BU drops one place in Maclean’s rankings

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This article was published 12/10/2021 (1634 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Maclean’s magazine released its annual rankings for universities across the country last week.

Dropping one place in this year’s list of primarily undergraduate universities, BU placed 18th out of 19 schools.

Last year, BU placed 17th but was 18th in 2019.

Like with previous editions of the rankings, university officials argued in a release that the ranking system doesn’t adequately take into account everything that makes BU great.

“There are really no surprises any year with rankings like these — they are a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy,” BU president David Docherty stated in a news release. “The raw data shows quite a few bright spots for BU, and we’re staying focused on doing what’s best for our community.”

The release points out that BU scored in the top 10 in the rankings for student-to-faculty ratio and for student services.

Like in previous years, BU again argued the rankings penalized the institution for valuing things differently than the survey does. For example, while BU ranks poorly for its per-student budget in the rankings, the university argues that is an essential component of its tuition being affordable.

“The number-one thing we could do to juice our national rankings would be to accept fewer students and charge them more. That’s not who we are,” Docherty stated. “We believe in the value of an education that is more accessible, not less.”

Coming in at number one in the primarily undergraduate rankings was the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George, B.C.

Additionally, B.C.’s Simon Fraser University and the University of Victoria tied for the top comprehensive university, while McGill University in Montreal was the number one medical doctoral school.

CFB Shilo soldiers holding drill Tuesday

Soldiers from CFB Shilo are heading for the hills Tuesday morning.

The base announced Friday that soldiers from the 2nd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry will be conducting combat fitness drills in the Brandon Hills from around 8 a.m. to noon.

Approximately 50 soldiers will be completing a 13-kilometre march while carrying their rifles, though no ammunition will be used.

According to a release sent out by the base, the uneven terrain of the Brandon Hills paths are ideal for this kind of exercise.

Three BSD schools with new cases

The Brandon School Division announced new cases of COVID-19 in three of its schools over the Thanksgiving long weekend.

The first notice, issued Saturday, announced two cases at King George School in the Grade 1/2 CR classroom and the Grade 4/5 S classroom.

According to the notice, the infected individuals were in class on Oct. 6 and 7 while possibly infectious.

On Sunday, the division announced a case had been discovered among someone in the Grade 6 class at St. Augustine School. No dates were announced for when that individual might have been infectious while at school.

Later that same day, the division announced a case had been confirmed in the Grade 1/2 DM classroom at Betty Gibson School.

In this case, the individuals may have been infectious while at the school on Sept. 28 and 29.

With all three notices, the division stated the cases were not believed to have been contracted at school.

Close contacts for all the cases have been notified so they can self-isolate.

Parents of children in these classes who have not been identified as a close contact are advised to monitor their kids for COVID-19 symptoms as a precaution.

» The Brandon Sun