Post-Secondary News Digest for February 18, 2010
Canada
UBC PhD student fired from Olympic job:
(The Ubyssey) Olympic security officials have revoked the accreditation of a UBC PhD student 11 days into his new job at the Richmond Olympic Oval because of his relationship to anti-Olympic activist. Darryl Bannon worked for Dr. Chris Shaw, a UBC professor and ophthalmologist at the Vancouver General Hospital, and well-known anti-Olympics activist. After an RCMP interview, Bannon was labelled a security risk, and subsequently fired.
CBU students offer hugs for Haitian relief:
(Metro News) Feb. 20 will be “Hug Day” in Cape Breton. University and high school students will stop pedestrians and ask them if they want to get a hug in exchange for donations to the Hugs for Haitian Kids charity. Nicole Morrison, a fourth-year arts student at Cape Breton University, says the goal is to spread a message of love, support and connection.
UdeM weighs in on provincial health-care debate:
(The Times and Transcript) The Université de Moncton has asked the provincial government to recognize the right of French-speaking New Brunswickers to their own health-care institutions. It also wants New Brunswick to designate a Moncton hospital a French-language institution and to develop tertiary-care services at both it and other French-language hospitals in the province. UdeM president Yvon Fontaine says he wants to ensure teaching opportunities for students in health care-related fields remain available in Moncton, which is why the university has waded into the debate over health-care reforms.
Campus figures, local authors talk censorship at Queen’s:
(The Journal) This week is Freedom to Read week at Queen’s University. It’s a library-sponsored event that invites local literature lovers to deliver public readings, with an emphasis on works that have been challenged or banned. Library communications manager Jennifer Smith organized the event. Readers have been invited to select readings of their choice and present them in the spirit of celebrating intellectual freedom, she said.
U.S.
UC San Diego condemns party mocking black history:
(Associated Press) Fraternity students at the University of California-San Diego mocked Black History Month by organizing a “ghetto-themed” party, which is now being condemned by the university’s chancellor. The “Compton Cookout” event is under investigation by campus officials. Some students, such as sophomore Elize Diop, are offended by the party. “These are the people I go to school with, and knowing that they're mocking my culture and the history of black people is really offensive,” she said.
Pittsburgh college OKs concealed weapons group:
(Associated Press) A group advocating for students to carry concealed weapons will be allowed to operate a campus chapter at the Community College of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh. Students for Concealed Carry on Campus, is a Texas-based non-profit organization. Christa Brashier, a student at the college, first advocated for the campus chapter last May. Brashier threatened the college with a lawsuit when it initially prohibited her cause. She will bring the group’s constitution to the college in March.
Nebraska college lays off 15:
(Omaha World Herald) Midland Lutheran College in Nebraska laid off 15 staff members on Wednesday and announced it will eliminate some major degree programs this summer. The college is 127 years old, but enrolment has declined 60 per cent the last five years. It also faces depleting endowments. The school’s incoming president said the university made the cuts in order to meet payroll for the next few months. The college will also use US$1 million in donations to boost its health sciences department.
U of Louisville to expand anti-pollution centre:
(Courier Journal) The University of Louisville in Kentucky has received federal government money twice in the past nine days. The grants, US$4.75 million last week and $2.23 million received Wednesday, is for the university’s Pollution Prevention Center. The university wants to expand “free energy-efficiency and pollution prevention services” to businesses in the state. The centre will also increase its full-time staff from 16 to 42. More than 70 “spinoff jobs” could also be created.
U of Florida faculty union approves contract:
(The Gainesville Sun) The faculty union at the University of Florida has approved a new contract after years of negotiations. It easily passed, with a margin of 491-4, and voting took place over three days. The contract is a three-year agreement that will allow faculty more sabbaticals, new leave guarantees and greater academic freedom. There are 1,800 faculty members in the union from liberal arts, education and engineering departments. They had been negotiating for the new contract since November 2005.
Texas U considers time limit for students:
(My Fox ) An enrolment report for the University of Texas recommends the university allow students only 10 semesters to finish a bachelor’s degree. Students can currently take as long as they want to finish their degree and many spend “a longer time than expected” at school, the report states. Recommendations were also made for mandatory advising services to help students graduate more quickly and interactive degree audits to be completed each semester by all students enrolled in bachelor’s programs.
U of Hawai’i athletics deficit could reach US$10M:
(Honolulu Advertiser ) An auditor’s report released yesterday states the University of Hawai’i athletic department will likely reach a deficit of US$10.1 million by the end of the fiscal year. The deficit has accumulated more than US$8 million since 2002. The report states it is unrealistic for athletes to “self-generate enough revenues” to balance the budget. The university’s financial situation stems from declining ticket sales for men’s football and basketball games, as well as lost investments and rising travel costs.
World
Edinburgh schools considering full merger:
(BBC) The governing bodies of the University of Edinburgh and the Edinburgh College of Art have agreed to look into the possibility of a merger. The schools have closely collaborated in the past by partnering in research, accreditation and an academic foundation. Administrators say merging the schools would offer enhanced teaching, research and creative possibilities. The schools still want to consult all staff before making any moves, and say the change is unlikely to happen until 2012.
Cutbacks mean no new sports centre for U of Ulster:
(BBC) The University of Ulster in Ireland is scrapping its plans for a $12.3-million sports centre that was to be completed next year. The university must save $7.3 million and it blames government funding cuts for giving it no other choice. Construction on the centre would have begun this year in Coleraine. The University of Ulster is also currently expanding another campus, but no cutbacks to this project have been announced.
N.Z. teen fetches more than $30K for virginity:
(The Globe and Mail) A 19-year-old New Zealand girl has auctioned her virginity on a buy and sell website. Listed as Unigirl, her profile described her as fit and attractive, and the anonymous girl says she was desperate for the money to pay for college. Prostitution and soliciting sex is legal in New Zealand, but police still caution selling sex over the Internet for safety reasons. She received more than 1,200 bids and finally accepted an offer for $33,800.
Cheap DNA test can detect genetic diseases: study:
(Reuters) Researchers at Edinburgh University’s School of Chemistry have found an easy way to distinguish many life-threatening diseases. The low-cost, half-hour DNA test has few health risks. Scientists can track changes in a human’s genetic code using saliva, and find mutations that can indicate serious ailments such as cystic fibrosis, Huntington’s disease and pancreatic cancer.
U.K. university faces fine for exceeding enrolment cap:
(BBC) Anglia Ruskin University will have to pay a $1,069,100 fine to the British government for enrolling too many students. The U.K. has an enrolment cap policy, and the country’s universities secretary says the university will have to pay more than $6,000 for every student it accepts over the cap. Application numbers in the U.K. are up 50 per cent since last year but the Higher Education Funding Council says funding to universities has been cut $732.7 million. They estimate this will mean a reduction of at least 6,000 students across the country.