The Douglas College Newsletter ml New Westminster Campus, David Lam Campus

February 2006

IN

Douglas College

 

 

Ericka Weis (DLC Bookstore) and Ray Peterson (Self Employment Program, Training Group) were among
those who beat the mid-winter blues at the January Blah Day festivities, held January 11 at the David Lam
Campus. The well-attended reception featured lots of finger food, punch, conversation and door prizes.

Explore your future at free career fair

Thinking of a new career from hospitality to
computing to criminal justice? Explore your
options at the 16" Annual Douglas College Career
Fair, March 6, 9am-4pm at the New Westminster

Campus.

You can talk to representatives and recruiters from
over 20 different employment sectors at the event.
You can also meet with College faculty to learn more
about education and training options in Douglas

College's 26 career programs and academic and

upgrad i ng programs.

“Tt’s a great place for parents to help family members

single location.”

“The event is free and open to everyone from high
school students to adult learners to current college
students,” says event organizer Hazel Postma,

Douglas College Foundation Director.

make decisions about jobs and education. It’s a great

way to get a lot of answers in a short time and in a

The Career Fair is held in the central concourse. For
more information call 604-777-6173.

Contest invites students to
share their dreams

“In September 2006 I plan to
attend Douglas College and take
the Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Program,” writes Taryn, a Maple
Ridge secondary school student.
“Nursing is something that I really
have a passion for and I can not
wait to start my education in this
field. I think attending Douglas
College would be a great start to

get me on track for my career.”

Douglas College has been
enabling students like Taryn reach
for their dreams since 1970. As

we wrap up celebrations for our
35th anniversary, the College is
sponsoring an inspiring contest
based on our message “you can go

anywhere from here.”

To enter the contest, both current

and potential students must
briefly describe “where they want
to go from here,” outlining their
educational goals and how they
will pursue them at Douglas
College.

“One of the contest’s goals is

to get people thinking about
their own aspirations in
education and how they can
reach them at Douglas College,”
says Brad Barber, Director of
Communications and Marketing.
“Selected submissions will be
featured on the College’s Web
site and in other media, to also

inspire others.”

All entries must be made on-line
at the Douglas College Web site,
another key feature of the contest.

“Web sites are now the most
popular way for current and
future students to access
information as they make
educational choices,” says Barber.
“By encouraging people to go to
the Douglas College site to enter,
we expect many will also spend
some time on-line to learn about

our programs and services.”

In keeping with the contest’s
educational theme, major prizes
include free tuition for a year,
free individual courses, as well as
popular iPod MP3 music players
and College merchandise prizes.
Douglas College employees and

their immediate families are not

eligible to enter the contest.

College Community
debates budget

Forums at both the David
Lam and New Westminster
Campuses provided the Senior
Management Team with lots
of feedback on January 25 as
the consultation process for the

2006/07 budget kicked off.

The well-attended forum at
New Westminster both praised
and raised questions about the
proposed $73 million budget,
which includes funds for new
programs, more students and
monies set aside for future
construction.

“This is a good budget,” said
Criminology instructor Graeme
Bowbrick. “I think that it’s very
positive and while there may be
some concerns, the feedback I’m
hearing today is positive too.”

The budget focuses significant
resources on marketing, student
recruitment and retention to
address enrolment demands and
challenges facing the College. It

also includes:

* continued funding for student
aid, student employment

¢ Operating Capital to provide
for technology/equipment
currency/replacement, and
a contribution to the Major
Capital Reserve for capital
expansion

* sections of instruction and
support required to offer new
student FTEs

additional funds to deal with
waitlists and/or emergent
labour market demands

* increases to service areas (both
ongoing and one-time only)

‘The plan proposes a two per cent
tuition fee increase for the Fall
2006 semester. If implemented,
it would see tuition for a three
credit course rise from $241 to
$246, or the cost of a semester
of full-time studies increase by
$25. Tuition at Douglas College
would remain well below the
national college average and the
fees charged at BC universities
and university-colleges.

“This budget is the largest

in terms of new FTEs in the
history of the College,” said
Witter. “It’s a very positive
budget that will take Douglas

 

Susan Witter, President

College into growth for the next
few years.”

While the tone was generally
upbeat, there were also concerns
whether the budget adequately
deals with declining enrolment
in University Transfer Programs
and suggestions were made

that new initiatives to attract
more students to both UT and
Developmental Studies are
needed.

A great deal of debate centered
on the proposed contribution
to the Major Capital Reserve
for future expansion. Some
suggested the contribution be
delayed or eliminated in order to
avoid raising tuition fees.

But Vice President Finance and
Administration Karen Maynes
said it’s vital for the College to
contribute funds of its own to
any new building project.

“If we had not made a
contribution towards the
construction of David Lam
Phase II, we would not now

be building the state-of-the-

art facility we are now,” said
Maynes. “I think our Board has
a lot of foresight in setting aside
money now.”

‘The proposed budget was sent
by email to all employees on
January 20. Additional feedback
is encouraged and welcome.
Comments can be made through
your dean or director or directly
to a Vice President or President
Witter. The budget (with any
changes required) will come
back to the Board for approval
in April.

 

Quote of the Month

“Raise a million filters and the rain will not be clean, until the longing for it be refined in

deep confession.”

-Leonard Cohen