CONTENTS
Introduction
Report on Activities Focus on Issues Government Relations
NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2011
IN THIS ISSUE
Teaching-Stream Faculty Government Relations at Humber (HEQCO) (p.4)
The Postsecondary With the goal of supporting Humber’s vision of ‘excellence in polytechnic Landscape (CCL) (p.4) education,’ our activities focus on maximizing Humber’s opportunities to Value of University Degrees align with government priorities and access government programs. (COU) (p. 4)
Teaching & Learning in Large Through relationship building at the political and bureaucratic levels of Classes (HEQCO) (p. 4) government we aim to keep Humber fresh in the collective political mind. These external government relations activities ensure that we benefit Underrepresented Groups from a clear understanding of governmental priorities. Keeping our ear (Statistics Canada) (p.5) to the ground at Queen’s Park and at the federal level can act as an ‘early The Role of Student Services warning system’ and alert the college to changes in policy and program (HEQCO) (p.5) approaches.
Advanced Skills Shortage (ACCC) (p.5) In addition to ongoing contact with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) and other key provincial ministries, we liaise with Public Opinion on Postsec- organizations such as Colleges Ontario, Polytechnics Canada, the Greater ondary (CAUT) (p. 6) Toronto Marketing Alliance, the Association of Canadian Community Immigrant Labour Market Colleges (ACCC), the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO), Outcomes (RBC) (p.6) as well as staff and elected representatives at the federal, provincial and
municipal levels of government.
Equally important is the internally-facing component of our work, which promotes information-sharing, dialogue, and alignment of key government relations messages within Humber. CONTACT US
Ruth MacKay, Director Our unit is available to provide advice and analysis related to government Planning & Government priorities and processes, and to support Humber interactions with all levels Relations of government. We work with other departments on campus to maintain an Ext 4630 integrated approach to government relations. [email protected]
Jean Biers, Manager We also maintain an up-to-date list of government contacts at all three levels. Planning & Government Please contact us for current mail/email addresses or phone numbers. Relations Ext 5132 [email protected]
Find us in Planning & Development B302, North Campus PAGE 2 Key Events and GR Activities This section of the newsletter provides details DECEMBER 2011 of government relations events Provincial Energy Minister Chris Bentley visited Humber’s Sustainable Energy and and activities Building Technology program to speak with students and hear from graduates of the organized by program. The Minister’s visit was an opportunity to meet the next generation of and/or trained and highly-skilled workers in the clean energy industry. participated in by the unit.
NOVEMBER 2011
Attended the 2011 Higher Education Summit held by Colleges Ontario; guests speakers included the Hon. Paul Martin, Margaret Trudeau, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Minister Glen Murray of Training, Colleges and Universities was also in attendance to address the conference. Humber music students provided entertainment at the Premier’s Awards, hosted by Colleges Ontario and attended by award winners, Ontario college presidents and board members, and representatives of the Government of Ontario. Humber graduate Rahul Singh was the winner of the 2011 Premier’s Award in the Health Sci- ences category Attended meetings with MPPs during College Day at Queen’s Park; Humber Hospitality students showcased their culinary talents at the Queen’s Park MPP reception hosted by Colleges Ontario and attended by college presidents and board chairs, Queen’s Park staff and MPPs as well as the Hon. Glen Murray, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities.
On November 25 Humber officially opened the Lakeshore Commons (Building L) at the Lakeshore Campus. The event was attended by Education Minister and MPP for Etobicoke-Lakeshore, Laurel Broten, MP Etobicoke-Lakeshore Bernard Trottier, Humber’s Board of Governors, Lakeshore community representatives, and Humber staff and students. Humber’s music students showcased their talents during the GOVERNMENT opening, and media students had the opportunity to cover the event. RELATIONS Key Events and GR Activities PAGE 3
Left: MP Etobicoke- Lakeshore, Bernard Trottier
Right: Lakeshore Commons Open Learning cen- tre reception
Left: MPP Laurel Broten, Minister of Education
Right: John Davies, MPP Laurel Broten, MP Bernard Trottier, Bryan Tran
Deputy Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HSRDC) Ian Shugart visited Humber’s North and Lakeshore Campuses to tour the facilities, including the Centre for Trades & Technology and the School of Media Studies’ high end digital training facility. The Deputy Minister also had the opportunity to meet with students during a roundtable to discuss ’life after university’ and the search for a professional career
Left to Right: John Davies, President; Elaine Popp, Focus group with 20 postgraduate certificate Associate Dean; Ian Shugart, Deputy Minister; Joe students representing the Business School, School Tomona, Associate Dean; Ruth MacKay, Director of HRT, and School of Media Studies & IT
OCTOBER 2011
Compiled annual report-back for Humber’s Multi-Year Accountability Agreement and submitted (with Board of Governors’ approval) to the MTCU using a revised, online, template for the 2010-11 year. Etobicoke-Lakeshore MP, Bernard Trottier, visited Humber’s Lakeshore Campus to meet with President John Davies, VP Finance & Administration Rani Dhaliwal, and Lakeshore
Principal Pam Hanft. The tour included the Lakeshore Cottages, the Fashion Institute, the GOVERNMENT Humber Arts & Media Studio, and Building B. RELATIONS PAGE 4 Focus On Issues
This section of the newsletter Teaching-Stream Faculty in Ontario Universities highlights (HEQCO, 2011) topics related In Ontario, as in many parts of the world, rising enrolments, reduced per-student funding and a to growing focus on educational quality are putting pressures on higher education. One approach postsecondary to handle these added pressures has been the advent of teaching-stream faculty, who focus education that solely on teaching and teaching-related activities. This report, commissioned by the Higher are particularly Education Quality Council of Ontario, explores teaching-stream faculty and its role in the univer- relevant or sity setting. timely. The full report can be found online at:http://heqco.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/Teaching- Stream%20Faculty%20in%20Ontario%20Universities.pdf
What is the Future of Learning in Canada? (Canadian Council on Learning, 2011) Before the Canadian Council on Learning (CCL) shuts its doors, it created one of its final reports in October 2011 statins the strengths and weaknesses of the post-secondary landscape in Can- ada compared to the other OECD countries. CCL paints a sobering picture for Early Childhood Education, Kindergarten to Grade 12, Post-Secondary Education, Adult Learning and Workplace Training, and Aboriginal Learning. The report also discusses the implications that are associat- ed with CCL closing its doors as well as the importance for more intergovernmental collabora- tions. The final report can be found online at:http://www.ccl-cca.ca/pdfs/CEOCorner/2010-10- 11WhatistheFutureofLearninginCanada.pdf
Ensuring the Value of University Degrees in Ontario (Council of Ontario Universities, 2011) According to a report on new approaches to quality assurance in Canadian postsecondary, On- tario universities are at the forefront to ensure that students, employers and universities in oth- er jurisdictions know what skills, knowledge and understanding students have gained from their programs. The report explains how universities define degree level expectations – the intellec- tual and creative development that students will acquire from a particular degree, and how the- se expectations are integrated into curriculum and the learning outcomes of specific courses. The entire report can be found online at:http://www.cou.on.ca/issues-resources/student- resources/publications/reports/pdfs/ensuring-the-value-of-university-degrees-in-ontari.aspx
Teaching and Learning in Large Classes at Ontario Universities: An Exploratory Study (HEQCO, December 2011) This study explores the challenges of maintaining teaching and learning quality in the classroom as Ontario universities experience unprecedented pressures in student enrolment increases. It was found that faculty are seeking and implementing creative ways to adapt their teaching ap- proaches, while remaining in their previous resource limits. What increased classes sizes do require are additional human resources in terms of training and committed teaching support personnel. This study identified and highlighted innovative approaches to teaching large class sizes was included in the report, with evaluations and assessments of these actions is still need- ed. The full article can be found online at: http://www.heqco.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/ Teaching%20and%20Learning%20in%20Large%20Classes%20ENG.pdf Focus On Issues PAGE 5
PSE Participation Among Under-Represented and Minority Groups (Statistics Canada, December 2011) A summary of key findings on the characteristics of under-represented youth in the PSE stu- dent population identifies the factors that play a role in the decision to pursue higher educa- tion. Looking at lower-income youth, first generation youth, rural youth, children of immi- grants, single parent households, and Aboriginal youth, this study found several risk indica- tors for postsecondary participation, the single most important determinant being that of pa- rental education. The full study can be found online at:http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/81-004-x/2011004/ article/11595-eng.htm
Supporting Student Success: The Role of Student Services within Ontario’s Postsecondary Institutions (HEQCO, November 2011) The aim of this study was to understand in more depth the scope of student affairs and ser- vices at Colleges and Universities across Canada, and determine formal organizational struc- tures of these divisions across the country. Student affairs and services staff were also in- cluded in the analysis to share their perspectives and perceptions regarding organizational culture and structure (student-focused or institution-focused). The study determined that there was little consistency across institutions with respect to titles and portfolios, and the way staff perceive the organizational culture of their institution was related to their percep- tions of the institution’s approach of supporting students. The full study can be found online at: http://www.heqco.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/ Supporting%20Student%20SuccessENG.pdf
Educated Solutions: The Student Affordability Issue (Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, December 2011) This issue of the OUSA Educated Solutions magazine features a forward by Premier Dalton McGuinty, along with feature articles on affordability by Dr. Harvey Weingarten (President & CEO of HEQCO) and Joseph Berger (Director of Business Development and Communications at Higher Education Strategy Associates). The magazine highlights the importance of postsecondary affordability and the issues associated with tuition, financial sustainability, as- sistance and textbook costs. The full magazine can be found online at: http://www.ousa.ca/newsroom/educated-solutions -magazine/
Strategy for Advanced Skills Shortage (Association of Canadian Community Colleges, September 2011) Addressed to the House of Commons Finance Committee, ACCC recommended an action plan to help achieve a sustained economic recovery and create quality sustainable jobs. The or- ganization’s proposed measures include support for post-secondary education (PSE), applied research partnerships and improved educational outcomes for marginalized populations. The finance brief can be found online at: http://www.accc.ca/ftp/briefs- memoires/201108_FinanceBrief.pdf PAGE 6 Focus On Issues
What Have Our Students Learned? (University Affairs, October 2011) In the Columns and Opinions section of the University Affairs website, HEQCO President and CEO Harvey Weingarten looks closely at the value of higher education and what we are getting for the investment. The article focuses on the fact that while institutions claim to train students to be effective communicators, problem solvers and critical thinkers— skills that employers desire in their employees— most postsecondary lacks the evidence and measurements to determine whether these critical job and life skills are being achieved. The full column can be found online at: http://www.universityaffairs.ca/what-have-our-students- learned.aspx
Public Opinion and Post-Secondary Education (Canadian Association of University Teachers, November 2011) A recent decimal survey conducted by the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) has found that Canadians are placing greater emphasis on the need for postsecondary education to be accessible. With a sample population of 2,000, the survey revealed that Canadians believe the federal government is not doing enough to ensure everyone has a chance to attend postsecondary, and should focus on lowering student fees and debt. The survey also asked questions pertaining to the importance of PSE, student debt, quality, and PSE sector earnings. The full survey analysis can be found online at: http://www.caut.ca/uploads/DecimaSummary_Fall2011.pdf
Immigrant Labour Market Outcomes in Canada: The Benefits of Addressing Wage and Employment Gaps (RBC Economics, December 2011) A report commissioned by the RBC aimed to estimate the size of the aggregate immigrant earnings gap, despite having higher education levels than the general Canadian population. The report found that if im- migrants’ skills and training were rewarded in a manner similar to their Canadian-born counterparts, immi- grants would see an increase of $30.7 billion in their incomes, or approximately 2.1% of GDP in 2006. With unemployment rates and earnings gaps among immigrants growing amidst increased educational levels, there is substantial room for improvement in credential recognition and language training. The full report can be found online at: http://www.rbc.com/newsroom/pdf/1219-2011-immigration.pdf