Business faculty learning while eating

The University of Winnipeg’s business and economics faculty is jump starting a new guest speaker series during the early morning – alongside breakfast.

The first event will feature University of British Columbia’s Centre for Urban Economics and Real Estate director Tsur Sommerville, speaking on the subject of Canadian real estate.

The event will take place Mar. 18 from 7:30 to 9 a.m. in Convocation Hall.

Tickets are $30 and seats are limited.

For more information, contact Dallas Hull at 786-9990 or [email protected].

Tuition fee increases not a big deal

An expert on post-secondary education stirred some spirits by sharing his findings on the ever-controversial issue of tuition fee increases.

In the Educational Policy Institute’s Week in Review, Alex Usher defended tuition fee increases by arguing admission went up after some provinces increased their tuition.

Public ignorance on the issue is also a problem, he wrote. Tuition costs are always balanced against other university financial services, without the public’s knowledge.

If tuition increases, so will the amount of financial aid paid to students in the form of various bursaries.

The key is ensuring such financial aid maintains pubic support, Usher claimed.

Disability support still not enough

Despite grants and bursaries, individuals with disabilities are still struggling to complete post-secondary education.

Only one-third of all Canadians with disabilities completed education past high school in 2006, Maclean’s OnCampus reported.

A Statistics Canada study also reported fewer and fewer students with disabilities completing higher levels of education, from 14.7 per cent completing community college to just 4.4 per cent attaining a bachelor’s degree.

The study also found persons with disabilities face many barriers when attempting higher education.

They run into pitfalls such as physical access, poor consideration from the academic establishment, insufficient time for degree completion, prolonged absences and limited careers choices that ultimately may hinder their participation in their community.

Beatles have their own masters degree

A university in Liverpool is gaining much attention and interest with a brand new master of arts program on the study of The Beatles and popular music.

Decades after their break up and with thousands of books written on The Beatles, a professor at Liverpool Hope University thinks it is time to have them in the realm of academia.

The masters program will cover four topics about The Beatles, as well as branching topics such as the context of the ’60s, the era’s technology and the industry that developed from the band.

This course is completely unique in the world, states a Liverpool Hope University press release.

Ontario premier promises more grad students

Ontario is increasing its number of graduate students in order to train more high-demand professionals and remain competitive in the world.

The Government of Ontario will spend $51.6 million over the next three years on creating over 3,000 new graduate spaces.

The plan is based on the province’s multi-billion dollar initiative to increase post-secondary education in the demanding sectors of environmental studies and engineering, stated a Government of Ontario press release.

Published in Volume 63, Number 23 of The Uniter (March 12, 2009)