June 2012 CAUT Denounces Fed’s Omnibus Budget Bill as Undemocratic CAUT is calling on the federal government to break up its omnibus budget bill and allow Canadians to have their voices heard over the controversial changes being proposed. Canadians Overwhelmingly Oppose Tuition Increases Canadians are increasingly concerned about access to affordable post-secondary education, according to a national poll commissioned by CAUT in April. No Compromises when Defending Civil Liberties Canada’s Anti-terrorism Act is now 10 years old. With it and since its passage, we have seen unprecedented legal and regulatory changes made by our government in the name of national security. Ignorance Is Strength Felipe Fernández-Armesto prefers fertile uncertainty to dead-end facts. His books have lots of speculation and provocation, and as few facts and dates as he thinks he can get away with. EI Focuses on Education Crisis Education International has set up a new website in expansion of its advocacy work. It continues EI’s larger call for adequate investment in education. Journalists Awarded for Education Coverage Erin Hudson of the McGill Daily and freelance writer Rosanna Tamburri are the 2012 recipients of CAUT’s Excellence in Post-Secondary Education Journalism Awards. Handing Patients a Megaphone A new website has recently joined the ranks of other sites providing free medical information about prescription drugs. What makes RxISK different from any other site is its independence from the pharmaceutical industry. CAUT Welcomes Newest Member CAUT’s April Council has welcomed the Osgoode Hall Faculty Association as its newest member, CAUT's 73rd local member association. Western Ontario Professor Wins Donald C. Savage Award Mike Dawes, a University of Western Ontario professor emeritus of mathematics, has been awarded CAUT’s Donald C. Savage Award. More Universities Reject Access Copyright-AUCC Agreement A growing number of universities have announced they will not sign the model copying agreement that the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada signed with Access Copyright to cover the reproduction of paper and digital content on university campuses. Letter from Scientists to Government, MPs & NSERC on Discontinuance of Research Programs In the 2012 federal budget, the Conservative government unveiled sweeping cuts across all departments and agencies. The three federal granting councils were not spared. At the time, the government insisted the cuts would not affect programs. CAUT to Attend EI Conference CAUT will be sending representatives to Education International’s Higher Education and Research Conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Employment Insurance Changes Will Impact Contract Academic Staff Contract academic staff who use employment insurance benefits to bridge gaps between contracts will be significantly affected by sweeping changes to the program announced by federal Human Resources Minister. Childhood under Siege The author Joel Bakan digs deeply into childhood in the U.S. and Canada and comes up with staggering facts and figures. He starts with the premise that society pretends to value children by passing laws to protect them. Writing History In his well-written autobiography, Michael Bliss sets out to explain to readers “what it was like to be a university professor in North America in the last half of the twentieth century”.