Past Announcements
The Pathy Foundation Fellowship, located on-campus at the Coady Institute, is looking for a creative individual to join our team as a Marketing & Communications Intern!
This paid position will require a 10-hour per week commitment and is open to all current StFX students. The successful candidate will join a dynamic team and will gain practical and hands-on experience supporting the promotion of a state-of-the-art youth leadership and community development program. Previous experience in Marketing and Communications considered an asset.
For more information, please see our job posting. Applications are due on September 18, 2023 at 12:00pm Atlantic time.
As post-tropical storm Lee makes landfall in the southwestern part of the province, the effects on the power grid are being felt throughout the province. In the Antigonish Town and County region many have already experienced two outages in the past 12 hours.
We would like to remind members of the StFX community that some buildings on campus have backup power should you need to find a place to work or charge devices in the event of an outage. In particular, Mulroney Hall has full backup power and is open until 11 pm this evening.
In addition to our academic buildings, food services remain available at:
Starbucks from 8 am through 9 pm
Morrison Hall from 11 am through 2 pm and 4:30 through 6:30 pm
Keating Café from 8 am through 4 pm
A reminder of the basics
- Keep all windows and doors closed tightly. Open windows during periods of strong winds have the potential to cause damage.
- Charge your phone and other devices.
- Stay indoors. Stay safe.
- Stay away from damaged areas and fallen power lines.
Please monitor StFX Alerts, the StFX website, emails, social media, and local radio stations for further updates when necessary. To sign up for StFX Alerts, visit www.alerts.stfx.ca. You will also find storm information on the StFX website here: www.stfx.ca/hurricane-preparedness. Additional resources
Stay up to date on hurricane tracking and emergency measures by following:
- Town of Antigonish (Facebook/Twitter), Municipality of the County of Antigonish (Facebook)
- Environment Canada Weather (Antigonish)
- Emergency Alerts and Information – Province of Nova Scotia
- #NSStorm on Twitter
Dear University Community,
We appreciate the diverse tapestry that is our university community and value the richness that each tradition and celebration brings. In the spirit of unity and understanding, we wish all our Jewish faculty, staff and students a Happy Rosh HaShana.
May this New Year bring you and your loved ones an abundance of joy, success, and peace.
Shanah Tovah Umetukah!
Faculty of Education
Graduate Studies in Education
NOTICE
In Accordance with the Regulations of the University
Brandon Hamilton
Will Make a Public Presentation of Material Related
to a Master’s Thesis
Entitled:
TEACHER MENTAL HEALTH LITERACY:
A QUALITATIVE CASE STUDY OF TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES BRINGING MENTAL HEALTH LITERACY TO THEIR WORK AFTER TAKING A MENTAL HEALTH LITERACY COURSE
The presentation will take place:
In: Xavier Hall 123
On: September 15, 2022
Beginning at: 1 pm AST
The presentation will be made to:
Dr. Chris Gilham, Thesis Advisor
Dr. Marc Husband, Departmental Committee Member
Dr. Jennifer Mitton, Reader
Dr. Astrid Kendrick, External Examiner (University of Calgary, Werklund School of Education)
Faculty and students are invited to attend the presentation as observers.
To the StFX Campus Community,
StFX students, faculty, and staff who park on campus are required to register their vehicle and to clearly display a current 2023-2024 StFX Parking Permit in their vehicle at all times while on campus. Failure to do so may result in your vehicle being ticketed and towed.
Permits will be required on campus during daytime hours (6AM to 6PM) and for overnight parking (1AM to 6AM). Parking permits will not be required for people attending events on campus after 6PM on weekdays or for parking at any time on weekends between 6AM and 1AM. There will be parking spaces designated at the Keating Centre and Bloomfield Centre to accommodate short duration parking requirements.
Parking permits can be purchased and picked up at the Keating Centre Box Office between 8AM and 8PM daily. Payroll deduction is available for StFX employees as a means of paying for the fee.
DAYTIME PARKING
All StFX students, faculty, and staff who park on campus between 6AM and 6PM will be required to purchase a daytime parking permit, and clearly display that permit in their vehicle while parked on campus.
OVERNIGHT PARKING
Only students living in residence will be eligible to register for and purchase an OVERNIGHT parking permit, and all students with OVERNIGHT parking permits will be required to park in designated OVERNIGHT parking areas between 1AM and 6AM. Students who purchase an OVERNIGHT parking permit do not need to purchase a daytime parking permit.
Overnight parking privileges have the following conditions and expectations:
- Overnight Parking Permits MUST be always clearly visible in your vehicle when parked on campus. Failure to do so may result in your vehicle being ticketed and towed.
- All vehicles MUST be parked in an approved parking space in one of the designated Overnight Parking areas: P3, P4, P6, P8a, P8b, P9 (single row), P11 (single row), P12, P16, and P17. A link to the Campus Parking Map is provided below. Please make yourself familiar with the Overnight Parking areas.
- Overnight Parking Permits DO NOT guarantee a parking space in a specific parking area or a parking space close to your building.
- When requested by the University, all vehicles MUST be relocated to support parking area maintenance or other campus requirements.
- All vehicles should be moved frequently to enable parking area maintenance.
- Parking in Bloomfield Centre parking area P5 is permitted until 3 AM to accommodate events. Parking in all other non-overnight parking areas is permitted until 1 AM.
DAILY parking permits DO NOT allow the holder to park on campus overnight.
DAILY and OVERNIGHT parking permits DO NOT authorize the holder to park in “University Authorized Vehicles Only” parking spaces around campus.
StFX students, faculty, and staff can register for a parking permit at the Keating Centre Box Office or online by visiting clicking here.
As a driver of a vehicle, it is your responsibility to observe and comply with any parking regulations in the area where you have parked your vehicle.
A current StFX Parking Map can be found by clicking here.
More information on StFX parking permits can be found here.
If you have any questions or concerns about obtaining parking permits, please email @email.
StFX Safety & Security Services appreciates the cooperation of all vehicle owners who have registered their vehicles with StFX University and appreciates the compliance with university traffic and parking regulations.
Thank you for your continued cooperation and compliance with StFX University parking regulations.
Update: Friday, September 15
The following is the latest information regarding Hurricane Lee from the Province of Nova Scotia and Environment Canada. Hurricane Lee continues to accelerate towards the Maritimes. Given the large size of the storm, conditions will begin to deteriorate prior to the storm centre’s arrival which will be late tonight for southwest Nova Scotia. All preparations for the storm should be completed by this evening. Western Nova Scotia is still expected to experience the worst conditions, although the storm will be felt throughout the province. Continue to monitor updates on Hurricane Lee's forecast for any adjustments as the storm gets closer and details become clearer.
Tips for staying safe:
- Keep all windows and doors closed tightly. Open windows during periods of strong winds have the potential to cause damage.
- Charge your phone and other devices.
- Stay indoors. Stay safe.
- Stay away from damaged areas and fallen power lines.
Additional resources:
Stay up to date on hurricane tracking and emergency measures by following:
- Town of Antigonish (Facebook/Twitter), Municipality of the County of Antigonish (Facebook)
- Environment Canada Weather (Antigonish)
- Emergency Alerts and Information – Province of Nova Scotia
- #NSStorm on Twitter
If you are experiencing anxiety or other health related issues; you can book an appointment with the Health and Counselling Centre go to: www.stfx.ca/student-life-support/health-counselling-centre or contact stfx.ca/flourish.
Please continue to monitor StFX Alerts, the StFX website, emails, social media, and local radio stations for further updates. To sign up for StFX Alerts, visit www.alerts.stfx.ca. You will also find storm information on the StFX website here: www.stfx.ca/hurricane-preparedness.
(Image: Hurricane Lee track as of 3pm Friday, September 15)
Graduate Studies
Department of Computer Science
NOTICE
In Accordance with the Regulations of the University,
A T M Shakil Ahamed
Will Make a Public Presentation of Material Related
to a Master’s Thesis
Entitled
Explaining Body Composition After Bariatric Surgery using Accelerometry
Co-supervisors: Dr. James Hughes and Dr. Ryan Reid
Committee member: Dr. Britney Benoit, StFX
External Examiner: Dr. Joseph Brown, Thompson Rivers University
The presentation will take place:
Time: Sep 13, 2023 03:30 PM Halifax
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83472292154
The presentation will be made to all interested faculty and students.
Following the presentation, there will be an in-camera examination of the thesis. This examination is restricted to the supervisory committee and members of the University Committee on Graduate Studies.
To the campus community,
The university is monitoring Hurricane Lee. Hurricane Lee is still too far away to predict how it will affect Atlantic Canada. StFX participates in the broader regional emergency planning for the area. We will continue to monitor the storm over the course of the week and commit to keeping the campus updated as new and relevant information arises. Please continue to monitor StFX Alerts, the StFX website, emails, social media, and local radio stations for further updates.
StFX Alerts is a notification service that allows registrants to opt-in to receive emergency messages via text, email (i.e. can be a different address than your StFX-issued email), and/or voice message. The system will be an addition to, and does not replace, the tools currently used to communicate to campus -- use of campus-wide email, StFX social networks, local media, etc. Enrolment is not mandatory; however, we do encourage all members of the community to register. Go to www.alerts.stfx.ca today to register.
In the coming days, a link to a web page will be sent to the campus community that will be used as a hub for more information.
Thank you,
Monica Foster
Vice-President, Finance & Administration
Please be advised that the Town of Antigonish Electric Utility has notified StFX University that a power outage is required to perform emergency repairs to the main line on Hillcrest Street. This outage will take place tonight between 12:00am and 2:00am. The outage will impact the MSB Complex (Camden, Marguerite, Immaculata and Gilmora) including Nursing and the Day Care. Life Safety Systems and emergency lighting will be powered by the building generator.
The remainder of the campus will not be impacted.
Questions or concerns should be directed to Kevin Latimer @ 902-870-0750
Facilities Management regrets any inconvenience that this may cause.
Please note that the outage tonight will also impact areas off campus:
The Angus L. Macdonald Library is excited to announce that in conjunction with IT Services, we will now be managing the circulation of the university's student laptop loaner fleet. Local StFX students can now request a laptop from anywhere, anytime, pending availability, directly from our online catalogue, or they can stop by the main service desk to borrow anything we may have in stock. For more information about this program, please visit https://www.stfx.ca/library/borrow/laptop-lending, or click the button below to book a laptop now.
Join us this weekend to cheer on the X-Men & X-Women in cross country, rugby, and soccer on the STFX campus! Tickets are free for all STFX students — present a valid student ID at the Keating Centre box office for your complimentary ticket.
We hope to see you there! #goxgo
To ALL StFX Employees (Faculty & Staff):
Welcome Days for new and returning students take place tomorrow, Friday, September 1st, 2023, and Monday, September 4th, 2023, respectively. The University is expecting over 1000 families to be on campus throughout both Welcome Days.
As a reminder, parking on campus on those days will be limited. In addition, Parking Area P14, the parking area near Bishops, P9 and P10 (near Keating Centre) will be closed on Friday, September 1st, 2023, and Monday, September 4th, 2023.
If you are able to walk or car pool on Friday, September 1st, 2023, and/or Monday, September 4th, 2023, it would greatly help reduce the number of vehicles on campus.
If you need to take a vehicle to campus, parking will be available in P2 (close to JBB), P12 (42 West Street) and on University property across the highway at P17 (the #7 garage. PLEASE be aware of construction in this area).
Please pass this information to anyone in your department who may not have a StFX account or who may not regularly check their emails.
Thank you for your cooperation and attention to this matter.
Please contact Safety & Security Services if you have any questions.
email @email or call 902-867-4444.
Good day from Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre. Yes, there is still summer left to enjoy in Antigonish and at The Bauer Theatre on campus, Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre is hoping that you will join us in celebrating summer with our final show, Murder for Two.
Directed by our longtime friend and Neptune Theatre's Artistic Director, Jeremy Webb, Murder for Two is an amazing Co-Production with Neptune Theatre. It is sure to make you laugh, gasp and tap your feet. It's not often you get a murder mystery musical that is this zany.
All shows are 7:30 pm unless noted
Friday August 11 Pay what you can preview
Saturday August 12 Opening Night
Sunday August 13
Tuesday August 15 to Saturday Aug 19
Saturday August 19 2:00pm and 7:30pm
Sunday August 20
Tuesday August 22 to Saturday August 26
Saturday August 26 2:00pm and 7:30pm
Murder for Two by Kellen Blair and Joe Kinosian August 11- 26
Officer Marcus Moscowicz is a small-town police officer with dreams of making it to detective. One fateful night, shots ring out at a surprise birthday party and the Great American Novelist Arthur Whitney is killed…fatally. Marcus jumps at the chance to prove his sleuthing skills. But whodunit? Dahlia Whitney, Arthur’s scene-stealing wife? Barrette Lewis, the prima ballerina? Dr. Griff, the overly friendly psychiatrist? Some other peculiar party guest? Two performers play 13 roles — and the piano — in a witty homage to old-fashioned murder mysteries.
Fun Facts:
This is a Co-Production with Neptune Theatre
Directed by Jeremy Webb
Assistant Director Matt Lacas
Actors Scott Pietrangelo and Jackson Seib
Please join us and be amazed, or at least relax and enjoy the theatre for a few hours before the term starts
Patrick McKenna (he/him)
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre & Theatre Antigonish
5015 Chapel Square, StFX Campus B2G 2W5
Office 202 | (902) 867 3954
Cell | (250) 465 1994
Our theatre is located in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people. We are grateful to live and work in these beautiful lands.
TLC Committee
The Teaching and Learning Committee continues to grow in a grassroots manner, we have recently added Alison Tucker from the Faculty of Education to our group, and Bobbi Morrison to from the School of Business. Along with Shafik Nanji, Matea Drljepan, Jeannie Cameron, Erin Austen, and Kaitlyn Fuller we continue to strategize ways to share information with the faculty and think through the long-term vision for the Centre. As always, more are welcome to join and if you would like to get involved, please reach out.
We are currently working on a survey for faculty, with hopes of getting some additional direction on areas of focus and where you would like us to head. More soon.
Faculty Development Opportunities
In the previous month, Matea Drljepan successfully held the inaugural Friday Learning Circle, focusing on the fascinating subject of ChatGPT and AI. Drs. Milton King and James Hughes, with librarian Margaret Vail acted as our StFX AI experts. Enjoying a casual conversation over refreshments, the event fostered an atmosphere of knowledge sharing and camaraderie, allowing 15 faculty and staff members to engage in thought-provoking discussions about the profound implications of AI in the academic realm, particularly in shaping assignments, learning objectives, and university policies.
Matea also hosted an enlightening Accessibility Bootcamp, attended by seven faculty members. This specialized session empowered them with valuable insights into making their Moodle classes more accessible, catering to the diverse needs of all learners.
Gearing up for the Academic Year
From Monday August 21st to Friday August 25th please join the Teaching and Learning Centre for an immersive week of class preparation with your host Matea Drljepan – Academic Technologist and member of the StFX Online Team. Matea will be hosting sessions in the Teaching and Learning Classroom (MULH 3032) all week. RSVPing to sessions is not necessary except for the Kairos Blanket exercise and the Learning Circle.
Monday, August 21st
Moodle Retreat
Time: 9 am – noon; Learner Level: Beginner.
Distractions down and phones off, it’s time to get those courses ready! Designed for new Moodle users, this retreat will assist individuals with simple Moodle tasks such as uploading course materials, virtual classes, creating simple gradebooks and uploading assignments.
Accessibility Bootcamp
Time: 1 pm – 3 pm:
Learner Level: All Levels.
Accessibility bootcamp (Prior to attending, it is encouraged that you complete Moodle Academy’s FREE Introduction to Accessibility and Accessible Teaching Basics courses). This event will cover:
What makes a class accessible? Using the Brickfield Labs plugin. Making your course syllabus accessible. Using Microsoft Edge’s Immersive Reader.
Virtual Office Hours
Time: 3 pm – 4 pm; Learner Level: All Levels
Online office hours (click the link to join) brought to you by members of the StFX Online team.
Tuesday, August 22nd
Syllabus Revamp
Time: 9 am – 11 am
Learner Level: All Levels.
Join our interactive workshop on syllabus revamp and elevate your teaching to new heights! Designed for educators at all levels, this engaging session will guide you through the process of refreshing your syllabi to enhance student engagement, accessibility, and clearly outline course objectives.
Virtual Office Hours
Time: 11 am – noon
Learner Level: All Levels.
Online office hours (click the link to join) brought to you by members of the StFX Online team.
Kairos Blanket Exercise
Time: 1 pm – 4 pm
Learner Level: All Levels.
Facilitated by Terena Francis and Joanne Tompkins. The Kairos Blanket Exercise is an interactive exercise to learn about the history of Indigenous rights.
Wednesday, August 23rd
Moodle Quizzing
Time: 1 pm – 4 pm
Learner Level: Beginner – Intermediate.
Learn how to setup small, simple Moodle quizzes to evaluate student work throughout your course.
Staff and Faculty: Leveraging Microsoft 365
Time 1 pm – 4 pm
Learner Level: All Levels.
This session is open for administrative staff and faculty who wish to run their departments more efficiently and effectively using Microsoft Teams. Learn to leverage the power to Microsoft Teams, Tasks, and Planner to better communicate across your organization.
Thursday, August 24th
Moodle Retreat
9 am – noon
Learner Level: Intermediate - Expert.
Distractions down and phones off, it’s time to get those courses ready! Designed for expert Moodle users (users with 5+ years of experience), this retreat will assist individuals with complex Moodle tasks such as setting up quizzes and questions banks (including quizzes with arithmetic) and using rubrics.
Syllabus Revamp
Time 1 pm – 3 pm
Learner Level: All Levels.
Join our interactive workshop on syllabus revamp and elevate your teaching to new heights! Designed for educators at all levels, this engaging session will guide you through the process of refreshing your syllabi to enhance student engagement, accessibility, and clearly outline course objectives.
Virtual Office Hours
Time: 3 pm – 4 pm
Learner Level: All Levels.
Online office hours (click the link to join) brought to you by members of the StFX Online team.
Friday, August 25th
Virtual Office Hours
Time: 9 am – 10 am
Learner Level: All Levels.
Online office hours (click the link to join) brought to you by members of the StFX Online team.
ChatGPT and AI Learning Circle Talk
Time: 10 am – 11:30 am
Learner Level: All Levels.
A continuation of a conversation held in July 2023. This learning circle will be held on the 8th floor of Nicholson Tower. Participants are encouraged to test out ChatGPT prior to the learning circle. An informative talk presented to the Council of Atlantic Academic Libraries by Margaret Vail can assist those new to ChatGPT.
Gradebook Setup
Time: 1 pm – 4 pm
Learner Level: Beginner – Intermediate.
Learn how to create simple and easy to understand gradebooks.
See you back on campus soon,
With gratitude,
The Teaching and Learning Committee
Jack, Matea, Erin, Bobbi, Allison, Shafik, Jeannie, Kaitlyn
To all faculty, teaching, and support staff,
There are three learning circles scheduled for August. They will take place on the 8th Floor of Nicholson Tower.
Friday, August 11th at 1 – 2 pm. The theme of this chat will be “Engaging Learners in Large Classes (50 or more students)”. We will share what we’ve experienced and how we plan on tackling engagement and meeting learning outcomes this academic year. For this talk, I will be joined by Regina Cozzi and Dr. Russell Wyeth from the Biology Department. This is a casual, inviting talk that aims to bring together all members of the StFX teaching community so don’t be shy – all are welcome to attend.
Friday, August 18th at 10 – 11 am. The theme of this chat will be “Bringing the 5R’s of respect, reciprocity, relevance, responsibility, and relationships of Indigenous learning into the classroom.”
Feel free to come with your curiosity, questions, and answers! For this talk, I will be joined by Dr. L. Jane McMillan.
Friday, August 25th at 10 – 11:30 am. The theme of this chat will be “ChatGPT and AI”. Feel free to come with arguments, concerns (is AI art?), or even a few stories! We will share what we’ve experienced, heard, and maybe learn how we can leverage ChatGPT (and similar AI products) in the classroom and workspace.
Please send me an email (@email) if you’d like to attend so that I can arrange the space effectively.
MATEA DRLJEPAN, BSc, MSc, PhD (she/her)
ACADEMIC TECHNOLOGIST, STFX ONLINE
St. Francis Xavier University
Antigonish, Nova Scotia · Canada
Please be advised that on Wednesday, August 23, 2023, at 5:00 pm the Rankin School of Nursing 1st floor & elevator access will be restricted to allow Custodial Services to refinish the corridor flooring. Regular access will resume Thursday morning at 7:00 am. Signage will be posted at access points.
Questions or concerns can be forwarded to Pierre Venedam @ @email or by calling custodial services at x 5552
Facilities Management regrets any inconvenience this may cause.
Immersion Service Learning (ISL) Program Description
ISL is an intense experiential learning opportunity that fosters exploration of classroom theories in real-world situations. While immersed in diverse communities in Canada and abroad, ISL groups meet with local leaders, visit sites of historic and political importance, participate in education sessions, and get hands-on service experience alongside local organizations and community members. Faculty leaders guide and facilitate reflection activities that encourage students to relate their experiences to global and social justice issues and think about service in a structured educational way through broader concepts like sustainability. Experiences are developed in collaboration with destination hosts to be reciprocal and mutually beneficial.
Immersion Service Learning Leader Position
Faculty and instructors employed at STFX for the upcoming academic year, are eligible to participate in the Immersion Service Learning Program as an Immersion Leader. In this role, you commit to participate fully in the program as outlined and prepare to travel during reading week or at the end of the term in April, depending on the destination. In return for this commitment, travel costs and experience fees for Immersion Leaders are covered by the Service Learning program (i.e., not funded by student participation fees).
Expression of Interest
A list of Immersion Leader opportunities and role specifics can be found in the attached appendix.
For further information, or to express interest in participating in ISL, contact Service Learning Program Manager, Megan Turner @email by August 18th, 2023.
Please include your name, department, and position. Indicate the destination(s) you would prefer, and briefly explain your interest in ISL and the destination.
The 2023 Nova Scotia Career and Employment Student Symposium will be held virtually August 15 to 16 - register now to attend!
Hosted by the Centre for Employment Innovation, the symposium will consist of presentations from post-secondary student interns from across Nova Scotia, highlighting research and emerging best practices related to career development, employment, and labour.
The topics of presentation include:
- Inclusive Workplaces and Employment
- Inclusive Education and Institutions
- Youth Engagement
- Community-Led Development
There is no cost to attend the event. For full presentation details, please visit: https://www.stfxemploymentinnovation.ca/2023-student-symposium/
Please be advised that the exterior lighting at Flag Plaza (flag pole lighting) will not be functional beginning today (August 4th) with an anticipated restoration date of August 11th, 2023.
Facilities Management regrets any inconvenience this may cause.
Good afternoon,
Please find below the link to the form to purchase a Single Day Pass, Daytime Parking Pass or a Daytime Parking Pass through Payroll Deduction for the 2023/2024 Academic year. To complete the form, you will need
- your employee number
- the make, model and year of your vehicle (s)
- the license plate number(s).
There is an option for you to add a second vehicle so you can transfer your pass between your vehicles. You will receive a confirmation once you have completed the online process.
If you choose Single-Day Parking or Daytime Parking without Payroll Deduction, you will be required to pay the fee at the time of your order. If you wish to wait until you arrive on campus and pay in person, you may do so. You will still be required to complete the information above, when you arrive at the Keating Centre.
The system will not allow you to checkout without completing the form with this information. It is important the details are correct as Security will be matching the tags with the information you have provided when checking the lots during the year. Incorrect information could lead to a ticket or even having the vehicle towed.
Please note, if you choose the Payroll Deduction option, you will receive a confirmation email with a link to the payroll deduction form. Please print this form, fill it out and bring to the Keating Centre Box Office when you are picking up your tag. Below is what you are looking for.
|
LINKS TO PURCHASE:
Pay up front - Parking: https://tprostfx.ticketpro.ca/fr/pages/stfxparking
Payroll Deduction Link: https://tprostfx.ticketpro.ca/en/pages/stfxpayrollparking
Thank you
StFX Risk Management and Security and StFX Ancillary Services
