While the "Ten with Ken" team was at the University of Waterloo to profile the Velocity incubator, we sat down with President & Vice-Chancellor Feridun Hamdullahpur to discuss the overall innovation ecosystem at what has been ranked Canada's #1 most innovative university for the past 25 years.
UWaterloo started off in the 1950s as a revolutionary idea - an Engineering-focused university created by local industrialists. From the beginning it focused on co-operative work-integrated learning, and to this day co-op experiences prepare UW students and faculty to think more innovatively. The institution has been building momentum for decades, attracting more and more innovative faculty and students.
Dr Hamdullahpur emphasizes the importance of outward connections with the world -- international, applied research, industry connections, co-op, research commercialization, and entrepreneurship. Innovation doesn't come from turning inward, retreating into the library or the lab, but from interacting with the world outside the university.
Some of UW's advantage has sprung from its creator-owned intellectual property policies. UW could benefit in the short term by taking a percentage of new discoveries and startup companies, but Dr Hamdullahpur believes UW, and the country, benefit more from allowing creators to retain complete ownership of their ideas.
Many colleges and universities want to know how to nurture a more innovative or entrepreneurial culture. Dr Hamdullahpur admits that it is a huge advantage for an institution to have been born that way, but suggests that it is possible to grow later. It cannot be partway, however: it must penetrate all aspects of operations. He also firmly believes that if institutions do NOT embrace innovation, they will become "insignificant" in another 15-20 years.
Dr Hamdullahpur is very proud of Waterloo's reputation and track record, which only makes him more determined to ensure the institution continues striving to stay on top.
Check out out site visit to the University of Waterloo's Velocity incubator to learn more, and hear from some of the student entrepreneurs who have recently founded startup companies on the strength of their co-op experiences. https://youtu.be/lj1AnCfYRMk
Ten with Ken recently went onsite at the University of Waterloo, to learn more about the world's largest free business incubator, Velocity. For the episode, we spoke to 4 young entrepreneurs, including Ian Tao, Founder and CEO of Sesame. This is our complete interview with him.
Sesame provides competency-based assessment software to primary, secondary and tertiary educators (licensed on a per-student basis). It allows instructors to upload visual, video and text records of a student's acquired skills and competencies, such as in nursing labs or performing arts courses where narrative text and a summative grade are insufficient. As more and more college and university programs gravitate towards competency-based assessment, tools like Sesame will be required.
For more information about Sesame, visit: https://sesamehq.com
Ten with Ken recently went onsite at the University of Waterloo, to learn more about the world's largest free business incubator, Velocity. For the episode, we spoke to 4 young entrepreneurs, including Rachel Thompson, Founder of Marlena Books. This is our complete interview with her.
Marlena Books is a social company producing reading material for individuals with Alzheimer's and Dementia, to improve their quality of life and their dignity. Currently they have 5 hardcover print books, but they are also developing e-books and hope to add 5 more titles each year.
For more information about Marlena Books, visit: http://www.marlenabooks.com
Ten with Ken recently went onsite at the University of Waterloo, to learn more about the world's largest free business incubator, Velocity. For the episode, we spoke to 4 young entrepreneurs, including Steven ten Holder, CEO of Acorn Cryotech. This is our complete interview with him.
Acorn Cryo sends collection kits to individuals who want to cryogenically preserve their own young cells, for use in medical breakthroughs in the future. Young cells will be much more resilient for use in various stem cell therapies, or even to grow new organs for implantation.
For more information about Acorn Cryotech, please visit: http://acorncryotech.com
Ten with Ken recently went onsite at the University of Waterloo, to learn more about the world's largest free business incubator, Velocity. For the episode, we spoke to 4 young entrepreneurs, including Daniel MacKenzie, the Chief Technology Officer at HealthIM. This is our complete interview with him.
HealthIM has built upon PhD research to create a software tool for front-line police officers to record details of a mental health crisis and share that information quickly with other community partners, such as hospitals and mental health professionals. The company is in field with full-paying customers, police forces in Southern Ontario.
For more information about HealthIM, please visit: https://healthim.com
Ten with Ken goes onsite at the University of Waterloo, home to the world's largest free business incubator, Velocity. The program's facilities include a campus Residence, Science facility, Start lounge, and the downtown Garage. In this extended episode, director Jay Shah gives us a tour of the Velocity Garage, explains the 3-stage model of business incubation, and introduces us to some exciting new companies:
Maluuba, an artificial intelligence company recently acquired by Microsoft.
Innovative Protein Technologies, which makes FrostArmour spray foam to protect crops from frost damage.
Alchemy, which is creating nanotechnology films to protect windshields from impact damage.
Vitameter, whose desktop device provides realtime analysis of the vitamins in your blood.
Qidni Labs, which is developing an implantable artificial kidney, which could make dialysis obsolete.
We learn about the tight connection between Velocity and Waterloo's longstanding co-op program, and the critical importance of mentorship and peer community as supports for startups. We hear about the funding model for Velocity, which charges companies no rent and takes no equity. (The Start-Up Pledge encourages companies to give back when they make it big.) Jay tells us what brought him back to Velocity after he sold BufferBox to Google: the exciting promise of major breakthroughs based on hard science.
We also got the chance to interview 4 dynamic young entrepreneurs:
Daniel MacKenzie, CTO of Health IM, which has produced software to help police officers record details of mental health crises and share them with community partners. (Full interview at https://youtu.be/GZUkzEOwjv4 ).
Ian Tao, Founder and CEO of Sesame, which provides competency-based assessment software to primary, secondary, and tertiary education. (Full interview at https://youtu.be/rwc4Pd5es6I ).
Rachel Thompson, Founder of Marlena Books, which publishes titles specifically designed for individuals with Alzheimer's and dementia. (Full interview at https://youtu.be/T5dbA0C5610 ).
Steven ten Holder, CEO of Acorn Cryotech, which preserves your young cells so you can use them for life-changing medical procedures in the future. (Full interview at https://youtu.be/WAuS8ly2zD8 ).
3 of these CEOs never even contemplated entrepreneurship until they were immersed in the innovation culture at the University of Waterloo. They were surrounded by entrepreneurial role models, had the opportunity to work in startups as co-op students, and gained the confidence to launch their own ventures.
Next week, Ken sits down with President & Vice-Chancellor Feridun Hamdullahpur, to discuss the broader innovation ecosystem at the University of Waterloo, and to explore just what other institutions might have to do to nurture entrepreneurialism on their own campuses.
In this special double-episode, Ken shares hilarious highlights from last year’s April Fool’s Day around the world. If you’re curious, looking for laughs, or seeking inspiration for your own pranks this April, check out the collection!
Some colleges and universities put real energy into prank media releases, hoax videos, or absurd webpages each April First. Last year, in “Ten Kinds of April Foolery,” we inventoried the basic categories, from minor name changes or new mascots to outrageous infrastructure announcements or bizarre new program offerings. We also analyzed the typical structure: begin with something almost reasonable, build credibility with authoritative sound bytes, pile on the absurdities and puns, and finally (often) deflate the whole hoax. Check out last year’s special at https://youtu.be/v-dSiWr3KHM
On April 1 2016, we carefully monitored thousands of higher ed news releases and video feeds, and here are some of the highlights we found. (This summary doesn’t do the jokes justice at all – watch the episode!)
Thompson Rivers University tweeted that they were dropping the “S” from their name.
Ohio State University’s colours were being renamed “ruby and porpoise.”
The University of Oregon announced an incredible upgrade to their playing field.
SAIT Polytechnic almost unveiled their new visual identity. (But not quite.)
Bryn Mawr College launched a replacement for campus email, Bananagrams.
Biola University Math professor Matthew Weathers got into a tussle with his videotaped self.
Sheridan College announced a new Bachelor of Modern Media Consumption degree.
Lethbridge College unveiled the Canadian Centre for Excellence and Innovation in Northern Hemisphere Coffee Bean Cultivation.
Simon Fraser University released the new Canadian taste sensation, Poutine Lattes.
Animals:
Kwantlen Polytechnic University announced a partnership between their Farrier program and campus security.
SAIT Polytechnic became an official “Kitty Campus.”
Duke University added a squirrel video to their homepage.
The University of Nottingham built an urban gym for tubby squirrels.
York University’s Glendon Campus announced a new Wildlife Communications program.
Canadian Mennonite University launched a new major in Equestrian Studies.
Acadia University announced that livestock would return to the campus farm.
Iowa’s Luther College added sheep and goats to its grounds crew.
University of Victoria announced mixed results for their interactive petting zoo in the campus library.
Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast created dragon eggs.
Oakland University brought grizzly bear cubs to campus.
The Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum announced a one-day tribble breeding program.
Campus Infrastructure:
The University of Saskatchewan held a lottery for a luxury loft on campus.
Durham College got an interdimensional portal.
Langara College’s demolished its famous rock to make room for a park bench.
West Virginia University replaced stone staircases with weatherproof escalators.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison installed pneumatic tubes to bypass elevators.
MacEwan University installed magical staircases.
The University of Glasgow installed a “helter-skelter” inside its historic clock tower.
Oakland University was repurposing miles of underground tunnels.
Dalhousie University announced “Dal-Kea” furniture.
The CERN LHC uncovered music inside the Higgs Boson.
Library & Archives Canada acquired the journals of Wolverine.
Oberlin College replaced student pics with preschoolers.
The University of Rochester went full-on Harry Potter.
Fanshawe College’s library was closing to become a movie theatre and Starbucks.
Best of Show:
The government demanded UK universities rent out underused space to AirBnB guests.
The “Fortunate 500” ranked world universities at completely random.
The University of Florida and Florida State University announced a merger, in the tiny town of Perry.
Virginia Commonwealth University launched their “Tats, not SATs” program, requiring tattoos for admission and graduation.
To watch the originals of any of the videos excerpted in this webcast (at least, those that are still on YouTube), check out our playlist at https://youtu.be/v-dSiWr3KHM?list=PLodJ8ParJmYXiHt5dDGxr-7Vf3-ob87Ko
Last episode, Ken's 10th annual "Year in Review" continued with a look at some of the bigger PR headaches afflicting North American colleges and universities, with a focus on cultural insensitivity and its consequences. (Think Mount St Mary's, Missouri, Yale, Ithaca, and Harvard.) Check out Part I: Budgets & Bunnies at: https://youtu.be/1fnN8QOFrWs
This week, he profiles 2 major PR migraines in more detail, which occurred at UBC and the University of Toronto. Both attracted international media attention, hundreds of articles and blogs, millions of views and outrage on both sides.
At the University of Toronto, Psychology prof Jordan Peterson ignited a firestorm by insisting that, should a gender non-binary student ever ask him to use non-standard pronouns like "ze" or "zir" or even singular "they," he would refuse. He went on to repeat himself ever more loudly, aggressively, and insistently. Opponents called him transphobic and insensitive to human dignity. He called them biology-deniers and left-wing social justice warriors. The debate continues well into 2017.
Video clips:
Jordan Peterson on why pronouns aren’t about respect. Davie Addison. https://youtu.be/EXvU8DEbyAw
Jordan Peterson speaks at University of Toronto protest. Genuinewitty https://youtu.be/HAlPjMiaKdw
Genders, Rights and Freedom of Speech. TVO’s Agenda with Steve Paikin. https://youtu.be/kasiov0ytEc
University of Toronto Free Speech Debate. Jordan B Peterson. https://youtu.be/68NHUV5me7Q
At UBC, the Galloway Affair was unquestionably the heavyweight champion headache of the year. It started in November 2015, when the university temporarily suspended the head of its creative writing department, bestselling novelist Steven Galloway. The official announcement of “serious allegations” made thinly-veiled references to campus “safety,” and advised “counseling” for anyone affected. Throughout 2016 there were media exposés, and the rumour mill generated tales of bullying, sexual harassment, threats, and more. UBC appointed a former BC Supreme Court Justice to lead an impartial investigation. After 5 months, her report dismissed all but one complaint against Galloway, but still resulted in his termination for a “record of misconduct that resulted in an irreparable breach of trust.” Major donors withheld funds, renowned authors like Margaret Atwood and Michael Ondaatje called for another investigation, and witnesses for the complainant objected that the process had been unfair. A grievance from the UBC Faculty Association is heading into arbitration shortly.
Video clip:
http://globalnews.ca/video/2351577/ubc-creative-writing-program-head-suspended
Watch the video for all the details! More great content is coming up next week - please subscribe or follow on any of a dozen platforms so you don't miss it! http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/
This week, we start our annual look at college and university PR challenges and controversies with politically incorrect remarks, budget crises, workplace bullying, racial tensions and presidential resignations, across North America. 2016 Higher Ed Headaches, part I: Budgets & Bunnies!
Bad luck, bad decisions, and even poor choice of words can derail an academic presidency. Last year started with president Simon Newman at Maryland’s Mount St Mary’s University. In January he made international headlines for his colourful metaphor to describe his approach to improve student retention statistics: drown the bunnies! He then demoted the Provost, fired two faculty members, and was beset with protests, AAUP objections, and an investigation by accreditors. After weeks of chaos, he resigned.
CBS Baltimore news: https://youtu.be/mUjkVwJ-RCs
Kevin Nagel resigned as president of Keyano College in Alberta, after plunging oil prices took a toll on the region’s economy, and the college budget. (Even before the wildfire.)
Cape Breton University’s board dismissed president David Wheeler over his attempts to avert a faculty strike (without involving the board negotiating committee).
Brock University announced a “mutual decision” not to proceed with the appointment of its new president, just 3 days before she was to take office. The national media reported on an investigation into her department at Ryerson, based on anonymous allegations of a “toxic workplace.”
Cultural insensitivity and political incorrectness can be capital offenses on campus. Racial microaggressions have roiled many US college campuses in recent years.
The University of Missouri was rocked by hunger strikes, a faculty walkout, and a tent city in the crowd – but made international headlines when the football team went on strike. Within weeks, system president Tim Woolfe and the Chancellor both resigned. Undergraduate recruitment suffered immediately, with new students dropping 24% in a single year.
USA Today – Resignation - https://youtu.be/0DCgJZ7_oEE
KMBC News – Enrolment decline - https://youtu.be/3eaRzGsFo-A
Black Lives Matter protestors at Ithaca College in New York held a walkout in solidarity with Mizzou, and 72% of students and faculty voted no confidence in president Tom Rochon. In January he announced that he would step down – in 19 months!
Ithacan Online – Walkout - https://youtu.be/OV-wKIK68Ac
Ithacan Online – Interview - https://youtu.be/V5WBn0yGbdU
ICTV NewsWatch - Interview – https://youtu.be/ENCSxvwxl3E
Microaggressions weren’t always fatal to presidents; sometimes it was just the figure-heads who rolled. At Georgetown University in Washington DC, protests against 2 buildings named for former presidents who had arranged the sale of slaves to fund the institution eventually led to them being renamed. Harvard University Law School agreed to drop its official shield, which commemorated a wealthy slaveowner donor.
Yale University was less easily convinced that it needed to change the name of Calhoun College. In April 2016 they insisted the name would not change. But after a year of protests and bad publicity, Yale finally relented in February 2017.
WTNH News – April 2016 - https://youtu.be/_r99qrgHWEg
WTNH News – Feb 2017 - https://youtu.be/FiIGOHGct8A https://youtu.be/Q818EHSlEuY
In Canada, protests over racial insensitivities are more proactive than reactive. At Wilfrid Laurier University, protesters managed to derail a project that would install statues on campus of all 22 former prime ministers. They insisted it was insensitive to First Nations and minority groups.
That’s part I of 2016 Headaches. Next week, we’ll look at 2 of the biggest PR migraines of the year. They caught the public imagination because they involved sex and gender. Next time: Pronouns and Poets. Stay tuned!
Ken Steele is Canada's foremost higher ed strategist, speaker and facilitator, and for more than a decade he has presented hundreds of keynotes, campus presentations and workshops across North America, every year.
In this brief video, he introduces himself, and the long and winding road that brought him to a unique vantage point on higher education.
For more information about Ken's campus presentations, please visit http://eduvation.ca/services/campus-pd-presentations/
For virtual keynotes, delivered remotely at much lower cost, visit http://eduvation.ca/services/virtual-keynotes/
For committee workshops, see http://eduvation.ca/services/workshops/
Ken Steele is Canada's foremost higher ed strategist, speaker and facilitator, and for more than a decade he has presented hundreds of keynotes, campus presentations and workshops across North America.
In this brief video, he describes how a combination of rich media, mini-keynotes, audience interaction, group discussion, and real-time polls keeps some of the toughest audiences engaged: college and university professors, front-line staff, senior administrators and governing boards.
For more information about Ken's campus presentations, please visit http://eduvation.ca/services/campus-pd-presentations/
For virtual keynotes, delivered remotely at much lower cost, visit http://eduvation.ca/services/virtual-keynotes/
For committee workshops, see http://eduvation.ca/services/workshops/
Ken Steele is Canada's foremost higher ed strategist, speaker and facilitator, and for more than a decade he has presented hundreds of keynotes, campus presentations and workshops across North America.
In this brief video, he describes the goals of campus presentations, workshops and PD sessions, to create widespread shared understanding of emerging trends and best practices, and to open eyes and minds to potential innovations in higher education.
For more information about Ken's campus presentations, please visit http://eduvation.ca/services/campus-pd-presentations/
For virtual keynotes, delivered remotely at much lower cost, visit http://eduvation.ca/services/virtual-keynotes/
For committee workshops, see http://eduvation.ca/services/workshops/
Ken Steele's 10th annual higher ed "year in review" continues with part 3, a look at the fall – and rise – of for-profit fortunes in 2016.
In the previous two episodes, we looked at the proliferation of free college tuition policies across North America, the rise of anti-intellectualism and protectionism, and some of the implications for international education. (Check out part 1 https://youtu.be/CZ6nuznRV_I , and part 2 https://youtu.be/AWuE7EhoejI ).
6) FOR-PROFITS
For decades now, massive for-profit schools like the University of Phoenix and Kaplan University have been rewriting the rules of higher education, and transforming the landscape. Last year was their annus horribilis, but also likely marks a turning point to much better times ahead.
For 8 years, the Obama administration aggressively prosecuted for-profit colleges and universities for deceptive marketing, fraudulent enrolments, and high rates of student loan defaults. The GAO’s undercover agents caught recruiters on hidden camera, encouraging students to lie on their loan applications. Major online universities like Phoenix were apparently targeting homeless shelters, and encouraging students with little chance of academic success to apply for substantial financial aid. There was a Senate hearing into For-Profit School recruitment practices, and new, tougher regulations.
Between 2011 and 2015, for-profit universities saw declines of 30% or more in enrolment. Corinthian Colleges faced legal challenges by state and federal agencies, and finally declared it was closing more than 100 campuses in April 2015. In August 2016, ITT Technical Institute lost its accreditation, and it declared bankruptcy within a month, closing 130 campuses and laying off 8,000 employees. In September 2016, Washington revoked the accreditation of ACICS, the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools. And just last week, in the final days of the Obama administration, it was announced that more than 800 programs failed the Department of Education’s “gainful employment” standards, and therefore risked losing student aid eligibility – 98% of them at for-profit institutions.
But it seems pretty likely that 2016 marks the nadir of fortune for America’s for-profit colleges and universities. President-elect Trump hasn’t articulated his higher education policies, but it seems obvious that the founder of Trump University will have sympathies with other for-profits. The president-elect has made it clear that he is a strong supporter of school choice and charter schools, promising to repurpose about a third of the federal education budget. It seems likely that his administration will deregulate the for-profit sector. He may grant a reprieve to ACICS. In the past, he has threatened to eliminate the federal Department of Education entirely. Federal legislation like Title IX may be weakened. And competency-based degrees will continue to gain momentum.
Trump’s nominee for Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos, is a reformer of elementary and secondary schools, a strong believer in charter schools, school choice, and voucher systems. She is likely to promote privatization, performance-based government funding, and legislation to further reduce the power of faculty and staff unions. She has been a supporter of religious schools and free speech on campus, and an opponent of political correctness, affirmative action, and same-sex marriage.
Decades of growth in for-profit higher ed were largely undone under two terms of Obama’s administration. Whether you think that’s a good thing or not, the Trump administration is poised to reverse much of the regulation and enforcement that has held back the multinational expansion of for-profit colleges and universities. In Canada and around the world, we need to prepare ourselves for a resurgence of corporate players in higher education.
Excerpts:
Dan Rather Reports – https://youtu.be/Pa1DxUWMsEU
Frontline 2010 – https://youtu.be/08_AuakqdXs
Frontline 2016 - https://youtu.be/Cew6EutvAjE
Fox 5 Atlanta - https://youtu.be/2vhFcKIhm4Y
GAO - https://youtu.be/9PbevtrhEKM
MSNBC - https://youtu.be/JUaMFVDV9PQ
NBC - https://youtu.be/S1XUwbtMxfE
Corinthian hearings - https://youtu.be/tkKmjyuoKyY
Betsy Devos highlights - https://youtu.be/Mc2n9uacQq4
Trump’s school choice proposal - http://www.politico.com/story/2016/09/donald-trump-school-choice-proposal-227915
Next time, we’ll look back at campus challenges and controversies of 2016, in our annual review of higher ed headaches!
Ken Steele's 10th annual higher ed "year in review" continues with part 2, a look back at populism, protectionism and post-truth in 2016. (Check out part 1 at https://youtu.be/CZ6nuznRV_I ).
There were some significant, and even terrifying, political events last year:
3) POST-TRUTH
Oxford Dictionaries have declared “post-truth” the word of 2016. It was used 200 times more than any year previous, mostly because of the US election and UK referendum. Thanks to social media, deliberate misinformation and the layoff of journalists and editors, many people no longer know what to believe. Russian hackers and trolls waged cyberwarfare last year to influence elections and destabilize NATO. Propaganda and “fake news” has proliferated. George Orwell’s dystopian vision (from his novel 1984) was set just a few decades too early.
Britain, we heard last year, has “had enough of experts.”
https://youtu.be/GGgiGtJk7MA
Widespread support for Brexit, Donald Trump, Rob Ford and “Boaty McBoatface” exemplifies the anti-intellectualism that is rampant. Universities will be popular targets in this “post-truth” era. President-elect Trump has said emphatically how he "loves the poorly-educated": https://youtu.be/Vpdt7omPoa0
4) NATIONALISM
Across Europe and the US, populist movements have spread anxiety about immigration and led to tougher border enforcement, racist hate crimes, and plenty of xenophobic rhetoric. (From “poisoned skittles” to “extreme vetting.”) Trump campaigned for president on a platform of literally building a wall: https://youtu.be/ZGSAhNZnisk
It is estimated that Brexit will cost UK universities £3.7 billion, and 34,000 jobs. It also led to a 36% decline in international student interest.
A survey conducted prior to the US election found that 60% of international students would be less inclined to study in the US under a Trump presidency. On election night, 200,000 Americans tried to access the Citizenship & Immigration Canada website simultaneously, crashing it for 10 hours. The next day, American Google searches and web hits to Canadian colleges and universities tripled or quintupled!
The US brand for international student recruitment has shifted, and Canada, Australia and New Zealand may be well positioned to gain market share over the coming years.
5) SAUDI
In international education, several other major shifts in 2016 focused on Saudi Arabia. Plummeting oil prices have impacted the Kingdom’s budget, and inevitably the King Abdullah Scholarship program, which has sent more than 200,000 students abroad. Enrolments in US language schools showed the first drop, but overall Saudi students in the US have declined 20%. Universities not ranked in the world’s top 200 can expect Saudi enrolments to drop to virtually zero. And in Ontario, we saw significant controversy last year over gender segregated college campuses operated in Saudi Arabia by Niagara and Algonquin College, sparked by the premier’s declaration that they are “unacceptable.” In the end the controversy dissipated, but the lasting effect came from financial troubles. Algonquin College announced that, after losing about $1.5 million on its Saudi campus, it was pulling out.
Next time, in part 3, we'll look at the pivot in the fortunes of for-profit higher education, triggered by the US election. The policy positions of president-elect Trump and his proposed Education Secretary will pave the way for some interesting years ahead!
Stay tuned until after the closing credits for some bloopers!
Ken Steele's 10th annual higher ed "year in review" looks back at 2016 and sums up the major news and trends shaping the postsecondary landscape in just 6 words.
In part 1, he reviews the many tragedies of 2016, from the loss of famous celebrities and great thinkers to Zika and Brangelina. 2016 was a year that left many feeling adrift, and the surge towards populism gave us Brexit, Trump, and Boaty McBoatface.
Plenty of trends we identified in previous years continued in 2016, from gender equity and sexual assault protocols to political correctness, indigenous content and "peak campus". But in this episode, we look at a major disaster and an emerging trend that defined the year that was:
1) FIRE!
The biggest news story in Canada was unquestionably the Fort MacMurray wildfire, which swept through 1.5 million acres in northern Alberta. It caused the emergency evacuation of all 88,000 residents in town, destroyed 2,400 homes, and caused about $9 billion in damage. Keyano College was fortunate, in that its campuses escaped structural damage, but smoke remediation still cost about $15 million. Canada is still feeling the economic and labour market impacts of the disaster.
2) FREE!
Momentum towards free tuition programs has been building across North America for several years. In 2014, the "Tennessee Promise" offered students 2 years of community college for zero tuition. In 2015, President Obama proposed a $60 billion "American College Promise" program, and Minnesota and Oregon approved plans of their own. In 2016, Kentucky followed suit, and Bernie Sanders pushed for free university tuition as well.
Obama - https://youtu.be/nFWhzdQcwnk
Sanders - https://youtu.be/c4I2dbTxpqU
In Canada, Quebec CÉGEPs have been offering free tuition for 50 years now, but in 2016 Ontario and New Brunswick launched new programs. The Canadian Federation of Students published a report calling for "education justice," and calculating that it would cost the federal government $10.2 billion. CFS staged a day of protest in early November.
Charlatan - https://youtu.be/5PUQ3L8zBQI
Next time, in part 2, we'll look at the global shift towards populism, protectionism, and a post-truth distrust of intellectuals. The trends pose major challenges, and some opportunities, to higher education.
Stay tuned until after the closing credits for some bloopers!
This year, we distill the best moments from 76 holiday greeting videos that were published by colleges and universities across Canada in December 2015, and select a few as “Best in Class” for their categories. Please “take twenty” with us, and enjoy!
If you’re creating your own holiday greeting video, be sure to animate your logo with snowflakes and sleighbells. Your task is to convey best wishes on behalf of the campus community, most often featuring the president as spokesperson.
A snowy Canadian winter is a natural, non-denominational symbol of winter break, and so many holiday greeting videos feature footage of campus wrapped in a blanket of snow. Perhaps last year was particularly green, since quite a few videos faked the snow – from Royal Roads to Western (which got Best in Class for this category.)
The simplest way to incorporate the many voices on campus is to feature a collage of photographs, either taken throughout the year, or staged using holiday props. More popular is the “Holiday Shout-Out”, a compilation of many staff and students sharing their holiday wishes, often in a range of languages and reflecting a variety of traditions. (Humber College gets Best in Class for this category, although there are plenty of other great examples. VIU deserves honorable mention for involving their “Extreme Science” team. uWindsor produced a very slick multilingual video, but Queen’s ultimately got Best in Class for the sheer range of voices and their enthusiasm.)
A variation on the “shout-out” is the “on-the-street Q&A”, and again there are plenty of great examples. Many ask students and staff what the holidays mean to them, or what they are looking forward to about the holidays. (SFU gets Best in Class for this category, for a polished and energetic video asking staff and students about their gift to the world.)
Many institutions showcase the skills and talents of their students and alumni in their holiday greetings. Sheridan has a tradition of animated videos, and Mohawk of very polished musical greetings. Last year we saw alumni talents featured by NSCC, ECUAD, Ryerson, and Georgian as well. (We awarded Mohawk Best in Class for their musical videos, and even behind-the-scenes video.) Special mention goes to MSVU's recruiters, who clowned around while demonstrating their gift-wrapping skills.
We saw tree-trimming parties at King’s and CBU, among others, but uVic took it to a new level with their best-in-class approach to symbolic ornaments and student sound bytes. A close runner-up was George Brown, which created a strong example as well. Santa Claus made an appearance at Douglas, posing for photos with all the good little girls and boys. At Niagara, gifts were delivered by Basil, the greenhouse cat.
Brock staged a "parking miracle". A staffer named Lori played Secret Santa at Durham, while Lassonde tackled intergenerational peace and understanding with a defense of Millennials. UNB created an emotional thank-you from scholarship recipients to donors. But our favourite in this category was a wordless music video from uLeth, featuring gorgeous cinematography and Tyrone Wells’ song “Christmas at Home.” (Unfortunately UofL has just recently deleted their upload.)
Some institutions promote professional, accomplished singers of Christmas Carols, while many publish videos of enthusiastic amateurs. Some try to stay in key, while others focus on having fun. NSCC shared a sign language caroling performance. Waterloo's Faculty of Environment rewrote “Winter Wonderland” with a “green” focus.
Algoma staff participated in a collective reading of “The Grinch”. Bow Valley “put a bow on it.” Fleming produced their own version of Jimmy Fallon’s “Thank You Notes.” RDC parodied “The Night Before Christmas.” Definitely Best in Class for the parody category, however, was a version of the “12 Days of Christmas” by the Film & Video students at CNA. (Of course I can’t resist including uMich Engineering's Star Wars parody, “The Holiday Jedi Rap.”)
You can watch the original, unedited versions of these holiday videos in our 2015 Holiday Videos playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLodJ8ParJmYULq5f-_JsusgbW1V8BNfSd
On behalf of everyone here at Eduvation, and from my family to yours, I want to wish you a truly peaceful holiday season, and a happy and prosperous 2017!
We’re already assembling a YouTube playlist of 2016 holiday videos, so please add yours here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLodJ8ParJmYW50HvU2lrHm_DURpmz8jqk&jct=HCQjNaZ4OsE7aqyhuMM-_4ox4oMGcg
(We’ll summarize them for next year’s holiday special.)
In this week's Ten with Ken, we sum up some recent higher ed social media trends and memes, from the #MannequinChallenge to MUN's reality TV webcast, "The New Class," and much more!
#MannequinChallenge:
After the Pokémon Go craze of July and August, the next viral sensation to hit the inter webs was the #MannequinChallenge. It was apparently started by high school students in Jacksonville FLA in early October. Within a month it was being replicated by college football teams, NFL teams, leading political candidates, pop music stars and the US First Lady. The first Canadian PSE campus to upload a #MannequinChallenge video to their official YouTube channel appears to be La Cité Collègiale. Their culinary students were featured in a video on Nov 9. MSVU students jumped on the bandwagon a day later. A Collège Boréal student association video followed a week later. But by far the biggest, most ambitious #MannequinChallenge we've seen involved 750 staff and students at Brock University.
The #Mannequin videos we featured in this episode are collected in this playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLodJ8ParJmYVSWaOnbWUbXGGD62QwQMp_
Let us know if there was another we should have seen, by commenting below!
#TBT:
St Lawrence College released a series of short alumni profiles in early November, explicitly leveraging the "Throwback Thursday" meme. We've made a playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLodJ8ParJmYVWsDOh51Y0uMEYa4Rl2DSo
Global Oil Thigh:
Queen's University Advancement collected clips of alumni worldwide participating in a rendition of the school's gaelic fight song, the "Oil Thigh." Although low-res and uneven in quality, it does convey the school spirit of alumni, as a small celebration of Queen's 175th anniversary. https://youtu.be/DorpBgaxujU
MUN's "The New Class":
Memorial University of Newfoundland launched a really interesting experiment in student blogging: a weekly web series produced by and starring students. "The New Class" follows the experiences of 10 new students at MUN, from mental health challenges to exhilaration about the weather, outsized characters to more mundane accounts of school strengths. Check out the episodes here: https://youtu.be/vkDLQ-UFvEY?list=PLzixCJnFSSVgTTSLou7kxKLvC4HJoOICj
Cute Kids:
As part of their 50th anniversary communications program, Ontario's Colleges released a video this month featuring adorable kids talking about the future, their career plans, and their (limited) understandings of what college offers. https://youtu.be/Ja967dYPVvg
Women are Powerful:
Mount St Vincent University released a 2-min video this month to thank Hillary Clinton for her efforts on the campaign trail and in particular her concession speech empowering young women. It connected to MSVU's history as a women's college (from 1873-1967) and the honorary degree it awarded to a much younger Hillary Clinton in 1995. https://youtu.be/7VTKWBGKDyA
So in addition to our April Fool's special https://youtu.be/v-dSiWr3KHM and our Back to School episode https://youtu.be/Ci3YPzohbLM , this rounds out our coverage of social media this year.
Aside, of course, from our upcoming annual Holiday Special! Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss it, on YouTube, iTunes, or by email (for exclusive early access) at http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/
This week, Ken talks to leaders from 14 Ontario universities about the latest new construction and renovations on campus, and extrapolates some major trends in campus construction, which reflect institutional priorities and new trends in student services.
Major Facelifts:
Laurentian University has just completed a $34 M campus renewal program, renovating 9 buildings and virtually every classroom. The University of Windsor has closed campus roads to traffic, and replaced parking lots and dilapidated buildings with green space, pedestrian pathways and outdoor furniture. OCAD University is undertaking the renewal and expansion of 150,000 sq ft at its downtown “Creative City Campus”.
Downtown Satellites:
The University of Windsor has renovated the Windsor Armouries to house its School of Creative Arts and Music faculties, the former Greyhound Bus Depot to hold its Film program, and the former Windsor Star building to house the Centre for Professional and Executive Education and the Social Work program. OCAD will be opening an extension campus in the Waterfront “City of the Arts”, and will be opening the Mirvish-Gehry Centre for Visual Art & Art History.
Extroverted Social Space:
Western University has added significant capacity for student social and study space, in residences, academic and administrative buildings. Ryerson University has opened its new remarkable new Student Learning Centre, “the library of the future,” with distinct layouts and environments on each floor. Lakehead and Trent are breaking ground on new Student Centres. Queen’s has added two new residences, Brant House and Smith House. Lakehead has opened a new residence and cafeteria building in Orillia. Laurentian has a new Great Hall.
Student Services:
Lakehead and Laurentian are building new one-stop centres. Queen’s is integrating all of its student wellness services in one location, in the former Phys Ed building. OCAD is building a new Indigenous Cultural Centre. Laurentian is just finishing a new Indigenous Sharing and Learning Centre. Lakehead has created a new international Students Centre.
Libraries:
Algoma University has just completed renovations to its library. OCAD is expanding its library three-fold, to create a new “Library of the Future” with collaborative space. Trent is hoping to do a major retrofit of the Bata Library, an iconic but 50-year-old building.
Flexible Classrooms:
Algoma is planning to renovate its main building to create a more student-centred campus. Laurentian has retrofitted virtually all of its Sudbury classrooms with half a dozen LCD displays, flexible seating and tables. Western is renovating its oldest building, University College, to make it more modern, and experimental new active learning spaces have proven very popular with faculty and students.
Entrepreneurial Spaces:
Many campuses are building space on campus for incubators, accelerators, makerspaces and research parks. Western has its Propel accelerator. Queen’s is building a new Innovation incubator for the faculty of Engineering. Ryerson has the Launch Zone in its new SLC. UOIT is constructing a new $100 M Centre for Advanced Research, Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Trent is developing a new 100-acre Research & Innovation Park to focus on Clean Tech. Brock University has just received federal funding to create a new innovation centre.
STEM Space:
Brock opened its Cairns Building two years ago, with 271 state-of-the-art labs. uWindsor has a new Engineering building. Carleton is building a new Health Sciences building. Laurentian has its new $20 M Vale Living with Lakes Centre. UOIT has broken ground on a new Infomatics Research building, to open Fall 2017. uOttawa has built the Advanced Research Complex, including the largest Photonics centre in Ontario and Canada’s only accelerated mass spectrometer, and is about to start building a new STEM centre. Western is building a new 100,000 sq ft Engineering building.
Professional Faculties:
Lakehead has just completed renovating the former Port Arthur Collegiate for its new Faculty of Law. Brock is building a $22 M addition to its Goodman School of Business. Laurentian has completed its new $45 M MacEwan School of Architecture.
Overall, these campus construction trends reflect some long-term program trends, and new emphasis on student services.
Ryerson Student Learning Centre - https://youtu.be/5PfR-IEM96M
uWindsor Engineering Building - https://youtu.be/Dr2ec7dNd7I
uWindsor Downtown Campuses - https://youtu.be/KrF7F7NWaB4
uWindsor Campus Time Lapse - https://youtu.be/dsFYTabpOwI
This week, Ken Steele speaks with 10 university presidents and 2 senior administrators about the ways in which universities are evolving to meet the needs of 21st Century Learners.
While it's certainly fair to argue that the core principles of a university education are timeless, in general university programs, services and campuses are evolving in a time of labour market uncertainty, interdisciplinarity, active learning classrooms, experiential and work-integrated learning, and new technology. Institutions are trying to be responsive to student expectations, employer demands, and government requirements. Preparing today's students for careers can also involve entrepreneurial training, since 40% of jobs are projected to be freelance by 2020.
Interviewed for this episode:
Algoma U:
Craig Chamberlin, President & Vice-Chancellor
Brock U:
Brian Hutchings, Acting President
Carleton U:
Suzanne Blanchard, Vice-President, Students & Enrolment
Lakehead U:
Brian Stevenson, President & Vice-Chancellor
Laurentian U:
Dominic Giroux, President & Vice-Chancellor
Nipissing U:
Mike DeGagné, President & Vice-Chancellor
OCADU:
Sara Diamond, President & Vice-Chancellor
UOIT:
Tim McTiernan, President & Vice-Chancellor
uOttawa:
Steve Perry, Dean of Science
Queen’s U:
Stuart Pinchin, Executive Director, Undergraduate Admissions & Recruitment
Ryerson U:
Mohamed Lachemi, President & Vice-Chancellor
Trent U:
Leo Groarke, President & Vice-Chancellor
Western U:
Amit Chakma, President & Vice-Chancellor
uWindsor:
Alan Wildeman, President & Vice-Chancellor
Thank you to all who agreed to be interviewed! And our apologies to those we missed because of time constraints. (We had just 1.5 days onsite this year.)
Recent episodes have examined the top reasons why people love attending the OUF, and new booths and recruitment marketing tactics, and Advice on Choosing a Program. Next week: Trends in campus construction projects.
For exclusive early access, subscribe to our free email newsletter at www.eduvation.ca/subscribe
Ken Steele sums up recent trends in new university programs, from interdisciplinary degrees to college-university collaborations, based on Ontario-wide data and on interviews with university presidents and recruiters at the 2016 Ontario Universities' Fair.
North American youth are increasingly focusing on STEM subjects and the traditionally high-paying professions, from accounting and law to medicine and engineering. Many universities are launching new programs at the undergraduate and graduate level to appeal to these students, and even partnering with international law schools when they don't have one of their own.
Increasingly research is being directed towards interdisciplinary subject areas, and interdisciplinary programs are on the rise, from broad-spectrum human, animal, plant and planet health, to programs combining business and the humanities, or entrepreneurship and biomedical engineering.
Many universities also report that programs related to sports and kinesiology, social work or child and youth studies are popular.
Particularly intriguing is the number of new college-university collaborative programs launched in the past three years. Ken sums up some examples from Brock, York, Laurier, McMaster, Carleton and Queen's to illustrate the pattern: typically, students can earn a university bachelors degree plus a college diploma or advanced diploma, and usually save a year or two in the process.
Colleges Ontario "Kindergarten" commercial:
https://youtu.be/Bq1erNvHQ0k
Interviewed for this episode:
Brock U:
Brian Hutchings, Acting President
James Mandigo, Vice-Provost, Enrolment Management & International
Carol Merriam, Interim Dean, Faculty of Humanities (2015)
Carleton U:
Suzanne Blanchard, Vice-President, Students & Enrolment
Lakehead U:
Brian Stevenson, President & Vice-Chancellor
Laurentian U:
Dominic Giroux, President & Vice-Chancellor
Nipissing U:
Mike DeGagné, President & Vice-Chancellor
OCADU:
Sara Diamond, President & Vice-Chancellor
UOIT:
Tim McTiernan, President & Vice-Chancellor
Queen’s U:
Stuart Pinchin, Executive Director, Undergraduate Admissions & Recruitment
Ryerson U:
Mohamed Lachemi, President & Vice-Chancellor
Trent U:
Leo Groarke, President & Vice-Chancellor
Western U:
Lori Gribbon, Associate Registrar, Admissions & Recruitment
Wilfrid Laurier U:
Craig Chipps, Manager of Recruitment & Admissions (2015)
uWindsor:
Alan Wildeman, President & Vice-Chancellor
Thank you to all who agreed to be interviewed! And our apologies to those we missed because of time constraints. (We had just 1.5 days onsite this year.)
Recent episodes have examined the top reasons why people love attending the OUF, and new booths and recruitment marketing tactics. Next week: How universities are evolving to serve the needs of the 21st century learner.
For exclusive early access, subscribe to our free email newsletter at www.eduvation.ca/subscribe
Ken Steele went to the Ontario Universities' Fair, in September 2016, and asked 45 experts for their best advice for young people trying to choose between universities. And these are people who ought to know: 11 university presidents, 9 recruiters and admissions professionals, and 25 current undergraduate students. (For 1080p version see https://youtu.be/ksAk8ppph4s )
In the end, there was consensus on 8 key pieces of advice you should keep in mind:
1) Take Your TIme
2) Do Your Homework
3) Ask Questions
4) Visit Campuses
5) Look Further Afield
6) Find a Comfortable Fit
7) There are No Bad Choices
8) Ultimately, It's Up to You
Interviewed for this episode:
Algoma U:
Craig Chamberlin, President & Vice-Chancellor
Brad Lloyd, Admissions Advisor
Anna Stilin, Student Ambassador
Brock U:
Brian Hutchings, Acting President
James Mandigo, Vice-Provost, Enrolment Management & International
Carleton U:
Suzanne Blanchard, Vice-President, Students & Enrolment
Lakehead U:
Brian Stevenson, President & Vice-Chancellor
Adriel Martin, Student Ambassador
Kelsey Agnew, Student Ambassador
Laurentian U:
Dominic Giroux, President & Vice-Chancellor
Abegail Villaruel, Student Ambassador
Alexander Mayhew, Student Ambassador
Nipissing U:
Mike DeGagné, President & Vice-Chancellor
Victoria Bass, Student Ambassador
Deanna Jackett, Student Ambassador
Jordan Andrews, President, Nipissing University Student Union
OCADU:
Sara Diamond, President & Vice-Chancellor
UOIT:
Tim McTiernan, President & Vice-Chancellor
Happy Inibhunu, Student Ambassador
Alykhan Sumar, Student Ambassador
Devon McGrath, Student Ambassador
uOttawa:
Steve Perry, Dean of Science
Karen D’Souza, Student Ambassador
Chantal Breton, Student Ambassador
Queen’s U:
Stuart Pinchin, Executive Director, Undergraduate Admissions & Recruitment
Laura Wyatt, Intern, Undergraduate Admissions & Recruitment
Maura Mackenzie, Recruitment Representative
Ryerson U:
Mohamed Lachemi, President & Vice-Chancellor
Trent U:
Leo Groarke, President & Vice-Chancellor
Dexter Fichuk, Student Ambassador
Gytha Chapman, Student Ambassador
Western U:
Amit Chakma, President & Vice-Chancellor
Lori Gribbon, Associate Registrar, Admissions & Recruitment
Haley Everitt, Senior Campus Tour Guide
Maher Alazzam, Campus Tour Guide
Michael Maximino, Senior Campus Tour Guide
King’s UC:
Brandon Csendes, Admissions & Liaison Officer
Paul Wilton, Admissions & Liaison Officer
Wilfrid Laurier U:
Ty Ackerman, Student Ambassador
Jordan Baechler, Student Ambassador
Urbashi Das, Campus Ambassador Coordinator
uWindsor:
Alan Wildeman, President & Vice-Chancellor
John-Michael Lemaire, Student Ambassador
Abrial Cooke, Student Ambassador
OUAC:
Deanna Underwood, Manager of Communications
Thank you to all who agreed to be interviewed! And our apologies to those we missed because of time constraints. (We had just 1.5 days onsite this year.)
Recent episodes have examined the top reasons why people love attending the OUF, and new booths and recruitment marketing tactics, and Advice on Choosing a Program. Next week: Hot New Programs at Ontario Universities.
For exclusive early access, subscribe to our free email newsletter at www.eduvation.ca/subscribe
Ken Steele went to the Ontario Universities' Fair, in September 2016, and asked 45 experts for their best advice for young people trying to choose a program or field of study after high school. And these are people who ought to know: 11 university presidents, 9 recruiters and admissions professionals, and 25 current undergraduate students. (For 1080p version, see https://youtu.be/ng-xADfIkio )
In the end, there was consensus on 7 key pieces of advice you should keep in mind, if you're trying to make a decision about your post-secondary path:
1) Don't Panic!
2) Start Early
3) Follow Your Passion
4) It's OK Not to Know Yet
5) Don't Limit Yourself
6) Keep an Open Mind
7) University will Expand Your Horizons
Interviewed for this episode:
Algoma U:
Craig Chamberlin, President & Vice-Chancellor
Brad Lloyd, Admissions Advisor
Anna Stilin, Student Ambassador
Brock U:
Brian Hutchings, Acting President
James Mandigo, Vice-Provost, Enrolment Management & International
Carleton U:
Suzanne Blanchard, Vice-President, Students & Enrolment
Lakehead U:
Brian Stevenson, President & Vice-Chancellor
Adriel Martin, Student Ambassador
Kelsey Agnew, Student Ambassador
Laurentian U:
Dominic Giroux, President & Vice-Chancellor
Abegail Villaruel, Student Ambassador
Alexander Mayhew, Student Ambassador
Nipissing U:
Mike DeGagné, President & Vice-Chancellor
Victoria Bass, Student Ambassador
Deanna Jackett, Student Ambassador
Jordan Andrews, President, Nipissing University Student Union
OCADU:
Sara Diamond, President & Vice-Chancellor
UOIT:
Tim McTiernan, President & Vice-Chancellor
Happy Inibhunu, Student Ambassador
Alykhan Sumar, Student Ambassador
Devon McGrath, Student Ambassador
uOttawa:
Steve Perry, Dean of Science
Karen D’Souza, Student Ambassador
Chantal Breton, Student Ambassador
Queen’s U:
Stuart Pinchin, Executive Director, Undergraduate Admissions & Recruitment
Laura Wyatt, Intern, Undergraduate Admissions & Recruitment
Maura Mackenzie, Recruitment Representative
Ryerson U:
Mohamed Lachemi, President & Vice-Chancellor
Trent U:
Leo Groarke, President & Vice-Chancellor
Dexter Fichuk, Student Ambassador
Gytha Chapman, Student Ambassador
Western U:
Amit Chakma, President & Vice-Chancellor
Haley Everitt, Senior Campus Tour Guide
Maher Alazzam, Campus Tour Guide
Michael Maximino, Senior Campus Tour Guide
King’s UC:
Brandon Csendes, Admissions & Liaison Officer
Paul Wilton, Admissions & Liaison Officer
Wilfrid Laurier U:
Ty Ackerman, Student Ambassador
Jordan Baechler, Student Ambassador
Urbashi Das, Campus Ambassador Coordinator
uWindsor:
Alan Wildeman, President & Vice-Chancellor
John-Michael Lemaire, Student Ambassador
Abrial Cooke, Student Ambassador
OUAC:
Deanna Underwood, Manager of Communications
Thank you to all who agreed to be interviewed! And our apologies to those we missed because of time constraints. (We had just 1.5 days onsite this year.)
Recent episodes have examined the top reasons why people love attending the OUF, and new booths and recruitment marketing tactics. Next week: Advice on Choosing a University.
For exclusive early access, subscribe to our free email newsletter at www.eduvation.ca/subscribe
In the second episode from the 2016 Ontario Universities' Fair, Ken Steele surveys the exhibit floor and interviews university representatives to summarize what's new in student recruitment marketing this fall. (See the first, "Why Go to the OUF?" at https://youtu.be/CyXKcQ7fsac ). This podcast includes some flashback photos, video and even some unused interviews from previous years' OUFs, from 2006 to the present.
Data Collection: The underlying goal for student recruitment offices at the Fair is to collect contact information for as many prospective students as possible. As Deanna Underwood of OUAC explains, in previous years that meant that prospective students had to enter their contact information in 21 different ways, on paper, iPad, laptop or computer, at all the various booths. That also tended to mean that many universities offered prize incentives to collect data. Last year we interviewed Craig Chipps of Wilfrid Laurier about the branded hoodies they were giving away; Deanna MacQuarrie of uGuelph about their prizes ranging up to an iPhone 6; and both York's Jock Phippen and Carleton's Jean Mullan about their draws for free tuition.
All this repetitive data entry seemed pointless for students, and after years of discussion, this year finally introduced centralized data collection: the OUF Passport. Prospective students were encouraged to register online in advance, and thousands did so. Many more registered at the computer terminals in the OUF lobby, or on their smartphones with the assistance of staff at the university booths. By day two, universities were collecting more contacts than in previous years. In place of all the various contests of previous years, this year COU had a "money booth" for students.
Exhibit Booths: Ontario universities are investing six figures in spacious, professional booths, so they use them for years, with minor updates. (This year, Laurentian added more bilingual signage, Laurier added a new photo collage, and Windsor added its new tagline, "Promise.")
This year, considerable floorspace in the exhibits was freed up from the various desks and kiosks that were so critical for data collection. Many universities rearranged their booths to allow much more space for conversation. New booth layouts for Nipissing, Carleton and Brock focused on kiosks for each major faculty or program, where prospective students could speak with recruiters, faculty or current student ambassadors. Brock wanted to emphasize the transdisciplinary opportunities for students. Carleton wanted to leverage more technology, like video screens and an interactive robot, to engage students and tell its story. McMaster’s new booth adds many backlit images of campus and animated video screens, but unlike the open-concept designs, Mac’s booth seems to create corners and cubbies for small conversations to occur.
Western's Lori Gribbon took time to describe their brand-new exhibit, which utilizes the maximum 12-foot height, plenty of backlit graphics and video screens to convey a sense of the beautiful campus. They analyzed the previous booth, and modified the layout to optimize traffic flow. A new “student experience” corner focuses students on co-curricular and extra-curricular activities, from athletics to residence.
Virtual Reality: Last year, we reported that UOIT was pioneering the use of 3D (VR) campus tours using beta versions of Oculus Rift headsets. https://youtu.be/7YVIz2RMXCg Now that 3D video is supported on YouTube and Facebook, and easily available on most smartphones, the cost has come down and more universities are creating VR tours. Western shot dozens of 360° videos of campus, from residence rooms, classrooms and labs to outdoor orientation events. The videos are available on the Western welcome page, on Facebook and Twitter, and Western ambassadors had branded iCardboard viewers for prospective students and parents to take a look. uWindsor likewise had branded cardboard viewers for students. Lakehead was using plastic HooDoo viewers, which fasten to your head with velcro. Laurentian's Jean-Paul Rains showed us their ViewMaster brand viewers, using an app designed by Laurentian CompSci students. He explained that the initiative was very cost effective, using a tiny $500 Ricoh Theta S camera, $30 headsets, and $500 smartphones.
Travel Incentives: Algoma U has started offering all-expense-paid visits to its campus in Sault Ste Marie, for interested prospective students. President Craig Chamberlin says they provide transportation, housing and meals, and tour potential students around campus to meet their future faculty members and attend classes.
In the next episode, we’ll ask people at the OUF for their advice for high school students contemplating their post-secondary futures.
(For 1080p version, see https://youtu.be/p3u-K_15cOM )
Remember, subscribe to our free email newsletter to get exclusive early access to upcoming episodes. www.eduvation.ca/subscribe
Ken Steele goes on location at the largest PSE exhibition in North America, the Ontario Universities' Fair in Toronto. Over 2 days he interviewed 11 presidents, 9 front-line staff and 25 student ambassadors.
This week, we find out what they like best about the OUF, and why they recommend prospective students attend. It should be interesting to anyone who has ever attended the fair, or is considering it!
(For 1080p version, visit https://youtu.be/CyXKcQ7fsac )
Algoma U:
Craig Chamberlin, President & Vice-Chancellor
Brad Lloyd, Admissions Advisor
Anna Stilin, Student Ambassador
Brock U:
Brian Hutchings, Acting President
James Mandigo, Vice-Provost, Enrolment Management & International
Carleton U:
Suzanne Blanchard, Vice-President, Students & Enrolment
Lakehead U:
Brian Stevenson, President & Vice-Chancellor
Adriel Martin, Student Ambassador
Kelsey Agnew, Student Ambassador
Laurentian U:
Dominic Giroux, President & Vice-Chancellor
Abegail Villaruel, Student Ambassador
Alexander Mayhew, Student Ambassador
Nipissing U:
Mike DeGagné, President & Vice-Chancellor
Victoria Bass, Student Ambassador
Deanna Jackett, Student Ambassador
Jordan Andrews, President, Nipissing University Student Union
OCADU:
Sara Diamond, President & Vice-Chancellor
UOIT:
Tim McTiernan, President & Vice-Chancellor
Happy Inibhunu, Student Ambassador
Alykhan Sumar, Student Ambassador
Devon McGrath, Student Ambassador
uOttawa:
Steve Perry, Dean of Science
Karen D’Souza, Student Ambassador
Chantal Breton, Student Ambassador
Queen’s U:
Stuart Pinchin, Executive Director, Undergraduate Admissions & Recruitment
Laura Wyatt, Intern, Undergraduate Admissions & Recruitment
Maura Mackenzie, Recruitment Representative
Ryerson U:
Mohamed Lachemi, President & Vice-Chancellor
Trent U:
Leo Groarke, President & Vice-Chancellor
Dexter Fichuk, Student Ambassador
Gytha Chapman, Student Ambassador
Western U:
Amit Chakma, President & Vice-Chancellor
Lori Gribbon, Associate Registrar, Admissions & Recruitment
Haley Everitt, Senior Campus Tour Guide
Maher Alazzam, Campus Tour Guide
Michael Maximino, Senior Campus Tour Guide
King’s UC:
Brandon Csendes, Admissions & Liaison Officer
Paul Wilton, Admissions & Liaison Officer
Wilfrid Laurier U:
Ty Ackerman, Student Ambassador
Jordan Baechler, Student Ambassador
Urbashi Das, Campus Ambassador Coordinator
uWindsor:
Alan Wildeman, President & Vice-Chancellor
John-Michael Lemaire, Student Ambassador
Abrial Cooke, Student Ambassador
OUAC:
Deanna Underwood, Manager of Communications
Thank you to all who agreed to be interviewed! And our apologies to those we missed because of time constraints. (We had just 1.5 days onsite this year.) Also apologies to those who will be at the Ontario College Information Fair next month - unfortunately Ken's travel schedule prevents him from attending this year.
Watch for upcoming episodes about new booths and marketing tactics, advice for prospective students, how universities are evolving to serve the needs of 21st century learners, and much more. For exclusive early access, subscribe to our free email newsletter at www.eduvation.ca/subscribe
Meanwhile check out these past episodes about college and university fairs:
Overview - 2015 OUF - https://youtu.be/hD0dDn2iP3Q
Hot New Programs - 2015 OUF - https://youtu.be/O5c1OrH73RQ
Bringing the Campus to the 2015 OUF - https://youtu.be/7YVIz2RMXCg
The 2013 Ontario College Information Fair - https://youtu.be/jYO2JlqCQWI
The 2013 OUF - https://youtu.be/jyyMXXIMjYs
This week, Ken reviews this fall’s back-to-school college and university videos, from presidential welcomes to o-week excitement, from bubble gum records to Pokémon Go!
We looked at “O-Week Winners & Sinners” in a previous episode. https://youtu.be/imr8-zMyEDg This time, we’re focused on more official videos:
UPEI provided vital orientation information in their video. https://youtu.be/xzzWt_xswSY
Trinity Western University recaps the excitement of move-in day. https://youtu.be/jMm7Mw1FqNI
Ryerson University organized more than 1200 students, staff and faculty to “pop” the Guiness world record for bubble gum blowing. https://youtu.be/AgI0arSkyLI
But back-to-school videos also tackle “heavier” issues. In a previous episode we looked at campus and dorm room safety videos. https://youtu.be/NRPY2RSSfK8?t=2m1s
Respect and sexual consent campaigns are also widespread at this time of year, and for good reason: The first few weeks of school are when the vast majority of sexual assaults occur.
In an effort to keep things gender-neutral, this fall the Sexual Assault Resource Centre at Montreal’s Concordia University enlisted some unusual spokesfruit to explain sexual consent. https://youtu.be/zzuTjVwlcgo
Just as we’ve seen holiday greeting videos proliferating in December, it’s no surprise to see presidential “welcome back” videos in September. Most just capture a president’s welcome to new students, although others are specifically directed at staff and faculty, and some manage to incorporate some quirky humour, like this from St Lawrence College president Glenn Vollebregt: https://youtu.be/i2jSZd9wjYM
And then there is Pokémon Go, perhaps the viral sensation of the summer. Within weeks the new augmented reality game attracted more than 21 million active daily users in the US alone – more than Candy Crush or even Twitter! Old fogeys took delight in mocking the distracted gamers, but some Pokemon players “poked” fun at themselves: https://youtu.be/go-UKdfStHg
Colleges and universities quickly discovered that their campuses were popular locations for Pokemon hunting. If you take a left turn at Albuquerque, you’ll find plenty of Pokemon players at the University of New Mexico: https://youtu.be/m8siqgCkjB0
Many institutions quickly leveraged Pokemon to get students exploring more of the campus, like Wright State University in Ohio: https://youtu.be/Md1JgRxTQBU
Johnson County Community College, in Kansas, mapped their Pokestops and gyms: https://youtu.be/z9VO5le86gc
BCIT organized a real-life scavenger hunt they called Pokemon Go Day, to bring students, staff and their families to campus: https://youtu.be/DgGsiF85SWs
(If you haven’t already discussed ways to incorporate Pokemon Go into your next student recruitment cycle, your competitors have!)
At a time when public health experts are worried about the impact of a sedentary gaming lifestyle on North American young people, fans of Pokemon Go were quick to emphasize the exercise component of the game.
Campus student life and mental health professionals are hopeful that augmented reality games like Pokemon Go may create a stronger sense of community, particularly for introverts.
Naturally, school mascots were among the first to get into the Pokemon craze, like Duke the Lion at Florida’s Warner University: https://youtu.be/SxO-gFa-Jlo
This summer, some students were already starting to worry that their obsession with the game might be interfering with their studies, but at least one professor at UC Berkeley is playing along, and considering using Pokémon lures during his office hours. https://youtu.be/XZsudfgZ7iQ
In fact, within weeks Fresno City College announced a new Pokemon credit course in Phys Ed. https://youtu.be/ZtIpE9Yuy-8
Perhaps my favourite back-to-school video this year comes from the Student Union at Dalhousie University. They welcomed students back to campus with a rousing 3-minute music video, a tribute to their school colours, “Black and Gold.” https://youtu.be/QkeYEa9jKto
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