By Shannon Younker

Dr. A.T. EASLEY IS THE SECOND CANDIDATE for the position of president of the University of Prince Edward Island to visit our campus. Tim

Easley is currently dean of the School of Natu- tal Resources and principal of Frost Campus at Sir Sandford Fleming College in Lindsey, Ontario. Dr. Easley was here during the week

of October 11 to 15 to meet students and faculty, and to explain how he would bring his imaginative ideas to UPEI during the next five years if he is chosen as the successful appli- cant.

When asked why he is running for president, Easley says he sees himself as a facilitator and a manager of change, and he believes his skills match the needs of UPEI at this time. UPEI is attractive to Easley for personal as well as professional reasons; both Easley and his wife are Maritimers with strong ties to Prince Edward Island. Moreover, Easley likes UPEI since its small size means the president hasa chanceto teach. Dr. Easley sees himself as he would like to see all professors- as teachers first, administrators second.

Dr. Easley is a strong supporter of coop- eration, with a wealth of original and innova- tive ideas. Communication and building mo- tale will be his number one priorities if he is elected. Dr. Easley advocates a ‘‘mutually supportive’ situation between student gov- ernment and UPEI administration. He views students and alumni of UPEI as the school’s principal ambassadors, and would encourage greater pride in the university.

Fiscal realities are at least equally as important to Easley as cooperationand innova- tion are. Thecurrent federal government plans for changing the funding structure of post- secondary institutions are ‘‘frightening’’ to

Dr. Tim Easley Visits UPEI

Latest presidential candidate discusses plans

Dr. Easley; however, he admits some of the ideas put forward by federal Human Resources minister Lloyd Axworihy are needed by the nation.

Dr. Easley feels UPEI must be unique in order to thrive in the coming decades. One possibility that intrigues him is UPEI becom- ing the most environmentally friendly univer- sity in Canada - not a surprising plan from a teacher whose field of concentration is natural resources, Another idea Easley discussed was the creation of a campus which was totally economically independent. Could UPEI ever bea university which requires no funding from outside sources? Innovation is obviously a key word for Easley.

Whichever transformation makes UPEI extraordinary must also incorporate the best ideas of the staff, faculty and students. Arts and sciences form UPEI’s foundation and should remain strong into the next centuries; how- ever, Easley seesinterdisciplinary programs as a movement of the nineties and also sees room at UPEI for new programs that draw from many but fit into none of the departments now operating.

This is the second consecutive year that enrolment has dropped at UPEI. Dr. Easley hassome suggestions for correcting this. These include investigating causes of freshman attri- tion and ‘‘offshore’’ recruiting. Easley is especially concerned with the interests of ma-

ture students. He believes UPEI will remain student-centred, but should embrace the needs of a widely diverse student body.

Dr. Easley’s vision of UPEI entering the year 2000 is that of a school

where excellence in teaching is rewarded.

Dr. Easley’s vision of UPEI entering the year 2000 is that of a school where excel- lence in teaching is rewarded. In the next century, Easley hopes much more of the re- sponsibility for learning will rest with the learner instead of the instructor. A room of 100 students leaning back and saying, ‘Ok, Dr. Prof. Teach me’’ would be replaced by a structure that emphasizes small group work and problem-solving, with ample case studies drawn from current events.

Though the above proposals represent Easley’s personal vision of UPEI’s near fu- ture, he acknowledges that any vision to be incorporated into UPEI’s reality is a vision that will be reached cooperatively through different parties on campus.

Equal pay becoming a reality?

By Anthony Pangalos OTTAWA (CUP)

THE GAP BETWEEN THE EARNINGS OF Men and women who have graduated from university or college has closed in recent years, according to a Statistics Canada survey re- leased Oct. 5.

The survey shows discrimination is not “widespread” or ‘‘systemic,’’ but may still exist among recent university and college Staduates, according to the survey.

Two years after graduating in 1990, female university graduates earned slightly more (0.4 per cent) than male graduates in hourly wages. But from the same class, women ‘arned nine per cent less than men in yearly farnings in 1992. ;

The difference between men’s and Women’s yearly earnings shrank to nine per Cent in 1992 from 13 per cent in 1984.

The survey shows signs of less dis- ‘timination towards women in terms of earn- 'Ngs. As well, more females graduated from Post-secondary institutions, says Ted Wannell, an official at Statistics Canada.

‘The survey definitely shows the trends are changing,’ Wannell says.

Andrea Ritchie, a representative of the National Action Committee on the Status of Women, would not comment on the sur- vey, except to say that all surveys may be skewed.

“They make announcements and bend the figures one way, and then bend the figures the other way.””

Ritchie says NAC is now prepar- ing a survey of its own on earnings by gender.

The report

graduates. Also, more men graduated with master’s degrees or doctorates or received degrees in high-income fields, like law, com- merce and accounting.

Women received 56 per cent of all un- dergraduate de- grees, less than half of all master’s de- grees and more than one-third of all doc- torates in Canada.

‘“‘The different characteristics of men and women, suchas field of study, 4 accounted for nearly all of the gender- earnings gap among university gradu- ates,”’ according to

says that in 1992, women graduates worked an the press release.

average of three hours less per week than male

Meanwhile, women with college diplo-

Gender earnings gap shrinks among grads

mas on average earned 10 per cent less per year than men with collegediplomasin 1992, which is six per cent closer to men’s earnings com- pared to 1984 data. But female college gradu- ates worked an average of four hours less per week than their male counterparts.

Also, the hourly wage gap between male and female college graduates is 3.5 per cent.

Statistics Canada based its study on the graduating classes of universities and colleges in 1982, 1986, and 1990. Each class was interviewed two years and five years after graduating, except for the 1990 class, which has only been interviewed once. In other words, the class of 1982 was interviewed in 1984 and 1987.

There were about 20,000 university re- spondents used in the 1992 sample out of the about 126,000 people who graduated in 1990. About 15,000 college grads, representing the total class of 91,000, were also used.

October 18, 1994