News Briefs

Dalhousie signs exchange deal with China’s Northeastern University

Dal has signed an agreement with Northeastern University of China (NEU) to offer a joint international degree. Students from Shenyang in Liaoning Province will spend three years at NEU before heading to Dal for their final two years.

The program will focus on computer science and engineering. A similar program with Shandong University of Finance and Economics is already in place. According to Dal News, there are currently close to 650 Chinese students attending Dal.

Paul Manning chosen for Rhodes scholarship

Paul Manning is Dal’s 87^th Rhodes Scholar. The prestigious scholarship is awarded to 11 Canadians each year. Manning is president of the Agricultural Students Association on Dal’s Truro Campus, at what was formerly the Nova Scotia Agricultural College.

According to Dal News, Manning is interested in agricultural science and especially entomology—the study of bugs—which has led him to be known as ‘the bug charmer.’ He’ll be pursuing a degree in zoology at Oxford University.

Referendum on  referenda

Election season is almost upon us. In addition to changes to the election process (see “DSU looking to shake up elections”) students are being asked to vote on referendums: should levied societies have to re-approve their levies every five years?

Currently, societies such as the *Gazette*, the Loaded Ladle and the Dal Women’s Centre receive their levies in perpetuity after being approved once. Should the referendum pass, societies will have to pass their original referendum question every five years, or lose their levy.

Questionable spending at King’s

An audit of University of King’s College’s finances by Grant Thornton has revealed close to $48,000 in “unusual”  spending, as well as poor record keeping practices.

A few employees appear to have been using university credit cards to pay for gas during the weekends, and to purchase gift cards with little or no explanation. Members of the facilities team also appear to have been using university money to pay for their coffee breaks.

The university fired its bursar, Gerry Smith, in November. He currently faces unrelated criminal charges dating from the 1980s.