N Cd
S e February 2003

  

The Douglas College Newsletter

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

   

IN

Douglas College

College budget forum gives chance for feedback

There were few surprises at
the College budget forum
held January 29 in the
Performing Arts Theatre.

The College community
offered feedback on the
proposed budget, and
common themes arose,
particularly around the
tuition fee increase and
changes in the faculty of
Science and Technology.

A 30 percent hike in
tuition fees is proposed to
offset a $2.8 million
budget shortfall and ensure
the healthy operation of
the College. Tuition fees for
a student taking 15 credits

will rise from the current

$860 per semester to
$1,115 beginning in
September, 2003.

To ease the impact on
students facing financial
challenges, the proposed
budget includes $250,000
for new student aid (in
addition to $250,000
allocated last year) and
$55,000 for student
employment (in addition
to $125,000 added last
year).

DSU College Relations
Coordinator Chris Jacob
said that after sitting on
bursary committees, he
thinks that even though

the College is increasing

student aid, it still isn’t
enough.

Douglas College President
Susan Witter confirmed
that bursary applications
are up 40 percent and
scholarship applications are
up 25 percent. Later in the
forum, she discussed how
she and Board Chair
Harbinder Kainth Jassal
have raised the issue of
tuition fee increases and
the implications for
students many times with
the Ministry of Advanced
Education, as have all other
post secondary institutions
in the Lower Mainland.

The proposal to raise fees

for math courses and
establish a cost recovery
math lab had Science and
Technology Dean Des
Wilson fielding questions
as participants sought to
clarify this point. He
explained that some math
courses will go from three
to four credits, with a
corresponding tuition
increase. The additional
funds will go towards
increasing the number of
math tutors and keeping
the lab open year-round to
boost student success in
what have typically been

low-success courses.

“The real cost is failing the

course and then having to
repeat it until you are
successful,” said Wilson.

Also included in the budget
plan are a $250,000
designation to keep
technology such as
computer labs up to date,
an additional 15 sections of
high demand courses such
as Psychology, English,
Math and Biology, and
$750,000 to begin a fund
that will allow the College
to build new classroom
facilities in the future.

“Douglas College serves one
of the fastest growing
regions in BC,” Witter said.
“The demand for our

courses is very high now
and we will soon need
more space to
accommodate the extra
students. The provincial
government has made it
clear that we will not
receive any funding from
them unless we bring some

of our own to the table.”

Witter closed the forum by
thanking participants for
attending, noting that
many of the comments
brought forward were ones
she had not heard before
and were very useful.
Discussions will continue,
with the final budget
expected to be approved in
April.

 

Double your fun in February

The signature happy faces
of Double your Fun,
Double the Fund week are
coming back to Douglas
College February 24
through 28. And it’s not
just the bright yellow
balloons and candy suckers
that will be wearing those
grins; students will be
smiling ear to ear.

During Double Week,
every dollar spent by
College employees at
Foundation-run events is
matched by the College,
doubling the funds that go
towards needy students
(with the exception of
money raised through the

50/50 draw).

“Together our small gifts
add up to make a big
difference in the life ofa
student needing financial
assistance,” says Myrna
Popove, Executive Director
of the Foundation. “We
hope that everyone will
participate in our Double
the Fun, Double the Fund
Week and help put smiles

on students’ faces.”

Double Week, organized
by the College Foundation

and Alumni Association,
features a series of events
taking place on each
campus. Events include a
daily 50/50 draw, happy
face balloon delivery service
and last year’s very popular
Presidential Car Wash
which had College
President Susan Witter
scrubbing grimy cars to
raise funds for students.
The week has become so
popular that proceeds
raised more than doubled
between the first and

second years

“Two years ago we made
$2,050.63 and last year we
made $4,821.86,” says the
Foundation’s
Administrative Officer
Heather Scott, noting that
these figures are before
matching funds are
applied. “The number of
people who signed onto
the payroll deduction plan
also increased. The
response has been
wonderful, and we're quite
moved by the generosity of
College employees.”

Other College groups
contribute to the fun,
giving employees the

chance to win prizes while
supporting College
activities such as the Green
Team, Event magazine and
Athletics.

For more information
about Double Week watch
for flyers or contact the
Foundation at

604-777-6176.

Double Week
events

Aseries of fun events to
double the fund are
being organized on each
campus.

* Payroll deduction
contest
Event book sale and
raffle
50/50 tickets

Bookstore bonus

Lucky loonie and
toonie day

Putting contest
Dialing for donors
silent auction

Peer support clothing
and toy sale

Art auction
Daffodil sale
Balloon sale and
delivery service
Breakfast at Gayle’s
Presidential carwash

 

Green Team fishpond

New Web tool making

the grade

Paperwork is going to get a little bit easier for faculty at Douglas College.

Web for faculty, an on-line tool available on the registration Web site, allows faculty to

submit grades, check class lists and size and more, from any location.

“We understand that faculty have a life, and Web for faculty can really help during the
time crunches that occur every semester,” says Ashifa Manji, Associate Registrar. “They

wont have to physically come to the campus to submit their grades on paper; they can

log on from home at any time of the day or night and submit them electronically.”

Manji started running Web for faculty training sessions in September 2002 and has been

overwhelmed by the positive response. By the end of the Fall semester, 28 percent of

faculty were submitting their grades electronically. Many faculties have enthusiastically

jumped on the Web for faculty bandwagon, with Science and Technology leading the

pack with an impressive 53 percent usage of the system.

“Tt’s easy to use, and even people who dont’ like or use computers say that they find it

»

quite simple and not at all what they expected,” says Manji. “Some people will come to a

training session and be hesitant, but by the end of the session their comfort level has

substantially increased.”

Modern Languages instructor Marie Andree Rivet is a recent convert. She found the

software to be extremely user-friendly, using it to monitor enrolment in Modern

Language courses in addition to posting grades and checking class lists.

“T loved it, I really loved it,” says Rivet. “I phoned everyone and told them how

wonderful a tool it was. I think it’s the best thing that’s ever happened at the College to

help faculty. The main problem is that it has become addictive!”

All faculty are expected to use Web for faculty for the Fall 2003 semester. Manji is
offering sessions on Web for faculty on March 27, 2-4pm and April 2, 2-4pm at the New
Westminster Campus, and March 26, 2-4pm and April 3, 2-4pm at the David Lam
Campus. She is also willing to organize group training sessions at other times and dates.
She can be reached at 604-527-5011 or a_manji@douglas.bc.ca.

 

Quote of the Month

It is not enough to have a good mind. The main thing is to use it well.
Rene Descartes (1596 - 1650), Le Discours de la Methode 1637