‘INside

 

 

QUOTE of the WEEK

© Weare coming to a time when change is
catching up with us.
I am 97% certain that ultimately we can set

our own direction. %

William L. Day, President of Douglas College

 

 

November 25, 1993

Special INside edition on the future of Douglas College

 

College’s future
is NOW

Many questions were asked, some were an-
swered and all will be considered when
planning the future of Douglas College.

A forum on October 28 attracted about 80
College staff, faculty, administrators and

students to brainstorm about the direction
the College will take in the years to come.

College Management Committee re-
sponded to questions generated through
round table discussion among participants.
Questions posed a multitude of issues in-

luding: the economy, relations between

dents and employers, our role as an aca-

demic institution, university colleges,
accountability, government funding, multi-
campus settings, connections with school
systems, and other topics.

The forum was held in recognition of the
changes that have been taking place in the
college environment both internally and
exterally, said Bill Day, College Presi-
dent and forum facilitator.

"In the last four years there have been
many changes in the system in terms of
funding, organization (such as the advent
of university colleges), government poli-
cies regarding access, technical vocational
issues, and others. So far Douglas College
has been fortunate in that we haven’t been
damaged by these external changes."

Day noted that provincially, Douglas Col-
lege is considered to be a success, both
academically and financially - however,
that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t pay close
attention to what is going on outside our
walls or that we’re immune to change.

n some part our success has enabled us
to continue to exist in a bubble,” says Day.

College’s future continued on page 3

 

 

College President
Bill Day will be
appointing a Task
Force to make
recommendations
regarding
organizational
change at Douglas
College.

 

 

Task Force to shape College
organizational change

A Task Force will soon be formed to make
recommendations about organizational
change at Douglas College, President Bill
Day has announced.

"It is important to clarify the reasons why
we are proceeding to plan for change,”

Day said, making reference to the new
campus, continued College growth and sig-
nificant changes in the communities it
serves.

The Task Force will be comprised of repre-
sentatives from all major College
stakeholder groups. It will begin work in
December, with a deadline of March 31,
1994 to make its report to the president.
During that time the Task Force will seek
input throughout the College and then de-
velop a maximum of three organizational
options. After reviewing those options, the

president will then present his recommen-
dations on this matter to the College
Board by June 30, 1994.

While announcing the Task Force, Day
listed a number of reasons why the Col-
lege should review its formal structure at
this time. The first issue is the need to
serve a multi-campus College, with the
addition of the Thomas Haney Centre in
1992 and the larger Pinetree Way campus
which will open in 1996. Another reason
the College should plan for change is the
ongoing growth in the number of students
being served. Douglas College has grown
from 2,000 to 4,800 FTE since its present
organization was established in 1981.
There is a further issue: the need to de-
velop College systems with the flexibility
to respond to ongoing changes in the

Task Force continued on page 2