September 15, 2023

Yukon University and Mastercard Foundation’s EleV Program have expanded their partnership to continue to transform Indigenous education in the territory. The foundation has committed $11.4M through the Yukon EleV program, which is coordinated by YukonU, to build on the work that the partners have completed over the last five years. The funding will be used to create a Yukon First Nations (YFN) training fund, develop a framework for micro-credentials, and support the YFN education ecosystem. “Indigenous emerging leaders are the leaders today, and tomorrow,” said Assembly of First Nations Yukon Regional Chief Kluane Adamek Aagé. “This expanded partnership is a direct investment into Yukon First Nation communities and the next generation of leaders who will be required to take on some of the most pressing issues of our time.”

The University of Alberta has apologized for replacing its bilingual Campus Saint-Jean campus sign with a fully English-language sign. The English sign has since been removed, with the intent of replacing it with a new bilingual sign. Employees were reportedly surprised to see the fully English-language sign, as the campus is located in the heart of Alberta’s Francophone population. The Association canadienne-française de l’Alberta President Pierre Asselin told that the removal of French from campus signage was received as a “gesture of assimilation” and showed a lack of respect. UAlberta Campus Saint-Jean external relations lead Philip Worré stated that the university regrets the incident and is committed to providing an enriching French-language experience.

Cégep de Sept-Îles will receive a $4M donation over two years from the Iron Ore Company, a joint venture led by mining company Rio Tinto, to support the construction of a new pavilion. The pavilion will be devoted to training, research, and innovation activities related to the railway, industrial maintenance, and smart energy sectors. The cégep will also use the funds to promote training opportunities in local Indigenous communities and create a special cohort of learners that will have immediate employment opportunities upon graduation.

Mohamed Berrada and Daniel Halton interviewed Canadian postsecondary academics who have won graduate supervision awards to collect best practices in graduate supervision. Academics from Athabasca University, Dalhousie University, McGill University, Memorial University, Queen’s University, Université de Moncton, Université de Sherbrooke, and Université Laval shared their experiences and advice for professors who are beginning their graduate supervision journey. Among this advice, the interviewees encourage supervisors to recognize the individuality of their students, facilitate feelings of student ownership over the research projects in question, lead from a place of empathy and inclusion, and to view supervision as an ongoing process rather than a series of isolated tasks.

Western University has launched an independent review of allegations of misconduct related to the women’s hockey program. Multiple players reportedly claimed that coach Candice Moxley pressured players to play through their injuries and did not act on misconduct claims made against conditioning coach Jeff Watson. “The safety of our students always comes first and Western has rigorous processes for reviewing and addressing formal complaints,” Western said in a statement. CBC states that none of the allegations have been proven in court.

Simon Fraser University recently signed a Relationship Protocol Agreement with representatives from sÉ™lilwÉ™taɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) to advance reconciliation. Under this agreement, the parties will meet at least once a year to review and evaluate their continuing efforts to decolonize, Indigenize, and build an inclusive future. Initiatives carried out under this agreement will include advancing SFU’s Indigenous languages program, developing shared research projects, and increasing the presence of Tsleil-Waututh artwork and signage on campus. “This Agreement with SFU symbolizes a significant shift in our relationship, one that is based on mutual respect, true inclusivity, and collaboration to advance our respective goals together,” said Tsleil-Waututh Nation Chief Jennifer (Jen) Thomas.

The family of deceased sculptor Danielle Roux is taking legal action against Cégep de Sainte-Foy for allegedly destroying one of her pieces of public artwork. According to , Roux constructed a steel sculpture—-which was inaugurated at the cégep’s campus in 1967. The sculpture then fell into disrepair and was damaged in 2020. Roux’s spouse and children are subsequently suing the cégep, demanding the reconstruction of the artwork and its installation. Their legal proceedings also indicate that they are asking the cégep to pay $105K in damages. In a written statement reported by , Cégep de Sainte-Foy said that they are looking for a satisfactory middle ground regarding the dispute.

In a recent story for the , Katherine Mangan discusses the “collateral damage” that occurs when a faculty member is suspended or removed from an institution. Mangan follows the story of the undergraduate and graduate students whose advisor, a University of California at Los Angeles professor, was placed “on leave” without advance warning or explanation. The students discuss the difficulties of developing their dissertation projects alone, the loss of the community that the professor had built in their labs, the ethical and legal issues associated with attempting to publish papers based on work with an absent advisor, and the experience of being encouraged to select new advisors who may not have experience in their area of work.

A number of postsecondary food banks across Nova Scotia are reporting an increased demand for food from their students. An article in indicates that a growing number of postsecondary students are turning to their institution’s food banks amid the rising cost of groceries and housing. Reporter Celina Aalders points to examples from Dalhousie University, Mount Saint Vincent University, and Nova Scotia Community College, where students are struggling to make ends meet. “I think it’s just an unprecedented amount of need,” said NSCC student services and Indigenous support adviser Rebecca Thomas. “I feel that there has to be something at all three levels of government, whatever that may be, to help ease the burden of going to school.”

Centennial College has officially opened the A-Building, which is a LEED Gold, zero-carbon, mass-timber facility. Indigenous ways of being were explicitly embedded into the development of this six-storey, $112M development project. In addition to offices, collaborative areas, and an interior courtyard, A-Building features 13 classrooms that are equipped with special exhaust fans for accommodating smudging. “This building is a living teaching tool,” said Centennial Director of the Eighth Fire Seán Kinsella. “Treaty is reflected in this building not just in the representation of the Covenant Chain, or of the Beaver Bowl/Dish with One Spoon, but also in the ways so many parts of the building were constructed to embody the coming together of all people.”