May 5, 2023

Newfoundland and Labrador Minister of Education Dr John Haggie has proposed amendments to the Memorial University Act in the provincial House of Assembly. The proposal includes changing the governance structure of Memorial’s Board of Regents to represent teaching staff, incorporating gender-neutral language into the act, and updating the act’s references to other legislation. “For the first time in Memorial University history, faculty will have representation on the Board of Regents,” said Haggie. “We made this commitment to the Memorial University of Newfoundland Faculty Association during their recent strike action, and if passed, these proposed amendments will allow this to happen without delay.”

Chefs from Ontario universities recently gathered at Western University to take part in a two-day plant-based culinary training program. The aim of the training – which was led by Humane Society International’s Forward Food program – was to teach culinary experts from Western, the University of Guelph, the University of Windsor, and McMaster University how to prepare more vegan options for students living in residence. This training comes in the wake of Western’s recent pledge to make 40% of its dining hall menu plant-based by 2024. Western Director of Hospitality Services Colin Porter said that the pledge was made in response to increased student demand for more plant-based and healthier food options, and that it also represents a step towards the universities’ sustainability goals.

Multitasking between research, teaching, and administrative tasks throughout a day can limit an academic’s productivity, writes Gloria Mark for the Chronicle of Higher Ed. Mark writes that multitasking can increase stress levels and inhibit the ability to concentrate, thus decreasing overall productivity. The author offers several solutions for how postsecondary institutions can curb the amount of multitasking undertaken by academics, including prioritizing quality over quantity in terms of work outputs, streamlining communications, and offering reduced teaching loads for professors who also have administrative commitments. On an individual level, Mark recommends that academics organize how they interact with students and schedule breaks throughout their day to restore their cognitive functions.

Fleming College has joined the Environmental and Related Technologies Hub (EaRTH) District, a consortium of postsecondary institutions dedicated to developing the green, sustainable technology sector. Fleming will support EaRTH District in its goal of developing green solutions and clean technologies to help combat the adverse impacts of climate change. “The consortium is a natural fit for Fleming College, given our research and teaching expertise in areas of the environment, conservation and sustainability in our School of the Environment and Natural Resources,” said Fleming President Maureen Adamson. Other members of the consortium include Trent University, the University of Toronto Scarborough, Ontario Tech University, and Centennial College.

The Atlantic Veterinary College will be discontinuing after-hours emergency pet care due to staffing shortages. The teaching hospital had stepped in to offer emergency service in 2019, but made the decision to discontinue this service because it no longer has the capacity to take emergency calls for all clinics on Prince Edward Island. “The vet college does not want to ever restrict or change service,” said Dr Heather Gunn McQuillan, who oversees the teaching hospital. “We know it’s hugely impactful and any time service is altered or changed or interrupted.” The clinic will still be offering daytime emergency service coverage and emergency services for their primary care clients.

The University of Waterloo will be ending its partnerships with Huawei, reports Global News. “The University of Waterloo intends to complete our current contractual arrangements with Huawei which end before the end of 2023,” said UWaterloo VP of Research Charmaine Dean. “This decision is part of our wider efforts partnered with multiple levels of government to safeguard scientific research at Waterloo.” Toronto Star reports that the change will affect the Waterloo-Huawei Joint Innovation Lab as well as deals in a variety of areas, such as cloud computing, 5G communications, and data management and data analytics. Dean said that Canadian business and governments should step up to support this work.

A series of proposed changes to the University of British Columbia’s student union’s sexual violence policy has sparked criticism from students and national advocacy groups, reports CBC. Changes proposed by UBC’s Alma Mater Society (AMS) included allowing the society to take “corrective action” against individuals who make false allegations and reducing the frequency of automatic policy reviews. Advocates from Students for Consent Culture Canada (SFCC) argue that this draft policy is a “step backwards” and contend that it could cause harm to survivors and discourage them from reporting their experiences. Following this criticism, AMS voted to temporarily defer the proposed changes.

The Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) is sharing lessons learned pertaining to remote work-integrated learning (WIL) models. After conducting a survey asking postsecondary students, employers, and institutions about their experiences with remote WIL during the 2020-21 academic year, HEQCO found that the flexibility of remote learning was a boon to all parties. However, students and employers reported challenges relating to professional development when learning was conducted remotely. HEQCO recommended that postsecondary stakeholders leverage the flexibility offered by remote WIL but also actively address, encourage, and prioritize the development of professional and interpersonal skills throughout these experiences. H

The University of New Brunswick has started a formal investigation into allegations of fraud against Doug Mastriano, whose doctoral dissertation was previously called into question for “factual errors, fabrications, omissions and amateurish archeology,” reports the Canadian Press. UNB officials conducted a preliminary assessment of a formal complaint and completed a review of the policies for awarding doctoral degrees. The Canadian Press reports that UNB VP of Research David MaGee found that the allegations had “sufficient substance” to warrant a formal investigation under UNB’s Responsible Conduct in Research policy. A three-member investigation committee will be formed, complete an investigation, and submit recommendations to MaGee.

Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union (MGEU) members, which include staff at Red River College Polytechnic and Assiniboine Community College, have voted to reject the latest bargaining offer made by their employers, reports CBC. Staff from both colleges voted in favour of a strike in March, but the union put off the strike after meeting with a conciliation officer and receiving the offer. MGEU and the employers will continue to negotiate, and RRC Polytech says that there will be no disruptions to operations, services, or events.