High school student-programmed robots will battle in Aerial Assist^SMshowdown

OSHAWA, ONTARIO – Forty-eight high school robotics teams from across Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, Michigan and New York State will take part in a three-day robotics showdown during the FIRST® Robotics Canada (FRC) Greater Toronto East Regional competition. The University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and Durham College (DC) will host the event at the schools’ shared Oshawa campus from Thursday, March 6 to Saturday, March 8.

More than 1,000 students are expected to take part in the competition. Participants will demonstrate their engineering skills and knowledge using the Aerial Assist^SM program as they contend for a coveted spot at the FRC World Championship taking place in St. Louis, Missouri in April.

The Mayor of Oshawa, John Henry, will be joined by Sandra Bickford, director, Ministry of Education, Student Success and Learning; DC President Don Lovisa; and UOIT’s Dean of Engineering and Applied Science, Dr. Talochan Sidhu, at the event’s opening ceremonies on Friday, March 7.

Practice rounds begin on March 6, followed by qualifying rounds on March 7 with elimination rounds being held on March 8. Students will also have the opportunity to fine-tune their robots in DC’s state-of-the-art, on-campus machine shops. The event is free and open to the public.

Two competing alliances will guide their robots in an attempt to score the most goals during a two-minute-and-30-second match. Competitors will also be recognized for robot design excellence, sportsmanship and teamwork.

The FRC Greater Toronto East Regional is the second of seven national qualifying competitions across Canada and is part of For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), an international, not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring young people’s interest and participation in science and technology.

Where:
Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre gymnasiums
DC/UOIT shared Oshawa campus
2000 Simcoe Street North

When:
Media is encouraged to attend during the following times:

Friday, March 7:

• Opening ceremonies: 8:30 a.m.
• Qualification matches: 9 a.m. to noon; 1 to 5:45 p.m.

Saturday, March 8:

• Final rounds: 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
• Awards ceremony: 4:30 p.m.

Parking:
Enter off Simcoe Street North or Conlin Road and proceed to Founders 3 parking lot. Follow the signs to the CRWC.

For more information, please visit the official FRC Greater Toronto East Regional event website.

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Media contact:
Bryan Oliver
UOIT
Communications and Marketing
905.721.8668 ext. 6709
289.928.3653 (cell)
bryan.oliver@uoit.ca

Michelle Roebuck
Durham College
Communications and Marketing

michelle.roebuck@durhamcollege.ca

First teaching and learning restaurant in Canada to meet Green Restaurant Association’s rigorous environmental standards

Whitby, Ont. – Durham College announced today that its new Centre for Food (CFF), including Bistro ’67, the college’s full-service, teaching and learning restaurant, has been certified as a 2 Star Certified Green Restaurant® by the Green Restaurant Association (GRA), a non-profit organization which helps restaurants become more environmentally sustainable.

With the CFF receiving 121.33 GreenPoints™ on the GRA’s rigorous certification scale and having implemented 50 environmental steps, Durham College has gone 21.33 per cent above and beyond the minimum requirements necessary for certification.

“Since Day 1 Durham College has been dedicated to ensuring sustainability guides our decisions and best practices at the CFF,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “We’re proud to receive this certification from the GRA, which is a reflection of our commitment to build a centre focused on being green and demonstrating sustainable practices, and be recognized for our efforts to be a leader in environmental sustainability for the restaurant industry.”

Some highlights of the CFF’s green accomplishments include its dedication to reducing its environmental footprint by recycling; using a fully automated building controls management system and occupancy sensors in a variety of areas; offering touchless sensor faucets; recycling and composting kitchen waste; and using safer hand soaps among others. In addition careful attention is paid to the inputs and outputs of the facility and the restaurant in an effort to be good stewards of our environment.

Focused on the field-to-fork concept, which is based on the harvesting, storage, processing, packaging, sale and consumption of food – in particular the production of local food for local consumers, the CFF opened to students in September 2013. Accommodating approximately 900 additional students studying in culinary, hospitality, tourism, agricultural and horticultural programs, the CFF also houses state-of-the-art labs including food and beverage pairing labs; a hotel living lab; classrooms and meeting spaces; and a demonstration lecture theatre. The CFF brings these programs and building elements together with the college’s food science programs, completing the field to fork cycle.

Bistro ’67 offers dishes prepared and served by students in the culinary and hospitality programs, featuring produce and delicious flavours from the region. It offers a unique field-to-fork culinary environment to diners including seating up to 70 guests and the opportunity to choose from a variety of seasonal dishes designed to satisfy any palate such as delicious soups and salads, intriguing sandwiches and entrees and decadent desserts.

In addition to featuring the latest in culinary technology, the restaurant also offers a boardroom (available for public rental) surrounded by glass walls overlooking the kitchen and a living lab with exposure to all restaurant-related jobs.

For more information on the college’s green certification ranking, please visit the GRA’s website.

For more information on the CFF please visit www.durhamcollege.ca/CFF.

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About Durham College

At Durham College, the student experience comes first. In September 2013, the college welcomed more than 30,000 students to campus including more than 10,000 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students as well as part-time and continuing education students and online learners. The college offers a wide range of market-driven programs in a number of different disciplines including culinary, hospitality, tourism, horticulture, business, information technology, media, art, design, general arts, science, skilled trades, justice, emergency services, health and engineering technology, enabling students to develop the skills required to meet the demands of today’s job market.

A three-phase expansion of the college’s Whitby campus was recently completed when the 36,000-square-foot Centre for Food opened on the northwest corner of campus. Accommodating approximately 900 additional students studying in culinary, hospitality, tourism, agricultural and horticultural programs, it also features Bistro ’67, a new, 70-seat, full-service, green-certified teaching and learning restaurant and Pantry, a new retail store featuring fresh-baked items, meals-to-go, preserved foods and ready-to-cook meals created by students in the college’s culinary programs.

About the Green Restaurant Association

The Green Restaurant Association (GRA) is a national non-profit organization that provides the only official Certified Green Restaurants® mark in the country. For 22 years, the GRA has pioneered the Green Restaurant® movement and has been the leading voice within the industry encouraging restaurants to listen to consumer demand and green their operations using transparent, science-based certification standards. With their turnkey certification system, the GRA has made it easy for thousands of restaurants to become more environmentally sustainable in a profitable manner. The GRA is endorsed by scores of national environmental organizations such as NRDC, and esteemed trade organizations including the New York State Restaurant Association, Orange County Restaurant Association, and America Public Garden Association. The GRA is also an Energy Star partner. In 2010, CitySearch announced the GRA as their official Green Restaurant® listing partner. The GRA has been featured on CNN, NBC Nightly News, NPR, and in The New York Times, and The Washington Post. For more information visit www.dinegreen.com.

For more information, visit www.durhamcollege.ca or call 905.721.2000.

Media contact:
Cosette Kazarian
Communications and Marketing
905.721.2000 ext. 3611
cosette.kazarian@durhamcollege.ca

College achieves six-star rating; recognized for quality assurance process and procedures

Oshawa, Ont. – Durham College announced today the results of its Program Quality Assurance Process Audit (PQAPA) final audit report, which indicate that the college has successfully met all six quality assurance criteria outlined in the report; demonstrating that Durham College is dedicated to its mission – the student experience comes first – through all its quality assurance efforts.

Overseen by the Ontario College Quality Assurance Service (OCQAS), PQAPA involves the regular and cyclical review of each college’s program quality assurance processes, focusing on college-wide policies and practices and drilling down on selected programs to verify that practices are implemented; recommendations lead to improvement; and that program quality is assured.

“Durham College is dedicated to providing our students with quality programs, expert faculty, a superior learning environment and ensuring our graduates have the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in their careers and further education,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “We are proud to receive this high rating, which is a reflection of our collective quality assurance efforts. We look forward to continuing to deliver high-quality teaching and learning in the years to come.”

In addition to the six-star rating the report, which was approved by the OCQAS Management Board on December 17, also saw the college received two formal commendations, the first acknowledging the numerous opportunities for faculty development offered by its Centre for Academic and Faculty Enrichment (CAFE) and the second recognizing the implementation of the integrated student services model and support services offered in the Student Services building. The commendations will be listed as best practices on the OCQAS website and used as a reference for other colleges in the system.

Each external evaluation of a college includes completion of a quality criteria form and self-study report and a two-day site visit. It then ends with  a report from the audit review panel documenting the degree to which each college’s processes conform to the criteria and provides recommendations aimed at improving and enhancing processes and procedures to ensure learning comes first.

Durham College’s PQAPA site visit took place April 2 to 4, 2013 with members of the review panel speaking with students, and program teams. The auditors also toured the college’s facilities and met with various members of the college community including the Durham College Leadership Team, members of the Durham College Board of Governors and Program Advisory Committees and staff and administrators from many student services departments.

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About Durham College

At Durham College, the student experience comes first. In September 2013, the college welcomed more than 30,000 students to campus including more than 10,000 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students as well as part-time and continuing education students and online learners. The college offers a wide range of market-driven programs in a number of different disciplines including culinary, hospitality, tourism, horticulture, business, information technology, media, art, design, general arts, science, skilled trades, justice, emergency services, health and engineering technology, enabling students to develop the skills required to meet the demands of today’s job market.

A three-phase expansion of the college’s Whitby campus was recently completed when the 36,000-square-foot Centre for Food opened on the northwest corner of campus. Accommodating approximately 900 additional students studying in culinary, hospitality, tourism, agricultural and horticultural programs, it also features Bistro ’67, a new, 70-seat, full-service, green-certified teaching and learning restaurant and Pantry, a new retail store featuring fresh-baked items, meals-to-go, preserved foods and ready-to-cook meals created by students in the college’s culinary programs.

For more information, visit www.durhamcollege.ca or call 905.721.2000.

Media contact:
Cosette Kazarian
Communications and Marketing
905.721.2000 ext. 3611
cosette.kazarian@durhamcollege.ca

Oshawa, Ont. – Durham College, in partnership with the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC), is pleased to announce that School of Media, Art & Design (MAD) students Chris Gauvreau and Manjula Selvarajah, along with journalism Professor Danielle Harder, have been selected to travel to Jamaica and Antigua this January with another trip to follow in February to Guyana and Barbados to produce videos documenting the CARICOM Education for Employment (C-EFE) program, part of ACCC’s overall Education for Employment (EFE) initiative. C-EFE is a seven-year initiative funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD), formerly known as CIDA.

Gauvreau, Selvarajah and Harder will produce the videos as part of the C-EFE’s marketing strategy and materials.

“We are incredibly proud of the strong depth of talent at Durham College,” said Fiona Richards, executive director, International Business Development. “Being able to utilize the talents of both our students and faculty in an international setting while providing Chris and Manjula with an opportunity to obtain real-world work experience while gaining exposure to other countries and cultures continues to enhance our reputation for providing experiential learning and bringing our mission ‘the student experience comes first’ to life.”

The team will be filming and interviewing individuals working on several EFE projects currently underway in the Caribbean with a particular focus on how to engage industry in education/training while showcasing industry involvement in curriculum development. Through these partnerships, Canadian post-secondary schools can share their experience in educational programs tailored to local employers’ needs, while providing Canadian college students with learning opportunities abroad.

Gauvreau, a second-year student in the Digital Video Production program, and Selvarajah, a third-year student in the Journalism – Print and Broadcast program, were chosen to participate by a panel of professors and Greg Murphy, dean of MAD, based on their portfolio presentations and interviews.

“This is a phenomenal opportunity for us,” said Selvarajah. “It will give us a chance to take everything we have learned in our classrooms and studios and apply it in a real-life scenario. We plan to make our client happy with the pieces we produce and our college very proud.”

While on location, students will record in the field on two separate locations, for roughly one week each, with the first shoot taking place in Jamaica and Antigua from Sunday, January 26 to Saturday, February 1 and the second in Guyana and Barbados from Wednesday, February 12 to Wednesday, February 19. Gauvreau and Selvarajah will then return to Durham College to edit their material and produce the final videos.

“An opportunity like this is indescribable,” said Harder. “Students will not only get to showcase their exceptional breadth of media skills, they will also see first-hand the tremendous work done by DFATD, through implementing organizations like ACCC in developing countries.”

In addition to what is taking place in the Caribbean, a team of MAD students based at the college will be co-ordinating and leading a one-hour live Riot radio show during each trip (two shows in total). The shows will feature interviews with Selvarajah and ACCC partners in the Caribbean. There will also be daily traveller blogs with short updates on how the team is doing on location.

The students back in Canada will also be creating a website for the project that includes more details about the trip, blogs and samples of footage shot. The site will be updated regularly while the team is away so that people may follow their adventures. Some behind-the-scenes footage may also be posted to showcase the work involved in preparing for the trip.

The C-EFE program aims to ensure a network of 150 Canadian colleges and institutes is able to continue contributing, in an effective and sustainable way, to poverty reduction in developing countries. This includes supporting private sector development through workforce training and micro-enterprise support in sectors of the economy where there is a lack of qualified workers and entrepreneurs.

With recent studies on the education system in the Caribbean region showing that employers have difficulty in attracting and retaining a skilled, adaptable and flexible workforce, which they attribute to a lack of workforce preparedness, basic skills and an understanding of expected workplace behaviour and work ethics, the C-EFE program is designed to create a larger, more competitive and productive and gender-equitable workforce in the CARICOM region. C-EFE is working with 12 CARICOM countries: Antigua and Barbuda; the Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; Dominica; Grenada; Guyana; Haiti; Jamaica; Montserrat; Saint Lucia; St. Kitts and Nevis; St. Vincent and the Grenadines; Suriname; and Trinidad and Tobago.

ACCC is the national and international voice of Canada’s publicly-funded colleges and institutes, with 1.5 million learners of all ages and backgrounds at campuses serving over 3,000 urban, rural and remote communities.

For more information on ACCC and the C-EFE program, please visit the ACCC website.

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About Durham College

At Durham College, the student experience comes first. In September 2013, the college welcomed more than 30,000 students to campus including more than 10,000 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students as well as part-time and continuing education students and online learners. The college offers a wide range of market-driven programs in a number of different disciplines including culinary, hospitality, tourism, horticulture, business, information technology, media, art, design, general arts, science, skilled trades, justice, emergency services, health and engineering technology, enabling students to develop the skills required to meet the demands of today’s job market.

A three-phase expansion of the college’s Whitby campus was recently completed when the 36,000-square-foot Centre for Food opened on the northwest corner of campus. Accommodating approximately 900 additional students studying in culinary, hospitality, tourism, agricultural and horticultural programs, it also features Bistro ’67, a new, 70-seat, full-service, green-certified teaching and learning restaurant and Pantry, a new retail store featuring fresh-baked items, meals-to-go, preserved foods and ready-to-cook meals created by students in the college’s culinary programs.

For more information, visit www.durhamcollege.ca or call 905.721.2000.

Media contact:
Cosette Kazarian
Communications and Marketing
905.721.2000 ext. 3611
cosette.kazarian@durhamcollege.ca

Event will mark beginning of consultation process

Oshawa, Ont. – Members of the media and the general public are invited to attend Durham College (DC) and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology’s (UOIT) joint campus master planning open house on Wednesday, January 29.

The event, which marks the beginning of the consultation process for the new campus master plan (CMP), is part of a shared commitment to innovative and successful post-secondary education, including the new classrooms, laboratories and infrastructure required to support the learning of current and future students, professors and researchers.

The CMP, which is designed to address the future expansion and needs of both institutions, will provide opportunities for the college and university’s joint campus in north Oshawa as well as DC’s Whitby campus and UOIT’s downtown Oshawa location. It will include decisions on:

• How best to create a mixed-use hub for activity between the two academic institutions.
• How to support the ongoing development of north Oshawa as a complete community with enhanced transit opportunities, natural heritage linkages and the infrastructure needed to accommodate sustainable development.
• Ensuring that all campuses and locations are sustainable in terms of building design but also in terms of walkability, active transportation and respect for the natural environment.

Attendees will learn more about the:

• Planning to date including the vision and principles of the CMP initiative.
• Framework plan.
• Key findings and recommendations to date.

Additional information about the event and the planning process can be found at www.campusmasterplan.ca. For those unable to attend the event, feedback can be submitted via the website.

Who:

• Andrea Bourrie, MMM Group, leader of the CMP process
• Durham College students, faculty and staff
• College and university academic, business, community and government partners
• Members of the DC and UOIT leadership teams

When:

January 29 from 3 to 5 p.m. with the presentation beginning at 3:45 p.m.

Where:

Durham College and UOIT joint Oshawa campus
Gordon Willey building, Dining Room (G213)
2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario

Parking:

Enter off Simcoe Street North or Conlin Road and proceed to Founders 2/3 parking lot.

For more information contact:

Durham College
Allison Rosnak
905.721.2000 ext. 2333 or allison.rosnak@durhamcollege.ca

UOIT
Melissa Levy
905.721.8668 ext. 6733 or melissa.levy@uoit.ca

 

Event will also recognize first participants in additional provincial pilot project

Oshawa, Ont. –Durham College will celebrate the achievements of 150 Durham Region secondary school students as they graduate from the Centre for Success program at its annual ceremony on Thursday, January 16. In addition to college administration and staff, students will be joined by their families, teachers and representatives from the Durham District School, Durham Catholic School,, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School and Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Clarington Catholic District School boards.

Launched in 2006, the Centre for Success program is hosted at Durham College’s Oshawa and Whitby campuses through the School College Work Initiative, which is jointly funded by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. It offers students struggling in the secondary school environment another route to graduation by engaging them in a college environment.

In addition, most students earn a college credit as well as their secondary school diploma requirements during their time in the program.

This year’s celebration will also honour 10 Clarington Central Secondary School students who took part in Ontario’s pilot project dual credit class from Durham College’s Community Integration through Co-operative Education (CICE) Dual Credit program. These students were provided with the opportunity to experience college life and enhanced academic learning by enrolling in the program modified to fit their academic abilities.

Who:

• 150 Durham Region secondary school students and their families
• 10 participants from Ontario’s first  pilot project dual credit class
• Don Lovisa, president, Durham College
• Judy Robinson, vice-president, Academic, Durham College
• Gail MacKenzie, manager of Strategic Initiatives (School College Work Initiative), Durham College
• Representatives from several local school boards

When:
January 16
Ceremony:  1 to 3 p.m.

Where:
Durham College
Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre, Gymnasiums 1 and 2
2000 Simcoe Street North
Oshawa, Ontario

Parking:
Enter off Simcoe Street North or Conlin Road and proceed to Founders 3 parking lot.

For more information contact:
Michelle Roebuck
Communications and Marketing
905.721.2000 ext. 2197
michelle.roebuck@durhamcollege.ca

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Oshawa, Ont. – Following a very successful first term marked by significant achievement, strategic growth, community involvement and dedication to the student experience, the Durham College Board of Governors is pleased to announce that Don Lovisa will continue in his role as college president for a second five-year term, effective January 1 and running through to December 31, 2018.

“I am honoured and excited to serve another five years as president of Durham College and very proud of what we’ve accomplished together in my first term,” said Lovisa.  “Durham College has become a post-secondary destination of choice; our reputation has never been stronger and we’ve expanded and led the college system in growth and new program development.  I take pride in the direct, positive impact of Durham College on the social and economic well-being of Durham Region and the strong partnerships that we have developed with our community.”

Since assuming the role of president in 2008, the college has thrived under Lovisa’s leadership, realizing substantial growth in student enrolment, buildings, learning spaces and reputation, along with a stronger partnership with its campus partner, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), that has provided more opportunities for students than ever before. This includes a strong dedication to meeting the needs of all learners with the college welcoming more than 10,000 full-time, post-secondary and apprenticeship students in fall 2013, meeting its 2015 enrolment target of 10,000 students two years ahead of schedule.

The college also opened a new Student Services building at the Oshawa campus in March 2011; opened the Pickering Learning Site in September 2012; and undertook a three-phase expansion of the Whitby campus, resulting in the opening of the new Centre for Food in October 2013. Lovisa also demonstrated provincial leadership on student mobility as co-chair of the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT), increasing emphasis on offering students as many high-quality post-secondary options as possible and supporting continuous learning from apprenticeship to PhD. At Durham College, there are now more than 450 pathway opportunities with universities in Canada and around the world, many of which are with UOIT, and students of both institutions are moving between the two with greater frequency each year.

“Don has provided strong leadership for the college through a very successful first term, realizing strategic growth, academic excellence and success at every level,” said Ron Chatterton, chair, Durham College Board of Governors. “With an excellent team in place across campus, he is well-positioned to achieve further success in the years ahead as we prepare to celebrate the college’s 50th anniversary. Please join me in congratulating him on a job well done and supporting him as he commences his new term.”

During his time as president the college also introduced a new strategic plan; launched a new academic vision and plan; is working toward the introduction of its first-ever baccalaureate degrees in 2015; and received millions of dollars in research funding to work on applied research initiatives with small- and medium-sized business designed to advance innovation and the economic well-being of the community.

In addition, Lovisa has remained focused on developing and maintaining strong community, industry and business partnerships with organizations such as Ontario Power Generation, Parkwood and DC @ Core21, including taking a leading role in the development and realization of the Durham Learning and Business Innovation Park.

“As I look to the future, I see a college that will continue to innovate, transform, build and provide our students with new opportunities in helping them find even greater success,” added Lovisa.  “With our experienced and dedicated staff and faculty, Durham College is well-positioned for continued success and the delivery of the very best programs and services.”

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About Durham College

At Durham College, the student experience comes first. In September 2013, the college welcomed more than 30,000 students to campus including more than 10,000 full-time post-secondary students as well as part-time and continuing education students and online learners. The college offers a wide range of market-driven programs in a number of different disciplines including culinary, hospitality, tourism, horticulture, business, information technology, media, art, design, general arts, science, skilled trades, justice, emergency services, health and engineering technology, enabling students to develop the skills required to meet the demands of today’s job market.

A three-phase expansion of the college’s Whitby campus was recently completed when the 36,000-square-foot Centre for Food opened on the northwest corner of campus. Accommodating approximately 900 additional students studying in culinary, hospitality, tourism, agricultural and horticultural programs, it also features Bistro ’67, a new, 70-seat, full-service, green-certified teaching and learning restaurant.

For more information, visit www.durhamcollege.ca or call 905.721.2000.

Media contact:
Allison Rosnak/Michelle Roebuck
Communications and Marketing
905.721.2000 ext. 2333/ext. 2197
allison.rosnak@durhamcollege.ca /michelle.roebuck@durhamcollege.ca