April 13, 2009
Last Thursday, the federal government announced $35 million in funding for Algonquin College's $104-million Environmental Demonstration Centre for Construction Trades and Building Sciences. Construction of the 142,000-square-foot facility, in which the Ontario government has also invested
$35 million, will begin this fall. The centre is slated to start housing students in fall 2011.
Algonquin College News Release |
Ottawa CitizenIn light of the
$1.3-billion loss in the University of Toronto's endowment and pension funds, the institution is obligated "to ask some hard questions about broader structures and strategies for managing our investments," according to a 5-page letter released last Friday by uToronto president David Naylor. A university spokesman says the letter was written in response to media reports about the loss and to assure faculty and staff that pensions are safe and the school is taking the matter seriously.
Globe and MailThe University of Victoria announced last week that it has ceased issuing parking fines and collecting past fines in favour of issuing tickets warning vehicle owners that a subsequent violation will result in their cars being towed. Alternatively, the university may immobilize offending vehicles with "boots." The decision stems from a
recent court ruling that requires the University of British Columbia to pay back $4 million in unlawfully obtained parking fines.
uVic News Release |
Victoria Times-ColonistStudents at Emily Carr University of Art and Design, and Vancouver Community and Douglas Colleges have lodged a complaint with the Office of the BC Ombudsman, alleging that TransLink's U-Pass program is unfair and discriminatory. Students excluded from the program are being charged at least $46.25 more than those under the program, such as students at UBC and Simon Fraser University. Students say the program should be
universally applied, no matter where they attend. TransLink says it cannot afford a flat rate if it means losing revenue.
Vancouver SunEarlier this month, Mount Royal College celebrated the launch of its Centre for Child Well-Being, to be co-ordinated by the school's health and community studies faculty. The centre is designed to mentor faculty in research, boost undergraduate engagement in meaningful research opportunities, and liaise with the community on applied research questions.
Mount Royal NewsLast Thursday, Oshawa city council approved the final piece of a funding package that will allow the construction of a $27-million student apartment building in the city. The apartment will house 566 students, alleviating part of the student housing crisis that has gripped neighbourhoods near the University of Ontario Institute of Technology and Durham College.
Durham Region NewsSt. Francis Xavier University is running a Facebook-based contest called "Fly Home Free" that offers $600 for a flight or $600 in cash for those driving home following final exams this month. Open to students, faculty, staff, and alumni, the contest asks participants to create a Facebook group whose title begins with "I love StFX because...", then add the university as a friend and invite it to the group. The group with the most members will win the competition.
Fly Home Free contestNorth Island College and the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design recently unveiled new homepages. NIC's website touts how students taking University Studies at the college will pay half of the cost of a comparable education at urban universities. The easy-to-navigate site features news, events, and links to a photo gallery. A large graphic on NSCAD's website showcases student work. The vibrant site links to events, news, and featured exhibitions.
NIC website |
NSCAD websiteAccording to a new study from Ohio State University, college students with a Facebook account spend less time studying and have lower GPAs than students who are non-users. Researchers found that Facebook users in the study typically had GPAs between 3.0 and 3.5, while non-users had GPAs ranging from 3.5 to 4.0. Those with Facebook profiles said they averaged one to 5 hours a week studying, while those without accounts reported studying 11 to 15 hours per week. 79% of Facebook users participating in the study claimed the site did not have an impact on their academic performance.
OSU Research News |
Sunday Times
rtraction