other press >»>onews Needed Closures Upsetting to Douglas Community Eileen Velthuis News Editor On June 27, the Douglas College board made their final decision to close the Thomas Haney campus in Maple Ridge and to disband the Habitat Restoration program for good. The board voted in favour of the proposed budget for 2002/03, effectively putting final plans in motion to close the campus and the program. The news comes after a decision to raise tuition fees by 30 per cent this coming school year, and possibly raising them by yet another 30 per cent next year. Douglas College communications department representative Brad Barber claims the changes are necessary due to a budget deficit of $3 million this year and a projected $3.5 million next year. The Habitat Restoration program is a one year, 30 credit program. The courses are all run out of the David Lam campus in Coquitlam, and the board’s decision means that Habitat Restoration program students have the next two semesters Soon to be closed Thomas Haney Campus to complete the necessary courses in order to graduate. “My understanding is that allowances are being made for [the students] to finish the program,” Barber said. Students at the Thomas Haney campus in Maple Ridge will have to take their classes in Coquitlam or New Westminster effective next summer. The university studies program at Thomas Haney will continue to be offered until May 2003. Career assessment programs will be offered at the campus until spring 2003 as well. The Developmental Studies courses that were offered at the campus are discontinued, and similar courses can be attained through the David Lam campus in Coquitlam or through School District 42’s (Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows) Community Education department. Student services at the campus, such as coun- selling, financial aid and academic advising will be offered until next summer as well. Now that such huge changes are going through, “We have a balanced budget for the coming year,” Barber said. Douglas Student Union’s college relations coordinator Chris’ Jacob, who has spoken at board meetings on behalf of the DSU, says that the student union is upset and appalled at the way the board handled the entire process. “The whole process is completely flawed. The whole process of listening to the Douglas College community is a sham. The board members are supposed to represent the community, not the government. They didn’t even bat an eye.” Jacob continued, saying that “Due process has been avoided since there was no debate by mem- bers of the board. The meeting was basically a rubber stamping of the decisions made by senior management [to go ahead with the budget and close the campus and the program]. These cuts undermine the very reason community colleges were created—surely it’s not in the best interest of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows to close their college.” Jacob also pointed out that Douglas College’s number one value of “We believe students are our primary focus,” is not being exemplified by cutting programs, services and a whole campus, and not taking students’ voices into account or having ample discussions about the proposed changes. Barber disagrees, saying that he does think there was a lot of discussion regarding the budget and impending closures. “The College is required to meet goals set by the Ministry [of Education]. It's always difficult to cancel any program. It’s especially difficult when you have to look at closing one of your campuses. It will impact a lot of people,” he explained. “If the board’s actually doing their jobs they wouldn’t have approved the budget and they would have sent a message to the government saying not to put this on students’ backs,” Jacob said. Barber maintains that while it was not an easy decision for the board, the changes were neces- Sary in order to balance this year’s budget. For more information on the closures visit the Douglas College website at www.douglas.bc.ca or for Thomas Haney campus information call 604-467-6811.