March 10, 2021
The University of Winnipeg, AFOA Canada, and the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada) have partnered to launch a pilot program to help Indigenous students pursue a Certified Aboriginal Financial Manager (CAFM) designation. Indigenous students in accounting or business majors at UWinnipeg, the University of Manitoba, Brandon University, University College of the North, and Assiniboine Community College will be able to access CAFM training through AFOA Canada. The training is offered in a blended model, which allows students to access online learning, networking, and accessing mentorship. “At the University of Winnipeg, we are keenly aware of the need to support opportunities for Indigenous students to obtain a post-secondary education,” said UWinnipeg Interim President Dr James Currie. “Through this innovative project, Indigenous students across Manitoba will be supported on their journey to achieving the CAFM designation.”
UWinnipeg (MB)
Two leaders at Ryerson University’s School of Journalism have reportedly stepped down in response to a letter calling for change signed by over 100 current and former students. The letter stated that “for years, the school has contributed to an unsafe learning environment,” and that “[i]t has consistently resulted in perpetuated systemic racism, further traumatizing students and reinforcing the values of discrimination that Ryerson University was built on.” In response to the letter, CBC reports that Janice Neil, chair of the Ryerson School of Journalism, and Lisa Taylor, associate chair and the school’s undergraduate program director, resigned from their positions. A Ryerson spokesperson explained that the school “continues to acknowledge the work that needs to be done to address systemic racism.”
The Star |
CBC (ON)
The Government of British Columbia has announced that it will be building student housing for Okanagan College. The project, which is estimated to cost $67.5M, will include 60 beds at OC’s Salmon Arm campus, 100 beds in Vernon, and 216 beds in Kelowna. The housing will address the need for affordable student housing in all three locations, and is expected to help the local economy through creating 500 jobs. “This is one of those rare moments when you get to see a great idea realized, when a vision becomes a tangible project that will benefit our communities as an economic driver, help address housing issues in our region, support our goal of reducing our carbon footprint and – most importantly of all – increase access to post-secondary education,” said OC President Jim Hamilton.
OC |
Salmon Arm Observer (BC)
Humber College and Seneca College have created the Humber-Seneca Polytechnic Partnership (HSPP) pathway agreement. The HSPP pathway agreement will give students more opportunities and options in completing their education, and will see Humber and Seneca collaborate on program planning and development. “This latest HSPP initiative leverages the expertise and combined resources of both Humber and Seneca for the benefit of our respective students,” said Humber President Chris Whitaker. “When we formed the HSPP we were focused on collaboration rather than competition and we are proud to be able to work together to increase access to world-class education in Ontario.” Through the agreement, over 200 pathways that allow students to complete or continue their education at either institution have been established.
Newswire (ON)
Holland College and the American College of the Building Arts (ACBA) have forged a degree pathway agreement that will allow eligible graduates of the college’s Heritage Retrofit Carpentry program to continue their studies as second-year students in ACBA’s Bachelor of Applied Science degree program. Graduates from Holland College’s program will be able to pursue further studies in conservation arts through ACBA, which offers a bachelor’s degree in traditional building arts. “All of our program content was vetted by the ACBA to ensure that it met their rigorous standards,” said Josh Silver, instructor for the college’s Heritage Retrofit Carpentry program. “This agreement provides an exceptional opportunity for our graduates to further studies in the conservation arts.”
Holland College (PE)
Instructors can build higher quality courses through spending time needed to reframe office hours, post-assignment debriefs, and module surveys, writes Candy Ho, inaugural assistant professor, integrative career and capstone learning, at the University of the Fraser Valley. The author describes strategies that she used to strengthen relationships with her students, such as rebranding office hours as “launch parties” that showed students the latest weekly module and answered student questions. The author explains that post-assignment debriefs were posted as videos to the class that addressed the most commonly occurring issues, allowing all students to reflect on their work. Ho also created module surveys for students to complete at the end of each module, and organized student feedback into quick fixes, custom builds, and pending items.
University Affairs (National)
Cape Breton University President David C Dingwall has formed a new medical advisory committee that will improve student access to health care. Health experts representing a wide variety of disciplines, university administrators, and staff are on the committee. The committee will meet eight times a year to discuss topics such as future programs and infrastructure for the health centre, resources to link students to, the university’s COVID-19 response, and the needs of the international student community. “If we’re taking care of people appropriately and giving them access to good health care, then it builds the confidence of the students, of the staff and faculty, and also the confidence of the greater community,” said Judy Kelley, CBU’s manager of health and counselling services.
University Affairs (NS)
Parkland College is launching an Introduction to Farm Hand course through partnership with the Town of Lemberg. Students will participate in both classroom and farm-based learning opportunities as they develop the skills to work on Saskatchewan grain farms. The course covers a variety of topics, including Power Mobile Equipment theory, and an overview of field crops, and teaches students safety skills such as basic farm safety, equipment operation. “Farmers can send current or potential employees through the program to develop their skills,” said Connie Brown, Manager of Business Development at Parkland. “And it gives general labourers without a farm background the opportunity to gain the experience needed to work in agriculture.”
Parkland |
Yorkton This Week (SK)
The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA), Canadian Union of Public Employees Ontario (CUPE Ontario), and Laurentian University Faculty Association (LUFA) filed an appeal on March 5th to unseal correspondence between Laurentian University and the Ministry of Colleges and Universities. The faculty associations called for the documents to be unsealed during a hearing last month,
CTV News reports, but were rejected by the court. Laurentian Legal Counsel DJ Miller said that the documents “reflect the commercial position of the university,” and Ontario Superior Court Judge Geoffrey Morawetz told
Sudbury.com that releasing the documents could be detrimental to any potential restructuring process.” “These documents are sealed and not available to the stakeholders, the public, or the media,” stated OCUFA in a press release. “The court’s Sealing Order raises vital questions about the transparency of Ontario’s role and its commitment to its public universities.”
CTV News |
Sudbury.com |
OCUFA (ON)
Postsecondary institutions in Western Canada are announcing plans for the fall semester.
Global News reports that the University of Saskatchewan is planning to gradually reopen for in-person classes in the fall, and that it will provide options for those needing to continue with virtual learning or teaching. Government of British Columbia’s Provincial Health Officer Dr Bonnie Henry has announced that BC postsecondary institutions should prepare for in-person learning in the Fall. “While we update the guidelines to ensure on-campus safety,” said BC Advanced Education Minister Anne Kang. “I encourage students and families to start planning for in-person instruction on a campus of their choice in September.”
Global News (USask) |
CBC |
The Star (SK | BC)
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