Two new profs at Algoma University College

Celia Ross, president of Algoma University College, has announced the addition of two new members to the AUC faculty.

Dr. Michael DiSanto, an expert on Victorian literature and culture and the novel, will be coming to the Sault from Appleby College, a co-educational day high school and boarding university-prep school based in Oakville, Ontario.

DiSanto has a BA from Brock University and an MA and PhD from Dalhousie University.

He'll be joining AUC's English department this summer.

"His current research project investigates how some nineteenth century writers, like Conrad, Dickens, Dostoevsky and Nietzsche, engaged in conversations and arguments about issues such as the health and sickness of nineteenth century culture," President Ross said. Laurie Bloomfield, due to defend her doctoral thesis at the University of Alberta this summer, will be joining AUC's psychology department.

Bloomfield has a BA from Algoma University College and an MA from Queen's University.

"Her thesis, and much of her research, investigates communication in chickadee species," Ross said.

In other university news, the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada issued the following statement today about national enrolment increases:

************************* University enrolment increases to continue - AUCC report projects continued growth nationally over the next 10 years, although some Canadian regions may face challenges

OTTAWA, May 1 - Canadian university enrolment will grow nationally by between 70,000 to 150,000 full-time students over the next decade despite challenging demographics in some regions of the country, according to a new study by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC).

The first volume of the 2007 edition of Trends in Higher Education focuses on enrolment.

It contends that the demands of Canada's increasingly knowledge-based economy will continue to drive national enrolment growth.

With the labour market requiring more and more skilled knowledge workers, Canadians will keep looking to university education to develop the talent and expertise they need. "While demographics remain important, the study shows that participation rates are a much more significant driver of enrolment increases than changes in the population," said AUCC President Claire Morris. "Students understand that Canada's labour market requires a highly-educated and skilled workforce. This is why national enrolment numbers have hit new records over the past six years, as more students head to universities to gain the skills they need."

The number of jobs for degree-holders doubled from 1.9 million in 1990 to 3.8 million last year and there's no reason to believe that this trend will abate. While Statistics Canada figures show the population aged 18 to 21 will begin to decline nationally in 2012, the increasing demand for university graduates points to a greater percentage of this cohort seeking higher education opportunities.

A host of factors also influence participation rates, such as: urbanization, immigration and international students, parental influence, socio-economic status, labour market demand, demand for graduate education, and financial returns.

But Canada cannot afford to be complacent about university enrolment and participation, added Ms. Morris.

Trends points out that the extent of enrolment growth depends heavily on the country's ability to supply and finance the required human and physical resources. "The ability to add students is constrained by a university's existing physical and human resources, as well as how they can be expanded and utilized. Investments in capacity and quality will be key determinants of the prospects for future growth in both supply and demand of higher education," Ms. Morris said.

And while there will be an overall increase in university enrolment in Canada over the next decade, the study also projects that the national trend may not be reflected in all areas of the country and not every university will experience the same pressures. "Some of our universities will face challenges due to significant declines in the population of the youth cohort in their regions, but it is important to note that this will not necessarily translate into enrolment decreases," Ms. Morris added. "Institutions and decision-makers in regions facing population declines must consider all the factors that influence participation rates in their planning rather than focusing solely on demographic projections."

The first volume of the 2007 edition of Trends in Higher Education is available on AUCC's website.

AUCC is the voice of Canada's universities.

It represents 92 Canadian public and private, not-for-profit universities and university-degree level colleges.

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