Blackboard Collaborate is getting an upgrade!

This coming Friday (September 2nd) Blackboard Collaborate ULTRA will be made available within all Blackboard course sites.

The new chat tool is a sleeker, browser based tool directly embedded into the Blackboard environment. The current Blackboard "chat tool" and the previous version of Blackboard Collaborate will be disabled. Please see the attached flyer for more information and support options.

Welcome back. We hope that everyone had an enjoyable summer and is looking forward to what promises to be an exciting 2016-2017 academic year.

When classes ended in June, multiple North Campus Backfill projects were underway. Now, as we begin September, we’re pleased to report that 42 out of 47 projects have been, or will be, completed later this month.

The remaining projects are on schedule and are expected to open in January 2017, as we begin the winter semester.

When we’re done, we’ll have completed 146,000 square feet of renovations that will meet the growing needs of the North Campus, providing new labs, classrooms and office space for Humber’s students, staff and faculty. This is the equivalent of building 60 new homes (in nine months).

While we’ve worked diligently over the summer to complete the newly renovated spaces, there’s still some work to be done. As with any construction or renovation project, as we move in and begin to use these new spaces deficiencies may become apparent in the first few weeks. This includes any audio-visual or information technology that was undertaken as part of the renovation projects. At that level, we could use your help to make sure we get to it all. As you’ll see there are deficiency lists posted in the new areas, especially in classrooms. As you work and learn in the new spaces, please use those lists to write down any work that needs to be done or issues that need to be addressed. We will check the lists regularly and work to finish construction in a timely manner. We also recommend that those who are using newly renovated spaces to have an alternate plan should any audio-visual or IT issues occur in the first week of usage.

The Backfill Steering Committee would like to thank students and employees for their ongoing support and patience during this construction period. We are confident that the new spaces will be worthy of the work required to create them.

We would also like to recognize and thank all of the employees and our partners involved in the planning and construction of the new spaces. We appreciate all of the hard work that has gone into the project so far.

For more information or if you have any questions about the project, please contact Scott Valens, Director of Capital Development, at scott.valens@humber.ca.

We hope everyone has a great start to the school year.

Laurie Rancourt
Senior Vice-President, Academic and Co-Chair, Backfill Steering Committee

Angelo Presta
Senior Director, Capital Development and Facilities Management, and Co-Chair, Backfill Steering Committee

In response to employee suggestions for an online and environmentally-friendly way to access pay stubs, Humber College pay stubs will be available exclusively online. This change will make it easy for you to access your pay stub from home and from work. Your online pay stub is both confidential and secure.

Please access your online pay stub by going to humber.ca/paystubs. Here, you will find additional information, as well as a short video, a reference guide, and some frequently asked questions (FAQs).

If you have any questions, please contact your manager for assistance.

Thank you.

HR Services

The third year massage therapy students are looking for participants for their final year research projects. If you would like to help these students learn what it is like to conduct research, and receive free massage therapy in the process, contact Jessica Stacey or Felicia Bremner, Clinic Managers (mtclinic@humber.ca; 416.675.6622 x5055). Individuals who complete the study process will receive a gift certificate to the Massage Therapy Clinic at Humber College to use following the study. If you are not sure if you are eligible or need more information before you commit, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Here are some of the people we are looking for. When you call or email, please reference the study number.

The Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome using Massage Therapy
Study #: 16MT001

We are looking for an individual who was been experiencing pain, numbness and tingling in the thumb, first two fingers, and ½ of the ring finger. Documentation must be provided if the individual has been clinically diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome, if a diagnosis has not been provided the clinic manager/instructor will perform a physical assessment to determine eligibility. Individuals who are experiencing carpal tunnel syndrome as a result of a secondary condition will not be eligible for the study. The length of this study is 8 weeks.

The treatments would take place on Thursday Afternoon.

The Treatment of Patients with Functional Scoliosis using Massage Therapy
Study #: 16MT002

We are looking for an individual who has been diagnosed with functional scoliosis by a physician (documentation must be provided). Individuals who present with structural scoliosis and neurological manifestations will not be eligible to take part in the study. The length of the study is 11 weeks.

The treatments would take place on Thursday Evening.

The Treatment of Rotator Cuff Tendinopathies using Massage Therapy
Study #: 16MT003

We are looking for an individual who has been diagnosed by a physician, chiropractor, or physiotherapist with rotator cuff tendinopathies (documentation must be provided). If a diagnosis has not been made, a physical assessment will be conducted by the clinic manager/instructor to determine eligibility.

The length of this study is 10 weeks.

The Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis using Massage Therapy
Study #: 16MT004

We are looking for an individual who has been diagnosed by a physician with rheumatoid arthritis in the hands (documentation must be provided) and who presents with pain and limited range of motion in the affected joint. Individuals who present with joint instability and severe joint damage will not be eligible to take part in the study. The length of this study is 10 weeks.

The treatment will take place on Thursday Afternoon.

The Treatment of Adhesive Capsulitis using Massage Therapy
Study #: 16MT005 & 16MT006

We are looking for an individual who has been diagnosed with adhesive capsulitis (in the frozen stage) by a physician (documentation must be provided). The length of this study is 12 weeks.

The treatments would take place on Monday or Thursday Evening.

The Treatment of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome using Massage Therapy
Study #: 16MT007

We are looking for a physically active individual who, for at least one month, has been experiencing increased pain in the knee, altered mobility of the knee, and decreased ability to perform normal daily activities. Individuals who present with bursitis, patellar tendonitis, and patellar dislocation will not be eligible to take part in the study. The length of the study is 10 weeks.

The treatments would take place on Thursday Afternoon.

The Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis using Massage Therapy
Study #: 16MT008

We are looking for an individual who has been clinically diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (documentation must be provided). The individual must be in remission phase of their multiple sclerosis, and must be experiencing manifestations that impact their normal daily activities. The individual will be excluded from the study if they experience widespread loss of sensation and/or severe acute flare-ups. The length of this study is 10 weeks.

The treatments would take place on Thursday Evening.

The Treatment of Low Back Pain using Massage Therapy
Study #: 16MT009

We are looking for an individual who suffers from chronic non-specific low back pain with patient reported impact on activities of daily living. Pain experienced must be sub-acute or chronic (pain for more than 3 months). The individual will not be eligible to participate in the study if they present with back pain as a result of trauma, history or current disc pathology, spondylolisthesis, and history of back surgery. The length of this study is 12 weeks.

The treatments would take place on Thursday Afternoon.

The Treatment of Lateral Epicondylitis using Massage Therapy
Study #: 16MT010

We are looking for an individual who has been experiencing pain in the outer aspect of the elbow, painful or reduced range of motion of the wrist, , the inability to perform normal daily activities, and have had pain present for three weeks since the initial onset of symptoms (chronic stage). Individuals will be excluded from the study if they present with pain in both elbows, if there is a history of surgery to the elbow or wrist, or recent history of anti-inflammatory injections. The length of this study is 10 weeks.

The treatments would take place on Monday.

The Treatment of Iliotibial Band Syndrome using Massage Therapy
Study #: 16MT011

We are looking for an individual who has been experiencing pain or swelling in the outside portion of the thigh at the knee and/or the hip, pain with certain angles of flexion of the knee, and gradual increase in pain in the knee from repetitive activities (i.e. running, going up and down the stairs, etc.) or the interruption of repetitive activities due to pain. Individuals presenting with current ACL or meniscal injury will not be eligible to take part in the study. The length of this study is 12 weeks.

The treatments would take place on Thursday Evening.

If you would like more information about any of the studies above or would like to volunteer to participate, please contact Jessica Stacey or Felicia Bremner (mtclinic@humber.ca; 416.675.6622 x5055). If you would not like to be part of the study but would like to make an appointment at Humber’s Massage Therapy Clinic, please contact us at mtclinic@humber.ca or 416.675.6622 x5055.