June 20, 2024

McGill University has ceased discussions with protesters involved in the pro-Palestinian encampment and withdrawn its offer of amnesty for involved students and staff. McGill President Deep Saini said protesters repeatedly refused to meet with administration for discussions. According to CBC, Saini said that McGill will go ahead with most of the changes that were presented in the university’s latest offer. However, Saini said that the university will “pursue disciplinary processes against individuals participating in the encampment to the full extent outlined in our policies” and will investigate legal recourse for recovering costs from damages incurred due to the encampment. Montreal Gazette reports that protesters have no intention of breaking down the encampment and allege that the McGill’s administrators have refused to meet with them to resume discussions.

The University of Windsor has laid off ten people as part of its ongoing efforts to address a $5.6M budget shortfall. CBC reports that the jobs will be cut from a production unit within the School of Dramatic Art called the University Players, which will subsequently cease operations. UWindsor has also ended the operations of its Entrepreneurship, Practice, and Innovation Centre, but stated that its initiatives will be “reimagined” and restructured. In a news release explaining the rationale behind the cuts, UWindsor said that the university “like many post-secondary institutions in Ontario, is grappling with significant external pressures on budgets from ongoing domestic tuition freezes, provincial policy and funding impacts, competitive forces, and fluctuating enrolment.”

The International Language Academy of Canada (ILAC)–a private institution–has pivoted its business operations after the Government of Ontario allotted the majority of its Provincial Attestation Letters (PALs) to public institutions. The PIE reports that ILAC has largely pivoted to focus on pathway programs and high school education to mitigate the impact of the PAL allocations. ILAC has introduced more pathway schools, launched a new strategy and delivery options for its online language school offering called ILAC KISS, and launched a German offshoot of its ILAC KISS program. Looking to the future, ILAC intends to launch an international high school and establish the ILAC Centre for Entertainment Arts.

Six Canadian postsecondary institutions have ranked among the Top 50 International Animation Schools and Colleges ranking published by Animation Career Review. The ranking evaluates 200 postsecondary schools from around the world, excluding the United States, that offer formal degree programs in animation according to criteria such as employment data, academic reputation, and depth and breadth of the program. The Canadian institutions that appeared in the Top 50 were Sheridan College (#2), Emily Carr University of Art + Design (#6), OCAD University (#10), Université Laval (#15), York University (#26), and Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (#35).

Government of British Columbia Post-Secondary Minister Lisa Beare has penned a letter to University of Victoria Board Chair Paul Ramsey demanding action after the toxic-drug-related death of an 18-year-old UVic student. Beare asks how UVic will handle the concerns highlighted by what she alleges was a “preventable” overdose and what actions the institution will take to prevent a similar tragedy in the future. Beare’s letter reiterates a set of policy recommendations that were developed by a committee composed of the heads of BC’s 25 universities and colleges, which include providing accessible naloxone on campus, campus security training, and better communications to warn students about overdoses.

St Lawrence College and George Brown College have each announced partnerships that will bring new learning opportunities to their students. SLC has partnered with the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville and Maple View Lodge in Athens, Ontario to deliver Personal Support Worker programming using a living classroom model. Students will become part of a care team at the new Maple View Lodge, which is scheduled to open in 2025. George Brown has partnered with New Zealand’s Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) to give Indigenous students from George Brown the opportunity to travel to NMIT and learn more about how Indigenous peoples in New Zealand are leading community change. NMIT participants will also engage in a follow-up visit to Toronto so that they can learn about Indigenous experiences in Ontario.

Wilfrid Laurier University has received a $1.4M gift from Chancellor Eileen Mercier to fund the establishment of an endowed Professorship in Voice and Choral Music Education. The Eileen Mercier Professorship in Voice and Choral Music Education will attract and retain a faculty member who will engage in creative scholarship and encourage students to study voice and choral music. “This is the first endowed professorship in Music at Laurier,” said WLU Dean of the Faculty of Music Cynthia Johnston Turner. “Eileen has been an incredible supporter of the Faculty of Music and we’re thrilled that she is establishing a professorship in our Voice and Choral Music area.”

The Montréal Gazette recently spotlighted a non-profit corporation named the Unité de travail pour l’implantation de logement étudiant (UTILE) that is providing affordable rental apartments to students in Québec. The Gazette describes how UTILE—which was founded by a group of Université du Québec à Montréal students—works with student associations to finance and fast-track the development of affordable rental units. UTILE then provides student housing close to campus at rents that are 10-30% below the market rate to support students who demonstrate the greatest need.

The Université de Sudbury will offer 23 programs and program options in the arts, social sciences, management/commerce, and health sciences starting in September 2025. These programs stem from the strategic partnership established between USudbury and the University of Ottawa and will be offered through a “one program, two degrees” model. “The renaissance of French-language university programming in Sudbury will provide choice to local students, and anchor youth and talent here in the North,” said USudbury President Dr Serge Miville. USudbury also announced that it is hiring Grade 11 students this summer to co-create the reimagined university student experience.

Vancouver Community College students recently held a special clinic to provide children from the community with free dental services. Students in the 10-month Certified Dental Assisting program offered free dental assessments, oral hygiene instructions, polishing, and fluoride treatment to nearly 200 children. “I feel like this event has empowered kids and their families to take control of their oral health, preventing minor problems from becoming big problems,” said VCC student Josephine Jolie. VCC’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing program also recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. To mark the year, the program held a special event that brought together faculty, staff, students, and alumni.