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UPEI Receives Grant

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Bartmann observed that ‘‘we felt good about our chances.’? SSHRCC has sponsored the project twice before, including funds directly from the President, and encouraged the applica- tion.

The North Atlantic Islands project received the full fifty thousand dollar grant. UPEI is the first Atlantic university to get such as grant, as the competition is stiff. The Summer Institute is not just based on the Islands project, but will also include other scholars and issues related to small island scholarship. The central themes of the Summer Institute will be those of the Island Project, but will also speak to a wider audience.

The grant strengthens UPEI’s growing role and visibility in interna- tional small islands scholarship, thus enhancing the university’s reputation. The grant will also benefit some of people at the university. Some of the sessions will provide opportunities for international scholarly connections. For . example, Bartmann explains ‘‘We have already had some promising connec- tions between the aquaculture program at AVC and our colleagues in Iceland.’’ Provincially, Bartmann hopes that, like the government sponsored Island Project itself, the Summer Institute will provide some insights into solving problems faced by small island jurisdic- tions -- economic development, for example. Bartmann sees a good possi- bility of learning from other islands’ success and experiences in various sectors.

The application was made by Professors Bartmann and Milne, but the Institute of Island Studies is a major factor in the Summer Institute program. The Institute is primarily concerned with the administrative aspect of the grant and Summer Institute, for exam- ple, travel and residence arrangements.

The Summer Institute will be in early August. Bartmann adds that further information will be made public as it becomes available.

News/Features

by Amy Gallan

UPEI’s Board of Governors, or BOG, have adopted a new policy concerning the university’s application for enrollment fee, or the lack of one. On December 1, 1995, the university decided that a $35 fee was to be in- cluded with all first time applications.

The new policy reads ‘‘An application fee of $35 must accompany each application for admission to the DVM, BScN or post-degree BEd Programs. .. An application fee of $35 must accompany each first-time appli- cation by a prospective UPEI student for admission to any other program of studies at the University. An applica- tion fee is not charged to students who have applied previously for admission to such programs, whether successfully or unsuccessfully. ”’ Before this policy was carried

UPEI was one of the few universities who still did not charge an application fee. John Degrace, the university’s registrar, explained that the reason it took so long for a fee to be placed was, “We viewed it to be a positive aspect . .

The Panther Prints January 23, 1996

One More Fee: UPEI Adopts

. It was good for recruiting."” Degrace said he understands that the BOG’s view was that ‘‘. . . we are heading into a time when budgets are shrinking, and so people must start paying the price.’’

The $35 application fee to be charged by UPEI is the second highest in the Maritime Provinces. During the BOG meeting Dr. Epperly said that the Board’s view had bee that it would be better to set the fee as had been done, relatively high, than to set a lower fee and find it necessary to raise it later on. Also, other universities will be raising their application fees in response to government cutbacks. Degrace said that the fee will increase the net benefit of the university by tens of thousands of dollars.

This raises a question -- is an application fee wise when the rate of enrollment, both full and part-time, is decreasing?’’ This point was also brought up at the Senate meeting by Mr. I. MacDonald. He said that while he had no problem with the specifics of the proposed Calendar entry, he was

Application Fees

opposed to the concept of the applica- tion fee generally on the basis that it would be a negative incentive for students to attend the University. He was particularly opposed to the imposi- tion of the fee on first-time applicants seeking part-time study, and on Centen- nial Scholars. He thought that it would discourage prospective part-time stu- dents from exploring the possibilities of a university-level education. However, Degrace says that, ‘‘There is no evi- dence that the presence of an applica- tion fee is making a difference in student enrollment.’’

The thirty-five dollar application fee has already applied to professional areas of study, such as the veterinary medicine program at the university, for many years. However, students picking up an application for enrollment at UPEI may be surprised that this fee applies to all programs. This will be true for first-time students flipping through the 1996 UPEI calender also, where other changes are expected to be included with the Calendar section on Fees.

MacLean's on UPEI

Truth or Dare Part I of IV

by Christopher Michaud

Is UPEI. better or worse than the magazine MacLean’s yearly university poll states? It’s a good question. Who’s to say? If it were up to you, the student, what would you say?

The ratings MacLean’s dishes out are based on a few factors, such as: faculties with PhD professors, class sizes, finances, and nationwide reputa- tion.

UPEI, our dear, old, UPEI, is ranked against other universities under the heading of ‘‘Primarily Undergradu-

ate’’. Primarily undergraduate universi-

ties are those largely focused on under- graduate education. 18 other universi- ties battle UPEI for the best rankings they can get.

The big question, for those of you who haven’t already read the magazine, is how bad, or good, did UPEI do?

Here’s a condensed overview, taking the best and worst rankings for some,

You don’t want to know

not all, of the areas ranked:

BEST: :

2nd: Percent of total operating expenditures devoted to updating library holdings.

3rd: Size of operating expenditures per weighted full-time student.

6th: | Number of out of province students at UPEI.

WORST:

9th: (tie for last) No faculty with national awards.

12th: Percent of total operating expenditures devoted to scholarships (1.65%).

15th: Percent of total operating expenditures devoted to student services (3.58%).

17th: Percent of total operating expenditures devoted to maintaining library services (5.26%).

18th: First-year classes taught by tenured or tenure-track professors.

19th: Reputation nationwide (not in top 15 for 4 different categories).

OVERALL:

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