Top Ten
October 13, 2007
BCIT opens new $76.5 million aerospace campus
The BC Institute of Technology has opened Canada's first post-secondary facility with control tower simulation technology. The $76.5 million aerospace training campus opened last week. The province contributed $16.4 million toward the project, and BCIT came up with more than $60 million. BCIT Aerospace includes 40 classrooms, computer labs, a library and a seminar room with global teleconferencing capabilities -- and a 3,700 square metre glass hangar with a fleet of 20 helicopters and aircraft.Mount Royal College announces new Faculty of Teaching & Learning
Mount Royal College, in Calgary, announced its Faculty of Teaching and Learning last Friday. The Faculty is apparently one-of-a-kind in Canada, and represents Mount Royal's commitment to teaching excellence and leadership in the education field. The new faculty will be the home of the Academic Development Centre, the Department of General Education, the Department of Education and Schooling, and the Institute for Research in Teaching and Learning. (Mount Royal Email News Release)uToronto releases draft drawings of $60-million law school expansion
The University of Toronto has released proposals for a $60-million expansion to the University's law school. Drawings by 3 Canadian architectural firms were unveiled to members of the campus community and alumni at a reception last week. The expansion will bring students out of the "subterranean rooms" where they have been studying until now. The school has taken a very open approach to the design process by involving the community at this very early stage.Quebec students wait for province-wide strike announcement
Students at Quebec universities may soon be walking out as part of a general strike. The Association pour une solidarité sydicale étudiante (ASSÉ), which represents more than 40,000 Quebec students, voted in favour of an unlimited strike to protest the province's Liberal government -- which lifted the 13-year provincial tuition freeze. The strike is scheduled to begin this week, depending on the decisions of 7 other student union votes.Another Winnipeg campus discovers threatening graffiti
Less than a month since alarm bells went off at the University of Winnipeg, a threat is being investigated at Winnipeg Technical College. A threatening message was found on a bathroom wall in the school's Henlow campus in Fort Garry, and Winnipeg police are on the scene. Classes continued with a "measured police presence."Should Canada have a federal Ministry of Post-Secondary Education?
In Canada, education falls under the jurisdiction of the provincial governments. As a result, Canada is the only developed country without a federal education office. The Canadian Federation of Students is calling for a federal department of PSE research, which they feel would empower provinces by defining and limiting federal responsibilities. Despite no official mandate regarding PSE, the federal government plays an active role in funding research and student grants.UBC launches new student recruitment microsite
The University of British Columbia has launched a new prospective student portal: "youbc". Youbc offers resources for both prospective undergrads as well as counsellors. Students can create an account to receive event updates, request information via email, and apply for admission. The site offers separate sections for students interested in either the Vancouver or Okanagan campus.ACAD receives largest donation in its history
The Alberta College of Art & Design has received a $1 million donation from Calgary philanthropist Jill Rawlinson. The donation is meant to "advance innovative thinking" via the Jill Rawlinson Fund, which will fund faculty, students and staff who want to work outside "traditional institutional boundaries."Mount Allison offers $2,000 off residence at Open House
Mount Allison University is offering an open house with a twist: students who pre-register for this fall's event will be eligible to win a $2,000 residence bursary. Students hoping to win must also be present at the school's Athletics Centre at 11:45 during the event. The rest of the event includes traditional elements such as a parents' talk, campus tours, and an intro to campus clubs.
