Monthly Archives: August 2021

Mandatory COVID-19 vaccines on university campuses: An obvious solution or a problem?

Mandatory COVID-19 vaccines on university campuses: An obvious solution or a problem?

In the United States, more than 600 institutions of higher education are requiring students to be vaccinated to return to campus this fall. In Canada, Seneca College in Ontario is making vaccination mandatory for anyone attending campus. The University of Ottawa and others will require students living on campus to be vaccinated. The University of Toronto has announced that in addition to requiring vaccination for students […] … learn more→

Expansion of Second Chance Pell Grants will let more people in prison pursue degrees

Expansion of Second Chance Pell Grants will let more people in prison pursue degrees

When the Obama administration launched the Second Chance Pell program in 2016, the idea was to provide incarcerated people the chance to get a college education despite a longstanding congressional ban on Pell Grants for people serving time. Pell Grants are federal grants for college students of limited financial means. The awards will be worth up to US$6,495 for […] … learn more→

Why do young boys hardly read poetry?

Why do young boys hardly read poetry?

The Gipuzkoan poet Gabriel Celaya (1911-1991), one of the greatest exponents of postwar Spanish poetry, has a poem entitled Poetry is a weapon loaded with the future , in which he immerses himself in creative work as a means of exchange with society, to the point of erasing their individual authorship to collectivize the voice. However, currently […] … learn more→

Do children get fat because of screens?

Do children get fat because of screens?

In the last decades, the different lifestyles at a global level have undergone great modifications. The daily time we spend sitting has increased exponentially , especially in Western and industrialized countries. The same happens with other similar sedentary behaviors, such as watching television and practicing leisure through devices with a screen. These changes have gone hand in hand with […] … learn more→

Ryerson’s reputational crisis: What to do about its namesake and his legacy

Ryerson’s reputational crisis: What to do about its namesake and his legacy

In recent weeks, the discovery of unmarked burial sites at residential schools in British Columbia and Saskatchewan has unleashed shock, anger and grief across Canada. It’s also intensified discussions on how to address Canada’s past and ongoing settler colonialism. In the city of Toronto, there are fiercely divided opinions about whether Ryerson University should change its name given its namesake’s role in […] … learn more→

What music to choose to play sports or work?

What music to choose to play sports or work?

At noon on March 17, 2020, the first health measures to contain the Covid-19 pandemic began. Travel is restricted, public and professional spaces indoors are closed. The practice of compulsory teleworking spread almost instantly throughout France. Almost one in 2 people worked from home at least one hour per week during the first four weeks of confinement, while only 3% […] … learn more→

Against unpaid research work

Against unpaid research work

According to a recent article, Australia’s academics “were already among the world’s most stressed”. Workloads are out of control. COVID-19 impacts on the university sector include retirements, redundancies, rising precarity, restructuring, and this sits alongside decades of underfunding. In this environment, we need to address the amount of unpaid work being done – not just in […] … learn more→

New endorsement laws could create pitfalls for college athletes

New endorsement laws could create pitfalls for college athletes

Now that the Supreme Court has ruled that student-athletes are able to earn money from their name, image and likeness, more than a dozen states have enacted laws to govern the practice. These states include Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania. For example, the name, image and likeness law in Illinois defines what compensation can be for and the role that colleges can […] … learn more→

Thinking of taking a language in year 11 and 12? Here’s what you need to know

Thinking of taking a language in year 11 and 12? Here’s what you need to know

Some students elect to study languages in their senior years because of personal interest, or because they have previously been successful in language learning. Others may choose to do so because of future career plans, or because they wish to further their studies at university. Other important influences on students’ decisions are perceived cognitive benefits. Studying […] … learn more→

The up in writing

The up in writing

Last week I moaned about the unintended side effects of the term imposter syndrome. Maybe I’m just feeling generally a bit browned off because I also caught myself this week revisiting old irrits about the term “writing up”. It’s nostalgic niggle time. I was thinking about the fun Barbara Kamler and I used to have […] … learn more→