President's Newsletter — Issue 6 (September, 2009)
Allow me to welcome everyone back after what I hope was an enjoyable and restful summer break. While we all assume that the summer will be a bit slower than the regular year, it inevitably passes quickly, and we find ourselves at the beginning of another academic year. As well, it is not that anyone has really stopped working over the summer. The job of transition from university college to university continues apace, and it is not without its challenges, both administrative and academic. But I am satisfied with the progress we made last year, and look forward to an equally productive and positive experience in the coming year.
Some Big Issues
One of the biggest issues for us at present is rationalizing the University’s various governance and administrative policies relative to the University Act. I previously indicated that we are using the services of Hans van der Slagt to assist us with this activity, and certainly we have made progress over the summer. In addition to the work of Hans, we have struck a Policy Steering Committee to oversee this work as it specifically pertains to both Senate and administrative policies. Given the particular features of the University Act as they pertain to the new universities, the Board must approve any final policy document for the institution.
We received a good response to our request for comments on the Mission and Mandate document, and we have incorporated some of these suggestions in the new draft. To ensure that we have not overlooked anyone, we are making one last request for input. I previously sent out a general announcement to the campus communities, and I hope it will generate additional comment. The Mission and Mandate document can be found on Kwantlen’s website. We are still aiming to send a final draft to Senate late in September.
A number of people have asked, “what now”? Certainly I understand the skepticism that comes with exercises such as the Mission and Mandate because so often the result simply goes into the bottom drawer of a desk. I wish to assure everyone that this is not the case here. Defining our Mission and Mandate at this time in our history could not be more important. While there are some general parameters set in the revised University Act, the slate is more or less blank relative to defining who we wish to be. We cannot miss this opportunity; otherwise, someone else will do it for us; or, worse, nothing will get done, and Kwantlen will exist as a vague, nondescript institution that has no real sense of identity or direction.
As well, there are some important follow-ups to the Mission and Mandate exercise. First, we must extract from Mission and Mandate a single vision statement that defines the “essence” of what Kwantlen represents. This will not be easy, but it is necessary. Second, the Mission and Mandate Statement must shape any sort of strategic plan that the University creates. My expectation is that there will not be a single strategic plan for the institution, but one that allows for the individual aspirations of faculties and units in the University. The overriding principle is that these plans must be consistent with the institutions general Mission and Mandate. Third, these strategic plans must be dynamic documents that are regularly reviewed and updated. This will be especially important for the budgeting process, as these plans will inform any resource decisions that we make.
Budget
I am pleased to inform everyone that the commitment to a $2 million budget lift made by the Government in the spring budget was reconfirmed in the budget announcement of last week. This is important for us, as it in large measure compensates for the 2% reduction Kwantlen experienced in the preceding year. Given that we constructed a very conservative budget for the Board last spring, we hope this additional funding will provide us with added flexibility. The big question is how the Government intends to handle the new Harmonized Sales Tax (HST), as it has substantial consequences for Kwantlen’s bottom line. We did experience a reduction of approximately $700,000 ($600K from the Capital Renovation Budget, $100K for the Literacy Program). At least with respect to Capital Renovation, this reduction was offset by additional funding we received through the Federal and Provincial Infrastructure Program. While any kind of reduction is to be regretted, we need to recognize the B.C. Government for its willingness to protect post-secondary education.
We, of course, changed the budget process last year, and I know that it was a hit and miss success. There was certainly greater transparency and accountability, but we started the exercise too late, and found ourselves hurrying to complete all the necessary steps. We intend to start earlier in the coming year. We hope to release a schedule for budget deliberations for the 2010-2011 academic year in a couple of weeks or so. Also, we shall be going through a mid-year budget review in late October to ensure that we are using the limited resources we have in the most effective way possible, and that we can, to the extent possible, respond to any unforeseen financial circumstances. This point is one worth stressing. The aim of the mid-year budget review is not to consider things previously requested in the budget deliberations for the current year, unless it can be demonstrated that they arise from changed circumstances since the beginning of the budget year.
Continuing Education
We would all agree that continuing education must be a part of connecting with our larger communities, and that, while there were good reasons at the time when Kwantlen cancelled its continuing education programming a few years ago, it would seem that this action, with the advantage of hindsight, did leave the institution disadvantaged relative to other universities and colleges in the lower B.C. mainland. As well, it placed Kwantlen at a distinct financial disadvantage, given the Government’s subsequent decision to count continuing education enrolments towards FTE count. That we are operating at about 90% capacity makes correcting this situation critical, if Kwantlen wishes to position itself for potential new funding.
I am therefore pleased to advise of the appointment of Dr. Kathleen Matheos as Kwantlen’s new Director of Continuing Education. Dr. Matheos comes from the University of Manitoba, and previously was at the University of Saskatchewan for many years. Both these universities are leaders in continuing education and extension, and I am confident that Dr. Matheos’ broad background at both these institutions will be enormously useful as Kwantlen reinvigorates its continuing education programming. Dr. Matheos will join us officially on January 1, although during the fall will travel back and forth orienting herself to Kwantlen so she can hit the ground running in January.
Registration and Recruitment
Our enrolments look healthy for next year. As of September 2, 2009, we have 12,042 enrolled students, compared to 11,033 last year at this time, and are tracking to have the highest enrolment in Kwantlen history. This number does not include, moreover, students registered in Trades and Technology programs of which we have about 3,500 over the year. A major difference between this year and previous years is the decision to move registration to earlier in the summer, which allowed students to make their own decisions earlier, and put us in a more competitive position relative to other institutions. The earlier registration occurs, the more it enhances both admission and retention. It is worth noting, though, that the University continues to experience problems of capacity and access relating to cost; put another way, the marginal cost of adding sections in response to additional demand exceeds marginal revenue, and is thus a negative draw on the institution’s bottom line.
Bringing registration forward was an important first step. There are still, however, a number of administrative impediments for our students, and these we need to address in the coming year. A good example is the requirement that students pay their entire tuition in August before classes start; otherwise their registration is cancelled and they are required to reregister. Not only does this place unnecessary hardship on students, it puts the institution in the position of losing students. Moreover, it is simply unacceptable that we place the kind of stress we do on the Registrar’s Office. We might ask the quite legitimate question of whether the interest we gain in the bank really balances the human cost of managing the system. Finally, no other institution, to my knowledge, has such a process, and this hardly does anything for Kwantlen’s competitive position.
We cannot, however, become complacent, because at least some of our increased enrolment is likely driven by the current difficult economic circumstances. A significant challenge is our need to be responsive to the changing recruitment environment. While we can take comfort in knowing that the south Fraser region is the only region in B.C. anticipated to grow over the next decade, our demographics will substantially change as the 18-23 year old group is replaced by much older students. Ron Maggiore, who recently joined us from the University of New Orleans as Executive Director of Enrollment Management, will be conducting an exhaustive review of our recruitment and retention strategies, and I expect there will be substantial change in how we carry out these two functions in the coming year. Obvious, too, is the increasing importance of Continuing Education.
Capital Development
In addition to grants received earlier in the summer, Kwantlen received two new allotments in the recent round of the Education Infrastructure Program. We received $1.2 million for upgrades to the Richmond campus Library, and $1.75 million for enhancements to the Langley campus. The Coast Capital Library building on the Surrey campus is virtually finished, and it is impressive. The front door of the building opened last week. As well, the Office of Research and Scholarship, and the Dean of Social Sciences’ offices have moved to the second floor. I want to thank everyone in the Library who has worked through this construction period. We also finished additional academic space in Surrey Main, and work continues on the Aboriginal Gathering Space. We anticipate the move of our Administrative Offices to Langley over the Christmas break. The relatively small health club on the Surrey campus, which has been run for the last number of years by the KSA, will now be operated by Athletics and Recreation Services, and it will be completely re-outfitted. At the same time, we are looking at what we might do to provide fitness facilities at our other campuses.
We are currently putting together arrangements for the official opening of the new Institute for Sustainable Horticulture. The University has now taken possession of the facility. Also on the Langley campus, the old barn, which originally housed the Farrier program, will be no more, considerably enhancing the look of the campus. It will likely come down at the end of September. The Newton campus is currently on the market and we have selected a commercial realtor to handle the sale. Offers close September 15, 2009.
One area of continuing concern is the Richmond campus. In the absence of any new facility, we have been investigating the possibility of leasing space close to the campus. The costs are truly prohibitive. At the same time, the lack of space at Richmond is beginning to seriously erode our capacity to offer programs there. We are continuing to look at all possibilities to resolve what is becoming a substantial problem. At the very least, we shall be examining the current use of space on the Richmond campus to ensure that its use is being maximized.
Academic Restructuring
There are on-going discussions about creating a new faculty that would incorporate the Librarians, Counsellors, Co-op Coordinators, and faculty members from the Learning Centres, Disability Services, Student Life & Development, and the Centre for Academic Growth. The original impetus for this was a loss of seats on the University Senate when Kwantlen moved from the Colleges and Institutes Act to the University Act. For this reason, Senate at its meeting of last October, reconfirmed that these colleagues are faculty members, and that they ought to be represented on Senate.
A broad-based group has worked hard over the last eight months to draft a proposal for a new Faculty. It is now with the Governance Committee of Senate. Earlier this year, though, we noticed, through the Budget process, that there was substantial duplication of effort among several units, notably the Library, the Learning Commons, Qualifying Studies, and Student Services. All these units are central to Kwantlen, especially given its commitment to open access, and the need to provide students with a broad range of learning support. It does, however, ask the question of whether our current administrative structure is the best one for the University and one that serves the best interests of our students. The Governance Committee of Senate will be consulting Senate on how best to move forward.
In addition to Dr. Claudette Kelly who will, this year, serve as interim Dean of Community and Health Studies, Dr. Mazen Guirguis from the Department of Philosophy has agreed to serve as interim Dean of the Faculty of Humanities. We are using the decanal vacancy in the Faculty of Humanities to begin a conversation about collapsing the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Faculty of Humanities into a new Faculty of Arts, which is more the norm in Canadian universities. Nothing has been determined, and this will be a decision made, in the first instance, by the two Faculties involved. I am very much aware that there are many issues to be considered, not the least of which is representation on Senate. The only thing that matters is the long term success of the two faculties involved. It goes without saying, too, that the Humanities and Social Sciences must remain prominent in an institution which by disposition is committed to applied learning.
Olympic Games
As I am certain everyone is aware, Kwantlen entered into an Olympic Community Contributor agreement with VANOC last October, joining BCIT, Capilano University, Douglas College, Langara College, and SFU. Under the terms of our agreement, Kwantlen will potentially provide parking spaces at all four campuses during the games, as well as classroom space for volunteer training. In return, Kwantlen students, faculty and staff have access to volunteer opportunities, and Kwantlen has been allowed to purchase 10 Olympic event tickets per day for distribution to the Kwantlen community. These will be distributed by an internal lottery system on a cost recovery basis this fall. As well, we have allowed for an extended break to accommodate those wishing to attend Olympic events or wishing to be VANOC volunteers. There is to be no loss of teaching time, and the semester will be lengthened accordingly. As well, each participating Community Contributor was given the honor of appointing an Olympic torchbearer to represent their institution. Our Torchbearer was chosen July 17th, the VANOC deadline, by an internal application and draw system open to staff, faculty and students. The Kwantlen Polytechnic University torchbearer is Suzanne ten Haaf, a third-year Business student.
Branding Kwantlen
I have previously indicated the need for Kwantlen to rebrand itself, given its new status as a university. One of the challenges we face is to reinforce that there has been a significant change at Kwantlen, and, at the very least, to get people to stop calling us Kwantlen College or Kwantlen University College. While time is the most important factor in changing our identity, we can help things along by looking different, at least with respect to how we present the institution to students and to the general public.
It was with this in mind that we conducted a competitive search for a Public Relations and Marketing Firm to assist us in this endeavour. We struck a broad-based committee who managed the process, and who in the end interviewed five companies. The successful firm is Creative Intelligence or Ci, which operates out of Calgary. Among its clients are the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, the Calgary Film Festival, CP Rail, and WestJet.
The timing of this branding exercise is intended to coincide with the conclusion of the Mission and Mandate exercise. A repetitive theme in the responses to the Mission and Mandate was that the document could be more “inspirational.” While we will be making changes to the document, communicating the Mission and Mandate in a way that inspires everyone is really part of the branding exercise. Put simply, once we have decided who we are, we need to tell people in a way that convinces them of our new identity. The branding process will, again, be a broadly consultative process, including administration, students, faculty and staff, and I will ensure that everyone is kept aware of what we are doing. Like Mission and Mandate, it is important that all who want a say get the opportunity.
Other Things
At its June meeting, the new B.Sc. in Applied Psychology was approved, and, along with the Bachelor of Fine Arts, which has been in the works for a long time, has gone through the mandatory posting period on the DQAB website. These are the first two new degree programs Kwantlen has put forward since receiving exemption from the DQAB third-party review process. Both are ready for implementation.
I want to congratulate the School of Horticulture, and in particular Gary Jones, who worked so hard to make the Farmer’s Market at Langley a success. This is an excellent way to encourage people to come onto the Langley campus. I would remind everyone, too, about Fall Convocation, which is scheduled for October 8, 2009; there are two ceremonies (A.M.: Community and Health Studies, Design and Communications, Humanities, Social Sciences; P.M.: Business, Qualifying Studies, Science and Horticulture, Trades and Technology). As is typical of fall convocations everywhere, both ceremonies are modest in size, so there will be lots of room for those wishing to attend. I would stress, as well, that we are still looking for Honorary degree nominations for the spring Convocation. This is an important responsibility, especially now that we are a university. I encourage people to submit nominations of worthy individuals.
Let me end, though, with a gentle reminder that does not really need to be made. As we busy ourselves with the transition from university college to university, debating governance issues, implementing administrative changes, introducing new academic programs, or trying to make our budget go that little bit further, we must not forget that Kwantlen is first and foremost about its students. Regardless of what we become, the fact remains that Kwantlen is nothing without students, and that they need to remain absolutely central to what we do. We remain a “teaching” university, and must do everything we can to ensure that our students have outstanding learning experiences. And we need to remember that nothing increases an institution’s reputation more than the quality of its teaching and learning.
I know there is considerable debate within the institution about the role of research in a “teaching” university. The major issue for me comes down to how one defines research, and how one recognizes it. There are any number of creative models for this, as other institutions have struggled with the teaching vs. research distinction, which, in my personal view, is not a distinction at all. Many of you have heard me say what has now become almost a cliché: that research and innovation inform teaching as much as teaching shapes research and innovation. In a university, the two go together. I am hoping that, with the leadership of Jason Dyer, our new Executive Director of the Office of Research and Scholarship, we shall over the coming year be able to have a truly productive discussion about how we define research at Kwantlen, along with how we recognize it. This is crucial to establishing ourselves as a university.
I wish everyone good wishes for the coming year; I am certain it will be an exciting and productive one.
David W. Atkinson
President & Vice Chancellor
