Announcements

Work-from-home expenses during the 2021 pandemic and your tax return

Canada Revenue Agency has announced a temporary simplified method to allow eligible employees who worked from home due to COVID-19.  Employees who worked from home more than 50 per cent of the time for at least four consecutive weeks can claim $2 per working day (up to the maximum $500). This simplified method does not require you to obtain a T2200/T2200S form or maintain documented receipts to validate your claim. Learn more.

Slow Internet speeds on Feb. 11 at 4 p.m.

On Friday, Feb. 11 at 4 p.m. MRU’s Internet service provider will perform scheduled maintenance. As part of this maintenance, Internet speeds on campus will be reduced, which may cause websites to load slowly. A full Internet outage is not anticipated. The maintenance will be completed by 4:30 p.m and speeds will return to normal. If you have any questions, please contact the ITS Help Desk at 403.440.6000 or email itservicedesk@mtroyal.ca. 

SAMRU Black History Month

Black History Month is a time to celebrate the many contributions of members of the Black community both on campus and across Canada. The Students’ Association of Mount Royal University has co-ordinated several online events to create meaningful and inclusive environments that ultimately represent marginalized communities on campus and beyond. The schedule can be found at samru.ca/bhm and samru.ca/events.

Participate in the process of selecting a new learning management system

Mount Royal is working on acquiring a new learning management system (currently Blackboard Learn). As part of the request for proposals process, three systems have been short listed. Between Feb. 1 and 21, you can sign up to ‘test drive’ the three systems and/or view demo videos and provide feedback here. More project info is at mru.ca/LMS. Have a question? Email lms@mtroyal.ca.

Sale at the Cougars Campus Store

The Cougars Campus Store is holding a stationery sale throughout the month of February. All stationery is 20 per cent off. Learn more.

National College Health Assessment (NCHA) Survey

The NCHA is a survey that helps MRU understand the health habits, behaviours and perceptions of our students. Four thousand randomly selected students will receive the survey, which must be completed between Jan. 31 to Feb. 18. Please take a minute to ask your students to check their email to see if they’ve been selected to participate. Learn more.

SAMRU Tea with REC: The Podcast

Spirit River Striped Wolf, SAMRU president, and Joseph Nguyen, vice-president of Student Affairs, will be releasing a monthly podcast called “Tea with REC: The Podcast” on SAMRU’s Spotify account. The podcast will provide students and the larger MRU community with an update on the advocacy efforts of the Representation Executive Council. Each month a new guest will be featured.

Nominate someone for a SAMRU Award

The SAMRU Awards scholarships recognize those who have contributed to their campus community in an outstanding way that inspires and enhances the lives of their fellow Mount Royal students. Each year, SAMRU awards $40,000 in scholarships and bursaries to these exceptional individuals. The deadline to apply is Feb. 28 at 4 p.m. Learn more about the criteria for candidates and please share with your students.

MRU Camps to return

MRU Camps is back this summer. Payroll deductions are available for faculty and employees who are interested in signing up their children. Registration opens Feb. 7 at 8:30 a.m.

Deadline to register for Research and Scholarship Days is March 14

Encourage students to participate in this campus-wide celebration of research by sharing a poster, creative work or oral presentation. Students can submit their research abstract and register online until March 14.

Did you know?

Bleed Blue

Karen Pheasant-Neganigwane wins top Canadian children’s book award

Assistant professor Karen Pheasant-Neganigwane’s book, Powwow: A Celebration Through Song and Dance, was awarded the 2021 Norma Fleck Award for Children’s Non-Fiction — considered to be one of Canada’s most prestigious recognitions for children’s books. Selling out during its first print run in just three months, the book is a semi-autobiographical account of Pheasant-Neganigwane’s life as a powwow dancer travelling through North America. Read more.

Alumnus wins prestigious McCall MacBain Scholarship

MRU alumnus Aarondeep Maan, who graduated from the supply chain co-op program last year, has earned a McCall MacBain Regional Award. This scholarship recognizes engaged student leaders who have demonstrated character, community engagement, leadership potential, entrepreneurial spirit, academic strength and intellectual curiosity — the award provides funding for a master’s or professional program at any public university in Canada. 

Professor credited as lead editor of unique textbook

Events

Black History Month: BIPOC Support Network
Fri., Feb. 4 from noon to 1 p.m. — Online
Open to faculty, staff and students, topics that affect people of colour are discussed and brainstorms as to how to co-promote programs and events take place. Join.

Protecting Yourself Against Cybercrime
Tues., Feb. 8 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. — Online
This fascinating and informative 90-minute workshop gives those who are new to MRU all the tools needed to keep you and yours cyber safe. Register.

Beginner’s Guide to Augmented Reality
Wed., Feb. 9 from 11 a.m. to noon — Online
Learn about the augmented reality and virtual reality options at the MRU Library and discover ways to integrate them into classes, teaching and research. Register.

Learning Programming: Python (Intermediate)
Wed., Feb. 9 from 1 to 2 p.m. — Online 
Learn programming basics through an exploration of numerical data types, variables, math operators, if statements, while loops, dictionaries and arrays. Register.

Black History Month: Let’s Talk | Anti-Black Racism and Black Inclusion in Canadian Higher Education
Thurs., Feb. 10 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. — Online
Join this Changemaker Conversations discussion on how MRU might address anti-Black racism on our own campus. Register.

City of Calgary Vaccination Van on Campus
Mon., Feb. 14 and Thurs., Feb. 17 from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. — Pride Crosswalk
Bring your Alberta Health Services card and/or government-issued ID. All are welcome.

The Cybersecurity Roadshow
Tues., Feb. 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Main Street
Cybersecurity experts answer your cybersecurity questions, look at an email for you, show you how to enable multi-factor authentication and discuss password managers. Learn more.

Blackfoot Lunch & Learn
Wed., Feb. 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. — Online
Join Elder Hayden Melting Tallow as he shares his knowledge of Blackfoot history, language and worldviews in the Trico Changemakers Studio. Register.

decolonizing our mind — a virtual book club
wed., feb. 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. — online 
this facilitated group seeks to engage readers’ minds with works from Indigenous authors to educate and raise awareness about the decolonization of thought. join.

Learn Programming: Arduino in Tinkercad (Beginner)
Wed., Feb. 16 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. — Online
This workshop teaches you the basics of navigating the software, finding components, connecting wires and how to program in the Arduino language. Register.

Coming Home to Yourself
Wed., Feb. 16 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. — Online
Join this two-hour poetry writing workshop with Richard Osler to delve into how “humanness” can be used to create better societal fabric and healing ourselves of grief is at the heart of moving forward. Register.

Harm Reduction and Naloxone Training
Thurs., Feb. 17 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. — Online
This two-hour training session teaches participants about harm reduction practices, the current state of the opioid crisis in Alberta and how to respond to an opioid poisoning by administering naloxone. Register.