Top Ten
October 26, 2020
Douglas completes student services centre construction
Douglas College has completed the construction of a $10.5M student services space on its New Westminster Campus. The new building centralizes enrolment services, financial aid, counselling, accessibility services, student recruitment, and career services. It also offers self-serve kiosks, spaces for students to write accommodated exams, and comfortable study spaces for individuals and groups. “By creating a learning environment that is adaptive, responsive and forward-looking, we support our goal of graduating resilient global citizens with the knowledge and skills to adapt, innovate and lead in a changing world,” said Douglas president Kathy Denton. Douglas (BC)
YorkU creates The George Weston Ltd Centre for Sustainable Supply Chains
York University’s Schulich School of Business has created a new centre that will be a global hub for the supply chain sector. The George Weston Ltd Centre for Sustainable Supply Chains will study how supply chains can best be created and secured throughout challenges such as climate change, digital transformation, supply disruptions, and pandemics. “Supply chains are the heart of Canada’s economy and provide the food, medication, and other items Canadians need by connecting communities from coast to coast to coast,” said Galen Weston, Chairman and CEO of George Weston Ltd. “We are delighted to partner with the Schulich School of Business to deepen our country’s expertise and develop sustainable supply chains that will contribute to a stronger, more resilient Canada.” Canadian Business Journal (ON)
Debates around enforcing academic integrity: Opinion
The debates around cheating and academic integrity in the online environment are growing, writes Chad Hagen. The author notes that while teaching centres usually will give instructors information on how to make tests “cheat-proof” by using alternate assessment methods, having students apply their knowledge of the subject on tests, or having students collaborate on assignments, these methods will not prevent all students from cheating. The article discusses a variety of different approaches to enforcing academic integrity, and the challenges of these approaches. The author concludes by describing the experiences of an instructor who found that “the best approach to reducing cheating […] is something both simple and hard to realize, especially during a crisis: better teaching.” The Chronicle of Higher Ed (International)
RRC launches composites training centre
Red River College is launching the Advanced Forming Training Centre for training students in composites using technology from the National Research Council of Canada (NRC). RRC says that their centre places them at the forefront of Canada’s aircraft component industry, which uses composites to make aircrafts lighter and more fuel efficient. The centre will also be a composite training hub for businesses. “We’re honoured to now be home to advanced composite forming systems developed by the NRC,” says RRC president Fred Meier. “RRC has long been at the forefront of innovation in the aerospace and manufacturing sectors, and working with partners like the National Research Council only strengthens what we do and ensures the widest audience possible will benefit from our state-of-the-art facilities and expertise.” RRC (MB)
ULethbridge, Lethbridge College partner on NESA
The University of Lethbridge and Lethbridge College have partnered to co-lead Nursing Education in Southwestern Alberta (NESA), a four-year Bachelor of Nursing degree program. NESA was redeveloped to allow students to take their first two years of the program at Lethbridge, and the second two years at ULethbridge. The new curriculum includes courses that integrate Indigenous health practices and knowledge as well as provides practical experiences in urban and rural settings. “Nursing is all about relational practices, and this curriculum has been designed with those same principles in mind,” said Debra Bardock, Dean of Lethbridge College’s Centre for Health and Wellness. “We believe the skills that create successful nurses also create successful students, and this curriculum will leave them better prepared to enter the health care sector.” Lethbridge (AB)
Loyalist receives multi-year renewals of cannabis research, testing licenses
Loyalist College has received a five-year renewal of its federal license to conduct cannabis research at its Applied Research Centre for Natural Products and Medical Cannabis (ARC), and a three-year renewal of its analytical testing license. Loyalist says that ARC is the only federally supported Technology Access Centre for natural products and cannabis in Canada, and that it is an innovation hub for the region’s cannabis industry. “With partnership growth comes enhanced opportunities for our Bioscience and Cannabis Applied Science students,” said Loyalist President Ann Marie Vaughn. “They will be at the forefront of scientific developments which have the capacity to shape their bright futures.” Loyalist (ON)
GPRC launches Centre for Teaching and Learning
Grande Prairie Regional College has announced the launch of its new Centre for Teaching and Learning. The virtual centre will help instructors enhance their curriculum development skills, discover innovative teaching methods, learn best practices, and collaborate with the teaching community. “By providing faculty with resources to advance online curriculum development, the institution can provide students with a top-tier, career-oriented curriculum that sets learners up for future success,” said Andrew Dunlop, Director of Research and Innovation, and the Centre for Teaching and Learning. The centre will be available to instructors from both the Grande Prairie and Fairview campuses. GPRC (AB)
Controversy over Ford’s legislation to grant Canada Christian College university status grows
The Ontario government is “intending to discreetly pass legislation that would allow the Canada Christian College to call itself a ‘university’ and award degrees,” states a letter to the Minister of Colleges and Universities from the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA). CBC reports that the college, which has been criticized for its discriminatory views, is attempting to create new degree programs in arts and science and change its name to Canada University and School of Graduate Theological Studies. “The Ontario government should not grant accreditation and degree-granting privileges to institutions that do not meet the anti-discriminatory and anti-hate speech principles outlined in the Ontario Human Rights Code,” reads the OCUFA letter. CBC | OCUFA (ON)
UQTR receives provincial funding toward smart manufacturing centre
Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières will receive $19M in funding from the Québec government towards the construction of its new Centre national intégré du manufacturier intelligent (CNIMI). The smart manufacturing centre, which received initial funding October 2019, is located at the university’s Drummondville campus. The centre is a partnership with Cégep de Drummondville and is aimed at creating a space for research, training, and innovation in the manufacturing sector. Construction of the centre will be completed in 2022. UQTR | Le nouvelliste (QC)
CSA report analyzes impact of student questionnaires on faculty
A new Canadian Sociological Association study adds to what the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) calls the “mounting evidence of the dubious validity and inherent bias in student questionnaires on courses and teaching.” The study found that equity-seeking groups were more likely to receive abusive or irrelevant comments, resulting in a negative impact on faculty well-being. The study also found that “negative professional self-esteem is also experienced at a greater rate by contract faculty.” This study supports OCUFA’s 2018 study of how open-ended student comments might impact faculty mental health and well-being and professional self-worth. OCUFA (ON)
