Post-Secondary News Digest for November 17, 2009
Canada
U of Calgary “stealth” technology takes skiers to Olympics:
(cbc.ca) The Canadian Olympic ski team has revealed that it is using high-tech tracking equipment developed at the University of Calgary. The technology, called Stealth, is based on the global positioning system and helps skiers find the most efficient line of descent down a course. The technology is so advanced that the ski team couldn’t reveal it had started using it three years ago until a confidentiality agreement expired for fear of it falling into the hands of rival countries.
Prof takes study of wrestling to the ring:
(Canada.com) A Brock University sociology professor who teaches Canada’s only undergraduate course on professional wrestling is trading in his tweed for spandex. Dan Glenday, 61, will make his first appearance in the ring this week as a professional wrestler – a move he says is part of his ongoing research on the wrestling subculture. Glenday hasn’t yet revealed his wrestling persona, but he has hinted that this week’s Brock Brawl will end with a six-person tag team match.
Queen’s brings home Yates Cup:
(The Journal) The Queen’s University Gaels football team won the Yates Cup Nov. 14 for the first time in 31 years. The Gaels beat the University of Western Ontario Mustangs 43-39. The game featured Queen’s quarterback Danny Brannagan and Western quarterback Michael Faulds, two of the most prolific passers in Canadian university history. Winning the league title brings the Gaels within one game of the ultimate prize, the Vanier Cup.
Waterloo, Western join forces:
(The Gazette) The University of Western Ontario and the University of Waterloo announced last week that they will work together to build Waterloo’s new Stratford campus. The two schools will collaboratively use the campus to teach programs in the field of digital media. The new campus will also house the Stratford Institute, a new digital media think-tank operated by both Southern Ontario universities.
Referendum can’t save Waterloo radio station:
(canoe.ca) A University of Waterloo radio station will be forced to close after its funding request failed to pass a student referendum. CKMS 100.3 won’t get the $2.50 per student per term it needed in order to continue operating. As of Nov. 16, management had changed the locks on the station doors, saying, “the situation looks grim.”
E-learning “revolution” at Laurier:
(metronews.ca) Sir Wilfred Laurier University is the latest Canadian university to go high tech in the classroom with its newly announced deal with Research in Motion. The university plans to bring Blackberry communication devices into the classroom with a one-year, 100-student pilot project. The idea is to use smartphones to bring the outside world into the classroom and keep students connected at all times. Students in the pilot project will get deals on Blackberries from RIM and drastically cheaper plans from Rogers.
U.S.
Mississippi’s proposal to combine black colleges causes outrage:
(Inside Higher Ed) Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour has proposed combining the state's three public black colleges into one institution. The single institution at Jackson State University would “reduce costs by consolidating or eliminating programs not pulling their financial weight." Julius L. Chambers, a leading civil rights lawyer who is president emeritus of North Carolina Central University, a historically black institution, said, "This is obviously a slap at black colleges. I think this would be another act of discriminating against black colleges.”
Strike begins at U of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign:
(Inside Higher Ed) Graduate students employed at the University of Illinois went on strike Nov. 16 after contract negotiations broke down. The sticking point in the negotiations was the university’s refusal to accept a “side letter" proposed by the students to amend the contract. The amendment would have compelled the university to reopen negotiations if they changed tuition waivers. The students believe the refusal means administrators want more flexibility to change out-of state waivers.
Duke prof publishes book with Muhammad images:
(Inside Higher Ed) A Duke University professor has published a book with images of Danish cartoons of Muhammad. The Yale University Press had previously refused to publish a book containing these images, something that outraged many advocates of free speech. In response, Gary Hull decided to publish a book with the images through his new Voltaire Press. ¨Muhammad, the banned images¨ contains an introduction by Hull as well as a history of images of Muhammad.
U.S. students drink more often in coed dorms - study:
(USA Today) Students living in coed university dorms are likely to drink more than those in single-sex dorms, according to a study released Nov. 16 in the Journal of American College Health. The study, conducted by two Utah Brigham Young University professors while they were at the University of Minnesota-St. Paul, surveyed 510 students living on five college campuses. Forty-one per cent of those in coed dorms reported weekly binge drinking, compared with 17.6 per cent of those who lived in single-sex dorms.
Concerns raised about Suffolk’s priorities:
(Boston Globe) Alumni and trustees of Boston’s Suffolk University are questioning the school’s direction. The school depends heavily on tuition and fees and it accepts nearly 85 per cent of undergraduate applicants, many with mediocre test scores and grades. Only a fifth of those admitted choose to enroll. A Chronicle of Higher Education survey lst year named the university’s president the most highly paid college president in the country in 2007. Alumni are angry about the situation and many have stopped donating to the school.
World
Lecturer suspended in Zimbabwe:
( University World News) An instructor at the Bindura University of Science Education in Zimbabwe has been suspended for protesting poor higher education conditions. Wilbed Chagwiza has been suspended indefinitely for encouraging students to protest against high tuition fees and staff members to protest poor salaries. Analysts of the situation are blaming President Robert Mugabe’s dictatorial tendencies. The Congress of South African Trade has said that the situation demonstrates Zimbabwe’s repression “over those who are struggling for democracy and workers' rights.”
U.K. student loan company gives staff $3.3M bonus:
(BBC) The Glasgow-based Student Loans Company, which drew heavy criticism after leaving tens of thousands of students without loans this fall, has rewarded its staff handsomely. A recent Freedom of Information request uncovered that the staff has received $3.3 million in bonuses despite neglected student grants and loans. An company spokesman said it gave the bonuses for last year's work and it hasn’t yet made a decision on this year's bonuses.
Korean college exams continue despite H1N1 fears:
(Reuters) About 3,000 Korean students who showed up to this year’s standardized test with swine flu-type symptoms were segregated from the other students. In most years, students are scanned for cellphones, which are banned. This year,health workers took their temperature. Korean students spend years preparing for the test, which was written this year by nearly 700,000 students. Undeterred, they still completed their exams.
Islamic states reform universities:
(University World News) The 57 Islamic states are planning to reform their universities by addressing what they see as a lack of entrepreneurship and innovation in the region. The universities are trying to build a “critical mass” of minds in the science and technology sectors. The plan was developed at an international education conference in Morocco. The new plan will first be tested at three pilot schools, and, if approved, will spread out to other Islamic states.
Australian PM fears Indian student market may collapse:
(University World News) Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd visited India last week in an attempt to quell fears of attacks on Indian students at Australian universities. There has been growing concern among Indian politicians about the attacks. Rudd’s visit was to assure Indian Prime Minister Manmoban Singh of the safety of Australian colleges. Indians are also concerned about the recent closure of a dozen training colleges in Australia, leaving many students unable to complete their education Indian students provide US$1.86 billion to the Australian economy.