July 19, 2023

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has approved up to $10M in student fee relief for Memorial University. The MUN Board of Regents voted that this funding will be used to offset the Campus Renewal Fee for all students this upcoming academic year. The Campus Renewal Fee is an additional student fee that is used to improve physical and technological infrastructure at MUN. “This investment will have a tangible, positive impact on all Memorial students,” said Memorial President Dr Neil Bose. “Not only will students see a reduction in the amount they pay to attend Memorial, but the investment will also directly support improving campus infrastructure.”

The University of Waterloo recently hosted two community forums to discuss how to move forward after the recent attack. While some faculty members felt like the forums addressed their concerns, some students, such software engineering student Arnav Gupta, felt that the forum could have included more student input and information gathering. Waterloo Associate VP of Communications Nick Manning said that creating a plan of action will take time. “We need to continue to talk to one another, and listen to our students and find ways ahead that make sense to them,” he said Manning. CTV News reports that student groups such as the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance have called for action, with OUSA calling on Ontario to introduce changes for the sector such as creating a formal gender-based violence prevention framework, mandating regular safety audits, and developing training for campus security.

Dalhousie University and Saint Mary’s University are playing a part in hosting the 2023 North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) this year. With athletes representing 756 Indigenous nations descending on Halifax to participate in NAIG, Dal is hosting over 1,110 athletes, coaches, and staff in campus residences while SMU is hosting about 700 athletes in its residences. Both universities have opened a number of their facilities and taken steps to make athletes more comfortable during their stay: Dal stated that athletes will have access to spaces such as the Indigenous Student Centre and campus dining halls, while SMU will be offering a special menu in its dining halls and has installed posters with welcome messages in Mi’kmaq and English across campus. Dal is also hosting basketball events at the Sexton and Dalplex gyms as well as swimming events at the Dalplex pool, while SMU will be hosting the wrestling and basketball competitions at its facilities.

Fleming College has announced that it has joined the Southern Ontario Network for Advanced Manufacturing Innovation (SONAMI). SONAMI provides small- and medium-sized Ontario manufacturers with innovative solutions and access to technology, knowledge, and funding to strengthen their enterprises. SONAMI members will have access to Fleming’s Centre for Advancement in Mechatronics and Industrial Internet of Things and the college’s Centre for Advancement of Water and Wastewater Technologies. “Our expertise in design for manufacturing and in innovative water and wastewater technologies will help SONAMI and its SME partners address complex challenges and make a lasting impact on the province’s manufacturing sector,” said Fleming Executive Vice President, Academic and Applied Research & Innovation Brett Goodwin.

The Cégep de l’Outaouais has requested that the Government of Québec review the criteria for its “Parcours pour la mobilité étudiante” program. This student mobility scholarship program–launched in Fall 2022–offers select students an annual bursary of $7.5K to study at a cégep located more than 60km away from their residence. Under the current criteria, l’Outaouais is not qualified as one of the 18 eligible cégeps. In response, the Cégep de L’Outaouais, alongside the regional county municipalities of Collines-de-l’Outaouais, Vallée-de-la-Gatineau, Pontiac, Papineau, and the City of Gatineau have formally requested that QC grant the institution differentiated criteria so that its students can benefit from the scholarship program.

A recent CBC article highlights the Kent Island Scientific Station and the strategies that the researchers and students use to live and work in such an isolated environment. The island was donated to Bowdoin College in Maine in the 1920s, and has since been used by researchers from institutions such as the University of Guelph, University of Windsor, and Dalhousie University to study birds. The researchers and students split duties such as cooking and cleaning, and spend time together eating together and sharing stories about their work and other topics. “We’re a community that’s here together,” said Kent Island Scientific Station Director Patricia Jones. “We have our research here with us and we eat well, and it doesn’t feel isolated.”

Nunavut Arctic College and Aurora College have received new funding announcements from their respective territorial governments. Arctic College will receive $40.3M from the Government of Nunavut, which marks an increase from last year’s $38M in funding. The Government of the Northwest Territories has budgeted $34.8M for Aurora College: $12.5M will support the delivery of programs on campus, $6M will support community program delivery, and $5.1M will go toward base operations.

Former Maritime College of Forest Technology instructor Rod Cumberland is appealing a New Brunswick judge’s recent decision on a case related to his termination from the institution. In May, Chief Justice Tracey DeWare ruled that Cumberland was dismissed from MCFT in 2019 due to his teaching styles, not because of his views on glyphosate as he alleged, but that the college failed to give Cumberland adequate warning regarding his behaviour. DeWare ruled that Cumberland was thereby entitled to seven months’ pay and benefits. Cumberland is now seeking “moral, aggravated and punitive damages and 12 months’ pay” in a formal appeal of the judge’s decision. No date had been set for the appeal.

Algoma University’s Department of English and History will offer a new minor in Creative and Professional Writing this fall. Students will develop their writing voices in this 24-credit minor through a mix of creative and vocational writing courses. AlgomaU Department Chair Dr Alice Ridout said that the minor offers such courses as “Travel Writing” and “Writing for Digital and Social Media,” as well as opportunities to learn editing and writing skills from leading professionals in the field.

Selkirk College will offer a new Beginners n̓syilxčn̓ 1 (pronounced in-seel-h-chin) language course this fall. The course encourages students to develop their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills in Salish and will be delivered in partnership with the Salish School of Spokane. “This is such an important step for the college to support self-determination and language revitalization,” said Selkirk Director of Indigenous Education & Engagement Dianne Biin. The course is open to all learners with an interest in Salish language and culture; Indigenous students can enrol in the course at no cost.