Western Ontario and Fanshawe College

[Snark]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Another thing. Just focusing on the so-called undeserving Welfare cases. What do you think will happen if they are destitute?

Just look south of the border for a taste of the social disaster (unparalleled anywhere in the rich world) wrought by a less caring great society. Pay less taxes, but then, to keep safe, live in a gated community, pay insane premiums for health insurance, etc.? Lose your job and you are thrown to the wolves? No thanks.

I believe the state has a strong role in leveling the playing field (education, health, infrastructure) while at the same time, caring for those who need assistance.

BINGO! It's cheaper for society to provide social assistance than more cops, lawsuits, prisons, and (if some get their way) capital punishment.

This has been proven again and again.

[Wharn]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

I am saying the program would be reduced, not entirely eliminated. For example, if you go to a private university and don't have enough money, OSAP would still be available.

The public universities would have to raise the standards for entry in order to prevent overcrowding and dumbing down.

The problem with not having fully public universities and colleges is that students are forced to divert attention from their studies to work part-time jobs that have no relevance to their field - thereby taking away jobs from others.

Yes, my proposal was to expand the loans program to be comprehensive. Instead of being able to take out a maximum of $6000-$7000, expand it to a maximum of $15,000. This reduces the need for students to work during the school year since they already have ample debt funding to cover all expenses. Instead of just reducing tuition and giving people a subsidy, it would be better to make potential students stop and think about the costs and benefits that come with a university education. To reduce losses the government may want to consider charging a nominal interest rate that will at least cover the inflation rate- something in the range of 2%.

Originally Posted by manny_santos

And these others have been fighting back - at Western, some students found themselves out of a campus job last fall when the UWO Staff Association fought to further restrict students from working part-time at Western as part of their new collective bargaining agreement. The number of residence work positions for students almost completely evaporated.

I also love how the University unions propagandize students by claiming to protect "their interests" while simultaneously shutting them out of the job market.

[ldoto]

Downtown Fanshawe held up by reno costs
Core development

A steeper-than-expected cost of renovating heritage buildings is holding up a multimillion-dollar deal to bring a Fanshawe College campus to the downtown.

The city council-set deadline to finalize the deal to bring a Fanshawe arts campus to the core has passed with no pact — but both city hall and the school say the project remains on track.

What Mayor Joe Fontana described Wednesday as a “hiccup” appears to involve the $10 million city hall has pledged to offset the costs Fanshawe faces if it buys and renovates downtown heritage buildings to house its planned School of Applied and Performance Arts.

The college is concerned that money — up to $100 per square foot to cover those extra costs — may not be enough.

“We don’t want to get into a situation where we spent our $100 and the city spent their $100 and we’re $50 short,” said Bernice Hull, Fanshawe’s vice-president of administration.

The school, she added, isn’t seeking more money from the city. She also downplayed any suggestion the deal is in peril.

“There’s some complexities with the establishment of this agreement,” she said.

“And both Fanshawe and the city want to get it right,” Hull said, adding she’s “absolutely” confident it’ll be done within weeks.

Fontana, too, cautioned against alarm.

“It’s a little hiccup, but not a problem,” he told reporters.

City officials had predicted the agreement would be in place by mid-April.

Wednesday, city manager Jeff Fielding told council’s finance committee that negotiations with Fanshawe had been “pointed” and the deadline had been missed.

City hall’s $20-million contribution to the project can be split in half — the first $10 million to help offset the extra costs Fanshawe incurs by buying and renovating heritage buildings, as opposed to, say, building new in the east end.

The second $10 million would come from the city’s economic development fund, and council has endorsed handing it over once a legal agreement with Fanshawe is completed.

On unrelated matters Wednesday, council’s finance committee endorsed a plan to have appeals of dog-muzzle orders and other bylaws no longer handled by councillors but by a one-person tribunal — ending what many consider a waste of politicians’ time.

The committee also backed Coun. Bill Armstrong’s request to use his $7,000 expense account to rent office space in his east-end ward.

[ldoto]

Fanshawe College officials are rebuffing rumours their plans to build a much-vaunted campus in downtown London could be in peril.

Amid renewed focus on the rejuvenation of downtown, Fanshawe officials said Thursday they are inching closer to completing a $20-million deal with city hall to put down roots in the core.

"We're moving closer and closer to reaching a conclusion," Bernice Hull, Fanshawe's vice-president of administration, said, adding they are "very" close to finishing the deal.

City hall has proposed a $20-million pact with the college to establish a core campus that would house its planned School of Applied and Performance Arts.

The money can be split in two halves: the first $10 million would help offset the extra costs Fanshawe faces in buying and renovating heritage buildings. as opposed to building at a cheaper site.

The second $10 million would come from London's economic-development fund. Council has endorsed handing it over once a legal agreement with Fanshawe is completed.

But the expected deadline for that deal has passed - and Fanshawe has said the costs of renovating heritage buildings are higher than they'd expected.

Despite the delay, both Hull and Mayor Joe Fontana have stated with confidence the deal will be complete.

Veteran London journalist Phil McLeod, who blogs at themcleodreport.ca, cited a source in reporting this week that "the project is dead, at least in a heritage building in the downtown core."

Hull said heritage buildings remain part of Fanshawe's plan.

Earlier this month, Fontana termed the longer-than-expected negotiations a "hiccup." On Wednesday, he also downplayed concerns about the project.

The proposed downtown campus could be offering classes by 2012, with Fanshawe hoping its enrolment will hit 1,000 over the next decade.

Possible programs include theatre arts (performance), theatre production, costume design, digital media, culinary arts and broadcasting.

[Pimpmasterdac]

This is an unfortunate consequence of government funding the buying of these properties by Fanshawe. The owners have probably been sitting on these for years, with no buyers in sight and them sitting vacant. While they had a listed price, now that they know governments gonna help pay for these properties they've magically upped the price out of nowhere.

More of our money going to support these slumlord owners.

[Snark]

Originally Posted by Pimpmasterdac

This is an unfortunate consequence of government funding the buying of these properties by Fanshawe. The owners have probably been sitting on these for years, with no buyers in sight and them sitting vacant. While they had a listed price, now that they know governments gonna help pay for these properties they've magically upped the price out of nowhere.

More of our money going to support these slumlord owners.

That is an incredibly short sighted view.

[Pimpmasterdac]

Whoa there Mr. Judgmental the idea is good and I support it, but if these slumlords try and squeeze more money out of the city & Fanshawe I'm not in favour of that. This is an incredible opportunity for them to sell these properties that have been vacant for a while and now they're getting greedy asking for more, ultimately at our expense.

Either they can accept the original asking offers, offload them or pay more property taxes on their vacant slums.

[ldoto]

Brescia University College is planning to build a new low-rise residence to accommodate its growth, with plans to open the doors in September 2013.

A special community meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. in room 136 of Brescia’s St. James building, at which has invited neighbouring community members, alumnae, faculty, staff, students, and special guests to learn more about the university’s plans to build the residence that will provide 110 additional beds for prospective and current students.

“Brescia is showing managed growth, guided by our strategic plan, Living Leadership, which projects acquiring an additional 200 students by 2015. Building a new residence will help us achieve these objectives,” says Brescia’s principal Colleen Hanycz. “We’ll be able to offer students a safe, inclusive, and modernized living environment. We know our female students will appreciate the new design and layout of this complex because we invited and listened to their input and ideas.”

Construction of a dining pavilion, which will be open to the public, and the new residence will begin in the spring of 2012.

[manny_santos]

King's University College is also planning another expansion. They have plans for a "Student Life Centre" to be connected to the east side of the Cardinal Carter Library. There will be a cafeteria there as well as a new games room, and there will be at least one lecture hall. I believe it is slated to be completed in 2013.

[ldoto]

City council voted Monday to raise the curtain on a new star in downtown London, but not all the early reviews are positive.

By a 10-5 vote, politicians approved granting up to $20 million for Fanshawe College's downtown School of Applied and Performance Arts, which is projected to eventually bring 1,000 students to the core.

The project has been billed as a key step to further revitalize downtown, though not everyone joined Joe Fontana in a figurative standing ovation Monday.

"We're talking about building a city and a future (for) our downtown," the mayor said following a long debate.

Chief among councillors uneasy with the investment is Joe Swan, who's concerned that Ontario's government -- colleges, after all, are a provincial responsibility -- has so far committed no money.

Swan was firm in his questioning of Howard Rundle, Fanshawe's president, and steadfast in about whether the project is a good use of taxpayers' money.

"It just seems the city is the only one putting $20 million on the table and everyone else might come at some time," Swan said, adding he's not convinced that will happen.

"It's a concept, it's a plan, it's a hope, it's a wish."

And considering the size of the city's investment, Swan wondered about the "magnitude" of the impact -- noting the John Labatt Centre cost $42 million.

The deal would give post-secondary education -- a feature of many thriving downtowns in North American cities -- its first major presence in London's core.

The resistance to the deal was no doubt interesting for Rundle, who noted the city approached the college about the plan -- not the other way around.

If all the downtown campus plans come to fruition, the total price tag is about $40 million.

While the contract doesn't specifically state the college and province will spend $20 million to match the city share, Rundle says it's a likely expectation.

"Fanshawe is committed to this project. Our estimate is that it would cost another $20 million to do the project completely," he told reporters after the vote.

Of the $20-million half Fanshawe must supply, it's hoped $6 million will come from Queen's Park (the rest from fundraising and the school's reserves). But if it doesn't, the city needn't worry, Rundle told politicians before Monday night's debate.

"You give us the $20 million -- and it's up to us to come up with the other $20 million," he said. "It's our problem. The city doesn't have to worry about that."

Some councillors, such as Paul Hubert, expressed confidence in the safeguards built into the deal, which essentially state if Fanshawe's promises don't come to fruition, the city can scale back its investment.

With the concerns mounting, there was also a sense of urgency to Monday's debate.

Fanshawe has options to buy at least two downtown buildings that will expire in about two weeks. If council didn't approve the money Monday night, it could badly hamper the project's progress.

"It's now or never. We either pass this or we don't," Coun. Harold Usher said.

The much-delayed deal, under which the downtown campus could develop over the next decade, calls for the city to invest at least $1.5 million a year from 2011 to 2022 and $2 million in 2023.

The city, however, can invest at a faster rate if possible.

Of the city money, $10 million is an "economic development" grant. The other $10 million will offset renovation costs if Fanshawe buys "heritage" core buildings built before 1950.

The campus is expected to bring some 1,000 students downtown for a number of programs. Confirmed so far are theatre performance, technical theatre and costume design.

The school expects the campus to open in September 2013.

The councillors who voted in vain against the $20-million funding were Swan, Stephen Orser, Paul Van Meerbergen, Bill Armstrong and Denise Brown.

But criticisms of the plan aren't confined to city hall. Another bit of concern comes from the Fanshawe union, which says the college at first promised 75 full-time jobs at the campus but now pledges only 75 "full-time equivalents."

[MolsonExport]

King's is doing well. Brescia is struggling. Huron is in-between.

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

King's is doing well. Brescia is struggling. Huron is in-between.

For some time I have believed that King's will eventually become its own independent university.

[MolsonExport]

nah. Western holds the charter, but moreover, is the very big draw. What would you want on your diploma?

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

nah. Western holds the charter, but moreover, is the very big draw. What would you want on your diploma?

If Western holds the charter, they could sever King's at will if they feel King's is becoming too much of a competitor. That's pure speculation on my part though. As a King's grad though, it would not surprise me if Western pulled its charter at some point. In theory the overall experience (academic, social, and networking) is supposed to be the same whether going to King's or Western, but I feel it was inferior to Western. If I could have done everything over again I would've gone to Western, not King's.

[ldoto]

UWO: Gearing up to increase enrolment


A new residence to be built near Western and Sarnia roads will house 1,000 UWO students.

More university students will be able to stay on campus once Western builds the $90-million residence its board of governors approved this week.

The residence, to be finished by Sept. 2013, will add 1,000 beds and have a health and wellness centre. It is expected to create 20 architectural and engineering jobs along with 400 construction jobs over the next two years.

"We're very excited about this new residence," said Susan Grindrod, vice-president of housing and ancillary services at UWO. "It's going to be a good new addition to Western."

The province expects 60,000 more students will want to go to college or university by 2015-16. Western plans to increase the number of first-year students it accepts to help that anticipated influx.

The university is expecting 5,100 first-year students this fall - more than its 4,800 target.

Western, said Grindrod, guarantees all first-year students a spot in on-campus housing.

"We know the best place for them is on campus," she said, adding when first-year students live on campus it ensures they have the support they need to do well in their studies.

Residences on campus have been at or over capacity the last few years, she said, adding the new residence will free space for upper-year students who want to live on campus but weren't able to because of a lack of beds.

Work on the new residence, which will be built on Althouse's north parking lot, near Western and Sarnia roads, will begin this fall.

When the new residence is complete, Western will have 5,350 available beds among its residences.

[ldoto]

FANSHAWE COLLEGE: It’s a major step in nailing down financing for the downtown campus



The $40-million downtown arts campus for Fanshawe College is one step closer with a commitment of $6 million in provincial funding.

The announcement was made at the community college Friday by London-Fanshawe MPP Khalil Ramal.

Fanshawe president Howard Rundle said the project would accommodate the expansion of Fanshawe and provide a major economic boost for the downtown.

"Arts and culture are a big business. Businesses want to locate in cities with a vibrant cultural scene," he said.

The city has already committed up to $20 million to the project and Fanshawe's board of governors has pledged $7 million in capital reserves with the rest coming from community fundraising.

Mayor Joe Fontana said city council's commitment is an investment in jobs and education.

"Education is at the centre of who we are and what we can be. We want to dream of making London the education capital of the country," Fontana said at the announcement.

Rundle said the location and configuration of the downtown campus is still in the planning stages and the buildings may not be adjacent to one other.

He said the campus plan is based on buying and renovating existing buildings rather than new construction.

Rundle said Fanshawe is moving to acquire the first of the buildings needed for the campus.

"We would like to close on that building by the end of the summer so we can start doing the design work. We can't do anything until we know what we have," he said.

The campus is expected to bring about 1,000 students and 75 staff downtown for a number of programs including theatre, design, digital media and culinary and hospitality programs.

The school expects the first facility in the new campus to open in September 2013.

Fanshawe leases space in Citi Plaza for theatre arts programs, continuing education and job search services. Rundle said Fanshawe may continue to use that space even after the new campus opens

[manny_santos]

"We know the best place for them is on campus," she said, adding when first-year students live on campus it ensures they have the support they need to do well in their studies.

The problem is, some students are from London and cannot afford to go into residence in first year (as was the case with me). Western treats its first-year off-campus students like second-class citizens, and these students do not feel a part of the community there. This was especially evident with O-week. My first year at Western was a disaster, and I almost applied to transfer to another university so that I could qualify for sufficient OSAP to live on-campus or with other students off-campus. As much as I think Western is a high-quality academic institution, the social aspect is one thing that bothers me strongly about the university. To this day I consider my first year of university to have been the worst year of my life.

That is one area where I give Fanshawe College credit. In fact, when I worked in their marketing department, one of the things we promoted is that ALL events are open to ALL students, regardless of whether they were in residence or not. The college was set up to embrace all students, and there were no exclusive residence events, and no divide between off-campus and on-campus students. I made more friends in one year at Fanshawe than I ever did in five years at Western. Academically I have no regrets about my education, but socially I have regrets.

[Kokkei Mizu]

The new UWO residence:

[Simpseatles]

^I wish there was a more detailed render than that, but it looks decent.

I hope it is integrated to the campus, pedestrian walk, road...etc in a good way.

[Wharn]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

The problem is, some students are from London and cannot afford to go into residence in first year (as was the case with me). Western treats its first-year off-campus students like second-class citizens, and these students do not feel a part of the community there. This was especially evident with O-week. My first year at Western was a disaster, and I almost applied to transfer to another university so that I could qualify for sufficient OSAP to live on-campus or with other students off-campus. As much as I think Western is a high-quality academic institution, the social aspect is one thing that bothers me strongly about the university. To this day I consider my first year of university to have been the worst year of my life.

I'm very sorry to hear about your experience during first year- I was in Med-Syd, so there was no way for me to tell if Western was actively alienating first-year off-campus students. That being said, most of my friends are London natives, and I've never really heard these types of complaints from them. What specifically was the university doing to isolate off-campus people? Or, more accurately, what were they failing to do to integrate them?