Camosun to stop accepting cash for tuition
As of January 1, 2020, Camosun College will stop accepting cash payments for tuition. The decision is a result of the provincial government’s anti-money-laundering initiative, which was launched in May of this year. The college said in an email that it has no reason to believe any money laundering has taken place as a result of Camosun accepting cash for tuition fees.
Over 3,000 Camosun students pledge to vote
From September 3 to October 21, the Camosun College Student Society (CCSS) and the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations—of which all Camosun students are paying members—held the Get Out The Vote campaign to help engage students in the voting process for the federal election. According to the CCSS, 3,158 Camosun students pledged to vote through the campaign; only two Canadian post-secondary instutitions got more students pledging. The CCSS spent approximately $6,000 for Get Out the Vote campaign resources.
New Camosun policies approved
On Monday, November 4, the Camosun College board of governors approved the college’s new Policy Framework and the new Program Quality Assurance Policy. The Policy Framework revises the policy development, approval, communication and implementation parameters; the Program Assurance Policy outlines Camosun’s commitment to quality assurance in its programs, as well as the continuous improvement of the student learning experience and outcomes.
MHCC announces post-secondary mental-health standard
The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) recently announced that it would be developing a standard for the psychological health and safety of post-secondary students. The Post-Secondary Students Standard (PSS) will provide guidelines to help institutions support students’ mental health, as well as help them to identify underlying causes while providing resources to address student issues. The current draft of the plan aims to increase the amount of counselling available to students and to educate staff on creating a manageable course load. According to the MHCC’s website, each institution is able to adapt and modify the PSS as needed. The MHCC is a government-created non-profit organization that studies mental health, mental illness, and addiction. For more information, see mentalhealthcommission.ca.
U of T student handcuffed while seeking help
A University of Toronto student was recently handcuffed by U of T police while seeking help for suicidal thoughts. The student she is traumatized by the incident and says that she feels like a criminal. The incident occurred five days after another student died by suicide at U of T’s downtown campus on September 27.
City of Victoria seeking youth input
Victoria youth are invited to Budget Town Hall Youth Night on Thursday, November 21. During Budget Town Hall, the public is encouraged to voice their opinions on the draft of the 2020 budget. Go to victoria.ca/budget to register and for more info on the budget. The event—which includes free refreshments and pizza—runs from 6 pm to 8:30 pm at Quadra Village Community Centre, which is located at 901 Kings Road. Then, on Monday, November 25, the City is holding a Youth Economic Roundtable from 4:30 to 6:30 pm at City Hall, where youth can have their say about what Victoria can do better to support them and prepare them for the future economy. For more info or to register, visit victoria.ca/prosperity.