'Differentiation' report stirs debate

Leaders of Ontario’s universities generally support the central notion set out in a position paper made public late in October, that calls for “differentiation” across the province — a system in which individual universities would “set measurable goals based on their strengths”, and the government would base its funding on whether those goals are met.

The proposal comes from the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO), which noted in a news release that “While several of Ontario’s 20 universities are internationally ranked, pressures on the postsecondary system are palpable. Increased enrolment is jeopardizing the range and quality of programs while a changing labour market demands postsecondary credentials.

“How,” it asked, “can Ontario’s universities improve access, quality and international competitiveness while ensuring a system that is both sustainable and accountable?”

What the report says

The HEQCO report, The Benefits of Greater Differentiation of Ontario’s University Sector, promises “a postsecondary system that is more cohesive, more fluid, more sustainable and higher quality”. The news release goes on to say that HEQCO president Harvey Weingarten, with co-author Fiona Deller, “embraced the provincial government’s challenge to explore whether a more strongly differentiated set of universities would help improve the overall performance and sustainability of the system, and help Ontario compete internationally.”

Says Weingarten, a former president of the University of Calgary: “Students should have clearer choices from a larger number of higher quality programs. They should have greater clarity on which institutions best serve their career and personal aspirations. They should have more mobility within the college/university system. For government, funding universities in areas where they can excel would encourage greater differentiation of the system. Differentiation would change the way government funds the system. It doesn’t necessarily mean more money; it means that money is spent differently.”

In his vision, each university would have “a comprehensive agreement” with the Ontario government, “identifying the expectations and accountabilities of each institution including target enrolment and student mix, priority teaching and research programs and areas for future growth and development.”

Weingarten said the university system is already somewhat differentiated.  “In many cases, program specialization is underway on an institutional or regional basis. But we can go further. Each of our 20 universities and 24 colleges has distinct attributes and strengths. We have breadth and depth in the postsecondary system, but not all institutions have to look the same.”

Response from COU and others

The Council of Ontario Universities quickly responded that universities “welcome a robust dialogue on how to best serve our students, as well as the broader communities in which we are engaged, through the different missions of Ontario’s 20 universities”.

Said its statement: “Ontario universities support the central notion in the HEQCO paper that the Ontario government and each university develop agreements that include an approach to differentiation.” It suggests “more strategic agreements that reflect university missions and priorities, regional needs, and respond to provincial priorities. This approach would build on the already highly differentiated nature of universities across many dimensions, including the composition of their student bodies, approaches to teaching, program mixes, research breadth and focus, and external partnerships.”

But not all the response has been so enthusiastic. The Canadian Federation of Students said the plan “would spell disaster”, predicting that “really what they are talking about is cutting funding and limiting access”. The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations said the proposal “will effectively make universities minions of government”, will threaten academic freedom and will lead to skimpier funding.

For Waterloo, any move towards “differentiation” is expected to have much to do with research intensity, says president Feridun Hamdullahpur. “We want to be as high as we can” on that scale, he told the university’s board of governors on October 16.

“I don’t think this is the end of the discussion,” he said at the campus-wide town hall meeting two weeks later. He added that “the premier’s office is very serious on this differentiation issue” as well as other changes including new channels for online education, internationalization of campuses, and a broader role for the colleges.

Says a background paper on the issue, prepared by Communications and Public Affairs: “The University of Waterloo supports the central notion of differentiation, based on the missions and priorities of individual institutions. Waterloo supports a strategic approach to funding aligned with Canada’s most promising fields of research.

“The university has in place an ambitious strategic plan tied to its mission and the needs of Ontario. Its commitment to transparency and accountability means results are routinely shared. Waterloo is now three years into its 10-year plan, entitled Pursuing Global Excellence: Seizing Opportunities for Canada, and continues to make an impact in areas of critical importance that include aging, automotive, digital media, climate change, energy, and water.

“Innovation is central to the University of Waterloo’s mission and informs its approach to teaching and research excellence. Waterloo’s founding was a collaboration between industry, community and academia, based on the needs of society. Unconventional mixing of in-class learning, industry experience and pure curiosity-driven research and teaching have put the university at the frontier of innovation.  A world-leading co-operative education system creates an environment for students, faculty and industry that nurtures talent and generates innovations relevant to society.”

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Now and next: GIS, mazes, Grimm tales

GIS Day celebrates an important technology

The Faculty of Environment and the University Map Library is celebrating the seventh annual GIS Day today. A GIS Day open house will be hosted in the courtyard of the second floor of EV1 between 12:30 and 3:30.

The event is intended to expose the campus community to the benefits of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology and highlight the geospatial resources available from the library. It will also give students the opportunity to showcase some interesting GIS applications that they have worked on all term, or all year.

GIS Day is a global event held on the Wednesday during Geography Awareness Week, which has been sponsored by the National Geographic Society since 1987.

This year’s Waterloo event includes welcoming remarks from the dean of environment, Mark Seasons. Jeff Casello, associate professor in the School of Planning and the civil and environmental engineering department, presents the keynote lecture at 1:15 p.m. He’ll speak on “GIS applications to transit design: Waterloo Region's Rapid Transit.

Other features of the day are a map gallery, and, beginning at 1:45 p.m., “lightning” presentations on GIS.

Lecture mixes math and mazes

The Computer Science Club presents a talk by CS associate professor Craig S. Kaplan this afternoon at 4:30 in Math and Computer room 4061. He will speak on “Math and aesthetics in maze design.”

According to the abstract: “For thousands of years, mazes and labyrinths have played an important role in human culture and myth, Today, solving mazes is a popular pastime, whether with pencil on paper or by navigating through a cornfield.

“The construction of compelling mazes encompasses a variety of challenges in mathematics, algorithm design, and aesthetics. The maze should be visually attractive, but it should also be an engaging puzzle. Master designers balance these two goals with wonderful results.

“In this talk, I discuss the role of the computer in the process of designing mazes. I present some well known algorithms for maze construction, and more recent research that attempts to novel mazes with non-trivial mathematical or aesthetic properties.”

Harvard scholar gives Jakob-und-Wilhelm-Grimm Lecture

An internationally renowned Germanist historian, David Blackbourn of Harvard University, will deliver the inaugural Jakob-und-Wilhelm-Grimm Lecture on Thursday at 5 p.m. in Davis Centre room 1302. In his talk, entitled “Nature and Environment in Modern Germany: A Difficult History,” Blackbourn will discuss how Germans have changed their environment since the 18th century. A reception follows.

"Dr. Blackbourn will discuss Issues such as the harnessing and preservation of water as a resource – both for the economy and for our health – which are very important topics in today's globalized world, and they are also central in his historical research," said event organizer Mat Schulze, director of the Waterloo Centre for German Studies and associate professor of German.

The lecture, scheduled to be held annually, is named after the well-known collectors and editors of German folk tales, Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm, who are also among the fathers of German studies as a discipline.

The event is free and open to all, but please register. Details here.

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Flu shots this week; got symptoms?

An influenza immunization clinic will be held today, tomorrow, and Friday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., in the Student Life Centre multipurpose room.

Waterloo's occupational health nurse, Linda Brogden, reminds us that "as we enter into the 2010-2011 influenza season (commonly known as 'the flu'), it is important to know the symptoms."

Flu is described as "Acute onset of respiratory illness with fever and cough and with one or more of the following:

• Sore throat
• Arthralgia (joint pain)
• Myalgia (sore muscles)
• Prostration
• Gastrointestinal symptoms may also be present in children and some adults

"Influenza spreads by respiratory droplets from infected persons, through coughing or sneezing. It is also spread through direct contact with surfaces contaminated by the influenza virus, such as toys, eating utensils and unwashed hands. Frequent hand washing with soap and water continues to be the best method of preventing the spread of flu symptoms.

"If you develop the signs and symptoms of the flu, in order to prevent sharing this illness with colleagues, please remain at home until your temperature is normal, and you are feeling improved. Most people who get influenza are ill for only a few days.  However, the cough and fatigue can persist for several weeks, slowing the return to full everyday activities."

CPA staff

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