June 26, 2024

This September, Lethbridge College will become Lethbridge Polytechnic. The Government of Alberta recently announced that the college will be redesignated as a polytechnic institution. In this capacity, the institution will provide career-focused postsecondary education across a wider spectrum of programming. “This move is far more than a name change,” said Lethbridge Mayor Blaine Hyggen. “It truly signifies the continual adaptation, growth and grand vision for one of our city’s beloved post-secondary institutions.”

Protesters have dismantled the pro-Palestinian encampment that was established on the University of Winnipeg’s campus in mid-May. The encampment members reportedly left the barricades in place, along with a note indicating that they “would have removed the barricades, but UW did not engage with any of our demands […] so we had no assurances of safety.” The university told CBC that it was not notified of the protesters’ decision to take down the encampment. The Winnipeg Free Press reports that protesters had intended to remain in place until the administration agreed to comply with a list of their demands; one protester told reporters that the group is exploring other ways to put pressure on the administration.

MedSask—a medication information service hosted by the University of Saskatchewan—has received nearly $1M in funding from the Government of Saskatchewan. The funding will increase base funding for the service and support the expansion of training and resources for pharmacists. CTV News notes that the funding announcement was made during the service’s 50th anniversary celebrations. “A 50-year record of improving the lives of people in Saskatchewan demonstrates how crucial and trusted medSask has become not just to medical professionals, but also to the general public,” said USask College of Pharmacy and Nutrition Dean Jane Alcorn.

A non-Indigenous woman who pled guilty to defrauding Inuit organizations of over $158K for her daughters’ education is expected to be sentenced tomorrow at the Nunavut Court of Justice. In 2016, Karima Manji fraudulently obtained Inuit enrolment status for her daughters with Nunavut Tunngavik Inc, enabling them to obtain $158K in scholarships toward their education at Queen’s University. The Kingston Whig reports that Manji’s daughters were also charged with fraud, but the Crown withdrew those charges when Manji pleaded guilty. Justice Mia Manocchio has reportedly revoked Manji’s bail and intends to sentence her on Thursday.

Mount Saint Vincent University has pledged that it will continue the Dimensions initiative on its campus, despite the fact that the federal program did not have its funding renewed this year. The 2019 pilot for Dimensions—which sought to foster equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility across postsecondary research—involved 17 Canadian universities. MSVU created a dimensions actions plan from the work done during this initiative that has culminated in several recent and ongoing initiatives, including a new AVP People and Culture role and a comprehensive EDIA data collection, storage, and reporting system for the university. MSVU also says that it is working with other stakeholders to get funding reinstated.

International postsecondary students in Manitoba recently spoke to the Winnipeg Free Press to express their frustration with the provincial government for not upholding its promise to restore health-care coverage for international students. International students have been required to purchase private health insurance while studying in MB after public health-care coverage for international students was cut in 2018. “To a student who’s struggling, especially when they have to pay three times the (resident) tuition cost, it’s a lot of money,” said UManitoba student Ivan Nunez-Gamez, who described the current system as a “two-tiered” system that is “perpetuating [the] systemic inequality that many claim to be against.”

St Thomas University has launched an interdisciplinary program in Social Entrepreneurship and Nonprofit Management. Students in this program will acquire the business fundamentals and skills that they need to create, develop, or participate in social enterprises and nonprofits. “Once they graduate, our students will have the skills to contribute to existing social enterprises and nonprofits right away,” explained STU program coordinator Dr Andy Secord. The program includes a Social Enterprise Work-Study Placement that connects students with a social enterprise where they can get hands-on experience with strategy development, marketing initiatives, and more.

Cambrian College has launched a two-year Animation diploma program. Students in the program will develop their skills in storytelling, drawing, design, and animation in preparation for work as a generalist in the animation industry. Graduates of the program will be able to continue their education by entering the third year of Cambrian’s Animation advanced diploma program, where they will have the opportunity to specialize in 2D or 3D animation. “So many different aspects of design and animation are in demand, through films, television, and gaming,” said Cambrian VP, Academic Janice Clarke. “This new program gives people the skills they need to launch their careers in all industries that require animators.”

Cégep Thetford, Okanagan College, and Vancouver Community College are kicking off new construction projects this summer. Thetford has begun the construction of a $13.7M sports complex, which will house a gym with synthetic turf for football and baseball, a studio for gymnastics and cheerleading, and an exercise gym. Okanagan is preparing for the construction of its $55.8M Centre for Food, Wine, and Tourism, which will include teaching spaces, food labs, and research and development facilities. VCC will kick off construction of its Centre for Clean Energy and Automotive Innovation (CCEAI) next week. The CCEAI will be constructed from mass-timber and concrete and will feature teaching and experiential learning spaces for clean energy students.

The Interuniversity Services Inc consortium—representing 19 postsecondary schools in Atlantic Canada—has signed a five-year partnership with technology provider Ellucian. ISI provides central administrative services and collaborative procurement for its member institutions with the goals of reducing their operating costs, improving services, and providing a framework for cooperation among members. Through this partnership, ISI member colleges and universities will have access to Ellucian’s SaaS Platform, which will streamline their administrative processes.