Events
Arboretum
The Arboretum is offering “Wildlife Garden Walks” on Tuesdays and “Toonie Nature Treks” on Wednesdays throughout the summer. The guided walks run from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and leave from the J.C. Taylor Nature Centre. Upcoming themes are “Bats” June 17, “Backyard Biodiversity” June 23, “Under Our Feet: Soil” June 24 and “We’re All in This Together” June 30. Cost is $2 (free for children five and under). For more information, call Ext. 52363 or visit www.uoguelph.ca/arboretum/ArbOverview/JCTaylorCentre.htm.
Naturalist Chris Earley leads workshops on dragonflies and damselflies July 8, shorebirds July 22, hawks Sept. 11 and fall warblers Sept. 18. All sessions run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and cost $50. Call Ext. 52358 to register. For more details, visit www. uoguelph.ca/arboretum.
Entomologist Jessica Grealey discusses butterfly identification and biology July 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $50. The deadline for registration and payment is July 2.
The Arboretum’s auxiliary holds its annual plant sale Sept. 12 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the R.J. Hilton Centre on College Avenue East. A catalogue will be available in August.
Notices
The College of Arts is calling for nominations from the University community for its three annual teaching excellence awards for faculty, sessionals and CLAs, and graduate teaching assistants. Nominations must be submitted to the dean of the College of Arts by June 30.
The 2009 Gryphon Golf Classic is June 22 at the Cutten Club. Registration begins at 10 a.m. For more information, visit http://www.gryphons.ca/Alumni/News/2000. All proceeds from the tournament go to student-athlete scholarships.
The 2009 Guelph Awards of Excellence will be handed out June 25 at 5 p.m. at the Delta Guelph Hotel and Conference Centre. U of G is a platinum sponsor of the event. For tickets, call 519-822-8081 or visit the website www.guelphchamber.com.
News@Noon, an information event presented by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs/ U of G partnership, will focus on “The Agriculture and Food Laboratory — Working to Keep Your Food Safe” June 19 at noon in the OMAFRA Conference Centre at 1 Stone Rd. Speakers are John Melichercik, co-executive director of U of G’s Laboratory Services, and Rena Hubers, director of the OMAFRA food inspection branch.
Teaching Support
Full details and a registration link for Teaching Support Services programs can be found on the TSS website at www.tss.uoguelph.ca. If you have questions, call Mary Nairn at Ext. 53571.
Two of TSS’s “Learning Circle” discussion groups will continue over the summer. “Transformative Learning” meets July 13 and Aug. 10. “Teaching on the Edge” is slated for June 30, July 14 and 28 and Aug. 11 and 25. At the Aug. 11 session, president Alastair Summerlee will be on hand to discuss the pros and cons of “pass/fail” as a method of assessment. New members are welcome to join “Learning Circle” discussions at any time.
For instructors who need to migrate a Blackboard course to Desire2Learn (D2L) or those who are running an on-campus course website for the first time, TSS is offering “D2L Starter Kit” June 24 and 30 and July 8, with more sessions to be added during the summer. An intensive D2L training week is planned for August, with the additional workshops providing training for D2L’s collaboration, quiz and grading tools. Watch the TSS website for details.
For instructors who have questions or concerns about a current D2L course, one-on-one help will continue to be available throughout the summer at drop-in clinics Wednesdays from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and Thursdays from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in McLaughlin 200-A. In addition, the D2L support line can be reached at Ext. 52530.
For graduate students with an interest in university teaching, the “Food for Thought” discussion group offers a forum to share ideas, philosophies and strategies for teaching and learning over a free pizza lunch. Summer sessions are slated for June 26 and July 24.
TSS is calling for presentation proposals for its annual Graduate Student Conference in University Teaching, to be held Sept. 19. This year’s theme is “Learning to Teach and Teaching to Learn.” Experienced instructors, faculty, teaching assistants and professional staff from across campus are encouraged to share their teaching expertise, advice and experiences by submitting a proposal. The deadline for submissions is July 15. For more information, visit www.uoguelph.ca/tss/Gradconf/index.cfm. If you have questions, call Natasha Kenny at Ext. 52963.
Thesis Defence
The final examination of Ajoy Bista, a PhD candidate in the rural studies program, is June 25 at 9:30 a.m. in Landscape Architecture 143. The thesis is “A Study of Rural Household Expenditure Inequality and Poverty: Sources and Implications for Sustainable Rural Communities in Nepal.” The adviser is Prof. Harry Cummings.
Community Events
Wellington County Museum and Archives hosts its 30th annual Insights Jurored Art Exhibition June 18 to Sept. 7 and a series of weekly themed interpretation events for families June 24 to Aug. 26. The annual Summer Thyme Herb and Garden Fair runs June 20 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit www.wcm.on.ca.
The Downtown Guelph Business Association is sponsoring a series of Friday noon-hour concerts in St. George’s Square until Sept. 18. Upcoming performers include Ian Reid June 19, James Gordon June 26 and Brenda Lewis and John Zadro July 3. A complete schedule can be found at www.downtownguelph.com.
The Guelph Symphony Orchestra presents its sixth annual “Music in the Park” June 28 at 3 p.m. at Riverside Park bandshell.
The fourth annual Faery Fest, featuring music, theatre and storytelling, runs June 20 and 21 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Riverside Park. Visit www.faeryfest.com for more information.
Woodlawn Memorial Park hosts a summer walking tour June 18 at 7 p.m.
The Guelph Concert Band performs June 21 in Royal City Park and June 28 at the Riverside Park bandshell, beginning at 7 p.m.
McCrae House hosts Canada Day celebrations July 1 from noon to 4 p.m., a Teddy Bear Picnic Aug. 20 from 1 to 4 p.m. and summer teas in the garden Wednesdays at 2 p.m. throughout the summer. For more information or to reserve a place at a summer tea, call 519-836-1221.
The Downtown Guelph Business Association hosts the seventh annual “Art on the Street,” a free open-air art exhibition and sale, July 18 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For details, visit www.downtownguelph.com.