April 10, 2023

The University of Manitoba has established a new Heart & Stroke & Research Manitoba Chair in Clinical Stroke Research, which will be held by Dr Nishita Singh. The new position aims to advance stroke research and is funded through a partnership between UManitoba, Heart & Stroke, and Research Manitoba. “We are delighted to welcome Dr. Singh, who will provide leadership, scholarship and mentorship in clinical stroke research and stroke treatment; assist with integrating the best practices in stroke care; work with other stroke researchers provincially, nationally and internationally; and contribute to attracting other experts and trainees in this field to UM,” said UManitoba VP Research and International Dr Mario Pinto.

Memorial University’s Board of Regents has issued a statement advising that Dr Vianne Timmons’ appointment as president and vice-chancellor is being “ended on a without cause basis.” Dr Neil Bose will lead the institution for a two-year term or until a new president is recruited. “The board appreciates Dr Timmons’ contributions to the university during her time with Memorial, particularly her efforts to advance the university’s strategic priorities,” writes Glenn Barnes, Chair of the Memorial Board of Regents. “We extend our best wishes in all her future endeavors.” CBC and VOCM report that the decision comes shortly after Timmons took a voluntary leave of absence in response to public scrutiny into her statements on Indigenous ancestry.

The International Business University has officially met Ontario’s International Student Program requirements to be recognized and approved as a Designated Learning Institution (DLI). The DLI accreditation will create new opportunities for international students to study at IBU and work in Canada. The university has also received approval for an MBA Program in Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship. The program will cover business context and trends, effective communication skills, legal and ethical considerations, and more, and includes a four-month capstone project.

Two colleges have recently announced Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion plans. Niagara College and its Student Administrative Council have launched an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Blueprint. The blueprint identifies the college’s current situation and ongoing work, and outlines the college’s vision, goals, and opportunities for improvement in the future. Selkirk College announced its Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Action Plan, a brief document that includes best practice definitions, outlines the broad focus areas, and goals for the plan. Selkirk EDI Advisory Committee chair Marissa Carrasco explained that the success of the plan will come down to individuals having brave conversations and cultivating a culture of considered openness. Both colleges described their plans as living documents that commit the institutions to continuous improvement.

Student-supervisor meetings are a vital part of higher-degree studies and offer the opportunity for supervisors to share and support students in and beyond their work, write Alexander Clark and Bailey Sousa of Athabasca University. The authors outline six ways that students and supervisors can improve meetings and related outcomes. Clark and Sousa offer advice such as planning the meetings’ duration, frequency, and goals; ensuring the key points of the meeting are taken care of by using a “parking lot” for off-topic or tangential issues; and openly acknowledging power the perceived or true power differential and inequities that can appear in these meetings.

Algoma University, Lakehead University, St Francis Xavier University, and the University of Winnipeg will be taking part in Greenspace Health’s mental health pilot program. The Campus Population Health Pilot seeks to improve access to mental health services for postsecondary students by offering an online student mental health and wellness hub, which helps campuses improve the delivery of their mental health strategies. “The Greenspace Hub provides our students with a proactive way to engage in and better understand their mental health,” said Lakehead Manager of Wellness Services Irene Pugliese. “The ability to customize resources and services for a post-secondary audience and to the communities we’re located in is wonderful.” The pilot will run through 2023.

Two new student housing and dining buildings at the University of Victory have received lək̓ʷəŋən names: Čeqʷəŋín ʔéʔləŋ (Cheko’nien House) and Sŋéqə ʔéʔləŋ (Sngequ House). “The building names will be a constant reminder of the history of these lands and will hopefully inspire critical reflections and educational opportunities for the campus community,” said UVic VP Indigenous Qwul’sih’yah’maht, Robina Thomas. “The work we’ve undertaken together represents a milestone in acknowledging the true history of where we are located – on lək̓ʷəŋən territory – and a way forward in continuing to build respectful relationships with local Nations.” The Indigenous names were revealed after a consultation process between the university and Chiefs and Councils, Elders, and community members.

After a week of strike action, the union representing contract instructors at Carleton University has reached a tentative agreement with the university administration. CUPE Local 4600 President Noreen Cauley-Le Fevre and Carleton VP Academic Jerry Tomberlin issued a joint statement about the settlement that indicated the agreement details would be communicated by their respective bargaining teams in due course. Contract instructors – who make up unit two of CUPE 4600 –resumed teaching on Thursday. Teaching assistants, research assistants, and service assistants – who make up unit one of CUPE 4600 – have yet to reach an agreement and will reportedly remain on the picket lines.

Enrolment leaders and admissions staff are facing unprecedented levels of disillusionment, frustration, and burnout, writes Eric Hoover in an article for The Chronicle of Higher Education. Hoover provides a snapshot of the experiences of 23 current and former enrolment officials working in US higher ed. He writes that the increasing pressure to bring in more students and increase tuition revenue each year is proving to be too much for many professionals, especially as they find their work schedule increasing without improved pay. As a result, Hoover notes that many admissions and enrolment professionals are leaving their jobs in search of a profession with a healthier work-life-balance.

Canadian universities across the country have launched new spaces for students from marginalized backgrounds in order to respond to decades of racism on campus, writes Fakiha Baig of the Canadian Press. Baig highlights the launch of lounges for Black students at Toronto Metropolitan University, York University, and the University of British Columbia, as well as a BIPOC lounge at the University of Winnipeg. “It’s a beautiful community to watch unfold,” said TMU lounge spokesperson Eboni Morgan. “It’s been loud, exciting and students are constantly in the space.” The author also highlights some of the criticism that the rooms have received, including concerns that the spaces are being used as “performative justice” at institutions where Black student groups are underfunded.