February 6, 2024

The leaders of several universities in Nova Scotia have spoken out against the Government of Nova Scotia’s recent funding announcement, which included changes to tuition and the implementation of a variety of funding requirements. A release from the Council of Nova Scotia University Presidents asserts that the changes are a “serious blow” that will cause unnecessary financial hardship for several institutions. Students Nova Scotia expressed support for the new accountability measures, but highlighted the need for the province to consult all parties about how student wellbeing can be prioritized. They also expressed “disappointment” at the introduction of a minimum annual increase for international tuition.

Québec’s order of nurses has announced that it will temporarily suspend a plan that would have mandated nurses to acquire a university degree before entering the profession. The Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec (OIIQ) stated that it will instead concentrate its efforts on improving the licensing exams for nurses in the province. CBC reports that the exam itself has come under fire in recent years, particularly for its high failure rate. Fédération des Cégeps President Bernard Tremblay welcomed OIIQ’s decision to shelve the university degree requirement, adding that the Government of Québec should better promote cegep-level nursing diplomas to encourage the next generation to pursue the profession.

Pacific Rim College President James Christian spoke to the Times Colonist about how the provincial crackdown on private institutions that are acting unscrupulously may impact legitimate private institutions. Christian said that he supports the overall goal of the changes, but that the measures also complicate processes for colleges that do meet the relevant standards. “It feels like it paints every post-secondary private institution with the same brush, that they are not doing a good job or breaking the rules,” said Christian, who added that he feels that colleges such as his—which have passed rigorous screenings, complete annual audits, and track student attendance—are being “wrongly being included in that group.” Sprott Shaw College President Victor Tesan also spoke to the Times Colonist. Tesan said that the college mostly has domestic students, but that it supports Canada in ensuring that Canada’s international student program is stable and secure.

In a recent article for the Chronicle of Higher Ed, Rebecca Colesworthy (SUNY Press) explains the process of reaching out to an editor for those who are preparing a scholarly book manuscript. Colesworthy notes that many factors contribute to what constitutes a strong topic for a particular editor, including aspects of the proposed book like its “fit,” “idea,” and “topic.” The author notes that while it can be helpful to have connections with editors prior to submission, that it is by no means necessary. Colesworthy encourages “messy but exciting” book proposals and encourages authors to be confident when submitting book proposals that have been requested by an editor. “Editors don’t always know what we find exciting until presented with it,” writes Colesworthy.

The University of Calgary has launched a toolkit that will help students develop the skills they need to find legitimate sources and to recognize incorrect or misleading information. The Building Resilience to Misinformation: An Instructional Toolkit will support faculty as they engage students in discussions about misinformation. It contains four modules with customizable content and flexible delivery options, as well as suggested learning activities, quizzes, and resources. “It’s important to give students the tools and knowledge they need to confidently navigate the current information landscape,” said UCalgary librarian Dr Justine Wheeler. “These skills will serve them well in all aspects of their lives, now and long after they graduate.” The slides for the toolkit are publicly available on UCalgary’s website.

Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Douglas College, the Justice Institute of British Columbia, and the University of the Fraser Valley have received funding to conduct a feasibility study on potential postsecondary educational opportunities in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows. This feasibility study builds upon a previous needs assessment led by KPU, Douglas, JIBC, and UFV, which identified a demand for increased access to postsecondary education and skills training in the area. The Government of British Columbia is investing $250K into the study as part of its effort to address immediate and long-term workforce challenges in the province. The feasibility study is expected to be completed by Spring 2025.

The Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières is celebrating the opening of its new campus in downtown Longueuil. The campus features four modern classrooms, a space for student life, meeting rooms, and administrative offices. It also houses some of UQTR’s graduate offerings, with a focus on offering accounting, management, and administration courses. This inauguration marks UQTR’s sixth campus establishment. This new campus will build upon the university’s existing partnerships in the Montérégie region, especially with Cégep Éduoard-Montpetit.

Times Higher Education has published several articles reflecting on the recent case between Open University and former OU professor Jo Phoenix. Phoenix, the founder of Gender Critical Research Network, reportedly faced harassment, public calls for her removal, and death threats for her views and work on the network. In a summary of the findings of an employment tribunal ruling, Tom Williams reports that Phoenix asked the university to intervene, but Open U did not take adequate action to do so. The tribunal found that Phoenix faced a “hostile environment” at the institution and that the institution failed to intervene adequately. In a separate article, Ian Pace analyses the situation as a demonstration of the dangers of “academic mobbing” and concludes that institutions must address concerted campaigns against academics with the utmost seriousness.

The University of Toronto is accelerating its effort to decarbonize its St George campus by engaging in projects that will cut the campus’s emissions in half by 2027. The university is currently engaged in a $138M infrastructure project named Project Leap, which aims to help U of T reach its overall goal of achieving a climate-positive operating model by 2050. Using funds from the Canada Infrastructure Bank, U of T will begin to phase out natural gas in favour of electricity in the campus’s central steam plant and conduct deep retrofits on some of the university’s most energy-intensive buildings. “With 2030 just around the corner, we need to act immediately and decisively to tackle climate change,” said U of T’s Chief Operating Officer Ron Saporta.

The Université du Québec à Montréal has renewed a framework agreement with the Institut des sciences, des technologies et des études avancées d’Haïti (ISTEAH). Under this new agreement, UQÀM and ISTEAH will explore the possibility of providing joint supervision for doctoral students from both institutions. UQÀM and ISTEAH have collaborated since 2014, with the institutions partnering on postsecondary training and professional development opportunities for students. To commemorate the renewed agreement, representatives from ISTEAH and the Bank of the Republic of Haiti presented UQÀM with a plaque to highlight their ongoing commitment to collaboration.