Town & Gown Association of Ontario

Do intercollegiate athletics have to be the only “entryway that allows the public to connect with traditions, values and campus life?” Using the “front porch” metaphor, the author argues that academic outreach is an instructive way to create dialogue between institutions and communities. Ennis recommends that institutions “foreground and reward academic outreach” by making it a professional priority.

With school back in session, some Thoroldites are fearful their peaceful neighbourhoods will erupt into noisy student parties. In efforts to prevent this, as well as unkempt student residences, a delegation of Brock University and city volunteers embarked on a proactive mission last Saturday—to meet students at the source of past problems—where they live.

The Government of Ontario’s student choice initiative became active this September, allowing students to opt-out of some fees that were previously mandatory. While certain feessuch as health and counseling, sports and recreation remain mandatory, others that support campus newspapers or student food banks are now optional. "This puts food banks in a precarious situation because they don't know how much food they can afford to buy for students or how many staff they can hire.

Authorities figure there's no way they can stop the next Ezra Avenue street party later this month, but they plan to test new ways to control the mayhem. If another street party happens as expected on Sept. 28 during Homecoming at Wilfrid Laurier University, they plan several measures to control tipsy crowds, limit nuisances, and dissuade partiers from throwing bottles.

This fall, Ontario students will have the option to opt-out of all fees deemed “non-essential,” and it is yet to be seen how significant an impact this will have on-campus life, writes Joanne Laucius. The author notes that the move will see undergraduates on most campuses save less than $200 a year out of a total of about $2,000 in student fees if they opt out of all “non-essential” fees. Some student groups are reportedly already cutting staff in anticipation of financial shortfalls. Among the groups expected to be most significantly hit will be student unions and the services they provide, such as food banks, Indigenous centres, women’s centres, and LGBTQ+ support centres.