Dear Faculty of Arts,

This is the final edition update of 2021. We have been on an incredible journey together over this past year, one which has been full of challenges and changes, and also filled with opportunities and possibilities. We can look back on the year with great pride and reassurance, knowing that have met the COVID challenge with courage and compassion, that we have not relented in our commitment to supporting our students, and that we have pursued our aspirations of educational excellence sedulously. Though the specter of Covid is still looming as 2021 draws to a close, we can be confident that we are coping, striving, thriving, persevering, and transforming.

TIME-SENSITIVE ITEMS

Marking up a Storm: Please remember that all final grades must be submitted by December 20th (11:59 PM).  For grades that will be submitted after the grading deadline of Dec. 20th, you must enter an “I” grade and follow up by submitting a signed Incomplete Grade Contract (IGC).

Academic Integrity Violations: During this busy time when marking is top of mind, we’d like to reshare this resource on Academic Integrity: AIV one-pager – August 2021.pdf (sharepoint.com)  As per its instructions, if you need to input final grades (to meet the grading deadline) before a recently reported case has been adjudicated, we recommend submitting an Incomplete Grade (‘I’) (without the student’s signature on the I contract, if necessary); once the case is adjudicated, the final grade can be added via a Grade Reporting Form.  Please contact your associate dean if you think you may need to use this process.

Respectful Workplace Training: Earlier this year, KPU launched an updated version of the online Respect in the Workplace training program. This is a reminder that if you have not already done so, please complete the required online Respect in the Workplace program by December 31, 2021. You will find instructions on how to access the training here: Respectful Workplace.

KUDOS AND CONGRATULATIONS

Imagining Innovation: In mid-November, Arts invited applications for five Spring releases designed to “incubate innovation” within the Faculty. Despite the short notice, we received a sizeable number of exciting proposals – a testament to the creativity and dynamism of faculty in Arts. The adjudication committee had quite a challenge on its hands, but after earnest deliberation was able to award the releases to the following faculty: Melinda Bige (INDG) – development of capacity in Indigenous Studies; Michael Ma (CRIM) – development of Materials and Experimentation Lab;  Lilach Maron (EDST) – development of graduate certificate in EDI; Julia Murphy (ANTH) – development of Faculty resources and workshop re: indigenization/ED; Dianne Simmons (EDST) – service-learning project for international students. Congratulations to the recipients on these exciting projects! And thanks are due to all the applicants. It’s inspiring to see all the great ideas out there, and we hope to be able to support more of your innovative ideas going forward.

The Barber Fund Bounty: Congratulations to Lilach Marom (EDST) on receiving $21,400 from the Irving Barber Fund for the development of a “Bridging Seminar to Supporting First-year International Students in Achieving Academic Success” project, which has been approved. Plaudits and kudos also go to Tracy Sherlock (JRLN) and Wade Deisman who received $67,100 for their ‘Mentoring Initiative – Youth Aging Out of Care’.

Moving the Needle on EDI: Congratulations are due to Fiona Whittington-Walsh, Daniel Tones, Cherylynn Bassani, Asma Sayed, and Romy Kozak – all of whom will be getting time release to work on the EDI Action Plan. Well done, all!

A Celebratory Bouquet of Duct-Taped Roses! Congratulations to Billeh Nickerson whose recent book of poetry, Duct-Taped Roses, was selected as one of the CBC Books’ picks for the top Canadian poetry of the year!  To see the finalists and to listen to Billeh’s insightful interview with CBC radio host Shelagh Rogers, please follow the link to the CBC News article: The best Canadian poetry of 2021 | CBC Books

UPCOMING NOMINATIONS AND INITIATIVES

Faulty of Arts EDI Awards: Today, the International Day of Human Rights, marks the opening for the nomination period for the Faculty of Arts EDI Awards.  The Faculty of Arts, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) awards recognize faculty, students, staff, and alumni who have demonstrated excellence in supporting and promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion from an intersectional social justice lens within the Faculty of Arts and/or the broader community. These awards honour individuals or groups/teams within the Faculty of Arts whose actions serve to advance KPU’s commitment to EDI. The nomination period runs from December 10, 2021, to January 31, 2022.  For more information on nominating an individual or self-nominating your group/team, follow this link.

‘Preferred’ Names:  As many of you will have noted via an earlier Today@ message, KPU has updated student information change processes, which is an important change especially for trans and by students. Please follow this link for more information: https://kpuemp.sharepoint.com/Today/SitePages/Class-Lists-Receive-a-Makeover.aspx.   There is also a new information page for students on how to change their personal info with the possibility of having one’s email address include one’s ‘preferred’ name. Faculty and staff may want to share this information with students via this link: https://www.kpu.ca/ses/personal-information. As of December 15, new students will have their email addresses created using their ‘preferred’ names.

Clusters of berries on tree with snow on branchesJEDI Awards: The nomination period is now open for KPU’s JEDI awards.  Please follow this link for more information: Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Awards | KPU.ca – Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Sher Vancouver: Sher Vancouver, a non-profit society for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer South Asians and their friends has received a financial commitment to sponsor 10 screenings of Emergence: Out of the Shadows in classrooms in Surrey and Delta. They would like to offer the opportunity to KPU instructors to book screenings in their courses.  For more info or to start the booking process, contact Sher Vancouver directly at alexsangha@gmail.com.

The holiday break is drawing near, there is an air of excitement and anticipation everywhere!  Wishing you all a wonderful weekend as we draw 2021 (almost) to a close!

Greg, Billeh, Shelley, and Wade

  • Photos courtesy of Upsplash attributed on the Arts blog.