We’ve complied our top 10 most visited blogs for the 16/17 academic year. Each is written by a student author affiliated with our member schools and covers a wide range of topics pertinent to the Ontario post-secondary sector.
Why every student should take a social justice course
Kate Hall
Many of us can be lulled into a false sense of equality in Canada. Social Justice courses can help with that. The idea of these courses is not to shame, not to depress, not to “push an agenda”, but merely to present a critical view of the systems we so often take for granted.
It’s not up for debate: The inclusion of LGBQT+ students on university campuses
Christine Yachouh
A response to University of Toronto professor Dr. Jordan Peterson regarding his refusal to use gender neutral pronouns and his fight for free speech.
Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Blake Oliver
There have been alot of positive changes regarding academic accommodations for students with disabilities from the Ontario Human Rights Commission, but most mean increased work for Offices for Students with Disabilities. It's time for the province to newly invest in funding for these offices.
Thinly-veiled Recruitment Tools: Entrance Scholarships and Access
Blake Oliver
To the Province of Ontario: eliminate the use of public funding and tuition dollars to pay for merit-based scholarships at all universities. If institutions were prohibited from using these sources of funding for their merit-based scholarships, they would essentially cease to exist, thus finally putting a stop to this so-called arms race while leaving room for endowments to cover awards for true merit. It's time now: let's prioritize public funds for students who need it the most, and end merit-based entrance scholarships in the province.
A Culture of Learning on Campus, Not Testing
Mary Zhu
Instead of rewarding the students who were able to memorize the electron geometry of molecules for the duration of a chemistry exam, we should encourage students to delve into these topics without fear of making mistakes, all for the goal of creating lifelong learners, not one-time test takers.
#myWILis Interdisciplinary
Megan Hsu
One of the core benefits of my WIL experience was the opportunity to realize that I had developed certain skills that could extend beyond my academic major. Most importantly, I realized the importance of transferrable skills and thus, my education no longer limited me but opened me up to a wide variety of career paths.
The importance of accessible transportation for McMaster students living in Hamilton
Baraa Aydan
McMaster Student Baraa Aydan takes us through her experiences with the Hamilton Street Railway service.
The Benefits of having a Practitioner-in-residence
Colin Aitchison
Isn't their something refreshing about learning from an expert in your academic field? This is about the benefits of having a practitioner-in-residence.
Putting the Residential Tenancies Act in Review
Sarah Wiley
With pushed back move-in dates, living in construction zones, and unkept promises, VP Education at the University of Waterloo, Sarah Wiley, is addressing the housing situation. Sarah calls on the provincial Minister of Housing, Chris Ballard, to review and amend the Residential Tenancies Act.
The Challenge of Unpaid Opportunities
Karlee Squires
For many students in Ontario, and across Canada, unpaid internships are simply not a viable option. In order to meet the cost of tuition and living expenses, students need a source of income, whether it is through part-time employment throughout their studies or through full-time positions in the summers.