Top Ten
September 8, 2017
Brampton, ON council gives support to $150M university plan
Brampton city council has taken an important step toward creating a new university campus in the city with the approval of $150M in funding for the project. $50M of the funds will be spent over ten years to create a postsecondary facility led by Ryerson University, while an additional $100M will be put toward a “joint-use centre for education, innovation and collaboration” in downtown Brampton. “Today, Brampton city council has demonstrated leadership and a commitment to the future of Brampton,” said Mayor Linda Jeffrey following the vote to approve the funds. The Toronto Star reports that details regarding timelines will be made at a later time. Toronto Star
University tuition fees rise an average of 3.1%: StatCan
University tuition fees have risen an average of 3.1% for undergraduate programs for the 2017-2018 academic year, according to Statistics Canada. While the cost of tuition depends on the program of study, average domestic tuition overall has increased to $6,571, and average international student tuition has risen 6.3% to $25,180 last year. “When post-secondary education is essential to pursue a decent quality of life, it's absurd that people should be denied that opportunity based on costs,” says Charlotte Kiddell, deputy chair of the Canadian Federation of Students. “Seventy per cent of new jobs in Canada require some form of post-secondary education and it is perpetuating a cycle of poverty to prevent the most marginalized in our communities from accessing education that should be a right.” CBC
Adult basic education enrolments in BC expected to rise with free tuition
Adult basic education enrolments in British Columbia are set to rebound with the reintroduction of tuition-free high school upgrading and English language classes, reports the Prince George Citizen. In 2014, the BC Liberals cut $6.9M from adult basic education programming at postsecondary institutions in BC and removed the tuition fee-free mandate. With the cutting of these tuition fees once again, however, adult students will no longer have to pay $1.6K per semester. “This is such great news for students who are wanting to get in the door,” says George Davison, president of the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC. “I congratulate the government. We now have to get the word out to colleges and universities in the province and see what they have to offer.” Prince George Citizen
Huron offers $60K scholarships to students affected by Trump’s DACA decision
Huron University College has announced that it is offering $60K scholarships to students affected by US President Donald Trump’s decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The program had previously allowed undocumented minor immigrants to receive work permits and avoid deportation in the US. “What a terrible circumstance. They're facing deportation, the end of their dreams and the end of their education,” said Huron Principal Barry Craig of those affected by the decision. “We want to do anything as a small school to demonstrate our commitment to a just society.” CBC | London Free Press | National Post
Lethbridge students to benefit from increased mental health support
The University of Lethbridge and Lethbridge College will receive a combined $1.2M each year for three years to support student mental health on campus. The funding comes as part of the Alberta government’s larger investment of $25.8M over the next three years to improve mental health at the province’s postsecondary institutions. “Our government’s increased investment in student mental health programs is an important commitment to help students succeed,” said AB Minister of Advanced Education Marlin Schmidt. “Mental health challenges have a significant impact on far too many students, and we are making these public investments so all students across the province have access to these programs when they need them.” Lethbridge Herald | Lethbridge College
Carleton creates Bachelor in Media Production and Design
The School of Journalism and Communication at Carleton University has announced the creation of a new Bachelor of Media Production and Design for the 2018-19 school year. A Carleton release notes that the degree comes “in response to the rapidly changing world of online journalism and multi-platform reporting,” and will draw on elements from Carleton’s journalism and information technology/interactive multimedia and design. “This degree will combine storytelling and the explanatory skills required in journalism with the design thinking and online production skills rooted in information technology programs,” says Chris Waddell, director of the Bachelor of Media Production and Design degree program. Carleton
First recommendations from AB higher ed review to come in fall 2017: Notley
The first recommendations stemming from Alberta’s review of its education funding are expected to arrive by this fall, says AB Premier Rachel Notley. Launched last year, the review has been examining issues such as tuition, student aid, and funding models for the province’s publicly funded PSE institutions. “We certainly hope to have a good sense of where we are going in time for the budget in 2018,” said Notley in a news conference on Wednesday. “I think it’s a question of finding the right balance. My view has always been tuition is an important thing for us to slowly try to bring down.” Notley would not speculate on whether her government was concerned about the impact of removing the province's current tuition freeze ahead of the 2019 election. Edmonton Journal
How universities respond to student suicide on campus
Student suicides are tragedies whose effects are felt deeply by all members of a university community, and they can also provoke anger from those who want schools to be more transparent about the issue, writes Jackie Wong. The author touches on the negative reaction that the University of Guelph received when it did not publish the name or cause of death for student who had committed suicide. Yet in many cases, schools let families decide what information they want to be publicly released about their family member’s suicide, explains Alison Burnett, a registered nurse who is UpGuelph’s director of student wellness. University Affairs
Examining the “mysterious” behaviour of dissertation committees
“Any committee assignment comes with its share of challenges,” writes an anonymous US professor, “but the dynamic of a dissertation committee accentuates some of the more subtle and nuanced ways in which faculty members exercise privilege, not only over students but over other committee members.” The author notes that in all of their experience as a professor, they have yet to come across a departmental or university description that clearly explains the roles of dissertation committee members. Further, the author notes that committee members can often give contradictory feedback, and can behave unprofessionally when put into a room together with a student. Chronicle of Higher Education
Two new programs offered at Collège Montmorency in 2018
Collège Montmorency has introduced two new programs in 2018. The technical programs have been developed to address urgent labour needs in Laval and the metropolitan area, according to Hervé Pilon, le directeur général of Collège Montmorency. The techniques d’éducation spécialisée program will equip students to provide a variety of rehabilitation and support services to people with physical or psychological disabilities, while the techniques d’intégration multimedia will allow students to access careers in professions related to interactive media and the internet. The article also states that the college has been granted permanent authorization to offer its nursing assistant program, which has been offered to three cohorts under an interim license. L’écho de Laval
