Top Ten
July 6, 2018
UBC’s Museum of Anthropology receives $1.1M collection of unique Northwest Coast art
The Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia will now be home to a diverse new collection of Northwest Coast art valued at $1.1M. The significant collection of Northwest Coast metalwork, carved masks, weavings, totem poles, and other unique items comes from the estate of late Calgary philanthropist Margaret Perkins Hess. “UBC is honoured and delighted that Margaret Hess has entrusted MOA with this remarkable collection of Indigenous art,” said UBC President Santa J Ono. “These works will not only enhance MOA’s collection of Northwest Coast art, but will foster greater awareness and understanding of Indigenous cultures for our campus community, museum visitors and the wider B.C. community.” UBC
McGill prof sues student and colleague for $600K
A professor at McGill university has leveled a $600K lawsuit against a student and colleague for defamation, reports CBC. Ahmed Fekry Ibrahim, a contract professor in McGill’s Institute for Islamic Studies, has stated that a student and a colleague set out to destroy his career after he engaged in a consensual relationship with another student. “He is now considered a sexual abuser, a harasser, a rapist and a shady individual,” the lawsuit says. Ibrahim’s lawyer told CBC that institutions need to establish a clear code of conduct for professors. CBC adds that neither of the defendants were available for comment. CBC
Financial aid is about creating space for deep thought: Johnson
Those who work in higher ed’s financial aid field understand that for many, deep thought is a luxury good, writes Eric Johnson. The author notes that while having extra money does not necessarily make a person smarter, it does give them the space to think about things other than money and the immediate needs of survival. It is this crucial point that forms the true basis of financial aid, Johnson notes, concluding that, “the goal of effective aid isn’t just to cover the bare minimum college costs, but to give low-income students the freedom to be students.” Chronicle of Higher Education
UoGuelph receives $1.5M in federal grants
The University of Guelph has received $1.5M from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council to support research projects that focus on water arrangements between First Nations and Ontario municipalities, the history of oral health, urban social interactions, connections between language and sexism, and the relationship between voice tone and national identity. The water arrangement project, which was awarded $371K, will assess the viability of water sharing as a possible solution to drinking water issues on reserves. “On many First Nations reserves across Canada, lack of safe drinking water is a chronic problem,” said Brady Deaton, a professor in UoGuelph's Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics. Nation Talk
NLC, Keyano introduce Early Learning and Child Care Diploma program
Northern Lakes College and Keyano College have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to offer an Early Learning and Child Care Diploma program to the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Alberta. Education News Canada states that the program will be offered online through Northern Lakes, although it will be delivered in Keyano’s service region. Students will receive campus supports and services from Keyano. “We are very pleased to work in partnership with Northern Lakes College to offer the option of a diploma program for our learners in the Wood Buffalo region,” said Vincella Thompson, Dean of the School of University Studies, Career Programs and Academic Upgrading at Keyano. Education News Canada
Law societies must deny TWU accreditation: Shefman
Now that Canada’s Supreme Court has ruled that the law societies of British Columbia and Ontario can deny accreditation to Trinity Western University’s proposed law school, other law societies must follow suit as a matter of ethical principle, writes Corey Shefman. The author goes on to recount his experience at the Law Society of Manitoba’s Annual General Meeting, at which he stated that “approving and accrediting TWU's law school demeans our profession and will diminish public confidence in the administration of justice.” The MB society’s refusal to intervene in the accreditation process, argues Shefman, was tantamount to denying the right of legal representation to LGBTQ people. CBC
VIU introduces resource management program for First Nations
Vancouver Island University has partnered with local First Nations communities to introduce the First Nations Stewardship Technicians Training Program. A VIU release explains that the program provides specialized training in resource management. “[The Program] is another step in the Nations being able to assert their rights and title in their territories, having a better idea of what’s going on as well as being able to educate the public on whose territory they are in,” stated Greg Johnson, former Community Co-ordinator of the Stewardship Technician Training Program with Nanwakolas Council. The program’s credits can be applied to an undergraduate degree or the BC Parks Administration Certificate. VIU
Centennial collaborates with Restaurants Canada to help foster more inclusive workplaces
Centennial College and Restaurants Canada have collaborated for over a year to create a guide that will help foodservice employers foster a more respectful work environment. Titled “How to Create a Positive and Inclusive Workplace,” the guide will help operators recognize opportunities within their organizations to make positive change, with practical tips and best-in-class examples from some of the industry’s leaders. “Creating a positive and inclusive workplace isn’t just the right thing,” said Restaurants Canada President and CEO Shanna Munro. “It creates a culture of trust, transparency and establishes a positive and engaging workplace, which is a great way to attract and retain talent. In today’s market, positive word of mouth is crucial to business growth and success.” Globe Newswire
Law firm launches class action suit against medical doctor, UOttawa
CBC reports that Flaherty McCarthy LLP has announced a class action lawsuit against the University of Ottawa and Vincent Nadon, a doctor at UOttawa Health Services. According to the statement of claim, Nadon allegedly filmed patients without their consent during medical procedures. Candace Mak, a lawyer with Flaherty McCarthy, told CBC that the firm named UOttawa in the suit because students should have felt safe going to a clinic at the university. UOttawa has responded that it is not directly connected to UOttawa Health Services. “The university intends to defend this action,” said UOttawa spokesperson Isabelle Mailloux Pulkinghorn. CBC | Ottawa Citizen
Bringing your children on an overseas sabbatical
“Without question, and I mean without question, I would have been far more productive without children,” writes Yasmine Kalkstein of her experience bringing her family with her on a sabbatical to Israel. However, the author adds that doing so provided her the opportunity to fully immerse herself in the culture of her destination country. “The truth is that nothing tells you about a country’s culture as much as learning how children are raised in it,” Kalkstein notes before offering tips on how to go about the process. First, she recommends preparing children for what to expect prior to departure for the new country, and second, she recommends making an extra effort to do fun things with one’s children to help them learn to love their new surroundings. Inside Higher Ed
