Top Ten
March 21, 2017
National student groups call on Liberals to honour $50M pledge for Indigenous PSE
Leaders from the Canadian Federation of Students and the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations have called for the upcoming federal budget to fully fund post-secondary education for Indigenous Canadians. The call refers to a promise made by the Trudeau Liberals in 2015 to provide $50M to the Post-Secondary Student Support Program to assist Indigenous students pursuing PSE. “We know that words are not enough, we know that budgets are a reflection of the political priorities of the people who run our government,” said CFS National Chairperson Bilan Arte. CASA Executive Director Michael McDonald agreed that delivering on the promised Indigenous education fund is a must for the upcoming budget. iPolitics
Subway seeks $210M in damages from CBC over Trent-based chicken sandwich report
Subway has filed a lawsuit against the CBC seeking $210M in damages after a Marketplace report stated that 50% of the chicken used in the restaurant’s sandwiches is actually soy. Postmedia reports that CBC has been notified of the lawsuit but has not received a copy of it in writing. The Marketplace report drew its conclusions based on DNA testing performed by the Wildlife Forensic DNA Laboratory at Trent University. “We believe our journalism to be sound and there is no evidence that we’ve seen that would lead us to change our position,” a CBC spokeswoman told Postmedia. The Observer (Postmedia)
Sault makes $18.2M investment in new iE3 facility
Sault College is making an $18.2M investment into a new facility called the Institute of Environment, Education and Entrepreneurship (iE3), reports Northern Ontario Business. iE3 will reportedly support new programming in the areas of natural environment, geographic information systems, and information and communications technology, and connect the private sector with critical resources on-campus, including professors, technicians, and students. “That was the idea behind having these groups of people together, so that they can really benefit from their own specific knowledges,” said Sault Manager of Applied Research and Innovation John Coccimiglio. “Because oftentimes innovation happens at the interface between two disciplines.” Construction is slated to be complete by the summer of 2018. Northern Ontario Business
The “ticking time bomb” of student debt, unemployment
The combined problem of high student-debt loads and overqualified unemployment is “a ticking time bomb” for the country, writes Geoff Johnson in the Times Colonist. Johnson examines recent research into student debt as well as StatsCan data to convey a sense of the current situation faced by many young people. The article touches on recent initiatives by the government to increase the amount of student grants that do not need to be paid back, and examines how debt impacts young Canadians’ lives after PSE. Johnson concludes by citing Francis Fong, TD Bank Economist, who predicts that unless universities, employers, and the government work together, debt and unemployment among young Canadians presents a “ticking time bomb” for the country. Times Colonist
UQÀM, partners launch incubator dedicated to tourism, culture, entertainment
The Université de Québec à Montréal (UQAM) and its School of Management have partnered with Tourisme Montréal and the City of Montréal to create an incubator that will support entrepreneurs from the tourism, transport, culture, hotel, restaurant, and entertainment sectors. Going by the name MT Lab, the centre has been made possible in part by a $200K contribution from the City of Montreal. MT Lab will be located at UQÀM in the Pierre-Dansereau Science Complex at the heart of Montreal’s entertainment district. The incubator will offer start-ups a host of services such as conference areas and an open space for coworking with open access and mentoring. “A fine example of a university contribution to the vitality of its community, MT Lab will make the advanced expertise of UQAM and its School of Management available to start-ups, to foster innovation in key sectors of the Montréal economy,” said UQÀM Rector Robert Proulx. UQÀM
Algonquin, Arctic College sign letter of intent for collaboration
Nunavut Arctic College and Algonquin College have signed a letter of intent that will guide the two schools as they work to create new opportunities for cooperation and provide shared learning opportunities for both students and faculty members. An Algonquin release states that the letter solidifies the schools’ shared goal of providing programs that are reflective and inclusive of Indigenous peoples in Canada and that prepare a flexible and resilient workforce. “We are eager to collaborate with Nunavut Arctic College to provide students, both here in Ontario and also in Nunavut, with new opportunities,” said Algonquin President Cheryl Jensen. “These opportunities in education will help develop a skilled and engaged workforce that will contribute to our collective growth in today’s economy,” added Arctic College President Joe Adla Kunuk. Algonquin
Learning how to say “no” to extra demands on your time
“Early in my career, I struggled to say no,” writes Robin Bernstein for the Chronicle of Higher Education. The author notes that between committees, manuscripts, and “dozens of other tasks, large and small,” the pile of requests kept rising until the time finely came for Bernstein to say no. To this end, Bernstein offers five tips for refusing extra demands from peers in the workplace: volunteer someone else for the request; do not explain yourself, or conversely, explain yourself when you have an airtight reason for refusing a demand; set your own policies for accepting or rejecting requests; and finally, simply hit “delete” on email requests that are unreasonable or inappropriate. Chronicle
New anti-sexual violence campaign ask students to order an “Angelot” to leave bars safely
The Quebec Student Health Alliance has undertaken new efforts to convince student bars to join a campaign designed to help students escape potentially dangerous situations. Known as “order an Angelot,” the campaign aims to provide women and men who feel threatened at bars with an opportunity to leave safely. CBC explains that the Angelot is not a drink, but a code word that informs bar staff that the person ordering it may be in danger. Participating bars will train their staff to help students leave a bar safely, no questions asked, if the “drink” is ordered. CBC reports that the initiative is looking to replicate the success of similar campaigns in the US and Europe, and that the Health Alliance’s current goal is to recruit between 40 and 50 bars. CBC | Montreal Gazette | La Presse
Does Trump’s America signal “Canada’s Moment”?
“At a time when many American universities are reporting declines in applications from international students, some universities north of the border are seeing increases on the magnitude of 20% or more,” writes Elizabeth Redden for Inside Higher Ed. Redden lists several prominent Canadian universities that have seen applications from international students rise more than 20% over the past year. “It’s speculative at this point, and we’ll of course have to wait and see what happens in terms of enrollment, but there’s a lot of change in the world, and when there’s a lot of change, people will look for places that they would feel safe in and included,” says Richard Levin, the University of Toronto’s executive director of enrollment services and registrar. Inside Higher Ed
UPEI creates Indigenous advisory group in effort to address TRC recommendations
The University of Prince Edward Island announced last week that it plans to launch an Indigenous advisory group to support the school in honouring the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report. CBC reports that the purpose of the council is to guide, advise, and support the overall direction to be undertaken by UPEI to contribute to the reconciliation process through higher learning. “We must ensure that the perspectives of our Indigenous Peoples are included in the governance of the University,” says UPEI President Alaa Abd-El-Aziz. “This council will explore ideas and develop initiatives that enable the campus to change attitudes, so that Indigenous students at UPEI are welcomed and can thrive and achieve high levels of academic and personal success.” CBC
