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Loyalist College and over seventy 1997 and 1998 nursing students suing the school for breach of contract for negligent misrepresentation are inching closer to reaching an amicable agreement, says the lawyer representing the 1998 students. The class-action suit contends that when the 1998 nursing class began at Loyalist, students were offered an option whereby they would receive a nursing degree from Queen's University after 4 years. The document claims that no such option was available. Loyalist has also brought action against Queen's, claiming that the university had a role in the deal falling apart. Belleville Intelligencer

The owners of 4 farms west of the University of British Columbia's Okanagan campus are asking the Supreme Court of BC to block the school's use of a private dirt and gravel road that cuts across 10 farms and is considered by many to be the only safe cycling route onto campus. While UBC-O does not allow motorized access from the road, one farm owner says motorcycles, mopeds, and cars frequently park on her property while their drivers head up to campus. In December, residents put a gate at the end of the road to control access, and UBC-O got an injunction forcing the gate to remain open. UBC-O's deputy vice-chancellor says that while the institution does not encourage use of the road, it has the right to access it. Globe and Mail

Youth Protecting Youth, a pro-life group at the University of Victoria, has dropped a lawsuit against the university's student union after the latter reinstated the group's club status. As part of the settlement, the student union has granted the club funding for the semester, repaid all funds denied since September 2008, and revised its harassment policy to ensure the club can continue to operate. The settlement includes a provision that allows the group to immediately re-active its suit if it believes its freedom of expression is censored in the future. Victoria Times-Colonist | Georgia Straight | Saanich News | Canadian Press

An Alberta Provincial Court judge has handed down a conditional sentence of 2 years less a day on a former University of Calgary bookstore accounts payable clerk for defrauding the store of $203,000 to support her video lottery terminal gambling addiction. The judge placed the woman on house arrest for the entire sentence, followed by 12 months' probation. He also ordered the former clerk to pay restitution for the full amount and perform 150 hours of community service. The woman's lawyer told the court his client went to uCalgary officials when she heard an audit was being done. Calgary Herald

On Monday, Waterloo city council endorsed a subdivision plan that calls for the staged development of the University of Waterloo's north-west campus, which would see the campus double in size over 40 years. Council will spend $9 million to grade and service the 73-hectare site, as part of deal to locate a new public library branch and YMCA there. Vacant lands could be used for research, academic facilities, and housing for students or faculty. Waterloo Region Record

In its submission to the Digital Economy Consultation, the Council of Ontario Universities states that Ontario universities feel they are able to contribute to Canada's digital economy in 3 areas: talent and skill development; research and innovation, including digital content development; and university/industry collaboration. In order to support and strengthen their contribution, Ontario universities are proposing the formation of a new National ICT/Digital Media Network that would connect clusters of ICT and digital media experience across Canada. COU states the centre could be used to strengthen the outcomes in several areas identified for greater focus and investment, such as greater opportunities for student/young research involvement in the field of ICT and digital media. Read the submission

9 Canadian universities have picked up medals in the 2010 CASE Circle of Excellence Awards. MUN earned 2 grand golds and 3 golds, and York U garnered one grand gold, a gold, and 2 silvers. Brock won 2 silvers and a bronze, Dal earned a gold and a bronze, uToronto picked up 2 silvers, and McMaster received 2 bronzes. McGill, UBC, and uAlberta won a gold, silver, and bronze, respectively. Some of the winning work is available online, such as MUN's "This is the Start of Something Big" campaign and Brock's "Both Sides of the Brain" Facebook application. List of 2010 CASE COE winners

According to CASE's Fundraising Index, US college fundraisers expect the amount of money raised in the fiscal year that just ended on most campuses to be 4.3% higher than the previous year. Fundraisers are also predicting a 5.7% increase in giving in 2010-11. Community college fundraisers are generally more optimistic about past-year results than their counterparts at 4-year colleges and universities. For the year ahead, community colleges and public 4-year institutions are the most optimistic. CASE News Release | The Chronicle of Higher Education (free access)

According to a new US survey, the vast majority of colleges' fundraising- and communications-related divisions are now using social media. Facebook is the top social media tool used by those surveyed, with 94% of respondents reporting that their units have pages there. Most units are using multiple forms of social media, with Twitter used by 67% of those surveyed, LinkedIn by 61%, and YouTube by 59%. Alumni are the target audience of the greatest number of institutions surveyed (96%), followed by "friends and supporters" (77%), and donors (66%). According to the survey, many colleges are planning to expand social media or to formalize organization of it. Inside Higher Ed

In a US survey released Monday, 63% of current college students say technology on campus was important in their college selection criteria, while 93% of high schools students agree. 85% of college students surveyed say technology is important in their ability to study for their chosen field. College students' must-have campus technologies include wireless networks (77%), off-campus network connections (57%), and course management systems (47%). 64% of college students report using social media to connect with classmates to study or work on assignments, and 76% of high school students say they use social media as an education tool. Read the report