June 27, 2024

Red River College Polytechnic has launched an Indigenous entrepreneurship acceleration and incubation initiative called Mittohnee Pogo’ohtah, which is Cree for “this is where you do it correctly.” This program will connect Indigenous graduates of the Social Innovation and Community Development program with the resources and expertise they need to start their own businesses. Established Indigenous entrepreneurs and band-operated businesses that are interested in pivoting, scaling up, or entering joint ventures will also be able to access the program for support. The initiative will include an entrepreneur-in-residence/mentorship program, acceleration services, dedicated spaces for meeting and incubation, and more. RRC Polytech has received $1.5M in federal funding and $773K in provincial funding to support the project.

The Government of Ontario is investing over $10M to train more firefighters through the construction of five new firefighter training facilities and the creation of training initiatives. The facilities will be constructed in Clarington, Georgina, Hanover, Newmarket, and Orangeville; once completed, the facilities will have the capacity to train over 28,000 firefighters over a five-year period. The funds will also be used to offer Fire Ground Survival training to firefighters in the Kingston, Niagara, and Toronto regions and to upskill the Town of Georgina’s volunteer firefighters. “The more training we can provide to our firefighters, the safer they will be when called upon to respond to emergencies and the more effective they will be in overcoming whatever challenges they face, which makes our communities safer,” said Newmarket Mayor John Taylor.

The Government of New Brunswick and New Brunswick Community College have partnered to train the next generation of correctional officers. Under this partnership, the province is providing NBCC with the resources to bring its two-year Justice Studies: Public Safety program to Grand Lake. Students will acquire the skills and knowledge necessary for working in a variety of correctional workplaces and will have the opportunity to apply these skills during work placements. Prospective students who meet and develop a career plan with a WorkingNB employment counsellor will also be eligible for provincial grants to support their studies.

There are several ways that instructors can turn “syllabus day” into a more engaging course kick-off, writes Ashley Mowreader of Inside Higher Ed. Mowreader draws on recommendations and tips from faculty across the US on how to best use the first day of class to set the tone for the course and make expectations clear. These tips include using ice-breaker activities to promote positive engagement between students and the instructor, creating a syllabus assignment or an in-class game that encourages students to use the syllabus, and developing a classroom community agreement with students. Mowreader concludes by noting that reconfiguring syllabus day also gives instructors the opportunity to foster student curiosity and engagement by beginning to cover course material on the first day of classes.

Shortly after issuing a trespass notice, the University of Waterloo has officially filed an injunction against the Occupy UW encampment. CTV News reports that the university is declaring $1.5M in damages from the defendants. “Unfortunately, the encampment remains in place in violation of Waterloo policies, and the law,” said UWaterloo President Vivek Goel. “We have said repeatedly … the right to protest does not mean people have the right to endlessly occupy a shared university space.” CBC reports that Occupy UW refused to comment on the legal proceedings.

In an article for Innovative Higher Education, Emily VanZoest (North Carolina State University) et al outline a conceptual framework for the adult learner journey. The authors explain that US community colleges’ processes, policies, and practices have not been tailored to serve the growing number of mature learners enrolling in higher ed. The authors’ “Five P Framework” responds to this issue by covering five aspects of the learner journey: partnerships (collaborations with other agencies), pathways (academic and career advising), processes (and tailored approaches), proximity (access to the institution and supports), and public messaging (marketing and communications). The framework offers considerations and examples for each aspect to support the development of policies and practices that better serve adult learners.

McMaster University has launched a communications committee focused on advancing Truth and Reconciliation. The Truth and Reconciliation Communications Standing Committee—which is composed of McMaster staff, faculty, and students—will consider education opportunities for non-Indigenous campus community members, including identifying content that shares Indigenous peoples’ stories and experiences, co-developing communications campaigns, and supporting planning for campus-wide events. The committee will also provide resources to non-Indigenous groups that are seeking guidance as they plan events or public programming to advance Truth and Reconciliation. “This committee [recognizes] the need for Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities to work together to continuously advance learning and understanding in this important area,” said McMaster Indigenous Studies Department Chair Robert Innes.

Thompson Rivers University’s board of governors has reportedly approved a new post-baccalaureate diploma program and major in politics and international studies. The programs will teach students about Canadian issues, international politics, and Indigenous studies. “Understanding the implications of these ongoing tensions and established relationships for Canada’s prosperity and global social responsibility is the primary focus of the Politics and International Studies post-baccalaureate Diploma,” a report given to the university’s senate reads. Castanet

In a recent study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, University of Calgary Assistant Professor Dr Zack Marshall highlights important questions about ethics and individual patient privacy when patient photos are published in medical journals. Marshall first discovered issues with patient privacy in 2017 while studying medical case reports, which often contain photos and descriptions of patients’ features, conditions, or complications. In this recent study, Marshall found that 76% of a random sample of case reports containing patient photos had at least one photo accessible via Google Image Search results. Marshall questioned whether patients were aware that identifiable photos and information could be found online, due to a lack of information and awareness about the issue. Marshall wrote that until publishers and corporations change their practices, clinicians should inform patients about the risks and benefits of giving consent for their images to appear in medical journals.

Dashun Wang (Northwestern University) discusses how AI tools could be used to improve the impact of scientists’ work and address societal needs. Wang highlights how AI tools can help to identify the gaps and bottlenecks that hinder research breakthroughs, as well as the scientists and researchers that tend to be overlooked. While AI is presenting this opportunity, Wang writes that the role of science in society is shifting to have a greater interest in use-inspired and applicable research. However, Wang warns that universities must consider the consequences of prioritizing the pursuit of practical applications over work facilitating education and fundamental research. “If research and development could be made even 5% more efficient,” he concludes, “the returns could be immense.”