INSIDE DOUGLAS COLLEGE/ MARCH 5, 1991

 

President’s Commission Hearings Wrap Up

he last in a series of public

meetings on the new Coquit-
lam campus was held last Monday
night, February 25, at Douglas Col-
lege.

The meeting was highlighted
by presentations from Barry Jones,
MLA for Burnaby North and NDP

tional needs must be a priority.
“There is a large immigration
population in Coquitlam, and they
are struggling to become part of a
culture that is incomprehensible to
them. We must provide them the
opportunity to participate fully in
our society.”

 

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Jones also wondered out loud
why faculty contracts cannot be
made permanent at Douglas Col-
lege. “Continuing contracts
should be stressed,” he said. “My
background is in the public school

spokesperson for education, and
by Anita Hagen, MLA for New
Westminster.

Noting that most immigrants
to Canada settle in the lower main-
land, Jones said that their educa-

  
  

Handicapped and Environment —
Remain Priorities at Commission —
Hearings

Environmental awareness, access for the handicapped and the im-
portance of programs for all ages and needs highlighted issues

presented to the Feb. 19 public meeting of the President's Commission -

on the new Coquitlam campus.

(he meeting at the Coquitlam Municipal Hall also featured briefs
from pera ic organizations calling for programs in AUTSING, and the
visual arts at the new campus.

“EN ‘ery educational institution that seeks to fulfill a liberal approach

o education must ensure that environmental considerations are.
pr i 2 said Coquitlam-Maillardville MLA John Cashore. “I would

suggest, therefore, that Douglas College provide an environmental pro- _

gram that would seek to address the topic or topics that are not now:
provided in similar institutions.” -
Cashore added the college should also consider an ethical com-

ponent when planning courses dealing with technological development

of the future.

Coquitlam Planning Director Don Buchanan stated that the growth

and increase of average age in the municipality means the campus
should provide services to meet the needs of mature students. He also
added the campus could play an important role in the professional —
development of municipal staff.

Jelegates from Community Ventures and the Mayor’s Committee

on the Disabled (Coquitlam) reiterated submissions of earlier meetings
that the campus be accessible for the handicapped both in terms of
physical structure and program content.

in terms of specific program proposals: Art Teachers’ Association
otrict #43 called for visual arts programs (career training and univer-
sity (ransfer), pointing to waiting lists at other institutions. Registered
Nurses Association of B.C. called for nursing programs and upgrading _
options for those re-entering the field in light of the province’s nursing

hortage. Stressing the very high demand for graduates of New
Westminster's, Community Support Worker program, Community Ven:
tures suggested the program be offered in Coquitlam.

a
4

system, which is complex, but
where permanent contracts are
standard. It’s always amazed me
that the system can’t be imple-
mented in the colleges.”

Hagen told the commission
that bridging programs for
women should be a priority.
“There should be programs to
prepare women for trade and
vocational training. These
programs must have the flexibility
to accommodate personal and
family needs.”

The commission also heard
presentations from the College’s
Business, Applied Programs,
Academic, and Planning and
Development divisions, from
Community Programs & Services,
and from local arts groups and
citizen’s groups.

As the hearings drew to a
close, Commission Chair Richard
Bell was pleased with the level of
public and college input into the
programs and services to be of-
fered at the Coquitlam campus
when it opens in 1993.

“We've been fortunate to get a
broad range of input from the col-
lege element as well as the com-
munity element. We’ve had arts
groups, chambers of commerce,
aboriginal groups, and College
divisions. There has been a broad
range of interest groups that are
truly committed to assisting in the
process of creating the college in
Coquitlam.”

With the public meetings now
completed, the President’s Com-
mission task is to turn the many
presentations into a report. “The
next step is for us to take the input
we've been provided with and try
to analyze the direction that is en-
visioned by the presenters,” said
Bell. “We will begin drafting the
report in the next few weeks. The
completed report will be reviewed
by the Education Council for
presentation to the College Board
in June.” @

 

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