March 28, 2007
Zoe Read, a 22-year-old uVictoria student, passed away earlier this month after accidentally overdosing on gamma hydroxybutyrate. What she thought was clear Gatorade at a party was instead the colourless, odourless, liquid "date rape drug." The mix of floor stripper and drain cleaner is known to lower inhibitions, put people to sleep and cause partial amnesia. The amount consumed by Read caused her respiratory system to shut down and caused her death. This is the third recent GHB overdose in Victora -- while not as popular as cocaine, use of GHB is increasing due to its much lower cost. uVic plans to award Read a posthumous degree.
The Ottawa Citizen According to a new study, the deaths of one-third of Canada's youth are caused by alcohol and illicit drugs. Alcohol is the deadliest substance on a global scale, and is responsible for 90% of substance-related deaths in developed countries. The study suggests early-intervention and harm reduction approaches to curb the damage. More than 300,000 teens between the ages of 15 and 19 died worldwide in 2000.
uVic News Release |
CTVuAlberta has done away with its mandatory retirement age, allowing faculty over 65 to continue working. The
Edmonton- based university has been resisting mandatory retirement policies, and many are surprised that it wasn't put out to pasture sooner. Retaining aging faculty will help the University with its intended expansion over the coming years.
The Edmonton JournalThe City Council of Brantford, Ontario has approved the proposed 20-year, 6-point agreement with Nipissing University that will result in the expansion of NU's satellite campus in the city. A city-owned building, a converted house, and an adjoining parking lot will be given to the school, along with a $1.5 million interest-free loan to help finance the cost of the expansion. Nipissing will also receive a $600,000 municipal grant, including $500,000 originally intended for the Laurier-Brantford and Mohawk College "Brantford Centre." At home in North Bay, Nipissing is launching an "ecovillage" that will turn two student residence townhouses into a pilot project that will provide sustainable living through efficient use of energy and waste management. The deadline for applying to live in the "Ecovillage" is this Friday. Nipissing News Release (1) | Nipissing News Release (2)
Currently an affiliate of Laurentian University,
Algoma University College has requested a university charter all its own -- a bid that Sault Ste Marie city council supported at its meeting on Monday night. AUC currently has more than 1,000 full- and part-time students, and intends to triple that number shortly. (Since 1998, the Algoma student body has increased by more than 73%). The school also has plans to broaden its program offerings in line with its established strengths in liberal arts and sciences.
Soo News On the heels of uVic's EQUIS accreditation earlier this month, Kwantlen University College's School of Business has received initial accreditation from the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). Other accredited business schools in BC are UBC and SFU. The ACBSP criteria are based on the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award, and require demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement. ACBSP's Executive Director says, "Kwantlen has shown their commitment to teaching excellence by participating in the accreditation process, achieving accreditation and then continuing the process of quality improvement."
Langley TimesTo promote global living, the president of Temple University in Philadelphia has announced that she and her husband will personally front the funds for any student who wishes to obtain a passport (US $97). In her investiture ceremony last week, she stated "Internationalization will help you develop the point of view essential to contribute as citizens of the world and compete in the international marketplace." The program will pay for any TU student who is obtaining their first passport.
The Vancouver SunStarting in the summer of 2006, the Common Application (which is used by approximately 300 US institutions) has been asking whether applicants have ever been convicted of a crime, or disciplined at school. The questions are included as an effort to filter out potential trouble-makers. Several schools that do not use the Common Application are also including similar questions on their own forms. The US Student Association opposes the movement, saying that education is a means towards rehabilitation.
The Philadelphia InquirerAccording to the US census, the majority of PSE students next fall will have Gen-X moms, and in 2009 Gen-X dads will be the majority as well. The new generation of parents grew up to see tuition outpace inflation, and bore substantially heavier financial burdens to get their education. When their children head to school, parents will consider institutions with a much more critical eye than boomer parents have had in the past, regarding PSE as "a calculated market choice". The parents of Millennials have demanded rigorous accountability from elementary and secondary schools, including structure, supervision, and feedback. Undergraduate programs are already feeling the pinch, and grad schools are next on the list.
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Subscription Required)
Young people of both genders, and women in general, are the new market for tattoo shops. No longer a sign of rebellion, tattoos now are seen to offer an outlet for the "complex need for humans to express themselves through the appearance of their bodies," according to researchers at uMassachusetts. Young people seek to commemorate transitions into adulthood -- including moving away to college -- and women seek to demonstrate control over their bodies, or to reclaim their bodies from a traumatic experience. Tattooing is very popular in Canada right now: the owner of Studio 123 in St. Catharines says he enjoys the business, but most dedicated tattoo aficionados and "true artists" will be happy when the enthusiasm dies down.
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Subscription Required) |
The Brock Press
