Post-Secondary News Digest for November 19, 2009
Canada
Calgary Flames owner gives U. of Calgary $39M:
(The Gauntlet ) Local businessman and Calgary Flames owner Harley Hotchkiss has given the University of Calgary its largest contribution ever. Hotchkiss, who was once diagnosed with a small brain aneurysm, donated the money to the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, a wing of the university dedicated to brain research. And this isn’t the first time he’s donated to research – in fact, he created the brain institute five years ago to the tune of $10 million. Hotchkiss’ fund was set up to allow the director of the institute research flexibility, and he is also hoping that the institute will eventually set up an ethics centre.
University food bank use increases:
(UWO Gazette) A food bank set up by the University of Western Ontario’s students’ council has seen a 26 per cent spike in its usage – the largest annual increase in the service’s history. The Food Support Service, created by Western students, was created so students could both donate and pick up food anonymously. They distribute parcels that contain enough food for two meals. The service says they’re not overwhelmed yet, but they are hoping to expand their services, perhaps opening up a soup kitchen.
U. of Waterloo shuts down radio station:
(Macleans) A referendum held at the University of Waterloo has put the university’s radio station, CKMS, off the air. Students at the university voted against paying $2.50 per semester to keep the station afloat. The station’s board of directors has changed the locks at the station’s office and has described the future of Waterloo radio as “bleak.” The station was launched in 1977 and was Ontario’s third campus FM radio station.
McGill anti-abortion group suspended:
(CBC) Choose Life, a pro-life group criticized for distributing graphic anti-abortion pamphlets, has been suspended from McGill’s campus. The Student Society of McGill University passed a motion to suspend the group on Nov. 12, although the student body council refrained on taking any stance on the abortion issue itself. They had received several complaints from students saying they were harrassed by the group, who compared abortion to the genocide and the Holocaust. The group can no longer use university ground to gather and will no longer receive student council funding.
U of Alberta alum: Darwin’s Science ‘sexy’:
(The Gateway) Jay Ingram, current host of science news broadcast The Daily Planet and former University of Alberta alumni, is bringing a lecture to the U of A that’s aiming to bring pop culture and evolutionary psychology together. The lecture, called “Darwin’s Sexy Science,” is being held in celebration of Darwin’s 200th birthday. Among the topics being covered are evolutionary principles in blues music – a concept that, to him, isn’t odd in the least. “When you’re talking about human mating behaviour, there is no other music than the blues that goes with it perfectly,” he said.
U.S.
Bishops discuss authority over Catholic colleges:
(Associated Press) More than 70 U.S. bishops have spoken out against a decision by Notre Dame University, the nation's flagship Catholic university, to honour U.S. President Barack Obama at its May commencement. The school honoured Obama as the nation's first African-American president, not because of his position on abortion. The Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities said they are going to look at what church law says about bishops' authority over the schools. Under canon law, bishops can revoke the right of a school to call itself Catholic, according to Edward Peters, a canon lawyer.
California university students protest tuition hikes:
(CNN U.S.) Students across California protested a 32 per cent hike in undergraduate tuition fees Nov. 18, which is to take effect on over the next year. The increase is to avoid school cuts due to the state’s financial crisis. Several students were arrested Wednesday morning after they disrupted the board of regents' meeting with chanting, police said. A statement from the board of regents says the fee increases will be balanced by an increase in the level of financial assistance for low- and middle-income students.
Why do we hate? Academics seek answer in new field:
(Associated Press) Jim Mohr of Gonzaga University, is developing a new academic field of hate studies to explore the fundamental question of why one person can hate another. A class on the subject was taught by five professors from different disciplines. Mohr is the director of the Institute for Action Against Hate, which was founded at the Washington State university a decade ago. It's the same sort of effort that led to the creation of disciplines such black studies or women's studies, Mohr said.
U. of Missouri president calls higher education funding model 'broken':
(Missourian) Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has proposed freezing undergraduate tuition next year for Missouri residents at public institutions across the state. In exchange, the governor has pledged to recommend that state higher education appropriations be cut by about US$42 million next year. "Keeping higher education affordable is one of the best steps we can take to turn this economy around," Nixon said. State Rep. Chris Kelly was critical of Nixon's decision saying, "I don't believe the state government ought to be in the business of telling the curators how to run this institution.”
Black colleges work to increase graduation rates:
(WBALTV.com) A national conference was held Wednesday in Baltimore to look at the problem of the low rate of black college graduates. According to the latest statistics posted in the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, only 42 per cent of black college students actually receive degrees. Student enrolment is mostly on the rise at historically black colleges but administrators say there aren't enough students who actually make it to graduation. Educators say it'll take some new programs to make a difference.
World
Thai university opens despite inadequacies:
(Saigon Times) The Thai government has allowed Phan Thiet University to open for its first year with 750 students despite lacking its own campus and a sufficient teaching staff. It was also revealed that the school falsified signatures of its lecturers to obtain certain qualifications. Spurred on by an outraged public, the Ministry of Education conducted an inspection of the university this week – and found nothing wrong with it.
Affirmative action at Israeli universities:
(haaretz.com) A new study released Nov. 18 shows more than 2,000 students were admitted to Israeli universities under affirmative action policies. Affirmative action has been in place in Israeli universities for almost seven years, and the study by Tel Aviv University shows that students who benefitted from it – students who wouldn’t otherwise be able to attend university for social or economic reasons – perform as well as those accepted by traditional means.
Cost a deterrent for higher education, U.K. study finds:
(Times Higher Education) A British study released Nov. 18 has found that cost is the single largest factor for students who decide against higher education. The Futuretrack study, conducted by the Institute for Employment Research at the University of Warwick, found that 40 per cent of people who applied but decided not to attend university were put off by cost, and 32 per cent were scared of incurring debt. The study also found that those who worked part time while studying enjoyed their university experience less than those who didn’t.
Everyone’s a prof in Australia:
(The Australian) A report obtained by an Australian higher educations services company shows that the title of “professor” is being granted to people in management positions, regardless of whether they qualify for it. The title is meant to be granted to academics with distinction at the international level. But the report shows that the number of professors in the country has increased by 70 per cent between 1996 and 2008 because universities are bestowing professorships on management positions for “authority needs” instead of research achievements.
Ghana university offers remedial programs:
(Graphicghana.com) Radford University College in Ghana is offering remedial programming to secondary school students in an attempt to get them ready for university. The program is targeted at students who don’t have high enough grades to apply to universities because “the masses have to benefit from universities,” says James Kutz, president of the university. The goal is for programs such as this one to address individual learning needs of secondary school students and encourage higher education in the country.
Australian colleges fear federal takeover:
(The Australian) Student and international student groups have warned private colleges that federal takeover is the only way to ensure quality. Declining standards at the colleges have become a problem in recent years, especially for international students. A review carried out by the Migration Institute of Australia has suggested that the federal government should revise the Education Services for Overseas Students Act to regulate colleges more efficiently and guarantee the quality of Australian qualifications.