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Articles Archive for September 2011

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[28 Sep 2011 | Comments Off on Party leaders agree to disagree at 2011′s Ontario election debate | ]

Ontario post-secondary students might have empty bank accounts, but if the Ontario election debate is any indication then all this might be changing soon.
In last night’s debate, the leaders of the Liberal, PC, and NDP parties were posed two questions about the future of post-secondary students, which all three answered positively.
McGuinty pointed out all of the advances Ontario has been making in the job market right now, giving hope to post-secondary students that their degrees will not be wasted on part-time jobs in the hospitality sector.  He also stated that …

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[19 Sep 2011 | Comments Off on OPSEU reaches agreement bringing strike to an end | ]

After 18 days, a tentative settlement has been reached to end Ontario’s college support staff strike.
Following two days of bargaining by negotiators, the deal was struck late Sunday night.
Rob Bemister, chair of the OPSEU bargaining team, said the union secured key contract proposals for its members and hopes all members will approve the tentative deal.
Over 8,000 college support workers will be returning to work Sept. 20.
Details are expected to be released after the settlement has been approved, which a date has not been set for.

 

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[18 Sep 2011 | Comments Off on Students feeling disconnected as the lack of Internet takes effect | ]

It would seem as though postponed assignments and a lighter workload would be any college students’ dream. Even though it may be the case for some students at Mohawk, it comes at a hefty price. Due to the current strike, students have been disconnected from the Internet, turning the dream into a nightmare.
Currently, the staff that monitors the Wi-Fi is out walking the picket lines. In order to make life a little easier for students, the college has set up locations within the campus that have a limited number of …

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[17 Sep 2011 | Comments Off on Arnie nears completion after weeks of setbacks | ]

After nearly two weeks of delays, the newly renovated Arnie may soon be open for business.
The Arnie was scheduled to open on three different dates, including this past Wednesday. Each of these cancellations were due to problems with the flooring.
President of the Mohawk Students Association, Daniel Clark, says there was an oily film on the floor, making it extremely slippery and unsafe for students.
“Honestly, it was like a skating rink in there,” Clark said. “A wet sheet of ice.”
As a solution to this problem, the flooring company has decided to …

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[17 Sep 2011 | Comments Off on Stuck in the middle, students feel the sting of the strike | ]

Students are keeping their fingers as strikers go back to the bargaining table. The Ontario Public Services Employees Union (OPSEU) has adjusted their demands, causing the mediator for the strike to pass the message to school management. This could possibly allow talks to continue as early as Sept. 17.
The main sticking point in this strike is the three per cent wage increase, and job security that the union is asking for.
“By modifying our demands on wages and retiree benefits, we demonstrated our commitment to the bargaining process and the students …

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[17 Sep 2011 | Comments Off on Elections Canada cancels on-campus voting due to strike | ]

Students are left wondering how to vote on Oct. 6 as campus polling stations have been cancelled.
Since the strike isn’t expected to be over any time soon, Elections Canada has decided not to have special polling stations on campus for fear that the strikers will compromise the safety and integrity of the voting system. These on-campus polls were a new idea meant to start this year to encourage about 200,000 Ontario college students to have their say in the upcoming election.
Since youth voter turnout has been something of a concern …

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[17 Sep 2011 | Comments Off on Mohawk fills the gaps as support staff walks the line | ]

 

It goes without saying – the support staff on strike has posed a unique set of challenges for Mohawk College.   With the theoretical ball being left behind by the strikers, part-time and administrative staff have teamed up with students to keep the game in play.
Some big names in the college have been found helping out wherever possible.
“I even saw [Mohawk College] President Rob MacIsaac [helping out] in the OSAP office one of the days,” said Andy Hall, MSA’s Vice President.
Meanwhile over in The Square, Jay Robb, Director of Media Relations …

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[15 Sep 2011 | Comments Off on Mohawk’s plan to expand comes with health benefits and more building costs | ]

Future Mohawk students may have even more debt before graduating as plans for a brand new athletics facility gets underway.
“[The MSA] has been talking with the college and athletics committee and the college has decided that this is the next step in our renovations in order to stay current and competitive with other colleges,” says MSA President Dan Clark.
The estimated cost of the new facility is $17 million and will be partly subsidized by an undetermined fee once the facility is completed in 2014.
Three years ago the MSA held a …

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[14 Sep 2011 | Comments Off on Varsity sports suffer as strike rages on | ]

Usually this time of year the Mohawk Sports Park is full of varsity athletes playing rugby, soccer and fastball.
This season, however, the park sits empty.  A college support-staff strike means some of these athletes may be looking at a lost season. Many games have already been postponed and no one knows what the future holds.
“We have such a short season already that I’m concerned how many games we’re going to have to be playing to make up for those extra games that have already been postponed,” said fastball pitcher Jessica …

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[3 Sep 2011 | Comments Off on Police Foundations course offers new opportunities | ]

Mohawk College is offering a Police Foundations Co-op for the first time this year. Students are able to volunteer at the local Hamilton Policing Centre on Ottawa Street to gain experience in the field by participating in different programs.
“Some of them have a couple volunteer jobs,” said Marg Marshall, volunteer program coordinator at the Policing Centre. “If they’re doing a co-op program, they need seven hundred hours.”
Marshall will have students work in programs such as the Car Seat Instalment program, speed watch, the Lock It or Lose It program and …