Top Ten
May 29, 2018
U of T interdisciplinary program receives $1M donation
Victoria College at the University of Toronto has received a $1M donation from Bader Philanthropies. A U of T release states that the gift will support upper-year undergraduates conducting humanities and social science research through the College’s Scholars-in-Residence program, which features hands-on instruction in research techniques and multidisciplinary workshops. “The Scholars-in-Residence program, which spurs intellectual curiosity, complements the bricks and mortar that bear our family’s name,” stated Daniel J. Bader, President and CEO of Bader Philanthropies. According to U of T, the College received 1,000 applications for the program’s 50 openings in 2017.
Confederation, SaskPolytech sign five-year partnership for Indigenous research
Confederation College and Saskatchewan Polytechnic have signed a letter of intent to work together on new initiatives in Indigenous research over the next five years. “We have long endeavoured to contribute to the advancement of Indigenous education,” stated Confederation President Jim Madder. “This partnership will enable us to further support our Indigenous and other learners, while sharing with and learning from equally committed colleagues. We anticipate great benefits for both of our institutions through our work together.” According to a joint release, the collaboration will be led by SaskPolytech’s Director of Indigenous Strategy Jason Seright and Confederation’s VP of the Centre for Policy and Research in Indigenous Learning S Brenda Small.
Dal opens $23M fitness centre
Dalhousie University has unveiled its new, $23M fitness centre. A Dal release states that the Dalplex features four purpose-built fitness studios, three locker rooms, and 74 pieces of new cardio equipment. “It’s been a truly collaborative effort that has required a ton of passion, commitment and relentless effort,” said Tim Maloney, executive director of Athletics and Recreation. According to the release, Dal students agreed to help fund the centre through a new student fee of $180 per year to be implemented in September of 2018.
Students can benefit from “gap” year: Sylvester
In an interview with CBC, Cam Sylvester, North American Regional Director of Lattitude Global Volunteering, stated that some students can benefit from a year off between high school and university, or at some point during their university careers. “We don't give kids much time to think about who they are and where they're going to go. They've been told by most of their counsellors they've got to go right into university, their parents are telling them that,” said Sylvester, citing higher GPAs, lower dropout rates, and quicker completion rates as some of the potential benefits of taking a gap year. CBC states that volunteering, working, or taking time to think about future opportunities are popular options for a gap year.
BC invests $1.2M in nurse practitioner programs at three universities
British Columbia’s NDP government will spend $1.2M to boost the number of available seats for nurse practitioner training by 66% at the University of British Columbia, University of Victoria, and the University of Northern British Columbia, reports KelownaNow. "We know that there are significant numbers of British Columbians who have inadequate access to a primary care provider," said Minister of Health Adrian Dix. "NPs are a viable, patient-centred solution to improving access, but we know that compared to other jurisdictions, B.C. has not made the best use of NPs.” The boost to nurse practitioner education funding is part of a $115M initiative to create 200 more NP positions across the province, KelownaNow adds.
Windsor, St Clair in talks for mixed-use, downtown facility
The Windsor Star reports that the City of Windsor is in discussions with St Clair College about building a mixed-use library and a new student residence in the downtown core. “We’re going to have new intake so there’s certainly an opportunity if someone is interested in building a residence,” said St Clair President Patti France. According to the Star, about 9,000 students attended St Clair in the Fall, and that number is expected to rise to 11,000 in the upcoming year. CBC reported that St. Clair recently sought 500 beds to accommodate student overflow in Windsor.
Carleton, CUASA reach tentative agreement
A Carleton University release states that the university and the Carleton University Academic Staff Association, which represents 900 professors, instructors, and librarians, have arrived at a tentative Collective Agreement. The details of the agreement will be disclosed following a ratification vote by the union, adds Carleton. According to the Ottawa Citizen, CUASA representatives felt that Carleton’s request for a conciliator in early May would trigger a lockout, an allegation that the university denied. Salary, the wording of the pension plan, and pay equity for female professors were major areas of concern for the union, the Citizen adds.
Multi-partner initiative provides Red Seal training for Mi’kmaw community
An initiative by several community partners including the Mi’kmaw Economic Benefits Office of Nova Scotia, St. Francis Xavier University, and Nova Scotia Community College will provide apprenticeship training and work experience for Red Seal carpentry certification, an NS release states. The release adds that students began their workplace training in the spring, and that the remainder of the program will alternate between classroom and hands-on experience. “We have developed a truly innovative initiative that addresses multiple needs in our communities, made possible by leveraging partnerships and programs available within our province,” said Alex Paul, Executive Director of the Mi’kmaw Economic Benefits Office of NS.
Aurora introduces tuition-free geoscience program
Aurora College has launched a tuition-free program that trains assistants for geoscientists. CBC reports that the Geoscience Field Assistant Training Program consists of five weeks of in-class training, followed by 160 hours of paid, on-site training offered by mining companies working in partnership with Aurora. “There's sort of a gap in expertise,” said Kumari Karunaratne, Acting Director of the Northwest Territories Geological Survey. “We've got lots of geologists looking for work, and we have people that have good on-the-land skills, but [are] not necessarily geared towards geoscience work.” According to CBC, the territorial government, the Mine Training Society, Aurora, and the local mining industry have funded the program.
Facing shortage of space, supports, CEGEP eyes student spaces for mental health facilities
The Journal de Montréal reports that Le Collège Ahuntsic is struggling to meet a 33% jump in demand for mental health supports over the last three years. Ahuntsic states that it will hire nine additional mental health workers over the next year, but that the CEGEP is also in need of additional space. Ahuntsic’s Director of Communications, Éric Léveillé, stated that the CEGEP is eyeing several spaces to accommodate service expansion, all of which are presently used by l’Association générale des étudiants du Collège Ahuntsic. Rizwan Khan, president of the Association, criticized the decision, stating that although the school critically needs better mental health supports, students also rely on the services currently in place.
