National

As winter term begins and students scramble to start the arduous, and sometimes confusing, process of essay-writing for many of their courses, Brock University’s Essay-Zone online tutorial has many breathing a sigh of relief.

A fresh initiative developed last year, Essay-Zone is a colourful, interactive program that helps students to master the art of the essay.

For first-year students who are not used to writing at a university level, the university said the program proves especially helpful.

Animal scientist Katrina Merkies will be using horses to help teach leadership skills in a new program she will be introducing at the Kemptville campus of University of Guelph.

Although similar programs do exist, Merkies believes LEAD is unique because as a university program, researchers plan to integrate empirical research on how humans affect horses, as well as how horses affect humans. So far, feedback received for LEAD has been overwhelming.

Fraternities at the University of British Columbia are taking advantage of the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver by renting out their houses to a visiting group.

Six buildings in the Fraternity Village and one frat house located on campus have been leased to a single group that is providing venue security during the Games.

The Fraternity Village is located near the Thunderbird Arena, an Olympic venue for some of the hockey and sledge-hockey games.  Increased security around the arena has restricted access to the area and blocked roads.

In a decade where technology thrived and new websites prospered, it’s no surprise that social networking sites caught on so quickly. Facebook was started in 2004 when Harvard sophomore Mark Zuckerberg created it with his roommates as a way to keep in touch with other students on campus. The site was eventually released to the public and has garnered millions of users.

But a recent study has shown that students are not the fastest growing demographic on the social networking site – that honour goes to students’ parents and grandparents.

The University of Victoria has finally found a solution to part of its feral rabbit problem in the form of a $12,800 contract to remove, sterilize and relocate up to 150 bunnies that run wild on the campus. UVic officials announced Dec. 23 that Common Ground, a local wildlife damage control company, will begin humanely relocating bunnies from the university’s athletic grounds.