AG - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, September 10, 1997 Acting college head is out: to heal NWC Year of academic strife has scarred institution By CRIS LEYKAUF BETH DAVIES has inherited a bit of a mess. As the new acting president of Northwest Community College, she has to deal with a staff and administration divided by recent cuts to the college’s budget. : Those cuts resulted in battles with the Aca- demic Workers Union last winter and spring, and in cuts to NWCC’s second-year universily credit program. College president Michael Hill left in July, after the cuts were made, but before any wounds were healed. Hill plans to return to NWCC next July. The college board decided they wanted some- one familiar with the college to take aver in Hill’s absence, So the board-asked Davies, who was director of the western region of the col- lege, to step in. Now that fall courses have begun, Davies says she wants to start healing rifts. ‘A lot of the faculty want to put il all bebind them,’’ she says. Davies plans ta do that by opening communication channels wider, and by being more consultative. “Everything happened so fast,’’ she says of the college culs. Davies wants to start the healing process by squashing a few rumours. One persistent one is that Hill isn’t coming back. Some staff questioned Hill’s timing in leaving for Scotland when there was still so much bit- temess over the cutbacks. C’s w Beth Davies Michael Hill Hill is in Scotland to complete his dissertation on his doctorate. He didn’t have much choice in the matter, explains Davies, since he had al- ready been given an extension on completing the degree. If he'd waited any longer Hill would have bad to begin his doctorate all over again. Another rumour is that NWCC is going to gradually cut its universily credit courses, until it becomes a purely vocational school, Accord- ing to the rumour, pressure to do this is coming from the education ministry. “The universily credit program is not in jeop- ardy,’? Davies states emphatically. She says there are no plans to cul any more courses from the program. Davies met with education ministry officials this summer, and said the northern colleges were being encouraged to work more closcly with the University of Northern B.C. She points to studies that say students going to university do much better if they can stay at home the first year and go fo a community col- lege. ounds Davies estimates about 14 per cent of the stu- dents at NWCC are university credits students. She says the existing second-year university credit programs will stay, as long as enrollment is adequate. Now she'd like to work on a challenge the ed- ucation ministry put out — that is to work with the Open University agency to provide alterna- tives to the second year courses cut by NWCC, Of ten biology and chemistry coursés ‘cut, only one is realistically available to students in the northwest, Not having access to a lab component of a course is the most difficult issuc. Davies would like to work with teaching staff about how to make more courses available through long distance education. The college has a good quality science lab. But she said the Academic Workers Union has refused to discuss the matter, claiming it’s con- tracting out. “T’m hoping we can find some components that theyll be prepared to talk about,’ she said. Of the cut science courses, she says ‘“those wounds are bleeding still.’” However, she’s hoping NWCC staff can help long distance education students another way, by offering counselling and study skills help. _ There’s some money available from the educa- tion ministry, should NWCC adopt this role. Another project Davies plans to tackle this term is that of marketing the college by promot- ing its assets. She'd like to see NWCC work more closely with northwest high schools, perhaps hosting “college for a day’ programs and summer science camps. Don't worry, city tells women’s centre f= == == CK CAR 4 THE TERRACE group out, dropping hints could look al to improve its vide a government program. Poe 83 Women’s Resource Centre instead that they’d like to bottom line. Although the ry owas a pretty low ge we a, docsn’t have to worry about explore selling the building building costs the city noth- blow,”? women’s centre & 4 being evicted by the city. to them and make it the ing right now, the report coordinalor Carol Sabo said. Councillors decided Fri- centre's permanent home. projected a minimum annua ; _ A i d tor Bob f day to not renew the “You don’t have to income of $7,000 could be Haller an hee wouldn't %, " = centre’s $1-per-year lease Of = worry,’? said councillor gained if it were rented out a it the building sold e , their trademark city-owned — pich McDaniel at current market value. want fo ste 6 Tine, a MU D . And the centre’s essential- [Or # dollar. He noted the 3D YER house on Park Ave. The existing five-year lease expires at the end of this year. The centre presently pays for ail maintenance and improve- ments on the house. But city councillors reas- sured women’s centre staff the city won’t be kicking the “ent arrangement,” ‘1 Val George. ‘‘We’re not q “We're prepared at a min- imum to continue the pres- added going to throw you out.’”’ A“1995 analysis of city expenditures and revenue - pointed to the lease of the house as one place the city ly free use of the city’s house was raised earlier this year as unfair treatment when Terrace and District Community Services Society’s Mike Beausoleil asked council for a break on property taxes on a building used by the society to pro- centre provides service to women outside city limits, but taxpayers there don’t support the Facility. Some councillors said an equitable contribution agreement from the regional district might cover the vast majority of a purchase price. Kalum St. to get rebuild in 98 BETTER LATE than never. Two months after saying Terrace would get nothing, the Canada-B.C. Infrastructure Works program is kick- ing loose two-thirds of a million dol- lars to reconstruct Kalum St. It came asa pleasant surprise to city director of engineering Stew Christensen last week. The work will also include installa- tion of a traffic light at the intersection of Kalum St. and Park Ave. Earlier plans also called for a traffic light at Lazelle Ave., but planners now expect one light at Park Ave. will ease traffic congestion between there and the lights at Lakelse Ave, Kalum will be rebuilt in two sec- tions. It will cost an estimated $410,313 to upgrade Kalum St. from Park Ave. to Loen, including the traf- fic light installalion and reconstruc- tion of the uphill portion of Park Ave, from Kalum to Paul Clark Dr. The reason for rebuilding that part of the hill, Christensen says, is so the sidewalk on the east side of Kalum can be made wheelchair-accessible. To do that, he said, the hill itself has to be pushed back to flatten the slope. ‘It’s not simply a matter of cutting a ramp into the sidewalk,” Christensen said, He noted many senior, including residents of the Willows, use that sidewalk. The second section for reconstruc- tion is the $624,577 expansion and upgrade of Kalum from Loen to Tuck. Once complete, Kalum will have four useable lanes up to Tuck Ave. Federal and provincial grants cach cover a third of the costs, leaving one- third for local taxpayers. Christensen said he will ask council to put about $340,000 into the cily’s 1998 capital budget to cover the cily’s share of the two projects. The Terrace work is part of 24 road improvement projects totalling $9.5 million in northem B.C. communilies announced last week. Ric FO fPaul King ATION _| This Foundation is dedicated to financially supporting community recreation projects and the improvement ‘of sports facilities. For information call 635-694B or write to Rick and Paui King Foundation, P.O. Box 203, Terrace, BC, V8G 4A6. The Rick and Paul King foundation is a registered non- profit society and Is registered as a charity with Revenue Canada. % The First Nations Education Centre (Coust Mountains Schoal District 82) invite you to witness the Official Opening and Launching of Publications at Clarence Michiel School Gymnasium 3430 Sparks Street Terrace BC on Wednesday, September 17, 1997 7:00 p.m. Refreshments Served AUTHORS AND ARTISTS IN ATTENDANCE FULL REGALIA *#Call Caroline or Barbara al 638-6394 for more information** “Rain Or Shine We'll Play In The Mud” Gates open at 8 a.m, for co . teched by 10 a.m. Rules available at Minute Muffler, Off Road Specialties, Pinedale Radiator, Daval Automotive and ~, ord Annual, ADD A SECOND PHONE FORA ONLY $Q95 ae ba Public Meeting Terrace/Thornhill Amalgamation? The public is invited to a meeting on Thurs- day, September 18 at the R.E.M. Lee Theatre on the proposal for municipal restructure in the Terrace area, A referencum affecting vot- ers in Terrace, Thornhill, Braun's Island and the airport lands will take place Saturday, October 18. START YOUR OWN BUSINESS AND BE YOUR OWN BOSS. Learn how with: YOUTH BUSINESS & ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING YOUTH CO-OPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT YOUTH MENTORSHIP Terrace Area Restructure Meeting 7:00 p.m., Thursday, September 18 R.E.M. Lee Theatre North Terrace > “VTorrace’ oS Soran) | : You BET! shows young people 18-24 what if saint sa : takes w bean entrepreneur Discover the ia i tools of business. Develop ideas. _ | / Build a business plan. fa oa - fetes td ainnytch Hi netstat ANNIVERSARY NEXT WORKSHOPS: _ KEITH AVE. MALL CITY CENTR SKEENA MALL 1962/1997 PRINCE RUPERT - SEPT. 20 @@ TERRACE KITIMAT TERRACE == : . A 635-5333 632-5000 635-4948 === : TERRACE - SEPT. 27 L Limited space available : in 1-800-556-5539 British COLUMBIA For more information contact: Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine 615-6100 or the City of Terrace 635-6311 - : YOUTH 8 tnformed: Free phono and 528.95 0 month oullula! pian based ona d¢ manth transterabla contract. New customers only, OAC. Home Free calls uniimted in fength - maximum 30 calls pat month - local calls only, Hone Free calls must be te primary at dC TEL lancline oumber. Free catle horns applicable only ta calle made on the Gf TEL Mobiity Network, Two in-Ore Plan: New 34-month contracts required on bath pmary phone and secondary $9.95 phone. Sacondary phone shares primary phone plan and appaars on primary phone bill, Rate of S5¢ per minute during non-free daytime parcds, Annual fadlo system anconn feo of §48, long disiancé charges and tax extra, Early cancellation tees apply on at! 3é-marth conttacta. Limited time after. + ere re - , er D rn ee! » 4 be eB oe e ’ . _ 4