This past week we celebrated William Shakespeare’s 450th birthday. It’s easy to find hundreds of resources geared toward those keen on researching and understanding the influential man’s work, but there’s also plenty of fun for those who are rusty or reluctant. Click through these links to discover a side of Shakespeare you might not have… Read more »

Part of the nine dollars per course that you are charged as an AUSU member goes toward making awards to help those who are either struggling through exceptional circumstances or have themselves proven to be exceptional representatives of our membership. As an AUSU member, you are allowed and encouraged to apply for these awards, but… Read more »

At Home: Skills Gap Study Shelved for Lack of Cash The government of Canada spent 4.6 million on a survey of 25,000 employers to bring some hard numbers to the extent of the skills gap in Canada, but the report has not been able to be made public because of lack of funding. Statistics Canada… Read more »

Focus group needed: Newer students in Edmonton A working group from the Student SUCCESS group is looking at the Undergraduate Student Orientation that was developed last year. The first thing they are looking into is overall usability of the product itself. They need a group of 8 – 10 newer AU students in the Edmonton… Read more »

Video games?and their benefits and drawbacks?are constantly in and out of the news. They teach role-playing. They teach violence. they’re interactive. They discourage interaction. they’re contributing to a nation of couch potatoes. they’re harmless entertainment. Instead of reading yet another opinion on the merits or lack thereof, enjoy these descriptions and depictions of video games… Read more »

At Home: Government Sued over Law School Approval In British Columbia, a group of five lawyers is suing the BC government over advanced education ministers Amrik Virk’s decision to approve the controversial Western Trinity University’s school of law, according to a story in The Globe and Mail. Western Trinity University requires all students and staff… Read more »

It’s the last weekend before taxes are due?and amidst all the tax calculations and number crunching, It’s easy to forget that April is also National Poetry month. But the two don’t have to be separate. As Thoreau wrote, ?The most distinct and beautiful statement of any truth must take at last the mathematical form.? This… Read more »

Did you pay exam invigilation fees for AU courses in 2013? If you have receipts for those fees, you can include them on your 2013 Canadian income tax return. Add the amounts from your exam invigilation receipts to the amounts from your T2202A tuition receipts and include them on your return. For the federal tax… Read more »

At Home: First Nations Education Bill Tabled CBC is reporting on the First Nations Education Bill that has been tabled by the federal government. While the bill contains some steps toward addressing First Nations’ concerns, some critics of the bill still say that it leaves ultimate power for First Nations education in the hands of… Read more »

Dear Members, You may have recently seen information on the internet speculating about the future of Athabasca University. These reports suggest that the Alberta government may broker a merger between AU and University of Alberta, and that this may result in drastic changes to the services and programs offered to students AU students. We want… Read more »