July 8, 2024

The Government of Canada has announced $11M in funding for nine energy technology projects, which includes $2.5M that has been slated for small modular reactor research projects. The University of Alberta will receive $1.65M over three years for a project on additive manufacturing of materials for use in SMRs, while the University of Regina will receive $941K over three years to study long-term disposal strategies for wastes from SMRs in Saskatchewan. “I will continue to work with all partners to ensure Canada remains a global supplier of choice for clean energy in a net-zero world — ensuring a prosperous and clean future for Canadians from coast to coast to coast,” stated Federal Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson.

The Government of the Northwest Territories has introduced the Post-Secondary Education Accountability Framework. This framework establishes a reporting structure for NWT’s postsecondary education system and outlines performance measures and reporting responsibilities. The purpose of the framework is twofold: to report to the public on the postsecondary system’s performance and to collect information that will support other decision-making processes throughout the system. NWT states that the framework serves as a step towards ensuring that all NWT residents have access to postsecondary education.

Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick has received over $2M from the Government of Canada and Government of New Brunswick to support international Francophone students. CCNB will use the funds to adapt its service model to better meet the needs of its international student population and support them as they prepare to transition into NB’s job market. “Attracting and retaining French-speaking students from other parts of the world is critical to maintaining New Brunswick’s bilingualism and to meeting the province’s labour market demands,” said NB Minister of Postsecondary Education, Training, and Labour Greg Turner. “This initiative will help international students better adapt to their new surroundings and better prepare them to stay and work in New Brunswick upon graduation.”

The University of Calgary’s Simpson Centre for Food and Agricultural Policy has received a $1M donation from BMO to launch the Ag Literacy for Healthier People and Planet program. The centre and its strategic partners—including 13 Canadian universities—will conduct food system outreach and research over an approximately five-year period. Using targeted outreach and research, the program will promote food habit and agricultural policy change, deliver educational resources to the public on food system issues, and survey consumer knowledge. The program will serve a broad audience, with a special focus on engaging young adults and teenagers.

“You don’t have to burn out if you commit to pragmatism,” writes David D Perlmutter (Texas Tech University), who highlights several strategies that administrators can use to counter burnout. Perlmutter writes that the amount of work, pressure to accomplish tasks, and constant controversies can stack towards burnout. He advises administrators to prioritize or delegate tasks and duties as necessary, intentionally schedule time to transition between meetings and events or to decompress after higher-stakes meetings, and accept that handling crises are part of working as a leader. The author encourages administrators to learn how to identify the situations that may work themselves out without intervention if given some time, rather than reflexively jumping in to solve all problems.

Two former McMaster Innovation Park executives have reportedly launched lawsuits against McMaster University and First Longwood Innovation Trust (FLIT), alleging wrongful dismissal after they were terminated without cause in November 2023. The Spectator reports that a statement of claim filed by former MIP Chief Financial Officer Sandra Tran asserts that she is owed severance and performance payouts and alleges that the university interfered with her employment relationship with FLIT. McMaster has filed a motion of intent to defend against the lawsuit. Former MIP CEO Ty Shattuck is reportedly suing McMaster for $4.2M; McMaster’s statement of defence claims that Shattuck was manipulating his expense accounts and failed to secure necessary funding. The Spectator reports that none of the claims have been proven in court.

The University of Saskatchewan and Great Plains College have partnered to bring a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program to Swift Current. Starting in Fall 2024, students will be able to complete their pre-professional courses at Great Plains; in 2025, they will be able to complete the remaining years of their nursing degree at the USask distributed nursing site at Great Plains. “We know that many students stay where they learn so we’re optimistic that this program, in addition to the Continuing Care Assistant and Practical Nursing programs, will help meet the needs of our local healthcare facilities,” said Great Plains VP, Programs and Students Keleah Ostrander.

The Coalition nord-ontarienne pour une université de langue française—also known as the Northern Ontario Coalition for a French-Language University in English—has announced that it will be ending activities. The Coalition was formed after Laurentian University cut several French-language programs in April 2021. It called for a French-language university in Northern Ontario and supported the Université de Sudbury in attempting to attain status as such. The Coalition is now ending its activities after USudbury partnered with the University of Ottawa to begin offering programs that will meet labour needs of the region. “We extend our best wishes for success to all the entities and individuals involved in French-language post-secondary education in our region,” said Coalition spokesperson Denis Constantineau.

St Francis Xavier University recently held a ground-breaking ceremony for Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Hall. The hall will host the university’s forthcoming Victor and Mona Dahdaleh Institute for Innovation in Health, which will be an incubator for health research. “This will be a place where faculty, students, and health practitioners come together to improve the health and wellness of Nova Scotians,” said StFX President Dr Andy Hakin, who thanked Victor and Mona Dahdaleh, the provincial government, and the federal government for supporting the institute. The hall is expected to open in Winter 2027.

York University will be wrapping up the Service Excellence Program that it launched in 2020, citing current fiscal conditions. The program was a multi-year initiative that supported the pursuit of a culture of continuous improvement across YorkU by streamlining processes such as hiring and purchasing, creating a shared services centre for high-volume administrative tasks, and implementing process improvements. The program’s central operational team will be phased out and the program will be concluded by the end of October. “While change can be challenging, transitioning responsibility for service excellence to the functional leads reflects the University’s balanced approach to cost containment and long-term financial sustainability,” said YorkU Provost and VP Academic Lisa Philipps.