Top Ten
October 31, 2019
Western student who called out lecturer’s use of racial slur in class targeted by racist emails
The Western student who publicly criticized a lecturer’s use of the “n-word” in a recent lecture has been attacked with racist emails, reports the London Free Press. “This is the ‘black lash’ for speaking against institutional racism,” wrote one supporter on a Facebook group that was created to support the student, Chizoba Oriuwa. Western Associate Vice-President (Student Experience) Jennifer Massey has issued a letter to the campus community affirming Western’s commitment to fostering a positive campus, adding that “Racism is not just about individual behaviour – there is very real systemic racism embedded in the fabric of our society that affects thoughts, choices and actions. We have to acknowledge this truth before we can address racism on our campus in meaningful ways.” London Free Press | Western (ON)
PEI’s Sexual Violence Policy Act receives royal assent, will be proclaimed following public consultation
The Prince Edward Island provincial government’s Post-secondary Institutions Sexual Violence Policies Act has received royal assent but will not be proclaimed until new regulations are finalized. The Act, which will govern how sexual violence complaints are handled at all public post-secondary institutions, will be open for public consultation later this week in order to set standards regarding how complaints are handled by institutions, including considerations of compassion and privacy with respect to victims. CBC reports that debates regarding regulations currently centre on whether the Act will require UPEI, Holland College, and Collège de l'Île to publicly disclose the number of incidents reported to them. CBC (PEI)
Brock breaks ground on new $40M student residence
Brock University has begun construction on a new $40M student residence, the first Brock-owned student housing complex to be built since 2003. Residence 8 will be six-storeys and will include a new dining hall, a service desk for students, and a hub for conference and event series. The self-funded project is expected to be completed by summer 2021 and will contribute to the university’s operating budget when it opens. “We need to help accommodate the people we are attracting, and that’s what we are doing today,” says Brock President Gervan Fearon. “Residence 8 is a positive move for Brock and for our host communities.” Brock (ON)
Fashion forward: George Brown launches new sustainable fashion technology lab
George Brown College has launched what it is calling a first-of-its-kind facility that will enable sustainable design and production innovation. Located in George Brown’s Fashion Exchange, the new Leading Innovation in Fashion Technology Lab (FX LIFT) will enable students and fashion companies to access advanced manufacturing technology that can produce unique local designs in faster and more sustainable ways. “With the launch of the FX LIFT lab, we are helping to transform the Canadian fashion industry by supporting the adoption of digital manufacturing technologies and new sustainable approaches to design,” said George Brown Director of Fashion Exchange Marilyn McNeil-Morin. George Brown | George Brown (2) (ON)
USask, Universities Canada most active communicating with federal government in September: iPolitics
The University of Saskatchewan and Universities Canada were the most active organizations on the federal lobbying circuit last month, reports iPolitics . According to figures from the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying, USask filed 19 communication reports with the commissioner’s office, while Universities Canada submitted 11. USask spokesperson Jennifer Thomas told iPolitics that USask is “working to more actively participate in the national conversation in areas of interest to the university including water, agriculture, Indigenous research and scholarship and Indigenizing the academy.” iPolitics (SK)
AB focuses on skilled apprenticeship training amidst other educational cuts
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has announced that the provincial government plans to support and expand the AB labour force by focusing on skilled apprenticeships. After announcing last Thursday that the Summer Temporary Employment Program (STEP) that provided summer jobs to secondary and post-secondary students would be cancelled, Kenney stated at a news conference on Monday that “our youth job creation wage is going to create a lot more jobs than that [STEP] did and on a permanent basis.” The province is also funding other student job support programs, such as Women Building Futures and Skills Canada. Edmonton Journal (AB)
CDLRA releases results of national online, digital learning survey
The Canadian Digital Learning Research Association (CDLRA) has released data from its 2019 survey of online and digital learning. Key findings of the survey include: online course enrollments in Canadian postsecondary institutions have grown approximately 10% in 2019; there is a lack of universal reporting requirements for online offerings; numerous institutions are exploring the use of alternative credentials; and the use of open educational resources is widespread, but often experimental. A summary of the survey by CFLRA concludes that, “the results [of the survey] illustrate a paradox between the stated perception that online learning is important for institutions compared to the implementation of strategies for online learning.” Inside Higher Ed | CDLRA (National)
UQTR receives $10.7M to create intelligent manufacturing centre
The Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières has received $10.7M from the Quebec government to construct a new intelligent manufacturing pavilion at the school’s Drummondville campus. Scheduled to open in fall 2022, the Centre national intégré du manufacturier intelligent (CNIMI) aims to bring together universities and cégeps, as well as manufacturing companies, to create energy and knowledge transfer between training and research communities. UQTR (QC)
Niagara opens Marilyn I. Walker Centre of Excellence in Visual Arts and Technology
Niagara College has officially opened the Marilyn I. Walker Centre of Excellence in Visual Arts and Technology at its Welland Campus, a facility that will support visual arts and technology research and education. The new centre, made possible through a $1M donation from the local artist and philanthropist Marilyn Walker, includes several upgrades and renovations to the School of Media Studies, as well as new resources and equipment. “Thanks to the purchase of new equipment such as a 3D printer, die cutters and silk-screening units, our students will gain tactile, hands-on experience as they transform their designs into a reality,” said Niagara Associate Dean of the School of Media Studies Linda Roote. Niagara (ON)
Suspect samosas: food inspector shuts down student union sale at McGill
City food inspectors have shut down a samosa sale by the Students’ Society of at McGill University (SSMU) for not complying with serving regulations. While conducting a routine inspection of the campus cafeteria, inspectors noticed that samosas were being sold by the society at room temperature and served by hand. Inspectors noted that because samosas include cooked vegetables, they must be sold hot or cold, served sterilely, and customers must be offered utensils to eat with. In response, the student union is creating guidelines regarding the selling and preparation of food. SSMU VP External Adam Gwiazda-Amsel says that the samosa sales will resume next month and will comply with the new guidelines. CBC (QC)
