Comments for dcfa.ca

Comment on Six Month Moratorium on Drilling for Degrees by Sandra Hochstein

Sandra Hochstein — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:19:30 +0000

“A statement sent on Aug. 5 from assistant deputy minister Mark Zacharia explains that the moratorium will “give the ministry an opportunity to clarify issues related to system co-ordination, linkages to labour market demand and forecasting, and to ensure government and post-secondary institutions work in partnership to collectively achieve public policy goals.”

The letter mentioned possible exceptions to the moratorium for degree applications in government-identified priority areas. Though these areas were not defined, Vince Cournoyer, public affairs officer for the Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development, said decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Priority areas could include those identified in the ministry’s service plan, those identified by the Ministry of Health Services or those mentioned in a speech from the throne.”

This Surrey Now (Aug 24) article goes on to discuss the implications for Kwantlen and the government’s possible motives. Some experts speculate that the review will result in tighter government regulation of degree programs offered by the new special purpose teaching universities, as permitted by the University Act.

Comment on English Department Support for the Learning Centre by Patti Romanko

Patti Romanko — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:40:59 +0000

Many of you are familiar with the PaperWERKS program, a collaboration between the Learning Centre, the Library and CEIT. It is regarded as a model of integrated student support in educational institutions across the province, and has been showcased at international meetings of professional librarians. In 2009/10, PaperWERKS saw a 15% increase in student attendance at these drop-in writing, research and ed tech sessions over the previous year. This is not a remedial program. More than 550 student visits were recorded, half of which were from students in LLPA and HSS. For the first time since PaperWERKS began in 2004, we had to turn students away because the demand was greater than the resources available. We are now in a position where the continuation of this program is in jeopardy, since tutors will now be doing the clerical work that was previously done by the receptionist whose position has been cut. I am dismayed that such a successful and necessary student support service is being undermined in this way. “Creating the best student experience” indeed.

Comment on DCFA Annual General Meeting by Peter Wilkins

Peter Wilkins — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 22:50:24 +0000

Thanks everyone for coming to today’s AGM!

Comment on Friday Poll: Who Needs a Dean? by Liz McCausland

Liz McCausland — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:30:02 +0000

I hope people are at least getting their OWN Faculty right. I wonder how Deans Borgford and Buller are feeling, and if Jan Carrie is wondering whether she is welcome “home” to CFCS.

Comment on Digital Daze = Analogue Days by David N. Wright by Tad McIlwraith

Tad McIlwraith — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 06:00:19 +0000

Couldn’t agree more, David. As an active blogger since 2005, follower of over 300 feeds in bloglines and google reader, a regular user of twitter and facebook, I’ve learned to unplug regularly too. It’s part of how I maintain my sanity. And, frankly, it’s an important part of my ‘workflow’ which includes note-taking by hand and the reading of books in their physical form. Margin notes anyone? With real sticky notes? (I’ll even spend some of my Olympic Break in the BC Archives in Victoria. They only allow pencils. No pens!)

But, beyond unplugging, I also realized a long time ago that I couldn’t follow everything that was available to me in the digital world. Perhaps what I like most about twitter is that there is no expectation, no possibility, of acknowledging every tweet. I do watch the tweets of some closely – and twitter lists are great for that – but for the most part twitter becomes a place to visit, engage, and then leave and forget. This is part of the reason I have avoided picking up a smart phone. I don’t need to be ‘always on.’

So, to your call to embrace the analogue, I add the value of turning it all off. Besides, it’s easier to rant when you know your audience isn’t distracted.

(PS … do you know of an app that can schedule analogue days for me?)

Comment on Grown-Up Behaviour by Roberta Mercier

Roberta Mercier — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:40:51 +0000

I am not sure about the context here- and am wondering if these are the crimes of a few- if so why are those issues being addressed as such? Certainly I have been the recipient and or witnessed such behaviour- however I find the best way to address such things is with those individuals who are directly involved.

Also thinking of an upstream approach- what is happening in the environment that leads to this type of behaviour?
Instead of continually pulling bodies out of the river, is it not time to find out why they are falling in?

Comment on Grown-Up Behaviour by Marni Westerman

Marni Westerman — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:01:40 +0000

Thank you Peter – I couldn’t agree with you more.

Comment on Friday Poll: Workload by brother david west, osf

brother david west, osf — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:47:32 +0000

The order of these questions is inviting a disproportionate answer rate, as the first question looks like the best answer to most of us, while the real answer for most of us is down further.
Ouch.
Wasn’t the Quebec Referendum like this? lol.
-dsw

Comment on Bargaining Information Meetings and Brown Bag Lunch Sessions by Building Energy « Faculty Matters

Building Energy « Faculty Matters — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 04:59:01 +0000

[...] brown bag lunches combined with the info meeting have been a great chance to touch base with members, especially [...]

Comment on Stop the Rot! by John Blackwell

John Blackwell — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 18:48:27 +0000

Blended Learning—Classroom and Online Learning together is the best of both worlds. Great for the student and the instructor.