Top Ten
July 31, 2012
Montreal faces class-action lawsuit over student arrests
A class-action lawsuit has been launched against the City of Montreal on behalf of student protesters who were arrested May 23 during a mass demonstration. The lawyer who filed the suit in Quebec Superior Court alleges that the municipality and its police department violated Charter Rights during the arrest and detention of more than 500 individuals. CBC
Quebec student groups oppose CAQ's tuition proposal
Quebec student organizations have rejected Coalition Avenir Québec's proposed "solution" to the tuition conflict in the province. The party is proposing a tuition increase of $200 a year over 5 years, and suggests that supplementary funding to universities should be conditional on demonstrating how they could save money and better manage their funds. "There was nothing new in what he is putting on the table," says a CLASSE spokesman. "I think he’s underestimating the mobilization of students, just like Mr. Charest." Montreal Gazette
Whistler U rebrands as Whistler International Campus
The proposal to establish an education centre in Whistler, BC has changed its name to Whistler International Campus to better reflect what the proposal is all about. "It has become evident to us that the Whistler U moniker was confusing the public in that there was a belief that we were only proposing to build a private university," says proponent Doug Player. "We have always said we wanted to build a learning campus anchored by a university and the name change better reflects our mission and purpose." Currently in front of Whistler city council, the project proposes a campus that would encompass a multi-institutional approach, with UNBC and BCIT already partners. The proposal calls for a private international high school, a leadership centre, and a research and development centre that includes the arts. Whistler Question
Decreased enrolment leads to upgrades, tuition fee increases at GPRC
With enrolment dropping and tuition increasing, Grande Prairie Regional College will focus on capital upgrades and program quality in the next few years, says president Don Gnatiuk. In its 2012-15 comprehensive plan, GPRC highlights a need for higher enrolment and facility upgrades as major priorities. In the future, the new Shields Health and Education Centre, currently being constructed on college-bequeathed land, will be a major centre for GPRC, says Gnatiuk. Daily Herald Tribune
How Waterloo Region institutions are addressing student mental health
As more young people speak up about mental health, Waterloo-area PSE institutions are finding new ways to meet students' diverse needs. The University of Waterloo recently released a report on a review of current services and made recommendations to improve access and reach out to a wider range of students. Conestoga College and Wilfrid Laurier University have measures in place as well to adapt their services and programming to meet students' needs. Conestoga solicits ongoing feedback about its services from students and staff while also offering workshops and programming to educate its community about finding support when it is needed. Developing a campus strategy to address mental health, WLU created the position of a mental health student support team leader to work with students and find new ways to connect them with counselling support they need on and off campus. Waterloo Region Record
Grenfell program to help foreign students adjust
Memorial University's Grenfell campus will launch a new program this fall that will help international students adjust to their new home in Corner Brook. Local volunteers will be matched one-on-one with an international student and together the pair will spend time together. The domestic students will teach international students about local customs and day-to-day activities. Through involvement in the program, it is hoped that international students will make local friends and feel more welcome while they are studying at Grenfell. Grenfell News
uSask licensing revenue tops $9 million
The University of Saskatchewan's Industry Liaison Office licensing revenue rose to $7.2 million in 2011-12, a 27% jump over last year's $5.7 million. Licensing revenue from all sources at uSask rose to just over $9 million, a 25% increase over last year's $7.2 million. The ILO was launched in 2004 to accelerate the commercialization of uSask research and knowledge. Since then, ILO's licensing revenue has grown over 19 fold. About half of the ILO's licensing revenues have been returned to the researchers who developed the technologies. uSask News Release
Florida might open America's first all-online public university
Florida might become the first state in the US to open an all-online public university. Nicknamed "Online U," it would be the state's 13th university. It's one of several options under consideration by Florida's Board of Governors as it grapples with an increasing need for an educated workforce, rising tuition fees, and a loss of utility tax money for construction of new facilities. Another possibility is pulling together the best online courses from the University of South Florida, University of Florida, Florida State University and others, making them available to all students, no matter their home institution. Orlando Sentinel
UVa to offer course on president's ouster, reinstatement
This fall the University of Virginia will offer an oral history course on president Teresa A. Sullivan's ouster and return. Students will interview members of the campus community who were involved in the events. They will also examine contemporary PSE policy issues. Associated Press
More than 5 million young people in EU27 unemployed
According to new data from Eurostat, in June 5.472 million young people (under 25) were unemployed in the EU27, of whom 3.359 million were in the euro area, which consists of 17 nations. Compared to June 2011, youth unemployment rose by 227,000 in the EU27 and by 204,000 in the euro area. In June 2012 the youth unemployment rate was 22.6% in the EU27 and 22.4% in the euro area. The lowest rates were observed in Germany (7.9%), Austria (8.8%), and the Netherlands (9.3%), and the highest in Greece (52.8% in April 2012) and Spain (52.7%). Eurostat News Release
