This update is provided to The Voice by AUSU. Contact services@ausu.org with questions.
AU Students’ Union will be closed for the winter holiday from December 20 – 31, 2021, with regular office hours resuming on January 4, 2022. If you require assistance from AUSU before then, please contact ausu@ausu.org.
Check out the 2021 Year in Review with your AUSU Executive Team including external advocacy, efforts to lower tuition costs, undergraduate research, and more!
2021 Distinguished Alumni Award winner Dr. Wayne Clark is a relatively recent AU grad, having completed his Doctor of Education in Distance Education in 2020, but has done much to distinguish himself before, during, and since his degree.
Clark said he is one of the few Inuit to have earned a doctoral degree in Canada. He said while it’s not always easy to integrate Traditional Inuit Knowledge with the policies and procedures of academia, that’s now changing.
“I want to carry the message of post-secondary opportunities to Inuit who live in northern communities,” Clark said. “It is possible to get a degree through distance education when you’re living in these locations.”
Clark’s thesis, which highlights an appropriate way for health professionals to engage with his Inuit community, reflects this—as does his current work as the executive director of the Indigenous health initiatives program with the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry.
Read more on Dr. Clark’s research and goals today in The Hub.
PowerED™ by Athabasca University and Ethically Aligned AI have launched Canada’s first micro-credential in AI ethics.
As AI continues to expand into ordinary everyday business, ethical issues in AI will continue to grow. Examples of this range from privacy and consent to the use of data, biased datasets and models that can create discriminatory outcomes to bigger questions about how AI will impact jobs, human relationships, and the way society operates.
Artificial Intelligence Ethics is a four-course program that delivers foundational skills needed to address issues around the ethical development of AI systems. Courses include an Introduction to AI Ethics, Data, Machine Learning Models, and Roboethics. Check out the course overview today!
AUSU will be doubling the number of $100 gift cards awarded through the Virtual Food Assistance Program this December from 5 to 10. Students often endure hardship while furthering themselves. This is especially true around the holidays.
The gift cards will be for a major grocery chain in Canada convenient to those selected through the draw. In the case of rural or international students who do not have access to one of these chains, AUSU will offer alternate options. Apply today!
AU Students’ Union is an independent, student-run organization representing AU undergrads. It serves over 38,000 members annually in home-study locations across Canada and the world. Monthly membership is approximately 24,000 students.
AUSU supports students through various online programs and services including career services, community and wellness initiatives, and an awards and bursaries program. Visit our website and learn more today!