November 21, 2024

Dawson College has closed it campus and cancelled classes today in response to its student union’s recent decision to participate in a planned pro-Palestinian strike. The strike was organized by the Coalition de Résistance pour l’Unité Étudiante Syndicale–a coalition of student unions from across Québec–with the goal of pressuring “institutions, corporations, the federal government, and the provincial government to sever all ties with Israel.” In a statement, Dawson acknowledged heightened tensions in the lead-up to the strike and urged students to report any instances of cyberbullying or harassment. Other student organizations–including from Concordia University, Université de Montréal, the Université du Québec à Montréal, and other cégeps–are also participating in the strike.

A recent report published by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) highlights how generative AI can improve accessibility for postsecondary students. Report authors Ryan Tishcoff, Elizabeth Agoe, Miha Isik, and Alexandra MacFarlane discuss the findings of a survey of more than 500 Ontario students about their experiences using generative AI. The study found that generative AI can enhance learning accessibility, including for students with disabilities, and revealed that survey respondents were already using the tool in instances when instructors did not provide adaptable course materials. However, the report emphasizes that fully harnessing this potential requires greater awareness and clarity around the appropriate use of generative AI tools. The authors conclude by advocating for more evidence-based research to guide effective integration strategies.

Northwestern Polytechnic has launched a new Bachelor of Elementary Education, which will be the institution’s third degree program. The program will emphasize a practical approach that includes work-integrated learning opportunities. Students will engage in weekly learning labs at local schools so they can apply their knowledge and prepare for their field experience. The program will start in Fall 2025. “This new degree is a welcome addition on campus and in the North where demand for educators is high,” said NWP Provost and VP Academic Dr Terry Kowalchuk.

HEC Montréal has joined the Academics Without Borders (AWB) Network. Membership in this consortium will give HEC faculty and staff access to AWB partnership opportunities. HEC faculty members and partner institutions in developing countries will also be able to propose projects to AWB. The institution states that AWB membership will enhance recognition of HEC’s international work and provide it with new resources to support its efforts.

The University of Manitoba’s Fort Garry campus has reopened after an emergency on Tuesday. UManitoba closed the campus and issued a shelter-in-place advisory after multiple sources reported a man with a knife. A man matching the given description was not located during a search and the Winnipeg Police Service has determined that there is no longer a threat to safety. Winnipeg Police spokesperson Constable Claude Chancy said that the major crimes unit has taken over the investigation.

Board chairs and presidents of cégeps across Québec have jointly issued an open letter that raises concerns about recent provincial government decisions. The letter states that cégeps are currently experiencing their highest enrolment growth in 25 years, yet lack sufficient funding from the Government of Québec to support this demand. The letter highlights provincially mandated cuts to infrastructure spending, caps on budgets, restrictions on paid hours, and a recruitment freeze. The authors conclude by calling on the provincial government to end its centralization policy and restore the autonomy of cégeps so that they can fulfil their role of providing accessible higher education in all regions of Québec.

Georgian College open a second location for the Henry Bernick Entrepreneurship Centre (HBEC) in Owen Sound. The new location will be housed in a dedicated space at Grey County’s Sydenham Campus, a regional centre for skills training, trades, and innovation. Georgian HBEC will provide local entrepreneurs with programming and services including resources, mentorship, training, networking opportunities, and access to funding with an aim of bolstering the local workforce. “By collaborating with regional organizations and the local vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem, our goal is to foster innovation, harness the entrepreneurial spirit of this region and create impactful opportunities toward social-economic development,” said Georgian HBEC Business Development Manager Amanda Mejia.

Assiniboine College will offer the Early Childhood Education (ECE) Accelerated Mentorship program in Brandon, Morden, and Winnipeg starting in January 2025. This program uses an “earn while you learn” model, in which students attend classes for two days per week and gain hands-on experience at an early learning centre for three days a week. Students attain their ECE diploma in 18 months. “We’re proud to offer this in Winnipeg, Brandon and Morden in 2025, so that ECE educators living in those communities and regions have an opportunity to advance their career in early learning close to home,” said Assiniboine Dean of the School of Health and Human Services Karen Hargreaves.

The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology’s Forest Technology camp at Kidney Lake has been fully rebuilt—the camp’s first major upgrade in three decades—thanks to an industry donation from West Fraser. The rebuilt camp now provides students from the Forest Technology program with modern amenities, such as electricity and temperature control in cabins and learning spaces. Students will also now have their own rooms, complete with a washroom and shower, which NAIT Dean of the School of Energy and Natural Resources Dr Agatha Ojimelukewe said will broaden interest in the program, especially for students who identify as women. NAIT Instructor Ashley Lawson added that the new amenities will help students focus on their studies: “The camp they experience [now] is going to be the best time of their lives.”

McGill University has removed a white pine sapling that was planted earlier this week during a Haudenosaunee Peace Ceremony by the Traditional Longhouse Women, a group of Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) women. In a statement, McGill said that since the planting was unauthorized, it removed and potted the sapling so that it could be returned to Kanesatake. According to CTV News, Kanien’kehá:ka women activists from Kanesatake condemned the removal, calling it a “desecration of the Haudenosaunee symbol of peace.” They added that accepting the “the Great White Pine […] would have demonstrated McGill’s commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.”