INSIDE DOUGLAS COLLEGE/NOVEMBER 29, 1988

 

 

President's Report

 

 

Report to Douglas College Board - Thursday, November 17, 1988

EXTERNAL MATTERS -
MUNICIPAL

On November 16, the
Douglas College/Coquitlam
Campus Planning Team met
with planning officials from
Port Moody, Port Coquitlam,
and the District of Coquitlam.
This was the second meeting in
the present series of discussions
regarding land acquisition, and
was very productive. Assess-
ment values for the location
being considered will be
provided in the near future, and
the College’s general planning
projections and priorities have
been shared with the Ministry of
Advanced Education and Job
Training and the Municipalities
involved.

Discussions are continuing
with New Westminster, regard-
ing the concept of joint
provision of public parking
facilities near the College, with
guaranteed access to College
personnel and students.

Because of the significance of
Douglas College as a downtown
partner, and as a factor in park-
ing, the College now has a seat
on the New Westminster Park-
ing Commission.

Dr. Elmer Froese, District Su-
perintendent of Schools for
Burnaby, made an excellent
presentation on the report of the
Royal Commission on Educa-
tion (The Sullivan Report) at the

 

New Westminster Canadian
Club, on November 14th.

Dr. Froese was a member of
the Commission, and provided
interesting insight into the for-
ces at work in the public school
system that resulted in the Royal
Commission recommendations.

The Sullivan Report will be
influential, and will affect the na
ture and operations of
community colleges.

Similarly, the recent "Access"
Report tabled with our Ministry,
will have long range sig-
nificance not only to the
colleges, but also to the school
districts.

Dr. Froese and I have agreed
that we will make a joint presen-
tation on the two reports, and
their implications here at
Douglas College.

The tentative date for the
presentation has been fixed at
February 22nd. I will be con-
vening a College Assembly for
the purpose.

EXTERNAL MATTERS -
EDUCATION

On November 8th, Douglas
College was visited by a team of
Swedish government and senior
union officials, involved in adult
education programs. The visit
to our College was part of a
North American tour in celebra-
tion of the 350th Anniversary of
the founding of "New Sweden"
in the North American wilds.

 

Ours was selected to be the
only Canadian community col-
lege visited. We have had
complimentary reports back
from the team on the calibre of
our faculty, our programs, and
the organization of the morning
spent with us. Special thanks
are due to Lillian Zimmerman,
of Community Programs and
Services, and Yvonne Mostert
for an excellent job of organiza-
tion and communication at
relatively short notice. Special
thanks also to the faculty mem-
bers who gave so generously of
their time and expertise during
an action packed morning. oO

On November 4th, there was
a provincial meeting in Van-
couver of college deans and
directors of continuing educa-
tion which I attended as the
liaison officer to the Council of
Principals. There is strong con-
cern throughout the province, at
the continued lack of a clear
financial support system for
adult education activities, that
has been recently compounded
by the confusion over funding
structures and responsibility for
Adult Basic Education and
English as a Second Language.

 

Negotiations are commencing
between the B.C. and Federal
governments, regarding fiscal ar-
rangements for joint programs.
This is of great significance, be-
cause of the historic dependence
continued on page 9