This message is sent on behalf of Nikki Samuel, director, Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

Today, Durham College (DC) joins institutions across the world to acknowledge International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp, in 1945. 

This day commemorates the six million Jewish victims and honours millions of other survivors of Nazism. It allows us to reflect on how we can influence the prevention of future genocides. 

Nearly 80 years later, antisemitism continues, resulting in hate and violence that has no place in Canadian society. Therefore, we encourage you to join the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and the larger DC community and stand together against ongoing acts of antisemitism and help create a safe and inclusive society for members of the Jewish community.  

The following resources are available to learn more:  

• Durham College Library: The Blue Shirts: Adrien Arcand and Fascist Anti-Semitism in Canada by Hugues Théorêt
• Canadian Human Rights Museum: The Stain of Antisemitism in Canada
• Toronto Public Library: International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2023 
• UNESCO: Addressing Antisemitism through Education 
• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Today is Bell Let’s Talk Day, and Durham College’s (DC) Campus Health and Wellness Centre (CHWC) is joining in the world’s largest conversation to help drive meaningful progress in mental health and create a Canada where everyone can access the support they need.

This year’s theme – “Let’s create positive change” – aims to focus on practical actions we can take throughout the year. Supporting each other is a significant part of building a community that prioritizes well-being and talking about our mental health is vital to make positive changes on our campus.

To recognize Bell Let’s Talk Day, the CHWC has launched #DCLetsDO, a social campaign to highlight the actions and tools we use to make positive changes in our lives and on campus every day.

Let’s create positive change:

• • Join the conversation on Instagram by tagging @wellnessatDC with the hashtag #DCLetsDO and share what you’re doing to create positive change and support your mental health.
  • Talk with a friend and share campus resources such as the Access and Support Centre, Campus Health and Wellness Centre, or the First Peoples Indigenous Centre.
• Get support from our team of mental health professionals,
• Learn about wellness and mental health on Riot Radio’s Wellpod@DC every Thursday at 3 p.m.
• Move your body in the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre with intermural, sport clubs and fitness classes or in DC’s FLEX Fitness Centres.
• Share your journey by joining a Recovery College workshop in our Wellness Learning Hub partnership with Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences.
• Learn more about #BellLetsTalk and some tools to begin your own conversation about mental health.

HappyLight Giveaway – Enter to win!
To recognize Bell Let’s Talk Day, the CHWC is hosting an Instagram giveaway* for an LED Light Therapy Lamp from Verilux. To enter, tag @wellnessatdc or @dcotchwc on a post with #DCLetsDO showcasing something you do to support your mental health.

Keep listening, talking and being there for ourselves and each other – together, we can create positive change.

Students are also reminded of the various services and resources available to support their mental health and wellness.

*Draw closes on Monday, January 30 at 8 a.m. To participate, you must be a DC student and 18 years or older.

Due to the expected inclement weather conditions tonight and tomorrow, Durham College (DC) services will be moved to fully online, instead of in-person, for Friday, December 23.

Campus facilities, including the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre, Computer Commons, Libraries and Campus Fieldhouse, will be closed to in-person users. Bistro ’67 and Campus Ice Centre remain open to in-person guests and users.

All employees – except those deemed essential – are expected to work remotely for the day. Thank you to those essential service employees who are required onsite and help ensure our campuses and buildings remain safe and operational.

If there are further operational updates that impact services for students and employees, DC will advise the campus community through email, social media, mobile app, and on our campus status website.

A reminder that Durham College will close for the holidays at the end of the day on Friday, December 23 and will re-open on Tuesday, January 3, 2023. Apprenticeship classes resume on January 3, and post-secondary classes resume Monday, January 9.

Important links:

• What does a campus closure mean to me?
• Inclement weather procedure
• Ontario Ministry of Transportation winter driving information
• Environment Canada weather forecasts for Ontario (select your town/city from the list)
• Durham Region Transit
• GO Transit

On December 6, Durham College (DC) commemorates the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women to pay tribute to the victims of the tragic killing of 14 women at École Polytechnique in 1989, and to all self-identified women from all backgrounds, who have lost their lives in acts of gender-based violence.

The Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion is hosting an in-person observance event on the Oshawa Campus at Gordon Willey Building at the PIT for students and employees at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, December 6. Please join us to respect the lives lost and learn about ending gender-based violence.

In honour of the 14 victims and all self-identified women experiencing gender-based violence, DC will lower its flags to half-mast at the Oshawa and Whitby campuses on December 6.

We encourage all members of the DC community to take a moment to reflect, listen to survivors of gender-based violence, and speak out against harmful behaviours of any kind. Let us all continue to commit to working together to make our campus a better place for all and end gender-based violence in our communities.

This message is being shared on behalf of the Financial Aid and Awards office. Please direct any inquiries to financialaid@durhamcollege.ca. 

Don’t miss your chance to win one of four $250 grocery gift cards. To enter, visit the Enriched Academy website and complete the five learning modules before Monday, December 12. 

The contest is open to all full-time students. The draw will take place on Friday, December 16, 2022. Winners will be notified via DC Mail. 

For more information, please contact financialaid@durhamcollege.ca.

This message is sent on behalf of Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. 

Dear colleagues and students, 

I am saddened to share with you that Jenna Chen, a student from our General Arts and Science – Science and Engineering Preparation – Ontario Tech University program, passed away on November 20.  

In honour of Jenna’s life, the DC flag at the Oshawa and Whitby campuses will be lowered for 24 hours on Friday, November 25.  

Please join me in keeping Jenna’s family and friends in your thoughts during this difficult time.  

During times of loss, it is especially important that you know we are here to help. Should you need counselling services and/or supports, I encourage you to reach out to one of the options listed below.

For students: 

• Campus Health Centre: 905-721-3037, CHWC@durhamcollege.ca or Livechat  
• I.M. Well Student Assistance Program: 1-877-554-6935 
• Good2Talk Helpline (24/7): 1-866-925-5454 
• First People Indigenous Centre: 905-721-2000 ext. 2529 or 2573, indigenous@durhamcollege.ca 

Join us for an interactive event – MRC Arcade, to learn more about Durham College’s (DC) applied research work in game development and discover the Mixed Reality Capture (MRC) Studio’s creativity and expertise in the gaming industry first-hand. 

This exciting event will include five gaming stations, a meet and greet with the MRC team, industry partners and local game designers, as well as a raffle with incredible gaming prizes. Guests will also hear remarks from DC and industry leaders.

Date: Friday, December 2
Time: Drop-in between 3 and 6 p.m., remarks will begin at 4 p.m.
Location: The PIT, Gordon Willey Building, Oshawa campus
Parking: Free parking will be available in Commencement lot during the event. A map of the Oshawa campus is available online. 

Space is limited – please register by Thursday, November 24.

The MRC Studio collaborates with industry partners on applied research and innovation, bringing creative products and services to the market. Learn more online.

This message is being sent on behalf of the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Please direct any questions to diversity@durhamcollege.ca.

November marks Women’s Abuse Awareness Month and Durham College (DC) is preparing for its annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign (16 Days), held in collaboration with Ontario Tech University.

All members of the campus community are invited to participate in our in-person and virtual programs which aim to raise awareness, galvanize advocacy efforts, and share knowledge and strategies to eliminate all forms of gender-based violence.

The international campaign kicks off on Friday, November 25 with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and runs until Human Rights Day on Saturday, December 10.

Content warning: We recognize that members of our campus community are people with lives, histories, and struggles that we may not be privy to. As such, our upcoming programming will mention different forms of sexual violence, including sexual assault, sexual harassment, and murder. Please prioritize your mental health and well-being. We encourage participants to take the space you need for each event. Visit our page for more resources and support.

Program schedule:

Gender-based Violence at the Intersections
Intersectionality is a framework through which we can examine how forms of privilege and disadvantage shape our experiences of trauma and impact our access to resources. In this panel, we discuss the impact of gender-based violence on intersectional identities and the need for an intersectional lens on gender-based violence policies, interventions and supports within a post-secondary institute to foster culturally relevant spaces for healing.

• When: Friday, November 25 from noon to 1:30 p.m.
• Where: Virtual (Zoom)
• Please register online to attend.

National Day of Remembrance Memorial Ceremony

On December 6, DC commemorates the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women to pay tribute to the victims of the tragic killing of 14 women at École Polytechnique in 1989. Join us as we honour those we have lost to gender-based violence and reflect on renewing our commitment to centre the voices of survivors in our communities, take action and speak up against harmful behaviours This event will feature performances by R.A.W. and Cassandra Myers.

• When: Tuesday, December 6 from 2 to 3:30 p.m.
• Where: Gordon Willey building at the PIT (2000 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa, Ont.)
• Please register online to attend.

Follow us on Instagram at @yesmeansyesatDC or @OTstudentlife to join the conversation on social media, or visit the 16 Days website to learn more.

This message is being shared on behalf of the Financial Aid and Awards office. Please direct any inquiries to financialaid@durhamcollege.ca. 

Financial literacy is more than just knowing about money – it’s about developing the skills you need to manage your personal finances with confidence.  

Offered by the Financial Aid and Awards office, Enriched Academy is an online learning platform for all full-time students at Durham College (DC). The program offers five modules totalling three hours of training, featuring videos, online calculators and self-assessments to help you improve your financial literacy. 

Complete all five modules by Monday, December 12 for your chance to win one of four $250 grocery gift cards – just in time for the holiday season! 

The draw will take place on Friday, December 16, 2022 and winners will be notified via DC Mail. 

To get started, visit the Enriched Academy website. For more information, please contact financialaid@durhamcollege.ca.