Going Higher Promotes Sustainability
The University of Victoria is adding a new student residence building to a busy capital program. A 106-unit, seven-storey building will break ground in June to meet the university’s promise of a residence place for every entering high school student. The design meets a key Campus Plan direction of more floor space within a smaller building footprint, to minimize environmental impacts. It is expected to meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold certification level. Other projects include the Enterprise Data Centre, a new computing facility, and First Peoples House, also targeted for LEED gold certification. – University of Victoria
OUTSOURCING TREND FOR UNIVERSITY E-MAIL
A non-profit higher education consortium in the United States has detected a sharp jump in the number of universities choosing to outsource their e-mail systems to companies such as Google and Microsoft. According to a study by Educause, nearly 20 per cent of the senior IT leaders surveyed said commercial providers now host their primary student e-mail systems. That’s not the case with faculty and staff email where 2.3 per cent of primary systems are hosted commercially, in part because of concern over confidentiality. Check net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/EKF/EKF0902.pdf
– Chronicle of Higher Education
SFU LAUNCHES NEW FACULTIES
Simon Fraser University has launched three new faculties after realigning departments and programs into new groupings. The new Faculty of Environment brings together the School of Resource and Environmental Management, geography department, Centre for Sustainable Community Development, environmental science program, and graduate certificate program in development studies. The new Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology combines the School of Communication, School for the Contemporary Arts, School of Interactive Arts and Technology, and the masters of publishing and TechOne programs. And the new Faculty of Applied Sciences includes the School of Computing Science and School of Engineering Science. The former School of Kinesiology has moved to the Faculty of Science and become the department of biomedical physiology and kinesiology. www.sfu.ca/vpacademic/Current_Initiatives/FSI/
– Simon Fraser University News
WINNIPEG SEEKS EMPLOYEE CONCESSIONS
The University of Winnipeg is asking employees for millions of dollars in voluntary concessions to make up a budget shortfall. President Lloyd Axworthy said he wants to avoid layoffs. Management has given up three to 10 per cent — some by reducing pay, others by donating to scholarship funds or passing up wage increases or increments. Axworthy has taken a 10-per-cent pay cut. Some of the problem stems from a market crash that has left endowment funds short. However the greatest problem may stem from a court ruling on the withdrawal of surplus pension funds in 2001. The funds – believed to be about $6 million.
– Winnipeg Free Press NANOTECHNOLOGY UNDER REGULATORY MICROSCOPE
Europe is wrestling with significant policy differences over the development of nanotechnology, pitting many industry university researchers against environmentalists and allied scientists. Governments are struggling to find their regulatory role and whether to delay commercialization. A report by Britain’s Institute of Nanotechnology and others confirms a growing gulf between environmental/consumer groups seeking a more precautionary approach and industrial groups who argue existing laws are adequate. The European Food Safety Authority recently warned about risks involved in incorporating these ultra-small particles in food and drink packaging and is calling for new test methods to assess the toxicity in foods. The European Parliament has passed amendments forcing food manufacturers to state on packaging if products contain nanoparticles.
– University World News