President's Newsletter – Issue 1 (August, 2008)
A challenge for any large organization is to ensure effective communication among the many people associated with it. Kwantlen is no exception, and indeed our situation is especially challenging because we work on five campuses. As we move into a period of what I expect to be dramatic and rapid change, it is even more imperative that we work to ensure that people feel included and have a sense of what is transpiring at Kwantlen. It is in this context that I intend to issue a President’s Newsletter every two months, in which I communicate directly with faculty, staff, and students, as well as the broader Kwantlen community. While these newsletters will never be exhaustive, they will, I hope, give everyone a sense of the thinking that is taking place, both within the senior administration and across the university generally.
First, though, I wish to thank the Kwantlen community for its warm welcome to the University. The first few weeks of my time here have certainly been busy ones, and I have been impressed by the optimism and enthusiasm of the institution, as it moves to position itself as one of Canada’s newest universities. We must recognize and celebrate the commitment of all those who worked so hard to get Kwantlen to where it is today. It is because of this collective effort that Kwantlen has such a bright future, and is able to move forward as a university.
There is no question that the adjustment to a university culture will challenge some of the institution’s established securities, even as we ensure that the many valued traditions of Kwantlen, developed over the last twenty-five years, are maintained and celebrated. We must remember, too, that universities are first and foremost collegial institutions, and that decision-making about the university’s future must be achieved through debate and consensus. Indeed it is the “collegial” dimension of a university that is most fundamental to its distinctiveness and to its role as a place where free and open discourse is encouraged.
I have spent my first few weeks at Kwantlen learning as much as I can in the shortest possible period. And while I appreciate that there is much more to learn, I have also been impressed by the general sense that Kwantlen is ready to move ahead. There has been much energy committed to planning over the last eighteen months or so, and certainly the document, Creating Our Future, maps out an ambitious agenda for Kwantlen as a “dual-sector” university focusing on broad-based high quality undergraduate education. With the establishment of Kwantlen as a university, one of the institution’s major ambitions has been achieved. Now the emphasis must be on making this achievement a reality in how Kwantlen operates as an academic institution. Here we must concentrate on fundamentals, and on those initiatives that generate definite action and real outcomes.
Over the next year or two, one of our most pressing priorities will be to establish a culture that represents the new kind of institution we are. We must define Kwantlen as a new “polytechnic,” “teaching-led” undergraduate institution and establish its role in relation to other post-secondary institutions in British Columbia. Even as we recognize the importance of institutional autonomy, we need to be especially vigilant concerning the government’s ambitions for post-secondary education, which, at present, seems clearly driven by labour market needs. More to the point, we need to understand our responsibility to prepare students for both successful lives and successful careers.
Many of us have spent considerable time trying to deconstruct the government’s intention in using the label “polytechnic,” and there are any number of meanings one might suggest. At its most basic level, however, it would seem the situation is simply not that complicated. The label is a further expression of the government’s determination to provide “real world” higher education in British Columbia. This trend is one found in many parts of the world—the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland—and Canada is simply catching up. Nonetheless, Kwantlen has a substantial opportunity to contribute to this goal. Even the stress on “applied” research in Kwantlen’s enabling legislation, while not excluding the traditional disciplines, establishes a very specific mandate for Kwantlen.
With this emphasis comes an increased demand for accountability in the post-secondary sector, which should hardly be surprising given the billions of dollars spent each year in Canada on higher education. We probably all hear expressions of concern that the universities are not preparing students well, that they do not offer programs that students want, or that they are not especially sensitive to the needs of students. It is this view, real or imagined, that we must counter with action.
Kwantlen is a very good example of how higher education is changing in Canada. The liberal arts college, while it still flourishes, is being replaced by urban institutions, which cater more and more to older, more focused, often part-time students. Kwantlen must continue to respond to the increasing need for new and different kinds of higher education, which is accessible and flexible, and which, while maintaining rigorous academic standards, provides opportunity for anyone willing to apply themselves and to work hard. But, as always, there is a cautionary note. Universities are for the long term, and as institutions of higher education they must not be driven solely by short and medium term expectations. There is still a place for liberal arts undergraduate education that is as much concerned about the development of the person as it is about preparing students for a career.
I hope we would all agree that Kwantlen has a remarkable opportunity to strike out in new directions and establish itself as a unique kind of institution in British Columbia. This will demand that we are open to new ideas and new ways of doing things. I cannot imagine a more exciting time to be at Kwantlen.
1. Program Development
While there are many reasons why students select an institution, program choice remains one of the most important criteria for choosing a particular college or university. A priority for Kwantlen therefore must be the development of new programs consistent with its mandate as a polytechnic university, even as it continues to introduce more traditional programs in the Arts and Sciences. Further, it must ensure that its programs are current and in demand.
A major development in this regard is what we are calling the Surrey Solution. In June we received a request from the Ministry of Advanced Education for a joint proposal to be submitted with Simon Fraser University and to focus on increasing student access in Surrey. In forming our proposal, we were very cognizant that we had an excellent first opportunity to define the institution’s new mandate. The major features of our proposal are as follows:
1. an increase of 1,200 FTE over the next three years,
2. of this increase 500 FTEs would be funded through internal reallocation of current resources,
3. the institution would require additional funding for 700 FTEs,
4. major areas for development would include an expansion of the Nursing and Psychiatric Nursing and new programs in Health Studies and Technology-related areas,
5. a particular focus on developing programs that encourage students who might not otherwise consider pursuing a post-secondary education.
Increasing the size of Kwantlen’s nursing programs and introducing new programs in health sciences will address the growing shortage of medical professionals in British Columbia, while offering additional technology-related programs is in keeping with the government’s priorities concerning labour-market needs.
It was also clear that any expansion of nursing would require additional space on the Surrey campus. While the obvious option was to construct a new building, we were aware that the City of Surrey was working with Simon Fraser University to construct a science building as part of the urban redevelopment plans for Whalley. We are therefore proposing to government that Kwantlen moves its nursing and health science programs to a new building in the Whalley area that would be jointly used by SFU and Kwantlen. There are decided advantages to this move:
1. new space for nursing which is currently cramped on the Surrey campus,
2. a Kwantlen profile in Surrey and in the Whalley area generally,
3. additional space on the Surrey campus for new programming,
4. a profile for the institution for thinking “outside” the box.
In addition, Kwantlen recently submitted to government more general plans relating to new program initiatives, which incorporate the Surrey Solution document. We have identified five program groups for expansion: 1. Health—Nursing, 2. Health—Applied Science and Technology, 3. Technology—Trades, Design, and Applied Science, 4. Business and Arts, and 5. Educational Transitions. More specifically, we are looking at new undergraduate programs in Health Studies, Neuroscience, Sustainable Horticulture, Communications, Logistics, Industrial Design, Public Administration, Legal Studies, and Intercultural Studies. As well, we wish to revisit our earlier proposal for an undergraduate program in Fine Arts.
Finally, we must keep in mind Kwantlen’s commitment to accessibility, and we therefore must develop additional transition and qualifying programs for First Nations Students and for students interested in the Trades and Health programs. Increasing accessibility in Surrey is not simply a matter of providing spaces. We must work collaboratively with the school district to encourage students to consider college or university who might not otherwise pursue any kind of post-secondary education.
2. University Governance
The creation of a new governance model for Kwantlen is a major element in the change of the institution’s culture. One of the most significant governance changes at Kwantlen will be the introduction of a Senate, which is the academic body most fundamental to the identity and the functioning of the university. Last year, Kwantlen established a committee to develop policies and procedures relating to a possible new Senate, should Kwantlen receive university status. In May the Board added two Board members to this expanded Senate Working Group, and charged it to move ahead in planning for the new Senate. This process has largely been completed, with the expectation that the Senate and its various committees will be fully operational by the end of 2008. The Committee has worked diligently over the summer and has received outstanding leadership from Tak Sato. The challenges for the committee have been substantial, as it worked to apply the terms and conditions of a pre-existing University Act to the special circumstances of Kwantlen. The final document will go to Education Council on August 26, 2008 for discussion and will go again to Education Council on September 8, 2008 for approval. It should be noted that there will be a review of Senate policy and procedures at the end of eighteen months.
The creation of a Senate will create a bicameral governance model with all the benefits and challenges such a model presents. The University Senate will have exclusive authority over academic programs and standards, unlike the current situation in which this authority largely rests with the Board. Such a change will, needless to say, have an impact on the functioning of the Board of Governors, and special efforts must be made to ensure that the two bodies do not become two solitudes. Equally the case will be the impact of a Senate on university-faculty, university-staff relations. Kwantlen has functioned for most of its history with a labour-management relationship typical of Canadian colleges. With the introduction of the collegial decision-making process associated with a Senate, considerable authority will pass to faculty and staff through the University Senate. One of the best ways to describe this shift is to note that the President has one vote on Senate like everyone else.
Key, as well, will be the significant role of University Faculties, which have, under the University Act, real governing authority (All academic policy must be discussed and approved by the Faculty Councils prior to arriving at Senate). While Faculties have existed at Kwantlen during its time as a University College, they have never enjoyed this kind of authority. The first step in this process occurs at the September meeting when the Board moves to create Faculties as defined by the University Act.
3. Campus Development
Kwantlen has benefited enormously from recent capital expansion, with the construction of the new Library and the new Building C. We are currently in the last stages of construction of these facilities and some units have already moved in. As we move into new space, however, we need to keep in mind that Kwantlen is a five campus institution, and that there are space concerns beyond the Surrey campus. Notable among these is the Langley Campus, which has experienced significant difficulties in attracting students. This is, in my view, cause for serious concern.
It is clear that the Langley campus cannot continue in its current state. With 165,000 square feet, Langley is a major physical asset for which Kwantlen must find better use. Currently, the campus has an unacceptably low utilization. Students who might have otherwise chosen Langley are now being drawn to the University of the Fraser Valley, and this diminution of students in turn impacts on continuing enrolment in a downward spiral of activity.
We are looking at a whole range of possibilities for the Langley campus, and these will become clear over the next few months. In the meantime, however, we have determined that the administrative and non-teaching functions of the institution should be centralized on the Langley campus. As well, we need to pay more attention to providing academic space on the Surrey campus, such that academic departments have identifiable homes. If a student is majoring in English, there should be a Department of English that he or she calls home. This is critical to building a campus culture. The move to Langley is a work in progress, but, at present, we have determined the following. There will be three moves:
1. Finance, Human Resources, and Information and Educational Technology applications group will move from the Newton campus, likely in March 2009,
2. The President’s Office, Vice-President’s Offices, the University Secretariat, the Kwantlen Foundation Offices, Marketing and Communications, and the Research Units will move in August 2009,
3. All remaining administrative units will move by December 2009.
A further key part of these changes will be the move of the School of Business Offices to the Surrey campus. This has the advantage of moving the School closer to both students and faculty, either on the Surrey campus or at Richmond. There are, of course, many details to be worked out, and I wish to assure everyone that we shall consult broadly concerning the detailed needs of individual departments.
4. Senior Reorganization
With the appointment of David Ross as President of Langara College, we have determined that Kwantlen should adopt a more conventional model for its Vice-Presidents. Rather than four Vice-Presidents, Kwantlen will revert to three Vice-Presidents, each of whom will have the following responsibilities:
Vice-President Academic & Provost (Judith McGillivray)
Faculties (Humanities, Social Sciences etc.; Associate Vice-President, Academic—Rob Fleming)
Student Services (Associate VP—Jody Gordon)
-Enrolment Services
-Registrar Services
-Enrolment Support and Retention Services
-Student Development
-Student Recruitment/High School Liaison
-Educational Transitions (Students with Disabilities)
-Job Placement
Library & Co-op
Judicial Affairs
International Education
Centre for Academic Growth
Office of Research and Scholarship (Associate VP—Rob Adamoski)
Finance and Administration (Gordon Lee)
Financial Resources (Associate VP—Roy Daykin)
Facilities Management/Physical Plant
Informational & Educational Technology
Materials Management
Athletics and Recreation
Business Development
Institutional Research
Human Resource Services (Deborah Harkin)
Human Resource Planning and Design
Labour Relations/Collective Bargaining
Compensation and Classification
Benefits Administration
Pension Administration
Employee Services, including Recruitment and Retention and Employee Development
Human Resource Information Systems
Disability Management
Harassment/Human Rights
Occupational Health and Safety
Risk Management
In addition to the above, Government Relations, Communications and Marketing, and Advancement and Alumni Relations will now report to the President. While each of these units will remain separate, this change of reporting structure is intended to facilitate and coordinate the institution’s external relations function. The above changes will take effect September 1, 2008.
5. Recruitment and Retention
We are all well aware that Kwantlen, like many other B.C. institutions, has experienced declining enrolments over the last several years, after a number of years of steadily increasing enrolments. We cannot either dismiss or ignore that recruiting students to Kwantlen is a key institutional function that must involve everyone.
One often hears that Kwantlen is ideally positioned in one of the few areas of the province where demand is expected to increase and where there is considerable potential for growth, given relatively low participation rates in the Surrey area. But it is also the case that demand generally is expected to remain static across the province for the next few years. As a result, any number of institutions will be looking at Surrey as a source of potential students, and there will be increased competition for students in what has been Kwantlen’s traditional catchment area.
With anticipated competition for students, Kwantlen must develop a comprehensive recruitment plan that communicates effectively and persuasively to potential students about Kwantlen as an institution of choice. There has been much good work that has gone on this year, but this is only the start, and we must use this as a basis for further development. The integration of Student Services under the Provost is an essential first step. We must also find ways of using the institution’s limited recruitment resources more effectively and efficiently, and must involve the Faculties to a greater extent in attracting new students. A second part of a new recruitment and retention strategy will be to determine a new “brand” for the institution in keeping with its University status. We will use an external consultant to assist us with determining a new image for Kwantlen.
Finally, we have decided not to replace the Director of International Education, and instead to search for a Director of Recruitment and Enrolment Management, who will be responsible for all recruitment and transition activities at Kwantlen, including international recruitment. The institution must be more organized and more focused about recruitment than it is currently, and there must be a clear, well-developed plan for attracting students to Kwantlen.
Fall Convocation
Plans for a Fall Convocation are moving ahead apace. Convocation will serve three purposes: the dedication of the University, the installation of Arvinder Bubber as Kwantlen’s first Chancellor, and the installation of the President & Vice-Chancellor. Convocation is scheduled for 12:30 pm October 3, 2008, with a reception to follow at 2:00 pm. In a departure from past practice, we will hold Convocation in a tent in the parking lot adjacent to the new Library. This will enable us to accommodate more people who might wish to attend. We encourage everyone who wishes to attend. This is truly a very special event that will only happen once. I do, however, make one request: that once the invitations are sent out, you RSVP quickly, as seating will be limited.
Our First Day as a University
Fall is always an exciting time, as we begin the new academic year with its promise and expectation. This year, though, is very special, as September 2 will be the University’s first working day as a University, as well as the first day of classes. We are planning celebrations across the University, and we encourage everyone to take half an hour with their colleagues to celebrate the importance of the day and the significance of the achievement. This day is truly a first for Kwantlen, and it will not come again. As you will likely have read on the Notice Board, we are planning the following for September 2:
Cloverdale campus—8:30 am, Atrium,
Langley campus – 10:00 a.m., Main Entrance, or weather permitting, Courtyard by the water feature,
Surrey campus – 12:00 noon, Building C Atrium, or the courtyard. weather permitting, Main Courtyard
Newton campus – 1:15 p.m., Room 110,
Richmond campus – 3:00 p.m., Atrium.
I hope to see many of you there at one of these events. In the meantime, I extend my very best wishes for a successful academic year.
David W. Atkinson
