Top Ten
November 23, 2010
King's contract employee faces threat, gun charges
London police confirm a man was arrested and weapons were seized after an employee was allegedly threatened at King's University College, an affiliate of the University of Western Ontario. The man, a contract employee at King's, faces 3 counts of uttering death threats and several weapons-related charges after firearms were seized from his apartment. Included in these threats is a King's staff member. A 34-year-old man appeared in court November 11 and was released with the promise to reappear. London Free Press | Statement from King's President
Queen's delays return of fall Homecoming
Queen's University principal Daniel Woolf announced yesterday that he is suspending the university's fall Homecoming for another 3 years due to the continued occurrence of an illegal street party on Aberdeen Street. In 2008, then-principal Tom Williams suspended Homecoming because of the risks, associated with the Aberdeen Street event, to members of the university and Kingston community. While there has been some progress since Homecoming was suspended 2 years ago, large numbers of individuals continue to gather around Aberdeen Street. This year, there were between 1,500 and 2,000 people on the streets, with 95 arrests and 255 charges laid. In order to bring back Homecoming, Woolf "must be satisfied that the cycle of annual street gatherings has truly been broken." The decision will be reassessed in late 2013. In the meantime, Spring Reunion and Mini-U will continue to be held in late May. Queen's News Centre | Statement on Fall Homecoming
Further investment in training, learning part of NS economic growth plan
As part of the jobsHere plan to grow Nova Scotia's economy, the provincial government will unveil a new workforce strategy, which aims to encourage young people to stay in school and facilitate transitions from high school to PSE and the workforce, and encourage PSE graduates to stay and work in the province. Initiatives already underway include 250 new community college seats targeting high-demand programs and professions and the graduate retention rebate. New actions outlined in the jobsHere plan include expanding recognition of foreign credentials and prior learning, strengthening the apprenticeship system by modernizing the curriculum, and growing the number of co-op, internship, and mentoring opportunities available to young Nova Scotians to support career decision making and success in the work force. NS News Release | Read the report
PSE to be a priority in federal Liberal's election platform
Speaking at Dawson College Monday, federal Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said increased funding to promote access to higher education will be a central plank in the party's next election platform. While full details of the proposal will not be revealed until the Liberal campaign launch, Ignatieff indicated its main thrust will be to alleviate student debt and to favour access to PSE for Aboriginal students. Easing access to PSE is vital to the future of Canada's economy, Ignatieff said. Montreal Gazette
RDC completes $4.5 million in campus renovations
Improved facilities for culinary students, larger and upgraded spaces for the student advising and recruitment office, and bigger space for campus recreation are part of $4.5 million in recent campus improvements at Red Deer College. Cornerstone Dining, where hospitality and tourism students hone their skills, has been upgraded to look like a real restaurant. The newly upgraded student advising and recruitment office now has more areas for students to be able to meet with advisers and speak with them privately. Work will soon be finished on an area renovated to house campus recreation. Red Deer Advocate
UPEI vet college receives $1-million donation
The McCain Foundation has donated $1 million to the University of Prince Edward Island's Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) in support of the vet school's expansion program. With this gift, the foundation is supporting state-of-the-art learning and educational facilities through The McCain Foundation Learning Commons at AVC -- the most recent addition within the college's $45-million expansion project. UPEI News Release | Charlottetown Guardian
uWaterloo invites students to fix campus entrance
Yesterday the University of Waterloo launched a design competition for ideas and plans to improve the main entrance to the south campus, which has long been seen as uninspiring, even bland. Open to teams of undergraduate and graduate students, the competition requires that each team have students from at least 2 different areas of study and no team is allowed to have more than 2 graduate students. The provost's office will put $100,000 toward the implementation of the winning plans, which will be selected by a panel in May 2011. uWaterloo Daily Bulletin | Waterloo Region Record
Survey explores methods for financing university education in Quebec
According to a new report by the Fédération étudiante universitaire du Québec (FEUQ), 55% of financing for full-time university students in Quebec comes from work. More than 80% of full-time students surveyed work an average of 18.8 hours per week. For part-time students, work is even more important, accounting for 83% of their financing. Financial support from parents is the second largest source for university financing at 22%. 60% of full-time students receive financial help from their parents, compared to 23% of part-time students. The report states over 60% of full-time students will go into debt, with an average debt at graduation of $14,000. 46% of part-time students will go into debt, the survey found, with the average student graduating with $11,500 in debt. According to the report, 50% of full-time students live on less than $12,200 a year, and 25% live on less than $7,400. FEUQ News Release (in French) | CUP Newswire | Report (in French)
Students, immigrants in Calgary not optimistic about jobs, economic recovery
According to a new report, newcomers to Calgary and PSE students see themselves worse off this year compared to 2009 and have a gloomy outlook regarding their economic future. The report found that students and new, well-educated immigrants see their prospects as bleak, contrasting rosy economic forecasts by financial experts. About three-quarters of participants said they have not been able to find work, even though they have been searching for months. Most recent immigrants feel completely shut out of the labour market, despite having specialized skills or higher education. Meanwhile, most PSE students surveyed expressed frustration with tuition increases proposed earlier this year. Students are carrying a higher debt load, but feel their financial prospects are not any better with an advanced education. Calgary Herald | Read the report
McMaster retains title of Canada's most vegan-friendly campus
McMaster University has been named the most vegan-friendly university in Canada in peta2's annual contest, retaining the title for the second year in a row. The university's Bridges Café is completely vegetarian, and this year, 75% of the café's menu items are vegan. McMaster has also started offering a local farmers' market stand, offering students fresh local fruits and vegetables. McMaster Daily News | Most Vegan-Friendly College Contest 2010
