Dear Faculty of Arts, 

Many of us aren’t sure where February went.  We blinked, and the month was over!  Now, as we wait to see if March will come “in like a lion and out like a lamb,” we find solace in the increasing daylight hours as well as the burgeoning signs of spring.  Earlier this week, the remaining tendrils of light at 6:00 PM were both unexpected and uplifting.  And one cannot help but feel joyful when daffodils are in full bloom and crocuses are popping up through the grass. Let’s hope this renewal brings with it the promise of a post-pandemic season with Covid managed through the ongoing vaccination rollout.   

TIME-SENSITIVE ITEMS: 

Digging into Service: Please consider nominating a colleague for the Dean of Arts Service Award. This new award will be presented annually to recognize outstanding service by faculty members in the Faculty of Arts. All faculty who teach primarily or exclusively in the Faculty of Arts are eligible. Nominations are open until March 15th. 

Sprouts and Shoots: Do you have an idea for research or have a scholarly endeavor underway? The Arts Research courses provide you with an opportunity to involve students in your projects! This is a great way to deepen the quality of the educational experience of our students and move your research forward! Contact Wade.Deisman@kpu.ca or Anne.Lin@kpu.ca  for more information. The deadline is March 29, 2021.   

Weeding Out Academic Integrity Violations: We’re approaching what is typically the peak period for integrity violations (alas). Even if you are open to ‘restorative’ assignments and other remedial approaches—which we encourage—please remember to report all violations here. Consistent reporting by faculty is the only way we can identify recidivism. Knowing whether it is a student’s first, second, or third offence is critical to shaping our response. 

OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD: 

Fertilizing New Growth through the Teaching & Learning Innovation Fund: This fund is designed to support pedagogical innovation at KPU. Recognizing the diverse array of programs and instructional approaches that are necessary and valued at a polytechnic university, the TLIF takes an inclusive approach by supporting a broad range of projects that advance teaching practices at KPU (Goal 2 of Academic Plan 2023) and that increase innovation in teaching, learning, and curriculum (Goal C2 of Vision 2023). These projects may include, but are not limited to: Educational media creation, Experiential/Service Learning projects, Inclusive Design/Universal Design for Learning projects, and Open Pedagogy projects. To learn more, follow this link.

Springtime Means Planning the 2021/2022 Arts Speaker Series! The Arts Research and Scholarship Committee invites proposals that will appeal to a broad range of interests and audiences, including faculty, students, staff, and members of the public. We are particularly interested in submissions that showcase collaborative undertakings with students and the transformative impact that involvement in research and scholarship can have on the overall quality of our student’s educational experience. Send proposals to Nancy.Norman@kpu.ca.  Applicants will be informed of the final selection by June 30, 2021.  

Germinal and Budding: The Faculty Employee Engagement group is seeking additional members to work on longer-term (post-COVID) planning. If you are interested in learning more about the engagement plan, and in thinking about how to continue to cultivate connection and community among faculty, please contact Wade.Deisman@kpu.ca for more information. 

KUDOS AND CONGRATULATIONS: 

Seeding New Teaching Resources: Lilach Marom (EDST) has received significant funding from the President’s Diversity and Equity Committee to support the creation of a collection of “Indigenous Teaching Resources.” Lilach had the students in her Spring EDUC 421O (Best Practices in Education) analyze Indigenous Learning Resources and explore their possible uses in diverse educational contexts. These resources are now being polished and will be made available as a Library Guide or Pressbook. 

EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS: 

Marking Covid’s Springtime Anniversary: It’s mind-boggling to think back to one year ago, when Covid and the lockdown were fast approaching.  Back then, we never anticipated that we would all still be teaching and working remotely.  To mark this anniversary and all that the Faculty of Arts’ community has faced and accomplished, we will be hosting a special “Coffee with Leadership” on March 19 from 11:00 – 12:00 PM.  We hope to see most of you there to join in a large Teams gathering. If you have a brief reflection (or poem, song, visual artwork, etc.) on our Covid experience that you’d like to share, please let us know!

Flourishing Films in March: The theme of this year’s KDOCS 2021 Film Festival is “Resistance. Freedom. And Justice” A star-studded cast of Keynote Speakers has been recruited, including George Takei.  Tickets are only $5/film (48hr access) or $40/all-access pass (15 films, 10 days, 24hrs a day).  KDocs runs from March 12-21, and for more information, visit KDocs’ website. 

Sunlight has been beaming through the windows this afternoon.  We hope some cheery daffodils are within view and that you take some time to savour the springtime showers this weekend. 

Diane, Wade, Greg, and Shelley