Latest news with #UniversityOfBritishColumbia
CTV News
2 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
Study finds more women opted for long-acting IUDs after B.C. made birth control free
A one-month dosage of hormonal birth control pills is displayed in Sacramento, Calif., Aug. 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File) A new study finds significantly more women opted for long-acting birth control methods after British Columbia made prescription contraception free. Researchers found prescriptions for all types of birth control jumped significantly after the province began covering the cost of contraception in April 2023, especially for intrauterine devices (IUDs). The study published Monday in the BMJ examined the prescriptions of nearly 860,000 women in the 15 months after contraception coverage began and compared them to what would have been expected without coverage. It found a 49 per cent increase in prescriptions for IUDs, which are inserted into the uterus to prevent fertilization and considered 10 times more effective than pills or condoms. Reached in Vancouver, lead author Laura Schummers said IUDs can cost up to $450 out-of-pocket. 'This tells us that costs alone are a huge barrier to the most effective methods of contraception across Canada,' said Schummers, an assistant professor in the faculty of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of British Columbia. The study says roughly 11,000 additional women chose the more reliable option. It examined prescriptions for women aged 15 to 49 between April 2023 and June 2024. This report by Hannah Alberga, The Canadian Press, was first published July 28, 2025.
Free Malaysia Today
13-07-2025
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
Feeling stressed? Try watching some dog videos
The calming effect of dogs can even work in virtual form. (Envato Elements pic) PARIS : Imagine the scene. It's 2.30pm, and you're stuck at the office after a stressful morning. Suddenly, a colleague sends you a video of their golden retriever playing in the garden. Soon afterward, you feel strangely calm, as if this virtual interlude was enough to loosen the knots in your stomach. This familiar feeling now has a scientific explanation thanks to the work of Professor John-Tyler Binfet of the University of British Columbia Okanagan, and his colleague Christine Tardif-Williams of Brock University. Their research shows that watching a short video of a therapy dog and handler produces a significant reduction in stress, comparable to an in-person animal therapy session. For the purposes of this research, more than 900 students and 120 members of the public watched five-minute video modules featuring therapy dogs and handlers. These clips were designed to mimic an in-person experience, incorporating elements of guided reflection, visual engagement with the animal and calming narration. Participants completed a stress questionnaire before and after viewing to measure the impact of these virtual sessions. It turns out that the calming effect of dogs works even through a screen. 'Our findings demonstrate that even with a virtual session, there was a significant reduction in stress among both the student population and the general public, regardless of age,' said Professor Binfet, Director of UBCO's Building Academic Retention through K9s (B.A.R.K.) programme, quoted in a news release. A revolutionary level of accessibility These short videos of therapy dogs could revolutionise access to the benefits of animal-assisted therapy. No more geographical constraints, restricted schedules, or long waiting lists. These free modules, available 24/7, fit into any schedule and are particularly beneficial for people who are isolated or reluctant to seek more formal kinds of mental health support. How can this surprising effectiveness be explained? Observing a dog, even on a screen, triggers the release of oxytocin, the feel-good hormone, while reducing cortisol, the stress hormone. This positive chemical reaction transforms your screens into unexpected therapeutic tools. The research team plans to enhance its therapy dog video modules, possibly by incorporating mindfulness exercises to maximise the stress-reducing effect of these virtual sessions. 'Regardless, this does reinforce our theory that canine-assisted interventions, whether in person or via teleconferencing, can be beneficial and can help people reduce their stress,' the researchers concluded. In a world where access to mental health care remains unequal, these short videos provide a tool for democratising well-being, suggesting that humankind's bonds with animals transcend physical barriers. All of which is enough to make you want to click on the next puppy video that pops up in your news feed!
The National
24-06-2025
- Business
- The National
How much does it cost to send your child to university?
Pooja Manoj, 17, an Indian student at The Millennium School in Dubai, received scholarship offers from universities in the US and Canada but decided to stay in the UAE to pursue her studies. It was an easy choice following a NYU Abu Dhabi scholarship, that covers almost 90 per cent of her expenses, based on merit and extracurricular pursuits. 'I attended an all-expenses-paid programme with NYU Abu Dhabi last year and found it to be very collaborative. From that point onwards, NYU Abu Dhabi was one of my top choices,' she says. 'But I was worried that I would not be able to attend without a significant scholarship because of the high fees. So I applied to a lot of universities in the US and Canada as well.' The relatively limited financial aid and lack of opportunities for merit-based scholarships is pushing students from the UAE and the wider region to consider destinations other than North America. Other reasons including visa uncertainty are also solidifying the trend of regional students seeking alternative destinations to pursue higher education. Amid rising costs of living globally, we compare the prices of university education globally. In Canada, the tuition fee at the University of Toronto and University of British Columbia, where Ms Manoj received admission offers, ranges from $60,000 to $70,000 a year. However, each establishment offered her only $10,000 a year financial aid. Similarly, at Indiana University in the US, annual fees ranged from $50,000 to $70,000 but she was eligible for financial aid of $20,000 only. 'In the US, universities do not give merit scholarships,' says Ms Manoj, whose father works in the telecoms industry. "Instead, they have a financial aid system where students are asked to submit proof of their family income, assets, bank statements and tax returns in order to assess their financial need and determine eligibility. At NYU Abu Dhabi, she plans to pursue an economics degree, which usually costs about $86,000 a year, including tuition, housing, food, insurance and travel expenses. However, a scholarship covers her entire tuition fees and she needs to pay only $6,000 for housing and $900 for food. The fee for the four-year programme increases progressively each year and the scholarship package will be adjusted accordingly, so the net amount a student pays remains the same, she adds. Alternatives to the US A number of directives and executive orders from the Donald Trump administration with regards to international students have added to uncertainty, jeopardising plans of thousands of students seeking admission to US educational institutions. In the two years to the end of 2024, the US hosted an all-time high of 1.1 million international students, according to a report in November from the Institute of International Education, a non-profit body. More than half a million international graduate students (502,291) pursued study in the US that year. About 90,000 were from the Arab world, while more than 300,000 were Indian. 'Earlier, everybody would consider the US to be top in the pecking order in terms of which is the best country to study and in terms of flexibility,' says Rema Menon, director of Counselling Point Training and Development, an academic counselling centre in Dubai. 'However, new rules are now being discussed in the US every day. Many students are being denied visas or their visa status has been revoked. When parents read such news and also about frequent campus violence, they feel safer sending their children to a university in the UAE. "In Europe, the number of refugees and immigrants is increasing, the crime rate is rising, housing costs are going up and there aren't enough jobs for all. All these safety and security issues are also affecting students and their parents' academic choices," she adds. Similarly, in Australia and Canada, authorities have streamlined processes and capped the number of student admissions. In the UK, while they are accepting students and visas are not an issue, provided parents have the funds, there is a scarcity of jobs, Ms Menon explains. In contrast, students in the UAE have the opportunity of receiving a 10-year multiple-entry golden visa if they have an outstanding academic record, she adds. Where to save for child's education Pradeep Nair, 50, an Indian parent in the Emirates, has been saving for his son's education for many years. His son recently completed his four-year degree in mechanical engineering at the Vellore Institute of Technology in India, where the tuition fees cost about 600,000 Indian rupees ($6,927) a year. Mr Nair also paid 60,000 rupees per term for food and lodging. Overall, the costs amounted to 770,000 rupees a year. 'I saved my pension gained from working in the Indian Air Force in the public provident fund scheme. My plan to save for my children's education was to leverage the power of compounding and invest in systematic investment plans, bonds and mutual funds in India,' says Mr Nair, who works in the software industry in the UAE. 'I worked with IT companies and joined Microsoft, where I saved money in employee stock ownership plans for my children's education. I also got a pay rise when the company transferred me to Singapore, so I was able to save more.' His son plans to join Politecnico de Milano for his post-graduate degree in aerospace engineering, which costs about €30,000 to €40,000 ($34,550 to $45,865) a year. Mr Nair will pay for the college fees with his existing savings and salary. Although he had invested in property earlier to fund his children's education, his salary has increased over the years and is now sufficient to pay for his son's college fees. Tips to save for college fees The best thing parents can do is start planning as early as possible, even if it's just a small amount each month. Over time, it adds up, suggests Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching. Set up a separate account just for university savings so it doesn't get mixed up with everyday spending. It's important to have this clarity on your progress for such a significant and important cost, she recommends. Ms Menon agrees, saying parents must plan well ahead and not depend on a scholarship alone. Only send your child for studies abroad if you have enough funds to sustain them for four years, she advises. Ms Glynn says parents should to consider the full cost of education, not just the tuition as it is only a part of the equation. You also need to think about things like accommodation, flights, visas, insurance and day-to-day living expenses, especially if your child is planning to study abroad, she says. 'If there's enough time [five years-plus to when they will start their third-level education], investing some of the savings in a low-cost option like a global exchange-traded fund can help it grow more than leaving it in a regular savings account,' she says. 'If you're looking at universities overseas, try to plan for potential currency fluctuations. saving in that currency can sometimes help avoid surprises later.' Start having open conversations about money with your child, especially if it's their first experience managing their own finances. Helping them feel informed, confident and prepared doesn't just benefit their financial future, it also makes life easier for parents, she says. When they know how to budget well and manage their spending, there's a lot less chance you'll be getting those 'can you send me more money?' calls before the next allowance is due, Ms Glynn adds. Fees in US and Canada Ms Menon says university fees in the US would cost at least $45,000 to $50,000 a year and could even be as high as $90,000. 'These are not just for Ivy Leagues. Boston University is not an Ivy League, but it costs that much,' she points out. 'Some universities grant international students merit-based scholarships or based on extracurricular activities. However, certain institutions categorically state that no scholarship is offered at entry for international students. 'But they have the opportunity of gaining a scholarship after they have proved themselves at university. For instance, some students get their housing fees waived because they were residential advisers.' Similarly, some universities in Canada are 'quite expensive', for example, the University of Toronto, the University of Waterloo, or the University of British Columbia, Ms Menon informs. However, Canada's college system is much cheaper. For example, some colleges may charge a fee of 30,000 Canadian dollars ($21,800) a year, whereas university fees will average about 75,000 dollars annually. Fees in the UK In the UK, international undergraduate tuition fees vary from £11,400 to £38,000 ($14,720 to $50,855). Typically, undergraduate degree courses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland last for three years or four in Scotland, Ms Menon says. International postgraduate tuition fees vary from £9,000 to £30,000. Many postgraduate degree courses in the UK can be completed in one year of full-time study, she says. Australia is 'far less expensive', while Malaysia has adopted the same technique as Dubai, in that they have many foreign universities establishing branches there. UAE universities In terms of Australian universities, the UAE hosts Curtin University Dubai, Murdoch University Dubai and University of Wollongong in Dubai; for Canada, there is Canadian University of Dubai; and Scotland's Heriot-Watt University in Dubai. 'Students can do two years here and then go to the main campus for their final semester. This arrangement works out to be financially more viable,' Ms Menon explains. 'For instance, Michigan's Walsh College has a campus in Ajman, where the fee is only Dh33,000 a year, with the opportunity to move to the US afterwards. Similarly, in Ras Al Khaimah, they have Northwood University and American University of Ras Al Khaimah.' Across the board, all these universities offer scholarships for academic merit and because there is competition, they make it very conducive for parents by offering discounts on fees, she adds.
CBS News
20-06-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Former Michigan President Santa Ono will not return to university faculty, officials say
Former University of Michigan President Santa Ono will not return to a faculty position after he pursued the presidential role at the University of Florida and was rejected. A U of M spokesperson confirmed on Friday that Ono resigned from employment. The university did not provide any further details. Ono confirmed to The Detroit News that he informed the university he was returning, but stopped short of sharing his future plans. Ono was named Michigan's 15th president in 2022. He announced in May 2025 that he was stepping down to go for the same role at the University of Florida. He received initial approval from the university's Board of Trustees, but was rejected by the Florida Board of Governors a week later. Before the Board of Governors' 10-6 vote, several prominent conservatives raised questions about Ono over pro-Palestinian protests, climate change efforts, gender ideology and DEI programs at the University of Michigan and his previous academic positions. One of those conservatives was U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, who said that he had "serious concerns" about Ono potentially becoming president. Scott urged the Board of Governors to question the encampment that occurred on U of M's Diag last year and Ono's response to reports of anitsemitism on campus. Before becoming Michigan's president, he served six years as president and vice-chancellor of the University of British Columbia and as president and provost of the University of Cincinnati. He was set to replace Kent Fuchs, who became the school's interim president last summer after ex-U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse stepped down. Sasse left the U.S. Senate, where he had represented Nebraska, to become the university's president in 2023. According to the University of Florida's website, Fuchs remains the university's interim president.
Fox News
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Florida stands up against woke mind virus and rejects leftist university president who promised 'DEI 2.0'
The defeat of Santa Ono, as the sole nominee to lead the University of Florida, is a success for Florida but also for the higher education system across the country. For a long time, our best universities fell like dominoes to the woke mind virus. Schools where rigor and merit were meant to flourish became institutions of identity politics and far-out leftism. They moved seamlessly from safe spaces to land acknowledgements to anti-Israel encampments. Education was an afterthought. Ono was the former University of Michigan president. For Michigan, he was considered a "moderate." A moderate in this case meant someone who promised, in his inauguration speech in 2023, to implement "DEI 2.0" and described racism as "one of America's original sins." In the strategy document for that DEI 2.0, the plan was to "emphasize DEI in terms of strategic priorities; build a campuswide effort; develop institutional and constituent capacity to implement and improve DEI initiatives; fully institutionalize DEI into the university; and ensure continued progress and long-term sustainability." In his previous role as president and vice-chancellor of the University of British Columbia, Ono made land acknowledgments and wrote an op-ed about the "systemic racial inequities" that "permeate the halls of academia." Ono clearly had a lifelong devotion to inserting leftist politics in his roles. After October 7, he said he would commit the University of Michigan to "a shared commitment to pluralism, to mutual respect and to freedom of speech and diversity of thought." That didn't happen. Radical anti-Israel protesters were able to frequently interrupt events with no repercussions and the free speech of those who disagreed with them went unprotected. Over the last few weeks, Ono had been on something of a rehabilitation tour. In an op-ed in early May, Ono wrote that he agreed "with the state leadership's vision and values for public higher education" and that, "Public universities have a responsibility to remain grounded in academic excellence, intellectual diversity and student achievement. That means rejecting ideological capture, upholding the rule of law, and creating a culture where rigorous thinking and open dialogue flourish." But just a month earlier, in April, Ono had signed an anti-Trump letter as the administration used pressure to force universities receiving public funds to curtail illegal activities on their campuses. Ono had his name scrubbed from the letter once he was being considered for the UF role. His flip-flop had been so sudden that it was impossible to trust. Of course, people develop and change over the course of their lives, and it's possible Ono has realized how damaging his past support for these far-left policies had been, but the recency of his conversion had given many pause. Success has many fathers, of course, and a number of people and organizations are rushing to take credit for knocking down the Ono pick. But the real credit goes to the Florida Board of Governors, the majority of whom were appointed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. It took guts to overturn the unanimous vote for Santa Ono of the University of Florida Board of Trustees and stand strong against someone who was seen as a prestigious choice for UF. The BoG final vote was 10–6 with one member abstaining. Several members of the Board of Governors asked excellent, probing questions of Ono, trying to get to the bottom of his beliefs. Vice Chair of the Board of Governors Alan Levine, in particular, asked pointed questions about Ono's lack of response to the anti-Israel protests that had rocked the UM campus. Ono didn't have a great answer on why he took so little action to stop the encampments, the vandalism or the interruptions of events at UM. "Antisemitism will not rear its head again," Ono promised. Not at the University of Florida it won't.
