The April 30 edition of Honi Soit is a women's issue.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Facebook Fines
The Friday, April 25 edition of Varsity reports that Oxford University Proctors are fining students using photographic evidence on facebook:
"Following complaints of antisocial
behaviour amongst students from University staff and members of the public, proctors made
the decision to browse students’ profiles in order to identify those who have breached University
rules. Emails which cite links to incriminating photos on Facebook are then sent to students to impose fines ranging from £80 to £500.
[...]
Whilst the University states that “the fines collected each year go towards a good cause within the University”, the Student Union claims that the amount collected in the last year rose by 465% to £11,065."
Friday, April 25, 2008
"It's Harvard, Darling..."
Harvard is to receive very large sums of philanthropic support:
David M. Rockefeller ’36, the grandson of the famous oil magnate and a longtime Harvard benefactor, has donated $100 million to the University.It would be very nice to have an extra $2.5 million per year, with the promise of $100 million bequest. That kind of money could easily save the Faculty of Arts from its future budget deficit. But unfortunately, the extraordinary wealth and fundraising ability of Harvard is not making the implementation of Harvard's new curriculum of General Education, set to replace Rosovsky's Core, much easier.
[...]
Seventy percent of the gift will be devoted to international programs, and the remaining portion will be used to fund arts programs, The Times reported. Harvard will not receive the $100 million until Rockefeller's death but will receive $2.5 million per year until then, meaning that the total value of the donation could end up being well over $100 million.
The donation comes as the Committee on University Resources, which is composed of individuals who have given $1 million or more to Harvard, convenes at the Charles Hotel this weekend.
In fact, members of the Class of 2012 have to choose between the two curricula and many don't know what is going on:
Members of the Class of 2012 may need to decide between these two curricula early in their academic careers. Only 13 courses so far have been approved to “double-count,” or fulfill both Core and Gen Ed requirements. Nine double-counting courses will be offered next academic year.This sounds very familiar. It would be nice though, if someone, somewhere knew how to implement a curriculum review smoothly.
[...]
OUT OF THE LOOP
The Class of 2012 has received little information—if any—about the transition.
When incoming freshman Roshane B. Campbell of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. was asked about the curriculum change, he said, “I actually don’t know what’s going on.”
The 50-page Admissions Office brochure mailed to prospective students this year mentions Gen Ed once. On page 15, it reads, “The faculty is developing a new and distinctive program of General Education.”
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Academic Appeals, Plagiarism and Closing Ranks
The latest edition of Honi Soit (23/4/08) describes a few interesting controversies over at the University of Sydney. The censorship controversy is still going, just like the University of Melbourne Student Union's censorship controversy regarding Farrago publishing discriminatory content. But more interesting tales are unfolding as well.
According to the President's Report, the University of Sydney is closing ranks around the Dean of the Conservatorium of Music who repetitively suspected of plagiarism. It is, after all, bad press for a Sandstone to have a Dean involved in a plagiarism scandal. But, if they had their wits about them, they would realise that it is even worse press for a Sandstone to be protecting a plagiariser. Sometimes Sandstones don't behave as intelligently as one would expect.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports: "THE head of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music has written lecture notes for audiences at a series of talks at the Art Gallery of NSW that contain phrases and sentences identical to those contained in a treatise by two Pulitzer Prize-winning United States historians.The material comes to light just six months after Kim Walker was reinstated as dean of the conservatorium after being stood down while allegations of plagiarism were investigated."
Both the University of Sydney Students' Representative Council and the Sydney University Postgraduate Representative Association are fuming over being sidelined at Academic Board regarding Academic Appeals. New policies were passed that reduced the ability of students to solve problems informally as well as giving students less time to lodge appeals. SRC and SUPRA representatives worked with university bureaucrats to amend the policies, but their amendments were voted down and their university support evaporated.
SUPRA's concerns run along the same line as the SRC's. "What killed [Academic Board] was the new draconian, mean, inappropriate and short-sighted Academic Appeals Policy that was introduced. This policy is so poor that it is now one of the most anti-student policies in the country. The Academic Board approved this policy when both SUPRA, the SRC and other student members of the Academic Board were opposed to it."
University of Sydney student representatives have their work cut out for them. I just hope that the paths of UoM and USyd don't follow each other too closely. Student newspaper problems are bad, but anti-student policy is worse.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Corporate Feudalism
Manchester Metropolitan University [wiki, website] has entered into partnership with a supermarket chain to offer a degree to its employees. Student Direct reports:
Degrees in Shelf-Stacking
Angela Wipperman
SUPERMARKET GIANT Tesco will soon offer its own university degree thanks to a new partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University.
The Tesco Foundation Degree, a two-year course taught through the internet, lectures and hands-on work in store, presumably stocking shelves, is the store's latest move beyond the groceries market.
This is not unique. Many other businesses have training programs that have come to rival a university degree in their comprehensiveness, transferability and market value. But supermarkets?
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