The Office of Public Affairs and Communications can help you cross one item off your holiday to-do list: sending greetings to friends and colleagues.

Graphic designer Marnie Robillard has created a selection of seasonal imagery and text greetings for use as e-cards. They feature a choice of winter scenes along with suggested verses — or the option for clients to provide individual customized messages.

Order by Dec. 10 to ensure completion for delivery before the holiday break, via the online Holiday Cards Order Request form.

Next week marks Giving Tuesday, a global day of philanthropy when charities and supporters rally for favourite causes.

This year, Nov. 30 opens the University’s faculty and staff fundraising campaign, notes Chris Knack, co-ordinator of the Annual Giving Program.

“The faculty and staff at the University of Windsor are the heart of our campus,” he says. “They have a front-row seat to all the accomplishments and the progress we’re making towards our goal of providing a student-centered experience and developing spaces that inspire people to do their very best.”

He encourages employees to make a donation in support of student success and notes an added incentive: faculty and staff donors will be entered into a draw to win an extra vacation day.

“We’ll be suggesting specific ways to contribute in Tuesday’s edition of DailyNews,” says Knack. “Please remember our students when you are considering your charitable donations this season.”

An open mic night Tuesday, Nov. 30, will spotlight the work in any genre or form of UWindsor students and friends.

The event is organized by Brandon Cormier, graduate student writer-in-residence in the Department of English and Creative Writing, and is open to students in any discipline. He asks that performers limit their time on the virtual stage to two to five minutes. To request a slot, email Cormier at cormierb@uwindsor.ca.

The evening will begin at 7 p.m. on Microsoft Teams; click here to attend.

A recording of Cormier’s Oct. 8 inaugural reading is available through the English department website.

Recently, the service desk in Information Technology Services has reported an increase in gift card email phishing scams. Its staff warns recipients to be vigilant to the possibility that an email is not legitimate.

To reduce the potential of getting phished, IT Services recommends being on alert for the following clues:

• Unexpected or sensational: The request is unusual or contains a “too good to be true” offer, such as the promise of a high value gift.
• Urgency: It emphasizes the risk of missing the gift card opportunity, insisting on quick action.
• Inconsistencies: The email address may have a similar name to the offer, or the message contains spelling and grammar errors, odd formatting, or inaccuracies in the signature.
• Snare or pitfall: If the “claim your offer” link takes you to a web page that asks you to log in, it’s a trap. Or if the message tells you to open the attachment for the gift card, it will be a malicious file that could infect your computer.

How can I avoid getting hooked by a phishing scam?

1. Call the sender to verify. If there's any doubt at all, make a call.
2. If you’re on a mobile device, use a computer to check the message more carefully.
3. Do not reply or act on unusual or out of character emails. Question urgency.
4. Do not open email attachments or click links to claim a prize. Hover your mouse over the link to reveal the real destination address.

Find more details about spotting online phishing scams on the IT Services website. As always, report a phishing scam or spam email by forwarding the message as an attachment to spam@uwindsor.ca or contact the IT Service Desk at 519-253-3000, ext. 4440.

A noon-hour webinar will introduce the customs, cuisine, geography and more of Middle East nations, Wednesday, Dec. 1.

The free event is presented by the International Student Centre as part of its ISC Culture Series, intended to help staff and faculty deepen their understanding of, and provide better support to, students from around the world.

International student advisor Amal Jammali will lead the discussion via Microsoft Teams; register for the webinar here.

Winter 2022 sessions will include presentations on China, Indigenous cultures, Vietnam, and Nigeria, with dates and presenters to be announced later.

Sign up to express interest and receive an email reminder.

The centre has also produced support materials for staff and faculty, including a handbook for incoming international students, tips on understanding their experiences, and a guide to providing them with support outside of the classroom.

Do you like to discuss new ideas? Solve problems? Make new connections? WE-Spark Think Tanks may be for you.

The Dec. 3 event will begin with an update on local health research activities and new funding opportunities, followed by an overview of three projects that are looking for creative input and breakout sessions:

Pharmacogenomics using patient-derived glioblastoma models
Ana C. DeCarvalho, Henry Ford Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery
All areas of science and clinical backgrounds welcome, including students.

Establishing cognitive health research in Windsor-Essex: challenges and opportunities
Kristoffer Romero, University of Windsor Department of Psychology
Seeking physicians (neurologists, psychiatrists, physiatrists, geriatricians) in hospitals and community medical clinics and community organizations relevant to older adults, from those providing recreation and maintaining aging in place, to those who deal with older adults with dementia. Students also welcome.

Exploring solutions to the challenges of managing life-threatening illnesses in Canada, in patients that have only limited health insurance
Caroline Hamm, Sahar Khan, Indryas Woldie, Windsor Regional Hospital, oncology
This discussion would benefit from people with backgrounds in law, advocacy, social work, and expertise working with migrant and refugee populations. Students are welcome as well.

WE-Spark Health Institute hosts the bi-monthly sessions, open to everyone. Click here to register for the December event, which will run 1 to 3:30 p.m.