August 22, 2024

The Government of Nova Scotia has issued a stop-work order for the Nova Scotia Firefighters School for failing to comply with safety requirements. According to CBC, the school has been under scrutiny following the death of a student during a training session in 2019. NS issued a compliance order that required the school to address 22 “high risk” activities uncovered by a third-party assessment; when compliance was not fully achieved, NS issued a stop-work order. “The stop-work order will remain in place, and the activities cannot resume, until compliance is achieved,” read a statement from the NS Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration.

Confederation College has announced two developments on the front of AI: The launch of a new AI-powered digital mascot Storm AI and the introduction of the Declaration on the Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools. Created by the college’s Interactive Media Development program and the Marketing, Recruitment, and Communications team, Storm AI is an online assistant on the college’s website that is designed to instantly answer visitor questions. This tool aims to transform interactions between the college and its students, alumni, and wider community by using engaging and innovative technology. The Declaration on the Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools outlines the college’s ethical approach to AI and the measures it is taking to ensure that the technology enhances, rather than replaces, human creativity.

The University of British Columbia and the Government of British Columbia are collaborating to bring more than 1,500 student beds to UBC’s Vancouver campus. The provincial government is contributing $300M to the project, while UBC will provide $259M. This project will focus on providing graduate student housing with the construction of a five-building complex in the Lower Mall Precinct. The complex will include a 400-seat dining hall, new childcare spaces, common areas, and academic and administrative offices. “We are grateful to the BC government for this historic $300-million investment,” said UBC President Benoit-Antoine Bacon. “This support will be transformative in providing much-needed additional student housing and childcare for our community.” Construction starts in 2026 with completion expected by 2029.

The First Nations Technical Institute has received $4.5M from the Government of Canada to expand its aerospace training programs and create new opportunities for Indigenous youth. With this federal boost, FNTI will acquire specialized equipment and establish a training program that will lead to a helicopter pilot license. “This funding announcement brings an envelope of support that will provide a new aviation helicopter training program to Indigenous students from remote, fly-in, and urban regions across Canada, graduating more pilots, growing economic development, stimulating entrepreneurship, cultivating mentorship and responding to the needs of communities,” said FNTI President Suzanne Brant.

Université du Québec à Montréal has created a new policy that recognizes the status of student caregivers and improves eligibility for student parent status. UQAM vice-rectrice à la Vie académique Johanne Grenier said that the move will allow student caregivers to benefit from arrangements to promote the balance of their education, family’s needs, and work. Grenier stated that UQAM is the first institution in Montréal to officially recognize the status of student caregivers. The policy also broadens the eligibility for status as a student parents, which UQAM says better meet student parent needs.

The University of Manitoba has sued former law dean Jonathan Black-Branch for nearly $700K. According to CBC, the lawsuit says that Black-Branch breached the terms of his employment agreement and “knowingly pursued a course of fraudulent, reckless, deliberate, and high-handed conduct” when he “had the power and control to impact the interests of the university … and was entrusted to make appropriate financial expenditures.” UManitoba is arguing that the university would not have approved Black-Branch’s professional-development spending, if this spending had been disclosed; Black-Branch is also accused of breaking university policy and falsely claiming meals for business purposes.

A recent article in Nature profiles a new project that provides financial compensation to reviewers who catch mistakes in highly cited papers. The Estimating the Reliability and Robustness of Research (ERROR) project is led by Malte Elson (University of Bern), Ian Hussey (University of Bern) and Ruben Arslan (Leipzig University). It is inspired by the “bug bounty” programs used by major technology companies that reward hackers who identify and report product vulnerabilities. Likewise, ERROR pays reviewers a set amount for finding mistakes in psychology papers, with larger sums awarded for more significant errors. The project leaders aim to address the current “haphazard system of error detection” and underline the importance of funding systematic error scrutiny.

Cégep de Lévis and Sheridan College are each offering new online courses that will expand options for working professionals. Cégep de Lévis announced the addition of several new courses to its advanced training courses options. The courses—which are primarily delivered online—are designed to help students increase their skills and improve their productivity. The new course topics include digital skills, staff retention, and agriculture. Sheridan is launching SheridanOnline, which will offer a fully online suite of programs starting in 2025. The programs are designed to give working professionals flexible access to education with multiple start dates throughout the year and self-paced, asynchronous learning. SheridanOnline will offer several bachelor’s programs in areas such as business administration, social and community development, and computer science.

Several employment-focused student programs in Alberta are either in jeopardy or have been cancelled after the Government of Canada reduced its employment preparation funding. CBC reports that the affected programs include those that help vulnerable individuals to pursue further education, such as NorQuest College’s Transitions to Employment program for individuals with developmental disabilities, dayhome provider program, and an academic upgrading program. Additionally, CBC states that the $71M decline in AB’s federal funding is affecting provincial programs in multiple ministries, including the learning assistance program, which covers living costs, tuition, books, supplies, transportation, or childcare for students who are upskilling or reskilling.

York University and the York University Faculty Association (YUFA) have reached a tentative agreement, which will avert an upcoming strike if ratified. According to YUFA–which represents 1,700 faculty members, librarians, and archivists–the new collective agreement would extend through to April 2027. The agreement includes wage increases for the next three years and addresses faculty concerns regarding class sizes and department restructuring. Other key provisions include enhanced benefits for members and retirees, along with greater control for members over academic decisions. YUFA members will vote on the agreement in the coming days.