Top Ten
November 2, 2018
Ivey opens Robert Stuebing Recruiting Centre with $1M gift
Western University’s Ivey Business School has unofficially opened the Robert Stuebing Recruiting Centre. The new space is dedicated to Ivey’s Career Management programming and interview schedules, and was made possible through a leadership donation from Robert and Eileen Stuebing. “There is no question Ivey has been instrumental in my success,” said Bob Stuebing. “My career had started well, but Ivey was like the second stage of a rocket that propelled me to greater heights.” The donation supported the construction and operating costs of the permanent space, and will help support Ivey’s leadership in placing business school talent with top firms around the world. Western
SaskPolytech sees 14 programs receive accreditation from Technology Accreditation Canada
14 engineering technology and applied science programs at Saskatchewan Polytechnic have received certificates from Technology Accreditation Canada. The school reports that the audit of each program involved interviews with employers of graduates, alumni and students. “Accrediting fourteen programs is an incredible achievement and we congratulate Saskatchewan Polytechnic, its administration and faculty,” says TAC Executive Director Richard Stamper. “National program accreditation signifies an alignment of these programs with the current standards of the profession and clearly demonstrates the polytechnic’s leadership and commitment to its students, faculty, industry and government.” SaskPolytech
Coast-to-coast, Canadian institutions roll out new mental health initiatives
Several postsecondary institutions in Canada have recently introduced new health and wellness initiatives for students. Athabasca University students will have 24/7 access to mental health and wellness supports through Homewood Health. Additionally, AU states that its new Wellness Support Program will offer counselling, coaching, information, and support. Students at every university in Nova Scotia, as well as Nova Scotia Community College, now have access to HealthyMindsNS, an online tool that offers peer support and professional telephone counselling. UBC Okanagan, meanwhile, is piloting a walk-in clinic that will provide “mental health checkups” without an appointment. AU | CBC (NS) | UBCO
UAlberta ESRM program to create safer workplaces with support of $400K donation from Chevron
The University of Alberta’s Engineering Safety and Risk Management program will have new resources to help create accident-free workplaces and reliable infrastructure, thanks to a $400K donation from Chevron Canada. UAlberta reports that the investment will advance academic excellence in safety by teaching future engineers how to better include safety and risk management practices in their professional activities. “Through its support Chevron is ensuring that soon, all of our engineering undergraduates will complete their degree with core courses in ESRM, creating a culture of safety here in Alberta and beyond,” said Fraser Forbes, dean of engineering at the University of Alberta. “This generous support enables us to further develop our curriculum to prepare our students to practice their profession through the lens of safety and risk management.” UAlberta
NSCC issues apology for racist, stereotype image on classroom door at Burridge Campus in Yarmouth
Nova Scotia Community College has issued an apology for a racist image on a classroom door at Burridge Campus. The Chronicle Herald reports that the image, which featured a scantily-dressed Black woman holding a baby, a cigarette, and a coffee cup, also bore a caption that read “How not to ECE (Early Childhood Educate).” Educator Vanessa Fells stated that when news of the image broke “there were 100 black teachers who were extremely, extremely angry and upset that that would be posted on a door at a facility that is supposed to be of higher learning.” In a statement, NSCC called the image “unacceptable,” and said that the incident is under investigation. The Chronicle Herald
ULeth, Lethbridge College launch major in Agricultural Enterprise Management
The University of Lethbridge and Lethbridge College have announced the launch of a new major in Agricultural Enterprise Management. The major will be funded by a $5M gift from Cor Van Raay and matching funds from the Government of Alberta. “We are focused on business innovations, such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning and big data,” says uLethbridge Dhillon Associate Dean Shamsul Alam, “and many of these innovations will help keep our food production safe and nutritious.” The program was developed in an integrated manner by the college and university. Students will have the opportunity to exit the program with diplomas or to complete a four-year degree. ULethbridge
UWaterloo says national security guidance needed in protecting international research
In response to concerns raised in a recent Globe and Mail article over collaborations with Chinese military researchers, the University of Waterloo has stated that it will act on concerns provided that the warning comes from the federal government. The university noted that researchers collaborate with scientists around the globe, and that it is not equipped to make assessments of the impact of that work on national security. “Issues of national security or immigration, those things are the mandate of the federal government,” said UWaterloo Director of Media Relations Matthew Grant. “If there were a national security concern, we'd expect we'd receive advice from the federal government. And we'd absolutely follow it.” CBC
UAlberta Augustana dedicates Learning Commons to late alumna
The University of Alberta Augustana has dedicated its Learning Commons to the memory of Rashmi Bale, an alumna who passed away in 2017. “Rashmi showed immense commitment to friends, campus activities and her role with the Augustana Student’s Association due to an eagerness to support, sometimes beyond her capabilities," said Bale's father, Ravi Bale. "The Learning Commons embodies her personality in that it fosters interaction and seeks to provide assistance, just as Rashmi did.” A UAlberta release states that Bale, who earned a Bachelor of Management in 2015 and a law degree from the University of Leicester, committed her life to children and defending the innocent. A donation from Bale’s parents, Ravi and Rajni, helped to establish the Rashmi Bale Learning Commons and create a bursary in her honour. UAlberta Augustana
More than half of all Canadian profs are on contract: study
According to a new study by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, more than half of all faculty who work for the study’s participating universities consist of contract labour. The Vancouver Sun states that the study is the first to produce a data-driven analysis of faculty labour in Canada. Chandra Pasma, who coauthored the study, told the Sun that the data points to a deep structural mechanism that determines university hiring practices. “This isn’t about short-term needs. It’s not about quick responses to sudden changes in the market such as enrolment demands,” she said. “This is a permanent, long-term way of filling positions on a temporary basis.” Pasma added that although she requested employment data from all 78 publicly funded universities in Canada, she had to settle on a data set of 67. Vancouver Sun | Toronto Star
UBC responds to economics prof’s claim that international students are displacing domestic peers
UBC has issued a response to an op-ed by Peter Wylie, an associate professor in Economics, that claims international students are displacing their domestic peers, and that international applicants enjoy a lower minimum GPA cutoff. According to UBC, Wylie’s claims are incorrect. International and domestic students are drawn from different pools, UBC explains, and the BC government provides UBC with funding to enroll the equivalent of 42,424 students. While the government does not fund international students, international student fees fund on-campus services and supports. UBC adds that the minimum admissions averages between internationals and domestics are nearly identical, and that the average grade for international admissions in 2018 was slightly higher than domestic admissions. Vancouver Sun| UBC
