S i e December 1998

The Douglas College Newsletter

An invitation from the President

As we head into the last month of
1998, I’m sure many of you are
feeling stretched and extra busy.
When I consider the effort that is
devoted to our main purpose of
supporting our students in the
teaching and learning process,
then look at the numerous
activities over and above this, I’m
not surprised we're a little tired. I
hope you will soon be able to
relax and celebrate another

successful year.

My recent evaluation initiated by
our College Board has given me
valuable feedback on my
performance during the first year
as your President. The comments

confirmed that there is a growing

sense of common purpose among
employees and that individuals
are seeing a more positive
relationship between the College

and its employee groups.

In the future, successful
organizations will be those that
have vision and direction, are
responsive to those they serve,
are flexible enough to learn and
grow, encourage employee
competence and maximize
employee contribution and
commitment. I believe Douglas
College is a successful
organization and that we will

continue to make improvements.

Reception recognizes
dedicated employees

It was an evening of fun, laughter, and most of all, pride. Seventy-

nine employees were honored for their 20-plus years of work at

Douglas College at the First Annual Recognition Reception,

followed by a dinner honoring past and present retirees. “It was a

great evening,” says Kris Remmem, one of the event’s organizers.

“Everyone was happy and proud to be here, and that’s what made

the event a success.”

 

Communications Convenor Diana Wegner (left), accepts her
pin for 21 years of service at Douglas College from President
Susan Witter and Board Chair Neal Nicholson.

 

m@ New Westminster Campus, David Lam Campus & Thomas Haney Campus

To build the College culture and
foster relationships between
individuals, I am supporting a
number of College-wide social
events. I hope that by mid-
December the fast-forward pace
of the semester will begin to ease
up so you can take a little time
out to join your colleagues in a
holiday season get-together.
Please join us on Thursday,
December 17, 4-6 pm in the
upper cafeteria, New Westminster
Campus.

I know all of you work extremely
hard for Douglas College and the
students we serve. My thanks to
each of you for your dedication,
contribution and commitment. I

wish you the very best in 1999.

PLAR goes the distance

Douglas College has just opened
the doors of its new College-
wide Prior Learning Assessment
and Recognition Service
(PLAR), a one-stop shop for
mature learners looking for ways
to earn college and professional
credit without loss of
employment. The service
recognizes that significant
learning occurs in the
workplace, as well as through
volunteer and community
service, and assesses this
learning toward possible college
credit, credential credit or
licence competency recognition.
An example of the innovative
nature of the PLAR service is a
recent distance assessing process
that has just been completed.

Wilma McCrossan, Commerce
and Business Instructor and
PLAR Faculty Liaison, and
Colleen Carpenter, Head
Supervisor in the Douglas
College Daycare Centre, gave
the local daycare licencing
officer an intensive two-day
view of prior learning
assessment.

“The officer was unaware of
prior learning assessment and

IN

Douglas College

Print Futures Coordinator Hal Gray, President Susan Witter

 

 

(centre), and Psychiatric Nursing Instructor Paula
Maisonville share a laugh at the fall Welcome Back Barbeque.

wasn't too sure what we were
doing,” says Carpenter. “But
once we discussed the process
and standards with her and she
saw us in action, she was very
supportive.”

Traveling to the daycare centre
at Okanagan University
College, Carpenter conducted an
assessment of a non-licenced
early childhood education (ECE)
practitioner for a provincial ECE
licence, while McCrossan
observed the process and
provided support.

Douglas College is the only
institution currently offering
distance assessing. “Other
institutions have assessment
programs, but our assessors are
the only ones to go outside of
the Lower Mainland,” says
McCrossan. “All of the training
necessary to become an assessor
is provided by the PLAR service
at the College.”

Candidates who are assessed
develop a portfolio of prior
learning, submit a detailed work
plan, provide documentation
proving they have 500 hours of
work experience, go through a

two-day workplace assessment,
and finally write a theory exam.

For more information about the
assessment service, please
contact Diana Christie at 5419.
For more information about
PLAR in general, please contact
Carol Ebner at 5128.

We're
interested in
you!

Do you know of an
interesting project taking
place in your department?
Are you or a colleague using
an innovative teaching
method in your class? Are
you undertaking a new
initiative and would like to
spread the word?

The INside is constantly
looking for the latest news
about imaginative and
creative teaching methods,
College life, and other
exciting goings-on at all
three campuses of Douglas
College. Please contact
Tracey Winters at 527-5325,
or email her at

tracey_winters@douglas.bc.ca

with your news!.

 

Quote of the Month

“Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life 1s an experiment.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson