INSIDE DOUGLAS COLLEGE / DECEMBER 12, 1989 Article reprinted from October 25, 1989 Issue of the Burnaby Now Newspaper Prince Myth by Myra Ross Douglas College is celebrating “twenty years of making a dif- ference”, soa walk down memory lane seems appropriate. I gained entry to Douglas Col- lege on the mature entry program. 1 was 26, a Grade 10 drop-out, un- employed and somewhat worried. The belief in that childhood myth about a handsome prince who would pay the hydro bill was fading fast. It was 1973. I remember with fondness my days on the Surrey campus. Politi- cal science teacher Roger Elmes (also known for his long hair and beaded headbands) introduced me to my own country and its govern- ments in Canadian studies courses. George Porges, one of my history teachers, taught me the value of study and time management skills (he gave me a well-deserved F ona late paper). My abnormal psychol- ogy classes with Val MacBean put me in touch with autistic children and people undergoing electric shock therapy—I haven't really complained about my lot in life since. My English classes with Chris Rideout illustrated that Shakespeare wrote plays to be acted before an audience, not read silently to oneself from a page. Early Douglas College was an architectural nightmare, but a haven for learning. Small class- rooms fostered a strong sense of community. During heavy rains, sometimes, the roofs of the “tem- porary” modular classrooms leaked. Students attended classes and seminars in teacher’s homes and backyards. As the library struggled to get books on the empty shelves, students often travelled to SFU and UBC for their study material. The climate at Douglas College Dies, Learning Begins fostered enquiry. | travelled to Mont Orford, Quebec for a college cultural conference. I watched his- tory unfold when guest speaker Rene Levesque lit cigarette after cigarette as he outlined his vision for Quebec to its intellectual elite, the college professors. For the first time in my life, I regretted being unilingual. Teachers and programs at Douglas were a catalyst. They got students involved in their com- munities for some hands-on education. At Douglas, I learned | could learn. I mustered enough courage to stand before my peers and give a seminar presentation. I learned how to write a complete sentence, a coherent paragraph, a thesis paper. T overcame my fear of being tested, the bug-a-boo that saw me quit high school. In the small but inspir- ing environment of Douglas Col- lege, I overcame the great inhibitor, the fear of failing. And for me, that has made all the difference in the world. = COLLEGE EDUCATION COMMITTEE Call for Nominations - Support Staff at Large Member The College Education Committee is the senior educational committee at Douglas College. It recommends policy to the College Board and func- tions as the primary consulting committee for College Management on educational matters. The position of Support Staff At Large representative is vacant. This is for a two-year term which will expire December 31, 1991. Staff work for the Committee is generally carried out by college ad- ministration. Therefore, the work while demanding is not onerous. Meet- ings are held on the second Wednesday of each month from 4:15 to 6:15 p.m. Prospective representatives must be nominated by a regular staff mem- ber, employed half time or more at Douglas College. Please nominate someone whom you consider to be a worthy repre- sentative, and turn in the nomination form to Lynn Power by December 29, 1989. Volunteers will also be gladly accepted. Nominees (or volunteers) will be contacted to obtain confirmation of willingness to stand and formal balloting will occur soon thereafter under separate notice. ee a College Education Committee Support Staff At Large Representative Nomination Form Nominee: Nominator: Closing Date for Nominations: December 29, 1989 at 4:30 p.m. (Please turn in this nomination form to Lynn Power, Administration Office.) (CSRESTEEE FREON PMR Shc EASES 9 STF TE FATE SRE FERPA BACB RT BUN 2 ICN} 8