When Anne Duffy, a University of Ottawa professor of medicine, arrived for work at the university's Institute of Mental Health Research at the Royal Ottawa Hospital on March 23, she got a nasty surprise inside.

CAUT last month commended the University of Western Ontario administration for defending academic freedom in the face of a growing controversy over plans to award an honorary degree to Dr. Henry Morgentaler.

In response to Donald Kerr’s letter ("McMaster Policy Revisited," Bulletin, May 2005), I would like to point out that one aspect of the topic has been ignored, namely, that an academic appointment entails between eight and 10 years of education beyond the average school-leaving level. This means an academic is exposed to many more ideas and cultural experiences than is the average citizen. Thus, in addition to contributions to civic discourse based on a narrow field of expertise, an academic can also make valuable contributions based on his or her wider knowledge of politics, the environment or municipal matters, gained because he or she has been trained at the university to seek information in an organized manner. It is this wider and objectively gained education that allows an academic to put forward his or her views over a signature distinguished by the title "Professor."

It’s that time of year. Many of us have received disappointing course evaluations, disappointing in the sense that the passengers on the Titanic were disappointed to find out their ship was sinkable. In fact, as a sessional lecturer, my evaluations have probably sunk my application to teach at a local college.

The Ontario government has introduced legislation that will end mandatory retirement for workers aged 65 and older.

People often ask me if I was born in Canada. I was born in Toronto on July 28, 1952. I suppose I am often asked this question because of my last name. I was taunted mercilessly as a child because of my last name.

In spite of resources that are relatively modest for a G8 country, Canadians have made and continue to make more than their share of contributions to the world's science literature. They've made a difference. It is encouraging, therefore, that over the last five to 10 years, the Canadian government has increasingly understood the importance of investment in innovation and in research and development to our country's future economic health. The government has shown its commitment by seriously escalating funding and development of new programs. The new funds have had a significant impact on Canada's science environment, attracting world-class scientists from around the globe, including from the United States.

One day you have the security of a group healthcare plan to help fill the gaps left by your provincial health insurance coverage. The next, as a result of retirement, your benefits may be gone, and you face paying for routine medical expenses such as prescription drugs, dental services, prescription eyewear and chiropractic visits, out of your own pocket.

With startup funding from the Graduate Students Association at the University of Ottawa, a group of students and faculty have launched www.uwatch.ca - an organization and web site dedicated to the vision that universities ought to be transparent institutions serving in the public interest.

The University of California at Berkeley has reversed a controversial decision to deny tenure to an outspoken critic of the university's ties to the biotechnology industry.

University lecturers in Britain voted last month to overturn a controversial boycott of Israeli institutions.

The final draft of international guidelines designed to monitor the quality of post-secondary education provided across borders was released last month amid continuing controversy.

Working people are more knowledgeable and actively engaged in learning than public discussion generally assumes

More than two decades ago, governments across Canada adopted — with much ballyhoo — new occupational health and safety laws

Dr. Nancy Olivieri is famous for raising doubts about an experimental drug with which she was treating thalassemia patients. Her principled stand, and the resulting scandal, led universities to offer researchers some protection against illegitimate drug company pressure. Medical journals changed their publication rules. Research hospitals changed their policies. She became an international icon.

CAUT's Sarah Shorten Award for outstanding achievements in the promotion of the advancement of women in Canadian universities and colleges was given this year to Meg Luxton of York University.

Between January and May, 10 individuals received awards from CAUT in recognition of exceptional service to their faculty associations