how is academic writing to be ranked in the age of 2.0?

Found this article an interesting read from the Academic Productivity blog. What is the impact of self publishing online for academics?

What happens when "that hallway conversation moves into blogs" and is now cited?

The author argues that peer reviewed journals are becoming out of date in terms of tracking article impact, and looks at new publishing models for researchers. Not sure I want to give up on peer review altogether but the proposal for self publishing and online debate is interesting. After all, it isn't so much different than conferences ...

Perhaps we should organize a discussion on this at the GSS?

BC Student Activism goes waaaay back

In a tribute to the students around the world standing up for public post secondary education systems in past weeks, here is some archival footage of BC's first (I expect) student demonstration -- the UBC Great Trek of 1922, which demanded the campus finally be build so students didn't have to study crammed in old huts.

On a personal note, I recently learned my Great Aunt Eunice was a student on the Great Trek, as my cousin found a letter she wrote home describing the demonstration to her family. Guess I know where I get my activist streak!




Here is a bit of a history lesson in a bit of a bland but more structured and informative video about BC's history of establishing universities. Given the financial struggles we are having, it is good to learn from this mini-doc that BC's biggest university fought off closure during the great depression, only 7 years after it opened.



To learn about some current grad student campaigns visit the UVIC GSS at http://gss.uvic.ca

Science & Tech funding boost

CBC is reporting that Industry Canada has announced funds for 310 Canada Research Chairs. See the story here.

There is no write up on the Industry Canada site, although there is a (not very exciting) media advisory.

The push seems to be in particular areas and with at least some focus on commercial/economic outcomes for the research...

Between this and BC's announcement that 2011 is the Year of Science, looks like the coming year might be science-tastic. (Too bad BC is simultaneously is reducing involvement of independent researchers and increasing Big Pharma's input in the BC drug approvals process... read about it in the Globe and Mail or listen to the CBC Victoria radio interview (MP3)).

80% cuts to eduction in UK draws 50,000 protestors

At the GSS we are following the demonstrations for public education funding with interest.

Excellent democracy now coverage on the demo, followed by very good explanation of the cuts happening in the UK to education and other cuts to social programs.

University was free in the UK in the 90s, it will now be 9,000 pounds per year ($14,600 Canadian)

http://www.democracynow.org/2010/11/11/over_50_000_students_protest_in

BC Cabinet shuffle creates ministry of science and universities

Ida Chong - a former Minister of Advanced Eduction - is to take the helm of the new ministry, something UVIC VP Research has described as positive. Denmark has a similar ministry. (Any Danish students have insight into this model?)

The Vancouver Sun has described the shuffle as uninspiring (and the cabinet as too large).

According to the Vancouver Sun

[Chong will] now be responsible for university financing, degree approval, student financial assistance and research, innovation and technology. Although universities are mainly self-sustaining, Chong will oversee annual university spending of more than $1 billion a year across B.C.

She'll also oversee millions in provincial research grants, matched by federal and private partners.

This is curious as when asked about BC's high rate of student debt and tuition, Chong asserted in an interview on CBC Radio Victoria that taxpayers (note, not citizens) pay 70% of the cost of the university, and that BC tuition is mid range. (Too bad they cut the BC Grad Scholarships, which would have made BC more competitive with Ontario).

UVIC's audited statements (2009) shows BC contribution to UVIC is 40% of UVIC's funding, and all government funding combined adds up to 54% of UVIC's funding- just enough to continue to be called "public" universities. Tuition accounts for 24% (up from 12% in my day) and almost as much comes from sales of services (books, residency and meals anyone?).

Hopefully this change will see an increase in graduate student support in the sciences - but won't indicate neglect of the other important fields of study in our universities.

CBC News - Technology & Science - University research for industry soars

Public research is important. This worries me.

CBC News - Technology & Science - University research for industry soars

oil company funding for university energy research comes under scrutiny

BP and nine other major oil companies's funding for research into alternative energy has come under scrutiny in a report by Jennifer Washburn at thinktank the Centre for American Progress.

What makes the report particularly interesting is the detailed analysis of the contracts between the universities and the oil companies, and the amount of control given to the companies in the contracts.

The contracts characteristics are highlighted in the report:

"• In nine of the 10 energy-research agreements we analyzed, the university partners failed to retain majority academic control over the central governing body charged with directing the university-industry alliance. Four of the 10 alliances actually give the industry sponsors full governance control.
• Eight of the 10 agreements permit the corporate sponsor or sponsors to fully control both the evaluation and selection of faculty research proposals in each new grant cycle.
• None of the 10 agreements requires faculty research proposals to be evaluated and awarded funding based on independent expert peer review, the traditional method for awarding academic and scientific research grants fairly and impartially based on scientific merit.
• Eight of the 10 alliance agreements fail to specify transparently, in advance, how faculty may apply for alliance funding, and what the specific evaluation and selection criteria will be.
• Nine of the 10 agreements call for no specific management of financial conflicts of interest related to the alliance and its research functions. None of these agreements, for example, specifies that committee members charged with evaluating and selecting faculty research proposals must be impartial, and may not award corporate funding to themselves." (Washburn, October 2o10, p 6)

The author was interviewed on Democracy Now about the study October 18.

Washburn, Jennifer. October 2010. Big Oil Goes Back to College. Centre for American Progress. found October 15, 2910 at http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2010/10/pdf/big_oil_lf.pdf