News

After a long bitter strike that began in early June, part-time U of T Bookstore workers and U of T Press, the bookstore’s owners, have finally reached an agreement. Workers will be given a two percent raise this year, and a second two percent raise next year. Currently, part time employees at the bookstore are earning $7.35 an hour. The deal will be up in October 2001. The union and management also negotiated a $50 signing bonus and language for a better grievance procedure, job security and seniority.Continue...

Three years after having the grease pole stolen from them in a car chase, the fourth year applied science students have been vindicated by a stroke of ‘dumb luck’. A group of eight Sci ’01s stole the coveted pole from this year’s Frecs, the Sci ’03s, and ransomed it for an $1800 party in the latest installment of a decades-old rivalry.Continue...

People who want to try something different than their regular courses now have some new and interesting options. Starting this year, the Alma Mater Society is running Q-College, a program designed to run non-academic courses in a range of activities. Massage therapy, mixology, web design and American Sign Language are the courses the AMS is planning to offer for the 2000-2001 year, with more courses to be added over time. All courses are taught by qualified Queen’s students, except the American Sign Language which is being taught by an outside agency in order to allow participants to receive valid certification.Continue...

Lines have been drawn across Ontario following the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities’ announcement that it intends to allow private universities to be established in the province. In a move which has been toted as the single largest change since the expansion of the post-secondary system in the 1960’s, the plans would allow the establishment of privately-funded degree granting institutions in the province as well as permit Ontario community colleges to offer applied degrees on a pilot project basis.Continue...

Effective February 28, students who have a government loan will skip their usual visit to the local bank and deal directly with government service bureaus that are currently being developed by the Ministry of Human Resources and Development (HRDC), the federal ministry that operates the national loans program.Continue...