Archive for February, 2011
UTSU elections have already gone amiss
Opposition candidates boycott UTSU elections, alleging challengers were unfairly disqualified
Members of an opposition slate have decided to boycott the University of Toronto student union elections after four of its members were disqualified right out of the gate.
The inexcusable offense? Well, some say the challengers failed to buff their “DEMOCRACY NOW!” pins before the all-candidates meeting, and others allege they were caught with Facebook profile pictures other than the obligatory “shouting into a megaphone” photo required for all UTSU executives. Of course, I also heard something about an envelope being lick-sealed as opposed to tape-shut and murmurs about those students who “hate freedom.”
The official reason, though, and according to The Varsity, is that incorrect student numbers were listed on the nomination forms of the candidates, who are part of the StudentsFirst slate. That is, of the 200 names, student numbers, and signatures required for a successful nomination, there is an error in there somewhere, or so it seems. The UTSU-appointed Chief Returning Officer (no conflict there, right?) has apparently refused to show documents to the disqualified candidates, according to the release posted on their website.
So one of your supporters wrote an extra “2” in her student number by accident while signing your nomination form? Well, sucks for you, stupid! All that money you spent on posters and other promotional material going down the tubes. A pity. Here, cry into this “Working for Students” t-shirt.
But it gets better. Not only were the disqualified candidates barred from the all-candidates meeting (and so, even their nomination forms are later found to be valid, their absence from the meeting would be grounds for immediate disqualification) but so too was the media, according The Varsity. Varsity staffers Andrew Rusk and Tom Cardoso were told to exit the room by a deputy returning officer with a conspicuously absent last name. Then, according to inside sources, The Varsity begrudgingly went to consult with the Glavlit as participants finished up the meeting and staged a public book burning on the University College quad.
Fourteen opposition candidates have since decided to boycott the elections, according to StudentsFirst. “It’s clear that the democratic principle, which the UTSU claims to respect, is not being honoured,” Matthew Gray, (once) presidential candidate for StudentsFirst told The Varsity. “They’re basically working to stifle opposition.”
Good luck, Matthew. And watch out for unmarked white vans.
Ontario to teach students financial literacy
Securities commission donates $2 million
Financial literacy will be introduced into Ontario’s education curriculum next fall. To support the initiative, including teacher training, the Ontario Securities Commission will be donating $2 million. “Financial literacy is an important part of investor protection and the OSC supports educational efforts to help Ontarians develop the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in an increasingly complex financial world,” commission chairman Howard Wetston said in a release. The program will target students between grades four and twelve.
Texas State student launches scholarship for white males
‘If everyone else can find scholarships, why are we left out?’
A Texas State University student has launched a scholarship program catering exclusive to white males. Iraq War veteran, and mass communication major, Colby Bohannan formed the Former Majority Association for Equality (FMAE) because, he says, white males should be able to access scholarships the same way women and minorities do. “If everyone else can find scholarships, why are we left out?” he told the American Statesman last week. FMAE hopes to offer five scholarships of $500 each to male students who are at least a quarter white, and who hold a minimum 3.0 GPA. According to the group’s mission statement, “In a country that proclaims equality for all, we provide monetary aid to those that have found the scholarship application process difficult because they do not fit into certain categories or any ethnic group.” Bohannan says the group is not intended as a statement against affirmative action. “It’s time to give everyone an equal shot,” he said.
TTC wants to renege on part-time student transit pass
If an unbalanced budget is the concern, pass shouldn’t be extended to some groups in favour of others
A new policy recommendation going to Toronto’s city council tomorrow seeks to cut the student transit pass discount for part-time students as of July 31. The Toronto Transit Commission cites lost revenue as the major reason for reversing a decision that’s barely a year old.
In November 2009, the TTC voted to extend the high school student transit pass price ($99) to post-secondary students beginning September 2010. In December, private career college students raised a fuss about being excluded from the new discounted price.
The TTC’s solution: Allow them to receive the discounted price, and exclude part-time students instead. This is a case of a lack of support for part-time students yet again.
The Toronto Star reported on a review of the new pass program, which lead to the policy recommendation now on the table:
“That review says extending the post-secondary-school discount to private college students is too costly. It means $400,000 annually in lost revenues, bringing the total loss under the discount to $7.7 million — with “negligible” gains in ridership.
“So the report is recommending removing part-timers from the program, to mitigate the fare loss by $1.4 million. The move would also reduce the number of riders the TTC expected to gain through the post-secondary passes, from about 500,000 to 400,000.”
Sure, I can understand budget restraints, but taking something away from one group just to give to another is just plain cruel. If your budget is strained in the first place, I would suggest not including new groups in your discount programs until you can afford to do so.
In this case, it’s even more unfortunate as most part-time students study part-time for a reason. Many are supporting dependents, many can’t get enough funding to attend full-time and are therefore forced to work while going to school, and the list goes on.
There are so many pressures on students these days, and this is another example of how under-funding public transit is hurting everyone, including part time students who are doing things like raising dependents and trying to make their own life.
Get me a job—or give me my money back
Should schools be in the business of turning out employable grads?
Carlie Deneiko is from the tiny town of Watrous, Sask. (population 1,800), more than an hour’s drive southeast of Saskatoon. As a teen, she dreamed of travelling the world, but her priorities are shifting. “I’ve got a boyfriend, and I’m really settled,” says Deneiko, 20, a student in the faculty of education at the University of Regina. “It’s becoming more important to me to get a job.”
Deneiko’s not too worried: her education comes with a job guarantee. She’s one of 355 students enrolled in a new program at the University of Regina that promises students they’ll land a job—in their chosen field—within six months of graduation. If they don’t, the university gives them another year of tuition for free. The UR Guarantee has other bells and whistles (like internships and work programs), but for Deneiko, it’s that extra year of free tuition that pulled her in. “If I don’t get a job, I’m coming back to get my special education certificate,” she says.
Since it launched in September, the UR Guarantee has been incredibly popular. Enrolment in the program, which is open to all first-year students, has already jumped by 24 per cent, says president Vianne Timmons. “We looked at students’ motivation for attending university,” she says, “and realized they’re looking at a degree primarily as a launching pad for a career.”
Universities have long been seen as ivory towers, leaving job training to colleges and vocational programs, but that’s changing fast. “It’s not the old, green college on the hill anymore,” says Lloyd Axworthy, president of the University of Winnipeg. “The marketplace has changed,” adds Ronald Bordessa, president of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT). “Some universities have moved quickly. Others haven’t, and are having greater difficulty attracting students.”
Regina isn’t the only university in the job guarantee business—tiny Sainte-Anne in Church Point, N.S., offers its education and business graduates free tuition if they haven’t found work after four months. It’s a radical approach—but some schools don’t even track how many graduates go on to get jobs in their field. Monitoring this is “absolutely critical,” says University of Alberta president Indira Samarasekera. “If your students are not finding employment, it means that employers are not finding them competitive.” Even so, it’s hard to know which schools are turning out the most employable grads, which leaves some industry leaders shaking their heads. “Amazingly enough, [employability] is not the metric for success that universities follow,” says businessman Reza Satchu, who teaches the highly successful economics of entrepreneurship course at the University of Toronto.
2011 Student Surveys: Complete results
Students tell universities how the system is working. It’s all about class time.
Teaching often comes second at universities—quite literally. Professors are expected to spend only 40 per cent of their time in the classroom, consulting with students, and marking their work. The rest is spent on research and other duties. The research-intensive university produces world-class discoveries to be sure, but it also produces grumbling undergraduates. The results of this year’s student satisfaction surveys couldn’t show this more clearly. The research-intensive universities for the most part do not perform as well on these student surveys.
Schools that dare to focus on teaching have risen to the top of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Professors at teaching-focused universities like Quest, Trinity Western and King’s at Western are free to spend a majority of their time engaging with students in the classroom, the office or beyond. Considering the fact that a recent study from the University of Alberta found that the average professor is already working 56 hours per week, it’s difficult to expect them to do more. The only way they can spend more time with students is to de-emphasize research. And not all researchers make good teachers. Teaching-focused schools focus on pedagogy in the job interview, says David Sylvester, principal of King’s at Western. It’s certainly paying off for his school. Six in 10 senior-year students say they would definitely go back to King’s if they were allowed to start over, the NSSE survey found. That’s compared to only 45 per cent of students overall, and only 21 per cent of senior-year students from the University of Ottawa.
All-night library catching on at Concordia
Average of 500 students study after hours every night
Last year, Concordia University students approved a $1 per credit library improvement fee. As part of the deal, the university’s main library began staying open 24 hours a day, during the fall and winter semesters.
Shortly after all-night library access went into effect, the Concordian reported that few students were taking advantage of the extra hours. (Full disclosure: I was editor-in-chief of the Concordian at the time.)
But this seems to have changed, the Montreal Gazette is reporting that an average of 500 students are studying after hours every night. One student told the paper that she likes how quiet the library is late at night.
Guest UBC lecturer denied entry to Canada
Controversial American professor Srdja Trifkovic was scheduled to speak about the future of the Balkans
A guest lecture sponsored by the Serbian Students Association (SSA) of the University of British Columbia was cancelled Thursday after Srdja Trifkovic was denied entry into Canada.
Trifkovic, known for his contentious views on Islam and the Bosnian Genocide, was set to deliver a lecture entitled, “The Balkans: Uncertain Prospects for an Unstable Region.” On Thursday, it was reported that Trifkovic spent five hours detained at Vancouver International Airport before he was sent back to the U.S.
In a subsequent blog post for the U.S. Chronicles magazine, Trifkovic wrote:
It turns out I am “inadmissible on grounds of violating human or international rights for being a proscribed senior official in the service of a government that, in the opinion of the minister, engages or has engaged in terrorism, systematic or gross human rights violations, or genocide, a war crime or a crime against humanity within the meaning of subsections 6 (3) to (5) of the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act.”
News of the controversial academic’s arrival roused tension both on and off campus. The Ubyssey reported that at least one student raised concern with university administration, and the Institute for Genocide Research Canada sent a letter of protest to UBC’s president. The university did not release a statement regarding the controversy.
Alberta freezes student assistance, operating grants
CAUS says budget does not improve access to university
While post secondary education in Alberta may have faired better with this year’s provincial budget than in 2010, some student representatives are still concerned that the funding allocated is not enough to make up for last year’s drastic cuts.
The ministry of Advanced Education and Technology saw a 1.2 per cent increase to its operational support budget, which covers basic operational funding for Alberta post secondary education. However, funding for student assistance programs and operating grants to universities and colleges have been held at 2010 levels.
The budget also saw payouts from the Access to the Future Fund, an endowment created in 2005 to match private donations to post secondary institutions, suspended for two years, leaving $700 worth of donations left in limbo, according to the Edmonton Journal.
While spending for some programs in the Advanced Education and Technology ministry saw a slight increase, overall the department’s budget, totaled at $3 billion for 2011–12, saw a 9.6 per cent, or $320 million, decrease from last year. This was due to lower capital grants with projects such as the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology Trades and Technology Complex nearing completion.
Last year’s budget saw universities scrambling to cover their costs, with provincial funding to the University of Alberta and University of Calgary lowered by $27 million and $7.8 million respectively.
Hardave Birk, chair of the Council of Alberta University Students (CAUS), said he is worried that last year’s funding cuts, including $54 million from grants and bursaries for students, were not restored this year. He says this will result in heavier debt loads for some students and make it “tougher and tougher for students to access post secondary education.”
“This was definitely a step forward from what happened last year, but no where near far enough,” he said. Birk explained that ultimately, the CAUS would like to see the funding that was cut from post secondary education last year fully renewed “and would like the government to even go further.”
“At the end of the day, we want the government to increase access, and we want more people going into post secondary education in Alberta.”
Kim Capstick, spokesperson for the Alberta Ministry of Advanced Education and Technology, said that overall, the ministry was pleased to see a slight increase to their program expenses “considering the fiscal times.”
She pointed out that the province is still feeling the effects of the economic recession, and that the levels of funding CAUS is calling for is simply unavailable. “If there were more money available, we’d love to put more money into some of these programs, but the fact of the matter is, there isn’t more money available,” she said.
Part-time students could lose TTC discount
Program too costly and ridership gains are ‘negligible’
Part-time students in Toronto could lose their eligibility for discounted transit fares, if city council approves a recommendation from the Toronto Transit Commission. While the TTC extended the discount to private career college students, who were previously excluded, in December, a review of the program concluded that losses on the discount were too high and that ridership gains were “negligible.” To mitigate the cost associated with permitting students attending private colleges to access discounted fares, the commission is now recommending that beginning July 31 that part-time students lose their eligibility. A transit spokesmen told the Toronto Star that “the TTC (staff report) is only looking at it from a budgetary point of view, given the budget pressures the TTC currently has, as opposed to any other issue like ability to pay.”
Student group to file complaint against MB judge
Justice Dewar spared rapist jail time because victim sent signals that ‘sex was in the air’
The Canadian Federation of Students says it will file a complaint against Manitoba judge Robert Dewar over his handling of a sexual assault case. Dewar spared convicted rapist Kenneth Rhodes jail time and commented that the victim had sent signals that “sex was in the air” and further commented on the fact that the woman had been wearing a tube top, high heels and lots of makeup.
Related:Falsies don’t mean yes
While the Crown was seeking a three-year jail term for Rhodes, the judge handed down a two-year conditional sentence, arguing that “Not all guilty people are morally culpable to the same level.” On Thursday afternoon, student and community activists rallied outside the Manitoba Law Courts building, chanting “Yes means yes and no means no,” while demanding Dewar resign his post, the Winnipeg Free Press reported.
The Canadian Judicial Council has received several complaints against Dewar. CFS-Manitoba chair Alanna Makinson said the organization will be filing its own complaint. “These statements by Judge Dewar are reinforcing the myth of implied consent and the myth that the victim of sexual assault is ultimately responsible for their own victimization,” she said.
VIU bans radio station over ‘debauchery’
Community station could lose license if it is unable to engage with students
Vancouver Island University has banned a community radio stations from holding campus events. The ban, which went into effect in November, resulted from what the university calls “general debauchery, trespassing, disrespect toward security guards and drug and alcohol use” at a Halloween dance. The Radio Malaspina Society has only recently made the dispute public, because it was hoping to come to a resolution with the university. “We’re definitely not apologizing unless they can prove illegal activity took place,” program manager Dylan Perry said. Although the station is not located on the campus, it’s license mandates that a majority of its board members be students. If the ban on hosting university events is upheld, it could threaten the station’s license because it would be limited in its ability to recruit students. According to the Nanaimo Daily News the university told the Vancouver Sun that the ban could be lifted, depending on the progress of meetings with the station.
Outremont residents oblivious to new U de M campus
Local groups worry project will displace poorer residents
Université de Montréal’s plans to build a satellite campus in Outremont was approved by city council this week, but local residents remain oblivious to the project. When a Montreal Gazette reporter asked around the neighborhood if people knew about the new campus, a gas attendant said “don’t know,” a cook at an area restaurant said “really? I didn’t know that,” and a local police officer “flagged down by a lost reporter” hadn’t heard of the plan either. U de M purchased an Outremont train yard for $18 million in 2006, and held public consultations in 2007. However, some groups, concerned that the campus will drive out poorer residents, say not enough was down to solicit feedback from the community. “We are appalled and any other synonym you want to use for that word,” a spokesperson for the Citizen’s Committee of Park Extension, said. The university, which hopes to open the site in 2015, says more public consultation will be taking place.
Feds fund climate change program at UBC
University to reduce GHG 67% by 2050
Ottawa is contributing $10.2 million to fund a clean energy project at the University of British Columbia. UBC will reduce its reliance on natural gas, and move to a biomass fuel heat and power generation system, the Vancouver Sun reports. Greenhouse gas emissions are expected to drop 67 per cent below 2007 by 2050, the university stated in a release. “Investing in clean energy technologies stimulates the growth of a domestic clean energy industry, creating high-quality jobs for Canadians,” Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification, said. The province is contributing an additional $1 million to the project.
German defence minister loses ‘Dr.’ title
Guttenberg admits to ‘serious errors’ in his PhD thesis
The university where German defence minister, Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, received his PhD, has withdrawn his right to use the title “Dr.” over plagiarism allegations. Ruediger Bormann, president of Bayreuth University, said he removed the titled because the popular politician had “seriously violated” academic norms because large portions of his dissertation appeared to have been taken from other sources without being properly cited. Guttenberg, who completed his doctorate after being elected to Germany’s parliament, says he “did not deliberately cheat, but made serious errors.”
Falsies don’t mean ‘yes’
Manitoba justice was wrong to base ruling on rape victim’s clothing
All you girls out there better think twice before dressing up for a night out. After all, it seems that wearing a braless tube top is now judicially perceived as equivalent to the phrase, “Yes, I would like to have intercourse with you.” Heels mean you’re a harlot, in case you didn’t know, and wearing makeup implies you’re ready for a whole lot of fun. In future, eyes on the floor, skin clear, and for Christ’s sake keep those ankles covered. That way, we won’t have any confusion about so-called “consensual” sex.
These helpful hints are in accordance with a recent ruling by Manitoba’s Justice Robert Dewar, who decided that a man convicted of rape would not serve time in prison. According to Dewar, the victim sent signals that “sex was in the air,” specifically noting her attire which included high heels, a tube top without a bra, and lots of makeup. Commenting on the behaviour of the victim and her friend, Dewar said, “They made their intentions publicly known that they wanted to party.”
The obvious explanation is that Justice Dewar must’ve studied under Toronto’s Constable Michael Sanguinetti, who told a room full of York University students last month that they can avoid sexual assault by not dressing like “sluts.” The onus is on you, girls; make sure you don’t give the impression that you’re some sort of trollop. Because if you do—well, that’s pretty much the same thing as explicitly saying “yes,” right?
Actually, no. The Supreme Court of Canada struck down the idea of implied consent as a viable defense over a decade ago in a ruling involving the case of R. v. Ewanchuk. And before that, in 1992, Canada established rape shield law provisions essentially limiting the extent to which a victim’s sexual history could be brought into a rape trial. Both moves were seen as positive steps forward with regards to altering “blame the victim” attitudes often prevalent in sexual assault cases. But as they say, one step forward…
Rulings such as Dewar’s and comments such as Sanguinetti’s not only reinforce negative stereotypes about rape victims who “ask for it,” but will likely dissuade further victims from coming forward and pressing charges. As is, just one in nine cases of sexual assault is actually reported to police; and I can see why victims may want to avoid having their tube tops as Exhibit A and their flirtatious texts as Exhibit B. As long as we keep blaming the victim, we can expect few to come forward.
So let me reiterate: a tube top doesn’t mean “yes.” Falsies don’t mean “yes.” Nor does a smile, or a wink, or a hair toss or twirl. The clothing of the victim in the Manitoba case shouldn’t have been used as the basis for Dewar’s ruling. Those of us who know that shouldn’t less the grass grow under our feet. And mine, I can assure you, will be wearing some killer heels.
Not all classes are created equal
But how much time and effort can one class demand above others?
We’ve all done it before: enrolled in a class because we thought it would be an easy credit, only to find out that getting a passing grade would be anything but easy. Or, we’ve been told upfront how difficult and time consuming a course would be, but take it anyways after we convince ourselves that it can’t be that bad. It’s usually not until halfway through the semester that we realize how bad it could be, after spending hours upon hours desperately trying to keep up with our homework for the class.
I’m currently in the middle of the latter problem. While I was well aware that my film course was highly practical and would require several extra hours of work outside of class, I convinced myself that I could make it work. Yet now, with only a few weeks left till the end of the school year, I am questioning if it is worth it to drastically readjust my schedule for the sake of one course if my other commitments have to suffer.
Well into my third year of university, I’ve realized that not all courses are made equal, even if they are at the same level. Some require more time and effort to complete assignments outside of the classroom, and some require more attention inside the classroom to keep up with the instructor’s lessons. I’ve also realized the connection between how demanding your instructor is and the education you gain from the course is usually a positive one, since the courses that demand more time and effort on your part are the courses that usually leave you learning more and with a better overall experience in the long run.
However, as much as I’d like to believe my experiences at university are as important as gaining a degree, ultimately, every course boils down to a letter grade on your transcript and credit hours that bring you closer to graduating. Even if the class provides you with invaluable knowledge, I can’t help but wonder if, in a practical sense, it is worth it to stick it out in an extremely difficult course to the detriment of the other classes you’re enrolled in and other commitments in your life. Though I plan on soldiering on through to end of the semester with my course, as grueling as it may be, I would seriously weigh the pros and cons of taking on such a demanding class again because of this.
Virginia university sends false acceptance emails
University apologizes to 2,000 applicants
Christopher Newport University, in Virginia, accidentally sent emails to 2,000 prospective students informing them that they had been accepted into the university. Sent around 2:30 pm on Wednesday, the emails, titled “Welcome to CNU!,” were retracted with apologies by the evening. Acceptance letters received in the mail are still valid. The mistake was the result of human error.
Students say cellphones are a distraction
Survey shows 72% of Ontario high school students would prefer to leave cellphones out of the classroom
Ontario high school students say using cellphones as part of classroom instruction would be a distraction, according to a survey released today by the Ontario Student Trustees’ Association. “Students use (cellphones) to text or communicate with friends. It’s a great communication tool, not necessarily an educational tool,” grade 12 student and student trustee for the Toronto District School Board, told the Toronto Star. Of the 2,656 Ontario students who participated in the study, 72 per cent opposed bringing cellphones into the classroom. Further, around 82 per cent of students said they wanted to be educated about “all sexualities,” including 90 per cent from the Toronto Catholic District School Board.
Canadians studying medicine abroad out of luck
Survey shows that there are not enough residencies for students wishing to return to Canada
About 90 per cent of Canadian medical students studying abroad would prefer to return to Canada for their residency, but their might not be any spaces available, according to a new survey from the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS). “This year I have 628 Canadians studying abroad in this match. The number of positions available for entry-level training is going to be around 400 positions. In addition we have 1,800 immigrant medical students who want to come to Canada. There definitely will be Canadian students who will not get back into Canada,” CaRMS CEO Sandra Banner told the CBC. There are approximately 3,500 Canadians attending medical schools in the Caribbean, Ireland and other parts of Europe.
Related: Want degree, will travel
