential school system in Canada. Orange Shirt Day originates from the story of Phyllis Webstad from the Stswecem'c Xgat'tem First Nation.

“The Paul Martin Law Library has gone virtual this year with its committee-led events,” said committee members Jennifer Soutter and Vicki Leung. “As we continue to support and seek Understanding of the lived experiences of our Indigenous colleagues and communities, we hope interested parties will join us on this journey.”

This event is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required: http://attend.com/NowIsTheTime.

Find information about additional Orange Shirt Day activities.

Nickolas Eaves has been invited to share his expertise on synthetic fuels on one of Canada’s most listened to daily news podcasts.

Dr. Eaves, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering, will join Real Talk at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 23, to discuss the emergence of synthetic fuels, how they work, and their effect on vehicle function and performance.

The show’s recent guests include federal leaders Justin Trudeau of the Liberals and Jagmeet Singh of the New Democrats.

Eaves will be joined by panelists Andrew Bell, director of the Electric Vehicle Association of Alberta, and Paul Horrell, a columnist for Top Gear Magazine’s Future Proof.

The interview by show host Ryan Jespersen will be streamed live on camera and is available on YouTube and Apple Podcasts.

You can also follow or take part in the on-going audience conversation with the hashtag #RealTalkRJ on Twitter and the host’s accounts @RealTalkRJ and @ryanjespersen.

Local approaches to tackling the complex issue of sexual and gender-based violence is the subject of a new podcast run by Anne Rudzinski of the UWindsor Office of Sexual Violence Prevention, Resistance, and Support.

Each episode features a guest who addresses a different aspect of the topic, from feminist training in self-defence to red flags for relationship violence, supporting trans loved ones to civil legal options.

The podcast format enables students to access it at their convenience, Rudzinski says.

“During the pandemic, we’ve found that it's hard for some students to come to events that are hosted at a specific date and time. This way, students can engage in the content whenever they’d like to,” she says.

The podcast is available at https://anchor.fm/preventresistsupport as well on popular channels.

The Walksafe program ensures that everyone feels safe travelling on the UWindsor campus after dark.

Organized by the University of Windsor Students’ Alliance, the service is free for all students, faculty, employees, and visitors. Volunteers will escort anyone to their car or home.

To request a walk, just do any of the following:

1. Dial 0 (ext. 0) or call ext. 3504 from any University of Windsor phone.
2. Press the “Walksafe” button on any Bell Payphone on campus.
3. Ask a Walksafe volunteer who is already on duty.

 Find more information on the Walksafe program page.

If you have any questions about Walksafe, contact the program co-ordinator at walksafe@uwindsor.ca or call 519-253-3000, ext. 3504.

The University of Windsor has accomplished a lot with its Blackboard learning management system, says Erika Kustra, director of the Centre for Teaching and Learning, and input from users will advance that progress.

Kustra is co-chair — with Nick Baker, director of the Office of Open Learning, and Ryan Kenney, executive director of Information Technology Services — of a committee tasked with reviewing Blackboard.

The Learning Management System Review Committee, a multidisciplinary team of faculty, staff, and students, aims to collect as much data as possible from community stakeholders, vendor engagement, and environmental scans to inform decision-making.

“Over the last 18 months it has become clear just how critical learning management systems are in higher education as the hub of digital learning,” says Baker. “All the major LMS have moved to hosting in the cloud to improve reliability, scalability, and support. With Blackboard also moving in that direction, it is time to review the system and the impact such a move would have.”

The University of Windsor has used Blackboard Learn as its LMS since 2015. The company has announced it will no longer support the University’s self-hosted model of Blackboard as of the end of 2023. Continuing with Blackboard will require significant work to switch to its cloud-based software as a service model. The changing landscape and the expiration of the University’s contract with Blackboard makes it an appropriate time to review campus needs.

The team is inviting faculty, staff, and students to participate in a 20-minute anonymous survey on the usability of current tools, desired features, and anticipated needs.

It is important to capture the perspectives, needs, and aspirations of users from across the campus community, says Jasleen Dayal, president of the University of Windsor Students’ Alliance.

"By participating in this survey, students will also have the chance to give direct and detailed feedback on their experiences using Blackboard, which will play a crucial part in selecting an LMS we can feel confident in to support the future of our online learning for years to come," she says.

Upon completing the survey, participants will have the option to enter a raffle draw for one $250 Amazon gift card and five $50 Amazon gift cards. The survey has been approved by the Research Ethics Board and will conclude Oct. 15.

• For faculty and staff: Click this link to complete the survey.
• For students: Click this link to complete the survey.

For more information about the LMS Review and how to get involved, visit https://uwindsor.ca/ctl/lmsreview.

As project managers become in high demand across all sectors, learning project management methodologies is essential for individuals seeking a supervisory or management role.

Due to the nature of these critical skills that are transferable across many industries, Continuing Education has added two new project management courses, making a total of three project management offerings, for all skill levels, ranging from the foundations of project management to advanced curriculum for seasoned professionals.

Delivered in partnership with Procept, an authorized training partner of the Project Management Institute, Continuing Education is adding a Project Management Professional exam preparation course and a certified agile project management course.

PMP® Exam Prep Course begins Oct. 18. This course is specifically designed to provide participants with a proven, practical approach to preparing for the Project Management Professional Certification Exam from the Project Management Institute. This course is an intense review of material to help prepare participants to write the exam. Prior project management training and experience is highly recommended to maximize candidates’ chances to pass the exam. The instructors are experts at presenting content in an engaging manner, keeping the atmosphere positive, and empowering course participants as they prepare to challenge the exam.

Certified Agile Project Manager begins Nov. 19. Participants in this 21-hour session will learn the techniques of disciplined, structured agile project management through simulations and examples from real-world projects that used these methods to control changing requirements. This course is designed to meet the educational requirements for three certification exams: the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner, the Scrum Master Certification, and the Certified Agile Project Manager exams.

Continuing Education continues to offer Levels I and II of the Accelerated Project Management Certificate. Participants who wish to register for both the PMP Exam Prep Course and the Certified Agile Project Manager course should have completed Level I: Project Management Essentials or equivalent. Level I starts Oct. 5.

A recording of an information session highlighting an overview of the Accelerated Project Management program, its benefits towards PMI certifications, professional development units earned, PMP Exam Prep course, and Certified Agile Project Manager course is available for viewing on the website.

More sessions are available. Visit the Continuing Education website for all options.

Students, staff, and alumni are eligible for a discount on select courses. Email continue@uwindsor.ca for the exclusive discount code or for course inquiries.