September 29, 2009
A new report commissioned by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations attributes the negative effects of the economic downturn on provincial universities to policy changes that started in the mid-1990s, when funding cuts led institutions to pursue private sources of income, such as endowment funds. The recession has resulted in devalued endowments and pension plans, impacting university revenue. The report recommends the province increase operating grants, and reduce tuition fees to 25% of the education cost component of institution finances.
OCUFA News Release |
Read the full reportIn its pre-budget submission, the Association of Canadian Community Colleges recommends the federal government increase research and development funding by 5%, with the additional amount dedicated to college/private sector applied research projects. ACCC also suggests Ottawa establish a college infrastructure and equipment fund of $500 million annually over 5 years to help colleges provide the advanced skills required by employers. ACCC calls on the government to boost funding for the Indian and Northern Affairs Canada Post-Secondary Student Support Program.
Read the submissionUniversity of New Brunswick president Eddy Campbell suggests universities in Atlantic Canada should work together when it comes to foreign student recruitment, instead of each institution working alone. Campbell says the schools may need an Atlantic Canadian message pointing out to people worldwide that there is a high concentration of terrific universities in this part of the world. The Association of Atlantic University is meeting this week at Mount Allison Universities to discuss challenges facing the region and how the institutions can manage those challenges.
Telegraph Journal The Conference of Rectors and Principals of Quebec Universities believes that
proposed legislation on university governance would only undermine university management and make the governing bodies of provincial universities weaker. Instead, the province should be providing universities with the tools needed to remain competitive with the best institutions around the world. CREPUQ stresses that its member institutions follow accepted principles of good governance and accountability without reservation.
CREPUQ News ReleaseThe New Brunswick government is committing $600,000 to help the Université de Moncton recruit students from under-represented groups. uMoncton will use the funds to implement an access and learning support centre, review its financial assistance program and develop a support program for low-income students, study the needs of Aboriginal students and prepare an action plan, develop a recruitment strategy for under-represented groups, and train faculty, non-teaching staff, and students working with under-represented groups.
NB News ReleaseThe University of Ontario Institute of Technology reports a 15% increase in overall undergraduate enrolment. The number of first-year students rose by 17%. The university has nearly doubled its graduate student population, and more and more students are taking advantage of its bridge programs.
UOIT News Release Full-time student enrolment at Bishop's University this fall has increased nearly 7% from this time last year, reversing a 3-year decline in full-time enrolment figures at the institution. Applications and admissions offers to prospective students were both up 12%. The entering class is 10% larger than last year's, with an increase in students from Quebec, Ontario, and abroad.
Bishop's U News ReleaseMemorial University has introduced more lenient rules for students living on campus who are caught with small amounts of marijuana. Last year, students found with a joint were kicked out of residence. Student union representatives say that under new rules, students in residence caught with pot will receive a fine, as well as a warning that a second offence would result in them being thrown out of residence. The rule change applies solely to on-campus housing and not to other parts of campus.
CBC A new MESA Project report finds that both first- and second-generation children of immigrants in Canada are more likely to attend PSE, particularly university, than their non-immigrant peers by the age of 21. The gap is explained in part by certain demographic characteristics, such as province of residence and living in a city, by immigrant parents' relatively high education levels, and parental aspirations regarding their children's education. The report found that those from China, other Asian countries, and Africa attend university at the highest rate, while those from the Americans, except for the US, go to university at the lowest rates.
Read the full reportWe've recently noticed that Toronto-based Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences has a redesigned website. The vibrant, easy-to-navigate site links to a new recruitment portal titled "Future Health Care Heroes," which features video testimonials from current students about what inspired them to pursue a career in applied health sciences, how they came to choose their specialization, and their experience at Michener.
Michener Institute website |
Future Health Care Heroes
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