Articles by author: Brock University

  • Student to share journey from life-changing concussion to finding strength in art

    Monday, January 14, 2019 | By

    Brock Kinesiology student Chance Mutuku will lead students in an interactive keynote lecture about the connections between the arts, sports and mental wellness on Wednesday, Jan. 16 in the theatre at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts.

    (From The Brock News, Friday, January 11, 2019 | By: Sarah Ackles)

    Chance Mutuku was well on his way to achieving a successful career as a wrestler.

    Within five years of the loss of his father and a life-changing move to Canada from the tumultuous and violent Democratic Republic of the Congo, he had earned himself a coveted spot on the Canadian Junior National Wrestling Team and a scholarship to wrestle at Brock.

    Then, a severe concussion he suffered during a training camp two years ago halted his athletic career and forced him to reevaluate everything.

    “At the time, I didn’t clue in to how life-changing that moment was going to be,” he recalled. “It was supposed to take a few days to get back into training, but the days turned to weeks, weeks to months and now, here we are two years later — and I am still in recovery.”

    Not one to shy away from adversity, Mutuku shifted gears, instead connecting his passion for the arts with his entrepreneurial spirit to engage in new projects that both aided in his recovery and set him on a new course.

    At an upcoming lecture at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA) on Wednesday, Jan. 16, he will share his inspiring story of perseverance and explore ways of bringing people from all disciplines together to promote mental wellness, enact positive change and find professional success.

    This marks the second event in the newly launched MIWSFPA Wellness Series, which offers monthly events that promote creative ways to help ease stress and promote mental well-being.

    Visual Arts Associate Professors Amy Friend and Derek Knight will also add to the discussion, and Dramatic Arts Chair Joe Norris will lead students in an interactive exercise about the ups and downs of student life.

    BioLinc and local community partners will also share career and volunteer opportunities in the arts and the health and wellness sector, and members of Brock’s Student Wellness and Accessibility Services will be on hand to discuss services they can provide to students.

    The event will conclude with a free lunch from Mahtay Café.

    Mutuku hopes the lecture will inspire students to find creative ways of healing and to think about how to apply their skills and interests in new and innovative ways.

    “I can’t say enough how amazing my experience was learning from all of these people around me, and I encourage everyone to get involved in the arts, because it connects us all and we can all benefit from it,” said Mutuku. “These projects I have been working on show me that there needs to be more collaborations between disciplines and we need to start coming together and learning from each other to bring new and great collaborative ideas to life.”

    The event will take place in the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre, located at 15 Artists’ Common in downtown St. Catharines, on Wednesday, Jan. 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

    The event is free, but registration is required at miwsfpa-wellness-series.eventbrite.ca. Brock students must also RSVP through ExperienceBU to receive credit for the Campus-Wide Co-Curriculum. A copy of your ticket and/or Brock card (if applicable) will be required at the door for admittance.

    Students can take the STC Route 316/416 bus from main campus to the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts stop, located near the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.

    There will be event staff stationed on Brock’s main campus and downtown to guide students to the School.

    All students, staff and faculty are welcome.

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    Categories: Current Students, Events, Faculty & Instructors, News

  • New research shows empathy can shape drug policy

    Monday, January 07, 2019 | By

    Brock Visual Arts Professor Linda Steer’s research on drug photography has been published in the March edition of the International Journal of Drug Policy.

    (From The Brock News, Monday, January 7, 2019 | By: Sarah Ackles)

    In 2016, Ohio police released a photo of an American couple overdosing in their vehicle while a young child sat in the back. The image quickly went viral and attracted international attention.

    The predominantly negative conversation surrounding the image, and others like it, left Brock Visual Arts Professor Linda Steer wondering if viewing these photographs with more empathy could be key to changing discourse on drug users and altering drug policy in North America.

    Chosen for publication in the International Journal of Drug Policy, Steer’s article “Entangled empathy, drug use, and photographs of suffering” examines contemporary drug photography in the hopes of encouraging people to think outside of the box about drug use and users.

    “This research is very timely because every day we’re seeing a news story about the dangers of fentanyl or some other opiate,” said Steer, who teaches art history at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA). “There is a lack of understanding about what people that use drugs go through, and about drugs in general. It’s a kind of hysteria.”

    In the article, Steer examines the work of two contemporary photographers: Chris Arnade and Tony Fouhse. Both are middle-aged, white men, who photographed female drug users they met on the street.

    Steer looked at the artists’ work through the lens of ‘entangled empathy,’ a concept developed by American Philosophy Professor Lori Gruen. To Gruen, empathy is about more than simply being understanding and compassionate about another’s situation. Rather, it entails being responsive and responsible to that person in a way that promotes agency and positive change.

    Drawing from that idea, Steer studied how Arnade‘s and Fouhse’s photographs were created, circulated and received by viewers and compared how different settings, locations or mediums impacted the viewer’s engagement with empathy.

    “I found photographs with captions or text that worked to create a narrative had a better chance of creating empathy,” she said. “I also found that we can still have empathy when the power dynamics are quite uneven and that photographs shared on Facebook can sometimes provoke people to engage with their own experience of addiction in relation to the photograph.”

    Steer hopes the article will create dialogue about the role photographs of drug use play in shaping public opinion, and the opinion of policy-makers and government agencies.

    “Overall, photographic projects that show drug use have the potential to engage viewers with empathy and can be very useful in creating drug policy,” she said. “Policy-makers might see these kinds of photographs and notice how they can elicit empathy for people who are misunderstood or maligned. That can have a positive impact on policy.”

    Steer said having her work published in the journal is especially meaningful as this marks her first peer-reviewed article in a new field of research. The interdisciplinarity of her work is also important, she noted, as the journal typically publishes research from science-based disciplines.

    “I was really honoured for this work to be chosen as I think it speaks to how important photographs are and that we need to look more closely at the relationship between science and culture,” she explained. “Even scientific research is culture – so we’re bridging the gap between humanities and the sciences with this type of work.”

    She added that this research also showed her that “a lot more work has to be done” in this field of study.

    “Not just on empathy,” she added, “but on how it is related to politics, policy and how images create ideas about how we see others.”

    “Entangled empathy, drug use and photographs of suffering” is currently available for free download on the International Journal of Drug Policy website.

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    Categories: Faculty & Instructors, News

  • Free recital series returns with an international twist

    Friday, January 04, 2019 | By

    Pianist Karin Di Bella will perform Tuesday, Jan. 8 as part of the Music@Noon Recital Series at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.

    (From The Brock News, Friday, January 4, 2019 | By: Jaquelyn Bezaire)

    The RBC Foundation Music@Noon Recital Series returns next week with a concert blending Canadian and Maltese influences.

    On Tuesday, Jan. 8, Brock Associate Professor Karin Di Bella will be joined by Maltese-Canadian flautist Rebecca Hall in The Recital Hall of the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.

    Hall holds a Doctorate of Music from the University of Malta and has performed with the Malta Philharmonic and the Cosmos Wind Ensemble.

    Hall and Di Bella first connected over their shared interest in Canadian composer Jack Behrens, whom Di Bella has been researching during her sabbatical leave this year.

    Di Bella said that connecting with Hall has been extremely beneficial to her research, given they each approach Behrens’ repertoire from different perspectives.

    “She knows everything that I don’t know,” said Di Bella. “When the two of us get together, it’s really fun to talk about what we know about Jack because we know it from different sides of his output and can learn from each other.”

    Di Bella recently had the opportunity to travel to Malta in October to give a performance with Hall at the University of Malta, featuring highlighted works by both Canadian and Maltese composers. Di Bella also gave a lecture-recital at the university, where she performed her research on Behrens.

    “Meeting in person is so important when you’re doing work like this,” she explained. “Being able to work through ideas together is really valuable because there’s only so much you can do over the phone or email and it also gets the wheels turning about future projects.”

    Di Bella is looking forward to sharing the work of Behrens with a new audience at the upcoming recital.

    “What’s interesting about Jack’s pieces is that even though they’re more modern in style, they’re still really accessible,” explained Di Bella, “He may not be a composer that most people think to go to, to learn repertoire from, but I think his pieces are great and people always like them when they hear them.”

    Di Bella is also looking forward to sharing the stage with her Maltese colleague once more, and encourages everyone to attend.

    The Music@Noon recital series is generously sponsored by the RBC Foundation and takes place most Tuesdays at noon during the academic year in The Recital Hall of the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre. This is a free event that is open to the public.

    For more information on upcoming performances, please visit the Brock University Music page.

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    Categories: Events, Faculty & Instructors, News

  • Brock grad returns to MIWSFPA for first solo exhibition

    Thursday, January 03, 2019 | By

    Brock alumna Kylie Haveron (BA ’18) is hosting her first solo exhibition, Not Dark Yet, at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA) beginning Wednesday, Jan. 9.

    (From The Brock News, Thursday, January 3, 2019 | By: Sarah Ackles)

    As Martin Luther King Jr. once famously said: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.”

    His message encapsulates the inspiration behind the first solo exhibition of Brock alumna Kylie Haveron (BA ’18), opening at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA) this month.

    Running from Jan. 9 to 26, Not Dark Yet reflects on the dichotomy between lightness and darkness and the struggles we face in our daily lives.

    The exhibition is on at the VISA Gallery and Student Exhibition Space at the MIWSFPA, with an opening reception on Thursday, Jan. 10.

    “I look at how we believe day can bring a purpose, a connection and sense of certainty, while nightfall can bring anxiety as it signals the end of the opportunity for the day and a sense of waiting for the light of the next day to bring us answers,” Haveron explained.

    Haveron’s exhibition consists of a combination of drawings, sculpture and installations that explore the way that physical lightness and darkness can impact the lightness and darkness we experience within ourselves.

    She said the timing of the show is ideal, as the lack of sunlight during the winter months can trigger symptoms of depression in some individuals, often known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

    While many of her pieces are gritty and gloomy, the Brock grad hopes her work will inspire viewers to “let the light into their lives.”

    “Although I look at how extended periods of darkness can make us feel the darkness inside of us, I do have some pieces that give us ways to find the light,” she said. “We must not let the darkness determine our fate and our life, because the light can bring opportunity to have better outcomes.”

    Haveron is also looking forward to returning to her alma mater to showcase her first professional exhibition.

    “Hosting a solo show is a good learning experience and I’m happy I get to do it at Brock, where I have a lot of friends and am part of a supportive community,” she said.

    Not Dark Yet runs from Jan. 9 to 26 in the VISA Art Gallery and Student Exhibition Space at the MIWSFPA. The gallery is open to the public Tuesdays to Saturdays from 1 to 5 p.m.

    An opening reception, also in the gallery, will be held Thursday, Jan. 10, from 5 to 8 p.m.

    This event is free and open to the community.

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    Categories: Alumni, Events, News

  • Lecturer uses theatre to tackle social justice issues

    Thursday, January 03, 2019 | By

    Director David Psalmon will travel to the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts from Mexico as the next presenter in the Walker Cultural Leader Series on Jan. 10 at 7 p.m.

    (From The Brock News, Wednesday, January 2, 2019 | By: Sarah Ackles)

    A night at the theatre can elicit fits of laughter and bring audiences to tears, but can it also serve as a tool for promoting social and political change?

    In a week of workshops and talks hosted at Brock this month, international director David Psalmon will blur the lines between actor and spectator as he explores unique performance-based problem-solving solutions to social justice issues.

    Born in France, Psalmon currently resides in Mexico where he is the director, producer, editor and founder of the multi-awarded theatre company Teatro sin Paredes (Theatre Without Walls).

    Brock Associate Professor David Fancy said Psalmon’s years of experience teaching and directingperformances around the world will make him a “rich addition to this year’s Walker Cultural Leaders Series at Brock.”

    “Psalmon is a real self-starter who moved from France to Mexico 15 years ago and now runs one of the largest theatre companies in the country,” said Fancy. “He is committed to theatre as a means of vibrant social engagement, and always takes the broadest possible view when undertaking his theatre productions.”

    Psalmon’s Theatre Without Walls project has been utilizing Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressedmethodology since 2001, with the audience and actors working together to perform scenes that tackle a diverse array of social issues such as gender violence, discrimination and racism, and workplace violence. In these workshops, the actors present a problem that needs to be solved and then work collaboratively with the audience to improvise and alter the scene to act out potential scenarios that could address the problem at hand.

    Psalmon will discuss this methodology and his experience working for theatre companies worldwide at a public lecture on Thursday, Jan. 10 at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts. He will also spend two days leading immersive workshops for Brock Dramatic Arts students, where he will explore collaborative theatre-making practices that Fancy said will be extremely beneficial to students honing their craft.

    “Psalmon’s theatre company runs on a collective basis — meaning all members of the company create their theatre productions collaboratively — and allowing our Brock students to see the success of his power-sharing collaborative model will inspire them to create theatre in new ways,” Fancy said.

    The Walker Cultural Leaders Series brings leading artists, performers, practitioners and academics to Brock’s MIWSFPA.

    The sessions, which are generously funded by Marilyn I. Walker, celebrate professional achievement, artistic endeavour and the indelible role of culture in society.

    All of the events are free and open to both students and the broader community. The series offers unique opportunities for the public to experience the work of leading international artists and students to work closely with experts in their fields.

    David Psalmon presents: Towards a Contemporary Political Theatre
    Public lecture, Thursday, Jan. 10 at 7 p.m.
    Marilyn I. Walker Theatre, MIWSFPA

    Workshop for Dramatic Arts students:
    Saturday, Jan. 12 and Sunday, Jan. 13
    11 a.m. to 4 p.m., MIWSFPA

    Learn more about the Walker Cultural Leaders Series on the MIWSFPA Website.

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    Categories: Current Students, Events, News, Walker Cultural Leader Series

  • Hamilton Now series highlights Brock art instructor

    Wednesday, December 19, 2018 | By

    Brock instructor Donna Akrey is part of the exhibition Hamilton Now: Object at the Art Gallery of Hamilton until May 20. (Photo by Taien Ng-Chan.)

    (From The Brock News, Wednesday, December 19, 2018 | By: Jaquelyn Bezaire)

    As Donna Akrey knows all too well, art is woven into the fabric of any strong community.

    The textile work of the Brock University Visual Arts instructor is part of a new exhibition at the Art Gallery of Hamilton (AGH) that celebrates an influx of new artistic talent in the city.

    Akrey’s work Hamilton Yards will be on display at the Art Gallery of Hamilton until May 20.

    The Hamilton Now series, curated by Melissa Bennett, began in June with Hamilton Now: Subject, which focused on the culture and creativity in the city and spoke to who the artists are as individuals. The exhibit ran until Nov. 18, with artists using different mediums to explore aspects of their own identity.

    The series’ second exhibition, Hamilton Now: Object focuses mainly on sculptors.

    Hamilton Now: Object, which is now on display at the AGH and features Akrey’s work, emphasizes material exploration and awareness of the physical environment. The exhibit also features an interactive digital project that incorporates a sculptural map of Hamilton.

    Akrey recently moved from Montreal, where she found herself a part of a very strong arts community. Once she arrived to Hamilton, she was pleasantly surprised by the welcome she received.

    “The community is very strong, supportive and positive,” she said. “I’m honoured to be showing work alongside other amazing Hamilton artists.”

    Akrey’s piece, Hamilton Yards, is a series of fabrics digitally-printed with a custom-made repeating pattern of photo images. Akrey spent time wandering the neighbourhoods of east end Hamilton and documenting the spots that interested her.

    “I have wanted to make textile work for a while, so this was the perfect opportunity,” she said. “Through these works, I continue to address mapping, place and location in Hamilton specifically.”

    Alongside Akrey, the exhibition includes pieces by Christopher Reid Flock, Destiny Grimm, Hamilton Perambulatory Unit, Svava Thordis Juliusson, Carmela Laganse, Laura Marotte, Taien Ng-Chan and the collective art group band Persons.

    On Thursday, Jan. 17, Akrey will be joined by Thordis Juliusson and Ng-Chan in the first of two panel events. The artists will lead guests through a series of sculptural activities, “object-oriented storytelling” and mapping exercises.

    Hamilton Now: Object runs until May 20 at the Art Gallery of Hamilton. The official opening is Sunday, Feb. 3. The gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday.

    For more information, visit the Art Gallery of Hamilton website.

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    Categories: Faculty & Instructors, News

  • Celebrating the arts downtown

    Wednesday, December 19, 2018 | By

    Brock University’s Marilyn I. Walker School for Fine and Performing Arts.

    (From University Affairs, Wednesday, December 19, 2018 | By: Erika Thorkelson)

    In his 1919 “Bauhaus Manifesto,” German architect Walter Gropius laid out his plan for the revitalization of the visual arts. He believed that the salon system of art education had grown elitist and stagnant because it had lost touch with craftsmanship. Among his central principles, Gropius called for “contact with public life, with the people, through exhibitions and other activities.” While Gropius’s ideas remain influential in art and design schools, many universities in Canada have largely resisted that principle until now.

    In the past few years, a number of small to medium- sized universities – which tend to be more geographically and culturally sequestered from urban landscapes than their larger counterparts – have sought to bridge the gap between arts education and the community by moving downtown. Following in the footsteps of Simon Fraser University, which opened its School for the Contemporary Arts in Vancouver back in 2008, Brock University, Laurentian University, MacEwan University and the University of Windsor have all unveiled new arts-related facilities in city centres. Each seeks in its own way to revitalize its surrounding community while taking advantage of the unique pedagogical opportunities of its new central location.

    Preserving the past while building the future

    In 2015, Brock University opened its long-anticipated Marilyn I. Walker School for Fine and Performing Arts in St. Catharines, Ontario. Part of the city’s plan to build a “creative cluster” in its sleepy downtown, which had been emptied out by decades of deindustrialization and suburbanization, the opening was hailed as a catalyst for the rebirth of the whole city centre.

    To house its new facilities, the university chose the dilapidated Canada Hair Cloth Company Building, a former textile mill that had sat disused and in disrepair for years – a reminder of St. Catharines’ industrial past. Starting in 2008, the university undertook a massive renovation of the building thanks to a donation of $15 million from the building’s namesake, philanthropist and artist Marilyn I. Walker.

    Elizabeth Vlossak, the facility’s interim director, sees the school as a way to preserve St. Catharines’ industrial history (most recently, as a hub for auto-parts manufacturing) while moving the city toward a post-industrial future. “The building is symbolic not just of the place of the arts in the university, but the place of the arts in a community and a city, and also in the Niagara region,” she says.

    Dr. Vlossak sees the development of the creative cluster, which also includes the new FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, a partnership between the city and Brock that sits adjacent to the new satellite campus, as a push toward an “orange economy.” The term has gained a great deal of traction in South America to describe how the arts and entertainment industries can become huge economic drivers in areas that have lost their traditional industries.

    Victoria Reid was one of the first students to take advantage of the brand-new facilities that now house Brock’s dramatic arts, music, visual arts, and arts and culture studies programs. She was in her second year of a bachelor’s degree in studio art when the buildings opened, and she remembers it changing her whole relationship to the city. “Before, I kind of avoided going downtown,” she remembers. “I found it kind of scary.”

    But as students inhabited the new space, graffiti was replaced by murals and new businesses were drawn to the area. During her time there, Ms. Reid, who is now working on a master’s in library and information sciences at Western University while continuing to make art, had many chances to take part in exhibitions at those local businesses. “It gave me experience I don’t think I would have gotten removed from the downtown area,” she says. “I had a lot that I could put on my resumé.”

    Read the full article here.

    Categories: In the Media, News

  • All-female Paris Photo project features work of Brock prof

    Wednesday, December 19, 2018 | By

    Brock Visual Arts Associate Professor Amy Friend had her work featured at the renowned Paris Photo last month, which highlights the work of artists around the world.

    (From The Brock News, Wednesday, December 19, 2018 | By: Sarah Moore)

    How many female photographers have been omitted from history books — their stories never told and their work never shown — simply because they were women?

    That’s a question Brock Visual Arts Associate Professor Amy Friend has been asking herself quite frequently.

    It has also been front of mind for the French Ministry of Culture and for independent curator Fannie Escoulen, who recently featured the work of Friend and other female photographers throughout history in a new photo book, Elles X Paris Photo.

    Amy Friend is sat signing a book.

    Brock Visual Arts Associate Professor Amy Friend had her work featured at the renowned Paris Photo last month, which highlights the work of artists around the world. She was also chosen for inclusion in the new photo book, Elles X Paris Photo, and gave a book signing for her newly published Stardust at the art fair.

    Friend’s Ruth, October 1936, was showcased alongside images from other female photographers, ranging from early 20th century photographic pioneers to contemporary artists of today.

    The goal of the project is to draw attention to the systemic barriers that women have historically faced in the field, and to promote the work of an emerging generation of artists that are still largely underrepresented today.

    “To be featured among these other female artists was particularly special because it means that my vision and my perspective matter,” said Friend. “We have been historically approaching imagery that has been primarily constructed and presented from a male standpoint.

    “This project allows us to consider what it means for women artists like myself to present their view of the world, what barriers still exist that prevent female artists from holding a place in the history books, and what has to change in the future to overcome those barriers.”

    Ruth, October 1936, was composed using a found, vintage photograph of a woman firing a gun.

    As with the other photos in her Dare alla Luce (Italian for ‘to bring to light’) series, Friend pierced tiny pinholes in the photo before shining light through and re-photographing it to create an orb-like optical effect.

    “This image was especially fitting for the book because all we know about that woman in the photo is her name and that somewhere in the world, in 1936, she was shooting a gun. That’s all we know,” said Friend. “Her history was forgotten.”

    Elles X Paris Photo debuted this fall at Paris Photo in Grand Palais, Paris. Considered to be the largest photography fair in the world, Paris Photo showcases the work of artists from hundreds of galleries around the world.

    Friend, who was recently listed among an elite lineup of ‘7 Female Photographers You Should Know from Paris Photo’ in Artsy, exhibited work from Dare alla Luce, as well as doing a book signing for her latest monograph Stardust, from L’Artiere, Publishing.

    She was represented by in camera galerie (Paris), known for its esteemed roster of artists including Cindy Sherman and Jane Evelyn Atwood.

    “It was important to engage with people and artists from all over the world; making connections, talking about ongoing projects and celebrating,” Friend said of being part of the fair.  “I could also interact with work coming out of galleries and countries that I might never get to see otherwise. It was an enriching experience.”

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    Categories: Faculty & Instructors, News

  • What’s open and closed during the holidays

    Tuesday, December 18, 2018 | By

    Individuals with card access must enter the University through the doors at Scotiabank Hall near the Tim Hortons in Thistle Complex.

    (From The Brock News, Monday, December 17, 2018 | By: Douglas Hunt)

    University buildings throughout Brock’s main campus, east campus and satellite locations will be locked and closed during the holidays beginning Monday, Dec. 24. Buildings will re-open for regular business hours on Wednesday, Jan. 2.

    Call Campus Security when entering and leaving a building

    Individuals who have card access to a building’s (exterior doors) may enter if they are authorized to do so during the holiday closure. For safety reasons, those entering buildings are asked to contact Campus Security Services at x3200 when entering and exiting the building. Those entering buildings must have their Brock identification with them and be able to produce it if asked.

    In case of fire or other serious emergency, call 911. If there’s a fire, activate the fire alarm by pulling the nearest manual pull station and leave the building. Call Campus Security Services at x3200 to pinpoint the location and facilitate response.

    Building or grounds-related emergency

    If a building or grounds-related emergency, such as broken glass, loss of power or flooding occurs from Monday, Dec. 24 to Tuesday, Jan. 1, employees are asked to call Campus Security Services at x3200.

    Entering a building without card access

    Employees who do not have card access must enter the University through the doors at Scotiabank Hall near the Thistle Tim Hortons (see attached map). Campus Security Services will be stationed inside the Scotiabank Hall doors from 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. Anyone entering the building will be asked for identification, the reason for their visit and length of their stay.  Employees are asked to call Campus Security Services at x3200 when they leave. If the doors are locked, press emergency phone #67 or call 905-688-5550 x3200 to ask an officer to open the doors.

    Heating setbacks and ventilation reductions will be in effect during the holiday closure.

    Entering a building with card access

    Auto alarm systems are still in effect during the closure, and a code will be required to access select buildings. If employees have not been given an access code, their building/area may be armed.

    Buildings with card access include:

    • 573 Glenridge Ave.
    • Brock Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC)
    • Cairns Family Health and Bioscience Research Complex
    • Central Utilities Building
    • Goodman School of Business
    • Inniskillin Hall (proxy entrance)
    • International Centre
    • Mackenzie Chown Block ‘B’, ‘D’, ‘F’, ‘H’ and ‘J’ entrances
    • Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts
    • Plaza Building
    • Theal House
    • Welch Hall

    Facilities Management contractors

    If contract work is expected during the holiday closure, email Campus Security Services before Wednesday, Dec. 19 with specified times and dates. Brock University identification or contractor identification must be produced.

    Parking

    Free parking will be available in Zone 1 at the main campus from Monday, Dec. 24 to Tuesday, Jan. 1. Parking regulations still apply:

    • No parking in a fire route or in bus stops.
    • Accessible permits must be displayed while parking in accessible spaces.
    • Obstructing roads, laneways or loading/unloading areas is prohibited.
    • Parking on landscaped areas or walkways is prohibited.

    Regular parking operations will resume on Wednesday, Jan. 2. Should there be a snow event, Visitor Lot D will be cleared first and available for parking.

    Food service

    No food service will be available on campus between 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 21 and Tuesday, Jan. 1 (other than vending machines). Several private food outlets will be open on the east side of Glenridge Ave. immediately opposite the main campus.

    Guernsey Market, Hungry Badger and the Tim Hortons in Schmon Tower will re-open on Wednesday, Jan. 2:

    • Guernsey Market: Wednesday, Jan. 2 to Friday, Jan. 4 — 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
    • Hungry Badger: Wednesday, Jan. 2 to Friday, Jan. 4 — 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
    • Tim Hortons, Schmon Tower: Wednesday, Jan. 2 to Friday, Jan. 4 — 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

    Regular hours of operation return Sunday, Jan. 6, with Guernsey Market open from noon to 9:30 p.m.

    The Brock Research and Innovation Centre

    Saturday, Dec. 22 — 9 a.m. to noon

    Sunday, Dec. 23 to Wednesday, Dec. 26 — CLOSED

    Thursday, Dec. 27 to Friday, Dec. 28 — 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

    Saturday, Dec. 29 — 9 a.m. to noon

    Sunday, Dec. 30 — CLOSED

    Monday, Dec. 31 — 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

    Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019 — CLOSED

    Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019 — Open for regular hours — 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

    The Cairns Family Health and Bioscience Research Complex

    Access is available to those who have the authority and legitimate reason to enter during the holidays. Auto alarm systems are still in effect during this time, and a code will be required for access. For safety and security reasons, employees must contact Campus Security Services at x3200 to inform them that they are in the building. Personal safety is paramount — Lab activities cannot be conducted alone. Employees must make sure someone knows where they are.

    The Cairns complex will require card access at all times. Temporary access cards will not be issued for the holidays.

    James A. Gibson Library / Matheson Learning Commons

    Monday, Dec. 17 to Wednesday, Dec. 19 — 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m.

    Thursday, Dec. 20 — 7:30 a.m. to  9 p.m.

    Friday, Dec. 21 — 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    Saturday, Dec. 22 to Tuesday, Jan. 1 — CLOSED

    Wednesday, Jan. 2 to Friday, Jan. 4 — 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    Saturday, Jan. 5 to Sunday, Jan. 6 — CLOSED

    Regular hours resume Monday, Jan. 7 — 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

    Map, Data and GIS Library

    Friday, Dec. 21 — 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

    Saturday, Dec. 22 to Tuesday, Jan. 1 — CLOSED

    Wednesday, Jan. 2 to Friday, Jan. 4 — 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

    Regular hours will resume Monday, Jan. 7.

    Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts

    Access to the Marilyn I. Walker School (MIWSFPA) is available to those who are authorized to enter the building during the holidays. All doors to the MIWSFPA will be locked with access to the building via card. Employees are asked to sign in and out with Campus Security Services at the office located in the main lobby. If employees require access to a particular room/area in the building and do not have access, they are asked to call Campus Security Services at x6300 or x3200 for access. For safety and security reasons, employees may be asked to show their Brock ID. If employees require access to the building over the holidays, but do not yet have proxy access to the exterior doors, please contact Campus Security Services at x6300 or x3200.

    Residences

    All Residences (except Brock Suites) will be closed for the Winter Break from Friday, Dec. 21 at noon until Sunday, Jan. 6 at noon.

    For further information and details regarding this closure please refer to the End of Term Notice on the Department of Residences website.

    Walker Sports Complex

    Saturday, Dec. 22 and Sunday, Dec. 23 — 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

    Monday, Dec. 24 to Wednesday, Dec. 26 — CLOSED

    Thursday, Dec. 27 to Monday, Dec. 31 — 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

    Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019 — CLOSED

    Wednesday, Jan. 2 — Opening at 6:30 a.m.

    From Thursday, Dec. 27 to Monday, Dec. 31. visitors are asked to enter the Walker Sports Complex through the west doors by the tennis courts. Please check pool hours at on the Brock website.

    Custodial Services

    Custodial Services will be provided at the Walker Sports Complex during hours of operation throughout the holiday season.

    Rodman Hall

    Monday, Dec. 24 to Wednesday, Dec. 26 — CLOSED

    Thursday, Dec. 27 to Sunday, Dec. 30 – noon to 5 p.m.

    Monday, Dec. 31 to Tuesday, Jan. 1 – CLOSED

    Brock Safety app 

    Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to download the Brock Safety app from their respective app store. Brock Safety gives all persons at Brock access to campus and local resources 24-7. In addition, the Brock Safety app allows users to:

    • Report emergencies quickly and easily, and receive push notifications for their safety on campus.
    • Access local transit schedules and engage with the University on social media.
    • Contact Campus Security Services via phone or email, as well as report a location, report a problem, and if needed, schedule a Campus Security Services escort, 24-7.

    If employees have further questions regarding this notice after Saturday, Dec. 22, contact Campus Security Services at x3200.

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    Categories: News

  • Give back this holiday season through on-campus initiatives

    Monday, December 10, 2018 | By

    Second-year Business Administration Co-op student Danielle Hynes places a donated toy under the holiday tree in the Campus Store

    Second-year Business Administration Co-op student Danielle Hynes places a donated toy under the holiday tree in the Campus Store. Community Care’s Adopt an Angel program is one of many charitable initiatives happening on campus during the holiday season.

    (From The Brock News, Wednesday November 28, 2018)

    As the snow continues to fly and the temperature drops, the Brock community is ramping up opportunities to give back during the holiday season.

    Students, staff and faculty are invited to donate food, clothing, toys, time or money to any of several initiatives on campus.

    Donate Food

    Badgers food drive
    The Brock Badgers are collecting non-perishable food items for Community Care of St. Catharines and Thorold at several upcoming Brock Badgers hockey games at the Seymour-Hannah Sports and Entertainment Centre:

    • Thursday, Nov. 29 — Women’s hockey vs. Guelph at 7:15 p.m.
    • Friday, Nov. 30 — Men’s hockey vs. Guelph at 7:15 p.m.
    • Saturday, Dec. 1 — Women’s hockey vs. Waterloo at 2:15 p.m.

    Student-athletes are encouraged to participate and help spread the word. The athletic team that raises the most food will receive additional Badgers 4 Badgers points.

    Food bins
    Community Care food bins will be located at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts and Walker Sports Complex Welcome Desk.

    Suggested non-perishable food items include:

    •  peanut butter
    •  canned fish, meat, fruit and vegetables
    •  juice boxes and large juice containers
    •  pudding cups and apple sauce
    •  nut-free granola bars
    •  baby formula and cereal

    Special thanks to Brock Recreation’s intramural sports teams who recently completed a canned food drive for the 28th consecutive year.

    Donate Clothes and Toys

    Warmth tree
    Brock Recreation is collecting new or gently-used mittens, gloves, hats, scarves and socks at a tree located at the Walker Sports Complex Welcome Desk. Donations will be directed to the Salvation Army and Community Care.

    Clothing bins
    The Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts is collecting gently used clothing for St. Andrews Church. Donations can be dropped off at the bin located next to School’s Campus Security office until Friday, Dec. 21.

    Toolbox Project
    The Brock community is being asked to contribute essential ‘tools’ such as toothbrushes, soap, socks, snacks and first-aid items to give to homeless men during the holiday season. The initiative is for Toolbox Project Niagara, a community initiative founded by Brock alumnus James Symons (BRLS ’11). Donations are being accepted until Friday, Dec. 14 at bins located at the Student Life Innovation Commons in Mackenzie Chown A 204 and the Walker Sports Complex Welcome Desk.

    Campus Store tree
    The Brock Campus Store is collecting new, unwrapped toys and stocking stuffers for Community Care’s Adopt an Angel program. Children’s names and ages adorn the trees to help donors chose gifts. Toy and monetary donations will be accepted until Tuesday, Dec. 18. Anyone who donates before Friday, Nov. 30 will receive $5 in Campus Store cash.

    Donate Time

    Holiday parades
    Volunteers are needed to walk with Brock at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Christmas Paradeon Sunday, Dec. 8 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. A Brock float featuring a festive holiday scene will be the centrepiece of the University’s efforts and will be surrounded by warmly dressed volunteers at each event. Register to walk on the SignUp.com website.

    Home for the Holidays hosts
    Brock International is looking for Brock faculty and staff interested in hosting international students over the holidays. The time invested can be as little as a couple of hours participating in a winter activity like ice skating or enjoying a festive dinner.

    Prince of Wales Public School Holiday Extravaganza
    Volunteers will visit Prince of Wales Public School for the annual Holiday Extravaganza on Wednesday, Dec. 5, spreading seasonal cheer to about 150 kindergarten to Grade 8 students. The day will include holiday-themed activities, crafts and special guests. Learn more.

    Community partners
    If Brock students, staff or faculty are interested in volunteering with community organizations this holiday season, Kristen Smith, Brock’s Manager, Community Outreach Programs, can help connect them with community partners. For more information, email Smith at ksmith2@brocku.ca or call x3545.

    Donate Money

    Brock University Annual Fund
    Monetary donations to Brock’s Annual Fund will help support students through awards and scholarships, a student emergency fund and investments in learning spaces such as the Goodman School of Business and the Rankin Family Pavilion. Donate online.

    Socks for change
    Monetary donations are being collected for the Socks for Change project, which will donate a new pair of socks to the Toolbox Project for every $2 raised. Socks for Change collection containers (in the shape of mannequin legs) are positioned around campus.

    United Way Niagara
    Brock University’s United Way employee fundraising campaign is still underway, with a goal of raising $145,000 by the end of December. Gifts to United Way will help move people out of poverty, encourage children to reach their full potential and enhance the quality of life for adults living in crisis or with disabilities. Faculty and staff are encouraged to return their pledge forms to Human Resources or donate online.

    If there is a holiday fundraiser, clothing or food drive missing from this Brock News list, email campusnews@brocku.ca  to have it added.

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    Categories: Alumni, Current Students, Faculty & Instructors, News

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