January 8, 2008
Today, the City of Winnipeg's infrastructure committee will consider a proposed aerial tramway between St. Vital and the University of Manitoba -- at a cost of up to $8.2 million. The university has had its eye on a link with St. Vital for several years, as it would help make the university more accessible for students, staff and visitors.
450 support staff at Concordia University went on strike yesterday afternoon. The staff's collective agreement expired 6 years ago, and staff claim to be the school's lowest-paid workers, "yet another year at 2002 wages." Staff hit the picket lines 1pm yesterday at the Loyola campus. Says the union president, "If Concordia can find $1.6 million to pay off a president who worked here for only two years, why is the administration insisting on treating its least-paid employees in such shabby fashion?"
A new study by Statistics Canada and CPRN, based on 2004 YITS data, concludes that it does not matter when you complete PSE, so long as you follow through once you start. The study compared "non-gappers" (direct from high school) and "gappers" (those that took more than 4 months off after high school), and found the highest employment rates among those who pursued college (either directly or after a gap), and those who pursued university after a gap. Students who pursued university directly from high school had a slightly lower employment rate, but higher weekly earnings.
For the last few years, Holland College has been experimenting with using a Charlottetown motel as a student residence during the school year and as a hotel during the summer. The 49-unit facility was purchased several years ago when there was demand for the extra space. Unfortunately, the summer hotel project has been losing money due to its small size, and the college now plans on selling the facility for the end of April. In the event that a sale closes before April, students currently living in the facility will be accommodated elsewhere.
The city of Oshawa is proposing a new bylaw that some believe directly targets student housing. The number of bedrooms in rental houses surrounding UOIT and Durham College will be capped at 4, regardless of the building's size. Landlords will be required to pay a $250-per-bedroom annual licensing fee, and increase their insurance. The bylaw will be debated by city council next week. 17 student houses in the city were raided by police and city officials in September.
Mount Allison University is offering prospective students $100 in gas money to come check out the campus. The new "Three Travel for Free" program offers a travel rebate of up to $100 when a student brings three friends along for the ride to campus. Whether you travel by taxi, plane, train or ferry, MTA will offer a credit to subsidize your costs. The program is also part of Mount Allison's commitment to being an environmentally-friendly campus, by reducing the amount of traffic on the roads and in the air.
In December, SkoolPool invited post-secondary institutions to join the Facebook conversation with applicants. Schools from across Canada and the US took our free profile offer, and now have their very own SkoolPool school profiles featured through Facebook Platform. Take a look at their profiles, or sign your institution up for its own free "Basics" profile today...
Male students in the University of Ontario Institute of Technology's Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity are putting on heels to raise money for the school's Women's Centre. More than 30 boys will walk a mile around the campus in high heels to raise awareness about violence against women during awareness month. The "Walk a Mile In Her Shoes" event raised more than $1,000 last year.
Kenyan universities have postponed classes to prevent students and academic staff from getting caught in the violence caused by last month's presidential elections. The ministry of education has approved requests from several schools to delay the term. More than 300 individuals have been killed in the violence so far. All universities are to wait until January 14th to open, unless given special permission from the ministry.
A study by researchers at the Center for Alcohol and Drug Studies at San Diego State University finds that post-secondary girls are drinking more and wearing less when attending parties. Parties are identified as one of few events where female students drink more than their male peers. 61.3% of survey respondents said they went to parties to socialize. 40% went to get drunk. 21% were there to meet a sexual partner.
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