OVER THE PAST few years, the University of Ottawa has pushed for a more green and sustainable campus. During the 2009–10 school year, the Student Federation at the University of Ottawa (SFUO) initiated numerous green campaigns, including the launch of the plastic-bag and water bottle-free campus promotion. This year, the U of O has gone one step further to increase sustainability. In conjunction with the Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG), the U of O has launched a new initiative...

U of O Supermileage team aiming for perfection after second-place win

FOR THE UNIVERSITY of Ottawa’s Supermileage team, fuel is not served up as tall, grande, or venti. Fuel, according to these U of O engineers, correlates with efficiency, and that has become the basis of the team’s challenge since the group was founded in 2008....

WITH YEARS OF disputes behind them, the Sandy Hill community, in collaboration with the University of Ottawa, has formed the Good Neighbours Committee. This joint initiative is designed to bring together students, residents, and members of the community to debate and discuss issues that affect the district. The committee, formed in April, represents all parties of the Sandy Hill neighbourhood: Robert Stehle, president of Action Sandy Hill; Ted Horton, vp university affairs, representing the Student Federation of the University of...

President of U of O implicated in email contempt ---------------------------------------- WITH NEW EVIDENCE on file, the Canadian Press published an article on June 29 in the Toronto Star holding the University of Ottawa’s president, Allan Rock, responsible for the controversial email sent to Ann Coulter before her scheduled appearance last spring. The email—sent by Francois Houle, vice-president academic and provost at the university—warned Coulter about Canada’s laws on freedom of expression, including the restrictions against promoting hatred towards identifiable groups....

THANKS TO THE Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO), students from the U of O were able to participate in protests at the Toronto G20 summit June 26–27. At least four SFUO services—the Student Appeal Centre, the Women's Resource Centre, the Pride Centre, and Foot Patrol—combined finances from their budgets to rent a bus which took students to Toronto. “The services got together and said ‘there’s a bunch of us that really care about these issues, so let’s...

$1-billion security price tag could have been spent on student debt, they say

TORONTO (CUP) – CHANTS OF “WHOSE campus? Our campus!” echoed through the empty walkways of the University of Toronto as a procession of students snaked its way through the campus to reclaim the space. The campus had been shut down for the duration of the...

NCC develops $2.6M sound and light portrait of Canada

PARLIAMENT HILL IS on fire—smoke rises from Centre Block, flames flicker up the Peace Tower, and the chilling chime of bells is heard over the crackle of the blaze. But instead of horror on the faces of onlookers, there are smiles. The sight before them...

FINDING A JOB hasn't been easy for University of Ottawa student Azra Meghji. “I have been trying for the last couple of months and it’s been really difficult," said the honours commerce student. "I’ve applied for so many jobs and none of them were hiring or even giving interviews." For Meghji and students like her, however, the hunt may have just become easier. Ottawa employers are looking to hire, according to a survey released June 8 by the international company...

2010–11 budget will implement most resource optimization recommendations

THE UNIVERSITY OF Ottawa’s newly approved 2010–11 operating budget will keep the institution out of the red with the help of a controversial plan for spending reductions. “We’re forecasting a break-even year for the university,” stated U of O VP Resources Victor Simon during his...

Board of Governors passes fee hikes of 4 to 8 per cent across various faculties

FOLLOWING NEARLY THREE hours of debate at their April 27 meeting, the University of Ottawa's Board of Governors (BOG) voted in favour of raising tuition fees across several faculties by the maximum five per cent increase currently allowed by the province. Amid shouts of "shame"...

Centre for International Policy Studies releases report on Canadian foreign policy

CANADA IS SLOW to react to changes in international affairs and does not have a concrete vision for its foreign policy, states a joint University of Ottawa and Carleton University study. The report, titled “Rethinking Canada’s International Priorities,” was published by the U of O’s...

Quebec budget calls for tuition fee increases, new health care fee - McGill grads vote to leave CFS