Winds of change in the model of Canadian universities
By Michal Tellos
News Editor
January 13, 2010
A new system of national policies for post-secondary education, if adopted, could seriously harm graduate and doctoral studies at the University of Windsor.
 On July 28, Maclean’s published an article that resulted from a 90-minute interview with Canada’s “big five” university presidents.
The big five is an informal group of Canadian schools consisting of the University of British Columbia, Alberta, Toronto, Montreal, and McGill University.
In the article, the big five, tired of a world where all schools are equal, outline a detailed plan that would radically restructure the structure of post-secondary education in Canada.
Essentially, what they have asked for is to receive all of the graduate and doctoral funding from the provincial and federal governments, making them globally recognized research and development facilities.
This transition would be smooth, they say, because their post-graduate facilities and infrastructures are already the best-equipped and most prepared for further progress.>>
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Business as usual in Maclean's, UWindsor still eighth
By Michal Tellos
News Editor
January 13, 2010
In last year’s annual Maclean’s university rankings, not much changed for UWindsor, as it still holds the eighth rank out of 11 schools in the comprehensive category.
 There were two notable points of weakness for UWindsor.
The first was student awards, which is a five-year tally of the number of student per 1,000 that has won awards.
There, Windsor placed in 10th. Secondly, Windsor placed last in national reputation in the comprehensive category, and 42nd of 48 total universities in all categories.
To calculate the national ranking, Maclean’s surveyed high school principals, guidance counsellors, university officials, various CEOs, and heads of organizations.
They were asked about their views on quality and innovation at Canadian universities.
Some positive aspects of the Maclean’s ranking include library holdings per student, and per cent of budget spent on student services. >>
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UWSA's VPUA Ryan Osterberg takes too much time off
By Michal Tellos
News Editor
January 13
, 2010
By early fall, UWSA vice president of administration, Ryan Osterberg, found himself with negative 10 vacation days - a situation that has never previously occurred.
 Executive positions are paid through student tuition. Their job is to best represent students’ needs and concerns, and to ensure a well rounded university experience.
Osterberg is responsible for UWSA’s administrative aspects as a corporation, as well as large scale events on campus, and several campus programs.
Absenteeism became a concern after Osterberg ran out of vacation time in October after representing students for 4 months. Executives are given 10 paid vacation days and five unpaid sick days.
Osterberg explained that visiting family in Alberta in August and October ate up most of his time. Other incidents were random sick days in which isolation was recommended to UWSA, especially in wake of spreading the H1N1 flu. This prevalence has left Osterberg taking a total of 25 vacation and sick days, 10 over his limit. >>
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