Above: Or Darwyn Coxson, Biology, and graduate student Jocelyn Campbell, ascending to the forest canopy in Viking Ridge, in ihe wetbelt area east of Prince George. Dr Coxson is the lead researcher in projects receiving external funding of around ane million deilars. RESEARCH The total value of externally-funded research projects being worked-on by UNBC faculty in 1997 was $7.28 million, spread among 435, projects, compared to $5.6 million, spread among 121 projects, in the previous year. The major sources of exterrial ‘research funding were. the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (17% of total), the Social Sclences and Humanities Research Council (4%), and:Forest Renewal. BC (42%), wilh the remaining 37% spread amongst 4 wide variety of. Agencies. The main disciplines in receipt of extemally-funded research funding — were: Foresiry (2? awards), Biology (18), Environmental Studies (1), Chemistry (14), and Geography (11). : WWiN, UNBC. EDU. This was the year when the World Wide Web really came of age al UNBC. In June 1997, the University's main servers received their 3- millionth hit, and some 120 students enrolled for the first four UNBC courses taken entirely on- -line. The award- -winning web page ideas of a ‘University, which introduces students around the world to the various university disciplines, was accessed 150,000 times; ane of its main creators, masters’ student Basia Siedlecki, topped her receipl of the Governor General’s Gold Medal with a faculty position at the University of Lethbridge, where she is now helping instructors deliver courses using communications technology. NORTHERN ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM” Hem abes ater In April, the University announced. that it. was to laurich anew pragram designed to help students from rural and First Nations communities make a successful transition to University. Students from smaller rural communities and First Nations students : traditionally have had: the most difficulty in adjusting to university: this program, which includes classes. on study skills and has'a. number of support services, should significantly. improve gradu- ation rates of such students, 25 af whom wil be entering the program, this September, on The Northern Advancement Program has raceived considerable support from-external partners. “More than $700,000 in endowment and operating. -funds have been committed from the Maurice Young Foundation in Vancouver, BC Hydro, Westcoast Energy, and The Vancouver Foundation. Above: Chancellor ona Campagnolo and President Charles Jago in the Whitehorse CBC siudios during the 1997 Chancellor's Tour. Each year since she was elected in 1992. te Chancellor has led a summer tour to a different part af the region, with the goal of ensuring that administrators bulid an understanding of all parts of north- em BC, while residents of all parts of the north had the opportunity fo comment, face to face, on the University’s development and goals. The 1997 journey to the province's extreme northwest, with visits ta Attn, Telegraph Creek, Dease Lake, Stewart, Watson Lake and ihe Yukon, was the final such tour to be led by tona Campagnolo, as she completes her second three-year term of office in early 1998, The election of a new Chancellor, by ell members of Convocalion, will take place eany In the new year. FINANCIAL AD. "Financial ald, in the form dl scholarships to outstanding students and bursaries to students who would otherwise be unable to pursue their stud- ies, is of major importance to all universities, and particularly to a new one which does not have decades of andowments behind it.’ “There has, however, been a very generous response to the ‘North To The . Future fundraising campaign, and the number of student awards made by UNBG in 1996-97 was 49% higher than in-the previous year.-{n all, 223 scholarships or bursaries were made, with an avarage value of $1, 050. This ~. includes 24-new Northern Achievement Awards introduced by UNBC in the year, along with two new Presidents’ scholarships valued at $5, 000 each, renewable at $2,000 a year for a further three years. The continued imporlance of scholarships and bursaries was underlined hy a study which showed that'45% of UNBC students currently raly on stu: dent foans, wilh an average loan of $6, 953. UNC ANNUAL REPORT 90 0 oe 912,413 undesignated $128,122 ' General $168,727 130,094 Academic aan $f,045, 049 Spool / Gits iv Ket Scholarships Equipment a Bursaries $580,200 Som 874,303 Special —— Liprary oo... Projects Endowments FUNDRAISING Two of the outstanding news items of the year: were the $1 million bequest from the estate of Judge William Ferry, and the $900,000 contribution from Slocan and ils President, Ike Barber: these enabled a major enhancement to the Library holdings, and the development ol world-class forestry research. Many other ‘contributions. to’ UNBC were also made, both fram corporations and individuals, allowing the young universily to thrive in areas which would otherwise have been beyond its dreams. - FINANGES. ~ Despite an increased student population and expanded academic pro- gram the University increased ils, expenditures only moderately during the year, Itis anticipated t that the University will continue to face an environment of fiscal restraint but with careful management of resources It should be " able to continue to meet its ragional and educational goals and objectives. The year's audit showed that the university ended the year ‘with a small surplus: copies of the 1996-97 audited financial slalements are available from. ihe Finance Department or by flepnaning 960-5620; ~ THE GREENWAY During the year the Cranbrook Hill Greenway Society began work. on creation of the Greenway irail, part of a circular hiking, skiing, biking and harsa-rid- ing route around Prince George. When completed, the 21-kilomele trail will connect . Otway, Forests for the World, UNBC, South Fort George Park, and Wilson Park — and. ~ Prince George will become the only cliy | in Canada circumnavigated by a hiking | trail ~ UNBG- faculty ‘and students were; naturally ‘entliusiastic: supporters’ of the - - Council... scheme, and two UNBC- students, Natalie Clolfitio and Adam Inglis, prepared a com- plete inven tory of the trail for the Cranbrook Hil Greenway Saciely, from contours to - wildlife te tree coverage. ‘| have experienced the ‘warmth and generosity tawards UNBC of the people of the more than 200-communities we serve, and ha yea special word of thanks from them to the people of Prince George who have ™ been so wise and gracious in {hair understanding of their distinctive position of trust te the whole of northern British Columbia as host a ity to this central campus . . ; Chancellor iona Campagnolo, May 23, 1997 INTERNATIONAL - RUSSIAN LINKS Above: one of tie 18 UNBC students taking Dr John Young's Russian Politics course: in Moscow in summer 1996, St Basil's, Red Square, is in the background. In just a few years, UNBC has developed perhaps the richest links with Russia... of any Canadian university, with numerous externally-funded research projects. Greg Poelzer (Political Science) and Gail Fondant (Geography), for instance, are working ana Sakha Republic project willt some $200,000 ot funding from the Gorbachev Trust and other sources, and historian Aileen Expiritu is working on another, similar- ° ly-funded project on environmental and health issues with Yakuisk State Uni versity. . John Youtig (Political Sclenes) meanwhile was co-recipient of a $212,000 grant to help implament local government reform in Siberia, There is also a healthy exchange of students. Two UNBG graduate students, for instance, are involved in field work in the Russian north, while students from Siberia are- being trained” in Geographic information Systems and in business at UNBC. RICH FORESTRY HARVEST Tooping the Forestry Progranr’s rich year were the awards to Kathy. Lewis (above right), who was elected BC Forester of the Year - the first time an.academie has won the award — and the award of BC Professor of the Year to Wini Kessier (above lett), the Chair of Forestry. Members of the Forestry Program aiso received many research grants, and UNBC became the administrative centre for one of four “research ateas within the nationwide Network of Centres of Excellence in Sustainable Forest Management, taking aver from UBC. Forestry Renewal: BC. also supported numerous UNBC reséarch projects. . Amongst thie. $1, 6 million in new research awards from FRAC were. © A -Torpy River project -by- Max - Blouw (Associate Vice-President Research) on how Ash habitat ls allected by fogging along rivers and eels : CA study of. the enolic sna of forest patches y ken Parker, ” peeny: © A Tourism Development project for the Fotson valley by Bob -Piister, Resource Recreation’ Tourism * ae, Be -study af small-scale forestry enieroriss “by Heather Myers, international Studies. oes OPERATING REVENUES (Millions) 97-98 96-97 95-96 94-95 93-94 92-93 "Nola [hat this does not inclide income from Research Grants, Ancitary Operations or Fundraising. UNBC AND PARTNERS — ~ UNBG extends thanks to its ‘any partners § In the: ¥ the tiniversity’ € ability t to Make a Difference. “Some ‘of the partners; ‘and Just ‘ a few of the jaint achievements of 1996— 97, are indleated in-the following list: A four-year Collaborative Nursing degree was developed with the College of New Caledonia, . .1997 saw the first UNBC graduate of the Wilp Wilxo-oskwhl Nisga’ a..,. plans were ‘being finalized for a joint BSc in Environmental Planning with an Energy specialization with Northern Lights College, for a degree in Recreation and Tourism with Northwest Community College, and for special part- -time courses for band members -with the University College of the Cariboo and the Cariboo ‘Tribal . Protocol agreements were being extended wilh Yukon College - Forastry research projects were underway in assqciation with the Lake Babine Nation, and with ihe MacGregor Model Forest, and various other _ fesearch projects were being. conducted in association with’ companies such as Canadian Woodworks Ltd ; . . Co-operative education students were placed with scores of employers, including Northwood Pulp and _ Timber Ltd, the Red Rock Research Station, AGRA Earth and “Environmental, Canadian Forest Products Ltd, Alcan Chemical and Smelters Ltd, Bullmoose Operating Corporation, TimberWest, Finlay Forest Products, Rustad Bros & Co Ltd, and Pioneer Land Services, 97 EXPENDITUE 6% 12% 63% Maintenance — guy Other Salaries Utilities / / 4% Tra fe 11% : Benelits ENDNOTE: * We wouldn't want to conclude without saying that University is not all stuay: there is room for fun aiond the way. Above is a photo from WinterFest, UNBC’s annual mid- winter open-day-cun-fun session, (Yes, ihere was a swimsuit under the falling foga.) LUNBC might be only three years old, bul it is already developing a number of tra- ditions, and a specific chatacter. Hyou've not already done so, please visit to see for yourselt..The Prince George campus has in fact become an extremely popular venue - , for visits, with many thousands of visitors taking guided, or Self-guided, tours tohohe , 960-5555 for details). Visitors on Boxing Da ye even an have a speci adcitonal feature 7 = tours of the he grounds by dogsied!-