2025-09-25 – Newsroom

Learning Centre can help any kind of Dawson student

Dawson’s Learning Centre, formerly known as the Academic Skills Centre, provides vital academic support to students from all programs, helping them build essential skills such as time management, essay writing, research, and exam preparation. Our team of experienced professionals: Rashmini, Conner, Patrick, Teresa, Lori-Ann, Luis and Ania (clockwise from Rashmini in the front centre of the photo), along with over 100 trained peer tutors, offer individualized and confidential guidance tailored to each student’s needs. The Centre is located upstairs in the Library, room 6D.2, with drop-in hours Monday to Friday from 11 AM to 3 PM, and Monday to Thursday evenings from 5 PM to 6:30 PM.

We encourage faculty members and staff to share this valuable resource, which plays a crucial role in helping students achieve academic success and confidence.

Homepage news, Human Resources, Perks for Dawson Employees, Sustainability, Well-being for all

Weekly Work Pause for Health, Connection and Joy

Visiting a museum, going for an urban hike and playing games are some of the activities that Dawson employees have enjoyed during their workdays over the past year. The College’s Human Resources team launched weekly Well-Being Hours in the fall of 2024. Every employee may spend one hour of worktime each week focusing on their personal well-being.

“It has made me really appreciate our Dawson community and all the new initiatives the College has offered in the last couple of years to work on well-being and community building,” said Sophie La Font, Project Coordinator in the Office of Sustainability. “I have met a lot of lovely new people that work outside my typical work sphere. These activities have helped me to feel more engaged and refreshed.”

For some resources and ideas, check out the HR well-being Sharepoint page.

Visit the link to read about other colleagues' experiences using the well-being hours in the homepage news story.

Communications Office, Events

Help spread the word: Open House evening events Oct. 14 & 16

Open House will be a little different this year. it will take place over two evenings and will feature different programs each night.

Tuesday, October 14 from 4 PM to 8 PM: programs in Science, Medical Studies and Engineering will be present. Check the list of these programs here.
Thursday, October 16 from 4 PM to 8 PM: programs in Creative & Applied Arts; and Social Science and Business Technologies will be present. Check the lists of these programs here and here.

Visitors will be able to meet program and profile coordinators, attend info sessions, meet representatives from the Student AccessAbility Centre (SAAC), Athletics and Continuing Education, take a self-guided tour and more. Visit the link and share with your network.

Events, Learning opportunities

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at Dawson

A committee has organized a series of events and learning opportunities as part of a semester-long series to bring awareness to the legacy of colonization across Turtle Island, the necessity of institutional decolonization, as well as Indigenous resurgence and joy.

Visit the link to see what's planned for next week at Dawson and for some curated resources.

#DawsonProud, Dawson Foundation, Dawson Gives, Homepage news, Sustainability, Well-being for all

Expanded Food Justice program advances well-being for all

The Food Justice program at Dawson has been significantly expanded this year. Free food is being offered five days a week to the Dawson community, a vital part of the College’s commitment to well-being for all. Coordinated by the Office of Sustainability and funded by the Dawson Foundation and the Dawson Student Union, the program addresses food insecurity while advancing social justice and sustainability on campus.

Diana Rice of the Office of Sustainability explains that there is a broader understanding of sustainability that includes peace and social justice. “Food Justice programming is a critical piece,” she says, due to its role in tackling the harmful impacts of industrial agriculture on the environment and marginalized communities. The program prioritizes ethical purchasing by sourcing organic and local food to reduce pollution, protect biodiversity, and support economic stability for vulnerable groups.

There is a major impact on students and the entire Dawson community. “A student once confided that being able to eat lunch or breakfast four days a week meant that they could give their mom a break in terms of groceries, which were becoming more and more unaffordable,” Diana shared. “They said it was a relief because they already felt guilty about going to school and not working full time to help support the family. Knowing that they could help save money and keep food in the pantry at home longer made going to school more worthwhile and kept it accessible.”

Visit the link for the homepage news story.

Human Resources, Policy on Sexual Violence

Oct. 7 deadline for employee sexual violence prevention training

Dawson College has released a new training module for the prevention of sexual violence: Recognizing Attitudes, Changing Behaviours.

As part of the College’s legal commitment to preventing sexual violence and as laid out in the Policy on Sexual Violence, all employees and students are required to take a training once every year.

All employees, faculty, staff and management, are expected to complete the 18-minute training hosted on the Moodle platform by end of day October 7, 2025. Please note that you are required to complete only one version of the training, either in English or French (it will show as 50% completion).

Please note that the College expects this training to be completed during your working hours.

To access the training:

Log into Omnivox
Click on Moodle under the Academic Services menu (on the left)

We appreciate your cooperation, active participation and dedication to making our workplace a safe and supportive space for everyone.

Awards Office

Do you know any outstanding students?

The Awards Office is accepting nominations for the following awards until Oct. 14:

→David Oliver Award – 1 recipient of $500

This award is offered by the Association of Dawson Professionals in memory of David Oliver. David was a beloved member of the Student Services staff who died at a young age and is fondly remembered by his colleagues and the students whose lives he touched. The award is given to a second- or third-year student in good academic standing, who shows great promise in leadership, and who best exemplifies a sense of responsibility and integrity within student activities. Dawson College faculty or staff members can nominate students for this award.

→Harry Fainsilber Memorial Award – 1 recipient of $500

This award was established by the Fainsilber family in memory of the late Harry Fainsilber, a beloved Mathematics teacher at Dawson. The Harry Fainsilber Memorial Award is given to a second-year female student who, during her first year, has demonstrated perseverance and determination in the field of Mathematics. Faculty of the Mathematics Department can nominate students for this award.

To nominate, go to the Omnivox portal and look for Awards and Scholarships under the Student Services menu.

For more details and to see the application-based awards, visit the link and encourage your students to apply!

Office of Academic Development

Sign up by Oct. 10 for New Faculty Orientation

The New Faculty Orientation will be held in person on Tuesday, Oct. 14, from 9 AM - 12:30 PM.

Dawson’s New Faculty Orientation is designed to introduce new faculty to information about college services and procedures, teaching at the college level, and tips for engaging students.

The orientation includes asynchronous and synchronous components:

Competency-based education and the program approach
Academic integrity at Dawson
Faculty deadlines
Faculty roles and responsibilities
Classroom scenarios and discussion
Meet the Deans and Directors of Dawson

Please register via this link: RSVP by Oct. 10.

#DawsonProud, Dawson Professional Theatre, Dawson Talent, Events

Dawson’s Professional Theatre presents Hecuba Oct. 1-4

The Professional Theatre department is proud to present Hecuba, a story about the women at the end of the Trojan war. This modern adaptation by Irish playwright Marina Carr is directed by Leslie Baker and performed by second-year students. Tickets are pay what you can, suggested donation of $5. Runs next Wednesday through Saturday, Oct. 1-4 at 7:30 PM each night. Visit the link to reserve your ticket(s).

Student Services, Well-being for all

Help the Food Bank feed students

The Food Bank of the Financial Aid Office supports students who need that extra help to get through their time at Dawson College. Our shelves are always in need of a little love. Please consider adding a few extra items to your grocery order and drop them off at room 4E.2 or 4E.5. The semester is in full swing, and the visits are getting more frequent. Items that are well loved include: pasta sauce, pasta, ready made soups, rice, noodles, tea, instant coffee, boxed non-dairy milk products, peanut butter, jelly, cereal, Kraft Dinner, Knorr Sidekicks. Thank you for your continued support!

#DawsonProud

Neuroscience interns presented projects Sept. 12

The 2025 cohort of neuroscience student researchers presented their projects at a poster session on Sept. 12. Research topics ranged from internet addiction and cognitive testing to the neurological effects of lesions in infants. Thanks to faculty members Hélène Nadeau and Sylvia Cox for making this possible and giving a real research experience to CEGEP students. Check out the article about the 10th anniversary here.

Events

Stats Canada representative will speak about effect of tariffs Oct. 6

Dawson’s Economics Department is pleased to invite you to a presentation by a representative from Statistics Canada speaking about the US-Canada trade restrictions, and how they affect the Canadian economy.

Monday, Oct. 6, 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM, in Room 5B.16

This is an excellent opportunity to gain valuable insights from an expert in the field.

Student Services

Give blood at Dawson Sept. 30-Oct. 1

Someone in Québec needs blood every 80 seconds. Blood and blood products are essential for daily medical care. When you donate, you become part of a lifeline that many Quebecers depend on. Héma-Québec will be in 3C.1 at Dawson on Tuesday, Sept. 30 and Wednesday, Oct. 1 from 9 AM to 4 PM each day. Make an appointment or drop by.

Human Resources

New platform for job seekers

The Human Resources team is excited to announce that we are moving from CV Manager to Atlas, our new and improved hiring platform designed to give job applicants a faster, smoother experience. This upgrade is all about making the hiring process simpler, smarter, and more accessible for everyone. All new opportunities for teachers, support staff, professionals, and managers will continue to be posted directly on the Dawson Career page.

Until the full migration to Omnivox is complete, for internal postings only, employees will receive direct communications from HR.

#DawsonProud, In the news/in social media

Eco-landscaping class in the news

Reporter Jennifer Ball of The Westmount Independent newspaper stopped by Dawson on the weekend of Aug. 23 -24 while Paul Wasacz's Eco-landscaping class was working.

Visit the link and turn to page 17 (page 41 in the digital file) to read her article and see photos of the students at work on campus as part of their Physical Education class.

Academic News

Call for editors

Help us recruit student editors. The Dawson English Journal is currently looking for student editors to join its team as it prepares its 16th edition. The Dawson English Journal publishes the best writing by Dawson students written for their courses in English and related fields. It is a student-run enterprise: getting involved is a great way to meet new people, strengthen one's writing and editing skills, and add good experience to one's résumé. Students interested in becoming editors should contact the journal at: englishjournal@dawsoncollege.qc.ca

DawsonITE Newsletter # 679

DawsonITE is your curated news related to IST and Education prepared by Dawson's Rafael Scapin.

In this issue:

6 ways to use NotebookLM to master any subject
Swiss launch open source AI model as “ethical” alternative to big US LLMs
Ethical & Legal Guide on the Responsable Integration of AI in Education

Thursday, Sep. 25, 2025