Post-Secondary News Digest for February 3, 2010
Canada
Put students in warehouses: Ont. Tories:
(Maclean's) Applications to Ontario colleges are up by almost 15 per cent, and there is a 23 per cent jump in applications from non-high school students, due to a surge of unemployment in the workforce. The opposition Tories has proposed that universities convert closed factories and stores into classrooms. Premier Dalton McGuinty promised the government would address the issue of limited college space in the March budget, and says he is open to the idea.
U of A loans valuable rough diamond collection:
(The Gateway) http://thegatewayonline.ca/articles/news/2010/02/02/u-loans-out-rough-diamond-collection-royal-alberta-museum
The University of Alberta has given diamonds from its Mineralogy and Petrology museum to add to the travelling diamonds exhibit currently on display at the Royal Alberta Museum. The exhibit comes from Ontario, and public interest in the extensive value of the diamonds has caused the museum to boost security. The University of Alberta loaned the museum an extremely rare pink, three-karat diamond.
New Alta. website reduces cost of applications:
(Edmonton Journal) Alberta created a one-stop online application for 20 colleges and universities across the province, in an attempt to make it easier and less costly for students to apply. Students will still pay each individual college or university application fee, but will be exempt from paying for each high school transcript, as before. Apply Alberta will include programs that are at least one year in length, and lead to a certificate, degree or diploma.
N.L. man charged with Ont. sexual assaults:
(CBC.ca) A Brock University hockey player accused of sexual assault in Ontario was granted bail on Monday. Mark Yetman, of Mount Pearl, N.L., is charged with sexually assaulting three women in Ontario, as well as a charge for choking and making threats. Yetman was suspended from the Brock team on Jan. 27, when the school learned of his charges. He’s scheduled to make a court appearance on March 17.
U.S.
More black females than black males in college:
(Electronic Urban Report) The number of African American females outnumbers males almost two-to-one on most campuses in the U.S. Among blacks, 63 per cent of enrolled undergraduates are female compared to the 37 per cent that are male. This represents the largest gender gap among all ethnic groups. However, according to a report released by the American Council for Education, the gender gap between blacks and whites appears to be stabilizing with a slight increase in males enrolling.
University donations fall:
(The Associated Press) Charitable contributions to colleges and universities have witnessed their lowest drop in at least three decades. In 2009, contributions to post-secondary schools dropped 11.9 per cent, both in dollars and participation numbers. According to the Council for Aid to Education, gifts for endowments and new buildings saw the biggest decreases. These decreases are piled on top of budget cuts for public colleges.
Vt. student sues college over gender-neutral washrooms:
(The Brown Daily Herald) A Vermont student has filed a lawsuit against Green Mountain College for failing to provide separate restrooms for men and women. Jennifer Weiler, a first-year student at the college, says she and many other students feel uncomfortable with the gender-neutral washrooms. Green Mountain College introduced the washrooms over the past three or four years. They do not have all-male or all-female alternative washrooms as many New England colleges do.
Calif. program aims to help children of farm workers:
(The Collegian Online) Students from migrant families are receiving aid from a program at Fresno State aimed at helping farm-working families. The University Migrant Services program looks to locate students at a young age, preferably in middle school or early high school, in an attempt to ease their path to post-secondary education. The students located at a younger age are pushed to make up academic ground through summer school and motivated to pursue classes at Fresno State.
Boston student stabbed in residence hall:
(Boston & Beyond) A male student at Boston’s Bentley University was stabbed early this morning inside a university residence hall. Two women who were not associated with the university were placed under arrest and are being held in police custody. Bentley authorities have stressed that the incident was isolated and that the three knew each other and there is no threat to other students. The man’s injuries are not believed to be life threatening.
World
More ethnic minority students in U.K. universities: report:
(BBC) A report based in the United Kingdom found that the number of ethnic minority students in London universities is higher than in the general population. Sixteen per cent of students were from minority backgrounds, compared to 14.2 per cent from the 18- to 24-year-old age group as a whole. The numbers were lower for schools outside of London, including Oxford and Cambridge. The study found that students of Bangladeshi and Pakistani origin continue to be the most under-represented groups.
Student denies corruption charges in Iran:
(Reuters) A 20-year-old university student in Iran is denying charges of waging war against God, a capital offence in the country. The student was arrested during an anti-government street protest in December and was charged on Saturday. More than 450 arrests were made in connection with the protest. The trial, and others like it, may be intended to serve as warnings to the pro-reform opposition not to stage similar protests on the upcoming 31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution, which will occur in February.
Help for Aussie students hit by school closure:
(ABC Perth) Five hundred students are being relocated to schools in Perth, Australia, after the closure of St. Mark’s English College. The school was one of eight that closed after failing to repay millions of dollars in debt. Students of St. Mark’s were told they would not have to pay if they needed to extend their visas as a result of the closure. Students will be able to start classes again at other institutions by early next week but will have no choice of what school they attend.
Chinese universities rising in the ranks:
(Guardian) China’s top universities could soon rival Oxford, Cambridge and the Ivy League, said Richard Levin, president of Yale University, on a recent visit to the U.K. At the moment, British universities dominate the rankings, while China’s highest-ranking institution is Tsinghua at 49th. The Chinese government is spending billions of yuan on higher education, which could propel Chinese institutions into the world’s top 10 universities in 25 years’ time, according to Levin.