Archive for April, 2011
Searching for a higher education strategy
No party is making a serious effort at providing federal leadership
Today, the good folks over at Higher Education Strategy Associates released their long-awaited analysis of the party platforms regarding post-secondary education. They were clearly rejigging parts of the analysis right up to the end – the document is larded with pictures of the party leaders taken from VintageVoter.ca.
The analysis looks at federal education policy proposals under main headings: Student Aid, Transfers to Provinces and Institutions, Research, and Apprenticeships. The section on student aid takes up over half the analysis, largely because – as the report points out:
Looking across all party platforms, one is struck by how much the cost of postsecondary education dominates all other issues. Indeed, one might be forgiven for thinking this was the only issue that mattered to federal parties.
Details on education transfers are notable for their absence in the Conservative and Liberal platforms and for their incoherence in the New Democrat one. Apart from a Conservative regurgitation of last month’s budget, policies on scientific research are essentially absent. And everyone apparently thinks Apprenticeships are a Good Thing but not so good as to actually require policy. Apart from these topics, only the New Democrats have shown any ambition at all in the area, with their promises on childcare and Aboriginal Education. Within PSE itself, the lack of vision and ideas is palpable.
The upshot is that federal approaches to higher education amount to this: The Conservatives are offering slight tweaks to the existing student aid system, while the NDP are proposing to just throw more cash at it. The HESA analysis credits the Liberals with having “the most intriguing and certainly the best thought-out” platform regarding student aid; the Learning Passport idea is the only one that hints at re-imagining the way student aid works, and the only one that promises to inject even a modicum of progressivity into the system.
But overall, the analysis is pretty depressing. Jean Chretien was the last prime minister to make a serious effort at providing federal leadership in higher education and to have a vision for the role higher education can play in a modern economy, but that was fifteen years ago. Since then, federal policy has been a wasteland of boutique tax breaks and minor tweaks to student aid. Any grander conviction that a country’s universities are among its most crucial institutions, and that supporting those institutions is in the national interest, is completely absent.
UBC faces human rights complaint
Prof alleges she was denied job because of racial discrimination
The University of British of Columbia is facing a human rights complaint over alleged discrimination against a professor who is of Chinese descent. The complainant, Jennifer Chan, told the Georgia Straight that she has been subject to “systemic racism” throughout her tenure at UBC. She was first appointed as a postdoctoral fellow in the department of political science in 2001, and joined the faculty of education in 2003.
After being denied appointment to the prestigious David Lam Chair in Multicultural Education in late 2009, Chan filed complaints with UBC’s equity office as well as with the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal. “The David Lam Chair selection committee deviated from established faculty recruitment practice. It did not contact any external referees; applied shifting and unstated criteria during the search process; kept no factual record of the search process; and did not consider employment equity,” Chan said in a statement released to media this week.
The internal complaint has since been dismissed, and the Human Rights Tribunal is scheduled to hear the case on May 12. In a statement published by the Georgia Straight, UBC Scott Macrae said that the case was investigated “exhaustively,” and that “no discrimination” was uncovered. “The University has accepted those conclusions.”
Charges laid in York student’s death
Former student politician Brian Dickson appeared in court Thursday
A 29-year-old man has been charged in the murder of York University student Qian Liu, 23. Brian Dickson was briefly in court Thursday morning before his case was remanded until April 26. The Toronto Star reported that a publication ban had been ordered on court proceedings. Liu’s body was found in her room on Aldwinckle Heights, close to the York campus, last Friday morning at around 11:00 am. She had been speaking with her boyfriend in Beijing over the internet at around 1:00 am, when her webcam reportedly shut down. Today the boyfriend told reporters that prior to the webcam being disconnected, he witnessed a man entering Liu’s room and attempting to hug her. When Liu refused, the man evidently became aggressive. The accused is a former McLaughlin College representative for the York Federation of Students, and a former vice-president of York’s Undergraduate Political Science Council.
McMaster students have little interest in Hamilton
Survey shows many students wouldn’t even look for work in the city
McMaster University students are not keen on staying in Hamilton after graduation, according to a new survey conducted by the students’ union. Of the 800 students polled, 40 per cent said they would not even consider living in Hamilton after they complete their studies, 24 per cent said they would not look for employment in the city and 34 per cent would live in Hamilton only as a last resort. “McMaster is known as a top-rated institution, but everyone hears that Hamilton is the disgusting, smelly Steel City of 50 years ago,” student vice-president Joe Finkle told the Spectator. “It’s not like that anymore.” Other reasons why students are skeptical of Hamilton include the hassle of leaving the student “bubble” to go downtown, and a lack of awareness of cultural activities that take place in the city.
Clementi’s roommate indicted for invasion of privacy
Rutgers University suicide case puts focus on bullying
The college roommate of the Rutgers University student who committed suicide after being filmed having a sexual encounter with another man, has been indicted on invasion of privacy charges. Dharun Ravi is alleged to have left a video camera in his dorm room and subsequently viewing, and streaming online, his roommate Tyler Clementi engaged in sexual activity. Ravi is also accused of tampering with evidence. Prosecutors claim he altered a Twitter message that advertised to others that another encounter between Clementi and the same man would be videotaped. Shortly after the incident Clementi took his own life by jumping off of the George Washington Bridge. His body was discovered in the Hudson River on Sept 30 of last year. In November, federal legislators introduced an anti-bullying bill titled the “Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act,” in remembrance of the 18 year old freshman.
Newfoundland extends tuition freeze
Plan expected to cost $6.4 million
Tuition fees in Newfoundland and Labrador will stay frozen, the government announced on Tuesday when releasing its budget. However, the Telegram reported that education minister Joan Burke was hesitant to speculate if tuition fees, which have held steady for seven years, would remain frozen next year. “Any further decisions (for future years) will be policy decisions for many of the political parties, certainly, including our party,” she said. The plan is expected to cost $6.4 million. At an average of $2,624, according to Statistics Canada, Newfoundland has the second lowest tuition among the provinces, after Quebec.
Dalhousie hikes tuition for international students
Other increases postponed so students can be consulted
Dalhousie University’s Board of Governors voted to approve a 10 per cent tuition hike for international students on Tuesday. The university is also proposing to increase tuition for all students across the board by three per cent, and by 10 and 14 per cent for medical and dentistry students respectively. The other increases were scheduled to be voted on yesterday, but have been postponed after student members of the board argued that they had not been properly consulted. “Students are willing to pay more. They just need to know why,” student representative Adam Harris said. According to the Chronicle Herald, Dalhousie president Tom Traves agreed to consult further, but told students the end result likely wouldn’t change due to a budget shortfall that could be as much $14.6 million. He also blamed the province for underfunding universities. “If you have a problem, complain to the provincial government, which created the problem,” the president said.
No need for a scholarship
The promise of free tuition has an increasing number of Canadian students heading to Germany
Peter Gilfoy
Five people were arrested in Quebec in early April for protesting a $325 increase to annual tuition fees. By 2016, tuition in the province will hit $3,800 a year. But that’s still a bargain compared to Ontario, where the average bill tops $6,500. So it’s no wonder an increasing number of Canadian students are studying in Germany, where tuition is free for citizens and foreigners alike. There are currently 534 Canadians enrolled at German universities—up 52 per cent since 2002.
Peter Gilfoy, a 23-year-old from Halifax, couldn’t believe his luck when he stumbled upon free tuition during his year-long exchange at the University of Frankfurt. He had already paid his fees for that semester to Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, where he’s now finishing his commerce degree. But free tuition allowed him to stay an extra year in Frankfurt and take university courses simply to improve his German.
He was even more surprised when students marched in the streets to protest a new fee: $280 to cover their train pass. “I was in awe considering they know full well how much Canadians and Americans pay,” he says. Gilfoy also found bargains on rent, beer—only $1.50 per half-litre—and cafeteria food, which is government-subsidized.
But it’s not only free tuition that is attracting Canadians. Translating the traditional German diplom and magister degrees for Canadian employers has always been difficult, says Jessica Denenberg, an information officer of DAAD Toronto, an organization that encourages academic exchange with Germany. But over the past few years, universities in Germany have been phasing out the old degrees in exchange for North American style bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
The only major difference left is that most German students finish their bachelor degrees in three years instead of four, which is now the norm for Canadians. That’s because they spend six weeks after each four-month semester writing papers and tests. It’s easy considering they don’t need to work for cash in between semesters.
Another obstacle for prospective students that’s been overcome is a lack of German language skills. It’s less of a problem now that the number of bachelor’s programs taught in English has topped 100. And for those who opt for programs in Deutsch, as Gilfoy did, fellow students speak enough English that they can easily converse, he says.
One might also assume a school with free tuition would be filled with slackers dumbing-down seminars, or that the education is of lower quality. But Gilfoy and Denenberg both argue that German facilities are comparable to Canadian schools they’ve attended, and that German students generally take academics more seriously.
But Canadians considering a discount degree in Europe might want to act fast. Sweden and Finland, which used to entice international students with free tuition, are now going to start charging foreigners. Master’s degrees that were once free to Canadians at Lund University in Sweden, for instance, will cost $17,000 per year, starting this fall. Germany, along with Norway, are among a dwindling group of tuition-free holdouts.
It will be difficult for Gilfoy to pass up more free education. He plans to apply to master’s programs in both Canada and Germany next year. Queen’s or Dalhousie would require that he take out a line of credit at the bank. A master’s at Frankfurt, meanwhile, would cost only the $280 per semester train fee. So if he gets into a German school, he could graduate debt free—even when you factor in those $1.50 beers.
PSE needs total overhaul to control costs
Revenues are declining and students are paying for it unless administrations start taking necessary initiative
Deloitte Canada issued a damning report about the financial state of Canada’s universities on Tuesday.
Pressed by declining government revenue, declining private donations, rising pressure on students to make up the difference, universities across Canada are being forced to take a hard look at their accounts.
According to the report, the top 10 financial challenges universities will face in the coming year are:
1. Over budget and under-funded: As funding declines, cost management is key
2. The rivalry intensifies: Competition to attract the best students heats up
3. Setting priorities: The danger of making decisions in the dark
4. Moving at the speed of cyberspace: Technology upgrades are needed across the board
5. Rethinking infrastructure: A renewed focus on asset optimization
6. Linking programs to outcomes: Where training and market demand intersect
7. The best and the brightest: Attracting and retaining talented faculty
8. A sustainable future: Enhancing environmental performance
9. Education for all: Tackling diversity, accessibility and affordability
10. Regulations and reporting: New responsibilities require better disclosure
The problem is that governments and private donors are free to reduce their contributions to universities when times are tough. Students are not. When income declines and — as the report notes — costs of program delivery climb, students are on the hook for the remainder.
What universities need to do is start taking a stern look at their expenses, figuring out who is paying for them and cut where necessary. No longer can schools be all things to all people. Streamlining of core programs, focusing efforts — even at the cost of the peripheral programs — is going to become increasingly necessary.
“Despite the merits of a world-class liberal arts education, there is a danger in supporting a curriculum that is too theoretical. Today’s fast-paced world needs construction crews, hospital workers and people to build cellphone towers. Institutions must respond to these realities by ensuring their educational agendas are in sync with forecast marketplace demands,” Arsh Maini, a senior consultant with Deloitte India wrote in the report.
While there will undoubtedly be a massive outcry as universities keen on research and engineering cut their arts programs, other schools are likely to cut expensive science and engineering programs in favour of robust arts programs. This is a good thing, a healthy thing, as each school becomes the best at what they do.
This streamlining — a complete overhaul of how higher education is financed in Canada — is necessary to the continued survival of our diverse education system.
The best kind of exam
The perfect cross between a final and a term project
When a course doesn’t have a final exam, there’s usually some sort of a drawback. Like a gigantic, time-consuming term project that requires lots of research and a half-hour presentation.
Meaning, the kind of thing that’s left until the last second, on the same day your lab report and term paper are also due.
On one hand, anything is better than a final exam. On the other hand, you’re going to have to read a bunch of Wikipedia articles and then find some journal articles to cite in your references.
But there is a middle ground. Something that’s a perfect cross between a final exam and a term project.
Yup, I’m talking about a take home exam.
Unlike a term project, it doesn’t involve weeks of procrastination followed by a single night of stress-filled research. And unlike a final exam, you don’t have to mentally photocopy your textbook and then regurgitate everything within a two-hour time limit.
-Photo courtesy of Alex France
USask faculty members criticize university governance
Letter to Advanced Education Minister calls for changes to Board of Governors
This follows controversy surrounding the appointments of the dean of law and head of the school of environment and sustainability, after the recommendations of volunteer search committees for the positions were overlooked by the Board of Governors.
The professors are asking for several changes to the University of Saskatchewan Act, including making all Board of Governors meetings open to the public and requiring board members to have public service experience as well as university teaching or administrative experience.
One of the professors who signed the letter explained the faculty members were motivated by what they felt was a lack of transparency from senior university officials on major decisions affecting the university.
“So much of the decisions, in fact all of the decisions, simply go on behind closed doors. We request more transparency,” engineering professor Todd Pugsley told the StarPhoenix.
The letter was also signed by professors Robert Gander, Len Findlay, Howard Woodhouse, Linda McMullen as well as the chair of university council, which oversees all academic affairs at the U of S, Claire Card.
U of S president Peter MacKinnon said the authors of the letter had “no understanding” of university governance, and that limiting board members to those with public sector or university experience would mean the board would lose out on many qualified people.
“Even worse, the writers of the letter want a board of insiders. . . . On what basis do they claim that only insiders should serve on the board? On what basis do they claim that only insiders should pass judgment on the spending of hundreds of millions of dollars, some of them on themselves?,” MacKinnon told the StarPhoenix.
Norris said that the demand for legislative changes was “a bit of an unusual request”, since these matters are usually dealt with internally.
“But that being said, we are referring it to ministry officials and I’m asking them to follow-up with university stakeholders,” Norris said.
Police investigating homicide near York campus
YFS to raise safety concerns at Thursday forum
Toronto police confirmed Tuesday that they are investigating the death of a York University student as a homicide. Qian Liu’s body was found in her room on Aldwinckle Heights, close to the York campus, Friday morning at around 11:00 am. She had been speaking with a friend from Beijing over the internet at around 1:00 am, when the webcam reportedly shut down, prompting her friend to send emails to others in Toronto.
The incident has shaken the York community, as concerns continue to grow about security in the area. “We’re very concerned about this because of the proximity to the campus,” a university spokesperson told Postmedia. Earlier this month, another woman was allegedly assaulted at a campus bar.
The York Federation of Students (YFS) issued a statement that mentioned another assault in the area, but few details were given. “Another person has been raped near the York University campus just days after the murder of a young woman in the York Village,” the statement read. In response,YFS will be hosting a “Take Back the Village Community Forum” on Thursday in order to draw attention to safety concerns in the area.
“Students feel as though the York Administration is dragging its feet implementing significant changes to ensure safety at York University, which is both frustrating and upsetting,” Vanessa Hunt, YFS president-elect, said.
Ontario universities see class sizes bloat
Research suggests quality could ‘deteriorate’ UPDATED
Large classrooms are increasingly becoming the norm at Ontario universities, according to research from the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario. In 14 of the province’s 19 universities, no less than 30 per cent of first-year classes had at least 100 students in 2010, compared to just nine a year before, the Toronto Star reports. “The larger the class, the more difficult it is for a teacher to get beyond the traditional lecture method and use techniques that promote deep learning, and if that doesn’t happen, the quality can start to deteriorate,” HEQCO vice-president Ken Norrie said. A recent HEQCO university workshop explored different ways institutions are addressing large classes, from offering internet lectures to redesigning multiple choice tests so that they more accurately measure student learning. One University of Toronto student told the Star how engaging professors are capable of jumping over the “over the hurdle of class size.”
UPDATE: An earlier version of this story inaccurately referred to a HEQCO “survey” or “report” on class sizes. No such report exists as of yet.
Lukács denied salary increase
Math prof says he is being punished for taking UManitoba to court over academic standards
A University of Manitoba professor who took the school to court over academic standards has been denied his annual salary increase. Gábor Lukács, an assistant professor in the mathematics department, told the Winnipeg Free Press, that he noticed the discrepancy on his most recent pay stub. Under the collective agreement Lukács should have received an annual bump of $2,000. While the agreement permits the university to deny salary increases for unsatisfactory performance, faculty are suppose to be informed when that happens. “I received no letter, no justification,” Lukács said. Lukács was suspended for three months without pay last fall when he filed an application in Manitoba court to reverse a decision to waive an exam requirement for a PhD student. Officially the university suspended the math professor for revealing private details about the student. Lukács believes he was denied his raise as part of a campaign to punish him. The university did not comment on the specifics of the case.
Young Quebecers have a difficult choice ahead
PQ platform will include tuition freeze, restricting access to English-language CEGEPs
The Parti Québécois held their big party congress over the weekend. This conference was particularly important because Quebec’s largest opposition party was deciding on the policies that they will be bringing to the voters in the next provincial election.
The biggest news out of the congress was the overwhelming level of support for leader Pauline Marois. She received over 93 per cent in a confidence vote, well over the 80 per cent required to avoid a leadership contest.
There were also some interesting developments on the education front, with delegates voting to oppose the tuition hikes introduced in last month’s provincial budget and, if elected, to freeze tuition at 2012 levels. That proposal has received support from the province’s largest student lobby group.
Delegates also backed recent calls by PQ members of the National Assembly to extend the province’s language laws, which currently restrict access to English-language primary and secondary schools, to CEGEPs. Students in Quebec, who graduate high school in grade 11, must attend a two-year CEGEP program before going to university. The colleges also provide vocational programs.
Currently in Quebec, children can only attend schools in the English-language system if one of their their parents or siblings was educated in English in Canada, or if the child began their schooling in English elsewhere in the country before moving to the province. Everyone else, essentially all francophones and immigrants, must attend French-language schools. The restrictions apply to all schools that receive any government funding, including most private schools.
The PQ has always been something of a strange animal. It is, essentially, a single issue coalition, centred around Quebec nationalism and promoting the French language. Yet, it has formed the province’s government on several occasions and, according to a poll that appeared in Saturday’s Le Devoir, may be poised to do so again.
Over the past few years some high-profile former PQ members, including former leader, Lucien Bouchard, have publicly denounced hard-line nationalist positions. This movement away from the party seems to be coming mostly from its right wing, leaving the PQ more left wing and more radical, at least when it comes to issues of Quebec nationalism and the French language.
But while Marois may be more radical than some of her predecessors, she is certainly not on the party’s radical fringe. Over the weekend, she convinced the majority of delegates to backtrack on a policy that would have called for all commercial signs in the province to be exclusively in French. Instead, the party will be sticking with the status quo, which allows multilingual signs, as long as French is predominant.
The party’s plans to extend the language laws to CEGEPs are controversial and may not be very popular but it’s probably not going to cost them politically. The number of students who would be affected by this change is small, around 4,000 a year, the far majority of whom are in the Montreal area, which isn’t exactly a PQ stronghold. As well, it’s a much bigger issue for anglophones, who wouldn’t have voted for the PQ anyway, than for francophones.
Quebec’s next election could still be a long way off, Premier Jean Charest doesn’t have to call one until December 2012, so it’s much too early to call this one for the PQ. But, when it does come, many young Quebecers will most likely be feeling that both of the province’s major parties are working against their interests.
Ontario colleges targeting aboriginal students
$400,000 ad campaign will see ads in newspapers, radio, and flyers sent to remote reserves
Colleges Ontario launched a $400,000 advertising campaign today to encourage aboriginal students to pursue a college diploma or certificate. With the tagline, “Break your Own Trail” Ontario’s community colleges will target aboriginals through posters, radio and newspaper ads and flyers sent directly to remote reserves only accessible by plane. Linda Franklin, president of Colleges Ontario said that finding ways to encourage groups underrepresented in post-secondary education will help address looming labour shortages. “We also want to make sure these under-represented groups achieve their full potential,” she said.
Video: Advice for first time voters
Don’t wear the wrong colour t-shirt
Sure vote mobs are great, but do they really help first time voters make sense of the upcoming election?
While only a stiff drink and total disregard for all common sense could truly do that, hopefully these suggestions will make casting your first vote a little bit easier.
Profs say youth turnout will rise
Vote mobs could have real impact
Vote mobs have the potential to increase youth voter turnout, according to professors who spoke to the Toronto Star. With about dozen vote mobs already having taken place, and about two dozen more planned before election day, Queen’s University media studies professor Sidneyeve Matrix said the fact that it is youth themselves who are organizing the rallies suggests the mobs could have a real impact. “This one is student-led,” she said. Similarly, Paul Howe, a political science professor at the University of New Brunswick, observed that the combination of real world rallies with social media campaigns is what could make the difference, though Howe cautioned that “It’s possible it’s a one-election phenomenon.” Tamara Small, a political science professor at Mount Allison University disagrees. “Something like these vote mobs or Facebook can reach out to people because it reaches them where they are … but technology isn’t going to change behaviour,” she said.
Ryerson radio station off the air
CKLN loses bid to overturn CRTC ruling revoking license
After months of legal battles, Ryerson University’s radio station, CKLN, is off the air. Broadcasting officially ceased at 6:45pm Friday, but the station will continue programming online, and staff and volunteers have been advised to continue their regular schedules.
The CRTC had initially revoked CKLN’s license in January, following an investigation into complaints over the station’s management structure and purported lack of involvement from the Ryerson community. Last summer, “the station experienced significant infighting and the volunteers, staff and management were locked out of the studio premises by the building manager,” a CRTC press release stated. During the lockout that lasted seven months, CKLN “broadcast an intermittent loop of programming without any ongoing community involvement.” When the station resumed operations, there were concerns over “quality-control” and “little involvement from the Ryerson University student body despite its status as a campus radio station.”
The station acknowledged its past problems, and had elected a new Board of Directors and hired a new station manager.
In February, a Judge stayed the CRTC decison, until Federal Court could rule on CKLN’s appeal, but that bid was denied Friday. “CKLN is one of only a handful of few campus-community radio licensees in Toronto and losing it is part of an emerging and troubling trend of dwindling access to public airwaves that are federally mandated,” station manager Jacky Harrison said in a statement.
Staff are meeting today to discuss whether CKLN will appeal the decision to the Supreme Court, or whether it will seek other options such as broadcasting on closed circuit radio.
VIU strike resolution fails to cool climate
General issue of compensation for educators to become political issue sooner rather than later
Despite students at Vancouver Island University (VIU) returning to classes last week, the climate between faculty unions and the provincial government remains chilly as ever.
First, there’s the simple fact that, despite the strike at the Nainaimo university being over, the main issue—that of job security—has yet to been resolved. That sticking point will be handled by a mediator over the next month, though there’s no guarantee of any agreement being reached. While most are clamoring for the two sides to resolve their issues, budgetary realities will keep them at loggerheads for some time to come.
Secondly, over in Langara, the passive-aggressive pseudo-strike continues, with the faculty continuing to withhold grades as a bargaining tactic.
Adding to the whole “educators vs. government” narrative, last week the BC Supreme Court struck down a provincial law that restricted teachers’ bargaining rights. The decision made front-page news, partially due to the fact that the Minister of Education at the time of the bill’s implementation was Christy Clark—who just so happens to be Premier.
Good news? Well at Kwantlen, contract negotiations are set to start up again between the university and faculty union.
But add it all together, and you have a provincial climate of labour unrest among educators and a whole spate of public sector contracts currently in need of renewal. Factor in the election of Adrian Dix as NDP leader, a candidate considered the most labour-friendly of the four candidates running, and it’s fair to expect the general issue of workers’ bargaining rights will become a political hot potato.
In short, one gets a looming sense that the issue of teachers’ rights and benefits are something that will play out on a campaign, rather than backroom, stage.
