Bad News From Brescia

    The main purpose here is to move down the page the previous rather depressing post about "Water," while I think of a new topic.  Nonetheless, readers will benefit from this rehashing of university-related items since the resulting hash relates to an important local news story during a time when there is not much reporting of the local news.

   There was some news from Brescia University College this week and it was characterized as “bad” by many who followed the stories. Apparently most of those who attend Brescia thought it was not good, because this statement currently appears on the BUC website:
"OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH OUR STUDENTS AND WE EMPATHIZE DEEPLY WITH THE WAYS THE NEWS ABOUT BRESCIA’S TRANSFORMATION HAS AFFECTED YOU."
One way the transformation may be characterized is to say that Brescia, after working hard to change its name from "Brescia College" to "Brescia University College," will now become what seems to be much more a mere "college” than it formerly was. 

   This does not seem to be a good decision to me, but given that Brescia is (or was) committed to educating women, I will not appropriate the subject and instead simply offer resources which might be of use to readers of any gender. I will move from general sources from this blog to more specific and helpful ones directly related to the likely diminishment of Brescia University College.

Potemkin Villages?

There is a lot of construction on campus with more to come

  One hopes that “Brescia-like” stories do not become common across campuses across the country, but that, if they do, perhaps the citizenry will become more concerned. Here are some posts that relate, tenuously in some instances, to the matter at hand.

Perhaps The Lack of Money Is The Problem

  This post titled, “Bloomberg” was really about Johns Hopkins University and the massive amount of money it received from Michael Bloomberg. Actually, the post was mainly about money and in it there is a lament for Laurentian. Since none of you are likely to bother to read the post, here is the “Bonus” it contained. Do at least read it. The subject is Canadian universities about one hundred years ago. Not much has changed:

   The universities had no contact with one another. Most of them had been conceived, born, and nourished for sectarian purposes, and all were very poor. Because they were poor they were ill-nurtured, and were as a rule at odds with one another. Professors were badly paid, libraries were meagre, laboratories were few and scantily equipped, museums hardly existed. The provincial treasurers, harassed by other demands for which they were afraid to tax their constituents, took advantage of the divided interests of the colleges to refuse aid impartially to all. From: Fifty Years Retrospect: Canada, 1882-1932.

Ivory Towers in the Eastern Provinces

   In this one you will learn that Canada actually has “Maple League Universities.” In the “Bonus’ section you will also learn about other "Ivies" including the "Public Ones" and the "Hidden Ones." Unfortunately you will also find out that I thought Brescia was doing quite well back then, but offered some advice if it was ever needed. 

A Purpose For Brescia
   It is not quite clear what Brescia is to become, but it appears that it is to be a place for students not quite ready for university. Rather than teaching mainly women, Brescia will now focus on "prep courses for international and domestic students", even though the London International Academy is apparently doing that at two locations in downtown London
   If the merger fails and the lovely location is not usurped by the city for a "Homeless Hub," I suggest going after more mature students, many of whom will have already been to university. It is quite a trend and much more exciting for professors who won't have to teach elementary English or arithmetic. Seniors are flocking back to university towns and many are even roosting at times right on the campuses. See: "Lifelong Learning."

The Purpose of Universities
   Perhaps it is this that we are really not quite clear about.  An assessment of the purpose of HIGHER education is found in a review of four books on the subject which was in the Globe and Mail back in 2021. A summary is presented in this post - "The University" - and it is followed by a very long bibliography of books related to "University Education." Specific sources related to the Brescia situation follow and at the very end of it you will find a remark from the CAUT which I think is worth considering.

Sources:

"Brescia University College Students Plan Protest Amid Western Merger Announcement," Kelly Wang, Global News, Sept. 24, 2023.

"Brescia Merger With Western University 'Devastating' for Faculty, Students'," Heather Rivers, London Free Press, Sept. 23, 2023.

"Brescia's Students and Faculty 'Blindsided' by Decision to Merge with Western University," Isha Bhargava, CBC News, Sept. 24, 2023

"Hundreds Gather to Protest Brescia's Merger With Western University," Isha Bhargava, CBC News, Sept. 27, 2023.

"CAUT Opposes Merger Between Brescia and Western,"The Gazette, Om Shanbhag, Oct. 3, 2023. This article includes a link to the letter sent from the CAUT to President & Vice-Chancellor Alan Shepard of Western and President Lauretta Frederking of Brescia University College. This paragraph from it makes sense to me:

"The serious concerns raised by this matter beg the question of whether the integration as it is currently being planned should even proceed. If there is a desire to merge Brescia into Western, it should be from the start discussed openly with the Senate and faculty associations so that the academic community can assess the merits and, if agreeing, decide upon how such a merger could be properly managed from an educational perspective. At the very least, it is essential that the faculty associations have effective representation on the integration committee as their members and their rights are directly affected."

Post Script:

   It has been observed that this is a "Mast Year" in many areas and that the trees are producing more acorns and walnuts than usual. I hope that is the case for the PAWPAW TREES which have been planted on campus and that they continue to flourish along with Brescia University College.