President's Newsletter – Issue 2 (November, 2008)
Our first two months as a University
By any standard the last two months have been extraordinary ones for Kwantlen. On September 1, 2008, Kwantlen became a university, and since then, we have dedicated the University at a special Convocation, installed our first Chancellor, created a University Senate, and been named one of British Columbia’s Top Forty Employers. And, of course, last week we became full members of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. These are most certainly exciting times.
I appreciate how long Kwantlen has waited to be a member of AUCC, participating as I did on the initial AUCC site visitation team five years ago. AUCC membership is a singular achievement, indicating as it does that Kwantlen has met the rigorous standards necessary to be recognized as a university in Canada. More than this, it is an affirmation of the quality of Kwantlen’s faculty, staff, and students. My thanks to all those who worked so hard on this initiative.
Although we have achieved AUCC membership, we shall remain active members of the Association of Colleges of Canada (ACCC). Our unique mandate as a “dual-sector” institution makes Kwantlen special among post-secondary institutions, and under no circumstances must we abandon what has singled Kwantlen out in the past. I have often spoken about the conflation of learning, notwithstanding the arbitrary separation of institutions into universities, technical institutes, and colleges. We are in a period when we need new kinds of institutions that better reflect the true nature of learning and the needs of our society. Kwantlen is such an institution.
I want, as well, to make special mention of the recent accreditation of Kwantlen’s School of Business by the Accountant’s Society of Canada (CMA). One of only 25 business schools to receive this accreditation in Canada (and ranking among the top 5% of those who have been accredited), it brings important external validation to the School and its accounting programs and is a further indication that Kwantlen is able to compete on a much larger platform. I extend congratulations to everyone who worked on this initiative.
Finally, we should celebrate that Kwantlen was named for the second year in a row one of British Columbia’s Top Forty Employers. While the University might get the recognition, we should remember that it results from the collective efforts of everyone, each of whom contributes to the institution and thus to the positive working environment everyone values and enjoys. We should be very proud of this achievement.
Convocation Celebrations
Convocation was indeed a very special occasion. Replete with ritual and spectacle, it underlined the many possibilities ahead for Kwantlen. The participation of the Kwantlen First Nation, as well as a very large representation from the South Asian community, made the day particularly special. The community dinners on both Thursday and Friday evenings were outstanding, and performances by faculty and students from Kwantlen’s Department of Music added a special quality to the evenings.
I would like to thank all those who took the time to participate in Convocation. Particularly, I wish to express my appreciation to the Convocation Organizing Committee—Jody Gordon, Sandy Kuzyk, Sandi Klassen, Peter Chevrier, Arthur Fallick, Barb Duggan, and Mary Jane Stenberg. Their leadership and hard work were largely responsible for the success of our celebrations. As well, we have enjoyed a number of campus celebrations, and I want to thank those who worked to make these events a success.
I was especially gratified by participation of faculty as well as government and community representatives and dignitaries from other universities and colleges at the Convocation ceremony itself. While this was a celebration of the University and one that highlighted the installation of Chancellor Bubber, I received enormous pleasure from participating in our inaugural Convocation. It was a once in a lifetime experience.
Finally, I want to congratulate Peter Chevrier and the Department of Marketing and Communications, along with the Deans, Directors, and faculty who contributed articles for the recent Kwantlen insert in our community newspapers. For those who have not read it, I encourage you to go to Kwantlen’s website. This insert presents an impressive picture of the University.
Governance
At its last meeting, the Board of Governors approved the recommendation of the University Senate that the current eight Faculties be recognized as per the requirements of the University Act. The creation of these Faculties is crucial because Senate membership is determined by Faculty affiliation. Each Faculty is entitled to elect two faculty members to Senate, and each Faculty Dean has an ex officio position on Senate. The action of the Board follows from the October meeting of Senate, when among other things, Senate determined its membership, election procedures, and committee composition.
The debate concerning the new Senate at Education Council (serving as the Interim Senate) has been especially lively. A major issue in this debate has been Senate membership and who should be allowed to vote for Senate membership. This is an important matter for Kwantlen. Universities for the most part operate with a strict hierarchical structure of Lecturer, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor determined by individual performance, typically under the headings teaching, research, and service to the university community. Underpinning this is the tradition of tenure, which is awarded on the basis of completing a satisfactory probation period also measured by academic performance. In most universities, membership on Senate is limited to persons with tenure or those appointed to a tenure-track position.
The interim Senate at Kwantlen has taken a more inclusive approach to Senate membership. Although the interim Senate has struggled with how to take a college governance structure and merge it with a university structure defined by the University Act, this has been an exceedingly productive debate, highlighting as it does the importance of open discussion and decision making. What it signals, and what everyone should appreciate, is the beginning of an important transition of authority to Senate, which is the appropriate and necessary arena for academic decision making in the University. Senate and Senators must be allowed the authority to speak on any matter pertaining to the academic interests of the University without being pressured or influenced by any constituency group. The same can be said in relation to Faculty Councils, which will need to be formed over the next few months.
Senior Administrative Searches
As some of you know, Roy Daykin, Associate Vice-President (Finance) has resigned from Kwantlen to take the position of Secretary Treasurer for the Mission School District. While we wish Roy well in his new venture, and thank him for eight years of excellent service, his departure will leave a hole in our operations, especially as it comes hard on the heels of David Ross’ departure for Langara College. As well, we have other openings in our administration, the result of resignations, positions that have remained unfilled, and the demands of new academic developments. Positions which, at present, are in some form of search include:
Executive Director of Finance (instead of Associate VP);
Executive Director of Research Services (instead of Associate Vice-President);
Executive Director of Recruitment and Enrolment Management (to replace Director of International Education);
Dean of Continuing and Professional Education (new position);
Director of Ancillary Services (new position, the result of reorganization and redefinition of Associate Vice-President, Finance).
This is a substantial number of searches to have underway simultaneously. We are, therefore, in the final stages of securing an appropriate search firm to assist us. Ideally, we would like to see these positions filled by early 2009.
Academic Planning
One of our most important tasks over the next year will be the development of new academic programs, and to this end Judith McGillivray and Rob Fleming have been working with the Deans to bring forward new degree programs for implementation over the next two years. The process of approval, which includes external evaluation and approval of the Degree Quality Assessment Board, is a time-consuming one. It is essential that we move forward expeditiously with new programs that confirm Kwantlen’s new status as a university. One must remember that the undergraduate degree is the most important credential in determining Kwantlen’s legitimacy as a university.
While Kwantlen as a university will define new kinds of comprehensiveness, this does not mean that we do so at the expense of current programs. Indeed the very reverse should be the case. Focused certificate and diploma programs, professional education, and continuing education are a big business for all universities, and accordingly we must continue in areas where we already have established strengths. For this reason we need to consider the reintroduction of Continuing Education at Kwantlen.
Budget Planning
I know from experience that budget planning can be frustrating without knowledge of the government grant for next year. Nonetheless I believe we must be prepared for any opportunity that presents itself. While this will be my first Kwantlen budget, and I appreciate there are idiosyncrasies about every institution’s budget process, there are a number of issues fundamental to developing any university budget.
There must be a clearly articulated set of priorities for the institution around which budget requests can be made. For Kwantlen, these criteria must be related to confirming the institution’s new university status. I also appreciate that Kwantlen already has developed the Creating Our Future planning document, and substantial effort went into doing so. It will be essential that we distil from this document a set of goals for Kwantlen that will define our ambitions and thus assist in the allocation of institutional resources.
Senate must be allowed the opportunity to discuss and ultimately ratify the institution’s academic priorities for 2009-2010 prior to the determination of any budget. Similarly, individual budget units must know these priorities prior to the submission of their requests for next year. This year we are handicapped to a certain extent because everything is in transition, including Senate, and we also need to appreciate that Senate membership will be changing in January. At the same time, the business of the institution cannot be delayed. It is my intention to have Senate discuss academic priorities at its December meeting.
Senate must be given the opportunity to discuss the 2009-2010 budget prior to it being sent to the Board, and, once more, after it has been approved by the Board. While Senate does not itself approve the budget, Senate must have confidence in the budget in relation to the University’s academic interests. Accordingly, it will be asked to vote on the motion that the “budget is consistent with and supports the academic priorities of the University.”
The process must be open and transparent. This is imperative, given the institution’s new bicameral governance structure. With Senate making academic decisions and the Board retaining financial authority for the University, complete disclosure is necessary to ensure effective management and the responsible stewardship of the University’s resources. I know from experience elsewhere that a less than transparent budget process leads to misinformation and disengagement, two things we must avoid at all costs.
Fall Enrolment
Enrolment for the Fall semester is healthy but flat. Current numbers compared to the same time last year are as follows:
(2008) (2007)
Distinct Students 11,414 11,167
Registrations Paid 10,336 10,190
Course Enrollments
UG Open Access 25,158 23,713
UG Select Entry 5,741 7,120
Total 30,899 30,833
College Prep. 2,337 2,466
Certain things stand out from these numbers: 1. there are 214 more students than in Fall, 2007; 2. registrations in open-access undergraduate courses are up 4.33% from last year, although overall undergraduate registrations are comparable to last year; 3. the number of course enrolments in select entry programs has declined, in part because a number of selective entry programs and courses have moved to open access; 4. utilization rates have improved, suggesting we are offering fewer sections and using them better; 5. conversion rates (transition from applicant to registrant) for new-to-the-institution students improved from Fall, 2007 (45% to 50%), offsetting the lower number of applications. We are at present analyzing these numbers. Although it is too early to draw conclusions, they underscore the need for an integrated, comprehensive recruitment and retention strategy.
We must not, though, assume that growth is a straightforward issue, and we must remember that the most important number is course registrations. Encouraging students to take more courses can have just as much benefit for the financial bottom line as recruiting more individual students. At the same time, we need to understand that Kwantlen is facing considerable constraints relative to growth. The institution obviously benefits whenever additional students register in courses that are under enrolled. Adding new sections to accommodate growth is not, however, always a good idea, as the marginal cost of adding courses, given current maximum class size, often exceeds marginal revenue. In other words, growth costs the institution money, and this necessarily impedes Kwantlen’s ability to respond to student demand and to open new programs.
Research at Kwantlen
Several faculty have stopped by my office during the last several weeks to discuss the future of research at Kwantlen now that it is a university. In particular, they expressed concern about whether research was possible at Kwantlen given its mandate as a primarily teaching institution. As well, they wondered about the possibility of pursuing research when individual faculty members have such substantial course teaching assignments.
Over the next while the University must engage in a discussion about the nature and role of research at Kwantlen. Research in universities usually means one thing: engagement in the action of discovery that leads to publication, usually in refereed publications. Often, though, universities are criticized because this emphasis on publication leads to a diminution of the importance of teaching. And, to be fair, this criticism is at times not without merit. Still, I do believe it is important that one’s ideas are evaluated in the broader academic community and according to the most rigorous standards.
It is not the case, however, that those who do not publish do not do research. I have long believed that research and teaching are part of the same exercise, at least to the extent that research is necessary to being a good teacher. This understanding is something that has informed my entire academic career. We would likely all agree that remaining vital as a teacher requires that one’s own understanding be constantly renewed and revitalized. At universities, we are not in the business of second-hand or derivative knowledge. We have a responsibility to learn new things, to disseminate our knowledge publicly, and to pass our understanding on to our students. This learning of new things is the purest form of research, and this, it seems to me, is the essence of what Kwantlen is about as a teaching institution.
As well, we might question whether words such as “research” or “scholarship” are generally applicable at Kwantlen, given that they have well-established definitions drawn from more traditional universities. In recent times, I have started using the words “innovation” and “application” as a way of escaping predetermined definitions, although I am the first to admit that these words are over-used as well. For me, though, innovation is a more inclusive word, going beyond, as it does, conventional scholarly endeavour. I would suggest that all Kwantlen faculty should be involved in innovation, in the exercise of finding new things or new ways of doing things, regardless of discipline. The same can be said for finding new forms of application, and this kind of activity is as relevant in the skilled trades as it is in the social sciences and sciences. However we define research, we must go through the exercise of determining how research fits into Kwantlen’s mandate, and this, of course, is something that best happens within departments, Faculties, and Senate.
While we await what I suspect will be a vigorous debate, we cannot turn our back on the reality that Kwantlen’s reputation depends in some measure on its role as a research institution, and that we must continue to support those faculty who wish to pursue research and publication. For this reason, we are, on the recommendation of Rob Adamoski, creating three Chancellor’s Chairs, one to be awarded in each of the next three years. Each Chair is valued at $45,000 over three years, and is intended to cover the direct costs of research. The Chairs will be competitive. Details of the Chairs will be forthcoming in the next week or so.
Naming Facilities
When I first arrived on the Surrey campus, I was struck by how its buildings do not have names other than Building A, Building B etc. Not only is this unhelpful for those wanting to find a specific location, but it seems exceedingly institutional. With our change in status, along with new buildings on campus, the time seems appropriate for us to consider putting names on our buildings, and perhaps to consider other types of naming at our other campuses (e.g. the atrium in Richmond and the courtyard at Langley). I am therefore striking a committee to develop policy for naming our facilities (buildings, wings, rooms). Once policy is created, the Committee will begin the exercise of actually putting names on our facilities. The composition of the committee is as follows:
1. representative of the Kwantlen Foundation,
2. 2 faculty members,
3. 2 staff members,
4. 2 students,
5. 1 Dean,
6. 1 Administrative Director,
7. Director of Facilities Management (ex officio),
8. Executive Director of Kwantlen Foundation (ex officio).
I have asked Mary Jane Stenberg, Government Relations Officer in the President’s Office, to chair this committee. Anyone interested in serving on this committee should contact Mary Jane directly.
Space, Campus, and Accessibility
I know people would like to have a better sense of the many moves that are anticipated over the next eighteen months. To the extent we can, we are providing this information. The fact is, though, that we have so much new construction and renovation underway that in one way or another impacts on the timing for moves. For those who would like to get a sense of all that is going on, I suggest you access the Facilities web page, which provides a list of individual projects, their stage of completion, and their cost. What we do know is that dealing with space issues remains a priority for the institution, and that in this regard the need for more and better academic space (e.g. faculty offices, classrooms) is critically important in allowing Kwantlen to operate as a university.
In recent days, a number of people have expressed concern about campus accessibility. It has been Kwantlen practice to close our campus buildings on Sunday, and to curtail Library access on the weekend. While there might be good fiscal reasons for doing so, I also believe that universities should be 7 day a week institutions. If Kwantlen had residences, for example, there would be no choice but to be open on the weekend. More than this, though, we should be looking more and more at renting our facilities to external groups as a way of generating revenue. The possible development of a Conference Services operation comes to mind. And certainly the Library should be open. We shall be looking at this issue over the next while to determine what might be possible.
The Family Campaign
Each year about this time, Kwantlen holds its Family Campaign, which encourages members of the Kwantlen community to make a donation towards two charities that are a vital force in changing people’s lives for the better – the United Way and the Kwantlen Foundation. This campaign provides us an opportunity to demonstrate that Kwantlen employees give back to the communities that we live and work in. We aim to reach a combined goal of $100,000 this year.
I realize the economic news has not been good recently, and that everyone is watching even more closely than usual how they spend money. It is during these times, however, that the most needy and vulnerable in our society need our attention. In the early days of November, you will be receiving an appeal that shares the story of Liz, a student at Kwantlen who has benefited from both from United Way and Kwantlen bursary funding. I ask you to read about Liz and think about a gift to our two charities.
A Final Word
It hardly needs said that we have lot on our plate, and that many, many people are running flat out. It is also the case that we are learning as we go. Under these circumstances, it is inevitable that mistakes will be made and things forgotten. What is necessary is that we exercise understanding and patience during these very exciting times. Now is not the time to hang on to old ways without considering new possibilities. We all know that change engenders insecurity, and we worry about our place in the Kwantlen of the future. But change is exhilarating, and should allow everyone at Kwantlen to have new opportunities. Most importantly, we must remember that everything we do must in some way enhance the learning experience of our students, and to this end, our aim must be to enhance Kwantlen, its programs, facilities, and services for their benefit.
David W. Atkinson
