Top Ten
October 22, 2019
BC invests over $3M to create 418 openings in health care assistant programs
The Government of British Columbia has announced it will be funding the creation of 418 new health care assistant seats in 14 postsecondary institutions across the province. The funding is part of BC’s plan to strengthen supports to available to seniors through a $1B investments over three years. “[The creation of these seats] will help people get trained for some of the most important and in-demand jobs in our province, making sure British Columbians get the quality care they need and deserve,” said BC Minister of Health Adrian Dix. NationTalk
Conestoga launches new BCS program, offers experiential sector-relevant learning
Conestoga College has launched a four-year Bachelor of Computer Science (Honours) program that will feature multidisciplinary curriculum and experiential learning to prepare graduates for their careers. Students enrolled in the program will be able to choose from four approved streams: cybersecurity, big data analysis, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things. “Through industry partnerships, students will have access to one of the fastest growing tech sectors in North America to collaborate on projects, experience the real-world through co-op and learn from faculty rooted in industry,” said Conestoga Dean of the School of Applied Computer Science and Information Technology Pejman Salehi. Conestoga
MacEwan, UnBQ partner on program delivery
MacEwan University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with University nuhelot’ine thaiyots’i nistameyimâkanak Blue Quills to promote friendship and collaboration between the two institutions. As part of MacEwan’s efforts to fulfill the TRC’s calls to action, the partnership will allow the universities to pursue and expand a relationship that results in collaborative programs in areas such as language and Iyiniw studies. “We have much to learn from UnBQ about Indigenous education,” said MacEwan Director of Indigenous Initiatives Terri Suntjens, “and this reciprocal relationship is a step in a meaningful direction that will benefit our future generations.” MacEwan
When should top administrators get blame or credit?
“When should top administrators claim responsibility for the good things that happen on campuses, [and] when should they be blamed for things going wrong?” ask George Justice and Carolyn Dever. The authors suggest that it is important to remember that whether administrators are receiving praise or blame, these attributions of responsibility are not about the individuals but about the roles they occupy. Writing from experience, the authors provide five recommendations regarding how top administrators can approach attributions of blame or credit in their jobs. Inside Higher Ed
Camosun announces creation of Diagnostic Medical Sonographer program
Camosun College has announced that it will be offering Vancouver Island’s first Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) program to address community need and student access to training. The program, supported by $1.4M in funding from the provincial government, will begin taking students in May 2020. “Our goal is to not only deliver high-quality education that students deserve, but also work with our partners to offer an innovative approach to learning to help alleviate some of the demand," stated Camosun Dean of the School of Health and Human Services Cynthia Smith. Camosun
Ahuntsic abandons ‘indiens’ team name, collaborates with community for new options
Collège Ahuntsic has announced that it will be renaming its 14 sports teams operating under the name ‘indiens’ by the end of the year. In conjunction with a change of their sports team’s logo – a caricature of an Indigenous man wearing a feathered headdress – the CEGEP’s executive director Nathalie Vallée states that the alterations are a result of a “sensitization project” undertaken last year, reports CBC. Ahuntsic will be consulting with community members and sports teams to choose a new name and logo. CBC
BC postsecondary institutions implement policies to limit or stop cash payments
Many postsecondary institutions in British Columbia have implemented cash acceptance policies that will ban or limit large cash payments for tuition in response to recommendations made in a report earlier this year that included concerns that BC universities and colleges were vulnerable to money laundering. The Vancouver Sun reports that as of September all public postsecondary institutions either had a cash-acceptance policy or were developing one. “The ministry is looking at options to set new requirements for institutions to help ensure consistency, so the post-secondary sector is not vulnerable to money laundering,” said a statement by the BC Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills, and Training. Vancouver Sun
Five strategies to diversify faculty, administration in higher ed: Opinion
“While the diversification of the student body of higher education institutions has received considerable attention over the years, diversifying the faculty has received much less and more sporadic attention,” writes Robert T Palmer. The author offers five strategies that higher education institutions should implement to encourage the diversification of faculty, administrators, and other institutional leaders: conduct a campus climate survey; encourage and incentivize implicit bias training; conduct cluster hiring; partner with culturally diverse institutions; and seek out and learn from other higher ed institutions who have successfully diversified faculty and administration. Inside Higher Ed
UQAR to create mountain research centre, surveys impact of climate change on region
Université du Québec à Rimouski has received $300K in funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation and Government of Québec to create a mountain research station in Gaspésie National Park. The research station will improve research conditions for those studying fauna, flora, and alpine habitats in the context of climate change. The station will be located in the basement of the national park’s discovery centre and will house equipment, computers, and a videoconferencing system. UQAR
NS universities receive funding for sexual violence awareness, prevention initiatives
The Government of Nova Scotia has announced that $400K in funding to support seven sexual violence prevention initiatives on university campuses. Following last week’s release of new postsecondary guidelines for responses to and the prevention of sexual violence, these funds will support initiatives at universities across the province. "The funded projects to date will help institutions develop best practices and build capacity and knowledge through collaboration, training and evaluation techniques,” said Nova Scotia Advanced Education Minister Labi Kousoulis. NS | The Star
