For some, the cleanliness of our environment is not top priority but sometimes it’s a good idea to make it one.

On May 13, Durham College (DC) students and employees hauled on gloves, collected empty garbage bags and took to the outdoors with the Sustainability Sub-Committee to make the campus beautiful during the 2015 Campus Clean-up.

Events like this play a key role in DC’s Living Green mandate, which includes environmental stewardship and raising awareness while promoting sustainability in its goals.

There were two options for the event — drop-in or stay for the entire time — but for two hours, all participants worked hard to clean up all the litter left behind on campus. By 3 p.m., 537 lbs. of waste, such as planks of wood, shopping carts and buckets, and 182 pounds of recycling were removed from the stream and trail path behind the South Village Residence.

The hard work did not go unrewarded. All participants received a Living Green glass water bottle as a thank you for making the environment a priority.

Durham College (DC) will accept grade 12 mid-term grades as final grades for students applying to the fall 2015 semester from any school board impacted by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) work stoppage.

“Our primary mandate as a college is access for students,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “At Durham College the student experience comes first and we remain committed to students’ success by putting plans in place to support affected students’ academic needs during these unique circumstances.”

In order to be eligible for consideration, students must have completed their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) prior to starting classes in the fall, and meet the entrance requirements for any program they have applied to. The current deadline for confirmation of all entry requirements is August 22. Should the strike go past the deadline for the school boards to issue the OSSD’s, refunds will be offered to any applicant who has already paid their $500 deposit.

“We understand that students’ in the affected boards feel uncertain about their post-secondary future,” said Meri Kim Oliver, vice-president, Student Affairs. “The leadership team at Durham College is doing everything we can to reassure them that, should all necessary requirements be met, we will accept them with open arms based on their mid-term grades.”

Regular updates will be posted on www.durhamcollege.ca, and all current DC applicants will be contacted directly in an effort to keep future students and their families informed as the situation progresses. Students or parents/guardians who have further concerns are invited to contact the college at 905.721.3000.

More information about the strike is available on the DDSB website.

Durham College (DC) students will soon have the option to study in India.

A new window for DC has been opened as it announces the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with India’s National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), to provide education and hands-on training in the automotive and agricultural sectors.

The signing was one of 10 MOU’s announced recently by Colleges and Institutes of Canada (CICan) and the offered programs will be branded by CICan, NSDC and participating Indian partners.

DC president Don Lovisa applauds Indian Prime Minister Modi’s leadership in upgrading the skills of India’s workforce. The agreement partners Canadian colleges with an institution in India to develop a joint venture arrangement for skills training geared towards students studying in applicable sectors.

“Our automotive programs offered at our Whitby campus and the agricultural work we’re currently undertaking at DC’s Centre for Food (CFF) are helping prepare our students for the demands of a complex and changing world,” said Lovisa. “This is a very exciting development for the college.”

Recently, Dr. Satender Arya, CEO of the Indian Agricultural Sector Skills Council, visited DC’s CFF. The visit has not only allowed him to view DC’s developments in agriculture and see the college’s programming in action, but has allowed for more developing partnerships abroad to position DC as an international presence.

Although the MOU with DC is currently signed only for the automotive and agriculture sectors, the college is also preparing to work in India in the Early Childhood Education (ECE) field, which could be added to the NSDC framework in the near future.

Durham College (DC) was recognized on Wednesday, May 6 by the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management (OFMEM) and the Insurance Bureau of Canada for its unique approach to emergency preparedness.

In celebration of the 20^th anniversary of Emergency Preparedness Week, which this year runs from May 3 to 9, a group of students in the Interactive Design and Media program collaborated with OFMEM to create a series of videos and posters to promote emergency preparedness in Ontario.  

Students were required to create 60 to 90 second videos for families and seniors that stressed the importance of being prepared for situations such as emergency preparedness on campus, stovetop safety, emergency preparedness for pet owners, electrical blackouts, storms, floods and public alerting – just to name a few. The criteria was set by OFMEM, and students had to work with them to develop a process from feasibility study to the end product.

“This recognition will motivate and build the students’ confidence for their future careers,” said Linda Cheng, professor, School of Media Art & Design at DC. “It taught them to listen attentively, understand the needs of a client, come up with a plan, form a team, establish a timeline and deliver a final product.”

The partnership initiated in 2012 when Jude Kelly, Communications and Public Education, OFMEM, worked with Cheng and her students, to create a game day program for the Juno Hoops charity basketball event. Kelly was impressed by the students’ talent and proposed a collaboration.

“The project was so successful that I approached Ms. Cheng immediately afterward to see if she would be interested in working together on another project,” said Kelly. “She liked the concept and slotted it into her curriculum.”

After two successful collaborations in 2014 and 2015, the partnership has proven to be an excellent resource for OFMEM and valuable experience for students.

“I strongly believe in practicing what we learn in the classroom as it pertains to industry,” said Cheng. “This recognition validates our curriculum and our students’ talent and professionalism, and we will certainly continue to build on this collaboration and expand into more industries.”

This project also included students from DC’s Contemporary Web Design program, who created mock web pages on emergency preparedness. Successful entries were posted on the OFMEM website and YouTube channel, and promoted via Twitter and Facebook.

Mid-term marks have now been sent

As you know, all secondary schools in the Durham District School Board (DDSB) are currently closed due to a teachers’ strike by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) – Durham. Schools will remain closed until the DDSB advises otherwise.

Durham College (DC) is pleased to advise that mid-term marks from the DDSB have now been submitted to the Ontario College Application Service (OCAS).

“Our goal is to ensure that applications continue to flow through the process so that all applicants receive the same opportunity for fair consideration to their post-secondary program,” said Paul Bishop, executive director, Strategic Enrolment Services at Durham College. “We are pleased that these grades have now been sent to the application centre despite the work stoppage.”

Regular updates will continue to be posted on www.durhamcollege.ca, and emails will be sent to applicants in an effort to keep future students and their families informed as the situation progresses. Students or parents/guardians who have further concerns are invited to contact the college at 905.721.3000.

More information about the strike is available on the DDSB website.

DC working to ensure potential OSSTF strike doesn’t affect applicants

Friday, April 17, 2015

Durham College (DC) is aware of the potential strike by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) in Durham Region, and every effort is being made to ensure applications continue through the process unaffected.

The college is sensitive to concerns that mid-term marks may be delayed in the event of a strike, which may affect students who received conditional offers. While it is still early to speculate on the potential impact, DC wants to assure students and their families that it is working at a provincial level with the Ministry of Education and Colleges Ontario to develop a contingency plan that will allow students to complete the application process.

The Durham District School Board (DDSB) anticipates that mid-term marks will be submitted in advance of the proposed strike date and mid-term report cards mailed home.

“The student experience comes first at Durham College, and that commitment includes the application process,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “We recognize this is an anxious time for students who are completing their high school education and preparing for college. With this in mind we are working diligently to ensure that a potential work stoppage doesn’t create any unnecessary complications for students as they pursue their dreams to attend college.”

DC will continue to update applicants in an effort to keep future students and their families informed as the situation progresses. Students or parents/guardians who have further concerns are invited to contact the college at 905.721.3000 or please check the DC website for regular updates.

More information about the proposed strike is available on the DDSB website.

Once again, Durham College’s (DC) Communications and Marketing department is recognized for their hard work and innovation at the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR) Paragon Awards. This year, the team received gold in the Video Shorts and Electronic College Annual Report categories, as well as bronze in Special Events Promotion.

The prestigious awards are the only national competition of its kind showcasing outstanding achievement in communications at community and technical colleges for the past 15 years. The 2015 national conference was held in Portland, Oregon. Graphic designers Beth Chapleau and Melanie Vincent, travelled to Portland to represent DC at this year’s conference.

“It was awesome to connect with so many people who work in communications and marketing,” said Chapleau. “To see all of the submissions from a wide range of community colleges was really interesting. DC is producing work we can definitely be proud of.”

On July 30, DC announced the official launch of its marketing campaign, Experience DC. The purpose of this multiplatform campaign is to bring the college experience to prospective and current students, parents, teachers and the community through a unique group of students representing a wide cross-section of programs, personal interests and personalities. From August 11 to 25, DC gave viewers a sneak peek at each student individually through a series of short videos on the Experience DC website. This series of videos, including the campaign launch video, were awarded gold at this year’s Paragon Awards. Since its launch, the Experience DC campaign has garnered more than 84,400 page views.

Another gold Paragon Award winner was the college’s 2013-2014 electronic annual report.

In addition to the two gold awards, the college received bronze for DC’s staff appreciation ceremony. On October 4, the college celebrated staff’s employment at the annual event. Service awards were distributed in five-year intervals, up to the 35-year mark, with nearly 170 staff members receiving recognition. For the first time, awards of excellence were given to nominated support, administrative and accessibility advocate staff. With more than 400 guests in attendance, DC President Don Lovisa, presented winners with their awards. Faculty excellence award winners were also given a $1,500 credit for a professional development course through the Centre for Academic and Faculty Enrichment. The annual ceremony allows faculty and staff to be recognized for their hard-work and dedication.

“I am beyond proud of the creativity, commitment, dedication and professionalism the DC Communications and Marketing department puts into their work every day,” said Carol Beam, executive director, Communications and Marketing. “To be recognized at NCMPR’s Paragon Awards is a great honour.”

This year’s NCMPR Paragon Awards received a total of 1,780 submissions in 53 categories. Winners represented a variety of colleges, all with a wide range of budgets, staff and resources. What made the award recipients similar was their dedication for producing creative and unique approaches to college communications and marketing.

Several representatives from Durham College (DC) visited Dublin Ireland to share their expertise and showcase the excellent programs offered at the college in the first Irish-Canadian Higher Education in Transformation Symposium, held at both the Dublin Institute of Technology and the Printworks, Dublin Castle.

Lon Appleby, professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Studies & Employment Services; Jay Fisher and Kevin Dougherty, professors in the School of Business, IT & Management; and DC President Don Lovisa travelled across the pond for the conference, which ran from March 30 to April 1. Also in attendance were representatives from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), Trent University, Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD), the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown (ITB), Institute of Technology Tallaght (ITT), and Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT).  

DC staff and faculty actively participated through workshops and speaking engagements that provided a strategic focus for attendees on the direction of higher education.

Appleby hosted a workshop on the first day that focused on DC’s “global classes”, which connects students with industry experts, producers, researchers and authors from around the world through a virtual meeting room.

Dougherty provided an address on the second day that focused on Factors that Influence College Faculty to Adopt Digital Technologies in their Practice, and Fisher shared his expertise on the third day with a speaking engagement based on A New Model Within Canadian Colleges and Universities to Develop a Diverse Future Generation of Entrepreneurs: Inclusivity and Accessibility.

“I was very pleased to co-host and participate in this international symposium and engage in meaningful discussions with colleagues from Canada, Ireland and other countries about the evolution of higher education,” said Lovisa. “In addition, I was very proud of our Durham College faculty who presented at the conference and by the excellent reception they received.  Through our collective efforts we can focus on responding to the rapidly changing social and economic environment affecting higher education. From this place of cohesion, we can adapt our institutions and continue to prepare our students for success and position them as tomorrow’s leaders.”

Durham College (DC) has launched the DC Summer Accelerator program – a new initiative to help students, local youth and alumni take their innovative ideas or business ventures to market faster while utilizing the professional services from an experienced support team.

In collaboration with Spark Centre, the program offers incubation and acceleration services to support and provide access to services so young entrepreneurs can turn their great ideas into tangible and marketable products.

“We are thrilled to launch the DC Summer Accelerator, the latest addition to our FastStart programming,” said Debbie McKee Demcyzk, director, Office of Research Services and Innovation. “Teaming up with Spark Centre to provide expert advising and mentorship services, we will provide participants with a unique opportunity to kick-start their businesses. We’re confident that this will be a successful and in-demand program supporting young entrepreneurs.”

The DC Summer Accelerator is the perfect opportunity for those with compelling business ventures that have the potential for large market sustainability. Applicants must be committed and willing to receive coaching and work day-to-day with the Spark Centre team.

The program offers:

• Faster market entry with a sharp focus on building the technology, achieving milestones and growing revenues, while a support team provides advisory services, operational support and key connections.
• Reduced start-up costs through access to office space, bookkeeping, administrative support and preferred rates on professional services such as legal, accounting and intellectual property.
• A focused environment where participants are able to avoid common start-up failures by engaging with other entrepreneurs and industry professionals.

There is no cost to participate in the DC Summer Accelerator.  Some participants may opt to work part-time during the evenings or weekends while participating, which is acceptable as long as progress continues on their start-up activities.

Application deadline is Monday, April 20.

On Tuesday, March 31 Durham College (DC) announced it has finalized its stand-alone policy and procedure on sexual assault and sexual violence and they are now publicly available on the college’s website.

“This is an important step to take for Durham College, alongside the other colleges across Ontario,” said Don Lovisa, president, DC. “It’s essential that everyone knows their rights and responsibilities and that the security of our campus continues to be a priority.”

DC’s policy and procedure communicate that all members of the Durham College community have a right to work and study in an environment that is free from any form of sexual violence. 

These documents ensure that the college has a process that:

• Protects the rights of individuals
• Facilitates an environment in which those who experience sexual violence are believed and their rights respected
• Holds individuals who are found to have committed an act of sexual violence, accountable

Presidents at Ontario’s 24 publicly funded colleges voted unanimously in November to create a stand-alone policy and protocol that would be available at all colleges by March 31. A draft version was publicly released in January and there have been consultations throughout the province to finalize the document.

Building on DC’s existing policies and procedures, the stand-alone policy and procedure provide precise definitions of sexual assault and sexual violence, set clear standards for reporting and responding to incidents of sexual violence, and establish clear processes for complaints and investigations.

Individual colleges and Colleges Ontario (the advocacy organization for the province’s 24 colleges) have consulted with students and college staff throughout Ontario. There have also been consultations with legal experts, the Ontario Women’s Directorate, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, government officials and others, including DC’s Director of Campus Safety, Tom Lynch, who sat on the provincial advisory committee.

The colleges’ policies and procedures support the action plan on sexual violence announced by Premier Kathleen Wynne on March 6. Work will continue to ensure the initiatives at each college fulfil the expectations and requirements of the premier’s action plan.

Ontario’s colleges are currently working on next steps, including new education and training at the colleges and the development of new awareness and prevention initiatives.

“We are grateful to our students and staff who have worked diligently to finalize our new policy and procedure,” said Meri Kim Oliver, vice-president, Student Affairs. “It’s essential that we continue working together to raise awareness about sexual violence and the role we can all play in preventing it.”

DC’s policy and procedure can be found on its Sexual Violence and Awareness page, along with a video and infographic to provide additional resources to students, staff and faculty.

Durham College, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and Trent University have collaborated on a call for submissions from the provincial government’s Major Capacity Expansion Framework to build a new flagship facility dedicated to health and community studies, located in Oshawa’s north end.

The proposed Centre for Integrated Health and Community Studies (CIHCS) and the partnership between the three institutions is detailed in a collaborative new website, investwith3.ca. The bold vision proposes a new facility that will enable the institutions to deliver curriculum and create a campus culture that educates students in the requisite knowledge, and technical and soft skills needed for success in the health-care and community studies field. Offering a unique mix of programs from the three institutions will give people in Durham Region, Northumberland County and beyond access to more health-care professionals and technologies, as well as access to new innovative approaches to health care.

Additionally, the proposed new facility will open up opportunities for exciting new collaborations with industry partners that will position Durham Region and Northumberland County as a leader in health-care delivery, services and innovation. It will strengthen and sustain the partnerships already in place with area health care and community institutions, many of which are recognized across the province for excellence in health-care delivery.

The proposal and partnership by Durham College, UOIT and Trent University builds on a long history of collaboration with decades of experience working together. The natural synergies that exist between the institutions provide a solid foundation for success for the Centre for Integrated Health and Community Studies.