Top Ten
October 7, 2010
In response to reports on the use of lobbyists by some Ontario universities, Lakehead University stated Wednesday it has never used government grants, tuition fees, or donor funds for external counsel in building relationships with federal and provincial governments. While it has saved time and money using outside assistance, Lakehead stated it will fully comply with any future legislation governing the use of lobbyists by public agencies. Meanwhile, York University has released a statement clarifying publicized figures on work done on its behalf by contracted agencies, which "were presented without context, timeline or accuracy with regard to the nature of the projects." Any service contract York U enters into with external firms, the university stated, "is done so with efficiency and effective return on investment in mind." Lakehead Statement | York U Statement New and enhanced programming, satisfied students and alumni who tell others about their college experience, and innovative marketing and recruitment practices are being credited for the 25% increase in first-year enrolment in Lakeland College's fall semester. When including the number of returning students, fall term enrolment at the institution has grown by 16% over September 2009. This year's incoming class includes students from Alberta, BC, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Saskatchewan. There are also numerous foreign students at Lakeland. Lakeland News Release According to enrolment figures released this week, there are 1,696 students currently registered at BC-based College of the Rockies. When accounting for Community Literacy and Continuing Education students, total enrolment rises to 2,502 registered students, representing a growth of nearly 8% over last year. COTR's registrar reports that an increasing number of these students are from outside the region; however, the majority of the students are from Cranbrook or the areas in which the college's regional campuses are located. COTR News Release Yesterday McMaster University celebrated the grand opening of the DeGroote School of Business Ron Joyce Centre in Burlington, which will house the university's MBA and executive education programs. Named after the Tim Hortons co-founder in honour of his $10-million gift to McMaster's Burlington campus project, the Ron Joyce Centre is a 4-storey, 90,000-square-foot building featuring state-of-the-art classrooms, meeting spaces, and lecture facilities. McMaster's Burlington expansion plan includes creating a regional family medicine clinic and resident program and a future affiliation with Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital. This spring, the university opened the Halton McMaster Family Health Centre in Burlington. McMaster News Release Mount Allison University has decided to go ahead with plans to construct a new centre for both fine and performing arts, and the plans will not include restoring or renovating the historic Memorial Library building, which was built in 1927 as a memorial to the 73 students and alumni who died in World War I. A Mount Allison spokesman says the building will not be kept in its current form as the cost would add about $5 million to the arts centre project, and the institution does not want to pass on that cost to future students. Times & Transcript In a new BMO survey of Canadian college and university students, 81% of respondents agree it is important to have a budget to manage their finances during the academic year, but 60% did not prepare one before heading off to school. Just 13% say they keep track of their spending and stay within their budget. 40% of students surveyed are concerned they will not have enough money to cover the remainder of the academic year. Of those concerned, 63% plan to cut spending, while only a third said they would start a budget. The majority of those with a budget say they have had to make revisions since the school year began. BMO Financial Group News Release As part of a cost-cutting exercise aimed at balancing its budget, the University of the Fraser Valley will no longer accept credit card payments for domestic tuition, effective January 1. The university pays nearly $500,000 annually in transaction fees, and plans to use the funds it will save for education and service delivery to students. UFV will continue to accept credit cards for application fees, graduation fees, transcripts, and continuing studies course tuition fees. Changes to Credit Card Use at UFV Memorial University's Office of Student Recruitment has updated its undergraduate recruitment website to make it more attractive, clean, and compelling for prospective students. The revised site is divided into 5 main areas: a welcome to MUN, providing an overview of the university and links to its other campuses; our place, highlighting Newfoundland and Labrador and the city life in St. John's; our programs, a comprehensive look at all the undergraduate program options available; admissions, which includes a step-by-step guide for students when applying to MUN; and details on how to get there. The website features links to the recruitment office's social media accounts and a new virtual tour of the St. John's campus. MUN News Release | Become Undergraduate 2010 Bishop's University is the first university in Quebec to ban the sale of single-use bottled water on its campus. The initiative began over a year ago when students launched a campaign to raise awareness of the negative impacts of bottled water on the environment. The campaign led to a student referendum in which three-quarters of students voted to ban the sale of bottled water on campus. As of early September, there were no longer single-used bottled water available for sale at Bishop's U. Further efforts this year will include the removal of all 18L multiple-use water dispensers on campus, and the upgrading of water fountains to include a special spout to fill reusable water containers. Bishop's U News Release On Wednesday, the University of Western Ontario officially launched its application for iPhones and iPads, which is available for free at the iTunes Store or through UWO's mobile launch site. With the app, users can stay up to date on all things UWO through Western News, the student-run Gazette, Mustang sports, and news releases. The app also features an events calendar and a directory search for all faculty, students, and staff. Developers have plans for a number of features to implement over the next year, including incorporating faculties and campus groups into the app. Western News | UWO iPhone App
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