Volume M24, Issue No. 1, January 20, 2020

Intercom is published regularly and serves to inform Vanier staff and teachers of notices and special events. It is posted on the Website and distributed electronically. Submissions should be sent to [email protected]. Submissions should be in WORD, and sent as an attachment. No formatting or bullets. Photos are welcome. Deadline: 4:00 p.m. on the Wednesday preceding the week of publication.

Information Evening, February 4, 2020

To the Academic Department Coordinators:

If you have not yet confirmed your participation to Vanier’s Information Evening on February 4, 2020, please sign up online by January 24 at https://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/information-evening/register/.

Thank you. Lora Terlizzese, Vanier Communications & Corporate Affairs (F-229) 514-744-7500 Ext 7823

Information Evening at Vanier College

If you know of any students who would like to volunteer as a tour guide at our Information Evening on Tuesday, February 4, 2020 from 5:30pm to 8:30pm, please have them sign up online at the following link: https://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/visiting-vanier/information- evening-volunteer.php.

Please note that students can use the volunteer hours to apply to the S.T.A.R. Program (Student Transcript Activity Record).

Thank you.

Lora Terlizzese Vanier Communications & Corporate Affairs (F-229) 514-744-7500 Ext 7823

Three Vanier Athletes Awarded at the FAEQ College and University Bursary Awards Night

Vanier College is proud to announce that three Vanier student athletes received bursaries at the College and University Bursary Awards Night, hosted by the Foundation for Athletic Excellence (FAEQ) in partnership with the RSEQ on November 28, 2019.

Congratulations to Vanier players Hans Sarah Bailly and Thierry Tshibola, from the Social Science Program, and Yannice Biyik Nlned from the Social Science, Sports and Leisure Major, who each received $3000 College Recruitment bursaries.

“Both Thierry and Yannice are from City, where they came out as the top recruits last year,” said Mai Anh Nguyen, Vanier College Student Life Advisor-Athletics. “They both wanted to come to Vanier College, to improve their English skills as well as play for the defending provincial Champions.”

“They are great student athletes that work hard and are always eager to learn. They entered a veteran team with 6 graduating players, and have been able to make a name for themselves. The Vanier Athletics Department is extremely happy to have two mature young men join the Cheetah family, and we are excited to see them grow as students, as athletes and as young men.”

Sarah Hans Bailly comes from St-Laurent Express, the top women’s basketball program in . Sarah played for the Quebec Provincial team last summer where the team won Gold. “Sarah is very humble and quiet, but her big game speaks volumes. We hope that she will be able to bring game experience, and her big plays to our Women’s Basketball program,” states Mai Anh Nguyen.

In all $434,000 in individual bursaries were handed out to 81 of Quebec’s top college and university student-athletes who had distinguished themselves academically, athletically or through their social involvement during the 2018-2019 season.

Among the awards granted by the FAEQ were 20 College Recruitment bursaries worth $3,000 over three years and 32 University Recruitment bursaries worth $10,000 over five years. In addition, two student-athletes from outside Quebec, who wish to pursue their studies at Quebec universities, received bursaries worth $3,000. Another 21 Merit Scholarships, worth $2,000 each, were awarded to 19 student-athletes who, based on their achievements during the 2018-2019 season, were finalists in the College and University Bursary Awards Night’s seven award categories.

The event took place in the John Molson Room at the Molson Brewery, which has been a partner of the Foundation for almost 35 years. Each Vanier athlete is photographed with Mr. Claude Chagnon, President of the FAEQ.

Congratulations to these three outstanding students

Marguerite Corriveau, Communications and Corporate Affairs Monica Bhattacharya new Vanier Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs

Vanier College is pleased to announce that Monica Bhattacharya has been named Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs at Vanier College.

Monica Bhattacharya has more than 20 years’ experience in corporate communications including over 10 years at the senior administrative level. She also has several years’ experience working in corporate compliance, outreach and ethics for major multi-national firms. The combination of working in a communications and compliance environment will serve her well in the combined role of Communications and Corporate Affairs at Vanier.

“I am very pleased to announce Monica’s nomination. She will undoubtedly be a major asset to the College and her many years of expertise as a Director of Communications will help maintain and further develop Vanier Communications as a vital service to our internal and external constituents,” said John McMahon, Vanier College’s Director General.

For the past several years, Ms Bhattacharya has worked as a Senior Consultant and specialist for several companies in the business-to-business sector. Prior to that, she worked for several organizations and companies, primarily in marketing and communications. She also worked as a part-time Professor at the John Molson School of Business.

Monica Bhattacharya holds an MBA from John Molson School of Business, and a BA in Economics from McGill University.

“I am extremely excited to come to Vanier to start this new professional challenge and I look forward to ensuring Vanier Communications continues to serve and represent the entire Vanier Community,” said Monica Bhattacharya.

Monica began her new mandate at Vanier on January 6, 2020. Please drop by the Communications Office in F-229 to say hello.

Marguerite Corriveau, Vanier Communications and Corporate Affairs

High School Outreach

The high school outreach project consists of a series of videoconference sessions where Vanier students and teachers meet up online with students from high schools throughout Quebec! This semester we be having our first session on February 5, 2020 at UB (12:00-1:30). Vanier student mentors get the opportunity to share their thoughts on a range of topics dealing with student life at college. We need Vanier students for these sessions to work. The atmosphere is fun and casual, and pizza is provided!

Students can use this project to accumulate volunteer hours for the STAR program. Please circulate this message to your students.

Please Mio Marlene Grossman if students are interested.

Marlene Grossman, Psychology Department

International Women’s Week 2020 at Vanier: Save the Date!

Vanier's Women and Gender Studies Program is excited to announce the dates for our next International Women's Week (IWW) event at the College. The event will be held March 2-6, 2020, and the theme will be "Backlash". We encourage all interested teachers to consider incorporating IWW into their schedule as they plan their courses for the Winter term. The schedule of panels, presentations, performances, films, and workshops will be announced early in the Winter term. We look forward to seeing you there!

Alan Wong, English Department

Religious Holy Days

The Office of the Academic Dean would like to remind faculty members of the College's policy and procedures regarding religious holy days. The only holidays formally recognized by Vanier's Academic Calendar are those set by law or by the collective agreements. These holidays are Labour Day, Thanksgiving, the Christmas break, Good Friday, Easter Monday and Victoria Day.

Other religious holy days, such as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover (Jewish) and Id al-Fitr (Islamic) amongst others, are not recognized in the Academic Calendar. On such days, College proceedings and classes take place as usual.

Students who are absent for religious reasons should not suffer a penalty related only to their absence. They are responsible for the material covered in the classes and labs that they miss, same as with other absences. Faculty, however, should avoid giving examinations on these days, or should provide a suitable alternative to the students who will be fulfilling their religious obligations. Faculty should realize that Jewish Holidays begin at sundown on the evening before the holiday. Late afternoon exams should be avoided on these days, if possible, in order to permit students to be at home by sundown.

Faculty should inform students who wish to observe religious holy days during regularly scheduled class time that they must submit to their attention a completed Religious Holy Days Absence Form http://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/registrars/request-forms/religious-holy-days within the first week of classes specifying particular date(s), time(s) and name(s) of the religious holy day(s) on which they will be absent. Alternative arrangements convenient to both students and faculty can then be made. Information on Student Absences for Religious Holy Days can be found in sections 2.2.8 and 2.2.9 of the IPESA https://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/bylaws-policies-procedures/files/IPESA-Revised-and-Approved-June-18-2019-1.pdf

In order to provide the full class time for the students, faculty who are absent for religious holy days should make every effort to see that their classes meet as usual.

1. A teacher who plans to be absent is invited to find a teacher qualified to teach in his/her discipline that would be willing to cover for him/her at no cost to the College and to inform the Faculty Dean in writing prior to the absence. This notification must include the name of the religious holy day(s) and the date(s) of absence, the scheduled classes for these days and the name of the substitute teacher(s).

2. All absent teachers must also notify the College as per the normal absence reporting procedures. The College will apply the Substitute Teachers Policy.

Absences on religious holy days should be reported by clicking on Teachers on the College’s home page (http://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca) then on Omnivox; log in on Omnivox and then click on Teachers Absences.

Office of the Academic Dean

News from Human Resource Services

The following is a list of all the new teachers hired by Vanier in 2019.

Julie Ricard, Business Administration David de Koos, Business Administration Ciara Briscoe, Psychology Natalia Delgado, Micropublishing & Hypermedia Tia Maric, Psychology Kia Babashahi, Computer Science Ashleigh Huza, Micropublishing & Hypermedia Justin Hickmott, Music – Tuba Frédéric Boivin, Biology Steve Ataky, Computer Science Daniel Ayala Camelo, Economics Kathrin Spiller, German Tiffany Gabriel-Bellantoni, Animal Health Yannick Ip Yam, Physical Education Erin Hogan, Special Care Counseling Jérôme Grand'Maison, Mathematics Jovette Francoeur, Special Care Counseling Peter Oberlaender, Micropublishing & Hypermedia Stavros Athanasoulias, Business Administration Peter Ng, Micropublishing & Hypermedia Samie Ly, Business Administration Domenica Martinello, English Charlotte Brock, Nursing Michael Perry, English Kelsey Hamilton, Nursing Santiago Batista, Physics Gabriel Larco, Computer Science Aaron Fellows, Physical Education Dominic Cloutier, Music - Drums Tiffany Dickie, Special Care Counseling Michelle Patterson, Physical Education Nathalie Armand, Damage Insurance David Hoida, Psychology Robert Getzkow, Damage Insurance Jean Désiré, Damage Insurance Kuiyan Xu, Computer Assisted Drafting James Gardner Gregory, Psychology Costa Papadatos, Physics Kiraz Johannsen, Psychology Matei Alexandru Ivanescu, Physics Dareen Moussa, Damage Insurance Olivier Pineau, French Nick Morfopos, Business Administration Adrian Onet, Computer Science Julie Pigott, Physical Education Laila Ali, Skills for the Administrative Assistant Holly McIntyre, Physical Education Dalip Sheoprasad, Business Administration Aurélie Gauthier-Houle, Physics Marie-Pier Laforge-Bourret, French Carl Adams, Physics Andréanne Brodeur, French Amélie Hébert, French Chris Theodorakakos, Business Administration Jim Parthimos, Business Administration Sanaz Moshaver, Business Administration Jaime Castro, Business Administration Catherine Siomos, Business Administration

Kallie Davies, Human Resource Services

Staffing Announcements for January 2020

Stephanie Too, Human Resource Services

2020 Humanities Symposium, February 3rd to 7th, 2020: CHOICE

There is nothing straightforward about the idea of choice. During this year’s Humanities Symposium, thirteen speakers will approach the theme in relation to music, language, democracy, philosophy literature, medical ethics, the law, immigration and naturalization, mental health, and education. They will raise questions about how we make choices, how meaningful our choices are, who has choice, and to what extent our choices are truly our own.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3rd

8:30 – 10:00 Mavis Biss, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Loyola University, Maryland “The Choice to Vaccinate: Conscience and Public Health” 2019 was a bad year for measles. Outbreaks occurred all over the world, including in Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Madagascar, Sudan, Thailand, Ukraine and the United States. Yet in the United States vaccination has been framed as a personal choice, a matter of individual conscience. I will explore the implications of this framing using Immanuel Kant's theory of conscience as a reflective process of evaluating our own choices. On my view conscience is not an isolated space, cut off from the rest of the world. Rather, it is what reminds us of our fallibility, and what makes us accountable to others.

10:00 - 11:30 Nakuset, Director of the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal, a columnist on Citylife and creator of the TV show ‘Indigenous Power’ “Colonialism vs Resilience” Colonialism has inflicted multi-generational trauma on indigenous people. My talk will discuss broad historical themes as well as my personal history and my work to help Indigenous people in the city. We can no longer be bystanders, watching Indigenous people suffer on multiple levels. It is time make a choice to mobilize and create positive change.

11:30 - 1:00 Andy Williams, Musician, dj, writer, and educator. “Jazz and the Civil Rights Movement in North America” Jazz and the Civil Rights Movement share a common past in denouncing social inequality. My lecture will consider how jazz artists since the 1920s, including Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Charles Mingus and Oscar Peterson, made musical choices that expanded their art forms and contributed to social change in America. I will present an array of music that illustrate how black people in North America took steps to overcome the adversity caused by racially-tiered systems.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4th

2:30 - 4:00 Kim Girling, Research and Policy Director at Evidence for Democracy “Choosing credible information in a world of misinformation” Misinformation is an issue that threatens our democracy. In a polluted information environment, it can be difficult to know what to trust. This task is especially important for policy-makers trying to make evidence-based decisions. In this talk, I will explain why we are so susceptible to misinformation and discuss challenges we face in choosing credible information among misinformation. I will also share recent findings from a study based on interviews with Canadian Members of Parliament about how MPs decide what information to use in their work. My talk will point to solutions on how to overcome challenges in choosing credible information, both for us as individuals and for government decision-makers.

4:00 - 5:30 Elisapie A conversation with the multiple award-winning singer-songwriter, filmmaker and activist. During this event a Vanier student will interview Inuk musician Elisapie onstage, using examples from her films, songs and music videos. Questions will come from students concerning Elisapie’s artistic choices, including her use of the Inuktitut language and Indigenous folk tunes as inspiration for many of her songs. Ambassador for Inuit culture, Elisapie first earned recognition in 2003 for her documentary If the Weather Permits. Since then her musical albums as a solo artist and with the duo Taima have won prizes at the Juno and Félix Awards. In 2018 Elisapie released her fourth album, The Ballad of the Runaway Girl, which won Félix awards for Album of the Year-Other Languages and Best Album Production. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5th

10:30 - 12:00 Leila Bdeir, Humanities and WGS teacher, Vanier College and Nour Farhat, Lawyer “’Your Choice is No Good Here!’: Law 21 and its effect on Muslim Women in Québec” There is a long-standing history in Quebec of state regulation of religious/cultural practices. Law 21 is the most recent iteration of such policies. In our talk, we will explore the effects of Law 21 on the agency of Muslim women, particularly as it pertains to their bodies and, by extension, their social, political and professional lives. We will also explore the ways in which feminist ideals have been claimed in support of Law 21 by state and other actors, and what this reveals about mainstream ideas about women’s rights in a Western, neo-liberal context.

1:30 - 3:00 Gabriel Tordjman, Humanities Teacher, “Choice, Coercion and the Sterilization of Indigenous Women in Canada” Power and domination have often marked the history of the state's relationship with Indigenous people. Nowhere else is this more epitomized than in the eugenic goal of eliminating the "unfit" and "inferior races" by controlling their reproduction. As an offshoot of Darwinian evolutionary theory, eugenics provided a convenient pseudo-scientific justification for continued dispossession and domination, extending even into the most intimate and private domain of child birth. But most recently, eugenic sterilization has appeared to shed its coercive, domineering and eugenic aspects. Now reproductive decisions are seen as expressive of our strong commitment to choice and individual freedom regardless of cultural background. But is this really so? Recent headlines appear to tell us that coercive policies are not entirely a relic of the past.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6th

8:30 - 10:00 Caroline Chwojka, Humanities Teacher, Vanier College “Freedom to choose or freedom from choosing?” Do you get overwhelmed when you go online? The Internet offers an astounding amount of choice for every imaginable aspect of life. The pressure to constantly make optimal selections can lead to FOMO and possibly a fear of choice-making. It might also have a negative impact on our health, leading to anxiety and depression. My talk will draw on research in psychology, particularly Barry Schwartz’s Paradox of Choice and Nathaniel Branden’s theory of self-esteem, and connect it to popular culture to discuss the consequences of having too many options.

11:30 - 1:00 Brian Aboud, Humanities Teacher, Vanier College “Choice and Non-Choice in Citizenship: when Abu-‘Izz became a naturalized British Subject (Montreal, 1895)” The acquisition of citizenship, through naturalization, is conventionally understood as a matter of free, autonomous and conscious choice. Yet, this explanation of naturalization seems seriously incomplete. How may the circumstance of seeking and (possibly) attaining a new citizenship be a matter of something other than a freely chosen course of action? This talk explores the dimensions of choice in the legal and governmental process known as “naturalization” in reference to some key questions around choice in the social sciences and to a set of naturalization cases from the late-nineteenth century in Canada (c. 1895-1900) involving Syrian-Ottoman immigrants in Montreal (among them Abu-‘Izz).

1:00 - 2:30 Ingrid Mittmannsgruber, Humanities Teacher, Vanier College “Education: Quality, Choice, and Democracy” Current changes to the Cegep system are presented to us as applications of democratic values, greater equity, fairness, and transparency. However, they may not necessarily live up to their official objectives of improving and controlling the quality of education delivered to students. I will explore why this is the case, how to make sense of it all, and what we ought to do to truly strengthen democratic and humane values while at the same time providing quality education.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7th

8:30 - 10:00 Sterling Downey, City Councillor for the borough of Verdun and founder of the 'Under Pressure' graffiti festival. “It’s your choice! Or is it?” People chose me for the role I play in politics. My entry point into this experience, which I will never call a career, was not simply a personal choice I made based on interest or opportunity. My party chose me to represent them just as my community continues to choose me to serve them. I choose to respond to the call because I believe that I can make a difference for all Montrealers. Typically, the choices I made in the early years of my life - not pursuing school and my involvement in graffiti - should not have led me into politics. That is what is most interesting about choice - when you are doing things for the right reasons you will end up doing what you are meant to.

10:00 - 11:30 Lynn Kozak, Associate Professor and Director of Classical Studies at McGill University “The Stories We Tell” Why do we tell the stories we tell, and how do we tell them? After years of teaching the Iliad, I decided to tell the Iliad, in a live, partially-improvised translation, over twenty-nine weeks. From the micro-level to the macro-level, this exercise has challenged me to think about why and how we tell stories, from our choice of individual words, to our choices of venues and audiences and media, to our choices of the stories themselves: what stories do we keep coming back to? Are they the stories we should keep coming back to?

With sincere thanks to the Faculty of General Education, the MEES, the VCTA, and Vanier Communications for their instrumental and valued contributions.

All events take place in the Auditorium A-103 and are open to the public. For further information, please contact Lisa Jorgensen. [email protected]

Lisa Jorgensen, Humanities

ACADEMIC ADVISING

This is the place to send students who have questions about the following: . program, Diploma requirements, changing programs . registration, course load, course sequencing . reduced course loads, withdrawals, standing & advancement . university programs, prerequisites, entrance requirements, R score, application procedures . alternative career paths

Day Advising Continuing Education Advising Room A-201 514-744-7556 514-744-7500, ext. 7884

- Individual appointments or drop-ins Appointments Room A-201 - Monday - Friday 10:00-11:30 Monday –Thursday 8:30 – 12:00 and 13:00 - 16:30 Drop-ins Room E-114 16:00-18:00 Monday-Thursday 14:00-16:00 Fridays

Debra Resnick, Academic Advising The Vanier Collective Gardens

VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES: Even though the Gardens are covered in snow, you can still get involved! We always need volunteers to assist with various tasks (promotion tables, workshops, different admin tasks, and other fun stuff) so if you feel like getting involved, get in touch! [email protected]

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS DURING THE SUMMER: We are looking for a student interested in working at the Gardens this summer. This full-time position offers the opportunity to garden, learn, have fun, organize activities, and be outside, all that while making money! If you would like to know more, please contact Rosemarie Brodeur at [email protected]

CLASSROOM WORKSHOPS: We are offering in-class workshops, even though it’s winter! In fact, our Gardens expert, Mark Reynolds, has developed workshops that involve going outside, in the snow! If you are interested, contact us at [email protected]

Rosemarie Brodeur, Social and Cultural Sciences

Sustainability at Vanier

Interested in sustainability? Want to share your ideas with other like-minded people from across the college?

The Sustainability Action Group will meet on Mondays this semester from 1-2:30pm and is open to everyone. If you would like to join, you can reply by email to Heather Robb ([email protected]) or Katherine Collin ([email protected]). We also have a Facebook group, “Vanier Sustainability Action Group.” Details on room location this semester to follow soon!

Thank you!

Katherine Collin, English Department

BÉNÉVOLAT EN FRANÇAIS | VOLUNTEER WORK IN FRENCH

Pendant la session d’hiver, dans le cadre du programme S.T.A.R., les étudiants pourront faire du bénévolat afin de développer leurs compétences en français.

Une session d’information aura lieu le 29 janvier 2020, au C-418, de 12 h à 13 h.

Merci d’encourager vos étudiants à se joindre à nous afin de découvrir cette excellente occasion d’apprendre le français à l’extérieur de la salle de classe tout en s’impliquant dans la communauté.

Julie Gagné et Philippe Gagné, département de français

*** During the winter session, as part of the S.T.A.R. program, students will have the opportunity to develop their French skills by doing volunteer work.

An information session will take place on January 29, 2020, in C-418, from noon to 1 p.m.

Please encourage your students to be a part of this great opportunity and to learn French outside the classroom all while getting involved in the community.

Julie Gagné et Philippe Gagné, French Department

28th Annual Symposium on the Holocaust and Genocide Fighting Ignorance: Our Duty of Memory and Witness

Hold the Dates!!! March 31-April 3, 2020

As we are finishing up our fall semester and soon begin planning for the winter, I’d like to announce some of what we are planning for the upcoming symposium. Please keep them in mind as you are preparing your course outlines for winter.

The Honorary Chairman for this year is Beryl Wajsman, Editor of the Suburban Newspaper and President of the Institute for Public Affairs of Montreal (a national advocacy organization that tries to tackle issues of civil rights and the protection of the vulnerable). He holds two law degrees from McGill University, and has spent over twenty-five years combining the worlds of politics, community activism and media.

Confirmed co-sponsors of the event include: The Holocaust Education and Genocide Prevention Foundation, LEARN Quebec, Hillel Montreal, The Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, and the Goethe Institute.

We have just begun inviting speakers as fundraising efforts are starting to pay off and so, as of this week, confirmed speakers include:

 Dr. Matthias Becker: Dr. Becker is affiliated with the Center for Research on Antisemitism at the Technical University in Berlin and to Centric, Sheffield Hallam University. He was a Research Associate at the American Jewish Committee (AJC) of Berlin and the Moses Mendelssohn Center at the University of Potsdam, Germany. His research centers around the idea that the language of the internet is a catalyst and trendsetter for societal processes and that there is an urgent need to critically examine online discourses, to anticipate future trends and to combat hate speech. He has been studying both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of language related to antisemtism online. He has lectured throughout Europe and the United States about his research.

 Tommy Schnurmacher: Tommy is a former radio host at CJAD. He recently published a memoir to his mother entitled Makeup Tips from Auschwitz. How Vanity Saved My Mother's Life which has received rave reviews. He has created a one-man show based on this book and he will be bringing this show to Vanier.

 Ara Karaboghossian, Vanier teacher, who will be discussing the Armenian genocide.

 Holocaust survivors will be invited by teachers into their classrooms.

 Kyle Matthews, Executive Director of The Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies (MIGS) began its important work at Concordia in 1986. He will be discussing social media and its connection to spreading propaganda.

 Austin Laurence is associated with The University of Ontario Institute of Technology and will be discussing hate in pagan communities.

 Dr. Barbara Perry is the Director of The Centre on Hate, Bias and Extremism and The Chair, International Network on Hate Studies and teaches at University of Ontario Institute of Technology.

Other speakers are being added. Please keep these dates in mind as you prepare for the upcoming semester. If you have any specific interest in mind, please let me know so that I can keep this in mind when scheduling speakers.

Marlene Grossman, Psychology Department

Do Porcupines Prick your Interest? Winter adaptions of the North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum).

The North American Porcupine is one of the largest rodents in North America, second only to the beaver (Canadian Wildlife Federation 2019). Males are usually larger than females, but their size can range from a total length of 60-90 cm and a weight of 5-14 kg,. That’s about 11 to 30 pounds (Weber 2004)! It is included in the class Mammalia, order Rodentia and is part of the family Erethizontidea with the rest of the new world porcupines (Nature Works 2019). Its scientific name is Erethizon dorsatum and its habitat range is the most northern of all the porcupine species. It is native to most of North America between the Arctic ocean and northern Mexico, a biogeographic region is known as the Neartic. Within this region the North American Porcupine takes advantage of a variety of habitats, including ones as harsh as the tundra and desert. For the purpose of this paper a closer look will be taken at their most common habitat, deciduous forests, which extensively cover Canada. These porcupines can also be found at surprising altitudes, as they are excellent climbers. If a porcupine falls in a forest and no one’s around to hear it, does it make sound? The amount of time this species is found hanging around in trees depends on the availability of habitable ground, meaning viable foraging sites and coverage from predators.

The North American Porcupine is nocturnal; so you may be wondering how can its predators even see it? Well though porcupines have a dark colored body of brown to black with yellow banded guard hairs, their quills have a characteristic white fringe that alerts predators of this dangerous defense mechanism even in the dark. Porcupines have approximately 30,000 quills that are about 75 mm in length and 2 mm in width. Each is equipped with a tiny barb on the tip that aids it in embedding into the tissue of predators which threaten the porcupine. The barbs achieve this by slowly moving up to several millimeters a day into the tissue through the natural muscle movements of the predator (Weber 2004). Despite the common misconception that porcupines can shoot their quills, their quills actually stand up like guard hairs when their muscles tense and the porcupine then proceeds to thrust its body towards any threatening predators (Nature Works 2019).

The porcupine’s most renowned trait, its quills, are modified “guard hairs” which they use as their primary defence against predators, but did you know that they also have fur like most other rodents? Their coat is used to fight against the harsh winter climate in North America, which is juxtaposed with the South American and Central American porcupines who cannot stand the high variances in temperature as their North American sisters. Along with this adaption, porcupines have a relatively slow metabolic rate for mammals (DeMatteo and Harlow 1997), a round body, short legs, and are typically slow moving to conserve the most energy possible (Weber 2004). Waddling is one of the most energy efficient and adorable forms of movement. Porcupines usually live in dens in caves and under rocks in groups of up to 20 in the winter although they are not particularly social. They even stay in trees if no land dens are available. Porcupines rest on trees using long claws and unique palms for climbing (Weber 2004). They do not hibernate during the winter, however if a winter is particularly rough or during winter storms, they spend more time in their dens (Nature Works 2019). They are generalist herbivores meaning they are capable of eating a wide array of fruits and vegetation. Porcupines usually bulk up much like bears preparing for hibernation. However, porcupines are active and eat bark, evergreen needles, and twigs during the winter. They are specially adapted to retain nitrogen, with an ability to digest very high fibre foods thereby losing fewer nutrients through fecal matter. This allows them to absorb as much nitrogen as possible from the low content of it present in the twigs and needles they are feeding on (Weber 2004).

Vivienne Zikos and Antonio De Rosa, students of the Environmental and Wildlife Management Program

Call for Applications: Meg Sircom Memorial Scholarship

Please encourage students who like to write fiction, poetry, personal essays or other creative work, and who have good grades in English, to apply for the Meg Sircom Memorial Scholarship. Meg Sircom was an English teacher at our college from 2001-2011. She was a fiction writer, and valued both academic and creative writing.

Scholarship amount: $500 Deadline for applications: Jan. 27, 2020

Requirements:  The applicant must be a student at Vanier College during the A19-H20 academic year.  The student has received final grades of 80%+ in at least two English classes (101, 102, 103, HS-)  The student will submit a portfolio of 5-15 double-spaced pages of creative literary work (poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, graphic storytelling, or other)

For information on applying, students should contact  their English teachers, or  Dana Bath (D-545B, 514-744-7500 x 7814, or through MIO)

Dana Bath, English Department

Continuing Education and Language School Winter Courses and Programs

Let family and friends know about the Winter Continuing Education and Language School courses. Remember, English and French Language School courses are also offered at the Mile Ex Campus on Beaumont Avenue, next to Acadie Métro.

Old Desks and Chairs

Vanier College is gradually replacing the old existing desks by new ones. In an effort to align with the College’s vision and values, the old desks are being donated to non-profit organizations.

Consequently, this act is helping the development of some countries since the desks and chairs are being used in educational institutions. Furthermore, we are optimizing our sustainability practices by reusing rather than disposing them.

Below is a message of gratitude for Vanier from one of these organizations.

« Bonjour Monsieur Daher,

Nous vous faisons parvenir des photos relatives aux pupitres que votre Collège a donnés à notre Fondation. Ils sont arrivés à destination (Voir fichier joint)

Nous remercions encore votre direction, pour ce don inestimable au nom des enfants d’Haïti.

Bonne journée

Pour CENTRECH Mercier Pierre-Louis,Trésorier et responsable de la communication »

Thank you! Daher Daher, Physical Plant & Facilities

The Vanier College Learning Commons groups together three key academic student-oriented services, the Library, the Tutoring & Academic Success Centre (TASC), and the Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) Centre.

Introducing the Learning Commons Website In 2017-2018, we began the process of ideating and designing a Learning Commons website with the goal of facilitating access to the resources and services offered by the Library, TASC, and the STEM Centre. The website is now live: https://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/learning-commons

If you are more comfortable navigating the services by unit, the following pages may be preferable:

Library home – https://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/learning-commons/library TASC home – https://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/learning-commons/tasc STEM home - https://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/learning-commons/stem

Bookings Spaces within the Learning Commons Given the popularity of the Learning Commons space, guidelines are in place that explain the spaces that can be put on reserve as well as procedures for how to place bookings with us. The goal is to ensure that there is a fair balance between the number of events held within the Learning Commons and prioritizing student use of the spaces. As of this semester, our guidelines and booking request forms are online: https://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/learning-commons/request-space

Our Hours this Semester Please take note of our hours for the various spaces:

Library Starting on January 20th: Monday to Thursday 7:45am to 6pm, Friday 7:45am to 5pm Starting on January 27th: Monday to Thursday 7:45am to 7pm, Friday 7:45am to 5pm

TASC Starting on January 20th: Monday to Thursday 7:45am to 5pm, Friday 7:45am to 4:30pm

STEM Monday to Friday 7:30am to 10pm, Saturday and Sunday 7:30am to 5pm

A Note about our Laptops As a reminder to the members of the community, please keep in mind that we do not lend out laptops for use outside of the Learning Commons. If you are interested in using laptops in your classroom, two laptop carts are available through I.T. (E-406 and N-215).

Vanier College Library – F-300

Scheduling a Bibliographic Instruction Session To schedule sessions with one of our librarians, please fill out the following form: https://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/learning- commons/library/book-instruction-session-librarian. Susan Bissonnette will contact you to schedule a session.

Help with Copyright Any faculty member who is looking for help with better understanding Copyright and its application here at Vanier is encouraged to contact our Information Services Librarian, Susan Bissonnette ([email protected]).

Book Purchasing Guidelines and Procedures for Faculty and Staff For faculty and staff who are looking to purchase books for their departments, please review the guidelines: https://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/learning-commons/files/2019/12/Book-Purchase-Procedures.pdf

Faculty and staff may request us to purchase books to add to our library collection: https://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/learning- commons/library/request-new-materials

Faculty and staff may request us to place material for Course Reserves: https://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/learning-commons/library/materials-on-reserve

Faculty and staff may request us to reserve a film / DVD: https://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/learning-commons/library/book-film-media

Tutoring & Academic Success Centre (TASC) – E-300

Referral Form: Early Alert Support The Early Alert Support referral form is available online for teachers to refer at-risk students to the Student Success Advisor. Teachers are encouraged to fill out the online referral form as soon as it becomes noticeable that a student is likely to fail and requires support beyond help understanding course content.

The Success Advisor contacts referred students and invites them to a meeting. Depending on a student’s situation, we will either work with them directly, or refer them to the relevant resource(s), and follow up to help ensure the student receives the necessary support.

Please do not hesitate to contact Cari Clough should you want further information: extension 7568 or [email protected]. Referral form: Early Alert Support – http://bit.ly/early-alert-referral

VConnect Peer Mentoring VConnect is a college-wide peer mentor program that aims to offer a supportive, non-judgmental space for new students to build connections within the Vanier Community. First year students are encouraged to seek guidance and advice from their second or third year peers regarding their college success. Our goals are to:

 Support the transition to CEGEP life  Create an inclusive, empowering, supportive learning space  Create a safe, non-judgmental space for students to seek advice  Guide and support students through their learning journey  Refer students to the resources and services available to them If you know of any students who may benefit from a mentor, please refer them to the program. For more information, please contact [email protected] or check out our website: http://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/mentoring/mentors/vconnect In-Class Pedagogical Interventions & Workshops The Tutoring and Academic Success Centre (TASC) has developed pedagogical workshops on a variety of topics relating to the development of soft skills. The workshops can be as brief as 15 minutes, or take as long as an hour. It is possible to custom-tailor elements of any workshop to better suit your specific class or assignment(s). It is also possible to combine workshops or elements from several workshops. If there is something you see your class struggling with, and it’s not on this list, we are happy to design something specific for your class’s needs. Please note that these workshops are also available for Continuing Education classes.

Workshop topics include:

 Avoiding Plagiarism / MLA and APA Referencing  Time Management and Avoiding Procrastination  Study Skills  Essay Writing  Oral Presentations  Note-Taking  Reading  Brainstorming  Setting S.M.A.R.T. Goals  Writing Better Sentences

If you would like to book or discuss a workshop, or a list with the workshop descriptions, please visit https://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/learning-commons/request-workshop

Writing Assistance Available for Your Students https://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/learning-commons/writing-center

What is it? The Writing Centre supports success in writing across all disciplines and provides an environment that fosters the development of writing skills that lead to current and future academic and professional success.

What do we do? Our aim is to help students express their ideas clearly, regardless of the discipline for which they are writing, by helping them hone their writing skills.

The writing consultants are teachers who are available to help your students with their written assignments, everything from preparing an outline to polishing their final draft.

How do I refer my students? We are located at the back of the Tutoring and Academic Success Centre (E300). Sessions are on a drop-in basis and free.

Schedule  Monday 11:00am-2:00pm  Tuesday 11:00am-2:00pm  Wednesday 11:00am-1:30pm  Thursday 11:00am-12:30pm  Friday 11:00am-2:00pm Haritos Kavallos, The Learning Commons

Employee Fitness  Schedule Winter 2020

Session Dates - January 27th – May 15th No classes March 16-20th / April 10th and 13th Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Jan.27-May 11 Jan. 28-May Jan. 29-May 13 Jan.30-May Jan.31-May 15th 12 14 12:05:1:00 12:05:1:00 Masters Swim Masters Pool Swim Amanda Pool Jess 12:05:1:00 12:05:1:00 12:05:1:00 12:05:1:00 12:05:1:00 CULT Yoga Flow BoxFit Bootcamp Pilates G202 G202 G202 G202 G202 Shawna Jess Khaled Mindie Libby

For those with an ever changing schedule 12:00-1:00 12:05-1:00 Try the New 10 Class Pass Tai Chi Tabata Attend Any 10 Classes Anytime G157 G232 Sergio Marissa 4:45-5:45 4:45-5:45 Energy Wellness Tap Dancing If you are interested in using the Fitness Centre and G202 would like some guidance, training tips etc.… Please contact Shawna to set up an appointment. Saul G202 [email protected] Krista If you have any questions, comments, concerns please contact Shawna Lambert ext. 7507- [email protected]

2020 Registration Fees PAYMENT INFORMATION Complete the registration form on page 3 and submit your registration to Shawna Lambert (G220) Feel free to try the 1st class for free. Submit payment by Jan. 31st PLEASE.

Registration Fees – 50% of fees are now subsidized by the College!!! Registration in Registration in Registration in Registration in 1 class 2 classes 3 classes 4 or more $ 45.00 $ 65.00 $ 80.00 $ 95.00 10 Class Pass - $ 30.00 Attend any 10 classes Anytime

2020 Class Descriptions Cult An interval Class that has all that you need for a fitter you. Cardio - Upper Body Conditioning - Lower Body Conditioning - Trunk Conditioning, Intensity modifications will be shown for all exercises so join our CULT!

Energy Wellness In this course, you will both learn and experience what energy is and its systems within the body. You will explore how integrating energy with exercise will improve your practice in a variety of movements. We will go through energy routines, which you can do for yourself in different circumstances, such as headaches, indigestion, stress relief, etc. Much of this course is based on hands-on/hands-off sessions, where you will experience Reiki, Qi Gong, and other energy routines to greatly enhance your overall lifestyle.

Yoga Flow Yoga Flow is a class which involves a variety of Yoga movement sequences designed to improve strength, posture, flexibility and stamina. Participants will learn a variety of yoga poses, proper body alignment, breathing and relaxation techniques. Stretch your mind and body.

TAP DANCING Get your feet moving, your toes tapping and your heart singing. All welcome.

BOXFIT – Boxing gloves provided (purchase hand wraps) Boxfit is a self-empowering experience that will have you begging for more. The workout will involve learning basic boxing techniques – punches, jabs, slips, uppercuts, footwork and of course an awesome / killer ab workout. Boxing gloves and hand wraps will be available to use with an option to purchase your own set once you fall in love! Yoga is not the only way to destress guys – hitting a punching bag or focus pads can do wonders for your soul, agility, strength and stamina.

Masters Swim Fitness Club Open to swimmers of all levels. Amanda or Jessica will be on deck with the swim workout of the day which will be adapted to suit the needs and swim levels of each master. The class will focus on cardiovascular development, stroke improvement and personal goal achievement.

Bootcamp Get your heart pounding, your muscles pumping and your feet jumping. A full body workout designed to improve cardio, muscle strength, endurance, muscle tone, metabolism and psychological toughness. Bring your body, heart and soul to this class. All exercises can be modified to suit your fitness level and personal needs.

Tai Chi Tai Chi movements work on more than 700 parts of the human body, helping to strengthen muscle as well as to maintain elastic ligaments, flexible tendons and mobile joints. This meditation in motion class involves performing calm and relaxed movements that will improve respiration, improve blood circulation and reduce high blood pressure. No need to change before the class.

Pilates This Pilates class is a blend of muscle conditioning, pilates and yoga exercises. The first half of the class will focus on a variety of muscle conditioning exercises for the upper and lower body using weights, tubing and exercise balls. The second half of the class will focus on core strength and postural alignment and flexibility.

Tabata Tabata is an interval training method which involves timed sets. 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of recovery. 20 seconds does not seem like a long time but you will be amazed at how much you can accomplish in a short period of time! A full body workout designed to improve cardio, muscle strength/endurance, muscle tone and increase caloric expenditure. All exercises can be modified to suit your level

PAYMENT – January 20th Deadline Please!!!

Please make cheque payable to VANIER COLLEGE and return with the registration form below to Shawna Lambert (G 220), or Pay directly in accounting and return the form below with your receipt of payment to Shawna Lambert (G 220)

2020 PAYMENT INFORMATION – 50% subsidized by the College

GROUP FITNESS CLASSES

4 or more activities per week ………………………….. $90.00 3 activities per week ………………………….. $80.00 2 activities per week ………………………….. $ 65.00 1 activity per week ………………………….. $ 45.00 10 Class Pass ……………………. $ 30.00

NB: A minimum of 8 registrations / class is necessary.

It is a possible that a class may be cancelled due to low registration

If this is the case you will be notified and you will be reimbursed for that class.

Please send this form to Shawna Lambert – Physical Education Department – G220

Name: ______Department: ______

Phone #: home______Vanier Ext. ______

Email: ______

PLEASE CHECK OFF THE ACTIVITIES THAT YOU WILL ATTEND □ Monday CULT 12:05 – 1:00 □ Monday Masters Swim 12:05 – 1:00 □ Monday Energy Wellness 4:45 – 5:45 □ Tuesday Yoga Flow 12:05 – 1:00 □ Tuesday Tap Dancing 4:45-5:45 □ Wednesday BoxFit 12:05-1:00 □ Thursday Masters Swim 12:05 – 1:00 □ Thursday Tai Chi (Int) 12:00 – 1:00 □ Thursday Bootcamp 12:05 – 1:00 □ Friday Pilates 12:05 – 1:00 □ Friday Tabata 12:05-1:00

Total Payment = $______a) Attach chq to registration form and send to Shawna G220 or b) Attach payment receipt from accounting to this form and send to Shawna G220

Shauna Lambert, Physical Education

PSI News

Latest Issue of Vanier Academic Voices Now Available

Pick up your copy in the PSI office (B-228) today! You can also find it online at https://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/psi/vanier-academic-voices/.

Launch of the Vanier Teachers’ Innovation Exploration Kit (TIEK) The TIEK offers teachers a chance to experiment with, and explore, the potential for augmented and virtual Reality (AR & VR), 3D printing, and other innovative technologies in the classroom! Faculty will have the chance to try out some of the devices and apps. Light refreshments will be served.

When: January 29th, 2020, during UB (12 to 1:30pm)

Where: The STEM Center (D301)

To register, please visit https://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/psi/tiek-reg/

or click this QR Code.

Space is limited to 40 guests. Only a few spots remain, so register soon!

Latest Issue of Pédagogie Collégiale Now Available

Just after the end of classes, the latest issue of arrived at the college. This year, to provide readers with a handy overview of the content in each issue, the AQPC is publishing online synopses of each article in their newsletter, which you can access here.

If you are an AQPC member, you should have received your copy. If you are not, extra copies available in PSI (B228), the library, and the offices of the Academic and Program Deans.

CICan 2020 Art Showcase Student Artwork Prizes Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) invites students to submit their artwork for the 2020 Art Showcase.

The artwork will be showcased on the walls of the association’s national office at the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa!

CICan will select a winner from the following 6 categories:  Printmaking  Textile, Mixed Media, or Sculpture  Photography  Digital Illustration or Animation  Painting  Drawing Each winner will receive a monetary prize of $350. The winning artwork will also be displayed at the CICan offices and will receive recognition on CICan’s website and in various association publications.

The deadline to submit your artwork is March 20th, 2020. For more information and to submit your work, please click here.

Entente Canada-Québec

Call for Grant Proposals – Pedagogical Projects

If you are a Vanier teacher or professional seeking release time and/or an operational budget with which to conduct a pedagogical project (research or non-research), you are invited to submit your proposal for the Entente Canada- Québec (ECQ) grant competition.

For more information, please consult the program guide.

In order to ensure that your proposal is complete and meets the eligibility criteria set by the funding program, please submit it to the Research Officer (Angela Vavassis, [email protected]) by January 26th, 2020. If you would like advice on preparing your ECQ grant application, please contact Angela by January 22nd.

Current ECQ Grant Holders – Interim Progress Report Deadline

If you have received an ECQ grant to conduct a project during the current academic year (2019-2020), please note that your interim report must be submitted to the Ministry by February 15th, 2020.

In order to ensure that your report is accurate and complete, please submit it to Angela by Vanier's internal deadline, February 3rd, 2020.

Programme d'aide à la recherche et au transfert (PART-IT)

Call for Grant Proposals - Technological Innovation Research Projects

This funding program is meant to support applied research in the technology sector.

For more information, please consult the program guide.

In order to ensure that your proposal is complete and meets the eligibility criteria set by the funding program, please submit it to the Research Officer (Angela Vavassis, [email protected]) by January 30th, 2020. If you would like advice on preparing your ECQ grant application, please contact Angela by January 23rd.

Call for Participation – Grant Evaluation Committee

The ministère de l'Éducation et de l'Enseignement supérieur invites college researchers to take part in the PART-IT project evaluation committee.

Participants will be asked to evaluate grant applications and to take part in a meeting that will take place in Quebec City in April 2020.

If you would like to be a judge on this evaluation committee, please email your CV, including your field(s) of expertise and any other pertinent information, to [email protected], by Thursday, February 13th.

Contest: Chapeau les filles! Prizes for women pursuing traditionally male professions This contest is a government of Quebec initiative meant to recognize female students enrolled in a professional or technical program.

For more information regarding prizes and eligible fields of study, please click here.

Free, Online Learning Opportunity About Distance Learning:

FADIO est heureux de vous présenter la troisième édition de la Semaine de la formation à distance (FAD).

Plusieurs activités, tables d’échange, ateliers pratiques et témoignages vous permettront d'en apprendre davantage sur la formation à distance.

Offerte entièrement en ligne et gratuitement, cette semaine s'adresse à tous les acteurs éducatifs du primaire à l'université qui souhaitent parfaire leurs connaissances sur la FAD, découvrir des techniques d’enseignement innovantes ainsi que d'échanger avec plusieurs acteurs du milieu.

Présentées à différentes périodes de la journée, les activités seront accessibles en ligne, par la plateforme Zoom.

Afin de vous inscrire, veuillez remplir ce formulaire.

Pour plus de détails concernant la Semaine de la FAD, n’hésitez pas à consulter notre site web.

Elana Cooperberg, Pedagogical Support and Innovation

Call for DSO Proposals! 2020-2021 Projects

Vanier College’s Development and Support Opportunities (DSOs) offer support for teachers with a daytime load who want to engage in Research, Pedagogical Innovation or Student Success projects.

For information regarding the eligibility of your Deadline to submit proposed project and submission instructions / an application application forms: Wednesday, . Visit the PSI website as of December 12th, 2019 February 5th, 2020 . Contact the Research Officer, Angela Vavassis ([email protected])

Information Session Information session (12 pm – 12:30 pm ) and Workshop The Research Officer, Angela Vavassis, will walk you through: Wednesday, . Selecting and completing an application form nd January 22 , 2020 . Signing an application form using a Digital ID 12 pm – 2 pm . Acquiring Digital ID signatures from coordinators / collaborators F-216 Boardroom . Submitting an application form ------. The evaluation criteria and process

Please RSVP by January 17th, . The process for the announcement of results by clicking here. Workshop ( 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm )

Angela will be available to answer individual questions related to your particular DSO proposal and to assist you Coffee & cookies with inquiries and technical issues related to completing will be provided! one of the new application forms.