Top Ten
May 25, 2015
Dal releases report on restorative justice process
Dalhousie University has released a report from the restorative justice process implemented in response to a misogynistic Facebook group used by 13 of its dental students. The report includes statements from all participants in the process, including both male and female students; a timeline of the process; an account of the investigation; an examination of the climate and culture in the faculty; and ideas to create a safer, more inclusive environment on campus. The report notes that the content posted to the Facebook group reflected similar attitudes within the Faculty of Dentistry itself, and recommends five key areas of focus to improve the situation. The report also says that the men involved have accepted responsibility for their actions and learned from the justice process. Full Report | CBC (1) | CBC (2) | Global News
Review of uSask’s public health school recommends merger
A group of external reviewers has issued a report on the state of the School of Public Health (SPH) at the University of Saskatchewan that suggests a merger with a similar university department is needed. uSask is now forming a task force to determine next steps. The report suggests that the SPH has strayed from its original mission and is not working well with internal or external bodies. Four options are presented to address the issues, three of which include merging the SPH with the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology in some way. A letter from 15 SPH professors written in response to the report supports a merger, noting that it may provide more accreditation opportunities and facilitate better collaboration with other disciplines. Former SPH Executive Director Robert Buckingham was removed from his position after speaking out about uSask’s TransformUS plan, which recommended merging the school with another department. StarPhoenix
MRU to use crowdfunding for faculty projects, research
Faculty at Mount Royal University will this fall be able to use crowdfunding to support research, study-abroad initiatives, or special projects with students. MRU will use the USEED platform, which is dedicated to funding projects in higher education and boasts a 93% success rate, to launch the initiative. Ray DePaul, Director of MRU's Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, noted that crowdfunding projects at the University of Alberta have seen two-thirds of funding come from new donors to the university. The crowdfunding is not meant to replace but to supplement traditional fundraising, said Buffy St-Amand, MRU’s Manager of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving. Metro News
NDP reportedly doesn't believe universities are neutral enough for leaders' debates
The Huffington Post reports that Anne McGrath, National Campaign Director for the federal New Democrats, has suggested that Canada's universities are not neutral enough to host the leaders' debates in the lead-up to the next election. A source told the Huffington Post that "the NDP had the same concern as the Conservatives, in that the venues proposed are universities. The NDP's argument was that universities are not really neutral." The Conservatives had previously suggested that universities presented crowd-control issues. A spokesperson for the NDP refused to comment on the report, and said that party leader Tom Mulcair was willing to "debate the Prime Minister anytime, anywhere." Huffington Post
PEI Nurses' Union calls for action to recruit, retain RNs
The Prince Edward Island Nurses' Union is calling on the province to do a better job of recruiting and retaining registered nurses. Union President Mona O'Shea said that many nurses are overworked, burned out, and frustrated. The problem is so acute that Health PEI was reportedly forced to shut down the emergency room at Kings County Memorial Hospital for a few hours over the May long weekend. Health PEI's Chief Nursing Officer Brenda Worth said that her organization is working to keep nursing graduates in PEI, and that about 80% of recent graduates have stayed in the province. CBC
Ian Telfer commits $2 M to uOttawa business school
Ian Telfer pledged to donate $2 M to his namesake business school at the University of Ottawa. "Being a donor is very rewarding and it really keeps you connected to your alma mater," Telfer said. This donation follows a $25 M naming gift provided by Telfer in 2007, reportedly the largest private naming gift ever made to a Canadian business school. Telfer also joined the cabinet of the University of Ottawa's "Defy the Conventional" fundraising campaign. "Ian Telfer understands the positive and transformative impact of philanthropy," said uOttawa President Allan Rock. uOttawa News Release
MUN releases new strategic plan for Grenfell campus
Memorial University has released a new strategic plan that will guide its Grenfell campus for the next five years. The plan, Vision 20/20, builds on MUN’s “commitment to student-centred and sustainability-driven approaches,” and was developed over a two-year period in consultation with staff, faculty, students, and the community. There are six themes explored in the plan, three of which align with MUN’s three frameworks—teaching and learning, research, and engagement. The other three areas of focus are recruitment and retention, satisfaction and fulfillment, and efficiency and accountability. Each theme consists of a number of broad goals that the university community will strive to achieve in the next five years. MUN News | Strategic Plan
uWindsor's Odette School earns AACSB accreditation
The University of Windsor's Odette School of Business has earned accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), an international organization dedicated to management education. Less than 5% of the world's 13,000 business schools have earned this designation. "This achievement results directly from the hard work and dedication of our exceptional faculty, staff and students.” said Allan Conway, Dean of Odette. “It’s an exciting time for us at Odette and we are committed to continuing to provide our students an outstanding and incomparable business education experience.” uWindsor News Release
Kellogg-Schulich EMBA ranked fifth in the world
The Economist has released its second bi-annual ranking of executive MBA programs. The magazine ranked the Kellogg-Schulich program, a partnership between York University and Northwestern University, fifth in the world. The rankings consider two major categories: personal development and career development. Kellogg-Schulich finished second and tenth in these categories, respectively. The program also finished second in the world in the sub-categories of program quality, student diversity, and networking, and third in career progression. YorkU News Release | Full Rankings
Ryerson student affairs team road trips to this year's CACUSS conference
Six student affairs professionals from Ryerson University hopped in an RV to make their way to this year's Canadian Association of College and University Student Services (CACUSS) conference, which began yesterday in Vancouver. The trip took them across two countries, three provinces, and seven states; along the way, they stopped by six universities as well. The team used the journey as an opportunity to reflect on personal and professional issues that affect them as student affairs professionals. The entire trek was chronicled on a blog as well as on Twitter under the hashtag #RoadToCACUSS. Ryerson Student Affairs Blog | RoadToCACUSS.ca
