Chapter One
"Universities try to shut out Maclean's," The Province, A24 News, Tuesday Oct 31 06
The 22 universities of Canada are refusing to cooperate with Maclean's magazine's quest for information to publish their 2007 edition of university rankings. The universities are unhappy with the rankings and feels that they "magnifies small differences." Canada's post-secondary institution have also complained that processing this information has become costly (the University of Toronto states the sum of $45 000). In response Maclean has issued "access-to-information" requests that the universities have to oblige by provincial law to complete, however, they are now able to charge a service fee for this information. Half the universities replied by procrastination and by posting student information on their websites. The other half (presumably the top ranked) quietly gave up the information. Since Maclean was unable to win the fight by their issue publication date they were forced to use data that "fluctuates little from year to year."
It is apparent that Maclean is suddenly finding information a scare resource for their magazine. It is also apparent that, with the new service fee, Maclean will find that information has suddenly become a very expensive commodity (remember U of T's $45 000). In addition to that, with the universities being so uncooperative, they will make no effort to lower the service charge for the magazine. Therefore the economic principal that states that when a desired resource becomes scarce (which according to economics all resources are) then the price of the resource goes up until the declining demand (because of the higher price) equals the limited supply.
It seems to me that in the end Maclean will be able to get the information they need. Not only can Maclean's magazine appeal to provincial information commissioners for the release of information because of freedom-of-informaion laws but they have more to lose then the universities do. Can you imagine what will happen to Maclean's magazine's profit margin if they are no longer about to gain the information for their "most well-read and profitable issue?"
"Universities try to shut out Maclean's," The Province, A24 News, Tuesday Oct 31 06
The 22 universities of Canada are refusing to cooperate with Maclean's magazine's quest for information to publish their 2007 edition of university rankings. The universities are unhappy with the rankings and feels that they "magnifies small differences." Canada's post-secondary institution have also complained that processing this information has become costly (the University of Toronto states the sum of $45 000). In response Maclean has issued "access-to-information" requests that the universities have to oblige by provincial law to complete, however, they are now able to charge a service fee for this information. Half the universities replied by procrastination and by posting student information on their websites. The other half (presumably the top ranked) quietly gave up the information. Since Maclean was unable to win the fight by their issue publication date they were forced to use data that "fluctuates little from year to year."
It is apparent that Maclean is suddenly finding information a scare resource for their magazine. It is also apparent that, with the new service fee, Maclean will find that information has suddenly become a very expensive commodity (remember U of T's $45 000). In addition to that, with the universities being so uncooperative, they will make no effort to lower the service charge for the magazine. Therefore the economic principal that states that when a desired resource becomes scarce (which according to economics all resources are) then the price of the resource goes up until the declining demand (because of the higher price) equals the limited supply.
It seems to me that in the end Maclean will be able to get the information they need. Not only can Maclean's magazine appeal to provincial information commissioners for the release of information because of freedom-of-informaion laws but they have more to lose then the universities do. Can you imagine what will happen to Maclean's magazine's profit margin if they are no longer about to gain the information for their "most well-read and profitable issue?"
posted by AmyYBlkF at 5:33 PM
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