October 16, 2009
With the help of 70,000 donors worldwide, McGill University's "
Campaign McGill: History in the Making" has surpassed the $500-million mark. Publicly launched in October 2007, Campaign McGill's $750-million target is the largest starting goal at the time of any fundraiser in the history of Canadian universities. The purpose of the campaign is to help McGill attract and retain the world's best students and faculty, increase access to quality education, and enhance the university's ability to address critical world challenges such as health and wellness, sustainability, and global prosperity.
McGill News ReleaseThe Ontario government announced last Thursday $8.3 million for new measures to help workers enter and complete apprenticeships. New supports and incentives include grants of up to $2,000 for apprentices and $1,000 to employers when training is successfully completed, and grants of up to $1,500 per semester to help apprentices with education costs if they are not eligible for employment insurance. Apprentices will have the choice to complete more of their in-school training up front if work placements are temporarily unavailable.
Ontario News Release |
Colleges Ontario News ReleaseAt a town hall meeting last Thursday, University of Manitoba president David Barnard explained that in order for the university to maintain the status quo regarding programs, facilities, and services, it will need an extra $36.4-million in operating funds from the provincial government in the next fiscal year. However, Barnard does not expect the grant to fully address uManitoba's financial gap. 2 projects are underway to identify ways in which the institution can improve services, enhance programs, reduce duplication, and control costs.
uManitoba Town Hall 2009 |
Winnipeg Free Press |
CBCDurham College is asking Durham Region for $5 million over a 5-year period to help pay for the second and third phases of the
expansion of the school's Whitby campus, which will cost $21 million. The college plans to raise $6 million to fund the expansion, and is seeking $10 million from the Ontario and federal governments. The campus expansion is expected to attract about 1,200 students over the next 3 to 4 years. Courses at the campus will focus on skilled trades, food sciences, and agriculture.
Durham Region News |
Whitby campus expansion updateMcMaster University announced last Thursday that Patrick Deane, currently vice-principal (Academic) of Queen's University, will become the Hamilton-based institution's president on July 1, 2010. Born and raised in South Africa, Deane completed his MA and PhD at the University of Western Ontario, where he later taught and was appointed chair in the English department. Deane began his academic career at the University of Toronto, and has held senior administrative positions at the University of Winnipeg.
McMaster Daily News |
Hamilton Spectator 2 Ontario colleges began construction last week on new facilities. Confederation College held a groundbreaking ceremony last Thursday for its Regional Education Alliance for Community Health (REACH) building. The facility will serve as a centre for academic, laboratory, simulation, and clinical/fieldwork education to meet the needs of students in the college's School of Health and Community Services. On Friday, Algonquin College broke ground on the new $77-million Alonquin Centre for Construction Excellence. Slated to open in fall 2011, the 180,000-square-foot facility will house an additional 600 construction seats and provide space for thousands more students studying in related programs.
Confederation College News Release |
Algonquin College News ReleaseA new TD Economics report estimates that in 18 years time, a undergraduate degree will cost $137,013 for students living away from home, and $101,426 for those staying at home. The study projects that students beginning university in 2027 will pay $64,363 for tuition and other academic fees over the 4-year period they are undergraduates. Living expenses were put at $72,650 for students not living at home, and at $37,063 for those at home.
CanWest News Service |
Read the reportMemorial University's Distance Education and Learning Technologies department reports a 34% increase in graduate distance course registrations over this time last year, and 5% growth among undergraduate courses. Graduate registrations are led by a 56% increase in Social Work, followed by increases in Human Kinetics and Recreation, Education, and Nursing. Areas of study at the undergraduate level that have experienced enrolment growth include Maritime Studies, Nursing, Science, and Arts. The enrolment boom is being attributed to an increase in programs, as well as the number of mature students using distance education to upgrade their education on the job. (Of course, MUN also launched a large-scale ad campaign for their
grad programs "on the edge.")
MUN News ReleaseAccording to a recent US survey, 90% of responding parents researching colleges and universities for their children are turning to the Internet for information. 82% of parents surveyed reported that they plan to play a pivotal role in helping their kids make the final decision about PSE. Online content that most interests parents, the survey found, include academic programs, majors, admission requirements, scholarships, tuition and fees, and campus safety. 10% of respondents reported that they would not recommend a college to their child if the school's website did not answer their questions. 84% said they preferred communicating with schools through e-mail while researching a college.
Today's Campus |
Read the survey resultsBelieved to be a first in higher education in North America, the British Columbia Institute of Technology's School of Construction and the Environment will attempt to reduce energy and materials consumption on a portion of the Burnaby campus by 90%. At the northeast section of the campus, dubbed the "Sustainability Precinct," BCIT faculty and staff will aim to reduce the ecological footprint of campus operations through research and learning activities, such as building practices that approach net-zero performance and integrated design solutions showcasing the potential for wood in construction.
BCIT News Release
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