Based on the verbal outpourings of Rick Mercer, the Canadian comedic icon from the school's hometown, Memorial University is challenging prospective students to "Rant like Rick" and potentially win free tuition for September 2007. (Memorial recently launched its "Become" brand, and hopes the innovative viral marketing campaign will both set the university apart and portray it as a place of freedom, exploration and creativity.) Two ads will circulate through St. John's, Halifax, Ottawa and Kingston markets, as well as through popular youth websites such as YouTube. Check out recent winners at www.mun.ca/rant.
uQuebec en Outaouais has announced a $150 million project to expand the Alexandre-Tache campus and close the Lucien Brault campus by 2012, consolidating all students into a single campus, saving costs of operating two cafeterias and libraries. The new space will also include new labs for nursing, engineering and cyberpsychology -- a program that is rare in North America, allowing psychologists to help patients overcome their phobias through immersion in a virtual environment much like a Star Trek "Holodeck." Ottawa Citizen
The Vancouver Sun featured several of BC's business schools yesterday, including UBC, Simon Fraser, and uVictoria. All three schools are either expanding or revamping programs to reinforce current trends in global business: sustainable, ethical and international. uVic offers a Global MBA program that has students spending 8 weeks each in Taiwan, BC and Austria. SFU is launching a new MBA program in September, with only 40 spots. Trinity Western is offering a 2 year MBA with a unique specialization available in non-profit and charitable organizations. Vancouver Sun
Students of McGill's ECON 314 class have begun circulating a petition demanding that changes to the course made after the add/drop period be reversed. The original course instructor had to withdraw from teaching due to complications from a broken arm. Students say that the course has changed significantly, in both content and grading, and that this is a violation of the Charter of Students' Rights. A syllabus detailing the readings and marking scheme is required during the first week of the course. A representative from the Faculty of Arts has said that the Charter applies to normal or controllable situations, and that the current situation has been met with the best possible alternative within the University's ability. McGill Daily
In his blog, Memorial U prof Dale Kirby observes that a growing number of provinces are allowing the establishment of private universities: Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick and Ontario have all enacted legislation that allows private organizations to offer degrees. Tuition is increasingly important as a source of funding for PSE institutions. In fall 2007, Quest University Canada, a self-described "private, secular, not-for-profit liberal arts and sciences university" will take its first class. Post-Secondary Education Blog
Blair Stonechild, a professor of indigenous studies at the First Nations University of Canada, launched his book The New Buffalo yesterday. His study is the first comprehensive look at 150 years of policy towards Canada's aboriginal population and PSE. First Nations peoples were to receive benefits in exchange for the British Crown claiming control over Canada -- one of these benefits was to be education, so that they could take part in Canadian society. Underfunding and a freeze on aboriginal PSE funding has caused First Nations enrolment to drop by 5,000 over the last five years. Regina Leader-Post
In the US, a media frenzy has ignited over "black" or "bullets & bubbly" parties being held by white student groups on several college campuses. The parties aim to replicate "blackness" the way it is portrayed on MTV, BET and other popular media, suggesting that people wear baggy clothes, puffy jackets, capped teeth, padded rear-ends -- almost every stereotype imaginable. Several black academics express a lack of surprise, and attribute the behaviour to the normalization of racial insults and a consequent lack of shame or guilt. Maclean's
2,000 uMichigan students are participating in a study that hopes to put hand sanitizer and surgical masks to the test in the face of the US flu season. Different combinations of hygienic measures will be assigned to different dorms, and use of the assigned measure will go into effect once a case of the flu is found on campus. Participants are compensated up to $100 US; the study is funded by the US Centers for Disease Control. CBC
Early this week, US Congress released a spending proposal that would cut all earmarked projects for the rest of the year, but funds are still being set aside for some areas of research. The proposal was well received by the higher-education sector on the whole. Money from 2006 that was set aside for agricultural research projects will still be released. Only half the funds needed for a 2% raise for federal workers was provided, and no money was allotted for increases in operating costs. Chronicle of Higher Education(subscription required)
The Vanguard University of Southern California notified approximately 10,000 individuals last Friday that their personal and financial information was contained on a computer stolen earlier this month. The computer contained financial aid information for 5,000 current and prospective students from 2005-06 and 2006-07, including the students' parents' financial details, and social security numbers. The school is offering advice and support through identityalert.vanguard.edu. University Business | ABC 7
