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What does Local autonomy mean? For example, 4§ the Provincial Government
- phovddes 60 per cent of the funding does that necessarily mean that the
Local control is only 40 per cent? Does 10 per cent Provincial funding
necessarily mean 90 per cent Local autonomy? Anyone who has served ona
agekege Finance Committee dealing with budget preparation, sir, would
assure you that your argument is not worthy of debate.

And where, oh where did that intriguing sentence - "But the junior colleges
ane Aer dAntimate extension of Schook programes than the universities,"
come {/com?

"Junior," colleges, indeed! That teu is strictly an American one, public
colkeges in our province are known as district or regional colleges. We
believe that each type of educational institution should provide different
and distinet Learning experiences, with none viewed as better or worse, i
higher or Lower, than the other. Each type of institution should be a true
alternative. We, therefore, recommend that the colleges be granted corporate
siatus, We, also, recommend that they have their own coklege board made up
04 ten representatives from the wider community and five from the internal
ecklege community. .

With this form of governance, representation from individuals or community
besed qnoups, such as schook boards, Labour, industry, faun, service organ-
4zations and community resource boards would be assured, as would socio-
eronor ‘ic elements and geographic areas within a region.

Did you know that seven provinces in Canada, including Alberta and Ontario,
have ovted for the appointment approach? The community college has matured,
From our studies neither the autonomy nor the governance has suffered. One
ether anternesting point should be mentioned. ALL other community college
su'tems in Canada have 100 per cent Provincial financing for both capital

av operating costs. The Task Force recommends that the operating costs be
jcnded by the Provincial Treasury. ~

Ard finally, sir, in answer to your question - "Just how strong is the
qovernment's’s commitment to Local autonomy?" I can only reply that the Task
Farce bekkeves that, 44 our recommendations ane followed, the wider community
wl? be represented on college boards and we envisage a new spirit of co-
ooonaiton and sense of direction for comunity colleges in British Columbia.

In Summation, 442, I should Like to thank you for expressing your concerns,
a1 also Anvite your readers to write to the Research and Development Div-

iscan of the Department cf Education, Victoria, for their free copy of our

nenert, entitled "Towards the Learning Community." and then they can be the
judqe. "

Yours very truly,

HAZEL L'ESTRANGE

Chairman

Community College Task Force
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