university megazine

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Get yourapplications rigwith our wordsof advice

Canada’squintessentialcollege townis revealed

How to teach

undergrads:One schoolhas a rethink

2010esented in association with

he Strategic Counsel and Higher

ducation Strategy Associates

CANADIANUNIVERSITY

REPORT

Iuniversityworth it

The pros acons of

undergradueducat

PL

The results are

Students ra

their scho

NOIt’s too expensive

and a BA doesn’t

mean much

any more

YESYou can’t get

anywhere withouta degree



GLOBECAMPUS.CA 2010 CANADIAN UNIVERSITY

28 CLASSROOM 3.0 How technology is

transforming campus

32 CAN FRESHMEN CUT IT? Some profs say they aren’t ready

for prime time

36 A QUIET REVOLUTION How (and why) Guelph is

reinventing its undergrad

programs

CONTENTS

upfront

6 EXTREME CAMPUS

MAKEOVER

McMaster University’s nukereactor and other big builds

9 ALLAN ROCK The University of Ottawa

president states his aims

10 ALL THE QUEEN’S MEN Inside the unique

Alma Mater Society

12 KEYS TO THE IVORY TOWER Tips for getting your

application right

14 FACEBOOK FOLLIES Why don’t Canada’s schools

check your web footprint?

features

16 IS UNIVERSITY WORTH IT? The pros and cons of getting a

bachelor’s degree

22 HALIFAX Canada’s quintessential

college townPHOTOGRAPHS (COVER) RAFFY OCHOA

40 CLASS ACTS

Professors that give tea

a good name

42 REZ CONFIDENT

The lowdown on liv

on campus

52 I WISH I’D KNOW

Seniors reveal what fre

need to know

student survey res

44 See how univers

score when it

comes to satisyfing t

undergrads

/ ILLUSTRATION by miki sato

/ 2010

A GLOBECAMPUS

WEB EXCLUSIVE

HOW TO CLAIM LOOF FREE MONEYUNDER OTTAWA

NEW STUDENTGRANT SCHEME

A COMMUNITY BUILDS TOMORROW’S LEADERS.

t McMaster University, today’s students are learning how to become tomorrow’saders and they’re being taught by some of Canada’s best faculty. Two 3M Fellowshipinners in 2009 - Canada’s highest teaching award - along with two of this year’s

op Ontario teaching award recipients are at McMaster. Our faculty win awards, ourtudents are the winners.



CANADIANUNIVERSITYREPORTPresented by The Globe and Mail in partnership

with The Strategic Counsel and the Higher Education

Strategy Associates

2010

EDITOR/

Simon Beck

ART DIRECTOR/

Vanessa Wyse

PHOTO EDITOR/

Shelbie Vermette

CONTRIBUTORS/

Caroline Alphonso, Cathryn Atkinson, Chris Boyne,

Grant Buckler, Elizabeth Church, Jessica Darmanin,

Marlene Habib, Elizabeth Howell, Mark Kasumovic,

Alex Kesilevich, Peter Moreira, Rafy Ochoa,Anna Mehler Paperny, Judith Pereira, Jay Shuster,

Miki Sato, Craig Silverman, Carla Wintersgill

COPY EDITOR/

Christina Varga

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, THE GLOBE AND MAIL/

John Stackhouse

PUBLISHER/

Phillip Crawley

CLIENT ENGAGEMENT,

MARKETING SOLUTIONS GROUP/

Teena Poirier

PROJECT MANAGER,


Andrea D’Andrade

PROJECT CO-ORDINATOR,


Liz Massicotte

MAGAZINE PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR/

Isabelle Oandasan

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editor’s note

Canada’s universities do a pretty good job.

In fact, I’d say it’s tough to fi nd a mediocre

one anywhere in this vast nation; and

the best of them provide an education

comparable to the world’s elite institutions.

But that doesn’t mean they can’t do

better. A program of cutbacks forced on

them by the recession has only added

fuel to criticism that many of them

are overcrowded, value research over

undergraduate teaching, have gradually

lowered standards through grade infl ation

and are geared to mass-produce graduates

for the job market rather than for the sake of

an old-fashioned liberal education.

Then there’s the long-standing complaint

that tuition is too expensive. Frankly, I think

Canada’s universities are a bargain—not

only compared with their counterparts

to the south, but also when one calculates

what those four years will mean to

graduates for the rest of their life. As a

University of Manitoba student says inour cover story, a degree seems mandatory

for success in today’s job market , while

(just as importantly) talking about how

university exposed her to “new ways of

seeing the world”. Meanwhile,

the University of Guelph, conscious

DIGGING FOR VALUEABOUT O

PHOTOG

There’s somet

dif erent abou

eature photo

you’ll see in th

magazine. Ins

o employing

Globe and Ma

staf or reela

photographers

provide the v

images or th

stories, photo

Shelbie Verme

enlisted the se

o some incre

talented youn

photographers

are either cur

recent studen

think you’ll ag

that Ra f y Och

Jay Shuster,

Mark Kasumo

Jessica Darma

Alex Kesilevic

Chris Boyne r

her aith. —SB

that students are demanding a better

classroom experience, has embarked

on a bold mission to reimagine the way

it teaches undergraduates.

So yes, I do believe university is

thoroughly worth it. But it is a large

investment of time and money, and the

onus is on applicants to do their research

and uncover the jewel that will give

them full value. That is why we publish

our annual survey of undergraduates

(see page 44) and rate schools on how

well they satisfy students on all the key

areas of student life. The comprehensive

results of this wide-ranging survey

of just under 40,000 students can be

searched, analyzed and used as a powerful

comparison tool at globecampus.ca.

Thanks once again to our partners at

The Strategic Counsel and Educational

Policy Institute for making this

amazing database possible.

Good luck in your search. Find theuniversity that suits your personality

and goals, and you’ll be embarking on

a journey that truly is worth it.

SIMON BECK

PHOTOGRAPH FRED LUM/GLOBE AND MAIL

NEWS, BLOGS, ADVICE AND UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE RESOURCES AT GLOBECAMPUS.CA



We are the only University in Canadato guarantee you will find a greatjob within six months of graduation.

At the University of Regina, we like to say that our

niversity is YOUR university. Whether you are pursuing a degree

r taking non-credit classes, whether you are act ively interested in

ur growing program of research or your company is par tneredwith the University as part of our Co-operative Education program,

whether you follow us from up the road, across the province or

round the world – we value that relationship and we are always

ooking for ways to strengthen our connection to you.

Incoming University of Regina students will be eligible for

ur newly-launched program called the UR Guarantee – a program

hat illustrates our commitment to supporting our students in their

fforts to find meaningful employment and preparing them for

uccessful careers. Through the UR Guarantee, we are the only

niversity in Canada to guarantee our students will find a great job

within six months of graduation.

One of the ways we prepare our students for successful

areers is through our longstanding Co-operative Education

rogram, through which our students earned close to $7 million

ast year. Academically, professionally, in the sporting arena or on

tage, our students shine long after they leave our campus, and

ontinue to make us all proud of their many successes.

We are a growing community, a diverse and committed

roup of people who respect differences and build par tnerships.

We collaborate, we debate, we explore and create.

Our community is creating a better world and you are an

mportant part of that community.

Realize. It starts with you.

committed to your future. UR Guaranteed to find a great job six months after graduation, or

we will provide you with a bursary covering up to one additional

year’s tuition. We are the only university in Canada to make thispromise.

dynamic and innovative. We feature world-class research in carbon capture, educational

psychology, food safety, physics, interactive media, and are even

home to a Nobel Peace Prize-winning researcher. We have a

vibrant multicultural community and a gorgeous campus that has

doubled in size in the last decade. This is what you’ll experience at

the U of R.

totally connected. Everyone says they have small class sizes. The difference at the

U of R is t hat our classes are taught by professors who truly care

about your learning. And, you can get to know them as teachers,

mentors, even friends.

the co-op champion.

The U of R was the first university in Western Canada to start a

Co-operative Education program, which is available in nearly 50

disciplines and has been going strong since 1969. Our Co-op

students earned nearly $7,000,000 in 2008.

proud of its school spirit.

Cheer on the Cougars and Rams, live in residence with 1200 ofyour closest friends, hang out on the academic green, join the

Debate Society, U of R Students’ Union, or check out the National

Student Film Festival. You will seriously love it here.

UR going to love thatthe U of R is:

Realize. UR going places guaranteed.

“Our students come rst. Our teaching, research and our commitmentto community service all come to lifethrough the experience of our students, tomorrow’s leaders.Our condence in their successis the foundation of theUR Guarantee.”

Vianne Timmons, Presidentand Vice-Chancellor,University of Regina



NADIAN UNIVERSITY REPORT 2010 GLOBECAMPUS.CA

frastructure

XTREME MAKEOVER,CAMPUS EDITION

Master University’s nuclear

tor turned 50 this year and

ts birthday got a $22 million

ent from the Government

anada. The reactor, which

opened in 1959 by Prime

ister John Diefenbaker,

one of the world’s few

pus-based devices. This

’s cash infusion will give

golden oldie new life as a

arch tool and—since it is the

ntry’s only nuclear reactor

ide of the troubled Chalk

er plant capable of producing

ical isotopes—a potentially

new role beyond its

demic day job.

he federal funding for

Hamilton reactor is part

e $2 billion Knowledge

astructure Program (KIP)

regenerates outdated and

down facilities, creates jobs

supports new innovation

anada’s colleges and

versities. Born out of the

ent economic turmoil, the

eme (under which matching

ds have to come from the

itutions, provinces or other

ces) is setting off a massive

e of construction across

adian campuses. After years

stitutional grumbling about

mbling infrastructure and

of attention from Ottawa,

seems to have created aera of detente. For example,

ording to University Affairs

azine, the University of

nipeg was so delighted

h the $18 million in federal

money it received for a

science and environment

plex that it ran a full-page

spaper ad thanking the

ernment, had it framed

sent it to Gary Goodyear,

minister responsible.

ere’s a snapshot of some

other major KIP renos coming

to a campus near you (all fi gures

represent federal and matching

provincial funds):

› UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA

$43 million to revamp six

aging buildings: the University

Centre and the Cornett,

Clearihue, Elliot, MacLaurin

and Cunningham structures.

The facelift will upgrade

program facilities and boost

energy effi ciency.

› UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY

$60 million to help build an

energy-ef fi cient co-generati on

plant to reduce greenhouse

gas emissions and to convert

an aging heating and cooling

plant into a facility to generate

electricity from natural gas and

capture waste heat for campus

buildings.

› UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

Its suburban campuses in

Mississauga and Scarborough

are each getting $70 million

to build new research labs and

teaching spaces to help the

university expand enrolment

at the two sites in an effort

to ease pressure on its

downtown campus.

› UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN

BRITISH COLUMBIA The Prince

George campus got $21 million

to build a biomass ga sifi cation

system that uses waste woodproducts from nearby paper mills

to provide heat to the campus

buildings and cut natural gas

consumption by up to 85%.

› MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY

Sir Wilfred Grenfell College

campus will get $27 million to

create a new academic building

complete with research,

computer and meeting spaces,

as well as faculty and staff o ffi ces

and student study areas.

—With fi les from Marle ne Habib

/ PHOTOGRAPH by Mark Kasumovic

GLOBECAMPUS.CA 2010 CANADIAN UNIVERSITY REP



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Welcome to Brock. A university designed for the very purpose of developing well-rounded human beings. A place that

not only recognizes but nurtures both sides of the brain. Where diverse passions are not only welcomed but celebrated, and students

become better versions of themselves. And what could be more important than that these days?

Just ask Rohan Kothari, a Biological Sciences undergraduate student who, in his third year, is already doing

groundbreaking research into the human aging process. That is, when he’s not trying to hit the high

notes of course. (Continued at brocku.ca or visit us on campus in St. Catharines, Niagara, Ontario.)

For both sides of the brain.


view from the top

What are your priorities or the university?

The fi rst is the opening of a n offi ce

called Au Service du Monde, or In the

Service of Others. It’s a n offi ce linking our

students with opportunities to serve the

community—whether it’s down the street

at the mission, across the country in an

aboriginal community or around the world

in a developing country. The other thing is more global engagement. We want to

have more exchanges. We want to have

the University of Ottawa thought of as

a Canadian Georgetown (University),

so that when a foreign leader comes to

Canada, she or he will want to give a

keynote speech here.

How has the university ared in the downturn?

Our endowments diminished between 15%

and 18% for the year ended March, 2009.

But I must say, touch wood, compared to

others we’ve not done badly. We have

a very small defi cit this year, less than

$1 million, on an operating budget of $850

million. Next year we predict a slightly

larger defi cit, so we’re looking at ways of

spending more effi ciently and increasing

our revenue. But we’ve not been forced

to cut programs, cut positions, lay off

people or have furloughs.

What do you think o the push by the “top

five” universities—the University o Toronto,

McGill University, l’Université de Montréal,

the University o Alberta and the University o

British Columbia—or more research unding?

I think it’s a bad policy. It’s not good for the

country and it’s not good for research. You

can’t say there are a handful of universities

that can get preferred treatment in terms of

investment. I like the idea of a competition

for the best ideas, and sometimes those

“best ideas” will come from the University

of Winnipeg, or Mount Allison. It’s not a

matter of size, but a matter for brilliance.

We should not overlook the fact that some

‘I HATE TO SAY IT COMESDOWN TO MONEY,

BUT IN MANY WAYS IT DOES’As president of the University of Ottawa, former Liberal cabinet

minister Allan Rock is fi ghting for funding to maintain research whileexpanding his campus to keep class sizes down. Although fi ve

of Canada’s largest universities recently made a public appeal arguing

for the lion’s share of research funding, Mr. Rock arguessmaller institutions like his are just as deserving.

of the greatest innovations in Canad

come from universities outside the t

like the relationship between the Un

of Waterloo and RIM (Research In M

Do you think the university needs to w

on strengthening its reputation in rela

to the “big five”?

Every university has to work consta

reputation. I see the University of O

as being beautifully positioned to ad

to the next level of prominence here

around the world. We have a faculty

law that teaches both of the world’s

systems—civil and common law—in

languages. We’ve got a medical facu

that’s one of the most research-inte

the country, and is linked to three te

hospitals and includes an aboriginal

stream. We’ve got a science faculty t

three winners of the (NSERC) Herz

Medal for excellence in science in th

10 years. That’s a record that is unm

by any university in this country. I d

care how big and how important the

In the Globe’s annual student survey,

University o Ottawa gets largely Bs, a

sometimes Cs, in key areas such as stu

acilities, services and class size. How

you improve the student experience?

It’s a major problem for any urban ca

In many ways, this campus was not

designed for 37,000 students. We’ve

to build very rapidly to accommodat

growth. With the 500 professors we

hired during the past three years, we

succeeded in bringing down class si

that we’re now just at or slightly bet

the provincial average. But that’s no

enough. We also have to work on cre

a sense of community in an inner-cit

campus. Part of that is my responsib

I try to make sure the students know

I’m there, I’m responding and I have

a team to react to students’ needs.

What is the biggest challenge acing

Canadian universities?

In an era of economic turbulence, to

levels of funding that will enable us t

succeed in our mission. That means

of research and the operating revenu

enable us to maintain the level of ex

among our teachers and our staff. Th

means investment in infrastructure

we have the equipment and the buil

to provide fi rst-class education and c

on world-class research. I hate to say

comes down to money, but in many w

it does.—Interviewed by Elizabeth H



alma mater society

Michael Ceci started a new job in May.

He’s president and chief executive of a $14

million corporation with more than 500

employees. That’s a lot of responsibility for

a salary of only $20, 800 a year.

No, the recession hasn’t fi nally hit

corporate executive pay. Mr. Ceci, a drama

student, is the elected head of Queen’s

University’s Alma Mater Society (AMS),

the oldest student association in Canada

and one unlike any other.

Most universities have a students’

union or similar organization. Like the

AMS, these bodies advocate for students’

interests, support extracurricular activities,

publish campus newspapers and frequently

run student services like campus pubs and

shops. What sets the AMS apart is that its

65 full-time and 500 part-time student

employees make up almost its entire staff.

Unlike its counterparts at other universities

that may have 60 to 100 non-student

employees, AMS has only a handful of

permanent employees propping up areas

such as accounting and the student health

insurance plan. The AMS also has onlystudents in its senior management. Besides

the paid employees, it relies on more than

1,000 student volunteers.

The operation is answerable to the

AMS Council, a 60-person body with

representatives from 10 student faculty

societies. (Graduate, education, law and

theology students belong to a separate

group called the Society for Graduate and

Professional Students.)

The AMS also oversees the AMS Judicial

Committee, the other tradition that

distinguishes this student organization from

its North American peers. This committee is

largely responsible for non-academic student

discipline at Queen’s. The unusual set-up

dates back to 1898, when the university

senate delegated student discipline to an

AMS Court, an offshoot of the already

40-year-old AMS, which had been founded

in 1858 as a student debating society.

Renamed the Judicial Committee in 1982,

Mr. Ceci says the seven-to-nine-person

Judicial Committee handles about 150

complaints per year, mostly involving noisy

parties. Some of the complaints come from

Kingston Police, which can choose to turn

such issues over to the AMS. Incidents

involving violence, sexual harassment or

human rights are beyond the the society’s

jurisdiction and a matter for police.

The AMS Judicial Committee works on

the principle of restorative justice, Mr. Ceci

says, which means it prefers extracting

apologies and compensation rather than

issuing punishment. When it does impose

fi nes, the money goes to sup port the society ’s

Blue Light program, which offers free

accompaniment to students walking at night.Running this unique organization is a

full-time job, but Mr. Ceci and all AMS

student employees must take at least two

courses per semester at Queen’s while

they work. Mr. Ceci says he’ll keep to the

minimum number of courses this year.

But like most AMS employees he may get

more education in his offi ce than in the

classroom, and his resumé will certainly

not suffer. One of the top benefi ts of the

society’s unusual structure, he says, is

“providing students with unparalleled job

opportunities at this age.” —Grant Buckler

ALL THE QUEEN’S MENHey, frat boys: Turn that noise down, or you’ll be hearing from these guys

/ PHOTOGRAPH by Jay Shuster

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tting in

NADIAN UNIVERSITY REPORT 2010 GLOBECAMPUS.CA

YOUR KEYS TO THE IVORY TOWER

Applying to university is tough enough without having to navigate though a barrage of goodand bad advice. CATHRYN ATKINSON sorts out the facts from the fi ction

Going to elite high schools helps studentswhen they apply or university

Fiction➼ All students are equal in the eyes of admissions. “This is one of the questions I get when

I meet high school students: ‘Does it matter where I went?’ ” says Kim Bartlett , director of admissions at

McGill University. “It really is based on academic achievement, and not on whether or not you went to a fancy

high school. An 85 % puts people on the same footing no matter what the school.”

STUDENTS DON’T NEED TO

DO ANYTHING CREATIVE

ON THEIR APPLICATION

TO GET IT NOTICED Applications to

most programs are

standardized across

the country, with online

forms being the norm.

Extraneous information

is often not appreciated in

busy admissi ons offi ces.But that doesn’t stop some

students being creative,

says Sherisse Sy of UBC.

“One time a student sent a

couriered package to our

offi ce and it included son gs

she had written and a photo

collage of herself. These

were things that she thought

would allow us to get to

know her better.”

Students are

enrolling inuniversity

programs inoves during therrent economic

downturnACT General business and

puting degrees are currently

n demand at Simon Fraser

niversity, says its director of

nrollment Dr. Mehran Kiai.

beral arts programs, science

law are also proving popular

ght now, but as McGill’s Ms.

rtlett notes, popularity can

uctuate, “computer science

came less popular after the

dot.com crash, but this

is changing again.”

Students don’t have to apply

themselves to their studies until Grade 12,because grades don’t count until

the last year o high schoolMerike Remmel, assistant registrar at

the University o Toronto, says that their

earliest decisions about applicants take place each

February and this means looking at Grade 11 marks.

Ms. Bartlett agrees and adds: “In order to get top grades

in 12, you need to lay a strong oundation in Grade 11.”

Students are good at preparing their applications and findingout what they need to know about their prospective coursesFiction➼ “Anyone looking at university should really do a self-assessment and relect deeply on their choices,”

said Ms. Remmel. “They should ask themselves about what they like to do and what they are good at.

They should think about what their interests are and their strengths.” Ms. Bartlett says students need to consider

the full range of possibilities. The 300 program choices at McGill can be confusing for those who are unprepared,

and students often opt for obvious programs when a little more research would reveal less known career options.

“At the high schools we get question after question on biomedical studies, but we have to remind the

students there are many paths, many possible careers even within that subject,” she says.

IBERAL ARTS

GREE WILL NOT GET

ADUATES A GOOD JOB

Ms. Sy says a general

arts degree is useful

for students whon’t know what careers

y want to follow.

hey don’t realize that

ny prolifi c people like

iticians or business

ople have started with

beral arts degree.” Ms.

rtlett says, “I am a big

of the good old BA. It

ches students how to

ite, how to think, how to

ganize themselves.”

Admissions of icers can help high schoolstudents get their academic path right

Admissions departments do more than

rubber stamp applications. Ms. Sy occasionally

answers questions rom Grade 9 and Grade 10 pupils on

how they can get accepted by the university and aculty

they’ve set their hearts on. “We tell them to concentrate

on taking courses that they eel they do well in and

reflect their interests,” she says. “I’ve had a ew students

who orce themselves to take math when they aren’t

math-type students, and they’re only going to continue

to struggle. We try to introduce them to programs where

they don’t require it.”

VOLUNTEERING FOR CHARITIES

WILL GIVE APPLICANTS A GREATER

CHANCE AT GETTING INTO THEIR

DESIRED PROGRAMS

FICTION However,extracurricular activities may

help you get scholarships,especially entrance and

memorial scholarships, whichmay require community

involvement and volunteeractivities, says SFU’s Dr.Kiai. “Admission is solely

on academics, but we have

hundreds of scholarships,many with very differing requirements,” he says.

FACT

ON

FICTION

FACT



CANADIAN UNIVERSITY REPORT 2010 GLOBECAMPUS.CA

Why go to university?CRITICS SAY A BACHELOR’S DEGREE HAS LOST ITS VALUE IN THE FACE

OF GRADE INFLATION AND DECLINING STANDARDS. MEANWHILE TUITION GETS

EVEN HARDER TO AFFORD. ON THE OTHER HAND...

the worth of a degree

/ PHOTOGRAPHS by Ra ffy Ochoa

/

can youaf ord not to?

BY ROSANNA TAMBURRI

“I’M

GOING TO BE

$20,000 IN

DEBT BY THE

TIME I

GRADUATE”

“WON’T

I NEED A

MASTERS TO

GET A

GOOD JOB?”


If you ask undergraduates to describe their universityexperience they’ll probably talk about the fun and free-dom they experience. But, these days, it’s also likely theircomplaints will be equally forceful. The two negativesmost likely to be voiced? Skyrocketing tuition fees andbloated classrooms. “In every first- and second-year

course I’ve taken I don’t think the professor even acknowledged

who I was,” says undergrad Zahran Khan. Larger classes meanless opportunity to ask questions and initiate discussion, he says.“Sometimes you don’t feel you have a connection with your pro-fessor.” And although tuition fees continue to increase year afteryear, so do class sizes. “I don’t see an increase in the quality of education,” says Mr. Khan who is a vice-president with the YorkFederation of Students and i n his fi nal year of a political sciencedegree. And today, it’s no longer just students voicing these con-

cerns. A growing chorus of naysayers—from professors tand media pundits— has begun to question the quality ana university education.

In some respects, things don’t look good. Tuition instance, have increased substantially over the past twoToday, students pay three times as much for tuition than thwent to went to school in the early 1990s—that’s far beyon

rate of infl ation for that same period. As well, the averagdebt—$24,000—is now about double what it was then.Mefull-time enrolment has ballooned, rising some 40% overdecade, putting a strain on class sizes. And many cash-institutions are now relying even more on sessional inswhile being forced to layoff staff and eliminate courses. university students are paying more and getting less thangenerations likely did.

“I’M

REALL

BROADENI

HORIZO

“THINK

OF HOW

MUCH MORE I’LL

EARN WITH A

DEGREE”



ANADIAN UNIVERSITY REPORT 2010 GLOBECAMPUS.CA

students and part-time contract lecturers. While some improve-ments have been made in recent years, more needs to be done,says Dr. Tupper, head of the political science department at theUniversity of British Columbia. For one thing, class sizes must be

reduced. “There has to be much more interaction between fac-ulty and students as well as between students,” he says. Conser-vative academic Charles Murray went even further in the NewYork Times last month, arguing: “Do away with the BA”. He wrote:“Discredit the bachelor’s degree as a j ob credential. It does not sig-nify the acquisition of a liberal education. It does not even tell anemployer that the graduate can put together a logical and syntacti-cally correct argument. It serves as rough and unreli able evidence

of a degree of intelligence and perseverance—that’s it.”But there are others who view the criticisms with a grain of salt.

The University of Toronto’s vice-president and provost, CherylMisak, says “people have been complaining forever about declin-ing standards, both in terms of education and student quality. It’s aconstant theme in post-secondary education.” She and others arguethat the changes that have occurred in Canada’s post-secondaryinstitutions are a refl ection of the increase in, and the make-up of,

the people who attend them. Students are now more likely to comefrom diverse social, economic and cultural backgrounds. Somewill inevitably fi nd it too tough and leave while others will strugglethrough, Dr. Misak says. “That’s not such a bad state of play. Whenyou increase the participation rate and give so many more studentsthe opportunity to give it a go, that ’s a good thing.”

Still, she does worry that the current state of the economy, whichhas forced cutbacks at many universities, will take a toll on today’scrop of undergraduates. But, even with these challenges, Dr. Misak

believes a university degree is more valuable than ever before. Inher parents’ day, she notes, a family with a single provider whohad no postsecondary education could lead a comfortable middle-class life. “This is becoming less and less true,” she says.

A university degree has indeed become an essential creden-tial and those without one face steep hurdles. According to a newstudy by the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation, Cana-dian workers with a high-school diploma are one and a half times

more likely to be unemployed than those with a bachelor ’s degree.A bachelor-degree holder will also earn $ 18,000 more a year thana high-school graduate and this disparity has grown over the past25 years. According to Ken Norrie, vice-president of research atthe Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO), aprovincial government research agency, “few other long-terminvestments will produce a higher rate of return than a postsec-ondary education.” A postsecondary education brings other intan-

gible benefi ts, he adds. Studies show that university and coll egeeducated workers have higher job satisfaction, better health, andgreater civic involvement.

But, what does any of this tell us about the quality of a univer-sity education that students receive today? “We truly don’t know,”Dr. Norrie replies. By some measures standards have undoubtedly

slipped: government funding per student is down while faculty-student ratios and tuition fees are up. At the same time, he adds,

universities are paying more attention to the quality of teaching,giving it a greater role in tenure and promotion decisions, forexample. The diversity of programs has expanded and studentshave more opportunities to participate in international exchangesand other programs. But to what extent one set of factors offsetsthe other isn’t known. If so little is known then, how can studentsand parents make informed decisions about whether universitiesprovide good value for the money they charge?

Dr. Norrie believes there may be a way to fi nd out. HEQCO, hesays, would eventually like to conduct what are known as “value-added” tests for graduating students to examine what skills—bothspecifi c qualifi cations like a student’s knowledge of chemistry or

his has spawned a host of related problems, according to Jamesé and Anton Allahar, sociologists at the University of Westernario who rang the alarm about declining standards at Canadian

ersities in their book, Ivory Tower Blues. In it they argued thatada’s university system is in a state of crisis, marred by increas-y large class sizes and a signifi cant proportion of students whove academically unprepared for the rigours of higher educa- Many of these students, they contend, are unmotivated and

in minimal hours of work to obtain a degree that is more of aet to a white-collar job than evidence of critical thinking. Uni-ities, in turn, they write, have responded by dumbing down

rses while, under constant pressure from students, assigning easingly higher grades. According to one survey of universityents, some 80% of respondents reported receiving As and Bs.

B’ is now considered an average grade, whereas in the Britishem it is very good,” Dr. Côté says.r. Côté, who, along with Dr. Allahar is at work on a follow-upk, blames the dismal state of affairs on government policy thatrs an increasing number of young people into higher educa-

to keep them off the unemployment rolls. “Our schools haveome holding tanks for young people who are no longer needede economy,” Dr. Côté says. “There is pressure on universities tothese people in and do whatever they can with them.”

o restore quality, he calls on universities to adopt a commoning standard across faculties that would reinstate the C as the

ectable mark it once was and guard against grade infl ation. Headvocates a system of exit exams for undergraduate students,

lar to those now required of law and medical graduates. Thesems, he proposes, should be administered by scholarly associa-s, such as the Canadian Political Science Association, rather professors. This way professors would be freed from the con-t cajoling they now face from students for higher marks. Andents would see professors as mentors rather than as someone

ppease.r. Côté and Dr. Allahar aren’t alone. Thomas Pocklington and

n Tupper in their 2002 book, No Place to Learn, argued that theity of undergraduate education has been eroded in part by aat many universities for specialized, often esoteric, research.nwhile, a greater share of teaching is being done by graduate

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CANADIAN UNIVERSITY REPORT 2010 GLOBECAMPUS.CA

orth it

erican literature as well as more generic abilities such as criti-hinking—they acquire during their four years in an undergrad-

e program. In the U.S., the Collegiate Learning Assessment, adardized test of critical thinking, is quickly gaining popularity.anada, however, very little research is being done on this topic

ause of the high cost of developing and administering such

s, Dr. Norrie says.o Sean Riley, president of St. Francis Xavier University, a small

versity in Antigonish, N.S., talk of value-added assessments, exitms and new measures of quality is not the point. “The prescrip-, I think, is to just face facts,” he says. Undergraduate education

s been hammered” over the past 15 years and student satisfac-surveys consistently show that big, urban uni versities with ae share of commuter students have taken the biggest hit. The

to fi x the problem is to direct teaching resources—much as hisversity does—to the undergraduate level. “If you’re not doing , you can have all the performance indicators in the world and’s going to tell you is that things are trending downward rather

n upward.”niversities, though, may find they have little choice in theter. Alex Usher, president of the policy group, Higher Educa-Strategy Associates, believes Canada will have to adopt some

hanism to monitor educational standards, mainly becauseer countries such as the U.S., parts of Europe and Latin Americadoing so. In Europe, for example, under what is now known as

the Bologna Process, countries are working toward harmonizing degree lengths and credit requirements. This is partly to improvethe mobility of students among nations but it is also as a way toensure quality. “Canada has not yet begun to think about this stuff but this is the way the world is moving,” Mr. Usher says. And asuniversities become more globally competitive, foreign students

are going to demand it, he predicts.In the meantime, students and parents are left grappling for

answers. Alanna Makinson, a fourth-year student at the Univer-sity of Manitoba, has made up her mind. Rising tuition fees are animmense problem for students, she concedes, and she has seen col-

leagues take on two and even three part-time jobs in order to makeends meet. And yet, despite its drawbacks, there is no alternative,as far as she’s concerned. “Some 70% of jobs require postsecondary

education,” says the 22-year-old, who is enrolled in the women andgender studies program and wants to be a human rights lawyer.And her university experience has brought other benefi ts, too, sheadds. “I personally wouldn’t be who I am if I didn’t attend a post-secondary institution,” says Ms. Makinson, who is a vice-presidentwith the University of Manitoba Students’ Union. “I was exposedto new ways of seeing the world. I have been able to locate my pas-sion in life and for that I will be forever grateful.”

When I left Carleton University in 2006

with a BA in history, the world was still

a friendly place for graduates. It was what

Hunter S. Thompson described as a “wild

party for rich kids.” The late 20th century

welcomed university graduates into the

work force with salaries that were once

solely reserved for lifetime employees.

Today, that has all changed. Thousands of

students are staring a job market meltdown

straight in the face, clutching a university

degree in one hand, with the other one

open, palm up, hoping for any o er that

comes by. But what if nobody cares?

The summer I graduated, Sir Ken

Robinson, an internationally acclaimed

expert on education and author of The

Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes

Everything, summed up an increasing

problem with a post-secondary education

in a talk at TED. He said: “Suddenly, degrees

aren’t worth anything…now you need an

MA where the previous job required a

BA and now you need a PhD for the other.

It’s a process of academic inlation.”After I left university, I naively believed

my degree to be a ticket to a career. I was

wrong, and Sir Ken was right—it seemed

all I’d earned was a gloriied high school

diploma. With every interview I went to, the

value of my degree seemed to dwindle.

Soon, my resume began to resemble a

shopping mall directory.

This summe r, I was o ered the chan ce

to audit a irst-year geology class at the

University of British Columbia as part of

a writing assignment. I jumped at the

opportunity. After all, perhaps I had missed

my calling—geologists are often paid better

than freelance writers. And besides,

my dad was a geology major—maybe

I would be naturally gifted at it.

When I got to class, I decided to

pretend that the last three years had neverhappened. “What will you do with your

major?” asked a freckled second-year girl in

a purple hoodie as we worked on the irst

group activity. I just shrugged. She nodded,

understanding the daunting “real world”

in which our education would somehow,

theoretically, be applicable. I’d felt the

same once—that at some point someone

would tell me how I could use my degree.

That never happened. I started to panic. I

wanted to warn her about the scary reality

of Sir Ken’s world—my world—and pack her

safely o to a 3-year diploma program at a

technical college for some hands-on, “real

world” experience in carpentry or business

management or something. But then

I remembered that technically, at that

very moment, I was at work.

In the current economic climate,

one of the most valuable assets for any

graduate is the ability to think laterally. This

is what a university degree delivers. Every

program requires a breadth of classes,

and prepares students—if only briely—for

a range of situations in the world outside

the campus gates.

I never wanted to be a historian, and I only

know a few history students who have ever

worked as archivists, researchers, or any of

the other jobs a history major is supposed to

have. I became a writer. It wasn’t a big jump

from my chosen ield, but it was necessary to

keep me employed. And without the endless

note taking, fact checking and term papers

that I’d done at university, (not to mention

the hours spent yearning for words to

appear on an empty screen) I would never

have been prepared for the writing world.

Academic inlation won’t stop—there willbe more university graduates in the next 30

years than ever before in the history of the

world—but that doesn’t make the experience

any less important. A degree program

might not guarantee graduates a job in

this economic climate, but it does guarantee

the skills to adapt to it. For all those

wondering whether that four-year degree

program will be worth it, the answer is

yes (if you know how to use it).

Geology wasn’t for me, and I decided to

stick to my day job. I left class after a week

and went on vacation, comforted by the fact

that even my dad isn’t a geologist any more.

WHY I THINK IT WAS WORTH IT BY COLIN HORGAN

WHICH UNIVERSITIES FARE BEST ON QUALITY OF EDUCATION AND CLASS SIZE?GLOBECAMPUS.CA/NAVIGATOR



GLOBECAMPUS.CA2 CANADIAN UNIVERSITY REPORT 2010

IT’S THE

ULTIMATECOLLEGE TOWN: TOP-CLASS UNIVERSITIES

AND APPROACHABLE PROFS

IN A LARGE CITY WITH

A SMALL TOWN FEEL.OH, AND DID WE FORGET TO

MENTION THE FINE

DRINKINGESTABLISHMENTS?

NO WONDER STUDENTS

FLOCK FROM

ACROSS CANADA

TO STUDY IN

HALIFAXBy Peter Moreira

/ PHOTOGRAPHS by Chris Boyne

university town/

GLOBECAMPUS.CA 2010 CANADIAN UNIVERSITY R

UNDERGRADU

1,000

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its curriculumproud of its arvitality, but it ateaches a pra

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CAMPUS Very

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heart of Halifaother half in thharbourfront it rents from t

Port AuthoritySTUDENT LIFE

students and tend to be che

and focused, d

to be practicinwhat they lov

city with a vibbohemianism

NSCAD

UNIVERS(Nova Scotiaof Art and De



GLOBECAMPUS.CACANADIAN UNIVERSITY REPORT 2010

another 7,000 attend school part-time. If they allmerged—a touchy subject in some circles—theywould still form a relatively small school, smallerthan University of Western Ontario.

The schools have much in common. None of them

gets the kind of attention as their provincial rivalsAcadia University in Wolfville or St. Francis XavierUniversity in Antigonish. Nor do they get a mentionin the debate about funding for the so-called Big 5research-intensive universities. They are all old—half date back to Queen Victoria’s reign, and those are theyoung ones. And none are cheap. According to Statis-tics Canada, in 2008-2009, Nova Scotia had the high-

est average tuition of any province at $5,932—that’salmost three times the level in Quebec. Yet their dif-ferences are also remarkable and contribute to Hali-fax’s vibrant diversity.

With 13,000 full-time students, Dalhousie is thelargest and probably most prestigious of the Halifaxschools. It once occupied the current site of HalifaxCity Hall, but moved to the west end in the 1880s in

a deal that granted the university fi ve acres of landand Dal students the right to, among other things,drive cattle through the Grand Parade in front of City Hall.

Dal’s pride is its professional schools, especiallythe medical school, which is Canada’s leading neu-rosurgical academic unit. (One local businessmanpointed out that Dalhousie improves health care in

Nova Scotia because physicians can refer patients tospecialists, especially neurologists.) It also special-

THREE YEARS AGO, Mike Mercer decided to returnto university after a two-year stint in Taiwan. Butinstead of returning to the University of Ottawawhere he’d spent a year already, the 25-year-olddecided to study at Saint Mary’s University in Hali-

fax. Back in Canada, the reasons for h is choice wereconfi rmed. He had some questions about his Asianstudies courses, so he called Professor CharlesBeaupré at the university, and they ended up ina brief game of telephone tag. When Dr. Beauprélater left a voicemail, he invited this student he’dnever met before to call again and even left hishome phone number.

“‘Wow,’ I thought, ‘a professor just left me a homephone number,’” said Mr. Mercer, now a fourth-yearstudent and a vice-president on student council atSaint Mary’s. “That could happen for a graduate stu-

dent but for a general undergrad it was unheard of atan Ontario university. There, you’re just a number.’’

Mr. Mercer says he likes to recount the tale toshow why he and so many other students from across

Canada and around the world come to study at one of the six universities in Halifax. It is this intimacy andfriendliness, as well as academics, that keep drawing students to this city of 360,000—undoubtedly theonly Canadian city that can say it has more universi-ties than Cineplex movie theatres.

The six universities—Dalhousie, Saint Mary’s,Mount St. Vincent, University of King’s College,

NSCAD University and the Atlantic School of The-ology—have about 23,000 full-time students and

DALHOUSIE

UNIVERSITY

DERGRADUATES

00

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ts science programs

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GLOBECAMPUS.CA 2010 CANADIAN UNIVERSITY RE

izes in oceanography, and the Worm Lab, named for

iconic oceanographer and Dal professor Boris Worm,is a world leader in marine biodiversity.

Saint Mary’s is the brawniest of the bunch, produc-ing perennially strong sports teams, including a foot-ball team that has played in half of the last 10 VanierCup championships, winning two. The university isalso the most international of the local schools, with18% of its students coming from abroad, and boasts a

particular strength in international business. The uni-versity even arranges to have international studentsmet at the airport. SMU strives to develop an inter-national perspective among its students, a messagethat is reinforced by the tradition of internationaltrade in this port city, says president J. Colin Dodds.“If you want to join the world, this is where you comebecause it is one world within a city block,” he said.

Set on a hill overlooking Bedford Basin, MountSaint Vincent with its high percentage of female stu-dents and faculty has carved out a niche for itself infi elds such as tourism and public relati ons. “Whatwe’ve learned from our students is that the reasonpeople come to us is not that it’s mainly female butbecause of the small class sizes,” said Janet Mac-Millan, who completed her term as chair of theMount board of governors this year.

With fewer than 900 full-time students, NSCADUniversity, formerly the Nova Scotia College of Artand Design, has two bases—elegant Victorian ter-raced buildings surrounding Granville Mall and amodern harbourfront complex. NSCAD’s faculty

and students are major contributors to the creative

industries of the city. The students exhibit their workat the Anna Leonowens Gallery (named for the tutorof the Siam royal family, fi ctionalized in Anna and theKing of Siam, who was a co-founder of NSCAD’s pre-cursor, the Victoria School of Art and Design), andtheir designs permeate the city. “NSCAD is not just awhole bunch of artists huddled together,” said presi-dent David Smith, himself an NSCAD grad. “Our stu-

dents infi ltrate every corner of the city—everything that is interesting here is affected by NSCAD.”

Another tiny school with a distinct identity is Uni-versity of King’s College, which is associated with Dal-housie University. Founded in 1789, it offers studentsa demanding and wide-ranging Foundation Year pro-gram, an intensive four-course program of reading

that includes everything from the Epic of Gilgamesh

to present-day literature and philosophy. Rounding off the list is the Atlantic School of Theology, whichis affi liated wit h Saint Mary’s Universit y. Its 155 stu-dents are largely mature students and help replen-ish the pulpits throughout Atlantic Canada. Halifaxis also home to the Nova Scotia Community College,which provides vocational training for 25,000 stu-dents in 13 campuses across the province.

So why do so many young people opt to come to

Halifax for their education? The simple answer isthat “in Halifax, you get the energy of a large cityand you get the familiarity of a small city,” saidAaron Vomberg, a Dalhousie student from Water-loo, Ont. He added his close contact with his profs

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and frequent fi eld work ensure he’s getting a fi rst-class education. Shannon Zimmerman, a fifth-year political science/international developmentstudent at Dalhousie and a native of Elmira, Ont.,

adds that “for someone coming from Ontario, Hali-fax has an atmosphere and culture that is differ-ent than anywhere else in Canada.’’ She likes thestudent ghetto that bustles in the wooden housesof the tree-lined South End, the coffee shops andthe variety of university activities that range fromsports to ethnic societies. Dalhousie, for example,has 250 student societies.

Many of the high points of the city’s social calen-dar revolve around the university. That includes thecity’s sports life—university games are among thepremier shows in town. Saint Mary’s used to hostthe Atlantic Bowl in football each autumn, and now

is a regular host of its replacement, the Uteck Bowl,named for late SMU football coach, Larry Uteck.

The Halifax Metro Centre used to be the annual

venue for the national college basketball champion-ships and although the Canadian InteruniversitySport now rotates the championships among othercities, it will return to Halifax in 2011. “Talking touniversity basketball coaches across the country,they can hardly wait to come back to Halifax,” saidPeter Halpin, a basketball star with SMU’s nationalchampionship teams of the 1970s and now the exec-

utive director of the Association of Atlantic Univer-sities. “It’s a real university sports town. There’s areal connection with the fans here.”

Like all universities, each of the Halifax schoolshas formal and informal traditions that brighten upstudent life. Saint Mary’s has its International Nighteach winter; NSCAD hosts the annual Nocturne fes-

tival each autumn, where NSCAD students guideHaligonians through the city’s art treasures between6 p.m. and midnight. Then there are the less formalevents, such as Dalhousie computer science studentsgetting together for “Geek Beers” once a week.

The mention of beer brings to mind the otherfacet of Halifax life that is famous among students,even if offi cials shy away from discussing it ope nly.

The fact is, students here enjoy the nightlife, fromthe pubs in heritage buildings like Lower Deck andthe Split Crow, to the late-night dance halls likethe Palace, to the late-late-night munch fests onPizza Corner. “You’ve got to be careful advertising

Halifax for its bar scene, but it is a pretty good barscene,” said SMU president Dr. Dodds. He an d oth-ers say that the boisterousness of students can often

grate on local residents, but the universities haveimplemented several programs to encourage theirstudents to be good neighbours, and there havebeen fewer complaints in the last couple of years.What several students of fi cially do menti on aboutnight life in Halifax is that it tends to be safe—allthe more so because the Halifax Regional PoliceDepartment has worked with the universities to

designate “safe-walk corridors,” which have extrapolice patrol throughout the nights.

The fact that the municipal government goes

MOUNT

ST. VINCENT

UNIVERSITY

NDERGRADUATES

, 850

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out of its way to accommodate students illustrateshow important these universities are to Halifax.Essentially, the universities are Halifax’s economicengine. Dalhousie alone spends $120 million a yearon research and development, and Nova Scotia’s

universities overall account for most of the R&Din the province. They are massive industries untothemselves, and provide the future staffi ng for localenterprises. When Research In Motion Ltd. and ahost of fi nancial i nstitut ions set up offi ces in Halifaxin 2005-2006, they all cited the trained work forcecoming out of the universities as reasons for coming to Nova Scotia.

Advocates of Richard Florida’s economic ideas(which include the notion that successful cities arethe product of vibrant cultural bases) note that ahuge swath of the city’s artists, actors and musicians

attend or attended the universities. Many teach atthe colleges, allowing them to practise their art onthe side. And if there is a debate on civic issues inthe media, the experts cited in the news reports are

more often than not university professors.NSCAD’s Mr. Smith adds that his college’s stu-

dents contribute more to the economy than peoplerealize, as 75% of NSCAD graduates engage in entre-preneurial pursuits. Arianne Pollet-Brannen, anNSCAD grad who came to Halifax from a town nearBruges, Belgium, added that many of these gradu-ates maintain their association with the college. She,

for example, continues to use studio space providedby NSCAD and the Halifax Regional Municipality to

pursue her work, including the creation of costumesfor an opera with the working title “Electropera”to be staged at a local theatre in February. Leaving NSCAD, she said, is like “weaning from the breast—there is just such a network of people who under-

stand what you do.”And fi nally, the universi ties bring Nova Scoti a

what it needs more than anything today—youth. Inthe 2006 census, more than 15% of Nova Scotianswere listed as 65 or older, the second-highest ratein Canada behind Saskatchewan. The universitiesbring young people into Halifax, and one-quarter of these newcomers remain after they graduate. “One

of the key things that people need to understandabout the universities is we are the No. 1 immigra-tion magnet in Nova Scotia,” said Dalhousie presi-dent Dr. Tom Traves.

Mr. Halpin, a Toronto native, describes himself astypical—he came to the city 38 years ago, learned tolove the place and never left. What’s notable abouthis experience is he has never ended his affi liation

with the universities. “Having six universities isquite unique in a city of 360,000 people,” he said.“People have a very positive reaction to that, becausethe universities are a magnet, they’re a creative hub.”He paused a moment and added: “Every September,the city fl oods with students, and all of a sudden theenergy level goes up.”

FULL UNIVERSITY PROFILES AND STUDENT SURVEY RESULTS GLOBECAMPUS.CA/NAVI

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UNIVERSI




dney Eve Matrix

es a combination

tech tools to

ach her class


CLASSROOM 3.0iPhone apps, teachers on Twitter, downloadable

lectures: Will a university education ever be the same?

Craig Silverman looks at the brave new world

of high-tech teaching

/ PHOTOGRAPHS by Jay Shuster

Like many iPhone owners, Kyle Gunderson, a 23 year-old engi-neering student at the University of Saskatchewan, uses the devicefor a lot more than talking and texting. For example, he uses anapplication—from hundreds available at the Apple’s iTunes store—

to log in and fi x his parents’ computers. And recently he ad dediUSask, an app made by his university. “The buzz about the app hasbeen huge all over campus an d even in the city of Saskatoon,” hesays. “People have been taking about i t since early April.”

The iUSask application offers students access to a campus map,course information and grades, and the campus library database,among other features. The University of Saskatchewan, in Sas-katoon, is the fi rst Canadian school to develop an iPhone app for

students. “For years, I’d noticed students walking around withcellpho nes and when they le ave class the fi rst thing they do is fl ickthem open,” says Eric Neufeld, head of the school’s computer sci-

ence department, which developed the app. “I wanted to be inthose phones so they’d know that our department is a force to bereckoned with.”

Along with cellphones, today’s students come to class with abag full of tech gear and a life shaped by the Internet. That meanscomputer science departments aren’t the only ones thinking about

how technology can help them be front and centre in the minds of today’s university students. The explosion of social media such asFacebook and Twitter, coupled with the ubiquity of the Web andtech gadgets, means that universities have to adopt the latest tech-nologies in order to deliver an education that fi ts with the new gen-eration’s life and learning style.

Depending on their school and professor, today’s students candownload lectures via a school’s website or on iTunes U, exchange

messages with classmates in course-specifi c Facebook grreceive their grades and course materials online, or even plete course work in a virtual environment.

Some initiatives, such as the iPhone app, gain immediate

tion with faculty, staff and students. But schools also strwith how technology should and shouldn’t be incorporatethe classroom experience. Even the laptop, a standard pieequipment for any student, presents challenges and opporties for teachers and administrators. “Students are coming inlaptops and that can be a double-edged sword,” says Dr. Ne“On one hand they can be major distractions in the classbecause students have the chance of going and surfi ng the

[during a lecture].” On the other hand, he says, “You used toto go through a cumbersome process to show a fi lm clip; just tell them to go to YouTube.”

Dr. Neufeld is obviously comfortable working with technbut that can’t be said for every professor. A recent survey ofto 2,000 U.S. university professors and instructors foundover 69% do not use Twitter in any way and only a little oveof respondents said there was a 50/50 chance that they wincorporate it into their teaching within the next two y

Though specifi c to Twitter, which is a relatively new ser vicfi gures demonst rate that techno logy use varies from one clthe next. (Mr. Gunderson, the engineering student, says theubiquitous piece of technology in his classes is the somecoma-inducing PowerPoint presentation.)

“It’s uneven across campus whether or not a professor istechnology, and if they’re happy with [students] using thsays Sidney Eve Matri x, an assista nt professor of fi lm and m

technology on campus/




causing students to lose the human interaction that’s essential to

the university experience.“[Online lectures] are good for people who want to watch the

lecture at a different time, or who can’t attend because of othercommitments,” says Dr. Matrix. “But it’s also controversial becauseit is seen as a disincentive to attend class.”

After all, if you can watch a lecture from the comfort of a dormroom then why go to class, especially on a cold winter’s day? Andif there’s no need to attend class, then why live on campus or meet

up with classmates for a study group? Balancing face-to-face inter-action with virtual communication is tricky for many professors.Dr. Matrix believes that her use of technology helps underline herimportance as a teacher. “If I was standing up there and every wordwas being recorded and I was afraid that students would nevercome to class, then it would mean I’m not doing anything else of value,” she says. “Face-to-face interaction is an integral part of it; online is just a bonus.” She says online is the place where stu-

dents can engage in a form of “peer-to-peer learning” by chatting,exchanging messages and sharing comments and insights. But forher, the classroom is still king. “The experience of being in a class-room and having that spontaneity and seeing each other’s faces andresponses — that’s really precious,” she says.

At Acadia University in Wolfville, N.S., Jon Saklofske, an assis-tant professor in the department of English and theatre, not only

uses technology in his classes, but he makes the effect of technol-ogy part of the curriculum. “In literature class we’re always deal-

ing with the text and the word, but I want to get my students intomultiple literacy mode so they are aware of how different media

operate and how that relates to the historyof writing or the novel,” he says. “We’ve hadgreat chats about how we used to have dia-ries and letters and now we have blogs andTwitter, and how those forms change theway we see ourselves.”

Dr. Saklofske has also created onlineenvironments where students can interactwith each other and where he brings textsand themes to life using audio and images.“I don’t think it’s anomalous to be taggedas a tech savvy English professor,” he says.“I’m trying to teach students a number of literacies and one of that number is techno-

logical [literacy].”Just as some professors are more comfort-

able with technology than others, Dr. Saklof-ske says it’s incorrect to believe every studentwants to download lectures or convene aFacebook study group. “If oral participationor written work in class aren’t their strengths,

then I want to help them strengthen those,”he says. “Some of them are really comfort-

able with technology and others aren’t. Theyhelp each other.” Like Dr. Matrix, he saysthe interaction with technology primarilyoccurs outside of the classroom, making it anadd-on rather than a complete alternative.“We don’t sit in class with all of us focused onscreens and not talking,” he says.

But sometimes that’s exactly what hap-pens in classes at the University of OntarioInstitute of Technology—and they’re quiteproud of it. The school, in Oshawa, Ont., usesan advanced videoconferencing system thatenables it to partner with Trent Universityin offering a joint graduate degree in mate-

GRISSOM’S GIZMOS

Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont. “But it’s increasingly clear

faculty that students expect technology to be used in courses,nd not just in the sciences.” Dr. Matrix, a self-described earlydopter of technologies in her teaching, takes what she calls a “buf-t approach” to her classes. She uses a combination of Facebook,witter, blogs, online videos, web bookmark sharing, and other ser-ces to offer a range of options to students. The idea is that they can

hoose to engage with the ones th at fi t their preferen ces. “The valueall the tools is the same,” she says. “One, it’s for delivering con-

nt; and two, it’s for connecting people to each other. All are meansrough which you can push out materials that students need to

ave in order to do well in the classroom. A certain amount of redun-ancy is built in because some students will use some [of the tools]nd will be opposed to others.” Dr. Matrix doesn’t think her tech-vvy approach specifi cally attracts students to her classe s, but sheys “it creates enormous buzz” on campus among students.The same is true of the University of Saskatchewan’s free iPhone

pp. Mr. Gunderson heard fellow students talking about it, and thehool says it has been downloaded over 1,000 times since being leased in early August. (The app has also attracted attentionf campus, as evidenced by the downloads coming from Japan,

rance, Spain, Poland, Egypt and other countries.)But perhaps the most popular, and controversial, download

vailable to students is class lectures. On one hand, offering online

cess to lectures is a cost-effective way to increase class sizes orll out distance learning programs. It also enables students

replay a lecture in order to review specifi c elements. But it canhift the focus away from in-class discussion and participation,

therine Bygarski hates

admit it, but her

joyment of the CSI

evision series was a big

ason why she entered the

rensic science program

the University of Ontario

stitute of Technology. “It’st an example of forensic

ence in any way, shape or

rm,” says the 22 year-old

udent in her fourth year.

e’re actually told not to

atch the show. But it’s

w the interest starts for

ost students.”

Prospective students can’t

lp but admire the way

e CSI characters master

mplicated procedures

d technologies while

o kicking a little butt and

looking so darn good. But as

much as the show perverts

true forensic science, the

program at UOIT includes

its fair share of gadgets.

First-year students in

forensic science receive a

laptop illed with specializedsoftware. (UOIT provides

laptops to all students.) In

their third year, students

exchange their laptop for

a tablet and also work with

UBS-powered microscopes

and special software

that helps them process

evidence at crime scenes.

That’s where UOIT goes

the extra mile.

The school has created

a simulated crime scene

on a property close to the

university, replete with fake

blood and other kinds of

evidence. “We use the tablet

to take all of our scene notes,”

Ms. Bygarski says. “The whole

school is also on a wireless

network so no matter where

you are on campus youcan print, get class notes

or read a last-minute e-mail

from a professor.”

So what kind of forensic

work does she hope to

do after graduation? “I’m

interested in forensic

entomology,” she says.

“That’s the study of insects

[in criminal matters].” Kind

of like what the character

Gil Grissom did on the

original CSI. “Yeah, like

Grissom,” she says. —C.S.

rials science. The system, called AccessGrid, means students at

both schools can earn the same degree and attend classes togetherwithout having to commute to a different campus. For example,students in a classroom at Trent, in Peterborough, Ont., will focustheir attention on a large screen that shows an instructor locatedat UOIT. “There are cameras focused on the audience and thespeaker,” says William Smith, the dean of science at UOIT. “At eachsite there are big display screens and multiple windows on thescreen so you see every site participating…if someone sticks theirhand up at Trent then the instructor can see them and hear theirquestion.” Dr. Smith says one of the advantages of the technologyis that it enables the two schools to co-operate and offer a betteroverall program for students. “There’s no travel and so the carbonfootprint is reduced drastically,” he says.

UOIT has also used the techn ology, which runs over a fi bre opticnetwork, to provide seminars for students at schools located acrossthe country. Rather than keeping students away from the classroom,it allows someone sitting thousands of kilometres away to watch a

lecture, ask a question and receive an answer in real time. Dr. Smith

says the debate about whether or not laptops and other techn

are more of a distraction than an aid reminds him of a similar from decades ago. “We had debate about whether allowing sto use pocket calculators was a good idea,” he says, laughing.

That schools have gone from pocket calculators to pecomputers and fi bre optic networks only illustrates the potechnology marches along, whether a school or instructattention or not. Each fall brings a fl ood of new students thacampus with the latest gear and digital skills, and an eagerput both to use.

Just a few weeks after launching its innovative iPhone aUniversity of Saskatchewan is already being prodded by stuadd new features and functionality. “It would be cool if futusions used social media that most current apps use, such as iiPhone chat rooms, note taking collaboration, student votingable lecture videos and more,” suggested one reviewer on iTu

WHICH UNIVERSITIES OFFER THE BEST TECHNOLOGY ON CAMPU

GLOBECAMPUS.CA/NAVIGATOR

IT’S INCREASINGLY CLEAR TO FACULTY THATSTUDENTS EXPECT TECHNOLOGY TO BE USED INCOURSES, AND NOT JUST IN THE SCIENCES.—Sidney Eve Matrix, assistant professor of fi lm and media at Queen’s University

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GLOBECAMPUS.CA2 CANADIAN UNIVERSITY REPORT 2010GLOBECAMPUS.CA 2010 CANADIAN UNIVERSITY R

NOT READY

FORPRIME TIME?

They fi dget. They whine. T hey Facebook-stalk during lectures. The yhave notoriously short attention spans, rely on their parents for every-thing and can’t seem to wrap their rez-room bed heads around the mean-ing of the term “independent research paper.”

They are, in short, every university professor’s worst nightmare. And

many academics fear these archetypal degenerate students are becom-ing the norm in universities across Canada. Some pedagogical expertsargue that such stereotypes are just that and believe students are as stu-dious (or immature) as they ever were—that it’s each generation’s curseto bemoan the intellectual shortcomings of the next.

Others, however, claim that statistically lower levels of academicengagement resulting from the assembly-line education of a cash-strapped public system, combined with a generation relying on their par-

Ah, freshmen—they’re either an immature, lazy lot that leave high schoolunprepared, or it’s just that professors haven’t kept up with changing times.

ANNA MEHLER PAPERNY looks for answers

/ PHOTOGRAPHS by Alex Kesilevich

from high school to campus/




ents more, for a longer period of time, all makesfor a lowest-common-denominator approachto higher education.

When Tina Parks started her educationprogram at McGill University as a mature stu-

dent, she was astounded at how lost her fellowfrosh seemed—she remembers being shockedwhen a teaching assistant spent much of theirtutorial going over what an essay should looklike. “The students I was with...had little tono experience when it came to learning howto write papers,” she said. “Many kids, by thetime they get to their third year, they’re all

fl unking out—they just can’t do it. And I don’tknow if they’re ill-prepared or what.”

Ms. Parks was in her forties by the time shestarted university. She had been through adulteducation and Quebec’s CEGEP program andcredits that experience with helping her copein a university setting. But as far as she couldtell, many students fresh out of high school

didn’t seem to stand a chance. “If they don’thave the determination to want to stay thereand sit down and study, they’re going fail. Andmany did.”

Increasingly, says University of WesternOntario education professor James Côté,

fi rst-year classes are populat ed by student saccustomed to getting good grades with-

out trying—and who find themselves lostwhen that’s not the case. “Students are basi-cally given very few challenges during highschool. Then they come to university andwe’re attempting to maintain standards andmany students haven’t developed a workethic to meet the challenges and feel entitledto high grades with very little work,” he said.“It’s a process that’s been getting worse and

worse over time.”At least some professors seem to agree:

A survey of 2,000 Ontario faculty and staff

1. Talk to your profs

You know that 700-person irst-year

psychology class, which seemed really

interesting until you missed a class

and fell hopelessly behind? Talk to

your profess or. Most hold o ice

hours or if you can’t make those,

most will arrange an alternative.

You’ll get answers and face time and

they’ll get to know you as something

other than Clueless Frosh #82.

2. Read your syllabus

In between keggers and the frosh

concert, take a look at that list of

readings and assignments your

professor handed out on the irstday. Then—we’re entirely serious—

write it in a planner. You’ll thank

us later. Speaking of which...

3. Plan your time

Compared to high school, university

is a paradise of unstructured hours.

But if you can’t prioritize and manage

your time, you’re sunk. “Science

students have a problem of being

aught up in the things that feel urgent

and neglecting the things that seem

mportant,” says Nellie Perret, a learning

skills counsellor at the University of

Toronto. “Art students get caught up

in the fact that there seems to be a

wonderful amount of nothing to

do until the middle of November, and

then all their papers are due.”

4. Take breaks

Take it from those of us who’ve been

there, all-nighters aren’t everything

they’re cracked up to be. Cramming

for an exam or writing a paper in one

6-hour stretch is a rookie’s mistake and

won’t get you good results. And litres of

Red Bull? Not a healthy life choice.

5. Check the rules

Wait, we’re not supposed to cite

Wikipedia? How about urbandictionary.

com? Uh, no. If you’re not sure

what counts as plagiarism, do theomework and check. All schools have

information on academic regulations,

and your professor or teaching

assistant can help you with the

parameters of an assignment.

6 Ask questions

There’s no way to mess this

one up, unless you’re the kind of

person who skips two weeks, then

asks, “Did anything happen in

class while I was gone?” Asking

questions—in lectures, tutorials and

o ice hours—w ill make you stand out

(hello, participation marks) and ensure

you know what’s going on.

this spring found 55% of them thought theirstudents were less prepared than they wereeven three years ago. Those surveyed alsofound students were less mature, lacked criti-cal thinking skills, expected “success without

the requisite effort” and were unable to doresearch or learn independently.

Ontario faculty association president MarkLanger calls the survey a “report from the frontlines”—one that brings sobering news. “Stu-dents don’t know how to properly use libraries;they haven’t properly developed research skillscompared to students in the past.”

At the University of Toronto, a sense of shift-ing student demographics—not to mention therising tide of phone calls from anxious parentsinquiring after their progeny’s academic prog-ress—sparked the creation of a website aimedat educating students’ families. “Increasingly,this idea of a young person who goes off to uni-versity and is suddenly transformed into this

young adult who doesn’t need the support of their families has become somewhat of an out-dated concept,” said Deanne Fisher, directorof the universi ty’s offi ce of student life.

The website, family.utoronto.ca, has infor-mation in multiple languages on subjects such

as how to help the new undergraduates makefriends at university and how much informa-

tion the school can legally disclose about a stu-dent without his or her permission (hint: notmuch). “Many students still see their familiesas part of their support network even after mov-ing through the undergraduate environment,”Ms. Fisher said. “Although there are very clearlaws as to what we can and can’t communicateto family members, we don’t have to treat themas though they’re persona non grata.”

But some disagree with these dismal assess-ments of today’s crop of students. CharlesUngerleider, an education professor at the

TEN HABITSOF HIGHLY

SUCCESSFULFRESHMEN

University of British Columbia and a formerdeputy education minister in the B.C. govern-ment says teachers have been complaining about their students’ lack of academic prow-

ess since Aristotle took issue with Pythago-ras’s shortcomings.

“Pretty much every generation of universityprofessors has said that the earlier cohorts of students were better prepared than the onesthey faced,” he said. Canada is actually ris-ing in the literacy ranks among other OECDcountries, Professor Ungerleider said, adding

that on the maturity front, young people have

never been more capable of making a go of iton their own. And the ubiquitous multimediaonslaught they deal with makes them naturalmultitaskers, he argues.“Kids are much bet-ter at self-regulating, and I also think they’rebetter at self-advocacy. They can advocate ontheir own behalf in ways that 50 or 60 years ago

students maybe were not as capable of doing.”

Professor Côté points to strained universitybudgets and increased competition betweenschools for rankings, students and funding as putting further pressure on the quality of

education students get. No school wants topost high numbers of dropouts, he said. Souniversities may tailor their programs to bet-ter suit struggling students—further lowering the bar.

But although Professor Ungerleider doesn’tdeny he has issues with contemporary cur-ricula, he said it’s alarmist to suggest public

education is letting students down. “We set

the standards—we determine what knowl-edge is most worth knowing at any particu-lar time. So if we’re lamenting...the so-calledtrivial nature of university course work, we’reresponsible for it,” he said. “Typically we getthe kind of education that a society deservesat that particular time, unless we’re asleep at

the switch. “I don’t think we are.”

7 Get a note

Family emergency? Your proe

obliged to let you of the hook

have a good reason, but you

back it up. While there’s no ne

provide a urine sample, a doc

will dispel doubts as to whethe

your excuse is legit.

8 Get a life

Work-lie balance? It sounds lik

something rom a sel-help sho

until you realize you haven’t le

library in days, partly because

muscles have atrophied and y

can’t get out o the chair. Conv

it could prove problematic i y

more amiliar with the notes s

on the bathroom stall o the c

pub than you are with your le

notes, that could prove proble

Everything in moderation, etc

9 Get engaged

Even i your required courses

include “An Introduction to Mo

and Paint-drying 101,” ind som

that intrigues you. I you’re en

in what’s going on you’re mor

to retain the inormation or th

10 Keep it all in perspectiveYou slept through your mid-te

are a week late with your term

paper and orgot all about tom

group presentation? Take a br

Talk to your proessor (see nu

1) or an academic counsellor a

remember: It’ll all work out in

the end. —A.M.P.

PRETTY MUCH EVERY GENERATION OFUNIVERSITY PROFESSORS HAS SAID THE EARLIER COHORTS OF STUDENTS WERE BETTER PREPAREDTHAN THE ONES THEY FACED.

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GLOBECAMPUS.CAANADIAN UNIVERSITY REPORT 2010

Lathan Lachows ky fi gures his fi rst-year universi ty experienc e was likethat of most undergraduates. A science major at the University of Guelph,Mr. Lachowsky says his main courses were held in large lecture halls with100 students or more. “It was very t ypical,” says Mr. Lachowsky, now in his

fourth year and a member of student government. But there was one i mpor-

tant difference: a spe cial fi rst-year seminar class he took during his secondterm. The small group let him look at issues more deeply and allowed himto get to know his instructor and fellow students. “It changed my percep-tion of who I was as a student and what I could do,” he remembers.

At a time when campuses across the country are struggling with gov-ernment cutbacks and falling investment income, such intimate teach-ing formats are an easy target for the chopping block.

Guelph, like many other universities, has strived to improve the qual-ity of undergraduate learning in recent years. And like others, it has beenforced to take some drastic actions since the economy cratered, cutting majors and classes with low enrolments, questioning the role of subjectminors and putting its highly popular fi rst-year seminars “on hold.”

At the same time, the university is going through a kind of campus-wide period of soul searching, with faculty and students such as

/ PHOTOGRAPHS by Jessica Darmanin

nancial realities

A quiet CAMPUS REVOLUTION

The recession that has wreaked havoc on university fi nances is prompting

one institution to rethink the way it teaches its undergraduates

By ELIZABETH CHURCH


Lathan Lachowsky is part o a campus-wide

discussion to figure out new ways

to improve the undergrad experience




courses each winter, including the one Mr. Lachowskytook, has long bee n an advocate for fl ipping the tra-ditional undergraduate teaching model on its head,devoting more teaching resources to new students who

are making the transition to university. “How do youturn around t he idea that i n your fi rst year you have big classes and in the fi nal year you have small one s?” heasks. “It is a big challenge.”

That’s especially true in an environment where costcuts are the order of the day. The meltdown of globalfi nancial markets of the past year hit university budgetson a number of fronts. Stock market losses have reduced

the money they are earning on their endowment funds(investment income they rely on to payfor scholarships and bursaries and spe-cial faculty appointments). Investmentlosses also mean many schools are fac-ing large increases in their contributionsto faculty and staff pension funds in thecoming years. Adding to the financial

turmoil is the decline in operating grantsdue to a failure of many provinces to keeppace with costs. This has led universitiesto scramble to fi nd millions in savings tobalance campus budgets.

Ken Steele of Academica Group, aconsultant in higher education, has beenkeeping a tally of the numbers. So far this

year, he estimates Canadian universitieshave announced roughly $246 million inbudget defi cits or anticipated shortfalls.When losses at endowments and pensionfunds are added in , he fi gures that totallosses to the university system are run-ning close to $2.5 billion. Those losses areunlikely to be covered by governments

struggling with risin g defi cits. “Some of that is a paper loss, so it could be madeup if stocks rebound,” Mr. Steele notes.“Budget defi cits are a bigger proble m.”

The result has been a steady diet of cost-saving measures on Canadian campuses—layoffs, buyouts and hiring freezes, thecancellation of programs, reduced course

offerings and larger classes. The Uni-versity of Calgary warned recently thatas many as 200 campus jobs could belost. Meanwhile Lakehead University inThunder Bay, Ont., proposed that staff andfaculty take unpaid days off in December,and several schools have implemented

across-the-board budget cuts over sev-eral years. When the cost-saving mea-sures are completed over the next two tothree years, many schools will see 10% ormore cut from their operating budgets.At Guelph, the university is facing whatDr. Summerlee describes as a “miserablebudget” situation. The university couldsee its annual pension contributions rise

from $20 million to as high as $100 mil-lion if conditions do not improve. It alsomust fi nd $45 million in savings by 2012to get itself out of the red.

It is against this backdrop—some would

A NEW MODELFOR A NEW ERA

How do you give personal

ttention to every student in a

00-strong first-year program?hat’s the riddle a new course

at the University o Guelph

is trying to crack.

r. Lachowsky, to discover how to deliver a meaningful and new kindundergraduate education with increasingly limited resources. Theocess has not been without its controversies: The university scrapped

s women’s studies program based on dwindling student numbers and

nion leaders have accused the administrati on of exaggerating fi nancialardship to gain concessions at the bargaining table. In response, uni-rsity leaders say they are making the kinds of tough choices requireddiffi cult times. In the process they are optimistic they can develop

new model for teaching that wi ll improve learning and offer morerst-year students the kind of small -group experience Mr. Lachowskynjoyed. “We are trying to create a new typical,” he says.

University of Guelph president Alastair Summerlee is a major

rce behind the changes. Dr. Summerlee, who teaches two seminar

his fall most students in

uelph’s College of Management

d Economics will be required

take a new half-course called

usiness leadership forum.

The course format combines

raditional large lecture with

eekly small seminars led by

culty. Students also are divided

to four-member groups and

ked to apply their new-found

owledge in a computer

mulation program that makes

em the managers of a

ee shop.

Each Wednesday all the

udents in the course meet

hear lectures—often from

uest speakers—on a range of

pics. The seminars give them

chance to discuss what they

ve heard and the computer

ortion of the course will get

em to apply it.

The simulation prompts them

make decisions in areas

overed by the lectures—such

pricing, marketing and

a ing—and the n shows

em the results.

Melanie Lang, one of two

usiness professors who

esigned the course, says the

m of the course is to give

udents a broad knowledge

topics and expose them to

usiness strategy. The seminars

so provide faculty with an

pportunity to mentor incoming

udents while the simulation

portion of the course

gives the students experience

in teamwork.

Students also use a

customized online textbook

and will take online quizzes on

the material as well as written

assignments. Professor Lang

says groups are evaluated

based on the reasoning behind

their decisions rather than

on the inancial performance

of their cyberbusiness. “We

didn’t want this course to be

talking heads at the front of the

room,” she says. “This is about

getting them excited about

their major and showing

them how excited others are

about teaching them.”

Gavin Armstong, a fourth-

year marketing major who has

been involved in the faculty’s

curriculum discussions, sees

the new course as a sign of

things to come in other areas

of study. The new format, he

says, is a natural progression

from the traditional case-study

approach to studying business.

“This involves putting yourself

in the case,” he said. “I think this

is the direction we are moving

in, pulling away from lectures

and moving to more problem-

based learning.”

Professor Lang says that

while any new course is bound

to attract attention, there is

no doubt lots of people on

campus are watching this

experiment. “It is accurate to

say all eyes are on us. If it is

something that works, why

wouldn’t others mimic it,”

she said. —E.C.

say because of it—that the discussion about changing undergraduate education is taking place. “The ques-tion is, how do we make this an opportunity to do thekinds of changes in the undergraduate curriculum thatare really vital?” Dr. Summerlee wonders.

For the past four years, Guelph has searched for ways

to do just that. The fi rst-year seminars, which began asa pilot project, expanded to 40 offerings but still onlyhad room for a small portion of all undergraduates.Only those who got up at dawn to register managedto get in. Guelph provost Maureen Mancuso says thefi nancial crisis has prompted what she calls a “healthyconversation,” on campus about the university’s pri-orities and strengths and what it is graduates should

know. “Those conversations don’t naturall y fl ow andthey have been helped by tough ti mes,” she says.

As well as small-group instruction, the reforms are focuswhat the university calls “experiential learning,” or opportufor students to reinforce their classroom knowledge by doing. fi rst-year course that is a requi rement for most comme rce studan early attempt to shift the focus of instruction for a large grundergraduates away from the traditional lecture format in fav

small groups and hands-on learning. Under this model, all 600 ugrads will meet for a once-a-week megalecture. This large lformat will free up other faculty to conduct smaller seminarsweek. Students will also be required to work in small groups uweb-based simulation program. In addition to this one course, fin the commerce program are considering major program chsuch as altering the length of courses so that not all will last anterm. They are also rethinking how credits are given.

Dr. Mancuso expects other departments will soon followsimilar experiments. The bachelor of arts courses could be orgaaround themes and taught from an interdisciplinary perspectivsuggests. “Undergraduate education delivered differently fi vefrom now, that is my hope,” she says.

But, will the changes save money?Dr. Mancuso says the savings will require some tough dec

about where to direct resources, and where to take them aw

some cases, class sizes may increase, she says, but replacing lecture time with different types of learning could also reduceRight now 30% of the university’s courses serve 70% of the stushe points out.

For students such as fourth-year science major Mr. Lachowskchanges will come long after he graduates. But as a member of sgovernment, he has started a new campus-wide council of stuaimed at including undergraduates in discussions about ref

rather than waiting to react when decisions are made. “If the univis changing, it’s important we have the students involved,” he say

HOW DO YOU TURN AROUND THEIDEA THAT IN YOUR FIRST YEAR YOU HAVE BIG CLASSES AND INTHE FINAL YEAR YOU HAVE SMALLONES? IT IS A BIG CHALLENGE.University of Guelph president Alastair Summerlee

“

”

Sault Ste. Marie, Brampton, Ontario, Canada experience.algomau.ca




BEST IN CLASSYou can’t hide at the back of the lecture hall with these teachers. But then again, you won’t want to.

As CAROLINE ALPHONSO reports, these are the kind of professors who put the joy back into learning

hy she’s good Dr. Reid has won a number of teaching wards, including the Students’ Union award for excellence inndergraduate teaching. Instead of the usual lectures, exams

d assignments, she has used video footage of her colleaguesthe fi eld, team-based projects and practical questions to get

r students thinking and tackling problems as scientists.aching style“I’m starting to think, well, I want [students]eaningfully engaged with each other, with me and with theaterial.” She and a colleague have created what they calloncept-assessments.” At the beginning of each unit, studentse asked to respond to open-ended questions on the topic.

he reviews the responses and bases her instruction time onem. Students are then asked to modify their assessments

the end of the unit and are graded on it. “It is all part of a

student-centred teaching model that focuses stronglyon increasing the learning outcomes and using students’prior knowledge to help inform instruction.”

On engaging the students“I hear from my colleagues that youhave to be entertaining, you’re competing with technology.

I strongly believe that students are really interested in us aspeople and the stories we have to tell. And as scientists I thinksometimes, we really focus on the content: ‘Here’s this content,I’m very divorced from it as a person. I’m basically deconstructing what you’ve read in your textbook and giving that back to you ina lecture.’ That is pretty easy to disengage from. So I’m looking athow do I bring more of my personal experience as a scientist andhow I developed my scientifi c thinking, bring those storie s and

experience and provide them with meaningful experiences.”

LESLIE REID Professor in Geoscience, University Of Calgary

Growing up, Dr. Reid, 37, knew she wanted to either be a doctor or a teacher. She has a bachelor of science from the

University of Ottawa, a master’s from the University of Calgary and a PhD in structural geology and Cordilleran tectonics

from Calgary and University of Alberta. She is a Tamaratt Teaching professor, a position created to encourage

new and creative ways of teaching science. Dr. Reid enjoys hiking, especially with her two sheep dogs.

profs we love/

PHOTOGRAPHS (CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT) EWAN NICHOLSON , THE DAILY GLEANER/JAMES WEST, DON HALL

GLOBECAMPUS.CA

Why he’s good Dr. Scott has an ability toconnect with his audience, all 200 of them.“He is a masterful storyteller who drawsstudents in, makes them laugh and thenconnects the story to the subject matterof the day. Students in his classes learn

while they are laughing and easily recallthe content,” says Ryan Hamilton,a kinesiology graduate student.Teaching style Moves around the

classroom, instead of lecturing from thefront. At the beginning of a semester, hegoes through the class list, asking hisstudents what they did over the summer

and where they’re from, jotting downnotes and following up with them later.“I don’t take myself too seriously. I haveno trouble standing up in front of studentsand saying ‘I haven’t a clue,’” he says.“For me, I’ve thought about what I doas being a partnership.”

On engaging the students For a 90-minutelecture, he makes sure to have two

different topics. “I think it’s important toengage students, to respect their thoughtsand opinions and to encourage them to be

passionate about what they believe in. For

me, the learning environment needs tobe fun, exciting, interesting and relevant.

“I try to be accessible. So all my studentscall me Scotty. Universities are going through a time right now where thereseems to be a belief that such institutionsshould simply be producing graduates forthe workplace. I think we are preparing people for the future by making them

think about things, getting them to askquestions, to be more understanding.I really try to do those things.”

Why he’s good For his innovative teaching style, and whathe calls the “unbounded classroom”, he’s been named aUniversity of Regina teaching and learning scholar twice.

Teaching style In his graduate classes, he records the

lecture in 10-minute clips, so students can later discussit online. He invites authors and researchers to hisclassroom through remote connection. For assignments,the students’ papers are posted online and they cancomment on ea ch other’s work. “At fi rst students arereluctant, as you might imagine, because it’s a privateactivity between me and them,” he says. “But I can tellyou that reluctance quickly wanes.”

On engaging the students“Today’s student doesn’t

want to just be a consumer. They want to be a producer,a co-creator of the knowledge. So what I sometimes get

them to do is respond to any concept we’ve been talking about, by sharing an artifactof their learning in any sign system of their choosing. Once you let the walls thattraditionally bound a classroom fall, it opens up a world of possibilities.”

MARC SPOONER Assistant Professor in Education, University Of Regina

Dr. Spooner, 39, enjoys a coffee or a pint of Guinness with just about anybody who wants to talk

about education and social justice. He has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Carleton

and bachelor’s and master’s in education from the University of Ottawa, where he did his PhD

examining creativity and deviance in young adults. Dr. Spooner has taught at Regina since 2006.

DAVID SCOTT Associate professor in Kinesiology, University of New Brunswick.

Dr. Scott, 45, is starting his ninth season as a sports psychologist with the NHL.He has bachelor’s and teaching degrees from the University o f Ulster in Belfast, master’s

and PhD in sports psychology from the University of Victoria and taught atBrock University before moving to UNB in 1997. Dr.Scott is from a far ming community

in Northern Ireland and lives with his wife and three children.

(L

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REZ CONFIDENTIALIt’s probably the fi rst time you’ve ever lived a way

from home. It’s a rite of passage that’s not for the faintof heart, CARLA WINTERSGILL recalls

moved around a lot since starting my undergrad at Toronto’s Ryersonversity in 2004. Including stints in various towns in B.C. during summeraks, I’ve had seven addresses in the past five years. Last month, whengan the Master of Information program at the University of Toronto, I

ved into address number eight. Through each residence, I’ve learned thatfoibles and fun of living away from home are nearly as important to the

versity experience as the classes.verything I needed to know about living on my own, I learned during my

t year in residence. I shared an apartment-style suite with three other girlsyerson’s Pitman Hall dorm and we each had our own bedrooms but split ahen, living room and bathroom. During that year, I realized that there are

ee inevitabilities of university life:

› PARTYING HAPPENS

At some point you will get caught up in theendless festivities that are certain when alarge group of teenagers live away from homefor the fi rst time. Some of my best memorie sfrom first year are of spending time withmy fellow floormates who had a knack forcoming up with creative entertainment—fromplaying croquet on the front lawn of Pitman

to dressing up like superheroes and running all over residence.

And of course there was the drinking. Par-ents would like to thi nk otherwise, but fi rst-year university students who want to imbibewill always fi nd some way to get the ir handson alcohol.

While I had some great times at residence

parties, I also witnessed the scary side of drinking. Ambulances were frequentlycalled to Pitman to deal with severe casesof alcohol poisoning. One friend went frombuoyant to blacked-out while in a bar. Her

frightened companions took her to the hos-pital where a blood test revealed that shehad been slipped GHB, commonly known as

the date-rape drug.I learned to take precautionary measures

when partying. I avoided mixed punchesbecause the fruity fl avour made it impossible togauge the amount of alcohol in them. I stoppedaccepting drinks that I hadn’t witnessed being made. I never left a drink unattended while ata bar. I made sure to have a “party buddy” to go

out with so we could look out for each otherand I also always kept a $20 bill tucked awayin case I needed to catch a cab home.

There’s another downside to all that rev-elry: It can severely interfere with studying.It’s hard to say no to hanging out when it seemslike everyone else is having a good time. But asfun as parties can be, it’s important to remem-

ber the reason why you’re living in residencein the fi rst place: to get an education.

› SCHOOLWORK HAPPENS Yes, in between all of the drinking anddebauchery, there actually are assignmentsand midterms. At some point you’ll be forcedto hit the books. Unfortunately, when you live

in residence, even if you’re ready for quiet time,everyone else may not have the same idea.

Because our corner suite was in an ideallocation (tucked far away from the quiet-hours-enforcing residence advisers), our liv-ing room became the favourite hangout for myroommates’ friends. While they were courte-ous of my requests for quiet, even the normally

innocuous sound of television-watching isamplifi ed by a group of squealing girls.

To deal with the constant stream of noise, Ibecame familiar with the library hours. Mostresidences have study areas built in, and I alsofound quite a few nooks tucked away in differ-

/ PHOTOGRAPHS by Raffy Ochoa

ving on campus

coming to university and unlike my suitemates who were on their own fi rst time, I was used t o being self-suffi cient. I found them noisy and mThey thought I was a bossy killjoy.

The situation was partly my fault. Ryerson, like most other univeattempts to match potential roommates before placing them together btributing a lifestyle survey. Wanting to seem easygoing, I softened my res

to questions like: “How important is cleanliness to you?” If I could do itI would have been brutally honest about my preferences.

All roommate clashes seem to spring from four areas: bills, food, cleand noise. The key to heading off most of the disagreements is to commuopenly and respectfully as soon as possible about your expectations. If itlike you and your roommate are facing insurmountable confl ict, see you

dence adviser. Many of them have been trained to mediate these types oations. If you honestly feel like no amount of therapy will set you right, a

housing offi ce about switching rooms. There’s always a possibility that somewhere else will open up.

ent places of Pitman. My residence adviserswere really helpful for pointing me in the rightdirection so that when I felt like I just couldn’tconcentrate in my room, I could sneak off toone of those corners to get some work done.

Being surrounded by people in housing canalso be an advantage when it comes to school-work. You’re bound to have classes with some

of your fellow dorm-dwellers. Having a class-mate who lives in the same building meansthat you aren’t all alone, trying to get throughyour fi rst universi ty courses. It’s eas y to swapnotes, brainstorm for assignments and studywith someon e who’s just the next fl oor up.

Sometimes it’s the people that you meet inresidence that can make all the difference.

Which brings us to…

› ROOMMATES HAPPEN Living in residence means that you will prob-ably have a roommate. How much privacy youhave depends on your residence situation. Some

housing setups offer students individual suitescomplete with kitchen and bathroom. Many,

however, require that fi rst-year students sharea room. Either way, it’s important t o know whatyou’re getting into ahead of time.

I didn’t mesh well with my roommates inPitman. I had spent a year living abroad before

ALL ROOMMATE CLASHES SEEM TOSPRING FROM FOUR AREAS: BILLS, FOOD,CLEANING AND NOISE.

“

”

WHICH UNIVERSITIES HAVE THE BEST RESIDENCES AND OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING?

GLOBECAMPUS.CA/NAVIGATOR

Imagine a limestone landscape where world-class scholars, artists

and scientists interact with some o the brightest students rom

Canada and abroad. Imagine all those people being passionate

about what they do, and about making a diference in society.

Visit us at www.queensu.ca




dergraduate survey

most satisfied students

LARGE (Enrolment over 22,000)

University of Western Ontario A

McMaster University A-

University of Waterloo A-

University of Alberta B+

University of British Columbia B+

University of Calgary B+

Concordia University B+

Université Laval B+

University of Manitoba B+

McGill University B+

Université de Montréal B+

University of Ottawa B+

Ryerson University B+

Université du Québec* B

University of Toronto - St. George B

York University C

MEDIUM (Enrolment 12 ,000–22,000)

University of Guelph A+

Queen’s University A

Université de Sherbrooke A

Wilfrid Laurier University A

Brock University A-

Carleton University A-

Memorial University A-

University of Victoria A-

University of Saskatchewan B+

Simon Fraser University B

University of Windsor B-

SMALL (Enrolment 4,000–12,000)

University of the Fraser Valley A

Nipissing University A

St. Francis Xavier University A

University of Lethbridge A-

Mount Saint Vincent University A-

University of New Brunswick A-

University of Ontario Institute of Technology A-

Trent University A-

University of Winnipeg A-

Dalhousie University B+

Lakehead University B+

University of Regina B+

Saint Mary’s University B+

Thompson Rivers University B+

Laurentian University B

University of Toronto - Mississauga BUniversity of Toronto - Scarborough B-

VERY SMALL (Enrolment under 4,000)

Bishop’s University A+

Redeemer University College A+

The King’s University College - Edmonton A+

Trinity Western University A+

Concordia University College of Alberta A

Mount Allison University* A

St. Thomas University A

Vancouver Island University A

Acadia University* A-

University of Northern British Columbia A-

University of Prince Edward Island A-

Brandon University B+

THERESULTSARE IN

A+ = 4.6 and above

A = 4.4

A- = 4.2

B+ = 4.0

B = 3.8

B- = 3.6

C+ = 3.4

C = 3.2

C- = 3.0

D = Less than 3.0

NCE AG

AIN,

CANADA

'S

STUDEN

TS

HAVE SP

OKEN

METHODOLOGYThis year's Canadian University Report refl ects the opinion of more than

38,000 current undergraduate students. The results are derived from answers to

more than 100 questions. A number of strict controls were built into the processhelp ensure that those included in the sample represent Canadian undergraduates.

The data were further weighted to a 60/40 female to male gender split to resemblethe actual undergraduate student population studying at Canadian universities.

A mean score for each university is calculated for each question based on thesponses of students who attend that school. Universities are assigned a letter gradethat matches their mean scores—out of a maximum of 5.0—for each variable. Thetter grading is based on the following grid:

This approach to grading was developed from analyzing the distribution

of mean scores from an index variable, which was developed from an aggregatescore based on each of the measurements of satisfaction about the

university experience examined in the survey. The grid was then appliedto the mean score of responses received from each university, for each variable,

and grades were assigned based on the mean score received. Becausesample sizes are signifi cantly smaller when comparing one university to another,

there may not be statistically signifi cant differences separating universities thatreceive different letter grades, although their mean scores are different.NOTE Slightly fewer responses than our minimum sampling requirement

were received this year for the universities of Quebec, Acadia and Mount Allison.In order to provide our readers with survey information for these three

schools, our charts show their 2008 results.

More than 38,000 undergraduates have given their verdict on 53 universities.With our partners The Strategic Counsel and the Higher Education

Strategy Associates, we present Canada's most comprehensive guide on whatstudents have to say about their place of study.

The charts that follow grade universities across Canada on some of the

most important categories, from quality of education to food to sports facilities.To search and compare the full datab ase of results from over 100 questions in

our survey, go to globecampus.ca/navigator


*20

quality of education student-faculty interaction teaching

LARGE

University of Waterloo A


McGill University A-


Ryerson University A-






Université de Montréal B+

University of Toronto - St. George B+

University of Calgary B


University of Ottawa B

York University B-

MEDIUM

Queen’s University A+

University of Guelph A


Brock University A-



University of Saskatchewan A-

Université de Sherbrooke A-


Simon Fraser University B+

University of Windsor B

SMALL




Dalhousie University A-

Lakehead University A-


Mount St. Vincent University A-



Saint Mary’s University A-

Trent University A-

University of Winnipeg A-

Laurentian University B+



University of Toronto - Mississauga B+University of Toronto - Scarborough B

VERY SMALL


Mount Allison University* A+




Acadia University* A

Concordia University College of Alberta A



Brandon University A-



LARGE


Université du Québec* B+

Ryerson University B+

University of Western Ontario B+

Concordia University B

McMaster University B

Université de Montréal B

University of Waterloo B

University of Alberta B-

University of British Columbia B-

University of Calgary B-

University of Manitoba B-

McGill University C+

University of Ottawa C+

York University C+

University of Toronto - St. George C

MEDIUM


Wilfrid Laurier University A-

Brock University B+

University of Guelph B+

Queen’s University B+

Carleton University B

Memorial University B

University of Saskatchewan B

University of Victoria B

Simon Fraser University B-


SMALL

University of the Fraser Valley A+

Mount St. Vincent University A



University of Winnipeg A

Lakehead University A-


Thompson Rivers University A-

Trent University A-



University of New Brunswick B+


Dalhousie University B

University of Regina B

University of Toronto - Mississauga B-University of Toronto - Scarborough C+

VERY SMALL


Concordia University College of Alberta A+






Brandon University A





LARGE

University of Western Ontario

Concordia University

Université Laval

McGill University

McMaster University

Université de Montréal

Ryerson University

University of Toronto - St. George

University of Waterloo

University of Alberta

University of British Columbia

University of Calgary

University of Manitoba

University of Ottawa

Université du Québec*

York University

MEDIUM

Brock University

University of Guelph

Queen’s University

Wilfrid Laurier University

Carleton University

Memorial University

University of Saskatchewan

Université de Sherbrooke

Simon Fraser University

University of Victoria

University of Windsor

SMALL

University of the Fraser Valley

Mount St. Vincent University

University of Lethbridge

Nipissing University

University of Ontario Institute of Technol

St. Francis Xavier University

Trent University

University of Winnipeg

Dalhousie University

Lakehead University

University of New Brunswick

Saint Mary’s University

University of Toronto - Mississauga

University of Toronto - Scarborough

Laurentian University

University of ReginaThompson Rivers University

VERY SMALL

The King’s University College - Edmonton

Trinity Western University

Bishop’s University

Concordia University College of Alberta

Mount Allison University*

Redeemer University College

St. Thomas University

Acadia University*

Brandon University

University of Prince Edward Island

Vancouver Island University

University of Northern British Columbia



e results


c our se av ai la bi li ty/va ri et y c la ss s iz e ease of course registration


versity of Western Ontario A-

versity of Waterloo B+

versity of Alberta B

versity of British Columbia B

versity of Calgary B

cordia University B

versity of Manitoba B

Gill University B

versity of Toronto - St. George B

versité Laval B-

Master University B-

versité de Montréal B-

versity of Ottawa B-

rson University B-

k University B-

versité du Québec*C+


versity of Guelph B+

een’s University B+

ck University B

eton University B

morial University B

versity of Saskatchewan B

versité de Sherbrooke B

versity of Victoria B

rid Laurier University B-

versity of Windsor C+

on Fraser University C


versity of the Fraser Valley B+

housie University B

versity of New Brunswick B

Francis Xavier University B

ehead University B-

versity of Lethbridge B-

unt St. Vincent University B-

ssing University B-

versity of Ontario Institute of Technology B-

versity of Regina B-

t Mary’s University B-

mpson Rivers University B-

nt University B-

versity of Winnipeg B-

rentian University C+

versity of Toronto - MississaugaC+

versity of Toronto - Scarborough C+


ity Western University B+

dia University* B

eemer University College B

Thomas University B

King’s University College - Edmonton B

couver Island University B

op’s University B-

ndon University B-

unt Allison University* B-

versity of Northern British Columbia B-

versity of Prince Edward Island B-

cordia University College of Alberta C+

LARGE

Ryerson University A-




University of Western Ontario B


Université Laval B-


McMaster University B-

York University B-

University of Alberta C+

University of Calgary C+

McGill University C+

Université de Montréal C+


University of Toronto - St. GeorgeC-

MEDIUM


Brock University A-


Memorial University B+

Queen’s University B+

University of Victoria B+


University of Guelph B




SMALL

University of the Fraser Valley A+

Mount St. Vincent University A+

Nipissing University A+

St. Francis Xavier University A+

University of Winnipeg A+

Lakehead University A

Laurentian University A

University of Lethbridge A

University of Ontario Institute of Technology A

Thompson Rivers University A

Trent University A


University of Regina A-



University of Toronto - MississaugaB-

University of Toronto - Scarborough B-

VERY SMALL

Acadia University* A+


Brandon University A+

Concordia University College of Alberta A+


University of Northern British Columbia A+


St. Thomas University A+



Vancouver Island University A+

University of Prince Edward Island A

LARGE

Université Laval A-

Université de Montréal A-

Université du Québec* A-




University of Waterloo B+

University of Western Ontario B+

McGill University B


University of Ottawa B-

Ryerson University B-

University of Toronto - St. George B-

York University B-

University of Calgary C+

McMaster UniversityC+

MEDIUM





Brock University B


Queen’s University B-


University of Victoria B-

Wilfrid Laurier University B-


SMALL







Mount St. Vincent University B+

Nipissing University B+

St. Francis Xavier University B+


Trent University B+


Lakehead University B

Saint Mary’s University B

University of Toronto - Mississauga B

University of Toronto - ScarboroughB

University of Winnipeg B-

VERY SMALL


Brandon University A

University of Northern British Columbia A

Redeemer University College A



The King’s University College - Edmonton A-

Acadia University* B+

Bishop’s University B+

Concordia University College of Alberta B+

St. Thomas University B+

Mount Allison University* B-

GLOBECAMPUS.CA

student services food services

LARGE

University of Western Ontario A-


McMaster University B+



University of Alberta B



University of Manitoba B

McGill University B






York UniversityC+

MEDIUM

University of Guelph A-

Queen’s University A-


Brock University B+

Carleton University B+

Wilfrid Laurier University B+





University of Windsor C+

SMALL

University of the Fraser Valley B+


St. Francis Xavier University B+



University of Lethbridge B

Mount St. Vincent University B

University of New Brunswick B

University of Ontario Institute of Technology B


University of Winnipeg B

Laurentian University B-

University of Regina B-

Thompson Rivers University B-

University of Toronto - Mississauga B-


Trent University B-

VERY SMALL

Redeemer University College A-


Trinity Western University A-

Bishop’s University B+

Mount Allison University* B+

University of Northern British Columbia B+

University of Prince Edward Island B+


Vancouver Island University B+

Acadia University* B

Brandon University B

Concordia University College of Alberta B

LARGE

Université du Québec* B-

University of Western Ontario B-

Université Laval C+

McMaster University C+


University of British Columbia C

University of Calgary C

Concordia University C

University of Manitoba C

Ryerson University C

University of Waterloo C

University of Alberta C-

McGill University C-

York University C-

University of Ottawa D

University of Toronto - St. GeorgeD

MEDIUM

University of Guelph A

Carleton University C+

Queen’s University C+

University of Saskatchewan C+

University of Victoria C+

Memorial University C

Université de Sherbrooke C

Brock University C-

Wilfrid Laurier University C-

Simon Fraser University D

University of Windsor D

SMALL

Nipissing University C

Thompson Rivers University C

University of the Fraser Valley C-

University of Lethbridge C-

University of Regina C-

St. Francis Xavier University C-

Saint Mary’s University C-

Dalhousie University D

Lakehead University D

Laurentian University D

Mount St. Vincent University D

University of New Brunswick D

University of Ontario Institute of Technology D

University of Toronto - Mississauga D

University of Toronto - Scarborough D

Trent University D

University of Winnipeg D

VERY SMALL


Mount Allison University* B

Redeemer University College C+

Vancouver Island University C+

University of Northern British Columbia C

University of Prince Edward Island C-

St. Thomas University C-

Acadia University* D

Bishop’s University D

Brandon University D

Concordia University College of Alberta D

Trinity Western University D

*2008 DATA

GETMOR

More courses, more options, mor

ITSMYFUTU



he results

GLOBECAMPUS.CA CANADIAN UNIVERSITY REPORT 2010

r ec re at io n a nd a th le ti cs b ui ld in gs a nd f ac il it ie s s tu de nt r es id en ce s


versity of Western Ontario A+

versity of Calgary A-

versité Laval A-

Gill University A-

Master University A-

versité de Montréal B+

versity of Ottawa B+

versité du Québec* B+

versity of Toronto - St. George B+

versity of British Columbia B

ncordia University B

versity of Manitoba B

versity of Waterloo B

k University B

versity of Alberta B-

erson University B-

MEDIUM (Enrolment 12,000 –22,000)

ock University A-

leton University A-

versity of Guelph A-

versity of Saskatchewan A-

versité de Sherbrooke A-

frid Laurier University A-

morial University B+

mon Fraser University B+

versity of Victoria B

versity of Windsor B

een’s University B-


versity of Toronto - Mississauga A

urentian University A-

versity of Lethbridge A-

versity of Ontario Institute of Technology A-

versity of Winnipeg A-

versity of Regina B+

nt Mary’s University B+

kehead University B

versity of the Fraser Valley B

versity of New Brunswick B

pissing University B

Francis Xavier University B

versity of Toronto - Scarborough B

housie University B-

ompson Rivers University B-

unt St. Vincent UniversityC+

nt University C+


versity of Northern British Columbia A

unt Allison University* A-

versity of Prince Edward Island A-

e King’s University College - Edmonton A-

Thomas University B+

nity Western University B+

ncouver Island University B+

hop’s University B

deemer University College B

adia University* B-

ndon University B-

ncordia University College of Alberta C

LARGE


McGill University B+

McMaster University B+

University of British Columbia B






Concordia University B-

Université Laval B-



York University B-

University of Manitoba C+


MEDIUM



Brock University B+

Carleton University B+


Université de Sherbrooke B+



Memorial University B-

Simon Fraser University C+


SMALL



University of Lethbridge B+




St. Francis Xavier University B

Dalhousie University B-


Mount St. Vincent University B-

University of New Brunswick B-



Trent University B-

University of Winnipeg C+

Lakehead UniversityC

University of Toronto - Scarborough C

VERY SMALL

Redeemer University College A

Bishop’s University A-

Mount Allison University* A-


St. Thomas University A-


Acadia University* B+

University of Prince Edward Island B+

Vancouver Island University B+



Trinity Western University B

LARGE

University of Western Ontario A-


McGill University B





Concordia University C+

University of Manitoba C+


University of Calgary C

Université Laval C

Université de Montréal C

Ryerson University C

York University C-

University of Alberta D

MEDIUM

Brock University B


Queen’s University B

Wilfrid Laurier University B

Carleton University B-

Université de Sherbrooke C+


Memorial University C-

University of Saskatchewan C-

Simon Fraser University C-

University of Windsor C-

SMALL






St. Francis Xavier University B-


University of the Fraser Valley C+

Thompson Rivers University C+

Trent University C+

Lakehead University C

University of Lethbridge C

Mount St. Vincent University C

University of New Brunswick C

Saint Mary’s University C

University of WinnipegC

University of Toronto - Scarborough C-

VERY SMALL





Bishop’s University B

University of Prince Edward Island B

St. Thomas University B-

Trinity Western University B-

Vancouver Island University B-

Brandon University C-

University of Northern British Columbia C-

Concordia University College of Alberta D GLOBECAMPUS.CA

campus pubs/bars libraries

LARGE









McMaster University B-


University of Alberta C+


Ryerson University C+

York University C+

McGill University C

University of Toronto - St. GeorgeC

MEDIUM

Queen’s University A

Brock University B+





University of Saskatchewan B-



Université de Sherbrooke C-

Simon Fraser University C-

SMALL




University of New Brunswick B+


University of Regina B

Dalhousie University B-


St. Francis Xavier University B-

Mount St. Vincent University C+

Trent University C+

University of the Fraser Valley C

University of Lethbridge C

Thompson Rivers University C

University of Toronto - Mississauga C-

University of Toronto - Scarborough D

University of Winnipeg D

VERY SMALL



University of Northern British Columbia B+

Acadia University* B


Mount Allison University* B

University of Prince Edward Island B-


Concordia University College of Alberta D

Redeemer University College D

The King’s University College - Edmonton D

Trinity Western University D

LARGE

McGill University A

University of Toronto - St. George A


University of Alberta A-

University of Calgary A-










Ryerson University B

York UniversityB

MEDIUM








Brock University B+

Simon Fraser University B+


University of Windsor B+

SMALL

Laurentian University A-

University of the Fraser Valley A-






Mount St. Vincent University B+


University of Toronto - Mississauga B+

University of Winnipeg B+



University of Toronto - Scarborough B

Trent University B

Nipissing University B-


VERY SMALL


The King’s University College - Edmonton A




Concordia University College of Alberta A-




Redeemer University College A-


Vancouver Island University A-

*2008 DATA

DOMOR


ITSMYFU



he results


campus technology campus atmosphere career preparation


cGill University A

cMaster University A-

erson University A-

niversity of Western Ontario A-

niversity of Alberta B+

niversity of British Columbia B+

niversity of Toronto - St. George B+

niversity of Waterloo B+

niversity of Calgary B

ncordia University B

niversité Laval B

niversity of Manitoba B

niversity of Ottawa B

niversité du Québec* B

rk University B

niversité de MontréalB-


niversity of Guelph A

ueen’s University A

niversity of Saskatchewan A-

niversité de Sherbrooke A-

niversity of Victoria A-

ock University B+

rleton University B+

mon Fraser University B+

niversity of Windsor B+

emorial University B

lfrid Laurier University B


Francis Xavier University A

niversity of Ontario Institute of Technology A

niversity of the Fraser Valley A-

niversity of Lethbridge A-

niversity of New Brunswick A-

lhousie University B+

nt Mary’s University B+

ompson Rivers University B+

niversity of Toronto - Mississauga B+

urentian University B

niversity of Regina B

niversity of Winnipeg B

ount St. Vincent University B-

pissing University B-

niversity of Toronto - Scarborough B-

ent University B-

kehead University C


adia University* A

ount Allison University* A

hop’s University A-

ncordia University College of Alberta A-

Thomas University A-

nity Western University A-

niversity of Prince Edward Island B+

deemer University College B+

e King’s University College - Edmonton B+

ncouver Island University B+

andon University B

niversity of Northern British Columbia B

LARGE

University of Western Ontario A+

McMaster University A

University of British Columbia A-


McGill University A-











York UniversityB-

MEDIUM

University of Guelph A+



University of Victoria A


Brock University A-



Memorial University B+



SMALL



University of the Fraser Valley A-

Mount St. Vincent University A-



Trent University A-



University of Lethbridge B+






University of Toronto - Mississauga B


VERY SMALL






University of Northern British Columbia A


The King’s University College - Edmonton A


Concordia University College of Alberta A-


Vancouver Island University A-

LARGE


Université Laval B

McGill University B








Université de Montréal B-


Concordia University C+


University of Toronto - St. George C+

York UniversityC-

MEDIUM







Brock University B-

University of Saskatchewan B-


University of Victoria B-

University of Windsor C

SMALL





Nipissing University B



Lakehead University B-

University of New Brunswick B-


Saint Mary’s University B-


Trent University B-

University of Winnipeg B-

Laurentian University C+


University of Toronto - Scarborough C+

VERY SMALL


Redeemer University College B+

The King’s University College - Edmonton B+


Acadia University* B-

Bishop’s University B-

Brandon University B-

Mount Allison University* B-

University of Northern British Columbia B-

University of Prince Edward Island B-


St. Thomas University C+

GLOBECAMPUS.CA

academic reputation environmental commitment

LARGE

McGill University A+

University of Waterloo A+

University of Toronto - St. George A


University of British Columbia A-











York UniversityC

MEDIUM









Simon Fraser University B

Brock University B-

University of Windsor C

SMALL

Dalhousie University A-

St. Francis Xavier University A-

University of Toronto - Mississauga A-


University of Toronto - Scarborough B+




University of New Brunswick B

Nipissing University B



Lakehead University B-

Trent University B-

Laurentian University C+

University of Regina C+


VERY SMALL





Concordia University College of Alberta B+





University of Northern British Columbia B

University of Prince Edward Island B

Vancouver Island University B

LARGE


University of British Columbia B


University of Western Ontario B-

Université Laval C+

McGill University C

McMaster University C

University of Toronto - St. George C

University of Waterloo C

University of Alberta C-

University of Calgary C-

University of Manitoba C-

Université de Montréal C-

University of Ottawa C-

Ryerson University C-

York UniversityC-

MEDIUM




Queen’s University C+

Simon Fraser University C

University of Saskatchewan C

Brock University C

Carleton University C-

University of Windsor C-

Memorial University D

Wilfrid Laurier University D

SMALL

Trent University B

University of Winnipeg B

University of Ontario Institute of Technology B-

Saint Mary’s University B-


Dalhousie University C+

University of the Fraser Valley C

Lakehead University C

University of Toronto - Scarborough C

University of Lethbridge C-

Mount St. Vincent University C-

Nipissing University C-

St. Francis Xavier University C-

Thompson Rivers University C-

Laurentian University D

University of New Brunswick D

University of Regina D

VERY SMALL





University of Northern British Columbia B

The King’s University College - Edmonton B

University of Prince Edward Island C+

Trinity Western University C+

Vancouver Island University C+

Brandon University C-

Concordia University College of Alberta C-

St. Thomas University C-

*2008 DATA

BEMOR


ITSMYFUT

With an innovative approa

rst-year studies and more s

or students, the Univer

o Manitoba ofers endl

possibilities. There’s no lim

where you can go rom h



GLOBECAMPUS.CA

he big question

2 CANADIAN UNIVERSITY REPORT 2010 GLOBECAMPUS.CA

JOEL TICHINOFF / 4TH-YEAR /

CLASSICS /

UNIVERSITY OF KING’S COLLEGE

You'll never have the same

opportunity to discover new

terests and passions than when

you're a university student.

Campus is full of sports, clubs

nd student societies—the more

ou expose yourself to, the more

warding your time at university.

Don’t let this moment

pass you by.

KEVIN SCHULZ / 3RD-YEAR, POLITICAL

STUDIES / UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA

My fi rst year of university was

great and I will always hold

fond memories of it because I

had a lot of fun. But I had too

much fun. It was not until later

that I realized my university

education was not a right, but

rather a privilege and

an obligation.

ELEN HSU / 3RD-YEAR / COGNITIVE

SCIENCE / MCGILL UNIVERSITY

ou meet new people and no one

tells you when to go home, and

ou can poison your liver to your

heart’s desire. It’s easy to start

partying and lose sight of why

you're here. The other side of

ndependence is that no one will

tell you when to study or clean

p for you or wake you up for that

exam. You have to remember

to be responsible for yourself.

HILARY BEAUMONT / 4TH-YEAR /

UNIVERSITY OF KING’S COLLEGE

If only I had known then whatI know now: Jobs in journalism

are being cut, not created.And this is also true for otherindustries. The job market is

bleak and competitive, say my

newly-graduated pals. Onegrad landed a summer gig

babysitting. But I’ll stick with[journalism] because it’s

what I chose to do.

JENNY MITCHELL / 2ND-YEAR /

BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES /

UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO

Shy people like myself have to

push past their comfort zone

and reach out to other people.

Don’t be afraid to put yourself out

there. Otherwise you’ll be very

lonely during your cr ucial fi rst

year. Labs and tutorials are great

places to meet people, because

you’re all going through the same

new and scary experiences.

MATTHEW RITCHIE / 4TH-YEAR /

ENGLISH / DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY

I wish I’d known to buy a pair of

earplugs. One thing you notice

when you’re 17 and living in

residence is that it seems like

everyone is there to hook up.

Roommates can bring home

random strangers at 2 a.m. With

raging libidos and no parents

around, earplugs are essential

if you have a roommate. Don’t

leave home without them.

IAN WYLIE / 2ND-YEAR /

PEACE AND CONFLICT STUDIES /

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

First year had a steep learning

curve. Each week brought new

challenges and I always felt

behind the ball. My course load

wasn’t huge but combined with

extracurricular work, I had no

time to relax. To ease the pressure

I could have taken four courses

instead of fi ve. I ended up with

few friends and a nervous tic.

VICKY TOBIANAH / 3RD-YEAR /

POLITICAL SCIENCE AND ENGLISH

LITERATURE / MCGILL UNIVERSITY

I didn’t even know what

“medical anthropology” meant,

but I wanted to take that

course. University is a time for

exploration but practicality must

come into play as well. That

medical anthropology class?

I don’t remember a thing.

It started at 8:30 a.m. and

I’m not a morning person.

We asked these seniors one question:What do

you wish you’d

known as a

freshman?

IF ONLY I’D KNOWN...

www.uoguelph.ca

At the top of the classIsdin Oke and Lauren Wallace were named two of

Canada’s “Top 20 Under 20” in the Globe

and Mail — a remarkable achievement. Both are

also President’s Scholars at U of G —

another remarkable achievement.

Isdin is a Canadian National Brain Beeand a Pascal math winner; Lauren led a

climb to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro

to raise funds and awareness for an

AIDS clinic in Africa.

The University of Guelph is cultivating

the next generation of great thinkers

and doers who will lead the way in

Changing Lives andImproving Life.

Join us.

At the University of Guelph...

Student Achievement

Matters!



NOT YOUR

AVERAGEUNIVERSITY.

NOT YOURAVERAGE

STUDENTS.START HERE. GO ANYWHERE.

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