OUSA

Results from Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey released on Friday provide sobering news as students in Ontario return to school this week. The unemployment rate for Ontario students who planned to return to school in the fall was 17.5%. While a small improvement over last summer, when unemployment was the highest on record at 19.3%, the results are worse than any other Canadian province and are still higher than the summer of 2008. Overall, the employment rate was 50.6% in Ontario, and the Canadian results show that the average number of hours worked was 23.6 hours per week.

The Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) expects all students to work a minimum of 30 hours at the minimum wage of $10.25 and expects those living at home to contribute $2,957 of their earnings to their education. Considering the results of the Labour Force Survey, which found just over half of students working and the average student working less than the expected 30 hours, it seems many students will be struggling to meet their OSAP obligations and having trouble making ends meet. The Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation has previously found that students whose financial aid package was not adequate to cover their actual costs of studying or who accumulate high levels of debt were less likely to complete their studies. While recognizing the significant improvements the Ontario government has made in the availability of student financial assistance, we urge the government to continue to invest in improvements and ensure that all Ontario students have an opportunity to pursue higher education.

Windsor Welcome Week is here, and we’ve got a great lineup of social and educational programming lined up for our students! The UWSA, in collaboration with the Educational Development Centre and a number of groups from across the campus community, will be hosting more than 100 events across a week-long span to highlight their theme: “There’s An Event For That!”. Here are a few key events for our students to attend:

On Labour Day, the UWSA is hosting the E3 Music Festival at the St. Denis Centre’s brand-new Entertainment Complex. The festival features 8 local bands and a national headliner, ALEXISONFIRE. The Basement Pub will be providing food and bar service on-site, and various community vendors will be there to peddle their wares. Upon entry to the Festival, the first 1000 through the gate will receive a reusable E3 cup, as well as a lanyard with a drop card that gives them access to free music from all participating artists. This Festival is also a Think Green, Keep It Clean initiative, and steps have been taken to ensure that our environmental footprint is reduced for such a large event. The event will run 3-11 pm and tickets are available at the UWSA Office (2nd Floor of the CAW) or online at www.uwsarocks.ca for $25.

We are also hosting our standard Pub nights – Toonie Toga Party on Tuesday, Legendary Pub Nights ft. 40 Oz of Freedom (Sublime Cover Band) – as well as a brand new event – the UWSA Rock, Paper & Scissors Tournament on Wednesday. Other great events include a trip to the Detroit Tigers vs. Baltimore Orioles game at Comerica Park in Detroit on Friday, uWindsor Idol in the Commons on Friday, the UWSA Dating Game in the Commons on Thursday, and our annual Free Throw Competition on Thursday morning. Students will have the time of their lives over the next week, while meeting new friends and learning more about their campus and community. It’s going to be great!

Check out the website at www.windsorwelcomeweek.ca for more details. Remember, when you’re new on campus and want to have some fun, “There’s An Event For That!”

Cheers,

-Andrew Bell & Robert Woodrich
Vice President Administration & University Affairs
University of Windsor Students’ Alliance

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TORONTO, Sept. 7 /CNW/ – As a new generation of children starts kindergarten this week, Ontario’s university students are warning parents about the future cost of their child’s post-secondary education. In 18 years, the cost of a 4-year undergraduate degree for a student living away from home is projected to be $137,013, according to TD Bank Financial Group.

Ontario tuition fees, expected to reach a record $6,200 this fall, are the highest in the country. If the Ontario government continues to allow tuition fees to increase at the current rate, students beginning kindergarten this week will be paying over $11,750 annually when they enter university in 14 years.

“Parents of young children should know that the cost of a higher education in Ontario continues to rise at an alarming rate, and that their children could be paying over 6 times more than their parents did just 20 years ago,” said Meaghan Coker, President of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA).

OUSA is urging parents to contact their local MPP and ask them about their plans for making post-secondary education more affordable for their children.

“Whether your child is currently attending university or just beginning kindergarten, tell your local representative that your child deserves an affordable and high-quality post-secondary education,” added Coker.

OUSA represents the interests of over 140,000 professional and undergraduate, full- and part-time university students at seven Ontario institutions.

The Canadian Council on Learning released a report (LINK) today outlining the increasingly complex options available to post-secondary students. They argue that evolutionary and legislative changes have blurred the binary system of public universities granting degrees and public colleges granting diplomas. The rise in degree-granting at colleges, polytechnics, applied programs in universities, private and faith-based institutions, international institutions operating in Canada and indigenous institutes have created a broader sector that is more complicated and is exacerbating pathway mobility for students.

The report is an interesting read all together, but I found the part on institutional differentiation to be the most interesting part, particularly considering the great interest the Province has shown recently in promoting differentiation amongst Ontario universities. CCL makes the case that universities do not always set themselves apart from one another, and in fact sometimes have a tendency to do the opposite. They argue that isomorphism in which institutions emulate the same qualities (such as practical curriculum) and academic drift in which institutions attempt to emulate the qualities of prestigious universities can be responsible for this lack of differentiation. The authors of the HEQCO-sponsored publication Academic Transformation make a similar argument – that financial incentives from both the federal and provincial government to expand research and graduate capacity have caused all universities to adopt the research-intensive model and have had the unintended negative consequence of straining resources for undergraduate teaching across the province

Students understand more than anyone that the current system of educating a growing and diverse undergraduate population in publicly-supported, research-focused universities, while aiming to have among the highest participation rates in the world, comes at an extremely high price. The status quo is a model where students and government are required to substantially increase contributions annually simply to maintain current levels of quality, and hoped-for improvements to the learning experience for students come at an even greater cost.

Undergraduate students also witness firsthand how the societal demand on the university sector for increased knowledge production creates substantial tension in resource allocation for individual professors and institutions. Though the rapid expansion in graduate education and research infrastructure has been positive from an innovation perspective, the professoriate has reduced undergraduate teaching responsibilities to balance intense demands for research productivity. Effectively, though Ontario tuition is the highest in Canada and government funding has increased in recent years, institutions are still struggling to adequately accomplish their teaching mission. Undergraduate students are directly impacted as teaching responsibilities are downloaded onto sessional lecturers and part-time instructors.

Broadly speaking, OUSA agrees that the current design of our university system is unsustainable and that greater policy leadership from the government is needed to transform our system to one that better balances the demands for a high quality and accessible learning environment for our students with an increased capacity to undertake knowledge production and innovation. We agree with greater government involvement, so long as the government is encouraging universities to differentiate rather than imposing differentiation on them. This more organic differentiation should be achieved through strategic growth planning, more effective accountability agreements, and funding of institutional priorities. At the same time, students stress that a basic level of quality in undergraduate education must be maintained across the system. This transformation has the potential to have a tremendous impact on students, and great care must be taken to ensure that the impact is not a negative one, particularly at those institutions that select research as their priority.

Furthermore, we remain concerned that many within the higher education sector have jumped to increased differentiation amongst universities as the silver bullet to solving the sustainability concerns of Ontario universities, ignoring concerns about cost inflation and alternative solutions such as transformation of the professoriate or adequate public investment in the valuable research and education missions of Ontario’s universities. While the CCL and the authors of Academic Transformation have aptly articulated the concerns of many with the differentiation of the university system, it is the core belief of OUSA that Ontario universities must transform to provide a truly accessible, affordable, accountable and high-quality education, and this transformation will require more leadership, resources and vision than merely an investment in institutionally-driven differentiation.

-Sam Andrey

This will be an extremely busy week at the McMaster Students Union (MSU) as we prepare for the most exhausting and exhilarating ten days of our term, Welcome Week. Thanks to the hard work of our Vice President (Administration) John McIntyre; this will be one of the best Welcome Weeks on the MSU side. At McMaster, the first week activities are split between the University and the MSU. We will be hosting a wide variety of epic events for our first years, including: Mac Connector (ice-breaker games with 3000 people), the PJ Parade through the streets of Westdale, Comedy Fest, and two big concerts. Playing in Faculty Hollow this year will be Alexisonfire and Mac’s own The Arkells with San Sebastian. One of the final events is the annual Shinerama fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis research. Last year Mac raised $60,000 and this year is aiming for $70,000. Personally, I am organizing the MSU Community Clean Up and Barbeque. Students will go out into the local area in teams to clean along a route ending at the MSU restaurant, 1280. There they will be treated to a free barbeque provided by the MSU.

One of the most important things about Welcome Week is that it gives students a chance to become involved in hundreds of different ways. The MSU hosts Clubsfest with over 250 clubs, organizations and community groups present and looking for volunteers. If anyone asks, I would highly recommend joining the OUSA Street Team, who spreads information about educational advocacy and have an amazing time doing it. Welcome Week is a tremendous endeavour that takes hundreds of volunteers, staff and students that work tirelessly to ensure first years have an unforgettable experience. The MSU Board of Directors will be attending as many events as possible (hopefully wearing their OUSA shirts). Of course, after Welcome Week is over, it will be back to working hard for students and representing them as best we can, for me that includes getting back to OUSA stuff!

-Joe Finkle
OUSA VP Administration
MSU VP Education

Measuring our success requires indicators and benchmarks, not just in post-secondary education but in all fields. It is for this reason that the provincial government has created accountability measures, such as Key Performance Indicators and Multi-Year Accountability Agreements, to ensure Ontario’s post-secondary institutions measure up. While the current accountability framework is far from perfect, it is generally accepted that we need some sector-wide indicators and benchmarks, not to decide if one institution is better than another, but to ensure none are left behind.

Now let’s take a step back and look at Ontario’s post-secondary sector versus that of peer jurisdictions. For the same reason it is useful to select system-wide indicators within Ontario, there should be agreed upon indicators that allow for inter-jurisdictional comparisons as well.

Canada, unfortunately, has no national strategy for higher education and no common framework for measuring success. Even within Ontario, there has never been an open conversation about how to measure our success against global competitors. As a result, individuals and organizations are left to select their own indicators, often in a way that best supports their own view.

Minister Milloy recently highlighted this issue in an interview (http://www.westerngazette.ca/2010/08/24/post-sec-minister-visits-western/) with the Western Gazette, when asked about Ontario’s comparatively low level of per-student funding.

“I really do take issue with ‘the fun with figures’,” Milloy responded. He explained the comparisons between Ontario and smaller provinces weren’t accurate. “I’m sure Western has more students than some provinces have […] I don’t think you can make those comparisons.”

Personally, I disagree with the Minister’s assertion that per-student funding is not an adequate input measure for inter-jurisdictional comparisons. If large universities do not require the same per student level of funding as small ones, why is the bulk of government funding given out on a per-student basis? And why can OCAD provide a high-quality education on thousands less per student than UPEI, which is roughly the same size? And if economies of scale at large universities result in cost savings such that per-student funding can be lower, why does that same argument not extend to all sources of revenue, such as Ontario tuition, which is the highest in the country?

Whether or not you believe per-student funding is a useful metric, the real issue is the lack of consensus within the sector, even on the most basic and frequently employed measures. With the government developing a new five-year quality plan, we need a starting place if we are to have a meaningful discussion on the future. It is difficult to decide where we hope to be in five years without a consensus on where we are now.

It would be helpful if the government were to start this discussion by releasing a list of indicators that it believes are acceptable for inter-jurisdictional comparison. Discussions of the future will be more productive once we are armed with an idea of where we need to improve.

-Alexi White
Executive Director

Tony Bates is President and CEO of Tony Bates Associates Ltd, a private company specializing in consultancy and training in the planning and management of e-learning and distance education.

Currently he is on contract to the Government of Alberta, assisting with the development of strategic directions for information technology management in the post-secondary education system, and several Canadian colleges and universities, advising on their e-learning strategies.

He was part-time Chair of Research in e-Learning at the Open University of Catalonia in Barcelona, Spain and is the author of eleven books, including his latest, ‘Technology, e-Learning and Distance Education.’

Tony Bates

The following article is reprinted from his website: http://www.tonybates.ca/2010/08/25/ontario-students-vision-for-the-ontario-online-institute/

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Ontario students’ vision for the Ontario Online Institute
By Tony Bates, on August 25th, 2010

Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (2010) The Ontario Online Institute: Students’ Vision for Opening Ontario’s Classrooms Toronto ON: OUSA

OUSA have produced a superb document outlining their position regarding the proposed Ontario Online Institute. While strongly supporting the concept, OUSA raises a whole set of key issues that need to be addressed if the new Institute is to be successful. They also recommend a consortium model based on that used by Open Universities Australia. As well as identifying many of the issues that the Ontario government will have to address, such as quality assurance, credit transfer, student learning and advisory support, 24/7 services, student aid, the report also gives the best overview I have seen of the current state of online learning in Ontario, Canada’s largest province by population (13 million).

Comments

The consortium model is primarily a challenge to both the government, to put in place a governance structure and funding that will require existing universities to work together in a coherent and meaningful way, and to the Ontario universities themselves, who in the past have talked collaboration but in practice have done little. For instance, it is much more difficult to transfer credits between institutions in Ontario than almost anywhere else in Canada. Without agreement to accept automatically course credits from partner universities, any consortium model is doomed to failure.

The governance of the Institute will require detailed agreements about revenue sharing, program planning, quality assurance and student support that will require partner universities to yield much more autonomy to the Institute than any Ontario university has shown the stomach for in the past. I do hope the universities – or at least enough to make a workable consortium – will step up to the plate, because Ontario needs the increased flexibility and access such an Institute will bring if it is to have a hope of achieving its goal of 70% access to post-secondary education.

Lastly, the OUSA document makes a very important point:

it is important to note that many aspects of the Institute will depend heavily on the initial design, and many of the solutions presented in the following pages will only be achievable if a heavily integrated consortium model, such as the one employed by the OUA, is selected for the Institute….students wish to highlight that the Institute will have significant long-term effects on the post- secondary sector in Ontario, and that all stakeholders and partners deserve an opportunity to provide input into this process. With only a vague notion of what the Institute is meant to do, students have found it difficult to participate in these deliberations and are concerned with how little information is available months after the initial announcement. Moving forward, students urge the government to facilitate real input from all stakeholders.

I do anticipate that the Ontario provincial government will make an announcement early in the fall, as there is an election due on October 6, 2011, and the government will want to have something in place by then. However, this is a very short timetable for establishing what will be a major new development in online learning. Achieving the right balance between consultation and action will perhaps be the biggest challenge for the government.

In the meantime, congratulations to OUSA who have produced by far the most substantial public input to this process to date.

OUA Presentation at the Conversation

TORONTO, August 25 /OUSA/ – The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA), along with its partners – the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario, and the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, welcomed Dr. Grace Lynch, Senior Project Manager at Open Universities Australia (OUA), today for a presentation at the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

OUSA and its partners were thrilled with her visit, learning from her extensive experience and incorporating best practices into the design of the Ontario Online Institute. Dr. Lynch discussed the history of Open Universities Australia and how the organization has grown to become the leading online institution it is today.

Dr. Lynch provided information on OUA’s governance structure, partnerships, student support services, institutional provider requirements and expectations, student satisfaction and the student experience.

OUSA is excited to see the conversation expand in the upcoming days as Dr. Lynch continues to meet with stakeholders and provide feedback and context with an organization that OUSA is hopeful the Ontario Online Institute will take key aspects from.

To view OUSA’s submission on the Ontario Online Institute, CLICK HERE.

OUSA's Ontario Online Institute Submission

TORONTO, August 24 /OUSA/ – The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) today released a student vision for the design and implementation of the Ontario Online Institute. Based on consultation with students and experts in the field of online learning, the report covers issues related to the affordability, accessibility, accountability and quality of the online learning experience.

Students are in full support of the Ontario government’s decision to create an Ontario Online Institute. This endeavour will provide increased flexibility for students and has the potential to significantly improve access to post-secondary education, especially for traditionally underrepresented groups facing financial, physical, social, cultural, and geographic barriers.

After examining organizations dedicated to the provision of online learning in Ontario and around the world, students recommend that the Ontario Online Institute be designed as a consortium of universities and colleges that would share online courses, resources and infrastructure. To overcome the drawbacks of such a decentralized model, and ensure students can easily navigate the system, provider institutions should come together to create integrated systems of admissions, student support services, quality assurance, and credit transfer, as has been done at Open Universities Australia.

In addition, students are excited to welcome Dr. Grace Lynch, Senior Project Manager at Open Universities Australia, for a presentation to the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities on Wednesday, August 25. OUSA and its partners have arranged the visit to learn from her extensive experience and incorporate best practices into the design of the Ontario Online Institute.

LINK TO WEB VERSION OF DOCUMENT

Orientation week is typically a weeklong event that takes place in the first week of the academic year. It offers a slew of social activities and events that help orient and welcome returning and incoming students to university. For many students this is one of the most memorable weeks of their university experience. O-Week introduces students to the university atmosphere and gives students an opportunity to socialize and meet their colleagues who they will be studying with for the next four years.

Students’ Unions across the country have been working diligently all summer long to provide the best O-Week possible for returning and incoming students. Every year the new executive team along with their staff try to improve on the O-Week that was delivered the year before to pull off an even bigger and better O-Week.

This year the Brock University Students’ Union’s (BUSU) theme for O-Week is BrockStock. The name may suggest that it is going to be a weeklong party but O-Week at Brock University has much more to offer. Now I will not deny that we will have our share of partying but there will be many more events that help welcome and orient all students to Brock University.

O-Week will be kicked off with our traditional Tower party where we will pack thousands of students underneath the Brock Tower and blast it with music! Then we will attempt to break a Guinness World Record, have a club/vendor fair, Condom Poker and Casino Night, Shinerama “Shine” day, and a “Hush Hush” party. This is just a glimpse of some of the events we will be hosting throughout the week.

Students will have the opportunity to get oriented with their faculties, residences and the community at large. There will be individualized events for international students, students living off-campus and mature students. There is quite a bit of diversity in O-Week events at Brock University and the week most definitely has something to offer every student.

For more information check out: www.busu.net/oweek

-Daud Grewal
BUSU VP UA