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Today's Top Ten

March 18, 2024

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR), hosted by the University of Manitoba, has received a $5M gift from the Winnipeg Foundation. The funds will contribute to a $40M capital campaign to build a new home for the NCTR. The new location will offer a safe space for the community to come together to share stories, learn about the history of residential schools, further reconciliation, and heal. “The new home for the NCTR will be an internationally renowned site of learning, healing and meaningful action,” said UManitoba President Dr Michael Benarroch.
The University of Guelph’s Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) will launch a Master of Sustainable Agriculture program in 2025. The 16-month, interdisciplinary program will cover sustainable agriculture, data analysis, and agri-tech. Students will explore the agricultural sector through flexible courses; professional development programming; and experiential learning opportunities, including field courses and site visits. “OAC’s strong focus on experiential learning and partnerships with agricultural organizations provide students with real-world, career-focused experiences,” said UoGuelph OAC Acting Dean John Cranfield. “Students will have many opportunities to connect with potential employers in the agricultural sector, acting as a launching pad for their career.”
In a recent article for University World News, Nic Mitchell discusses the growing interest and participation in the United Nations’ qualification recognition treaty. Twenty-eight countries—representing a quarter of the world’s internationally mobile student population—have ratified the treaty on the recognition of higher education qualifications. The treaty allows for transnational credential recognition, removing barriers to mobility for those who have completed higher education qualifications abroad. UNESCO director of policies and lifelong learning systems Borhene Chakroun said that some of the largest sending and receiving countries—including United States, Canada, Germany, China, India, and Brazil—have not yet joined the convention.
Queen’s University and the University of British Columbia both recently received $1M in endowments each from Teck Resources (Teck) to establish the Don Lindsay Teck Award in Mining Engineering. The award—which was established in recognition of former Teck CEO Don Lindsay’s contributions to the mining sector—will fund annual renewable scholarships for students pursuing mining studies. The endowments build upon longstanding partnerships between Teck and the mining schools at UBC and Queen’s. “The Don Lindsay Teck Award in Mining Engineering will shape the next generation of mining engineers,” said UBC Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science James Olson.
A new article published in the Higher Education journal examines the role of lecture recordings in advancing accessibility in higher education. University of Glasgow scholars Chiara Horlin, Barbora Hronska, and Emily Nordmann explored how students, especially those who are neurodivergent or have disabilities, use lecture recordings. They found that recordings proved to be an inclusive learning tool, as students were able to consolidate their notes after a lecture or take advantage of functional flexibility such as being able to pause or adjust the speed of the recording to manage their learning experience. However, the findings “do not support an uncritical view of lecture recordings,” as the participants emphasized the need for self-discipline to effectively use the recordings and avoid overreliance on them.
Saint Mary’s University Student Association (SMUSA) is calling for the reinstatement of SMUWorks—an on-campus employment program— after Saint Mary’s University announced that it would not offer the program in the upcoming academic year. “The removal of SMUworks will deprive our students of opportunities, especially when they are already grappling with high rent, food inflation, and rising tuition costs,” read a release from SMUSA. SMUSA is also asking the university to ensure that student access to financial aid will not be impacted. In a statement, SMU AVP of External Affairs Margaret Murphy said that “[c]urrently, the university is looking at other work-study options.”
Portage College has signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Village of Boyle to offer micro-credential training to municipal employees and elected representatives. Participants will be able to enrol in one complimentary course annually, with access to programming that ranges from permaculture to business essentials. Portage and Boyle will also collaborate to explore work-integrated learning placements for college students; develop promotional, economic development, and training opportunities for the village; and provide service benefits to registered students at Portage. “We’re all about lifelong learning and making our community thrive, and this partnership is a big step towards that,” said Portage President Nancy Broadbent.
York University mathematics instructors have introduced an open educational resource called WeBWorK, which allows math students to practice their skills with an unlimited number of problems and receive instant feedback. YorkU is piloting the program with over 700 Linear Algebra students. YorkU Assistant Professor Andrew McEachern additionally paired the platform with Discord so that students could ask questions and quickly receive answers. McEachern said that so far, his students have been reporting much less anxiety about their homework. “In my opinion, if even one student benefits, it’s worth it,” said McEachern.
The University of Prince Edward Island’s Board of Governors has approved an increase to the tuition deposit required from international applicants in preparation for the Government of Canada’s <a href="https://academica.ca/top-ten/ircc-publishes-additional-information-on-reforms-to-international-student-program/">provincial attestation letter (PAL) requirements</a>. International student applicants will be expected to provide a $5K deposit, up from $1K, which will be largely refundable if the applicant’s student visa is denied by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. UPEI states that the change is intended to ensure that international applicants are serious about their plans to come to the institution. UPEI says that Holland College is making similar changes. 
At John Abbott College, students have lined the hallways with loonies and toonies to help others pay for rent, food, and other expenses. The strip of coins is a part of the cégep’s loonie line fundraiser, which is raising money for a student assistance fund. “You don’t really know what everyone’s going through and their situations,” said John Abbott student Sidney Ullmann. Global News reports that the cégep has seen more students in need of financial help, with the student assistance fund receiving more than double the number of requests for help compared with last year.

Indigenous Top 10

March 6, 2024

The Okanagan Indian Band (OKIB) has officially broken ground on a new Okanagan Indian Band Cultural Immersion Elementary School. Once constructed, the school will replace the aging Cultural Immersion School building it has outgrown. OKIB will be able to offer a more culturally appropriate learning environment for the community’s students, who in turn will be able to learn the Squilxw language and culture in a safe, inclusive learning environment. “Schooling hasn’t been very good for our people. Residential schools and day schools were places where our own knowledge was not allowed,” said OKIB member Bill Cohen. “With our own school, we can change that, where our kids have a place to speak our language and learn our own knowledge that has been here for thousands of years. They will have access to all of the world knowledge too.” The school is supported by $19.3M from the Government of Canada and $2.85M from OKIB.
The Government of Canada has announced two significant investments into Indigenous students and teachers. The Rideau Hall Foundation (RHF) will be directing a $13.2M investment to seven Indigenous-led and community-driven programs. These programs will support the training and empowerment of 10,000 new Indigenous teachers. RHF will partner with Gabriel Dumont Institute ($1.28M); McGill University (1.98M); Mi’kmaq Wolastoqey Centre – University of New Brunswick ($2M); Seven Generations Education Institute ($2M); Blue Quills University ($2M); University College of the North ($2M); and Yukon University, Yukon First Nation Education Directorate, and First Nation School Board ($2M) to work towards this goal. “We know Canada is facing national teacher shortages and Indigenous communities are struggling enormously to recruit and retain teachers,” said RHF Director of the Indigenous Teacher Education Initiative Rachel Mishenene. “The grants support community-driven, committed education teams across Canada building robust, culturally responsive Indigenous teacher education programs.” The federal government has also announced an additional $6M in funding for Indspire’s Building Brighter Futures: Bursaries, Scholarships and Awards program. Indspire will use these funds to offer financial supports to 2,400 Indigenous students.
The Government of Canada is investing $1.8M into the revitalization of the Kaska language in the Liard First Nation over the next five years. The funding will support a variety of educational and cultural initiatives, such as online and community classes, summer Kaska language and cultural immersion camps, and staff professional development and language training. The First Nation will also use the funds to develop linguistic resources, such as a Kaska grammar guide, verb reference, and illustrated language book for children. The community also plans to enhance the Kaska cards language app; process, translate, and transcribe Kaska recordings; and digitize and archive Kaska language materials.
The University of Calgary recently shared a piece in which Sessional Instructor Chantel Large discussed how her teaching has been shaped by Indigenous knowledge. When she first began to teach at UCalgary, Large shared how she would smudge before going into the classroom to teach students. “I would pray that I was able to teach in a way that these students who I was encountering would go out into the world as social workers and not cause harm,” said Large. Large said that she uses storytelling to connect with students and brings Indigenous individuals into the classroom to share their experiences. “It connects them to this part of history that isn’t really history. It’s a part of history that we still have to navigate, learn from and heal from today,” said Large.
The Near North District School Board’s (NNDSB) Indigenous Youth Circle (IYC) launched a donation drive to help families in Fort Albany First Nation with items for their babies. The IYC collected diapers, baby formula and other crucial items through a donation drive that involved both the Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board and NNDSB. These items were then sent to the First Nation community through collaboration with former OPP officer George Couchie, the OPP Provincial Liaison Team, and Ontario Northland. The donation drive saw an overwhelming response from the community. “It’s way more than I would have ever expected,” said Chippewa Secondary School student and IYC leader Albany Benson. “All of the hard work that was put into it has definitely paid off, and everyone is working together, so it has been great.”
Water First Education & Training Inc, the Interlake Reserves Tribal Council (IRTC), and associated communities have launched the Drinking Water Internship Program. The program, which is described as the first of its kind in Manitoba, will train members of the seven IRTC communities for careers in water treatment. Interns in the 15-month program will take part in workshops and get hands-on experience in water and wastewater treatment facilities in their communities as they develop and broaden their skills. Graduates will be prepared for careers in drinking water treatment, wastewater treatment, and environmental water management. Net News Ledger reports that the program uses a holistic approach that breaks down barriers to participation.
The Government of Yukon is investing $500K into nutrition programs at schools across the territory. The Yukon Food for Learning Association will distribute $450K to Yukon schools or school boards, with the amount provided varying depending on enrolment numbers and location. The Yukon First Nation Education Directorate (YFNED) will also receive $50K for school feasts and other food-related programming. “Yukon First Nation Education Directorate’s Nutrition Program is funded by Jordan’s Principle to provide equitable and healthy food to all Indigenous children aged zero to 18 in the Yukon,” said YFNED Executive Director Melanie Bennett. “We look forward to a future where every Yukon student is well-fed at school.”
A $25M funding request that would have supported a new First Nations University of Canada campus in Prince Albert has been denied by Infrastructure Canada. FNU President Jackie Ottmann said that she was “disappointed” by the decision, but that the university is working with the government on solutions, including plans to fundraise $5.5M. The Prince Albert Grand Council chiefs recently passed a resolution endorsing the campus’s construction. “While this most recent funding bid may not have been successful, we are certain that both levels of government ... will recognize the immense value and importance of a new FNUniv Northern Campus,” said PAGC Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte.
SD73 has signed its fifth agreement with the Aboriginal Education Council and is celebrating the increase in the number of graduating Indigenous students. The five-year agreement outlines how SD73 and the council will work together to ensure Indigenous students can successfully complete their grade school education. “Looking at things being based on the circle of courage in terms of that idea of belonging, independence, generosity, and you really look at that and being sort of the cornerstone of what students need to be able to thrive within our system,” said SD73 board chair Heather Grieve. Castanet reports that there was a 19.4% increase in the five-year completion rate for status on-reserve students in the 2022-23 academic year. The overall graduation rate for Indigenous student was reportedly 12.1% above British Columbia’s average. Grieve said that enhancement agreements like this one play a key part in the increased completion rates.
The University of Manitoba Office of the Vice-President (Indigenous) is hosting a series of territory acknowledgement workshops that are designed to empower university community members to better understand and personalize land acknowledgements. The impetus for the workshops was to move away from land acknowledgements being used in a “rote” manner, explained UManitoba AVP (Indigenous) of Students, Community, and Cultural Integration Christine Cyr: “They need to evolve; they can’t be static.” The workshops cover the history of UManitoba’s acknowledgements, the controversies surrounding land acknowledgements, and considerations and resources for building a personal statement. Cyr explained that acknowledgements should not be the conclusion of an individual’s path to reconciliation, but part of a broader work process: “Your statement today should be different now than in six months.”

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