June 30, 2009
A University of Ottawa spokeswoman says that trespassing charges against former physics professor
Denis Rancourt have been dropped. In December, Rancourt was suspended and barred from campus over a grading dispute. 6 weeks later, he was arrested when he arrived on campus to attend a weekly film series he had hosted since 2005. Rancourt was fired at the end of March following a unanimous vote by uOttawa's board of governors. He is fighting his dismissal.
Ottawa Citizen Fire crews evacuated students and staff from 2 buildings at Grant MacEwan College's downtown Edmonton campus Monday morning after pungent smoke filled a parkade when an electrical panel shorted out. The dangerous goods response team was present as firefighters were not sure how dangerous the smoke was. Fans were used to ventilate the parkade. The building re-opened later Monday for evening classes and shifts.
Edmonton JournalAccording to 2008-2009 public sector compensation reports released Monday by the BC government, former University of Northern British Columbia president Don Cozzetto, who stepped down last summer over an apparent disagreement regarding
PSE funding levels, was the highest-paid executive, earning $647,025, which includes a $554,000 severance package. Among the 10 highest-paid executives are UBC president Stephen Toope ($575,813), SFU president Michael Stevenson ($483,665), and uVic president David Turpin ($467,671).
BC News Release |
Vancouver Sun |
Executive Compensation DisclosureOn Monday, the federal government announced $8 million in funding for 4 research teams under the International Community-University Research Alliance program, which partners university-based experts from Canada with those in developing countries to work with community members who will directly benefit from the research and training. The 4 teams will receive $2 million each over 5 years, and include researchers from uOttawa, VIU, Dal, and uMontréal. The projects will focus on coastal adaptation to climate change, the impact of poverty on the environment, services for at-risk youth, and mental health.
IDRC News ReleaseNorthern College is reporting a 24% increase in applications over last year. Much of the growth is in the college's health sciences, veterinary sciences, and engineering technology and trades programs. In order to meet the growing demand for its electrical engineering technician/technology program, Northern College has increased the cap on the first year of the program from 54 seats to 72. The Ontario government's Second Career program has helped boost applications to the college.
Northern College News ReleaseThe New Brunswick government announced Monday that the hotel and restaurant operations, tourism, and international tourism programs offered at the Edmundston campus of Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick have been temporarily suspended due to low enrolment. The campus will set up consultations to determine whether the training programs offered by the Atlantic Centre of Excellence in Tourism are meeting the needs of the tourism industry. Students who enrolled in the programs have been notified of the suspension and have the opportunity to move into another field.
NB News Release On Monday, the federal and Ontario governments announced $2 million in joint funding for repair work on Wilfrid Laurier University's 50-metre swimming pool. The investment is in addition to
$2.2 million raised to renovate the pool, which is expected to re-open by the end of September.
WLU News Release |
Waterloo Region Record The Alberta government announced last Friday $1.3 million in funding for the University of Lethbridge Regional Stadium and Field Complex, following a
$2-million investment the province made in January 2008. The sports complex will feature a new football and soccer field, track and field facilities, and a grandstand. The complex will be available for community use.
Alberta News ReleaseSingularity University, a new interdisciplinary institution designed to train emerging leaders to prepare for what lies ahead regarding advancing technologies in order to "address humanity's grand challenges," welcomed its first 40 students on Sunday. Based at NASA's Ames Research Centre in Silicon Valley, the university offers 3- and 10-day executive programs, as well as a 9-week graduate studies program. Tuition ranges from $15,000 to $25,000 US. The school's chancellor is futurist Ray Kurzweil, known for his claim that by 2030, a moment, known as the "singularity", will be reached when computers will outsmart human beings.
The Chronicle of Higher Education (subscription required) |
Singularity University
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