May 14, 2024

Protesters have set up new pro-Palestinian encampments on the campuses of Dalhousie University, Université du Québec à Montréal, the University of Waterloo, and the University of Winnipeg. A coalition of students from Dal, NSCAD University, Saint Mary’s University, and the University of King’s College have set up a “peaceful and informational encampment on Dal’s campus.” In addition to demanding that UQÀM cut all ties with Israeli institutions, protesters at UQÀM have called for McGill University to withdraw its request for a court order to clear the encampment on its campus. UWaterloo stated that it is taking “steps to ensure the safety of the campus,” while UWinnipeg released a statement indicating that it is monitoring the situation carefully to ensure everyone’s safety.

Red Deer Polytechnic has received $12.9M from the Government of Alberta to expand the Centre for Innovation in Manufacturing Technology Access Centre (CIM-TAC). CIM-TAC is an applied research and innovation centre that provides prototyping services and manufacturing resources to companies that are developing new ideas into products. The expansion will increase the centre’s applied research, education, and training capacity; grow work-integrated learning opportunities, workshops, and events; and support dual credit programming opportunities for high school students. Construction on the expansion will begin in 2025.

Horizon College & Seminary and Master’s College & Seminary are working together to increase the accessibility and affordability of Christian leadership training in Saskatchewan and Ontario. The institutions have partnered to advance efforts toward a sustainable operating model, including by coordinating and consolidating their curricula, resources, faculty, and staff cross-provincially. The partners will also set up church-based learning hubs. Both institutions will continue operating in their respective provinces and will grant degrees under their distinct names. “There’s a lot of overlap between our organizations,” said Horizon President Jeromey Martini. “And with technology to erase the distance between us, we can be much more effective together at preparing Christian leaders to serve Canada and beyond.”

McGill University and the University of Alberta have taken new steps to dismantle the encampments on their respective campuses. McGill is seeking a court injunction against the protesters that would require them to dismantle the camp and refrain from any further occupation. UAlberta called on the Edmonton Police Service on Saturday to remove the encampment due to concerns about the university community’s safety. “Had anyone been injured or killed, the responsibility for this would rest squarely with the university,” asserted UAlberta President Bill Flanagan. Police officers in riot gear reportedly cleared the camp and arrested three protesters; organizers told the Edmonton Journal that the encampment was peaceful and that the police response was disproportionate.
P.S. McGill University’s application for a court injunction was reportedly rejected. CBC reports that Justice Marc St-Pierre felt that McGill failed to justify the urgent need to dismantle the camp, stating that no serious or violent incident had occurred since the encampment’s establishment.

In a recent article for University Affairs, Mohamed Berrada, Hanna Liddle, and Daniel Halton spoke to Canadian professors about the strategies they are using in their classrooms to navigate discussions of the conflict in Gaza. Ghayda Hassan (Université du Québec à Montréal), Janice Gross Stein (University of Toronto), and Mira Sucharov (Carleton University) discussed strategies to facilitate respectful debate among students within the classroom. Among their comments, the professors emphasized encouraging students to listen to one another and practice empathy. Carrie Smith (University of Alberta) proposed ways that faculty can engage in a variety of kinds of reflection to prepare themselves before engaging in these discussions.

The University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA) is fighting a new bill that the Winnipeg Free Press says would enable the Government of Manitoba to withhold funding from postsecondary institutions that do not adopt a sexual violence policy that meets its requirements. UMFA President Orvie Dingwall said that the bill was introduced without faculty or administration consultation and that there are already regulations in place to address sexual- or gender-based violence. Dingwall also expressed concerns that the bill would put funding at risk. MB Advanced Education Minister Renee Cable argued that the bill will keep students safe by increasing accountability. UMFA, along with the Manitoba Organization of Faculty Associations, the Brandon University Faculty Association, and the University of Winnipeg Faculty Association have reportedly registered to speak at the committee stage of the bill process.

York University’s Emergency Mitigation, Engagement, Response, & Governance Institute (Y-EMERGE) recently released two updates to its ongoing work. Y-EMERGE has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Civil Defense Training Institute of the Philippines, through which the partners will explore areas of mutual learning, collaboration, and exchange. The partnership aims to build resilience, support research, and train the next generation of emergency leaders. Additionally, YorkU has announced that its Digital Journals will house the Canadian Journal of Emergency Management. YorkU will assist the journal in publishing content, navigating copyright agreements, and promoting articles, while ensuring that the journal is free to read and publish.

The University of the Potomac has released a report on the degrees that people from different countries most commonly search for on Google. The university recently conducted a study of 181 degrees around the world and created a map of the most searched subject areas in each country. On the international stage, people most commonly searched for degrees in nursing, business administration, and law. By contrast, in Canada, psychology, computer science, and business were the most searched degrees on Google. The report estimated that there may have been a higher number of psychology searches due to the career and salary expectations. “A psychology degree will provide a solid start to career paths such as a psychologist, social worker, human resources specialist, and more,” said the study.

Northlands College is relocating its Mineral Exploration Techniques program to Buffalo Narrows, Saskatchewan. This move comes in response to increasing demand from both Northern local communities and from the mining sector. “By relocating our Mineral Exploration Techniques program to Buffalo Narrows, we are not only increasing educational opportunities for rural communities but also addressing the labor needs of the mining industry,” said Northlands President Karsten Henriksen. “This proactive step contributes to the economic development and infrastructure of local communities by providing them with the means to meet industry demands.”

In a recent article for The Conversation, Kawser Ahmed (University of Winnipeg) argues that university leaders must communicate effectively to their students that campuses should be sites of peacemaking. Ahmed offers some suggestions for how postsecondary leaders can impart principles and strategies of non-violence for their campus communities, including by openly communicating about the conflict, facilitating community dialogue initiatives, and setting a positive example in their own leadership practices. “University leaders will need to double down on efforts to communicate care about the larger context – without excusing or glorifying violence or justifying hate,” concludes the author.