INside

 

 

QUOTE of the MONTH

@@You make a living by what you earn. You
change a life by what you give 99

- Leah Peterson

 

 

June 2, 1992

The Douglas College Newsletter

 

 

 

 

Dorothy Jones retires after 19
years at Douglas College

Theatre head
takes her last
bow

When Dorothy Jones retires, one of the
first things she plans to do is attend some
professional theatre productions.

That may seem odd for someone who has
just completed 19 years as convenor of
Douglas College’s theatre department. But
Jones says it isn’t really so strange.

"I want some time to read and see some
theatre, because you're so busy doing
your own thing all the time, you never
see what anyone else is doing," she
laughed as she packed up mementos - a
patchwork quilt signed by the cast of Our
Town in 1985; a director’s chair

continued on page 5

Better services, please

Douglas College gets high marks for
classes but improvements to services and
expanded facilities would make life easier
for students.

That, in a nutshell, summarizes findings
of the 1991-92 Douglas College Institu-
tional Self-Study. Titled "Student Needs,
Involvement and Outcomes", it was sub-
mitted to the College Board on May 21
and will soon be distributed to all
employees.

The 40-page self study was the first in

B.C. to focus on students’ needs. By inter-
viewing hundreds of students and consult-
ing existing surveys, the study found
there was high satisfaction with the educa-
tional benefits of attending Douglas
College but dissatisfaction with over-
burdened facilities and services to
students.

"Looking from a student’s point of view,
the Institutional Self Study found that the
classroom experience at Douglas College
is generally very positive, but that the
broader educational experience is not as
good as it should be," said chairperson
Jean Cockburn.

Endorsement of the learning experience
came from several surveys of former and
current students; 78 percent of current
students agreed or strongly agreed that
instruction at the College is good (18 per-
cent were neutral).

Conversely, there is a perception that ser-
vices to students have not kept pace with
growth. Student concerns included: insuffi-

cient academic advising and counselling
services, lack of a College information
centre, poor temperature and air quality,
shortage of between-class facilities and ac-
tivities, lack of on-campus health services,
and lack of a College identity. The study
also recommended a review of financial
aid delivery to students, including the
need to lobby government agencies to
improve response times.

"The real idea of an educational institu-
tion is an educational experience that
goes beyond the classroom and we have
had trouble maintaining that as we've
grown," said Cockburn.

Self studies are held at all B.C. Colleges
every five or six years, involving commit-
tees of employees and students. The aim
is to identify problems and offer recom-
mendations to solve them. &

 

 

inside INside...

Thomas Haney update .......... 2
Theatre Program graduate ....... 2
College Briefs............. 5&5
EVeIS COCHUal 7-6. ee cues 4
Sto DAR EXRIbIE ig... 5
Inside}Zonel ia... ek 6