Attention News Editors:
New Award Created To Honour Teaching Excellence At Ontario’s Colleges And Universities
McGuinty Government On The Side Of Families Who Want Their Sons And
Daughters To Find Opportunity
HAMILTON, ON, Sept. 1 /CNW/ – The McGuinty government is launching a new
award that will recognize teaching excellence at Ontario’s colleges and
universities, Chris Bentley, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities,
announced today.
“We are on the side of hard-working Ontario families who want their sons
and daughters to find opportunity,” Bentley said. “That’s why our government
is committed to promoting teaching excellence at our colleges and universities
by rewarding the teaching efforts of faculty who go the extra mile to provide
students with an outstanding learning experience.”
Up to 100 of Ontario’s best faculty will be honoured each year with the
Leadership in Faculty Teaching Award. Winners will receive a total of $20,000
over two years to encourage continued excellence in the classroom setting.
The government is investing $1 million this year and $2 million each
subsequent year from its Reaching Higher plan to celebrate excellence in
teaching at postsecondary institutions.
The first province-wide award of its kind, the LIFT Award will complement
the awards programs that already exist at many colleges and universities. The
government will be consulting with stakeholders to develop criteria for the
award and the nomination process. Details will be available later in the year.
“In order to sustain and enhance the quality of postsecondary education
in Ontario, our government believes that it is important to recognize and
affirm our province’s leading faculty. They help nurture and inspire our
future generations and I am pleased that our government has created this award
program to honour their valuable contributions,” said Ted McMeekin, MPP for
Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Aldershot, who joined Bentley at McMaster
University for today’s announcement.
Creating a new award to promote teaching excellence in the postsecondary
education system is the latest way the McGuinty government is working to
provide increased quality and opportunity for Ontario’s students. Other
initiatives include:Under the Reaching Higher Plan, the Ontario government is making a
historic $6.2 billion multi-year investment to support postsecondary education
– the largest in 40 years – to improve access and quality at Ontario’s
colleges and universities.
“Our goal is to recognize and support the importance of teaching in
Ontario’s universities and colleges,” said Bentley. “This new provincial
teaching award for college and university faculty underlines the value we
place on teaching excellence in the postsecondary environment.”
In other news….. no increase to Student Aid and Tuition increases are ridiculous.