By Wendy Elliott

The Advertiser/NovaNewsNow.com

Ironically the latest Maclean's magazine rankings that were released last week just as Acadia University students were heading back to classes.

Acadia was named Canada's premier undergraduate institution for the first time in 16 years, but it tied with Mount Allison in New Brunswick.

“A first place ranking by Maclean’s confirms that Acadia is, by almost every measure, an undergraduate university that offers students an outstanding academic experience, campus resources that help them to succeed and a well-respected degree when they graduate,” said president Dr. Gail Dinter-Gottlieb.

“Acadia’s students benefit from direct access to first-rate faculty, undergraduate research opportunities that enrich their academic experience and a small, safe campus that has been a cornerstone of the Annapolis Valley for almost 170 years,” she said.

“This is certainly an achievement that, in my view, Acadia has been due to receive for quite some time,” said Acadia Students’ Union president Kyle Steele.

Acadia’s first place finish this year compares to five straight years of finishing third. This year Maclean’s used information available from various publicly available sources of data to calculate its results. Acadia’s first place finish was driven by relatively high rankings for its investments in student services, scholarships and awards; its low student/faculty ratio; and the quality of its library and its services.

Strike concluded

In the last four weeks, the students of Acadia University have endured far more stress and frustration than any set of exams or projects could lend to them is Kyle Steele’s perspective on the faculty strike.

“Hopefully now all sides can come together and build a unified vision for this university going forward,” said the student spokesman, “so that students, faculty and administration can bring this university back to the top of the undergraduate pool in Canada.”

The students’ union president said his peers are excited to be back last Thursday and eager to restart their studies and finish the semester.

Acadia’s Senate has decided to extend the University’s fall term class schedule until Dec. 7. The university’s exam period will now begin Dec. 8 and is expected to end, as scheduled, Dec. 18.

Both faculty and the board of governors ratified the terms of the 12th collective agreement after mediation helped the two sides reach consensus.

The three-year agreement includes: faculty complement guarantees, an integrated grid with standardized annual grid step increases by year three; dental and daycare benefits; sabbatical leaves for instructors; and increased investment in professional development. The actual base salary increases vary between employee categories but will average 10.5 per cent over the term of the agreement.

“I’m looking forward to the opportunity we now have to partner more closely with our faculty to recruit and retain students,” Dinter-Gottlieb said.

“Acadia’s students have demonstrated patience and determination throughout this disruption, and I know they are looking forward to returning to class as quickly as possible and resuming their term.”

Some 92 per cent of the Acadia University Faculty Association's (AUFA) membership voted to ratify the agreement reached late Nov. 4.

“It’s been a long, difficult process,” said AUFA president Peter Williams. “This agreement shows that both sides are committed to maintaining Acadia’s strong academic programs. With this dispute behind us, we can now direct our energies to finishing the semester. This renewed focus on academic excellence is great news for current and

future Acadia students.”

AUFA represents more than 300 full and part-time faculty, librarians and instructors.