Born and (mostly) raised in Calgary, Karl has been taking courses on and off at AU since 1999. At one point, he changed his major from Computing Science to Computing Science because the new program requirements fit what he’d already taken better. Since then, he switched to English and graduated (w/Great Distinction he likes to add) proving along the way that it is entirely possible to complete an entire AU course within a three week period. If only he had done this at the beginning of the course instead of in the last extension.
This is not something he advises unless you are desperate, masochistic, or, ideally, both.
He is currently the managing editor of The Voice Magazine, where he tries to put his education to use helping other students as they provide content for The Voice
Against the Grain Our closest neighbour and supposedly best friend internationally is at it again. The United States’ department of Commerce is once again beginning investigation into Canada’s trade practices (see: http://webapps.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/minpub/Publication.asp?FileSpec=/Min_Pub_Docs/105580.htm&Language=E). This time it is with how we trade wheat from Canada into the U.S. Never mind that this will be the tenth such… Read more »
Library Week All this week is Library Week in a number of provinces (see:http://www.gov.ab.ca/acn/200210/13374.html). Special events are being hosted at Libraries across Canada. If you have not made use of your public library in recent times, this would be a good time to go and take a look. Far from the stodgy old places of… Read more »
Money in the Trees The Minister of Natural Resources, Herb Dhaliwal, has announced $100,000 in scholarships, $5,000 each to 20 university students that are studying forestry (see: http://www.nrcan-rncan.gc.ca/media/newsreleases/2002/2002115_e.htm). Tied to these scholarships is the requirement to pursue at least part of their research in a laboratory of the Canadian Forestry Service. Unfortunately these scholarships, like… Read more »
The Canada We Want – The Undergraduates We Don’t Every new session of parliament begins with a Speech from the Throne that our government uses to make a set of promises about what they hope to do while in office. In this session’s speech, titled The Canada We Want, we see that the government has… Read more »
Double Cohort in Ontario – More than Expected? The Ontario government is re-iterating how their plan will ensure that the universities of Ontario are ready for the double cohort (see: http://www.newswire.ca/government/ontario/english/releases/September2002/27/c5505.html). For those not aware, this school year Ontario switches from a secondary school system that goes to grade 13 to one that only goes… Read more »
Running the University Numbers Statistics Canada has released a report on University Finances for 2000/2001 (see:http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/020916/d020916b.htm. Unsurprisingly, they list that the total percentage of university revenue from government sources has declined while the percentage paid by the students has risen “substantially from a decade earlier”. Government contributions rose less than 3% over 2000/01, making this… Read more »
Saskatchewan Boosting Librarians The Saskatchewan Government has announced a bursary of $5,000 for students taking their Masters of Library Science (SEE: http://www.gov.sk.ca/newsrel/2002/09/13-718.html). Saskatchewan has looked ahead a few years and seen that a large number of their librarians will be retiring. The increasing importance of information and being able to access the right information quickly… Read more »
Adult Learners Week This week is International Adult Learner’s Week, and is the first year that Canada has participated in the festivities. Events are happening across the country throughout the week and beyond, so check out what’s happening near you at the ALW web site (SEE: http://www.adultlearning.unesco.ca/actualites.php?faire=lire&identite=3). Some provinces are getting more into the spirit… Read more »
Got a Virus? Go to Jail. The Federal Government is looking at making some changes in what it calls the Lawful Access Laws (SEE: http://www.ic.gc.ca/cmb/welcomeic.nsf/cdd9dc973c4bf6bc852564ca006418a0). A lot of these involve the new means of communicating through the Internet and what kinds of powers that police should have regarding search and seizure of this type of… Read more »
Fun With Fees It’s that time of year again. Statistics Canada has released their annual look at University Tuition Fees (SEE: http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/020821/d020821b.htm). The bottom line results are that, over all, post-secondary tuition fees in Canada rose 4.1% over the last year. This is more than twice what the general inflation rate was over the same… Read more »