Arrest made after incident on campus

Thursday, September 18, 2014 – 2:45 p.m.

Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) reported that they have arrested an individual in connection to the stabbing incident that took place yesterday outside the Tim Hortons at the Oshawa campus.

On Wednesday, September 17 two males were involved in a dispute that led to an altercation resulting in a University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) student sustaining serious injuries. DRPS and the Office of Campus Safety responded to the incident leading to today’s arrest. The victim is recovering in hospital and is in stable condition. 

For more information please visit the DRPS website.


Thursday, September 18, 2014 – 11:20 a.m.

We would like to update you on the incident that occurred at the Oshawa campus yesterday.

At approximately 4:30 p.m., Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) officers were called to Tim Horton’s at the Oshawa campus. Two males were involved in a dispute and during the altercation, a University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) student suffered serious injuries due to a stab wound. The suspect male left the area and the campus was searched by responding officers, but no arrests were made. Investigators do not believe this was a random act.

As the safety of everyone in our campus community is of the utmost importance to Durham College and UOIT both the college and university are very concerned about this incident and the injured student. This is now a DRPS investigation; please visit their website for more information.

At this time, students are reminded that they can access confidential counselling services through the Campus Health Centre at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre (Room G1030), by calling 905.721.3037 or via email to healthcare@durhamcollege.ca. After hours and 24/7 support are available by calling Aspiria Student Assistance: 1.877.234.5327

If you have any information that may be of assistance in this matter, please contact DRPS at 905.579.1520 or Crime Stoppers at 1.800.222.8477 (TIPS).


Wednesday, September 17, 2014 – 8 p.m.

Please be aware that an incident occurred between two students at the Oshawa campus at approximately 4 p.m. on September 17.

The Office of Campus Safety was made aware of the incident and is now working in partnership with the Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS).

As the safety of everyone in our campus community is of the utmost importance to Durham College and UOIT both the college and university are very concerned about this incident. This is now a DRPS investigation and more information regarding the incident can be found on the DRPS website.


Wednesday, September 17, 2014 – 5 p.m.

Please be aware that an incident occurred between two students at the Oshawa campus at approximately 4 p.m. on September 17.

The Office of Campus Safety was made aware of the incident and is now working in partnership with the Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS).

As the safety of everyone in our campus community is of the utmost importance to Durham College and UOIT both the college and university are very concerned about this incident. This is now a DRPS investigation; we will provide more information as it becomes available.


DC signs agreement with WindReach Farm

Durham College (DC) and WindReach Farm (WindReach) have announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will see them work together to provide students with opportunities to work directly in the fields at WindReach, allowing them to develop their food production skills via the planting of crops to be harvested for use at the college’s Centre for Food (CFF).

In addition, the MOU will see both institutions work collaboratively on the development and delivery of educational curricula for students enrolled in the college’s Horticulture – Food and Farming program, housed under the School of Science & Engineering Technology (SET); the expansion of WindReach’s current educational programs; and the enhancement of community awareness and interactions for both organizations through the agricultural development of an acre of the WindReach Farm property for food planting purposes. This includes a strong focus on the local food movement through the planting and growing of beets, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, sunflowers, Swiss chard, fennel and more that has been underway at the farm since May.

Once harvested, the produce is being used at the college’s CFF and Bistro ’67, a full-service, teaching-inspired green-certified restaurant housed at the CFF. The new building, which opened to students in fall 2013, is supported by ambassador and celebrity chef Jamie Kennedy and focused on the field-to-fork concept, which is based on the harvesting, storage, processing, packaging, sale and consumption of food – in particular the production of local food for local consumers.

As part of the agreement, WindReach is providing professional expertise, in-field growing space and access to field equipment, facilities and storage with the college providing faculty and lab field technologist expertise to support the program and guide students through the planting process.

“Our agreement with WindReach is providing Durham College students with the chance to develop their food production skills in a safe and inspiring environment, enhancing their learning and supporting the vision and values of both WindReach and Durham College,” said Susan Todd, dean of SET. “This opportunity for our students to gain hands-on training in a wide variety of areas related to plant propagation and fruit and vegetable production is a true reflection of the college’s commitment to bring field-to-fork to Durham Region while offering the best possible learning opportunities to our students.

“This agreement with Durham College is a stellar example of both organizations’ commitment to true partnership and collaboration. In addition to the meaningful and relevant training the students are receiving while here, they are also able to see the importance of community agencies and supporting the work they do,” said Kate Bird, chief executive officer of WindReach Farm. “In addition, the more than 20,000 visitors who attend the farm each year will be able to learn about the most current trends and research when it comes to agri-food education; especially at a time when the appetite for local and healthy food is at an all-time high. We are delighted to be working with Durham College on this project and are looking forward to a long-term and mutually beneficial partnership.”

As part of its commitment to field-to-fork, the college also recently launched Field to Fork: Sowing the Seeds of our Community, a crowdfunding campaign to support the landscaping required at the CFF including the planting of trees, shrubs, fruits, vegetables and arboretum; the purchase of garden tools; a walking path; new soil; and more.


DC and SA sign new agreement

Don Lovisa, president, Durham College (DC) and Ryan LePage, president, Student Association (SA) are pleased to announce that the SA and DC have come to a new agreement that benefits both parties. The agreement will see student fees released and allow the SA to provide DC students with great opportunities and support. The SA also looks forward to bringing positive initiatives and change to DC and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT).

With the election of the 2014-2015 SA Executive, conversations began that focused on establishing a new relationship between the SA and DC. As we begin the new academic year, DC is pleased to share how encouraged the college’s leadership team is with the work the SA executive has done to re-build its relationship with the college and its commitment to putting a new agreement in place that provides a strong foundation for our partnership going forward.  

DC is eager to continue building this new relationship with the SA and working together to provide our students with the best experience possible. As always we encourage students to engage with the SA leadership and organization, as they provide an impressive list of services for students. 


Phase 2 of the Campus Master Plan underway

In addition to sharing a campus in North Oshawa, including many campus spaces and facilities, Durham College (DC) and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) share a commitment to providing students with innovative and rewarding post-secondary education.

As part of that commitment, the college and university also share a need to provide new classrooms, laboratories and infrastructure required to support the learning of future students, teachers and researchers.

To support this important and necessary growth, DC and UOIT are working together on a Campus Master Plan designed to address the future expansion and needs of both institutions including decisions on:

  • The best location on our properties for building new facilities.
  • How to effectively use our existing space.
  • The planning of transportation routes to align with neighbouring communities.
  • The type of campus infrastructure required including funding opportunities.

Phase 1 of the Campus Master Plan included input from DC and UOIT students and staff on a Vision and Directions Report and Framework Plan. Both documents can be found on the project website.

We are pleased to announce that the project has now moved into Phase 2.

Phase 2 includes more opportunities for input from students and staff:

  • Visit the project website for updates on the project.
  • A workshop will be held on Monday, October 20, 2014:
    • Workshop details to be posted on the website in early October.
    • A reminder email will be circulated two days prior to the workshop.
  • Submit comments via the comment board.
  • Online surveys relating to specific Master Plan topics will be posted on the website over the next few months.
  • Provide comments via Twitter and Facebook.

Should you have any questions about the project or the Campus Master Plan process, please contact Karen Young, Campus Master Plan co-ordinator, at 905.721.8668 ext. 2797 or  campusmasterplan@dc-uoit.ca.


Grace period for U-Pass stickers extended

For full-time post-secondary students, your Campus ID card also serves as your U-Pass, allowing unlimited use of any Durham Region Transit (DRT) and limited GO Transit bus routes operating within Durham Region. Additional fares are required on most routes outside of Durham Region.

Unfortunately Durham College (DC) is experiencing a delay in the receipt of the full shipment of U-Pass stickers and the Campus ID office will not be able to immediately renew these stickers for those who haven’t yet renewed them.

In the meantime, DRT and has extended the grace period for renewal of stickers to Tuesday, September 30. Please continue to show your current, validated Campus ID to use DRT and GO routes normally available to you until you’re otherwise notified. For more information please visit the Durham Region Transit website.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and will let you know once stickers are available.


DC wins fifth men's Campus Cup title

The Durham College men’s soccer team proved to be the top team on campus once again as they defeated the UOIT Ridgebacks 1-0 on Monday night at Vaso’s Field. The victory marked the fifth time in six years that the Lords have won the campus cup, as they have completely dominated the series.

“What a great way to end an exciting day,” said Durham College athletic director Ken Babcock. “It was amazing to see both sides perform so well while showing a lot of passion representing their respective schools. Spirit was buzzing around campus all day beginning with the pep rally at the student centre and ending with two excellent games.”

First-year forward Tevin Noel-Peterson of Whitby scored the game’s lone goal, giving the Lords the 1-0 victory. Noel-Peterson’s goal came in the sixth minute, as he put a left-footed strike off the back right post, which sent the Durham fans into a frenzy.

Although both teams had chances to score later in the game, they were unable to beat the goalkeepers, and the crossbar at times. Noel-Peterson’s early strike proved to be the game winner as the Lords celebrated yet another campus cup victory.

UOIT women win their second straight Campus Cup title

The UOIT women’s soccer team earned a 2-0 shutout victory over the Durham Lords to win their second straight Campus Cup title played in front of a packed house at Vaso’s Field on Monday night.

It was déjà vu for the Ridgebacks as they defeated Durham by the same score one year ago. UOIT now leads the campus rivalry with two titles, while Durham has just one.
 
“It was a great night at Vaso’s Field,” said Scott Barker, Manager of Intercollegiate Athletics at UOIT. “It was amazing to see all of Ridgeback spirit in the stands tonight. Both teams performed well but I was happy to see UOIT hoist the cup at the end of the game.”
 
UOIT wasted no time to take the early lead as freshman Rachel Matthews (Ajax, Ont.) scored in the eighth minute of the opening half. The Ridgebacks would follow the opening goal up with another just seven minutes later, as freshman teammate MacKenzie Barry (Ajax, Ont.) put the Ridgebacks up 2-0.
 
After some halftime adjustments, Durham had some chances to cut into the UOIT lead, but goalkeeper Melissa Linton (Cobourg, Ont.) and her defensive line stood strong as they earned the shutout victory.


Help make DC green – join the Green Team

Durham College’s (DC) Sustainability Committee, which formed in 2011, has a mandate to promote awareness, understanding and the practice of environmental, social and economic stability at DC. As part of this initiative, the newly formed Green Team is providing students with the opportunity to contribute towards the development of creative ideas and solutions aimed at advancing the campus’ sustainability initiatives.

“The Living Green Initiative at Durham College highlights the campus’ diverse sustainability practices and serves as a model for environmental stewardship,” said Tanya Roberts, the college’s sustainability co-ordinator. “The Green Team was created to enable students to connect directly to this initiative, enhancing their college experience through access to greater awareness and meaningful projects and events where they’ll have the chance to play a direct role in influencing the sustainable future of Durham College.”

Working hand-in-hand with DC’s Sustainability Committee members, the Green Team will develop goals, raise awareness and participate in various sustainability events and projects. Those who wish to be Green Team leaders will also receive specialized training and have the opportunity to train other students on campus to become future sustainability leaders.

Students looking for more information on the Green Team can contact Roberts at livinggreen@durhamcollege.ca.


DC welcomes more than 200 new international students

At Durham College (DC), the student experience comes first, something 200 new international students from 22 countries learned first-hand during the college’s international orientation sessions on Thursday, August 28 and Friday, August 29. Don Lovisa, president, and Nevzat Gurmen, vice-president, Corporate Services and chief financial officer, welcomed the diverse group as they began their journey at the college’s Oshawa campus.

New international students received a crash course in how to settle in at DC; a campus tour; workshops on acculturation and academic integrity; assistance with finding housing; information about working in Canada; the new Career Development certificate program; and the new Co-Pilots program, which pairs an international student with a Canadian student to learn from each other. Orientation activities also included Amazing Race DC and DC Bingo, which gave students the opportunity to get to know other international students, as well as staff from the International office. Additional students from abroad are expected to arrive as the 2014-2015 academic year gets underway.

“International students have chosen Durham College as the next step in their personal and professional development, and the college is here to support them by addressing their specific needs,” said Larissa Strong, manager, International Student Support. “International students bring so much to the campus and classroom but need a little extra support with the challenges they face that are different than their Canadian counterparts. Orientation is the first step in providing that information and getting the students moving in a successful direction.”

DC prides itself on offering international students the highest-quality Canadian education, preparing them to find rewarding employment in Canada or in their home countries; a safe and vibrant campus environment; and a fun and rewarding student life, with everything from clubs, to cultural activities, to sports, to balance studies with challenges and fun outside the classroom. For details on how international students can apply to DC, please visit www.durhamcollege.ca/info-for/international-students/how-to-apply


The Experience starts now

After three exciting weeks introducing the 14 amazing students who will share their Durham College (DC) experience over the coming year, DC is excited to officially launch Experience DC.

A progressive new marketing campaign Experience DC will bring the college experience to prospective and current students; parents; teachers; and the community via an amazing and unique group of students representing a wide cross-section of programs, personal interests and personalities. They will each offer a unique perspective of what a year in the life of a DC college student is really like through a specially designed website, personal interaction and other social media platforms including blogs, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

The campaign, which previewed in late July, has seen a daily reveal of each student via the Experience DC website since Monday, August 11, offering viewers a chance to connect with Christian, Kayley, Josephine, Mattise, Kerri-Ann, Kristen, James, Connor, Sean, Gregory, Heather, Rebecca, Adriana and Jake.

The experience starts now, so be sure to visit the website today for a look at what Experience DC is all about! 


DC’s Centre for Food named 2014 REmmy Award finalist

Durham College (DC) announced today that its Centre for Food (CFF) has been chosen as a finalist for the prestigious CoreNet Global Canadian Chapter REmmy Award in the Corporate Citizen category. The category recognizes a Canadian organization or individual whose culture and development product/project represents commitment to sustainable design and social responsibility.

“Durham College is extremely proud to be named a finalist, which reflects our commitment to building a centre focused on providing high-quality educational opportunities while also demonstrating sustainable practices,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “From its inception, the CFF has been an innovative and ambitious project that represents our dedication to sustainable design and social responsibility and recognized for our efforts as a community leader in sustainability and social responsibility.”

Inspired by the work of celebrity Chef Jamie Kennedy and the college’s commitment to bring field to fork to Durham Region, the 36,000-square-foot CFF officially opened in October 2013. It can accommodate approximately 900 students studying in culinary, hospitality, event management, food science and agriculture and horticulture programs and in addition to housing Bistro ’67 is also home to Pantry, a unique retail food store that brings student-created goods straight from the culinary classroom to the community.

The REmmy Awards are presented annually by CoreNet Global in recognition of excellence, innovation and best practices in corporate real estate and workplace management. The winners will be announced at an awards gala on Wednesday, October 1 at the Toronto Board of Trade.

The college prepared the CFF’s submission for the award in collaboration with the Town of Whitby’s Economic Development Division and on behalf of the overall team that brought the CFF from concept to construction including DC; Gow Hasting Architects Inc.; Garritano Brothers; MCW Consultants Ltd.; Stephenson Engineering; Green Initiatives Inc.; Hendrix Hotel and Restaurant Equipment and Supplies; and Nedlaw Living Walls Inc.

In addition to the REmmy Award  nomination, in February the CFF, including Bistro ’67, the college’s full-service, teaching-inspired restaurant, was certified as a 2 Star Certified Green Restaurant® by the Green Restaurant Association , a non-profit organization which helps restaurants become more environmentally sustainable.

Highlights of the CFF’s sustainability accomplishments include its dedication to reducing its environmental footprint by recycling; using a fully automated building controls management system and occupancy sensors in a variety of areas; offering touchless sensor faucets; recycling and composting kitchen waste; and using safer hand soaps. In addition careful attention is paid to the inputs and outputs of the facility and the restaurant in an effort to be good stewards of the environment.

The building itself was constructed using industry-leading sustainability principles, including looking at things such as site development, water and energy efficiency, material selection and innovation in design. It features a Nedlaw living wall and biofilter integrated into its ventilation system that sees air from the occupied space actively drawn through the building’s HVAC system or on-board fans then returned to the occupied space. As air comes in contact with the living wall, contaminants move into the water phase where they are broken down by microbes, removing up to 75 per cent of harmful chemicals. The biofilter also improves the indoor environment by generating clean air for up to 90 per cent less energy than conventional ventilation systems in the heat of summer or cold of winter. The area surrounding the CFF also includes a greenhouse, vegetable gardens and fruit-bearing trees – bringing the field to fork vision to life.

In addition, the college recently launched Field to Fork: Sowing the Seeds of our Community, a crowdfunding campaign to support the landscaping required at the CFF including the planting of trees, shrubs, fruits, vegetables and arboretum; the purchase of garden tools; a walking path; new soil; and more. To find out more, please visit http://fieldtofork.durhamcollege.ca.