Announcements
New AVP of Research, Scholarship and Community Engagement announced
Mount Royal is pleased to announce that Dr. Connie Van der Byl, PhD, has been appointed as associate vice-president of research, scholarship and community engagement, a position she has held in an interim capacity since June 2022. Connie will lead the Office of Research, Scholarship and Community Engagement and Mount Royal’s institutes. This is an important leadership role that will develop and enhance MRU’s culture of research and scholarship. Learn more.
Student registration for Research and Scholarship Days is now open
Please encourage your students to participate in this campus-wide celebration of research by sharing a poster, creative work or video submission. Students can register online until Friday, March 10.
Celebrate! Teaching & Learning at MRU: Call for proposals
This year’s Celebrate! will be held in person on May 4. Faculty, students and employees are invited to celebrate by sharing your teaching insights, experiences, triumphs, hacks and more through presentations, panels, workshops, lightning talks and roundtables. The deadline for proposals is March 1. Submit your proposal now: mru.ca/celebrate
Invitation to the Black Leadership and Governance: Leadership, Togetherness and Belonging dinner
There is an African saying that it takes a village to raise a child. But what village does it take for a Black person to make it into a leadership position? Join a free special dinner event presented by the BIPOC Support Network, the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, SAMRU and the Calgary Black Chambers to discover the developmental journey for Black people, as they strive for excellence, to reach positions in senior executive roles in Canada. Speakers will discuss their own leadership journey, delve into issues ranging from individual perspectives to an organization’s role and responsibilities in clearing internal barriers while establishing and strengthening pathways to leadership, and factors that are inherent in and exterior to organizations that make or derail careers for Black executives. The dinner takes place on Friday, Feb. 27, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. in Ross Glen Hall. Register.
P-card holders now have access to Amazon Business
P-card holders are now able to purchase items via Amazon Business. Please activate your account if you are an approved user and follow the directions emailed on Feb. 6. Learn more on the Financial page of myMRU.
Cougars playoffs are here!
The Cougars men’s and women’s hockey teams enter the post-season this weekend, hosting a best-of-three playoff series at Flames Community Arena beginning Friday, Feb. 17. In addition to free tickets for MRU students and employees, there is free admission for youths wearing their minor hockey jerseys to Friday’s games. Visit the Cougars ticketing website and enter the code COUGARSKIDS to claim your free tickets. Go Cougars!
Thank you from EH&S
Environmental Health and Safety would like to thank all employees who have completed their required safety training. Your contribution to the health and safety of the Mount Royal community is greatly appreciated. As safety is a year-round priority for the University, continue your learning by accessing resources on the EHS website such as how to report an incident, information on ergonomics and lab safety, and much more.
Transition to bi-weekly pay complete
Mount Royal has successfully transitioned to a bi-weekly payroll schedule. Thank you to everyone for their interest in — and contribution to — this critical project that supports accurate, on-time pay for all our employees. Background information will remain at mru.ca/NewPayroll until the end of February and then be transitioned to the HR Toolkit. Stay tuned for more user-friendly features on the new Employee Self-Service portal in the coming months.
Contribute to a healthy campus
If you aren’t feeling well, please stay home. You will be looking after yourself and the Mount Royal community. If you have symptoms and/or test positive for COVID-19, complete the Employee COVID Self-Isolation Report Form. Please do so even if you are working remotely. Visit Human Resources and COVID-19 for more information.
Do the penguin walk!
If it’s icy or snowing on campus, chill out and walk like a penguin. The careful shuffle (okay, waddle, who are we kidding?) can help prevent falls and slips. Learn more about using good judgment in wintry weather on campus and Mount Royal’s updated snow removal program at mru.ca/Snow.
Dell’s February Winter Sale is here
Dell’s February Winter Sale runs until Feb. 23. Save up to $450 on select PCs by requesting your MRU Member Purchase Program coupon, then shop online using the link provided in your email.
Washrooms in EA will be closed Saturday, Feb. 18 (5 a.m. to 8 a.m.)
If you will be on campus on Saturday, Feb. 18, please be aware that plumbing repairs will force the closure of all washrooms in the EA building from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. on all floors. Signs will be posted.
Call for submissions
Dr. Ranjan Datta, PhD, Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Community Disaster Research, is editing a special issue on "Decolonizing Climate Change and Health Well-Being Research" (IF 4.621). If you have a submission, please contact Datta. Publication fee waiver awards are available for BIPOC researchers/educators.
February Fitness Challenge, presented by FitKitchen
Looking for a great workout in a time crunch? Then try MRU Recreation's February Fitness Challenge, presented by Fit Kitchen, which follows an EMOM (every minute on the minute) format. Complete 50 metres on the Row-ERG, followed by 10 bodyweight squats and five push-ups, all within one minute. Any remaining time can be used for rest, but as soon as one minute expires, you begin the next round. Strive to achieve as many rounds as possible to win prizes courtesy of Fit Kitchen.
Encourage students to join the new HealthTech Challenge
The first program of its kind at Mount Royal, the HealthTech Challenge empowers you and a team of four to solve a problem discovered in the health sciences. Learn about mobility, aging populations and mental-health challenges from award-winning MRU research experts and community members, and leverage the Maker Studio and other resources to develop a hardware innovation that helps impacted populations. Students will receive a $1,000 stipend upon completion of the program and each team will have a $1,000 budget for their build. Learn more.
Did you know?
Mount Royal has its own TikTok star, Keanna! Keanna is a third-year Bachelor of Arts — History student who shares content on student life, campus events, interviews and more. Follow MRU on TikTok.