May 28, 2024

The Government of Saskatchewan has announced that—effective immediately—students that wish to pursue PSE in Russia will not be eligible to receive Saskatchewan Student Aid. SK explained in its release that the move is aligned with the federal government’s recent decision to de-designate Russian postsecondary institutions and that it will help ensure that provincial funding does not go to any institutions or organizations that are subject to sanctions. “We want our students to receive high quality post-secondary education in safe, stable environments,” said SK Advanced Education Minister Colleen Young. CJWW reports that there are currently no SK students studying in Russia and receiving student aid.

Cégep de Saint-Hyacinthe will be receiving over $10M from the Government of Quebec to relocate Cintech agroalimentair. The cégep will use the funds to acquire a building, which will then be equipped with furniture and IT equipment. The new facilities will support the recruitment of students and researchers, various related research activities, and collaborations between the province and partners that include Canadian and international universities and research centres.

The encampment at McMaster University has come to an end after nearly three weeks after the university and protestors agreed on terms. The protesters agreed to take down the encampment on Saturday evening. Among its commitments, McMaster has agreed to direct its International Strategy Advisory Committee to develop a framework for human rights considerations in international agreements, hold a meeting in June about its investment strategy, and publish a series of stories about McMaster students impacted by global conflicts and crises. “We … appreciate the willingness of those in the encampment who were willing to participate in such productive discussions,” stated McMaster.

Brooke Klassen (University of Saskatchewan) offers key insights based on her experiences teaching a marketing class that was developed using the UNESCO framework. Klassen discusses how important it is for faculty members to show both vulnerability and authenticity in order to foster stronger connections with students. In addition to this, she notes that when it comes to sustainability, it is important to focus equally on the pedagogical method and the content itself in order to help students develop the problem-solving skills required to apply their learnings in the working world. Klassen encourages instructors to not take any students’ cynicism about sustainability personally, but instead to listen and ask questions.

Concordia University will be cutting its budget by nearly $36M to prepare for the 2024-25 academic year, reports the Montreal Gazette. The Gazette states that the university is receiving 4% less in government funding and anticipating a drop by nearly 1,200 students this Fall. Concordia President Graham Carr said that Concordia has been in a deficit since the pandemic and is the most hurt by the changes that the Government of Quebec has implemented. “[T]he reality is that the (Quebec) government isn’t working to help us. It’s therefore up to us to break the deficit cycle and move forward,” said Carr. The university will be continuing its hiring freeze, reviewing its offerings, and examining the use of campus space to reduce costs.

Simon Fraser University will be adding 500 seats to its technology-related programs, thanks to funding from the Government of British Columbia. The seats will be added to existing programs in the faculties of science, applied sciences, arts and social sciences, and the Beedie School of Business over the next four years. SFU will also receive $2M to cover start-up costs, classroom and lab renovations, and equipment upgrades. “This investment allows us to be creative and develop more industry-focused programs and courses, with an increased emphasis on ‘doing’ – students working with industry and solving problems – so it’s great for our students,” said SFU Professor Derek Bingham. SFU states that the investment is part of a broader, provincial investment in technology education.

Portage College President Nancy Broadbent and Vice President of Academics and Research Dr Donna Feledichuk recently shared the college’s plans for the future after a strong enrolment year. Broadbent stated that Portage is undertaking a $3M project to upgrade its programming, equipment, and classrooms across its seven campuses; the college expects to see a $10M surplus at the end of 2024 after these investments. Feledichuk shared that Portage is submitting an application to offer a Bachelor of Education program as “everyone is short teachers,” as well as applications for programs related to occupational therapy, physical therapy, and addictions. The college will also be offering programs such as a computer sciences diploma, kinesiology diploma, and steamfitter and pipefitter training in the future.

Protests, demonstrations, and encampments are continuing on several university campuses. At the University of Toronto, protesters reportedly ignored a trespass notice issued by the institution. Instead, they held a rally alongside the Ontario Federation of Labour at the eviction deadline of 8 AM on Monday. Protesters at the University of Waterloo are ignoring the university’s calls for occupants to leave. The University of Alberta and University of Calgary are also facing more public pushback for their response to protests on campus: UAlberta’s arts faculty council passed a non-confidence vote against the university president while over 600 students, alumni, and staff submitted an open letter to UCalgary to voice their “disappointment and horror” with the response to the protest on campus.

Dalhousie University has halted a 63% tuition hike that was planned for its master of architecture program after facing backlash from students, reports CBC. Students reportedly were informed about the increase a few weeks before the program was supposed to start, leaving them scrambling to figure out how they would pay their tuition. Dal Faculty of Architecture and Planning Dean Graham Gagnon said that the increase has since been revoked and that the university will return to its 2% tuition increase, which affirms “our commitment to affordability, accessibility and the holistic well-being of our students.” Master of architecture student Kaylee Peters said that the tuition cap that currently is in place for undergraduate students should be extended to graduate programs.

Cégep de Rivière-du-Loup and the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi have created an AEC-BAC pathway that will provide cinema students with opportunities to further their education at the university level. Graduates of the cégep’s École des métiers du cinéma et de la video will be able to enter UQAC’s baccalauréat interdisciplinaire en arts with a concentration in cinema and video with up to 27 credits. This will enable students to complete the baccalaureate degree in just two years of additional study.