Top Ten
March 8, 2016
Yukon, uRegina, offer new after degree pathway
Yukon College and the University of Regina have expanded their Bachelor of Education/Yukon Native Teacher Education Pathway to offer a new after degree pathway. The new degree will enable the program to fill the spaces created in upper years by low enrolment and student status changes. "We deeply value our longstanding relationship with Yukon College in teacher education and are thrilled to partner with them on the delivery of the after degree program,” said uRegina Faculty of Education Dean Jennifer Tupper. “This has been something potential applicants to the program have wanted for some time and we are pleased that our request to the University of Regina Senate to create a more flexible and diverse program has been approved,” added Yukon Dean of Applied Arts Andrew Richardson. Yukon
Northern ON colleges collaborate on local jobs for grads
Six colleges in northern Ontario are collaborating on StayNorth, a program that helps new graduates find full-time work in the local region instead of pursuing jobs in southern ON. The program is a part of the Study North Initiative by Confederation College, Sault College, College Boreal, Cambrian College, Northern College, and Canadore College. “Employers can have difficulty finding qualified employees and new grads aren’t always sure how to go about finding employment in their field,” says StayNorth Employment Liaison Officer Alex Rogerson, "StayNorth helps on both counts." Rogerson emphasized the importance of giving students who learn in northern Ontario the opportunity to practice their skills in the region. CBC | NetNewsLedger
SaskPolytech, SASTT sign MOU supporting careers in technology
Saskatchewan Polytechnic and Saskatchewan Applied Science Technologists and Technicians have signed a memorandum of agreement to continue supporting and promoting careers in technology. SaskPolytech and SASTT work together to ensure that the current curriculum matches industry needs. The partnership also offers students the opportunity to earn either an Applied Science Technologist or Certified Technician professional designation through SASTT, and develops and promotes careers in applied science and engineering technology. “Saskatchewan Polytechnic believes in the value of collaboration,” said SaskPolytech President Larry Rosia. “A continued relationship promotes both institutions in areas of safety and professionalism.” SaskPolytech
UNB, STU students respond to warnings about drink spiking
University officials at the University of New Brunswick and St Thomas University have warned students to take precautions after receiving “disclosures from students of suspected drink-spiking incidents that have resulted in emergency room care.” Some UNB students took issue with the perceived focus of the emailed precautions, however, as one student explained their concerns that the email “didn’t mention that sexual assault is illegal, ... [or] what UNB’s response would be if they found out that one of their students was participating in it, so it was just missing a lot of information that was really necessary.” According to CTV, STU amended its message after seeing the negative reaction to UNB's message, taking care to specify that “drink spiking is illegal and any onus is not being placed on potential victims.” CTV (1) | CTV (2) | CBC | Global News
Canadian institutions slow to implement stand-alone sexual assault policies
Many Canadian institutions still lack vital stand-alone sexual assault policies, say policy advocates, policies allegedly in place at only two dozen Canadian universities and colleges. “Administrations have made it very clear to us as students that they're more interested in protecting their bottom line and their reputation than they are in actually protecting the campus community,” said Canadian Federation of Students National Chairwoman Bilan Arte. According to the article, stand-alone policies are important because they differentiate between sexual assault and other forms of misconduct, clearly outline procedures for handling complaints and providing services for victims, and help reduce underreporting. Globe and Mail (CP)
YorkU receives funding to develop mental health virtual community
York University has received over $898 K in funding and contributions from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and other industry partners to research and develop the Mindfulness Virtual Community. The researchers believe that this online program will increase student access to resources, as the stigma of mental health issues reportedly makes many students reluctant to pursue these resources in-person. YorkU Professor Christo El Morr, one of the researchers for the project, explains that “the goal [of the project] is to improve the mental health of students, in relation to experiences of stress, anxiety or depression through a supportive online community.” YorkU | COU
NS to hire 150 university students for summer 2016
Nova Scotia has announced that it will create 150 summer jobs across the province that will be open to PSE students, providing them with the income and experience necessary for permanent, full-time jobs after graduation. According to NS Public Service Commission Minister Labi Kousoulis, this new offering is double what the province had available last year. "These jobs help [students] gain valuable work experience and earn money for school," said Kousoulis, "They benefit and so do we – through the creativity, new ideas and enthusiasm they bring to the workplace." The announced jobs will range from clerical work and research to tourism, and the province is set to provide $12.50 to $22 per hour to support the positions. NS | CBC
All new college fees should be reviewed, BC students say
Student leaders say that the ministry should review the way that institutions intend to use proposed fee increases in order to prevent institutions from circumventing the tuition cap. The Canadian Federation of Students reported that at least five BC schools had proposed fees outside the 2% cap. CFS-BC Secretary-Treasurer Jenelle Davies expressed hope that the ministry would investigate every fee increase, explaining that if student fees increase without any new offerings or curriculum changes, “that’s a tuition fee increase. But you know you can’t put through a tuition fee increase, so you’re just implementing a new fee to make the difference up.” Vancouver Sun
Degree pay-off relies on socioeconomic status
University acceptance may not be the ticket to success that students from a disadvantaged socioeconomic background anticipate it to be, writes Olivia Goldhill for Quartz. Goldhill discusses how students from a lower income background get a lesser "Bachelor's bump" in their earnings than their wealthier counterparts upon graduating from college. "Not only do poorer kids earn far less than their wealthier counterparts," writes Goldhill, "but their proportional salary increase compared to those from a similar background with no college degree is also far less," highlighting how the income gap between these two groups widens throughout their careers. Quartz
New SAT test administered to US students
The redesigned version of the SAT was recently administered to US college applicants for the first time. According to the College Board, the SAT was redesigned with the intent to “provide a more accurate measure of a student’s college and career readiness.” The new SAT no longer penalizes respondents for guessing, and now requires students to analyze text instead of responding to open-ended questions. The writing section is also optional. As a result of the revisions, the top score for the SAT has returned to 1600 points from 2400. According to Inside Higher Ed, the College Board and Khan Academy now offer free preparation assistance for the SAT in order to minimize socio-economic advantages. Inside Higher Ed | NPR
