Postsecondary International Network
Newsletter
Spring 2005
2005 Annual PIN Conference
Friday,
June 24 - Friday, July 1, 2005
Toronto/Oshawa
and Ottawa, Canada
By Gary Polonsky, President - Durham College
I'm writing to encourage you to attend the
2005 PIN Conference. I promise you a terrific time, for the two
usual reasons.
Most importantly, I have every confidence
the sessions will provide potential, strategic learning opportunities for
everyone. Remember that our theme is about really big projects that
have had transforming impact. Andree, for example, has founded a truly
beautiful and unique college. She'll be able to chronicle the entire
journey for us.
The planned presentations from Durham
College include:
·
How my colleagues created
a $70,000,000 business with 2000 staff that's a wholly owned subsidiary of
Durham College (and earned a net profit of
$17M for the College over the past 2 years).
·
How we created a partnering
university on our campus which is emerging at Canada's
M.I.T., which provides the best diploma/degree pathways in Ontario
and is Canada's
second largest construction project (the start-up wave of buildings, over
half of which are built, will cost $800,000,000).
·
How we've positioned ourselves
for a $100,000,000 fund-drive (and raised over half to date).
·
How we were recently picked
by General Motors as its R&D Centre for Canada.
I know from past PIN conferences that each
PIN College has its own transformational projects
from which we can all learn. I've stolen lots of good ideas from you
and they've made a real difference. So, please be sure to submit your
conference presentations. The “Call of Presentations” form is located on the
PIN website (www.pinnet.org).
The second
reason for coming is friendship and fun. Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal were just ranked amongst the top
two dozen cities in the world - safe, clean, diverse, fun, etc., etc.
We're going to have a blast - presidents and spouses/partners, alike.
Everything is being planned to exceed expectations. As one example,
we've just lined up golf at one of North America's leading courses, where each
hole is modeled after a signature hole at Augusta, Pebble Beach et
al. As another example, we'll spend much of Canada Day being entertained
by some of the country's (and world's?) leading entertainers. Most years,
people such as Shaniah Twain, Celine Dion, Avril Lavigne, Alannis Morisette,
Sarah McLaughlin, and Gordon Lightfoot are there along with the Prime Minister,
Governor General and similar types.
The tentative conference program is on page
14. Conference Call for Presentation, Delegate Registration, Companion Registration
forms can be found at the PIN website: www.pinnet.com.
In addition, hotel information and other
conference related information is available on the website. Please note
there is an April 30 deadline for making hotel reservations for the Ottawa hotel.
Conference Registration Fees
Full Registration Package - Delegates:
Oshawa (Durham College) and
Ottawa (la Cite Collegiale): $1000.00 Canadian (Cdn.)
Partial Registration Package - Delegates:
Oshawa (Durham College,
June 24 - 28) Only: $500.00 (Cdn.)
Ottawa (la Cite Collegiale, June 28 – July 1) Only: $500.00
(Cdn.)
Each PIN member college is provided one
free registration.
Retired PIN Presidents
receive a 50% discount on the basic registration fee. Optional event fees
and partner fees will be the responsibility of the retired president.
Full Registration Package - Companion/Spouse
Oshawa (Durham College) and
Ottawa (la Cite Collegiale): $850.00 Canadian (Cdn.)
Partial Registration Package - Companion/Spouse
Oshawa (Durham College,
June 24 - 28) Only: $425.00 (Cdn.)
Ottawa (la Cite Collegiale, June 28 – July 1) Only: $425.00
(Cdn.)
Registration Fees include all activities
as outlined in the Conference Program, and transportation as noted in the
Conference Program, but not accommodation.
PIN
Annual Conference Calendar
2006 Annual Conference - Minnesota, United
States
Northeast
Minnesota Higher Education District and Anoka Technical College
will co-host the conference. The conference will be held in June/July 2005.
Specific dates have not been identified at this time. The location of the
conference will be St. Paul-Minneapolis and a Northern
Minnesota resort.
2007 Annual Conference - The Executive Committee is exploring
interest from New Zealand,
Netherlands and Australia.
The location will be announced at the 2005 Conference.
A Message from the PIN President
By Mike Schafer, PIN President
The calendar
indicates that springtime is upon us in upstate New York, yet, as I write this letter the temperature
has dipped to the mid-thirties and rainfall turns to snow. My dismay with
the current weather system is somewhat tempered by the fact that I have just
returned from my Florida office
where I enjoyed some excellent sun time and some long rounds of golf. It
is further tempered by the thoughts of reconnecting with wonderful colleagues
and friends who make up the PIN organization.
Plans are very much underway for the June
24th – July 1st meeting in Canada
and our hosts, Durham College in Oshawa and La Cité collégiale in the
capital city of Ottawa are working
hard to make this another memorable conference. The conference theme “Do
you have it M.A.D.E.? (Meaningful And Differentiating
Excellence) also begs the important question, have you made
your reservations to attend? I know you look forward as I do to the wonderful
opportunities for educational exchanges and networking that these PIN conferences
provide. Our strength truly lies in our connectedness; in our abilities to
share innovative ideas and successes as together we strive to internationalize
our colleges.
We will get to have this exchange in two
wonderful cities, rich in history and culture, complete with a nearby Wonder
of the World. Our hosts promise us not only the opportunity to learn from
one another about exciting differentiators at our own institutions, but also
the time to enjoy a variety of entertainment venues including some great golf,
shopping, casinos, wineries, museums and some world class restaurants.
I look forward to seeing you all in June.
President Schafer Un-Retires
It was reported in the last PIN Newsletter that PIN President and Mohawk Valley Community College President Mike Schafer announced plans to retire
effective June 30th, 2005. The Mohawk Valley Community College Board of Trustees
persuaded Mike to continue as president. That is great news for PIN and Mohawk
Valley Community College. That is one of
the shortest retirements on record. Welcome back, even though you never left.
Rural Community College Conference
Submitted by Joe Sertich, President - Northeast
Minnesota Higher Education District
The Northeast Minnesota Higher Education District and President Joe Sertich
are pleased to be hosting the national conference for the Rural Community
College Alliance (RCCA) and the Rural Community College Initiative (RCCI)
September 11-13, 2005. This joint conference for these organizations
will bring together college presidents, provosts, administrators and faculty
to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing our two-year colleges.
Dr. Sertich will become Chair of the RCCA organization at the close of the
annual conference.
The Northeast Minnesota Higher Education District is therefore particularly
excited about also having the pleasure to host the Post-Secondary International
Network conference for 2006. And, if you are so inclined, please consider
yourself invited to the RCCA/RCCI Conference in September 2005.
Welcome
Aboard!
Fleming College Appoints Tilly President
The Board of Governors of Fleming College announced the
appointment of Tony Tilly as President, effective August 30, 2004. Formerly
an educational consultant and Senior Vice-President of Seneca
College, the largest college in Canada, Tony brings in-depth
knowledge of the community college system and a passion for education to the
position.
As a consultant, Tony has worked for a number of Ontario community colleges and, through the Association
of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario, on behalf of colleges
collectively. This has given him a great appreciation of the many dimensions
of the college system. He has worked with colleges to develop their mission,
vision and strategic directions, facilitated senior decision-making, analyzed
post-secondary trends, conducted organizational assessments and developed
E-learning priorities and strategies.
At Seneca, where he also served as Vice-President Academic,
he developed support systems to improve student success and led the academic
aspect of partnership development with York University, leading to the creation of
the Seneca@York Campus and the Technology Enhanced Learning building, which
received the largest single grant to universities and colleges under the province’s
SuperBuild initiative.
He holds a Ph.D. from York University, completing his doctorate
in English. Tony plans to maintain strong ties with students because “that
contact is the foundation for a real understanding of a college’s strengths,
needs, and opportunities for development.”
Access to the Future for Albertans
Submitted by Donna Allan, President, Lethbridge
Community College
Recent commitments by the government of Alberta
to its citizens promise that the province’s post-secondary system will become
second to none in Canada.
“Albertans have told us now that the debt is gone; they want part of future
surpluses directed to higher learning in the province. That’s exactly what
we’re going to do,” said Premier Ralph Klein upon tabling Bill 1, the Access
to the Future Act.
Since the fall, when the government conducted
a province-wide consultation on how to best spend the monies saved on debt
service, it has become clear that post-secondary education will be the prime
beneficiary. After more than a decade begun with drastic cut backs followed
with meager advances, evidence of systemic deficiencies demanded quick and
radical action. That is all about to change with exciting news for Alberta’s
would-be learners and institutions of learning:
·
A total of 60,000 new post-secondary
spaces will increase today’s 140,000 seats to 200,000:
o
15,000 over the next three
years;
o
30,000 after the next six years;
and
o
15,000 by the year 2020.
·
This fall, tuition fee increases
budgeted by the institutions will be compensated by government, saving students
approximately $43-million.
·
The department of Advanced
Education will conduct a comprehensive system review of post-secondary education
in Alberta with primary focus on:
o
Access,
o
Affordability, and
o
Quality.
·
An Access to the Future
Fund will be set up to provide a new $3-billion endowment and expansion
of current endowments and scholarships of $1.5-billion.
·
The new Fund will provide seed
money for innovations in the post-secondary system as well as matching grants
to stimulate privates, industry, corporate and other public contributions
that establish and support:
o
Improved learner outcomes;
o
Faculty, staff, graduate student
development;
o
Attraction and retention;
o
Knowledge and technology transfer;
and
o
Affordability.
On top of this good news, last fall colleges
and technical institutes in the province were granted legislative authority
to offer baccalaureate degrees in addition to the applied degrees already
being offered. Currently, Grant MacEwan College
is developing three baccalaureate degrees for introduction in less than a
year.
Changes, Challenges and
Opportunities for the Australian Vocational Education and Training Sector
Submitted by Peter Veenker, Director - Canberra
Institute of Technology
Canberra
Institute of Technology has started the year on a positive note with increased
enrolments and students and staff excited about the year ahead. Since the
PIN Conference in Canberra last year,
vocational education has been under the spotlight with a Federal Government
election and State Government election placing it high on the agenda. Australia
has one of the strongest growing economies in the world and while this brings
with it many positives, we are struggling to keep up with the amount of skilled
labour needed to sustain some of our most productive industries.
Skill shortages and ageing populations are
global phenomena for mature economies. There is critical need in the building
and construction; metals and engineering; automotive; electrotechnology; and
commercial cookery industries for skilled workers and CIT and the tertiary
vocational education sector in general are under pressure to combat these
shortages. Australian tertiary vocational education institutions will need
to continue to find new ways to adapt to the changing environment in which
we are operating, we need to play faster and smarter and work more closely
with stakeholders to ensure we are providing the right training and education
for the right industries.
Tertiary vocational education
in Australia
has traditionally been seen as ‘second choice’ to university. Progressively
however, people are starting to realise that a vocational qualification can
lead to a challenging, diverse and lucrative career. The challenge for CIT
is to continue to educate the community on the benefits of tertiary vocational
education and to be in a position where we can move quickly to regenerate
our capability so we can continue to support our fast growing economy, which
relies heavily on the high-level skills of its workforce.
The Federal Government is introducing various
changes into the vocational education environment – namely 24 technical colleges
(years 11 and 12) that will focus specifically on the trade areas with the
largest skill gaps. However, an important part of alleviating the skill shortages
crisis in Australia is partnering with business and industry.
Education needs to take place with industry input and investment and it is
essential we consult businesses on what needs to be taught and encourage them
to participate in workplace experiences. Solving the skill shortages problem
in Australia
is going to rely heavily on education, industry and employers working cooperatively
together to produce a new system of education and training that will benefit
all stakeholders.
Globalisation, increased competition and
technological innovation have caused dramatic changes to the tertiary vocational
education and training environment over the past few years and staff must
have access to professional development opportunities to ensure they understand
these changes and continue to provide relevant information to students. CIT
staff equipped with relevant skills and knowledge will ensure students graduate
with the right training they need to participate in industries with skill
gaps. As part of ongoing reforms and further increasing the capability of
our staff, we need to continue to encourage them to be on top of their profession
and maintain their professional development at a local, national and international
level.
CIT will continue to innovate and adopt new
technologies and practices to reach out to existing and new learners. We need
to make sure our people are globally competitive so that they have the opportunity
to work internationally. Networks such as PIN have demonstrated to us that
it is not difficult for institutes to form partnerships and strategic alliances
with providers in other parts of the world. We are able to complement one
another in terms of sharing information and experiences for both staff and
students so that they gain the further experiences and enrichment.
There are undeniable changes and challenges
facing Australian vocational education and training over the next few years
and as education providers, we must be ready for them, as they will influence
the way we do business. The Australian Department of Education, Science and
Training is working cooperatively and collaboratively with education providers,
industry and the community to continue to build on the world class, forward
looking education system we have to sustain us now and in the future.
Olds
College Invited to Work on China-Canada Project
Submitted by Tom Thompson, President - Olds College
Olds College is participating in
an intensive project that will expand agricultural industries in China
over the next five years.
Agriculture
and Agri Food Canada requested Olds College’s assistance in developing and
delivering key components of the new ‘China-Canada Cooperation in Agriculture’
program. Pat Bidart, Associate Vice-President of Academic Services, traveled
to Kunming and Beijing, China
last week for an inaugural planning meeting and program workshop for agricultural
extension professionals, university professors and ministry of agriculture
officials.
“Based on our extensive work with different
projects in China, they
were very interested in involving Olds College,” said Bidart. “We have a 20
year history, and a very good history, with China. Our most recent success
was the completion of a seven year extension training and business development
project through Northeast Agricultural University in Harbin,
China. That project resulted in technology advancements
and training opportunities for over 11,000 farmers and other agricultural
specialists.”
The new project involves several elements;
each delivered through different agencies and institutions. The project will
cover five provinces in China and include training and technical support
in project management, farmers’ associations, livestock, food safety, grassland
and natural resources management, integrated crop production and the status
of Chinese agriculture in the World Trade Organization.
Olds College will be involved with both the ‘Small Farmers Adapting
to Global Markets’ and ‘Sustainable Agriculture Development’ projects. Each
is funded through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and
directed by Agriculture and Agri Food Canada. Training in production and business is
paramount for the success of agriculture in China, now that the government
has lifted restrictions on what farmers can grow and how their products can
be marketed.
“Olds College
will be responsible for designing and implementing programs to train personnel
who work in China’s agricultural extension
at the county and provincial levels. Over 100 people from China
will come to Olds College for training and theory, and Canadian
specialists will then mentor them back in China.
This will ensure a smooth transition between theory and practise, as the trainers
reach out to farmers throughout their home provinces.
Central Community College Receives $1.6 Million Training Grant
Submitted by LaVern Franzen, President,
Central Community
College
A $1,639,404 million grant awarded to Central Community College will help Nebraska
industries remain competitive in a global market.
The grant will be used to establish a Mechatronics Education Center (MEC) at
CCC-Columbus. The center will provide the entire state with the latest training
in mechatronics, said Doug Pauley, director of business and industry training
at the Columbus Campus. He described mechatronics as a field that combines
electronics, pneumatics, hydraulics and automation into a single manufacturing
process.
“The Mechatronics Education Center will make extensive use of computer simulation
software, online learning and professional workshops to provide training in
the latest automated manufacturing technology to high school and college students
and faculty, business and industry employees and displaced workers,” Pauley
said.
The training will be included as part of CCC’s industrial technology program,
which offers associate of applied science degrees, diplomas and certificates
at the college’s campuses in Columbus, Grand Island and Hastings and online.
“People in other communities will be able to access the software to develop
simulated robotic or assembly line control processes and then download those
processes to actual equipment,” Pauley said.
The project grew out of CCC’s contacts with Festo Corporation, a German company
with U.S. headquarters
in Hauppauge, N.Y. A world leader in developing and manufacturing automated industrial
equipment, Festo officials have worked with CCC to develop the MEC concept,
and the company earlier donated $100,000 to the college to purchase equipment
needed to support the project.
CCC President Dr. LaVern Franzen said that in addition to providing mechatronics
career preparation education for students, the MEC also will provide professional
development training for industrial technology instructors from community
colleges throughout the state. “It is too expensive for all of Nebraska’s community colleges to stay current with
this type of technology,” Franzen said. “The Mechatronics Education Center will be able to provide the
training needed in this field by community college faculty throughout the
state, who also will be able to access the center’s learning lab.”
Nebraska Labor Commissioner Fernando “Butch” Lecuona said the grant will allow
Nebraska to increase the pool of
skilled technicians and upgrade the skills of existing technicians in this
state. “It will be greatly beneficial to our economic development efforts
and it will help our workers achieve greater career success,” Lecuona said.
“We are proud to be a partner in this effort. It wouldn’t have been possible
without the tremendous work of Central
Community College and the Festo Corporation. In receiving this grant,
we have shown what can be done when employers, educators and government entities
work together.”
Centre of Excellence in Process Manufacturing
- Lambton College
Submitted by Tony Hanlon, President
Lambton College
On September 15, 2004, Lambton
College opened the doors to its Centre of Excellence
in Process Manufacturing. Joseph Cordiano, Minister of Economic Development
and Trade, and Mary Anne Chambers, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities,
attended and were impressed to see first-hand the innovative computer workshops
and robotics laboratory that make up, in part, Lambton College’s Centre of Excellence.
The
state-of-the-art centre, made possible through $2.9M funding from the provincial
Strategic Skills Investment (SSI) program, will enable Lambton College to
increase the number of graduates from its process operations and industrial
maintenance programs, addressing an impending skills shortage in Ontario’s
process industries.
At
the Opening Ceremony for the Centre of Excellence, provincial ministers acknowledged
that the centre would give students a leg up in the global jobs race. They
further indicated that the opening of this centre was an indication of where
their government was heading with education and economic policy working together.
Cordiano went on further to say, “We have to recognize the roles colleges
and universities play in building the future of this province.”
Lambton College is excited by the opportunity
this Centre will provide to graduates who will be well trained and prepared
to step into the vacancies created by the generation of baby boomers who are
set to retire in the near future.
With
the SSI funding from the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, and the
tremendous financial support of industry and local communities, Lambton College
will be able to increase the number of students accepted into four programs:
the three-year Chemical Production Engineering Technology program; the three-year
Instrumentation and Control Engineering Technology program; the two-year Mechanical
Technician-Industrial Maintenance program and the Environmental Health and
Safety, Bachelor’s Degree program.
To further meet industry’s needs, Lambton
College has launched a number of the courses from
its Chemical Production Engineering Technology (CPET) program on-line. This unique program provides students with the ability to understand
and operate the complex equipment used in today’s processing industries.
The course offerings will also assist employees wanting to upgrade their skills
to keep pace with the changing technologies. E-learning presents a part-time
flexible, anytime, anywhere solution to the access issue related to full-time
employment.
“On-line courses cover the same material
as the “on-ground” classes and will be facilitated by Lambton
College’s CPET faculty.” said Judith Morris, Vice
President Academic and Student Success, who recently launched the college’s
Learning Innovation Centre (LInC). The new Learning Innovation Centre is
a high-tech resource area designed to provide college staff with the tools
and training to become actively involved in E-learning. Courses with lab components
will be completed at Lambton
College, where lab time will be available to suit
students’ schedules. In the future, the college expects that on-line simulations
and demonstrations, with minimal on-site labs, will support courses.
Mohawk Valley Community
College Makes a Difference:
A World Away and Next Door
Submitted by Mike Schafer, President
Mohawk Valley Community
College
Incorporated
in the mission statement of Mohawk Valley Community
College, in Utica, NY, USA,
are commitments to “a global view,” and “excellence in career… preparation.”
Two relatively recent developments at MVCC have helped us put those philosophies
to work in very positive ways.
“A Global
View” – Assisting Kien Giang Community
College, Vietnam
Certainly, our “global view” has been brought
to life by the work of Dr. Sandra Engel, Humanities Department Head. Dr. Engel
has been part of a team of American community college educators, supported
by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), assisting in curriculum
development at Kien Giang Community College in Vietnam’s
Mekong Delta.
Starting with a five-month stay in Vietnam in 2003, as a Fulbright Scholar, and later
as part of a USAID team, which visited Kien Giang Community College in 2004, Dr. Engel has contributed substantially
to that institution’s development. As a Fulbright Scholar, she taught English
as a second language, and consulted with Kien Giang faculty and administrators
on a wide range of educational topics. Later, joining with colleagues from
Richland College in Texas and the Kentucky
Community & Technical College System, she has assisted with development
of the Kien Giang CC information technology curriculum. In this latest endeavor,
Instructor William McGowan of the MVCC Business & Information Technology
Department joined her.
As part of the project, Mr. Do Quoc Trung,
the Rector of Kien Gang CC (their equivalent of President/CEO) visited the
MVCC Campus, experiencing snow for the first time, but also visiting many
classes and meeting with local organizations serving immigrants to our area.
Last summer, three members of Kien Giang CC’s faculty came to our campus for
intensive training in network programming, Web development and curriculum
design.
Along the way, Dr. Engel has shared her experiences
with the entire community here in Utica,
as author of a series of 13 columns in the Utica Observer-Dispatch,
entitled “Postcards from the Delta.” In her columns, she related her experiences
as one of very few westerners in Kien Giang Province, including colorful descriptions of food, culture, climate,
language and other observations.
Career Preparation for Those with Development Disabilities - Through a
Unique College-Agency Partnership
On an entirely different front, MVCC’s commitment
to excellence in career preparation for all students who can benefit has led
us to a new partnership with The Arc (Oneida-Lewis Chapter), a non-profit
human service agency that provides a full spectrum of services to people with
developmental disabilities.
In a joint project called “CollegeWorks,”
unique in New York State, young people with disabilities will be assisted with transition
from high school to employment.
Non-credit instruction will be provided in
career fields where local opportunities exist, including those of caregiver,
food service worker, industrial/maintenance worker and retail/office worker.
They will also benefit from job matching
and cooperative work experiences. Work readiness and social skills will be
emphasized. Participants in the program, which begins in September with an
initial group of 10-12 students, will be individuals with learning disabilities,
mental retardation, hearing or visual impairments and emotional disabilities.
Classroom instruction will take place Monday through Friday, and participants
will have complete access to the full range of campus social and cultural
activities as well as athletic facilities, computer laboratories, library,
and dining hall, to help them fully participate in campus life. Students will
pay a modest tuition.
Through the years, many of MVCC’s greatest
contributions to individuals in our community have come when we have partnered
with other organizations to meet special needs. We are confident that CollegeWorks
will be another successful collaboration.
Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in Motion Hits the Highway
Submitted by Sam Shaw, President
- Northern Alberta Institute
of Technology
What do you get when you mix $1.4 million
in private sector funding, a whole lot of work and a great idea? Two new NAIT
in Motion mobile education units. With more than 18,300 full-time students
and apprentices, demand for a NAIT education has never been higher - but not
everyone can get to one of NAIT’s nine campuses. The solution – find a way
to put the value of a NAIT education right into the hand of the people who
need it most.
Officially launched on October 4, 2004, the
two tractor-trailer units have been equipped to function as classrooms on
wheels and are outfitted for programs ranging from business to trades-related
programs such as electrical, pipe trades and welding. Each unit weighs over
80,000 pounds, contains over $200,000 in equipment and expands to nearly 1,100
square feet.
“These two mobile classrooms will make a
huge impact in remote communities across Western Canada,” says Jason Lagimodiere, NAIT part-time Welding student
and MC for the event. “They are already making a big impact in my life. I’ve
been working in Nisku for the last four years as a welder, but I have no formal
welding training. Getting my journeyman ticket and opening my own welding
business has always been a dream of mine. Then I saw an ad in the newspaper
for a five-month introductory pipe trades program here at NAIT. It was offered
through Tribal Chiefs Business Ventures. It was to be offered in one of the
new mobile classrooms – which are parked outside. It seemed like a good opportunity,
so I applied, was approved, and it’s been very beneficial to the line of work
I’ve chosen.”
The NAIT in Motion units were created as
part of NAIT’s $4 million Aboriginal Educational Success Initiative. Dr. Colleen
Klein, Honourary Chair, and Mel Benson, Chair leads the campaign cabinet.
The initiative has three other components:
·
$1 million for program development.
·
$1 million for an Aboriginal
Student Centre.
·
$1 million for student awards.
NAIT in Motion will bring NAIT training to
remote communities anywhere in western Canada where there is a demand
for technical education, especially Aboriginal communities, says NAIT President
Dr. Sam Shaw. “Aboriginal communities make up the fastest growing segment
of Canada’s population. By 2015,
the Aboriginal population will account for one in five young Albertans,” says
Sam. “The NAIT in Motion units will bring training and employment opportunities
to communities where the possibility had never existed before. We’ve already
had interest in the units from as far north as Tuktoyuktuk and Inuvik,
and I’m sure they will be a huge success for us.”
“My classmates and I agree that these units
are excellent classrooms,” Jason says. “The equipment is top-notch and the
instruction has been excellent. I was able to get the academic training I
needed. And in six weeks, I am going to challenge the journeyman welding exam.”
NAIT is one of the largest institutes of
technology in Canada with more than 18,300 full-time and apprenticeship
students and 43,000 continuing education registrations. The institute offers
more than 200 programs leading to certificates, diplomas and applied degrees
plus 1,200 continuing education courses.
Community
Learning Campus Takes Major Step Forward
Submitted by Tom Thompson, President - Olds
College
Alberta Infrastructure has allocated $500,000
to begin initial design plans for a proposed Community Learning Campus (CLC)
in Olds. Also, Group 2 Architecture Engineering Interior Design has been selected
by the Community Learning Campus steering committee to guide and develop design
plans.
The steering committee, comprised of representatives
from Olds College, Chinook’s
Edge School Division, and Olds
High School, has been working since the spring of
2003 to develop the concept. It was at that time when Alberta Infrastructure
approved the high school for a $6.7 million modernization and community members
encouraged the School Board to consider an alternate site. The committee is
now set to begin drafting plans.
“The Community Learning Campus will be great
for learners, and it will benefit the Town of Olds and
all residents of Central Alberta,” said Jim Gibbons, Superintendent of Chinook’s Edge
School Division. “Our plans have grown substantially over the last 15 months
and we now share a vision for a centre of learning excellence whose magnitude
is unmatched. This has been a very rewarding experience and it shows the importance
people of this region place on education.”
The CLC vision involves building a facility
for high school students on the Olds College campus. Beyond the facility,
the vision’s emphasis is on programs and creating opportunities. CLC students
would essentially see a seamless transition between high school and post-secondary
education.
One of the major goals of the CLC steering
committee is to encourage rural students to remain in rural Alberta if they wish. Whether a student’s choice
is entry into the workforce, apprenticeship, college or university, the CLC
would set out to provide guidance and support for all choices. The plan includes
advantages for learners of all ages, including parents and community members.
In addition, the steering committee welcomes the idea of partnering with the
public, voluntary, community, health, children’s services and private sectors
to further enhance programming. If the provincial government approves the
plan, the Community Learning Campus will be unique in Canada.
“We want to pioneer a truly seamless delivery
system that will take high school students smoothly into the challenges of
post-secondary programming,” said H.J. (Tom) Thompson, President and CEO of
Olds College. “This type of collaboration among educational service providers
and the community has been proven to substantially increase student success.
From helping to clarify career goals to improving student retention, the CLC
concept delivers excellence and relevance in learning. We want our community
neighbours to be infected by the enthusiasm we all feel.”
The $500,000 provided by Alberta Infrastructure
will cover initial designs for the structure, determine programming content,
and develop financial and governance models. A large part of the development
phase, which will be completed by March 15, 2005, is a community consultation
process.
If approved, the CLC would be designed to
accommodate a range of secondary, post-secondary and community services for
a large number of Central Alberta residents. As Olds
College will also be the host of the Point of Presence
for the Alberta SuperNet, the potential reach of CLC programs is virtually
unlimited.
Olds College School of Innovation Granted $600,000
in Research Funds
Submitted by Tom Thompson, President - Olds
College
The Olds College School of Innovation (OCSI)
has been approved for $600,000 in funding over the next three years through
the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
The successful
proposal for an “Agri-Health Innovation Centre” was one of six selected from
a total of 31 submissions. Focusing on Central Alberta
producers and industry partners, OCSI plans to research and strategize a method
to refine dark berries for a growing market.
“We will be working with industry to develop
an agronomic and research-based foundation to differentiate and commercialize
dark berry products from Central Alberta,” said Dan Fullerton, Olds College Dean of Business
Development.
“Global consumers are interested in lifestyle
food products that are safe, convenient and appealing, and there are exciting
market opportunities for this type of product. We are going to focus on functional
and nutraceutical food products by working with the dark berry industry in
Central Alberta. We will help the industry translate
market challenges into market opportunities and develop sustainable competitive
advantages. By using the agronomic science and technology resources at Olds
College, we will assist the industry to address current
and emerging consumer requirements. Our students will benefit from this research
and domestic and foreign consumers will benefit from the health benefits of
these unique products.”
OCSI has existing facilities and land, along with well-established community
relationships, to proceed immediately with the necessary research. The second
and third years of the funding schedule are contingent on OCSI leveraging
an equivalent amount from other sources. The funding was made possible through
a new College and Community Innovation Pilot Program. The Natural Sciences
and Engineering Research Council of Canada awarded over $3 million in funding
through the new program.
Faculty/Staff Exchange-Visit Program
Applications are currently being taken for
the Faculty/Staff Exchange Visit Program. The exchange and visit program
is designed to facilitate faculty exchanges and visits among PIN member colleges.
The exchanges and visits are designed to enhance the professional development
of faculty and to further international understanding of two-year colleges.
The colleges are expected to support and facilitate the exchange/visit process.
The college and the faculty members develop the exchange or visit to meet
their institutional and individual objectives.
PIN will award two $500 (US)
stipends to facilitate faculty exchanges and visits to each country for the
academic year. It is expected that the college will match the dollar amount
of the stipend. The match will be cash or an in-kind contribution.
Process
1.
The Faculty Exchange
and Visit Program Application Form should be used.
2.
The program criteria
must be addressed in the application.
3.
The narrative should
be no longer than 1000 words.
4.
The college president/principal
and the faculty member must sign the application form.
5.
If there is a need
for assistance in identifying a host college, PIN will assist in identifying
appropriate host colleges.
6.
Faculty Exchange
and Visit Program Application are submitted to Executive Director, Bill Warner.
7.
The Executive Committee
reviews all applications at the annual meeting.
8.
The Executive Committee
will identify the award recipients.
9.
The PIN Executive
Director will notify the successful and unsuccessful applicants.
10.
The $500 (US)
stipend check will be sent to the college president, who will make the award
to the faculty/staff member.
Forward
your Faculty/Staff Exchange and Visit applications to Bill Warner, Executive
Director.
PIN
Executive Committee
The current PIN Executive Committee membership
includes:
Australia: John Maddock, Box
Hill College
Peter Veenker, Canberra
Institute of Technology
Canada: Donna Allen, Lethbridge College
Irene Lewis, SAIT
(PIN President-Elect)
Gary Polonsky, Durham
College
Netherlands: Ricardo Winter, ROC van Amsterdam
New Zealand
John Scott, Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology
United States: LaVern Franzen, Central
Community College
Richard Greene, Western Piedmont Community
College
Mike Schafer, Mohawk Valley Community
College (PIN President)
The role of the Executive Committee is to:
1. Plan
and develop objectives and activities for the organization;
2. Initiate
policies and implement policies of the network;
3. Make
recommendations regarding annual membership fees;
4. Review,
in context, the participation of PIN members and make decisions about continued
memberships;
5. Determine
the budget for administrative tasks of the organization;
6. Communicate
the decisions taken at its meeting to the membership in semi-annual newsletters;
and
7. Facilitate
the securing of external resources for PIN projects and encourage members
to do the same.
PIN Presidency
Mike Schafer, President of Mohawk Valley Community
College, Utica, New
York, USA was installed
as PIN president for a two-year term in March 2004.
Irene Lewis, President of Southern Alberta
Institute of Technology is the president elect and becomes PIN President at
the 2006 Annual PIN Conference.
Peter Veenker, CEO of Canberra
Institute of Technology, Canberra,
Australia, is the immediate
past president of PIN, completing his term as PIN president at the 2004 Annual
Conference. Peter’s term as president was from June 2002 to March 2004.
For more information about this Newsletter
or PIN contact:
Dr. Bill Warner
Executive Director - PIN
1087 Churchill Place
Shoreview, MN 55126 USA
Phone: 651-483-0299 Fax: 651-483-5821
E-mail: warne017@umn.edu
PIN
Website
www.pinnet.com
