At Humber, we focus on life-long learning and on delivering learning and development opportunities and solutions to our employees that allow them to excel. Through the acquisition of new skills and abilities, employees thrive personally and professionally. Humber encourages faculty and staff to further their professional and personal development by taking advantage of these learning and development opportunities. 

LinkedIn Learning 

All employees have free access to LinkedIn Learning. LinkedIn Learning provides short training courses with topics divided into three categories: business, technology and creative. Visit LinkedIn Learning and log in using your Humber login credentials. 

Discounted Courses 

Eligible employees can take courses offered by Humber College and the University of Guelph-Humber for a discounted tuition rate of $20. 

For information on eligible courses at Humber College and to find out how to apply, please contact the Registrar’s Office at enquiry@humber.ca or 416.675.5000.  

For information on eligible courses at the University of Guelph-Humber and how to apply, please contact Admission Services at admissions@guelphhumber.ca or at 416.798.1331 x6056. 

Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) 

Tuition assistance is available to employees for certificate, diploma, degree, doctoral programs and/or professional association courses taken at an accredited post-secondary institution or professional association. For more information about eligibility, what is covered, and how to apply, please visit the Tuition Reimbursement & Scholarships section of the HROE website. 

Graduate Assistance Program (GAP) 

Tuition assistance in the form of a scholarship is available to eligible employees looking to advance their education through discipline-specific post-secondary degrees, master's degrees or doctoral degrees at an accredited post-secondary institution. Funding under this program is for a maximum of four (4) years for each individual program up to a maximum of five thousand dollars ($5,000) per year. For more information about eligibility, what is covered, and how to apply, please visit the Tuition Reimbursement & Scholarships section of the HROE website. 

Resources to Support Student Well-being 

Post-secondary studies and various environmental, systemic and structural factors can have adverse effects on learner's mental health and well-being. Generally, there are signs that a learner is struggling long before a situation escalates into a crisis.  

Faculty and staff are well-positioned to recognize behaviour that may indicate that a learner is in distress and may require support. Being able to recognize the signs of distress and make appropriate referrals are critical first steps in supporting learner well-being. 

The Responding to Students in Distress website and the Student Wellness and Equitable Learning Handout have resources for faculty and staff to learn more about steps they can take to support learners, as well as information about the “Recognize, Respond and Support a Learner in Distress” Workshop that is available to the Humber Community. Faculty and staff who interact with students are encouraged to take this workshop. 

For more information about employee learning resources, please visit the Professional Learning section of the HROE website. If you have any questions, please contact the HR Support Centre. 

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. People with ASD often have problems with social communication and interaction, and restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests. People with ASD may also have different ways of learning, moving, or paying attention. 

More on CDC website

Five suggestions when working with an ASD learner:  

1. Learn Identity-First Language

Most autistic people prefer identity-first language, which means they see themselves as "autistic people" rather than "people with autism." If someone says they are "an autistic person," as most autistics do, they are usually framing autism as an identity, similar to ethnicity or sexual orientation. 

2. Treat Autism as an Identity

Avoid treating autism as a medical condition. ASD is considered a naturally occurring neurological variant to the human condition, which is why autistic people are referred to as neurodivergent. Many ASD people see ASD as their identity. Referring to ASD as a "condition," "deficit," or "illness," is inaccurate. Functioning labels such as "mild ASD," "severe ASD," "low functioning ASD", "high functioning ASD” are not helpful and are inaccurate. 

3. Recommend Accessibility Services

If an autistic learner discloses their disability, encourage them to contact Accessibility Services if they have not already done so. Not every ASD learner wants to disclose. However, learners with disabilities need to disclose to accessibility services to receive an accommodation letter. Accessibility consultants will not disclose any information to instructors without the learner’s permission. 

4. Use Visual Aids, Including Written Communication

Supplement lectures and activities with visual aids. Due to high sensory awareness and other processing differences, many autistics struggle to process auditory lectures and instructions. ASD learners often need visual aids such as PowerPoint, closed captioning, and whiteboards.  

5. Allow ASD Learners to Move (Stim)

Autistic learners often need to self-stimulate, referred to as stimming, through repetitive motions to release excess energy. Allowing autistic learners to stand, fidget, stare off, and take breaks from the classroom will enable them to pay closer attention and focus, while also maintaining wellness and avoiding sensory overload. Instructors should allow ASD learners to stim without making them feel they are being disruptive or inappropriate.  

https://www.bestcolleges.com/blog/how-to-support-autistic-students

Please email us at accessible-learning@humber.ca with suggestions for key accessibility-related topics that you would like us to address through the Communiqué. 

Humber College is committed to reducing the volume of waste generated by 15 per cent per campus user by 2024. Several projects are underway to support this goal, including the Office Bin Reduction Project. Individual office waste bins were removed from under desks in offices across the Humber North and University of Guelph-Humber campuses during the long weekend.

Staff and faculty are encouraged to utilize the many multi-stream waste bins present in the corridors outside of classrooms and offices.

By eliminating individual office bins, staff and faculty will help Humber eliminate approximately 30,000 plastic bags per year from going to landfill.

This initiative was successfully implemented at IGS and Lakeshore and has diverted thousands of unnecessary plastic bags from landfills.

Exceptions are available for those with accessibility needs.

If you have any questions about this initiative, or accessibility needs, please email sustainability@humber.ca.

The latest edition of Humber Magazine is now available on newsstands at North and Lakeshore Campus. Get your copy now and find out what the Humber community is doing to build a better future.

From transformational gifts for STEM-related post-secondary education to the first college-wide scholarship celebration and the latest achievements of Humber alumni - there's something for everyone in this summer issue.

The magazine can also be viewed digitally at humber.ca/magazine.