THIS MONTH IN FASS
The latest news and events from the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences at Dalhousie University

The FASS Monthly E-Newsletter - March 2025

FASS General Announcements

Academic Programs Advising Fair

Calling all undergraduate students!

Not sure which program is right for you? Have questions about course requirements? Now’s the perfect time to get the answers you need before fall course registration opens for returning students! (Check out the Dal Important Dates webpage).

We're inviting returning Dal and King's undergraduate students to join us for the Academic Programs Advising Fair! Explore the different programs and combinations offered by the Faculties of Science and Arts & Social Sciences and find what works best for you!

Drop in and chat with faculty advisors about majors, minors and honours options and their requirements.

We’ll also have a student lounge area set up where you’ll have the opportunity to sit down and chat with upper-year FASS and FoS students with declared majors who will be happy to answer your questions and talk about their experiences in their major areas of study.

In addition to undergraduate faculty advisors and upper-year students from across FASS and FoS, there will be representatives from the Registrar’s Office, the Bissett Student Success Centre, Student Affairs, the International Centre and more!

Drop by to see us on Friday, March 7th between 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. in the McInnes Room on the second floor of the Dal Student Union Building!
 

Academic Assistance for FASS Students

REMINDER: Please take note that Wednesday, March 5th is the Winter term deadline to drop a course: https://www.dal.ca/campus_life/academic-support/register-for-courses/Drop.html

Advising for FASS Students

FASS students are welcome to visit Dr. Becca Babcock, Assistant Dean of Student Matters, for academic advice or help with university regulations and policies. Come and ask Dr. Babcock about academic dismissals and probation, waiver requests, grade changes, or what to do if your grades aren't what you'd hoped they would be. 

In-Person or Online Meetings by Appointment: 

Please email asstdeanfass@dal.ca to schedule an in-person or virtual appointment with Dr. Babcock.

Wednesday Drop-Ins: 

Wednesdays from 12 p.m. (noon) to 4:00 p.m. in the Office of the Dean, room 3030 of the Marion McCain Arts and Social Sciences Building. 

Beagle at the Bissett

Mondays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (noon)  in the Bissett Student Success Centre (4th floor Student Union Building) with Luna the Therapy Dog.

Come and talk to Dr. Babcock or an academic advisor from the Bissett Centre, and get to know Luna the Beagle while you're there! 


Luna is a St John Ambulance Therapy Dog. She provides comfort and companionship. No medical or psychiatric services are offered during these sessions. For mental health support, please visit the Mental Health Services at Dalhousie's Student Health and Wellness. 
Allergy warning: a dog will be present. 
 

ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM FASS DEPARTMENTS, PROGRAMS, & STUDENT SOCIETIES

Dalhousie Arts and Social Sciences Society (DASSS)

Our Meet the Dean event has been rescheduled for Monday, March 10th from 12-1pm in the Fireplace Lounge (McCain Room 1151). This is a one-hour drop-in style event open to anyone who is interested!

DASSS's office hours are Tuesdays and Fridays from 1pm-2pm in rm 2013 of the Marion McCain Building. We're available for any questions or support you may need!

DASSS's Winter Annual General Meeting will be taking place on Wednesday, March 26th at 6pm in Room 1130 of the McCain Arts and Social Science Building. Whether you'd like to connect with peers, share your ideas, or learn more about what we do, this is a great opportunity to get involved and meet like-minded students.
 

English Department/Creative Writing Program

The Clare Murray Fooshee Literary Prizes are an annual competition open to all full-time or part-time undergraduate students from Dal or King's. Prizes are awarded for poetry (1st, 2nd, and 3rd place) and short stories (1st and 2nd place). 

The deadline for this year's entries is Monday, March 3rd, 2025.

Learn more on this page.


Speaker Series

Dani Spinosa & Kate Siklosi of GAP Riot Press
Friday March 21st 4pm-5:30pm
McCain 1198


Creative Writing Faculty Reading
Friday March 28 4pm-5:30pm
McCain 1198 

Hear FASS Creative Writing Professors read from their published works and works-in-progress! Snacks served afterwards in the English Department lounge.

Fountain School of Performing Arts

 

We're calling it "March madness" for a reason! The Fountain School has 6 music concerts in our beautiful Joseph Strug Concert Hall in March. The final stage production of the season, Three Sisters runs March 25-29. Our free noon'ish hour live music series continues as well. Check out our season listings for more dates, times and where to buy tickets.
 

French Department

 

As part of the Irène Oore French Lecture Series, Dr. Sophie Beaulé, from Saint Mary's University, will be giving a talk on: « Regard sur l’uchronie québécoise contemporaine »  

Friday, March 7, 2025
3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
McCain 1102

A reception will follow. All welcome!

Find more details here
 

Italian Studies Program

Caffè Italiano - Winter 2025
Every Monday, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm
McCain room 3199


The Italian Studies Program at Dalhousie presents a film screening of:
"Benzina" (20 minutes, Italy, 2023) directed by D. Daquino
Followed by Q&A in videoconference with the director
Friday, March 7th at 3pm in Mona Campbell Building room 2107

 

Jean Monnet European Union Centre of Excellence

Roundtable on Canada, the European Union and the Trump Challenge

As part of the commemorative Glyn Berry Lecture Series, the JMEUCE and Centre for the Study of Security and Development are pleased to host a public roundtable on: CANADA, THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE TRUMP CHALLENGE

Given the unprecedented challenges to the transatlantic relationship posed by the Trump Administration's opening moves, how should Canada and the European Union re-orient their relationship?

Speakers: 

Ross Hornby, former Canadian Ambassador to the European Union (joining virtually)

Amelia Hadfield, Head, Department of Politics, and Chair in European and International Affairs, University of Surrey 

Oliver Schmidtke, Professor, Departments of History and Political Science, University of Victoria 

  • 5.30-7.00 p.m., Thursday 20th March
  • University Hall, Macdonald Building
  • Refreshments provided
  • For more information: centre@dal.ca

Glyn R. Berry (PhD, Political Science, Dalhousie 1981) was a senior Canadian diplomat who was tragically killed in a terrorist attack in Afghanistan. At that time, he was Political Director for the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Kandahar with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Mr Berry was a principled humanitarian; passionately devoted to improving conditions for ordinary people in desperate circumstances.


JMEUCE Student Essay Prize
(Deadline: April 30th)

Are you writing -- or did you submit last term -- a paper on some aspect of the European Union, either an individual member country or the EU as a whole?  The Jean Monnet European Centre of Excellence is offering its annual award of $200 for the best student essay on any aspect of the EU, so send along your submission by 30th April. 

This award is open to Dalhousie students currently enrolled in a graduate or undergraduate programme.  For details, go to www.dal.ca/jmeuce or contact jmeuce@dal.ca.
Dalhousie University