INSIDE DOUGLAS COLLEGE / OCTOBER 17, 1989

 

 

 

Memorandum to Staff, Faculty and Administration

 

President Day Addresses Student Access Issues

In July, | addressed a memoran-
dum to staff, faculty and ad-
ministration on the topic of
“Student Access” initiatives of
government, and the resulting ac-
tivities at Douglas College.

This memorandum is intended
to update everyone on the topic.

Government initiatives an-
nounced this spring have en-
gendered some action and a lot of
discussion. The creation of “univer
sity colleges” at Malaspina,
Okanagan and Cariboo Colleges
has touched off a lot of speculation
about future relationships on the
Lower Mainland, as well as else-
where in the province.

PHYSICAL SPACE ISSUES -
DOUGLAS COLLEGE

A major problem on the Lower
Mainland, is the lack of space for
new students, even if new operat-
ing dollars are provided for teach-
ing and services. In the short term,
Douglas College is assured of
roughly $3 million of capital, which
will be expended during this
academic year. This will create
enough space within the Royal
Avenue site, to provide for foreseen
growth needs for another two to
three years. Construction is ex-
pected to commence in January,
with the newly available space in
use by next September. Work has
been completed on new computer
labs, and the relocation of the Print
Shop. Renovations commencing in
January, will create more instruc-
tion, display and office space for
faculty and students. Faculty
workrooms, with computer equip-
ment, will be provided.

Our work in Maple Ridge has
been recognized by Government.
Strong support by the School Dis-
trict and the Municipality has
resulted in full approval for a joint
facility. Preliminary curriculum

 

and space planning is now going
on. We have been assured at this
time, of approximately $4.6 million
for our share of the facility, which is
expected to open in 1991/92. It
should hold approximately 500 FTE
students. In addition, we intend to
hold onto the Dewdney Trunk Site
for the foreseeable future, and may
well continue joint activities in
other schools in the district. In ad-
dition, the Ministry advanced us
sufficient money to purchase our
share of the acreage required. The
School District and the
Municipality are in the final stages
of acquiring their shares of the
acreage.

Because of the School District’s
intent to move strongly onto an in-
dividualized instruction model, a
team which includes faculty and ad-
ministrators from Douglas College,
is visiting a number of institutions
at the secondary and post-secon-
dary level using this approach to
learning. Jim Doerr will be respon-
sible for information and consult-
ation activities as the academic year
progresses.

Preliminary approvals also
have been received for a major Co-
quitlam Campus, which we expect
to be coming on line by 1995. It
will provide for foreseeable needs
to the year 2000. At this time, the
College is negotiating with Coquit-
lam Municipality for acreage in the
Coquitlam Town Centre. The ac-
quisition of this acreage is not a
foregone conclusion, but I am op-
timistic that there will be a satisfac-
tory conclusion over the next six
months.

LOWER MAINLAND PLANNING

The new Ministry organization
is focusing attention on three
groups of colleges - the Lower
Mainland; Southern Vancouver Is-
land and the Central Interior;

 

Northern Vancouver Island,
Northwest, Northeast, and Eastern
British Columbia. These three
regions each have a Senior Ministry
Official named as “Director”. The
Director for the Lower Mainland is
Dr. Jack Newberry, who has been
meeting with the Presidents of
Capilano, VCC, Kwantlen, Douglas
and Fraser Valley Colleges. His
task is to encourage cooperation
among the Lower Mainland Col-
leges and also to act as advocate
within the Ministry on our behalf.

To date, these planning meet-
ings have been very useful. Dr.
Newberry has been able to address
questions of fact and conjecture to
the CEO's, and get rapid informa-
tion from the field. Being able to sit
as a group with Dr. Newberry has
assisted the CEO’s to have a better
understanding of the dynamics of
each institution and its region.

Iam happy to report that there
seems to be almost no sense of nar-
row competitiveness in the discus-
sions.

As one result of these discus-
sions, Paul Gallagher (President of
VCC) and I are working ona
proposal to assess the long term im-
plications of the changing ethnic,
cultural and language “mix” of our
adult populations. This is already
having an effect on Douglas and
VCC curriculum offerings. We see
a need for consultation with our
School Districts, with cultural
minorities, with Government and
with each other. Preliminary in-
dications from Victoria are that the
proposal will be favourably
received. Bob Cowin (our new Re-
search Officer) and Al Atkinson are
now part of a consortium of institu-
tion planning people, who are
working to coordinate the plans of
Capilano, VCC, Douglas, Kwantlen

continued on page 7

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