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Situation resolved: Chemical safely removed and destroyed
We are able to report that the detonation has been successfully completed by City of Winnipeg Emergency Services. Emergency Services personnel will be leaving campus and all buildings, outdoor spaces, and roads that had been closed will reopen shortly.
The University of Manitoba would like to thank City of Winnipeg Emergency Services for their expert support ensuring the safety of our Fort Garry campus and university community. Thank you to everyone on campus today for their cooperation.
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Notification of controlled detonation on Fort Garry campus
Out of an abundance of caution, City of Winnipeg Emergency Services have decided to proceed with a controlled detonation to address the presence of a potentially unstable chemical found in Parker Building this morning. The controlled detonation will take place after 4:00 PM at an outdoor location, secured by Emergency Services and university personnel. There will be no impact on air quality. It is difficult to predict how loud this event will be for those on campus, but it is expected to sound similar to a loud firework. A safe perimeter has been established, and everyone is asked to respect the boundaries in place.
If you are experiencing unease as a result of today's events, please speak with your supervisor about working remotely for the remainder of the day. Supervisors are encouraged to be flexible and support remote work in light of these events.
Regular use of Parker and other affected buildings will resume following cleanup, which is expected to be complete later this afternoon. The disposal is being carried out in the safest possible manner in partnership with Emergency Services.
The university will review all chemical storage protocols following this discovery and ensure we have every necessary practice in place to support the safe storage of all substances.
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Notification of chemical safety precaution
This morning the Environmental Health & Safety Office received notification from the Faculty of Science that a small amount of chemical in a potentially unstable form was discovered in a storage room.
Emergency Services have been notified to assess the situation and are being deployed to campus. Parker and connected buildings are being evacuated to allow Emergency Services including Fire, Police, Ambulance and Hazardous Materials to attend and assess the situation and to determine the safest method of removing the chemical.
The evacuation is a precautionary measure taken to safeguard the health and safety of our faculty, staff, and students. Once the substance is removed, it will be safe to resume use of Parker and connected buildings.
We understand the concerns and anxieties that may arise from the evacuation and presence of emergency responders. Please be assured that our utmost priority is maintaining a safe and secure environment for all members of the University of Manitoba community. We will provide updates as soon as more information becomes available. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
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Message from
Diane Hiebert-Murphy, Provost and Vice-President (Academic)
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June 30, 2023
Dear Students,
At the beginning of this month, many of us marched in celebration of 2SLGBTQIA+. Now, just this week, your peers at the University of Waterloo have experienced a heinous act of violence on their campus. We offer them our deepest sympathies and reassurance that we are united in solidarity against hate. Universities should be spaces dedicated to the peaceful pursuit of knowledge and the well-being of others.
This tragic incident reminds us of the importance of upholding the values we hold dear and reinforces our unwavering commitment to fostering an inclusive, safe, and welcoming environment for all members of our diverse community. At the University of Manitoba, we firmly believe in the power of equity, respect, and human dignity for all.
To our community members who experience targeted violence and hatred, we acknowledge your experiences. To all our community members, know that our university has robust safety protocols<https://umanitoba.ca/student-supports/safety-and-security> in place that are regularly reviewed. If you haven't already, I encourage you to become familiar with our emergency quick reference guide<https://umanitoba.ca/security/sites/security/files/2021-05/UM-Emergency-Res…> and to download our safety app for either iOS<https://apps.apple.com/us/app/um-safe/id1491182847> or Android.<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cutcom.apparmor.umanitoba…> And please remember, and use if you need, the mental health support<https://umanitoba.ca/student-supports/student-health-and-wellness>s and sexual violence supports<https://umanitoba.ca/sexual-violence> that are available to all students.
Our community is working hard to bring about lasting change through advocacy, action, research, and comprehensive policies that reflect our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. And our university is prioritizing education, awareness, and support services to address the root causes of violence, bigotry, and intolerance.
Thank you to everyone in our community who takes on this work and makes our campus and our world better with your courage and activism.
Sincerely,
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Diane Hiebert-Murphy,
Provost and Vice-President (Academic)
by Office of the Vice-President Research and International
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This message is sent on behalf of Dr. B. Mario Pinto, Vice-President (Research and International)
And Dr. Annemieke Farenhorst, Associate Vice-President (Research)
Dear University of Manitoba Community,
We invite you to attend the final Community Engagement Session in our Strategic Research Planning process to develop a collective vision for the future of UM research.
In the fifth community engagement session, we will ask participants to discuss the Plan’s vision, mission, and values.
This session will allow for both in-person and virtual interactive small group and large group discussions.
Event details below:
Date: Thursday, June 29, 2023 at 1:00 pm
Location: Marshall McLuhan Hall, Room 204, UMSU University Centre, 66 Chancellors Circle
This is a hybrid event, with both in-person and online options to attend. Please RSVP by June 26th by clicking here.<https://forms.office.com/r/iJqRGbtS2v>
If you plan to attend virtually, the Zoom link is: https://ca01web.zoom.us/j/67185000028?pwd=VmNVdHVjcHdzd1I2L2dwMmQvRXZRZz09
Please continue to visit the Strategic Research Planning page<https://umanitoba.sharepoint.com/sites/um-intranet-research-services/SitePa…> for updates on our progress.
We hope to see you there.
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Message from
Michael Benarroch, President and Vice-Chancellor and Diane Hiebert-Murphy, Provost and Vice-President (Academic)
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Dear UM community,
Thank you to all who have participated in the consultation process for the University of Manitoba's strategic plan so far. We are excited to share the Where We Are Today report<https://umanitoba.ca/sites/default/files/2023-06/UMStrategicPlan-WhereWeAre…> for your review and input.
The report explains the key themes, priorities, and challenges that emerged from the consultations throughout February and March. The document not only highlights what we have learned so far, but also starts to identify some ways in which our new strategic plan may move things forward. This document is not a draft of the strategic plan, but it is an important milestone that will help us set the aspirational goals that we will work towards together over the next five to ten years.
We invite you to read the report and tell us whether the priorities we captured resonate with what the community said. We also need your help to bring these priorities to life in innovative and creative ways. What are the aspirations of our community within this priority framework we've built together? What are we reaching for? What do we want to achieve? What are the big ideas we want UM to be known for that will have lasting impacts?
The UM Strategic Plan website<https://umanitoba.ca/strategic-plan> includes details on opportunities to provide feedback on the Where We Are Today report, including through participation in small group community consultation sessions and a link to the online form to provide your thoughts on the key themes and priorities, and share your bold ideas for the future.
Your comments will be presented back to the community later in the summer on where we see the university heading and what we aspire to be as we move forward with drafting our next strategic plan.
Thank you again to everyone who has contributed to this report through the town hall, community consultation sessions, and survey. Over 1,000 community members (made up of nearly equal parts students and equal parts faculty and staff) completed the online form in March and more than 1,000 community members participated in 60 community consultation sessions held throughout February.
We want to hear all your voices to enhance our scholarship, grow our research enterprise, elevate the student experience, advance Reconciliation, and deepen our community engagement.
Let us know what you think and continue to dream big.
Sincerely,
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