April 20, 2007
Administration at Carleton University is not saying much about the sudden departure of the Dean of the Sprott School of Business. William Keep stepped down last week after just three months in the job, citing conflicts with administration in management style and differing priorities. Carleton has been recruiting for a new president, and now must fill both high profile positions. President Atkinson stepped down last November after 15 months on the job, citing disagreements with the University’s board of governors. Keep had been in the process of expanding the Sprott School of business, through accreditation with the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (a $40,000 investment), and was hiring 7 new professors.
The Ottawa Citizen : In an update to yesterday’s coverage, the First Nations University of Canada has been placed on probationary membership by the AUCC, pending resolution of governance issues, to be resolved no later than March 15, 2008. If issues of academic freedom and independence are not satisfactorily resolved, the university will be removed from AUCC membership at its next meeting on April 1, 2008. The relationship between FNU and uRegina remains unaltered, and FNU is still able to offer degree programs as approved by the University of Regina. FNU has been cited as not in compliance with the AUCC’s criteria for an independent and autonomous board of governors or an appropriate equivalent.
AUCC Media ReleaseConcordia’s support staff participated in a second 24-hour strike yesterday, while negotiations with administration continue to lag after 4 years. The staff’s first 24-hour strike took place on March 15. Picket lines were set up at both the downtown Sir George Williams and the Loyola campuses from 8:30am until noon. Seniority rights, job placement, and fair compensation are the key issues on the table.
CUSSU-CSN News ReleaseNova Scotia Agricultural College and Ecole Acadienne de Truro are holding a joint memorial service for the late Jocelyne Couture-Nowak. Couture-Nowak taught at NSAC for several years, and founded the Ecole Acadienne, before moving to Blacksburg, Virginia in 2001. A scholarship in her name is being established, funded by donations.
Maclean's Sault College’s acting president and chief financial officer is overwhelmed by the possibilities after his first few days in China. Chinese PSE institutions are eager to partner with and learn from North American schools. Middle schools are encouraging students to go overseas to continue their education, and 90% end up in Canada. There has been particular interest in Sault’s aviation and medical programming. Lethbridge College, in the middle of producing digital and video versions of Business Administration programming for delivery to Chinese students, has already been asked to increase the number of students eligible for the program.
The Sault Star |
Lethbridge College Website A new “green building” at the University of Western Ontario will house engineering research dedicated to investigating climate change and the environment. The new facility is funded by a $5 million gift by the Lassonde Family Foundation, and is the largest gift received by the Faculty of Engineering at UWO. The building is expected to lead the way in architecture and research in Ontario. It will feature the most advanced environmentally-sustainable construction technologies and methodologies, and will be a sort of “living lab.”
UWO News ReleaseA talk by Riyadh Lafta of Baghdad’s Al-Mustansiriya University College scheduled for today at Simon Fraser University has been cancelled. Lafta was denied transport to Vancouver from Jordan. Lafta was initially to spend a week with researchers at uWashington, but was also denied entry to the US. Les Roberts, who co-authored an article with Lafta on Iraqi casualties, will speak at uWashington in Lafta’s place. A live feed will be broadcast at SFU’s Wosk Centre.
SFU News ReleaseThe former editors of the
Canadian Medical Association Journal have founded an independent, open-access general medical journal entitled
Open Medicine. 6 members of
CMAJ’s editorial board left the journal last year when they were forced to delete an investigative portion of an article on women’s access to emergency contraception in Canada. Editors of the new journal hope to avoid interference by operating independently from medical associations and commercial publishers.
OM’s first issue was released online yesterday.
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Subscription Required) |
OpenMedicine.caWhile women have achieved increased presence in the science and engineering departments of US universities, there has been very little progress in computer science departments. According to the National Science Foundation, women earned only 28% of CS bachelor degrees in 2003. The dot-com bust and offshore export of high-tech jobs are common excuses for poor rates, but experts say that there are more Americans employed in computer science now than even at the height of the dot-com boom. With the demand for computer scientists expected to increase, discovering why women avoid the field might be necessary to keep up with demand.
The New York TimesInterest in PSE level agricultural programs is down. Some schools, such as NAIT, have dropped their agricultural program offerings entirely -- leaving specialized facilities sitting unused. On the other hand, apprenticeship and trades level Ag programs are booming. Schools across Canada are working together to rekindle interest in the area, and hoping opportunities in biofuel research will bring life back to the field.
The Alberta Express
rtraction