Post-Secondary News Digest for February 10, 2010
Canada
Alberta cuts post-secondary grants and scholarships:
(Edmonton Journal) The Alberta government cut grants and scholarships by $54 million in its 2010 budget on Tuesday, replacing the money with student loans to accommodate for the 24 per cent increase in the number of students applying for financial aid. The province also increased the maximum amount students can borrow and eliminated the student loan relief benefit, which automatically forgave student debt above a certain amount.
Ont. college students fret as strike looms:
(brantford Expositor ) Thousands of Mohawk College students could be taking an early spring break next week. The Ontario Public Service Employees Union, which represents about 9,000 instructors at 24 Ontario community colleges, has a strike deadline for next Wednesday. The union is recommending members reject the offer, which would launch the strike.
'Clown doctor' honoured for helping patients one chuckle at a time:
(The Windsor Star) A Windsor, Ont., “clown doctor” is being recognized for his study on the effect humour has on patients. Bernie Warren, a professor at the University of Windsor, works with health-care teams in the community promoting wellness for patients using music, improvisational plays and humour. The University of Windsor Award for Excellence in Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity was given to the professor of dramatic art on Monday.
U of Saskatoon faced with higher tutition or program cuts:
(Saskatoon Homepage) University of Saskatoon President Warren Kirkland is asking Saskatchewan for a 5.2 per cent increase to its operating budget. However, with falling potash revenues, the government is likely to turn down the proposal. This could mean higher tuition at the university, or cuts to programming, the president says. More than ever, Canadian university students will graduate with debt.
U.S.
U.S. Colleges cutting back financial aid:
(Associated Press) Private colleges in the U.S. have been cutting costs in the past year because of the economic crisis but have kept student financial aid high. Now, however, New Hampshire’s Dartmouth College and Massachusetts’ Williams College, two of the most prestigious private colleges in the country, are revoking aid that allows students to attend the schools without taking loans. Students of middle income will have to take on more debt beginning in 2011. Other colleges are maintaining their aid programs but asking students to put more of their summer earnings toward their education.
College encourages black male students:
(Inside Higher Education) Michigan ‘s Jackson Community College is taking action to help African American men succeed academically. The school has created a group called Men of Merit, a group of male African American students who are united in the goal of improving retention, campus engagement and academic success. The group was formed as a response to a stark disparity between the success of black male students and the rest of the campus population.
Student loan bill critiqued in Senate:
(USA Today ) U.S. President Barack Obama’s proposal to overhaul the student loan program is facing a fight in the Senate. Education Secretary Arne Duncan says the government is intent on subsidizing students, not private lenders. The bill would make loans directly to student borrowers from the government, possibly freeing up billions. But critics say students would see a decline in service and that student loans shouldn’t be placed in the hands of a government monopoly.
Stanford fees pass US$50,000:
(Mercury News) Students enrolling at Stanford University in 2010 will face the highest tuition fees ever. The Board of Trustees decided on Tuesday to raise tuition, and room and board, bringing the cost of attending the university to US$50,576. Stanford says it will still provide enough financial aid to allow students from families making less than US$100,000 a year to attend the university for free.
World
Student riots continue in Bihar, India:
(Indian Express) For the second day in a row, students in India’s Bihar capital protested corruption in the province’s private tutoring institutes. Hundreds of students took to the streets, burning vehicles and throwing stones at schools and police who fought back with tear gas and baton-beating. Students allege the private institutions misused their tuition money. A 21-year-old engineering student was killed Tuesday by a stray bullet as other students tried to wrestle the gun from a security guard.
'Wannabe suicide bomber' freed from U.K. prison:
(Guardian) A Muslim student charged for acts of terrorism in 2007 was discharged from an eight-year prison term in the U.K. on Tuesday. The Crown found Mohammed Atif Siddique, 24, guilty of downloading Islamist information on weapons and beheadings, and circulating the documents on the Internet. A court of appeal cleared Siddique of the charges, with the court judge saying Siddique had been wrongly convicted and the original jury had been misdirected about the terms of the country’s Terrorism Act.
U.K. language schools fear student visa crackdown:
(SouthDevon.co.uk) U.K. Home Secretary Alan Johnson announced Tuesday the government will cut the number of student visas issued each year. Language schools could be the hardest hit by the move. Officials at one institution say it will cost the school $1.7 million if foreign students can’t attend. Johnson says the cuts are intended to prevent abuses of the system, which have been blamed for allowing terrorist suspects to enter Britain and stay undocumented when their visas expire.
Australia will allow foreign students permanent residence:
(Australian Visa Bureau) Chris Evans, Australia’s minister of immigration and citizenship, says foreigners studying in the country will have options for permanent residence. International students whose positions are on a new Skilled Occupations List will be able to extend their student visas up to 18 months after graduation. Evans says this will allow students to gain work experience under an Australian employer who could then sponsor them for a permanent visa.
Oxford prof tried to 'block colleague's promotion':
(Telegraph.co.uk) An Oxford University professor claims she was victimized by her former boss after filing a discrimination case against the school. Cecile Deer reached an out-of-court settlement with Oxford in 2008 on grounds of sexist discrimination. Deer told an employment tribunal this week that Professor Geoffrey Walford revoked his recommendation for her application to a research position, and told her she damaged her career and “did not know the power of the university.”
Fiji students sing to pay tutition fees:
(Fiji Times) University students in Colo-i-Suva, Fiji, are taking the mic to raise money for their tuition costs. The 10-member group, Dynamic Vocal, has already made a name for itself in local singing competitions but members decided to put their talents to work for them when they learned of a similar fundraising event in the U.S. The students will host a pancake sing-off tomorrow where they will serenade patrons while serving them breakfast.