Top Ten
January 23, 2013
3 injured in shooting at Texas college
3 people were shot Tuesday in an incident at Lone Star College in Houston, Texas. Reports indicated the shooting stemmed from a dispute between 2 people, at least one of whom was a student. Among the injured was a maintenance worker who is in hospital in stable condition. A 22-year-old man has been charged with aggravated assault but remains hospitalized with injuries suffered in the shooting. The incident comes a week after 2 separate US campus shootings. Inside Higher Ed | Associated Press
BC to invest $113 million in new Emily Carr facility
BC Premier Christy Clark announced yesterday the province will invest in a new visual, media, and design facility for Emily Carr University of Art + Design at the Great Northern Way Campus in Vancouver. The new facility will allow Emily Carr to enhance the education and skills training in art, media, and design programs in ways that have not been possible because of size constraints of the current Granville Island campus. The project will have a total cost of approximately $134 million. The BC government will invest up to $113 million, with Emily Carr and other donors contributing additional money toward the ultimate cost. Construction of the facility is due to start in May 2014, with completion slated for July 2016. BC News Release
Laurentian exceeds $50-million fundraising goal with $64 million raised
Laurentian University has reached its target of raising $50 million ahead of schedule. The institution has raised $64 million, surpassing its goal, with the help of donations from private companies and individuals. Laurentian will continue its fundraising campaign until its conclusion at the end of March. The money will go toward numerous programs and projects, such as mining research, construction projects, graduate fellowships, and scholarships. CBC
Ontario teacher ed applications down nearly 15%
New figures from the Ontario Universities' Application Centre show that as of January 9, there are 25,315 applications to teacher education programs at Ontario universities, down 14.8% from the 29,708 applications recorded in January 2012. The number of applicants for this month totals 8,199, down from 9,638 a year ago. OUAC Teacher Education Application Statistics -- January 2013
OCUFA unveils "We Teach Ontario" campaign
The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations has launched a new initiative that celebrates how professors use research to enrich their students' learning and strengthen the province. The "We Teach Ontario" campaign features videos of faculty members who connect research and teaching to educate a new generation of communicators, leaders, thinkers, and scientists. Visitors to the campaign's website can share the videos, learn more about the work done by Ontario university professors, and share their own stories and reflections for others to read. OCUFA News | We Teach Ontario
StatsCan releases data on 2010-11 public PSE enrolments, 2010 graduates
Statistics Canada reports that just more than 1,955,300 students were enrolled in Canadian public PSE institutions during the 2010-11 academic year, a 2.7% increase from the previous year. Canadian students accounted for 91.5% of total enrolments and international students 8.5%. Enrolments rose in every province with the exception of New Brunswick and Saskatchewan, where they remained relatively stable. In 2010, nearly 447,700 students received a certificate, diploma, or degree from a public PSE institution, up by 4.1%. Statistics Canada
uSask opens Social Sciences Research Laboratories
On Tuesday, the University of Saskatchewan celebrated the official grand opening of its Social Sciences Research Laboratories (SSRL). The grand opening marked the completion of all 5 labs and the unit's general office, all located in uSask's Arts Building. The SSRL was made possible through a combined investment of more than $3.5 million from the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Saskatchewan government, and the university. A uSask graduate student says the SSRL played a pivotal role in attracting her to the institution, adding that she has learned a variety of skills she would not have learned otherwise, such as mentorship and data analysis. "These are all things I can put on my CV to set me apart from other candidates...and are transferable to a wide range of careers and other opportunities." uSask News Release
WEDC invests in equipment, upgrades at Camosun trades facility
Western Economic Diversification Canada announced Tuesday $2.56 million in federal funding for the Marine, Aerospace, and Resource Industry Centre for Training and Technology Support at Camosun College's new Trades Education and Innovation Facility. Federal funding will support the purchase and installation of marine, areospace, and trades equipment, and electrical service for new trades facilities at Camosun's Interurban campus. The funding will also be used to expand and upgrade Camosun's Technology Access Centre, which helps industries adopt and commercialize technologies. Camosun News | WEDC News Release | Victoria Times-Colonist
UNB establishes boundaries for Creighton Conservation Forest
The University of New Brunswick has set boundaries for its Creighton Conservation Forest (CCF) -- a portion of the university's heritage lands that was set aside for conservation in 2011 -- in the UNB Woodlot. The CCF advisory committee -- composed of faculty, students, UNB administration, and community members -- has allocated about half of the 3,800 acre woodlot to be protected from retail development, in perpetuity, and used for teaching, undergraduate research, and recreation. Forest management will continue in designated areas as a means of facilitating the teaching and research component. UNB News
US institutions design new accommodations to engage, retain students
With goals of encouraging an intellectual atmosphere, building relationships, and boosting students' involvement on campus -- and, ultimately, their retention rates -- PSE institutions across the US are turning to residence life. House systems, residential neighbourhoods, and living-learning programs, they hope, will link students' learning inside and outside of the classroom. The idea is to make a campus feel more intimate and to foster a seamless student experience. At a meeting this fall of the Association of College and University Housing Officers-International, delegates discussed a shift toward academic integration, moving more faculty presence, classrooms, and study space to where students reside. One example is Pennsylvania-based Franklin & Marshall College, which introduced a house system 2 years ago. Live-in faculty serve as "house dons," and students govern, budget, and program activities for their residences. First- and second-year student retention has since risen from 85% to 94%, according to the college. And the 5 new houses, each with its own crest and motto, have apparently helped make the institution more attractive to prospective students: applications have risen by 43% since the house system opened. The Chronicle of Higher Education (subscription required)
