September 24, 2010
Last Thursday, representatives from the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and the CFS rallied on Parliament Hill to highlight the importance of First Nations education and fairness for First Nations students. The organizations called on the federal government to lift the 2% cap on funding increases to the Post-Secondary Student Support Program. The AFN estimates that over 15,000 Aboriginal students have been shut out of college or university since the cap was put in place in 1996. AUCC joins Aboriginal stakeholders in calling for increased action to improve PSE access, participation, and success for Aboriginal students. AUCC recommends that Ottawa improve student financial aid for Aboriginal students, provide sustainable funding for vital support programs, and foster new partnerships between universities and Aboriginal communities to improve elementary and secondary school results. AFN News Release | Chiefs of Ontario News Release | CFS News Release | AUCC News Release Simon Fraser University has received $6.8 million -- $4.8 million from the federal government and $2 million from the BC government -- to maintain French-language programs and courses that have been developed since 2004. The funding was announced late last month by Canadian Heritage and Official Languages Minister James Moore on the signing of an agreement with BC on minority language in education and second official language instruction. The funding runs through 2013. Canadian Heritage News Release | SFU News Release HEC Montréal has placed 34th out of 65 institutions listed in the annual Financial Times ranking of international Master of Management programs. This is the second consecutive year HEC Montréal has made the rankings, and it is the only business school in North America on the list. The rankings look at several criteria, including the increase in graduates' salary 3 years after completing their degree and the placement rate for new graduates. HEC Montréal News | FT Rankings
Preliminary numbers indicate that international enrolment at Canadore College is up 42% over last year, and apprenticeship enrolment has increased 23%. Overall, Canadore's initial report shows post-secondary enrolment is up 1.2% for the 2010 fall semester. This year, 1,900 new students joined 1,200 returning students at the institution. Canadore News Release In a survey of students in Ontario's Second Career program, 93% of respondents have graduated, and more than 60% have found work within an average of 3 months. 86% of students reported being satisfied or very satisfied with the province's retraining program. The survey shows that the average Second Career participant is about 40 years old, with an almost equal proportion of men and women enrolled in school. Since June 2008, the program has helped nearly 36,000 laid-off workers. Ontario News Release Last Tuesday marked the start of construction of a new $10.8-million building at the University of Prince Edward Island to house the institution's School of Nursing, Department of Family and Nutritional Sciences, and classroom and laboratory space. The PEI government is contributing $7.2 million to the project, while UPEI will raise the remaining $3.6-million. The facility is expected to be completed next fall. PEI News Release Last Wednesday, the University of Saskatchewan Students' Union (USSU) held a rally in support of more day care space on campus. The 2 child-care centres on campus have room for 111 children. The waitlist for a spot is 400 names long, and parents are waiting up to 3 years to place their children in campus day care, the USSU says. The student government says the Saskatchewan government has not properly funded child care at provincial universities, and several speakers at the rally say more funding is needed to avert a child-care crisis. uSask's VP of teaching and learning says a newly created child-care task force will try to find existing or new physical space of additional day-care centres. USSU News Release | Saskatoon Star-Phoenix Like many post-secondary institutions in Canada, Memorial University has introduced a co-curricular record, with which students document their involvement on campus throughout the year. When recording their own activities, students are asked to reflect on what they have learned, encouraging them to contemplate the skills they have gained from their involvement. Currently, students who have or will be participating in orientation, as residence assistants, as peer helpers, and in a number of other paid and volunteer opportunities are eligible to participate in the co-curricular record program. MUN News Release Georgian College has developed a virtual tour of its Barrie campus that comprises 360° panoramas of several parts of campus, including the Georgian Library, the Student Life Centre, the International Centre, the student residence, and athletic and dining facilities. Throughout each scene, an audio guide will provide detail on the featured facility. Users can access a text box and photo galleries for more information on the area in view. Georgian College virtual tour In a new survey of over 27,000 Canadian college and universities students, the federal government has been chosen as the top employer, with provincial and municipal governments as well as Health Canada making the top 10. Several corporate sector household names make the top 25 list, including Google, Apple, Microsoft, Air Canada, Research in Motion, and Facebook. Non-profit organizations make a strong showing on the list, with the Hospital for Sick Children, the Canadian Cancer Society, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the David Suzuki Foundation, and Oxfam all ranking in the top 25. 56% of students surveyed said the current economic climate has them concerned about their job prospects. 57% said they would like to find an employer with which to spend their entire career. Canada's Top Campus Employers 2010
