FIRST. YEAR university transfer student Jazzy Gill, 18, ‘and other students at Nor- deni association says UNBC will have to offer advanced regional programming or uni- thwest Community College wait to see whether the University of Northern British Cal- Terrace Standard, Wednesday, Apri! 15, 1992 — Page A5 umbia will offer them a good alternative to the universities of southern B.C. The stu- _ Task force recommendations Here are the recommendations from the report of the MLAs’ task force into northern post-secondary education. The three MLAs involved were Bulkley Valley MLA Jackie Pement, Skeena MLA Helmut Giesbrecht and Prince George North MLA Paul Ramsey. They met 350 peaple at public meetings held throughout the north. Control and Governance ¢ That membership of the Interim Governing Council should expand to provide greater regional representation and the IGC should broaden its representation of women, aboriginal peoples, labour and trades, and innovative educators, | - soy ! es That IGC members. havela jo escription”’ to, ensure _ accountability to the communities they serve. * That innovative administrative structures be explored to address the concerns of the communities for regional input in- to planning and programming. Communication * That UNBC develop a communication strategy and timelines for informing the people of the region of the University’s plans. ’ @ That the IGC *‘open up”’ the council and its committee meetings, and allow for public decision making. * That UNBC develop a communication vehicle to provide students with information on programming through high school visits, and advertising, etc. * That UNBC develop a communication structure to in- volve its educational partners (school districts, colleges, private institutes) in providing information from and about the university, ~ Regionalization ° Explore possible models for regionalization of UNBC programs in each community through study conferences, questionnaires and other methods of consultation. * Develop a clear regional plan to replace the Dahllof model including programs, delivery methods, and timelines. ® Use regional expertise and hire educators and ad- ministraters with Northern British Columbian background whenever possible. * Encourage the hiring of native staff and counsellors. ® Work towards gender equity within UNBC staff. * Hire people who have a commitment to regionalization and a regional vision for this unique university. ® Report budgets and financing to the communities. Expectations Four common themes emerged from the public meetings, which are reflected in the above recommendations: * People feel planning for the regional delivery of UNBC’'s programs and services occur at the same time as the develop- ment of the Prince George campus. * They want more “‘regional’’ representatives on the In- terim Governing Council (IGC). ® They want UNBC to develop ‘‘non-traditional” ap- proaches to delivery systems, administrative structures and partnerships with other educational institutions, in order to meet the post secondary needs of the northern communities it will service. ¢ They want the building and opening of the Prince George campus to proceed as quickly as possible. VEC agit ak Ne Sf a - week saysio ho UNBC report que programs in Prince George to attract students fram this region. Miscommunication spawns confusion TERRACE — Confusion reign- ed in the northwest when the University of Northern B.C. abandoned its original decen- tralized vision without ade- quately telling people - -oOf -the changes ea teportt bigsifed 248s The report from a task force of three northern MLAs —~ Helmut Giesbrecht, Jackie Pe- ment and Paul Ramsey — fingered the university’s com- munication problems as a root cause of much of the opposition it has faced. In particular, the MLAs pointed to Urban Dahloff*s report of 1988, which was com- missioned by the Interior University Society before Vic- toria created UNBC. .The so-called Dahloff model first promoted the idea of farm- ing out entire faculties to dif- ferent regional campuses, That plan was abandoned early in 1990 in favour of the university's present blueprint to provide regional services ad- ministered out of a central cam- pus at Prince George. “Questions during the meetings indicated many were not aware of changes made,’’ the report says. ‘“The result has iM say treages pert been consternation and confu- sion aS many communities didn’t realize that the plans for regionalization of UNBC had changed.” The i task: :force: report.:alga ... says people at-the-meetings-said:-- they had problems interacting with the university’s governing council, expressing ‘‘hostility and mistrust’’ towards its members. “The Dahloff report dissap- peared and nobody seemed to know how or why,’' said Giesbrecht. ‘‘People were still thinking about regional little campuses, They (university of- ficials) weren’t communicating those new ideas enough.’* The report also mentioned a study by Northwest Community College vice-president Michael Hill that calls for a tri-centre model for the university. Hill’s study — stating that “the core of the university need not be a single place or location”? —- suggests degree- completion campuses in three places: Prince George, Terrace, and either Fort St. John or Dawson Creek. “| didn’t envision a lot of migration of students from one area to another,’’ Hill said of University taking JERRACE — The University of Northern B.C, reacted quick- ly and defensively to the release of a task force report on its operations last week. University officials issued a statement saying many of the recommendations are already being acted upon and others will _be given careful consideration. They noted the seven new ap- pointments to the Interim Governing Council — two of. whom are from the northwest. Preparations are being made to _ improve communications with students and the public, the statement said, and the Interim Governing Council has been holding public meetings since the beginning of the year. “The MLAs report clearly reveals the very high expecta- tions peaple have of UNBC,” the statement said. ‘‘It also reveals that these expectations are. many in number and sometimes a... little contradictory.”’ “The substance of the report isn't as important as the process. ihat took place, suggested Jake Muller, president of the faculty union at Northwest Community his study, adding that students will probably. only stay if the UNBC is accessible to them in the regions. He calls the decision to move away. from ‘the Dahloff'‘model !-: :to-arcentral Prince George cams: GOR pus unfortunate. “Personally, I think that’ sa shame,’’ he said. ‘*The decen- tralized model is very workable and very sensible.” The task force report noted the public demand for a regionalized, non-traditional university, Laddering and transferability of programs were a concern. The report said people also want more control of UNBC given to the regions — in the form of more regional members on the governing council, and more accountability of: those people to their regions. “It was apparent that some communities had very little con- tact or had little involvement with UNC (particularly in the northwest region),’’ the report says. ‘Although UNBC staff have made contact with col- leges, Rotary clubs, Chambers of Commerce, etc., the infor- ‘mation has not spread to the community at large.’ action College. “T think it's not so much what’s in it, but the fact that. it gave people an opportunity to express their views about UNBC,”’ he said. NWCC president Don Ander- son said better communication with people here — as called for in the report — would likely produce more support. “People in communities here have not reacted well to a dog- and-pony show,” he said. '‘But there’s still a chance, I think, for things to turn around.’’ Briefs ~ oa ICBC loses The Insurance Corpora- lion of B.C. (ICBC) lost $98 million in 1991, says the cor- poration’s annual report. Premium income for the year was up nine per cent over 1990 but [CBC paid out $1,535 million in claims, a 13 per cent hike. That translated to paying out $1.10 for every dollar of premium income. The corporation was also hurt by a $16 million drop in earnings from its investments which brought in $316 million last year. ICBC has covered the loss by drawing the $98 million from its accumulated surplus built up in previous years. It also depleted the reserve by a further $82 million to cover the expected, continued in- crease in the cost of settling claims. “As a result, the surplus now stands at just $155 million, tess than half its 1990 year-end level of $335 million. Commenting on the report, ICBC president Tom Holmes warned if claims costs continued to rise, “the only possible result will be higher premiums.”” On the road Council has approved the following city travel re- quests: * economic development officer Peter Monteith went to attend and to man a city display booth ata forestry conference and trade show in Smithers last week. The estimated cost was $700.; ® planner Marvin Kamenz to attend the Planning In- stitute of B.C. conference in Kelowna ; B.C,.; Apr. 22:24) Bis ete Sooks termes treba . © engineering director Stew Christensen to attend | the B.C. Water and Waste Association annual con- ference in Whistler, Apr. 26-29 ($950); * aldermen Danny Sheridan and Ruth Hallock to attend the North Central Municipal Association an- nual convention in Dawson Creek, Apr. 30- May 2; * firefighter Lt. Per Halvorsen to attend the Fire Prevention Officers Associa- tion of B.C, annual seminar in Whistler, May 11-15 (31,025); : ® fire chief Bob Beckett to attend the B.C. Fire Chief's conference in - Penticton, June 7-11 ($1,100). ' Requests granted Council has agreed to pro- claim April Conquer Cancer Month and allow the local branch of the Canadian Cancer Society to hang a banner across Eby St. at city hall, The Legion was given per- mission to have West Coast Amusements set up its car- nival in the curling club park- ing lot Apr. 23-25, ; An Inn of the West request to have the 4600 block of Lakelse closed 1-4 p.m., Sun- day, August 2 for the SI- ingers Race — an annual Riverboat Days event — was also approved, A trip to Quebec, here, . trip. - The Start is Jor people learning how to read. Ave. to apply. Young people here will go on a trip this year And. young people from Quebec will come The federal govern- ment will pay for the Go to MP Jim Fulton’s office on Park Rangers There is a new group in town. It is a Ranger patrol. The Rangers will help the army if the army has to come here. Rangers are the eyes and ears of the armed forces in the bush. There are 18 Rangers. Each one got a rifle. The Rangers are used to being outside. In the photograph are Rangers Joe Bradley and Sam Lockerby, — With them is army Sergeant Major Dave Haines. He helped train the Rangers last week.