Nova Scotia Education Minister Marilyn More. (Photo: Alison Chiang)

“At no time have we suggested that they should lose their autonomy, their brand as NSCAD,” she said. “But there may be co-operation. There may be things they can do to collaborate with universities that would cut down on other costs.”

More made the comment in an exclusive interview with UNews.

NSCAD supporters have expressed concern that the province is pushing NSCAD toward a merger with another university and are concerned that NSCAD could lose its independence. The province has funded studies to look at the feasibility of a merger. The results of these provincially funded studies are expected in May, after the deadline the province has set for submitting a long-term funding plan.

On the website NSCAD is Alive, supporters are encouraging the university community to call the minister’s office throughout the weekend to leave messages about why NSCAD matters to them.

More maintains, however, that the province has given NSCAD an extra $17 million outside of its  normal funding to help it resolve its financial problems.  She adds that the province has also funded facilitators and consultants to work with NSCAD on a debt reduction plan.

She said that when NSCAD moved into its new Port Campus it knew one of only three possible funding partners — the provincial government — had committed funding.

“We value NSCAD. We know that it has an international reputation and that the students are very, very pleased with the quality of programming that they get at that university,” she said.

NSCAD will submit a long-term plan detailing how it will eliminate its debt by March 31.

(Video: Alison Chiang)

Review of university funding

More said a working group preparing a new memorandum of understanding with the universities is looking at different funding models used in other provinces.

“Things like the excellence of the programming, perhaps specialization,” she said.

The current model of university funding — last negotiated in 2012 —is 90 per cent based on enrolment and the cost of delivering the program.

A 2012 report from Students Nova Scotia recommended that university funding be based on the quality of the program and not enrolment.  The report argues that universities are building enrolment quickly instead of focusing on teaching quality or student support. Students NS would like funding to be 50 per cent based on enrolment and 20 per cent on measured student performance.  Another 20 per cent would link funding to government economic, social or cultural priorities.

“What happens in other provinces and other countries impacts on the availability of out of province and international students here, “ More said.

More says Premier Darrell Dexter is on record saying the undergraduate funding in Nova Scotia will stay at or below the national average.

At this point that’s the only commitment that we can make,’ she said.

The MOU is in place until 2015.

She said the working group is trying to promote efficiencies in university operations so more money can go towards programming and student assistance.

More added that it’s a challenge to get accurate information out to students and acknowledges that there’s “a lot of anxiety” among students.  She maintains that over the last two budget years the province has invested approximately $90 million to improve student assistance in Nova Scotia.

“That plus maintaining universities is the best contribution we can make to higher education,” she said.

 Timeline by Luke Orrell:

Note: UNews contacted PC education critic Keith Bain and Liberal education critic Zach Churchill requesting an interview. They were unavailable.

Dana Al Radhan, The Canadian Bureau for International Education’s (CBIE) video contest winner. (Photo: Jessamyn Griffin)

Kuwaiti native Dana Al Radhan has won a contest for her short film, which outlines her love for Canada.

The third-year student’s video was chosen from more than 50 submissions to the Canadian Bureau for International Education’s (CBIE) photo and video contest. For the competition, students were asked to comment on an international learning experience in Canada or abroad.

In three minutes, Al Radhan spoke about how Canadian culture positively influenced her life and the cultural differences between Kuwait and Canada.

She didn’t enter the contest with winning in mind, but a chance to practise her filmmaking skills.

“It was more than the prize – it was just putting the film together for me,” she said.

No scents allowed

When in Kuwait, Al Radhan is used to dousing herself in perfume.

So when she first came to Canada it was a shock to discover the culture didn’t embrace scents, but blatantly bans them with ‘scent free environment’ signs plastered everywhere.

To show how she learned about this new cultural rule “the hard way,” Al Radhan made video that consists of a skit of someone choking in an elevator because of her pungent perfume.

Respecting animals and people

Holding the door open for someone is something not a lot of people think about – unless you’re Canadian. Al Radhan noticed the gesture of politeness and started participating in the door-holding game.

“Now, I sometimes hold the door when the person is far away,” she said.

Being polite towards others later flourished into her concern for the well being of animals.

Gorging on meat is a classic cultural pastime in Kuwait. But after she watched a video on the meat production process in her nature and conservation course a year ago – she became a vegetarian and never looked back.

“We are a culture that loves meat,” she said. “So for me, to tell my parents I’m becoming a vegetarian was weird. They were in denial.”

Freedom of speech

Coming to Canada at 16 years old, Al Radhan says Halifax is where she has grown up and discovered who she is as a person.

“There are cultural restrictions [in Kuwait] in the sense that we don’t ask questions about things out of being polite. It’s not ‘don’t say that’ or ‘you’re not allowed’ but it’s more of a taboo. Whereas in Canada you can stand on the street and scream a question.”

Al Radhan worries her video has been misunderstood as “bashing on” her home country.

“There are a lot of things I don’t like about my culture and I speak out about them for one reason – because I love my country. By no means do I mean to offend or compare [cultures]. I’m just trying to make people think.”

The future

After her undergrad, Al Radhan hopes to study dentistry at Dalhousie University. Later, she plans to move back to Kuwait to start her own practice and get involved in education and politics.

“Education and information is not something you restrict, ever,” she says.  “There should always be a flow of information about everything.”

She plans to advocate for an educational environment that involves more critical thinking, less by-the-book teaching and loosen the reigns on censored information.

Al Radhan wants to help change the gender dynamic of men having more authority and privileges than women.

“When I came to Canada I lived in my own little box where everything was nice and safe,” she said.  “I never wanted to question anything I believed in or what my parents told me. As a girl I believed there were certain things I couldn’t do – like horseback riding.”

Al Radhan continues to practise filmmaking and is currently working on a documentary about conflict in the Gaza strip called The Echoes Of the Deserted.

Dana Al Radhan’s award winning film. 

Stephen Campbell (left) and Justin Hartling broadcast 1st quarter basketball action. (Photo: Matthew Woodman)

A group of girls wearing red and white jerseys huddle together near the half-line of the King’s College gymnasium. One of the players pops her head out of the circle and glances to the middle side of the court where three students divide the visiting fans from the home fans. The trio prepare for their broadcast of the woman’s basketball game between the King’s Blue Devils and the Saint John Seawolves. The girl, not accustomed to the broadcast, turns back to the huddle and snickers, “What is this, the WNBA?”

This will be the 32nd game the trio has broadcasted live over the Internet with full commentary, so they’re used to the quips and jabs from visiting teams. In the nine team league they’re one of only two schools that provide play-by-play. They only began broadcasting last semester through what they collectively describe as pure luck.

Justin Hartling, who performs the play-by-play for the men’s and woman’s basketball teams, got the ball rolling when he inquired about broadcast opportunities.

“It turns out that not even 24 hours before they had signed a deal with sportscanada.tv to broadcast,” said Hartling. “It was a right place at the right time thing.”

Hartling soon recruited two of his buddies, Stephan Campbell, who works play-by-play for the men’s and women’s volleyball teams and Ian Froese, who usually handles camera operation.

Hartling and Campbell have emerged as the broadcast’s usual duo. When not working play-by-play for their respective sport, they join in as the colour commentator, adding stats and stories to game action.

They say the program has come a long way. They’ve gotten to know the players in the league better, discovered some interesting stats and even created their “Boss of the Game” title, which is crowned to the most outstanding player of each game. Even with their on-air chemistry developing, they still enjoy topping the other guy’s puns.    

King’s guard Bhreagh Moore shoots from the free throw line and drains a basket. Her nickname has been deemed “BMO” by teammates and it has caught on with the broadcast crew.

“You know Justin,” says Campbell after watching Moore’s foul shot. “They call her BMO because she is money.”

This is Moore’s first game back on the courts since she had to sit out three games with mono. She’s one of the players on the Blue Devils who has full appreciation for the broadcast King’s provides. Although she was bed-ridden, she didn’t miss a minute of the Blue Devil’s action.

“They’re doing a great job,” said Moore. “It’s a lot easier to watch when they’re telling you what’s happening.”

Moore also says her family enjoys the broadcasts.

“My family always watches when they can’t make the game,” says Moore. “They live in Cape Breton, so it’s great for them.”

The basketball season will soon end for the ACAA, while the volleyball and soccer seasons have already come to a close. The King’s broadcast crew has only four remaining games on the agenda. But Hartling, whose career dream is to work for TSN, plans to continue broadcasting sports. He and Campbell have already practised broadcasting NFL games over the Internet. Hartling also plans to push hard for a spot with the crew covering AUS basketball championships. The men’s championships will be held in Halifax in early March.    

“Every morning I would wake up and watch SportsCentre and then one morning I said damn, that would be awesome to do,” said Hartling. “Broadcasting has become the highlight of my week. It’s amazing being able to do this.”

“I would say it’s something that I would love to do,” said Campbell.  “This experience has really opened some doors for me, and hopefully down the road I can pursue it.”

The aroma of spices, fresh baked goods, upbeat music and foreign languages brought a few different corners of the world to Saint Mary’s University Wednesday afternoon.

But many international students at the event said they wished Canadians would bring those corners a little closer.

Lucille Jolene, from Strasbourg, France is no stranger to this celebration of cultures. She has been involved with I-Represent International Fiesta since she arrived at Saint Mary’s University three and a half years ago.  In her first year, she had a France booth, making crepes and telling people about her culture.  This year, she is a part of the International Students Society and facilitator for the event.

“It’s just a little taste and it opens the eyes of Canadian students.  It makes them see that there’s a lot out there.  Not everything is about Canada,” said Jolene.

The avid traveller even got the chance to study abroad in Guadalajara, Mexico for one year. She said Canadians can follow in her footsteps and learn more about other countries and cultures.

I-Represent is part of Saint Mary’s University’s international month and allows students from abroad to showcase their home country and culture.  The event was held at the Loyola Residence Conference Hall where about 300 students and members of the community came to check it out.  Saint Mary University has one of the largest number of international students in Nova Scotia, around 2,100 students.

Kristin Harpa Katrinardottir, an international student from Iceland, says has fallen in love with Canada and its people.  Like Jolene, she likes that the event brings all of the international students together.

“I like seeing all the other people in the same shoes that I am.  But I would love (for) more Canadians to see this,” said Katrinardottir.

Canadians, at some point in their history, have also experienced what it was like to be a foreigner, said Katrinardottir.

She said Canadians can help to dispel stereotypes the public often has of international students.  She says international students pay more tuition than Canadian students and yet “they think we (international students) come on a free load.”  She said that international students often have the same financial difficulties as domestic students.

Amalie Armony, originally from the island of St.Kitts in the Caribbean is studying political science and economics.  He agrees with Katrinardottir about certain stereotypes.  The Caribbean relies heavily on tourism but some tourists still view the island as underdeveloped with unpaved roads, said Armony.

A growing Caribbean student population in Halifax is helping to to dispel some of these stereotypes, said Armony.  Saint Mary University and its international students can help Canadians move out of their comfort zone, he added.

“Many North Americans have never left North America and this event basically gives them an opportunity to see what’s outside their walls and off their shores,” he said.

Maria Eduarda Simon from Florianopolis, Brazil, would like to see more Canadians interact with foreign students.  International students tend to form a group and “it would be really nice if we could be just one community with Canadians and internationals,” Simon said.

Moaath Alangari, of Riyadh Saudi Arabia said the media is too focused on the negative views of Saudi Arabia and its people.

“Get rid of the politics, show the good side, the different side,” Alangari said.  Saudi students just want to do their best and share their writing system, food, drink and traditional clothing, said Alangari.

Lydia Mabel ate a plateful of Chinese food and said the event reminds her of Halifax farmers’ markets.

“It’s nice to bring out the international spirit of Saint Mary’s University,” said Mabel, an honours international development studies and Latin American studies student, adding that she feels right at home with international students.

Mabel said she has a lot of international friends and perhaps the Canadians who were not at the event missed out on a learning experience.  Locals are aware that the city is cosmopolitan but perhaps they are expressing indifference, she said.

For next year, Mabel has a suggestion.

“Instead of focusing only on international people and their foods, have a Canadian table with their food and they (can be) apart of it too,” said Mabel.

A community consultation was held at the Dalhousie University Club on Wednesday night to discuss the future of the economy in Nova Scotia.

“This is government asking a group of Nova Scotians for advice,” said the President of Acadia, Ray Ivany.

President of Acadia University, Ray Ivany, giving a presentation on the economic trends in Nova Scotia. (Photo: Melissa Shaw)

Ivany is one of the volunteer commissioners with the Nova Scotia Commission on Building our New Economy. The commission is acting indepedently from government. The Premier’s Advisory Commission on the Economy has given them the mandate to collect community input and suggestions to improve the province’s economy.

Approximately 50 people seated at the tables were asked to answer several questions and share their brainstorming with the room. Some of the questions were:

• What does the economy of Nova Scotia really need?
• What do you like most about living in your community?
• What ideas do you have to make Nova Scotia a more prosperous place?
• What obstacles exist to prevent prosperity from happening?

People liked the recycling and higher education system in the province. They said there are many successful entrepreneurs producing wine and other goods.
When asked what they liked about their community, common responses included easy access to parks and wilderness, the ocean and living close to their family members.

Participants said they wanted to have a better transportation system, improve literacy rates and immigration policies.

They said there are opportunities to provide services for seniors to get them involved in activities and to promote buying local.  Another suggestion was easier access to loans to encourage small businesses.

The government gave the five commissioners 18 months to gather comments and produce a report. Ivany said he wants to be transparent about the reasons for this timeline.

“The time frame by design, that is my understanding at least, is because it will straddle an election,” said Ivany.

Ivany presented charts explaining the changes in the economy in the past and projected changes over the next 25 years.  In Nova Scotia, there are more people over 64-years old than under 14-years old.

Members of the community are seated in small groups. They are asked to brainstorm ideas on paper and announce the results. (Photo: Melissa Shaw)

He said this trend will continue, which means there will be a shrinking labour force in the future. Halifax will experience moderate economic growth but the rural areas will not. Ivany said the current trends indicate that in 10 to 30 years from now, Nova Scotia will be in a state of decline.

He said the commission is prepared to work with any elected party.  Ivany acknowledges that governments frequently commission reports and then fail to act on them.

“We’re going to try to inoculate it against being put on a shelf,” he said.

The interim report will be released at the end of April. Ivany said 70 per cent will be community feedback and 30 per cent will consist of recommendations from the commission.

The commission will hold community sessions in Wolfville, Digby, Bridgewater and various other locations in Nova Scotia. A full list of dates and locations can be found on their website.

Kids and Company CEO Victoria Sopik (left) stands beside vice-president of operations Sue Purser (right) for the ribbon cutting in celebration of their grand opening. (Photo: Melissa Shaw)

The vice-president of operations, Sue Purser, said there was a huge demand for childcare in Bedford. “We’ve had so many requests to come to the Bedford location. Lots of young families moving in,” she said.

The centre has a corporate partnership with Dalhousie. University staff and students can register early and have daycare that matches their work schedules.  The site supervisor for the Halifax location, Megan Power, said parents can also sign up for 15 days of emergency drop-in care per year.

Jen Frail-Gauthier lives in the neighborhood.  She’s a PhD student at Dal studying earth sciences and biology.  She also teaches several courses and works for student services.  Gauthier plans to move her two boys from the Barrington Street location to the Bedford centre.

“I was on the Dal wait list for almost two years for my oldest son. By that time, he was already in childcare [at] another centre, as Kids and Company wasn’t open yet,” she said.  Gauthier said she had to start with in-home care.

“[I] had a terrible situation with it,” she said.

The centre can accomodate 178 kids. Some of the rooms will be used for mommy and tot programs. (Photo: Melissa Shaw)

Gauthier said the partnership with Dal really helped. “[It] has pretty much diminished any stress, as my youngest son was pretty much guaranteed in,” she said.

CEO of Kids and Company, Victoria Sopik, said this is their 45^th location and they have centres across Canada. This is their second location in Halifax.

At the centre, Sopik said the children learn French, sign language and they have an activity program.

Purser adds that there’s a lot of interest in infant and toddler care. “Any major city you go to, it’s so hard to find infant care, “ she said.

Dorothy DeVonge-Morphy, the area directory supervisor adds that generally more staff are interested in working with the older age group.

Kids and Company staff from left to right: Megan Power site supervisor Halifax, Sue Purser vice-president operations, Melanie Read site supervisor Dartmouth, Dorothy DeVonge-Morphy site director supervisor. (Photo: Melissa Shaw)

Caring for infants involves providing a lot of basic needs and more staff are needed because of the smaller ratios. It’s usually one teacher caring for four infants. In preschool the numbers are one teacher for eight children. This means that fees are higher for infant care said Purser. She said Kids and Company offers enough spaces to even out their fees.

“Parents that are having a child after they’re off for that one year of mat leave they still need infant care. We’ve done everything we can to meet that need,” she said.

Registration is open and 50 families have already signed up. The centre can take in 178 kids. The Bedford location will begin operating on Mar. 1.

Those ideas were gathered during three consultation sessions held to gather student input. The final session is today (Thursday, 5 p.m. at the University Club).

DalDance commitee members (Right: Allie Nugent) write what they like about the current Dalhousie athletic facilities. (Photo Violet MacLeod)

Oliver Beck, a consultant who led the discussion, said the new Dal facilities can be anything.

“This is the very beginning, there is no box around the project, it can be anything right now,” said Beck, who works for Educational Consulting Services Corp.

Beck said the new facility could include the bones of Dalplex.

“The Dalplex is a rat hole. There is the possibility of adding on or carving out the field house and using the space.”

As far as cost is concerned Beck said, “the budget is a bit of a moving target.” The cost was estimated last year to be in the range of $46 to $70 million. Both Dal and King’s have committed their students to pay a $180 student fee, once the facility opens, to finance its construction and operation.

A Dalhousie student gives her input by writing what her top three fitness and recreation activities are. (Photo Violet MacLeod)

Student ideas for the new facility have included a regulation size running track, a green space, varsity athlete lounges and new equipment. DalDance representatives voiced their need for a dance studio.

Allie Nugent, president of DalDance, said her committee has been saving money for its own studio. They are now considering sponsoring a studio in the new facility.

Anne Fenety, acting director of Dal’s school of physiotherapy, suggested a collaborative health care clinic be considered for the new facility.

“It’s a win, win… Athletes get treated, health profession students get to practise,” she said. “Changes are happening on campus. This is the time for us to dream.”

Beck said the project is moving along quickly and in the next month and a half there will be initial drawings done. Structural engineers are being met with today.

The councillor, Andrew Mecke, was absent from a meeting Wednesday, at which a vote on the motion was scheduled to take place.

Representatives from levied societies packed the last meeting to passionately oppose the five-year referendums.

“I’ve met with five or six of the levied societies so far and the others will be in the next week or so,” said DSU president Jamie Arron. “It’s frustrating for me now that I’ve gone out and arranged nine meetings and the motion has been withdrawn.”

The new notices of motion put forward on Mecke’s behalf were:

• Do you support students at Dalhousie University being able to opt out of the DSU membership and all subsequent fees?
• Do you support members of the union being able to opt out of any faculty, school or resident society?
• Do you support members of the union being able to opt out of any levied society?

The motions will be sent to the DSU’s board of operations and the elections committee before coming back for further discussion at the next council meeting.

Arron said the DSU is hopeful to get the situation resolved soon.

“Over Reading Week we’ll be compiling all of our information and putting it out to everyone for the first week in March,” said Arron.

The issue has been ongoing since December.

Proposed fee increases

Several of the levied societies are proposing fee increases, which will come back for a decision at the next meeting.

• NSPIRG is asking for a $2 increase from $4 to $6 per year.
• The Loaded Ladle is also asking for a $2 increase from $2 to $4.
• The Dalhousie Gazette wants an increase of $1.25 from $5 to $6.25.
• CKDU wants a raise of $1.25 from $9 to $10.25.

The Dalhousie University Nursing Society, which is paid by nursing students only, is looking for an increase of $2 per year.

Entire meeting:

The Huskies welcome Argonauts veteran Marcello Simmons as their new defensive co-ordinator. (Photo: Argonauts.ca)

After ending the 2012 regular season with a 3-5 win-loss record and the departure of defensive co-ordinator Devin Murphy, Saint Mary’s football head coach Perry Marchese knew the team was ready for a change.

So when it came time to upgrade the Huskies’ coaching staff, Marchese drew on past glories for inspiration.

“When I was fortunate enough to get the job, I definitely wanted to get some of the people that had success in the program over the years,” he says.

On Feb. 11, the Huskies announced the newest additions to their coaching staff, hiring two-time SMU Vanier Cup running back Dean Jones as special teams co-ordinator and Huskies alum Brad Chalmers as the new strength and conditioning coach.

But Chalmers and Jones aren’t the only SMU alumni to join the squad.

Joining the Huskies as defensive co-ordinator is Marcello Simmons. A Texan who got his start playing for the Southern Methodist University Mustangs, Simmons boasts an illustrious career, first as a player and coach for the Toronto Argonauts and later with the Edmonton Eskimos.

A defensive back who previously worked in Atlantic University Sport football with reigning champs the Acadia Axemen, Simmons says he’s excited to return to the East Coast and carry on the Huskies’ tradition of unstoppable defense.

“There are some big shoes to fill and I’m sure there are some expectations there,” Simmons says about his addition to the Huskies, who ended last season the fifth best defensive team in Canadian Interuniversity Sport. “But if we were number (five) in the country, then our objective is to be number one.”

Having previously worked together on the Toronto Argonauts and the Guelph Gryphons, Marchese says that when the role of defensive co-ordinator came up, there was no better man for the job.

“I’d be lying if I said he was in the back of my mind — he was definitely in the front of my mind,” Marchese says. “So when this opportunity came up, we just did our best to make it work.”

At the end of March, Simmons will fly down from his current home in Toronto and meet with staff and players to prepare for spring training.

The Huskies’ head coach says he’s excited to see how players respond to Simmons’ coaching style and football philosophy.

“He’s a ‘been there, done that’ coach at many different levels, but also he’s just a great guy,” says Marchese. “Players are going to absolutely love playing for him.”