CAUT has established an independent committee of inquiry to investigate possible violations of academic freedom at Dalhousie University and its affiliated Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre.

The University of Toronto's St. Michael's College is coming under fire from students, faculty and health organizations who want the school to return a controversial donation it received from a tobacco company.

Professor Tim Quigley, president of the faculty association at the University of Saskatchewan, outlined his association's concerns about the university's integrated planning initiative in the January 2003 Bulletin. His article provides a unique view of our integrated planning process as developed in consultation with the University Council, our senior academic governing body.

In response to Ken Coates' comments, let me first say that, in political struggles, it is rare for the other side to acknowledge the cogency of your arguments. However, the University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association continues to influence the integrated planning process.

I was heartened to see the CAUT leadership has expressed its appreciation of the leaders of the University of Haifa and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem for continuing in their missions of teaching and research "in the aftermath of suicide bombings and ongoing political unrest." I was disheartened, however, to see that this praise is made public not on its own merits, but solely as a sort of clumsy attempt at evenhandedness in a condemnation of Israel for closing two Palestinian universities in Hebron.

Unions can mitigate the negative impacts of globalization, a new study says. "Workers who belong to unions earn higher wages, work fewer hours, receive more training and have longer job tenure," say the researchers at the World Bank, who detail their findings in Unions and Collective Bargaining: Economic Effects in a Global Environment.

Finance Minister John Manley made several references to Canada as the Northern Tiger in his Feb. 18 budget speech. This analogy is intended to signal economic growth, as in "Irish Tiger." Ireland, which provides free tuition for post-secondary education and a system of needs-based grants is often held out as a model of economic development. Now that we have had a chance to examine Manley's budget, it is clear he has delivered a "toothless tiger" when it comes to post-secondary education funding. At first glance it is easy to react to the new spending announced in the budget in a positive manner, much as a person dying of thirst in a desert is grateful to see an oasis on the horizon - but the prospect of water is nothing more than a mirage.

The global federation representing the world's teachers' unions and associations is establishing an international task force on globalization and education.

Law students at the University of Manitoba have voted to nearly double tuition charged at their school, but only for incoming students.

The University College of Cape Breton faculty association has won a strong new collective agreement, following protracted negotiations. The agreement, ratified in February, provides for wage increases of 16 per cent over four years. The salary package was also front-end loaded, with five per cent retroactive to July 2002, a further two per cent in April 2003, and three per cent in July 2003, July 2004 and July 2005.

John Manley's first budget as Finance Minister is getting mixed reviews from Canada's post-secondary education community.

The government of Quebec is investigating whether McGill University is overcharging its international students.

Following last November Council's direction to make occupational health and safety a priority, CAUT has posted a new position of health and safety officer.

American efforts to open up education services in current trade negotiations suffered a serious setback last month when the European Commission announced it was ruling out any immediate commitments to liberalize post-secondary education services.

The share of British university students coming from the poorest families has fallen dramatically since the introduction of tuition fees, concludes a new study prepared by the U.K. Department for Education and Skills.

CAUT is adding its voice to more than 50 groups concerned about the impact of globalization and trade agreements on local cultures.

University of South Florida professor Sami Al-Arian, along with seven others, has been charged in a 50-count indictment with supporting, financing and relaying messages for a Palestinian terrorist group.

CAUT has joined the International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group (ICLMG), a coalition of civil rights advocates, NGOs, churches, unions, environmental advocates, other faith groups and groups representing immigrant and refugee communities in Canada.

The University of Moncton is objecting to certification of its contract academic staff by the union representing teaching faculty at the university.

British Columbia's students can expect higher fees and a continued decline in quality, college educators and university teachers are warning.