Top Ten

ON provides $2.4M to Willis for PSW training

The Government of Ontario will has partnered with Willis College on a pilot project that will train up to 300 personal support workers to fill long-term care positions in the Ottawa area. Willis will offer the program at no cost to students through a $2.4M investment from ON. The project is part of a plan to increase the number of hours that residents of long-term care homes receive direct care. “Personal support workers are unsung heroes,” said Willis Chair Rima Aristocrat. “Being part of the Ontario government’s plan to ease the burden on long-term care is indeed an honour. Willis College will provide highly trained PSWs, who in turn will become an asset in the fight against COVID-19.” ON (ON)

UQAM launches graduate program in disability and deafness

Université du Québec à Montréal is offering a graduate program in disability and deafness, which the university says is first for a Francophone institution. Students in the program will complete three courses and will be taught about the promotion and exercise of citizenship for those with disabilities or deaf people. There is a notable need for the program, according to UQAM School of Media Professor Mouloud Boukala, in order to combat the violation of the rights of people with disabilities. Journal de Montréal (QC)

UOF receives less than 50 applications for first enrolment: CBC

Universite de l'Ontario Francais has reportedly only received 19 applications from Ontario students, according to CBC and Radio Canada, for a total of just over 40 applications as of January 22nd. The institution had originally aimed to have 200 students for the Fall 2021 semester, which will be the institution’s first semester. Rector Andre Roy told Radio Canada that the university needs the solidarity of the Franco-Ontarian community, and that they must be patient to see interest in the program manifest in the form of applications. CBC explains that other universities have also experienced a decrease in the number of applications and admissions this year, and Radio Canada shares the perspective of other Franco-Ontarian institutions that faced low application numbers in their early years. CBC | Radio Canada (ON)

MUN joins RRBM network

Memorial University’s Faculty of Business Administration has joined the Responsible Research in Business and Management (RRBM) network. The RRBM network supports responsible, credible, and useful research in the areas of business and management. “Everything that we do aligns with RRBM’s principles, from innovative programming that develops business leaders who champion new ways of doing business to rigorous research practices that provide real-world solutions to today’s business challenges,” said Dr Isabelle Dostaler, dean of the business faculty. “It indicates that we continue to be a leader, nationally and internationally, in the ever-growing world of business and management education.” MUN says that it is one of two Canadian postsecondary institutions to join the RRBM. MUN (NL)

Michener creates Digital Health and Data Analytics program

The Michener Institute has created a Digital Health and Data Analytics program for professionals in the IT and healthcare fields. The program prepares students for healthcare jobs that require the understanding and use of data and digital techniques. Students will be trained in a variety of areas, including digital health, data science, and project management. The program is offered full-time online and includes synchronous and asynchronous components. Michener (ON)

BrandonU eliminates Bachelor of Science in Mental Health program due to lack of demand

The Brandon Sun reports that Brandon University’s Bachelor of Science in Mental Health will be eliminated due to low demand for the program. Steven Robinson, BrandonU VP (academic and provost) explained that the program, which was created in 1998, had been developed to provide nurses with a pathway to psychiatric nursing, without requiring them to complete a four-year program. “It was always intended to be temporary,” said Robinson. “Now, 22 years later […] there’s no more demand.” The article says that only one student is currently in the program, and that this student will be able to complete the degree until 2026. Brandon Sun (MB)

Update: A new article from Beverley Hicks, retired assistant professor Brandon University Psychiatric Nursing Program, has provided additional perspective on the program's cancellation. Hicks explains that the program was offered as an interim measure to offer psychiatric nurses the opportunity to gain a university degree. Today, psychiatric nurses are able to pursue a four-year bachelor of science in psychiatric nursing at the university. "The termination of this degree is not the disaster the headline suggests, and to say it was axed is not really as dire as it sounds," explains Hicks. "It simply outlived its value and it was a good decision." Brandon Sun

COTR offers UACE program for students working toward high school diploma, upgrading

College of the Rockies’ Invermere Campus has announced the launch of an Upgrading for Academic and Career Entry (UACE) program. The program will allow community members to complete core grade 10, 11, and 12 courses. Students will be able to work from home and access in-person help when needed, while they work toward attaining a high school diploma or upgrading their education with courses that might be prerequisites for higher education. “We listened to the needs of our community and are excited to bring back this valuable program,” said campus manager Michelle Taylor. “UACE provides a great first step for students.” COTR (BC)

UPEI dedicates observatory to Earl L Wonnacott

In honour of the 40th anniversary of its observatory, the University of Prince Edward Island has dedicated their observatory to Earl L Wonnacott, a former professor whose work ensured the funding and installation of UPEI’s observatory in 1980. Megan Glover, a physics department lab tech, explains that Wonnacott “and his student assistants often got very excited about what they were seeing and they hoped that the people that were visiting would get just as excited — and he thought that it would rub off a little bit on them … I think that’s what we continue to do, is let people see some of these astronomical sites for themselves and get interested.” CBC (PEI)

WLU launches Master of Supply Chain Management program

Wilfrid Laurier University has launched a Master of Supply Chain Management program to address the need for professionals trained in the field. The program’s courses will focus heavily on analytics, and students will participate in an experiential learning component at a client firm to gain hands-on experience. “We felt that now is the perfect time to augment our offerings with a more professionally focused program that will equip our graduates with the analytical and strategic management tools needed to advance their careers in the supply chain management field,” said WLU professor and program director Michael Haughton. WLU (ON)

15 MtA students required to move out of unsafe historic building

CBC reports that 15 Mount Allison University students have been notified that they must move out of an unsafe historic building by February 13th. The article explains that, although the building had housed students for 10 years, it was not zoned to be used as an apartment building and each unit in the building had safety issues. CBC reports that MtA has made dorm rooms available to the students and that the landlords are obligated to pay moving expenses for the students, secure apartments for the students, and cover the difference in rent for the first three months. “This is a very difficult time of year for students to find out that they have two weeks … notice to find new accommodations in a relatively small town that’s near capacity,” said Jonathan Ferguson president of MtA’s student Union. CBC (NS)