Top Ten
May 2, 2016
Canadian universities still lacking women leaders, presidents say
Newfoundland and Labrador student groups have demanded that the province clearly state how its fiscal planning will impact the College of the North Atlantic. CBC reports that rumours have been circulating about the uncertain future of the college, rumours that last week prompted the Canadian Federation of Students to demand an answer on whether “the Liberal government [is] planning to close rural CNA campuses as part of their ongoing attack on public education.” NL has stated that it will soon initiate a review of the college’s position that is slated to be completed in fall 2016, at which point the province will publish any decisions relating to the college’s future. Globe and Mail
Student groups ask NL to comment on future of CNA
Newfoundland and Labrador student groups have demanded that the province clearly state how its fiscal planning will impact the College of the North Atlantic. CBC reports that rumours have been circulating about the uncertain future of the public college, rumours that last week prompted the Canadian Federation of Students to demand a clear answer on whether “the Liberal government [is] planning to close rural CNA campuses as part of their ongoing attack on public education.” NL has stated that it will soon initiate a review of the college’s position that is slated to be completed in fall 2016, at which point the province will publish any decisions relating to the college’s future. CBC
Would a Brexit drive more international students to Canada?
A British exit from the European Union would not cut off the flow of international students studying in Britain, writes the ICEF Monitor, but it would almost certainly make countries like Australia or Canada more attractive academic destinations. As long as the UK remains in the EU, students coming from continental Europe are treated as domestic students, paying the same fees and enjoying the same access to financial aid as UK-born students. Those supports could disappear if Britain leaves the EU, however, and according to EU Campaign Manager for Universities UK Lucy Shackleton, “nobody is arguing that all 125,000 of our EU students will suddenly cease coming to the UK. But if we make things harder for them then a lot of them will certainly look to countries like Australia and Canada.” ICEF Monitor
Trent Alumnus gifts $1.5 M to International Institute for Environmental Studies
Trent University alumnus Justin Chiu Kwok Hung has made a “transformational gift” of $1.5 M to support the new International Institute for Environmental Studies at Trent, in partnership with Nanjing University. This institute reportedly brings international experts together to solve environmental issues, and will involve more than 14 universities with leading programs in environmental science, engineering, and policy. “IIES has the potential to transform Trent’s reputation and impact in the area of international environmental science and policy,” added IIES Director Douglas Evans, “Dr. Chiu’s generous support has helped make the development of this Institute possible.” Trent
Université de Québec leaders are “grossly underpaid,” says network president
Presidents in the Université du Québec network are “grossly underpaid” compared to their peers at other QC institutions, according to UQAM board president Lise Bissonette. According to Bissonette, she earns less than half the salary of her counterpart at Concordia University, and $100 K less than the president of Bishop’s University, despite the fact that UQAM enrolls nearly 20 times the number of students. Bisonette argues that these “unbearable distortions” are part of a deeper problem in QC postsecondary education, which is the effective existence of two separate university systems. While the province sets the salaries for presidents in the UQAM network, universities outside the network can have their boards approve salary increases for presidents without government approval. Bissonnette concludes that “when determining the compensation of presidents, there really is a double standard, and that's obvious.” La Presse
Faculty Association accuses UPEI of laying the groundwork for lockout
The Faculty Association at the University of Prince Edward Island has filed an unfair labour practice complaint, alleging that the university has undertaken collective bargaining in bad faith. The university has acknowledged the complaint and indicated that it will contest the complaint with PEI’s Labour Relations Board. UPEI has reportedly requested the appointment of a conciliator for the process and has replied that it is making “every reasonable effort” to reach an agreement. Yet according to the Guardian, the Faculty Association insists that UPEI “seems bent on creating the conditions for a lockout.” The Guardian Charlottetown (1) | The Guardian Charlottetown (2) | CBC
Examining the dark side of “character education”
The concept of “character education” might be gaining in popularity among educators, writes David Matthews for Times Higher Education, but the practice runs a major risk of overshadowing the grim realities of inequality. The concept of character education is premised on the idea that teaching students to have an optimistic “growth mindset” can increase social mobility for students from challenging backgrounds. Yet for Matthews, this premise avoids the more challenging question of “how do you engender a positive outlook in students without gliding over the fact that things will be harder, perhaps much harder, for some of them because of their background?” While Matthews admits to the benefits of believing in one’s ability to achieve anything, he adds that, “the problem is, in many cases, it’s simply not true.” Times Higher Education
Confederation to build wellness centre, new facilities with $3 M from ON
Ontario has announced that it is expanding higher education opportunities in Northwestern Ontario through a $3 M investment in Confederation College. Confederation’s Thunder Bay campus will be able to build a Student Wellness Centre with $2 M in funding from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation. The Sioux Lookout campus will be receiving $1 M to develop a new facility within the Sioux Lookout High School that will reportedly enable the college to expand its enrolment and program offerings by sharing resources with the high school. “The younger students will see the opportunities of going to (college) as literally walking right down the hall into a different location,” said Confederation President Jim Madder of the new Sioux Lookout facilities. ON | TB News Watch
New “treasure trove” of research helps assess the impact of libraries
A new US-based study offers a “treasure trove” of ideas for assessing the impact of libraries, writes Barbara Fister for Inside Higher Ed. Titled Assessment in Action, the project involved over 200 institutions to see how libraries contribute to student learning and how that contribution can be measured. Among the project’s most significant findings was the positive impact that libraries play in helping students make it through their first year of higher education. Fister also reports that many of the project's participating institutions found that students saw noticeable benefits when libraries partnered with other offices to create additional resources such as writing centres and enrichment programs. Inside Higher Ed | Report
