December 18, 2008
Academica's offices will be closed December 25, 2008 to January 4, 2009, inclusive. Today's issue of the
Top Ten is the final one of 2008. The
Top Ten will return to your inbox on Monday, January 5, 2009. We wish you a peaceful holiday and a prosperous New Year!
The University of Saskatchewan is requesting from the provincial government an 8.3% increase in its operating grant for 2009-10. uSask released its operations forecast this week as it copes with an economic downturn at a time when a tuition freeze is expected to be
lifted and undergraduate enrolment is projected to decline. The school's combined investment losses total over $100 million. uSask has also asked for $2.3 million for its advancement department, and $62.1 million in capital funding.
uSask News Release |
Saskatoon Star-Phoenix |
U of S fund takes big hitOn Wednesday, Victoria-based Royal Roads University released details of its sustainability plan. Among the initiatives outlined in the plan are halving greenhouse gas emissions from 2007 levels over the next 12 years, adopting alternative energy sources, and consolidating parking lots. Royal Roads will set up Campus Green, a school-wide stewardship team of staff and students to encourage manageable grassroots projects to minimize waste streams and conserve natural resources. Royal Roads has also launched an Office of Sustainability.
Royal Roads News Release |
Royal Roads Sustainability Plan 
On Tuesday, Capilano University's board of governors approved the institution's new logo. The design, chosen from 3 developed concepts, most closely resembles the existing Capilano College logo, and represents the school's evolution from a college to a university. The new logo is described as having a West Coast feel with an underlying First Nations influence. Comments on the new design include "uniquely our own," "honours our past," and "represents our connected community." Capilano News Release
On Monday, Laurentian University officially opened its new School of Education, which also houses the music department, the School of Rural and Northern Health, and masters program in human kinetics. The $19-million facility features 10 teaching classrooms and labs, 2 smart classrooms equipped with state-of-the-art technology, 2 computer labs, and a pedagogical resource centre. The building includes a smudge room where students can learn about Aboriginal traditions.
Laurentian News ReleaseThis month, the City of London is introducing new bylaws applying to student tenants living by Fanshawe College, the University of Western Ontario, or anywhere else in the city. New or revised bylaws will cover noise, nuisance, and rental housing licensing. The city is also working on a town-gown relations strategy, whose initiatives include providing safe and affordable housing, offering a higher level of public service community, and investing in infrastructure.
The LondonerThe University of Victoria has partnered with Steinway & Sons to establish the university as Canada's first All-Steinway School, meaning that Steinway-designed pianos will be available in all practice rooms, studios, and concert halls. The pianos will be maintained by Steinway-trained technicians. uVic is the 99th All-Steinway School in the world, joining such prestigious schools as Juilliard and the Yale School of Music.
uVic News ReleaseAccording to a new survey commissioned by George Brown College, Toronto-area employers are looking for graduates who know what they're doing, communicate clearly, and are ready to put in a good day's work. When asked about overall preparedness for employment, 80% said college grads were equally or better prepared than their university counterparts. George Brown's president says the findings reflect an awareness across Ontario's college system that graduates need to be equipped with not only applied skills, but also strong communication skills.
Hamilton SpectatorEarlier this week, about 50 applicants to Illinois-based Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management received acceptance e-mails when it turns out they actually had been rejected. "It's like you won the lottery and had the rug pulled out from under you." University officials describe the error as a "technological glitch" isolated to the business school. The misinformed applicants will each have their $235 application fee reimbursed.
Chicago TribuneThat's what the researchers behind a US study published this year suspect. The authors write that websites like MySpace and YouTube "permit self-promotion far beyond than allowed by traditional media." Atlanta-based Emory University professor Mark Bauerlein observes that it's natural for 17-year-olds, with their fragile egos and uncertain identities, to think everyday occurrences merit a blog post, but maturity means outgrowing it, not indulging in it. Bauerlein says social media tools like Twitter enable youth to delay the process of growing up well past its proper moment.
The Chronicle of Higher Education (subscription required)
