Latest news with #ChamplainCollege
CBC
23-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Dysfunction at Champlain College went unchecked despite warnings: ministry report
The Ministry of Higher Education has released a report detailing how repeated warnings about dysfunction at Champlain College Lennoxville went largely unheeded for years. Champlain College Lennoxville, or CCL, is a CEGEP in Lennoxville, Que., and is overseen by Champlain Regional College, or CRC. The report, made public this week with redactions but dated February 2025, says that the administrators of the CEGEP failed to implement recommendations from a 2022 report. There were concerns even back then, the new report says, of "issues concerning governance, human resources and the working climate at CCL." The 2022 report, commissioned by the Higher Education Ministry and conducted by consulting firm MNP, made recommendations intended to improve the situation, which included "rigorously applying harassment prevention policies" and establishing a plan to improve financial management at the CEGEP, among other recommendations. But CCL failed to adopt most of those recommendations, and instead, financial dysfunction continued, the Higher Education Ministry report says. Allegations of psychological harassment by CCL's director, Nancy Beattie, went unaddressed, as did the appearance of a conflict of interest between Beattie and the co-ordinator of the college's finances, Beattie's husband, Daniel Poitras. CBC reported many of these allegations, which had been detailed in testimony heard at Quebec's labour tribunal in 2023. But the new ministry report included more details about allegations against Beattie and her husband. It says Beattie took vacation without telling anyone or naming a replacement, that she approved unworked overtime hours for someone whose name is redacted from the report, and that she would hire people on short-term contracts, which she would renew to avoid going through a formal hiring process, leading to allegations of favouritism. CRC's board of governors placed Beattie on paid leave following the CBC article that detailed some of the allegations against her and a new director for the CEGEP was named in October 2024, the new report says. The Higher Education Ministry report says that new people are improving the situation at the CEGEP, but it said further improvements would require the support of the administrators at the CRC and oversight from the ministry.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Burlington City Council pushes Marketplace Garage security, lifts college's housing cap
Burlington will be investing in a few quality-of-life initiatives, focusing on two of the city's biggest hurdles: housing and public safety. The March 10 City Council meeting ran shorter than most but led to the passing of two contracts that Burlingtonians will see go into effect soon. The downtown Marketplace parking garage, which has long been a hot spot of vandalism, graffiti and drug usage, will be renewing their security contract to further secure the garage's safety. Champlain College will be lifting their student housing cap to better serve their students who are struggling to find affordable housing in Burlington's housing market. The council voted unanimously to continue the contract with Green Mountain Concert Services (GMCS), which will "continue the work already being done to secure the spaces." The contract will be renewed for $395,000 to extend into fiscal 2026. The Department of Public Works told the council that they cannot open stairwells in the garages because of the amount of crime and vandalism. But DPW Director Chapin Spencer said there has been a change since GMCS started patrolling the building, as much less repeated vandalism is being reported. Besides having patrolling security guards, GMCS monitors and maintains security cameras, has increased and upgraded lighting, holds annual meetings with hotels and businesses and improves fencing when necessary. Hoping to lessen the crush of Burlington's housing market, the council voted unanimously to lift Champlain College's cap on student housing. There has been a limit on how many beds Champlain College can have on campus since 2009, with a maximum of 680 beds. While first-year students are provided housing, Champlain College upper-class students have often chosen to live off campus. However, changing preferences and a worsening shortage of quality and affordable housing near campus has created a new paradigm in which Champlain College upper-class students increasingly request housing on campus. Furthermore, other renters in the city are also struggling to find affordable housing. No specific plan has been laid out of where or when new housing can be created, but plans will now begin to move forward with the council's approval. Sydney P. Hakes is the Burlington city reporter. Contact her at SHakes@ This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Burlington VT City Council lifts Champlain College housing cap
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Proposal to ban guns in bars back on Burlington ballot
BURLINGTON, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) – Next Tuesday, Burlington voters will answer a question that's been debated for a long time in the city: Should guns be allowed in bars? This Town Meeting Day, item number five on the Queen City ballot will once again ask Burlingtonians to weigh in on that subject, after city council unanimously passed a resolution in November to put the decision back into the hands of voters. Ahead of the big day, some people who think firearms shouldn't be allowed in establishments that serve alcohol are making their voices heard, including Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak. At a news conference Thursday afternoon, the mayor and a handful of others talked about the proposed ban, and asked people to vote 'Yes'. 'When people say guns and alcohol do not mix, they truly do not mix,' Mulvaney-Stanak said. 'Data indicates that nearly half of all homicide offenders are under the influence of alcohol at the time of the homicide.' Weinberger wants tougher gun-storage regulations and other reforms Some of those who joined the mayor for the news conference were students at the University of Vermont and Champlain College. They noted the topic of allowing guns in bars has been debated in Burlington for more than a decade, dating back to when many of them were in elementary school. The question first appeared in front of voters on Town Meeting Day in 2014, and Burlingtonians back then approved of the ban idea. But, like all charter changes, the ban proposal needed to also be approved by the Vermont Legislature before taking place, and state lawmakers shot it down. That meant the ban never went into effect, despite the majority of Burlington voters being in favor of it. Advocates of the ban argue that since then, deadly incidents have happened that may have otherwise been avoided. That includes a shooting at Red Square on Church Street in August 2024, where one man was killed. 'I remember hearing about the shooting and thought to myself: 'Will I be safe here?',' said Laurel Papera, a student at Champlain College who had just recently moved into her dorm when the shooting took place. 'No student should have to worry about their safety like that.' Gun violence, crime on agenda for Vermont lawmakers If the ban question were to pass again and get legislative approval this time around, it would include some exemptions. Law enforcement officers, members of the U.S. Military, and store owners and employees who are authorized to carry would still be allowed to have firearms inside businesses that have liquor licenses. But like many charter change proposals, this one hasn't come without pushback. Some folks have voiced displeasure with the notion on social media, arguing everyone has the right to bear arms everywhere per The Second Amendment, and per Vermont being a 'constitutional carry' state. Others have also said that in scenarios where criminals who never intended to follow the law break into bars with guns, less people would have means of protecting themselves. Supporters of the ban acknowledged some of the critiques Thursday, firing back by saying many bar owners and gun owners support the idea too. 'Guns and alcohol do not mix … Many of the responsible gun owners that I know are also aware of that,' said Marek Broderick, a Progressive Burlington City Councilor representing Ward 8. 'So, this is not any type of targeting. I would consider this a very common sense first step in addressing gun violence in the city of Burlington.' 'This is not a partisan issue,' said Nancy Harkins, a member of the Moms Demand Action Vermont chapter. 'The overwhelming majority of Americans recognize the danger of firearms and alcohol.' Amid the discussion in Burlington, state lawmakers are also pondering a bill that would ban firearms in bars and restaurants across the entire state. H.45 was introduced in the House last month by eight democrats and progressives, all of whom are from Burlington. Since being brought to the House floor, the bill has been on hold in the House Judiciary Committee. Lawmakers introduce bill to ban guns from Vermont bars If you want to hear more of Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak's thoughts on article five as well as some other ballot items, tune into 'What Matters This Week' on Sunday. Lauren Maloney will sit down one-on-one with the mayor to talk about the proposed charter changes and more. The episode airs at 10:00 a.m. on ABC22 News, and 10:30 p.m. on FOX44 News. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
New language law bogs down Quebec's English CEGEPs, staff say
Workers at Quebec's English CEGEPs say the province's new language law, which went into effect at the start of the current school year, has led to confusion as they try to help students navigate the rules. Academic advisors and other staff have struggled to make sense of the changes — and students are paying the price, said Éric Cyr, head of the union that represents non-teaching staff at CEGEPs. Under provisions of Law 14 (also known as Bill 96) that went into effect last fall, students are required to take an additional three courses in French, on top of the two already required. Cyr said prior to the changes, there were a little over a dozen different options for students when it came to the combination of courses they could take to get them to graduation. Now there are 115, he said. "That's a lot of work, a lot of stress," Cyr, president of the Fédération du personnel professionnel des collèges, said in an interview. "You don't want to have a student coming towards the end of his or her studies and noticing that one course is missing, for example, because it was taken in English and should have been taken in French because of the new law." Champlain College is an English-language CEGEP on Montreal's South Shore. (Rowan Kennedy/CBC) An added stress The prospect of taking so many courses in French can be a source of anxiety, particularly for anglophones, new immigrants and Indigenous students that aren't fluent, said Dayle Lesperance, an academic advisor at Champlain College on Montreal's South Shore. "Students are definitely stressed about the French courses that they need to take," she said. Sasha Allen, a student at Champlain College, said taking additional courses in French has been a challenge. (Rowan Kennedy/CBC) Sasha Allen, a student at Champlain, said additional French courses have been a challenge he hadn't anticipated. "For sure it increases the stress because it's just something added," Allen said. Savannah Mangerpan, another student, said it's "a little bit frustrating." "For students who aren't as fluent, I think it's a bit harder to get through school." In a statement on Tuesday, Quebec's Education Ministry said resources are allocated to CEGEPs to allow them to offer support to help students succeed under the new law, such as workshops and French language support centres. The ministry has budgeted about $8 million so far for English CEGEPs to help students navigate the changes. WATCH | New Quebec language rules unfairly affect Indigenous students, English CEGEPs warn:
CBC
29-01-2025
- General
- CBC
New language law bogs down Quebec's English CEGEPs, staff say
Workers at Quebec's English CEGEPs say the province's new language law, which went into effect at the start of the current school year, has led to confusion as they try to help students navigate the rules. Academic advisors and other staff have struggled to make sense of the changes — and students are paying the price, said Éric Cyr, head of the union that represents non-teaching staff at CEGEPs. Under provisions of Law 14 (also known as Bill 96) that went into effect last fall, students are required to take an additional three courses in French, on top of the two already required. Cyr said prior to the changes, there were a little over a dozen different options for students when it came to the combination of courses they could take to get them to graduation. Now there are 115, he said. "That's a lot of work, a lot of stress," Cyr, president of the Fédération du personnel professionnel des collèges, said in an interview. "You don't want to have a student coming towards the end of his or her studies and noticing that one course is missing, for example, because it was taken in English and should have been taken in French because of the new law." An added stress The prospect of taking so many courses in French can be a source of anxiety, particularly for anglophones, new immigrants and Indigenous students that aren't fluent, said Dayle Lesperance, an academic advisor at Champlain College on Montreal's South Shore. "Students are definitely stressed about the French courses that they need to take," she said. Sasha Allen, a student at Champlain, said additional French courses have been a challenge he hadn't anticipated. "For sure it increases the stress because it's just something added," Allen said. Savannah Mangerpan, another student, said it's "a little bit frustrating." "For students who aren't as fluent, I think it's a bit harder to get through school." In a statement on Tuesday, Quebec's Education Ministry said resources are allocated to CEGEPs to allow them to offer support to help students succeed under the new law, such as workshops and French language support centres. The ministry has budgeted about $8 million so far for English CEGEPs to help students navigate the changes. WATCH | New Quebec language rules unfairly affect Indigenous students, English CEGEPs warn: New Quebec language rules unfairly affect Indigenous students, English CEGEPs warn 8 months ago Duration 2:24 The directors of five English CEGEPs say exemptions to Bill 96 made by the Quebec government for Indigenous students are insufficient.
