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Volume 5, Issue 1, 2000
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New Members to ACCC Board of Directors ACCC welcomes the following new members to the Board of
Directors: Diane Godbout, Ontario
Community Representative, Loyalist College ACCC Welcomes New Member and Associates ACCC welcomes Dawson College, which has re-joined the Association, as well as three new Associates: the Association of Canadian Universities for Northern Studies, the Garfield Weston Merit Scholarship for Colleges and Royal Roads University. With 27 member colleges in Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Ontario, the Garfield Weston Merit Scholarship for Colleges is a unique organization which recognizes talented students entering community colleges with awards of tuition, plus up to $4,000 per year of study. For more information and a list of last year’s award winners, visit www.gwmsc.org. Public Policy Update The Association submitted a Brief to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance as part of the Committee’s 2001 budget consultations. The Brief addressed four areas of crucial importance to colleges and institutes: funding for post-secondary education under the Canada Health and Social Transfer Program; infrastructure; student debt and financial assistance; and, the creation of a funding program to enhance applied research and product development capacity. With post-secondary education and transfer payments on the agenda of the 41st Annual Premiers’ Conference, held in August, 2000, ACCC wrote to all provincial and territorial premiers encouraging them to place a significant priority on the restoration of post-secondary education funding under the Canada Health and Social Transfer Program. ACCC also recommended that the issue of student financial assistance be addressed by this conference.In June 2000, ACCC appeared before the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities to address changes to the Canada Student Loan Program and the issue of student debt. ACCC reported on the preliminary findings of the Student Debt Task Group and expressed concern over the continuing rise in student debt and the resulting increase in student loan defaults - a situation that threatens to undermine the credibility and effectiveness of the present program. As such, ACCC urged the government to re-evaluate the student loans program. ACCC Calls for a National Skills AgendaAs part of its national advocacy efforts during the recent federal election campaign, ACCC recently called for a National Skills Agenda and urged the federal government to take the lead in bringing all stakeholders together to determine the future of post-secondary education as a Canadian priority. A document supporting the Call was sent to all major media outlets and political parties, explaining the consequences of cuts to the Canada Health and Social Transfer Program, skills shortages in the traditional and new economies, the competitiveness challenges facing Canada and the role of Canadian colleges and institutes. ACCC continues to meet with Ministers and Deputy Ministers at the federal level to promote the role of colleges and institutes in a National Skills Agenda. Visit www.accc.ca/english/advocacy/election_2000.cfm for the complete document. For more information regarding ACCC’s advocacy efforts, contact Terry Anne Boyles, Vice-President, Member Services and Public Policy at tel.: (613) 746-2222, ext. 2853 or e-mail: taboyles@accc.ca. Careers and Transferability & Mobility Task Groups Complete Mandates The Careers Task Group and the Transferability and Mobility Task Group presented their final reports during the ACCC Annual Conference held in Whitehorse in May, 2000. After reviewing studies prepared by Human Resources Development Canada, the Conference Board of Canada, Industry Canada and the Canadian Labour Force Development Board, the Careers Task Group surveyed ACCC member institutions on how they launch and end programs. The "best practice" program development model that emerged from the survey results was presented at the 1st World Congress of Colleges and Polytechnics in May, 1999. The Task Group also held a national forum in March, 2000. Entitled "Making Sense of Program Development," the forum attracted college program developers, administrators, government policy-makers and community representatives. Those interested in the issues surrounding program development may subscribe to the Careers list serve by visiting www.accc.ca/networking.Transferability and mobility were unanimously selected by ACCC member institutions as critical issues in 1997. During its mandate, the Transferability and Mobility Task Group discussed issues related to the portability of learning and focused on the development of The Pan Canadian Protocol for the Transferability of Learning. Launched during the 1st World Congress of Colleges and Polytechnics in 1999, the Protocol has been endorsed by 105 colleges and institutes as well as various educational organizations. Signatories to the Protocol agree to "maximize the recognition and transfer of learning acquired through formal education, workplace training and work and life experience." With 40,000 students per year transferring their learning from one province to another, colleges and institutes continue to enter into various partnership agreements for employee training, program-sharing and the transferability of learning. These agreements and the Protocol demonstrate the continuing commitment of ACCC member institutions to alleviating the barriers to student and worker mobility and increasing accessibility to post-secondary education.New Advocacy IssueThe Role of Colleges and Institutes and the Employment Community in Ensuring Canadian Productivity and Competitiveness was selected by the ACCC membership as a new two-year advocacy priority in May, 2000. Co-chaired by Stephen Quinlan, President, Seneca College and Donna Allan, President, Lethbridge Community College, the Task Group held its first meeting in Ottawa from November 6-7. The members of the task group are: Rachel Bard, Assistant Deputy Minister, New Brunswick Department of Training and Employment Development; Serge Brasset, Director General, Cégep St. Jean-sur-Richelieu; Dale Dorn, President, Vancouver Community College; Ray Ivany, President, Nova Scotia Community College; Art Knight, President, Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology; and, Brent Mills, President, Assiniboine Community College.Dialogue on New Options for Higher Education in Latin America Held in Boston from September 4-8, 2000, the policy dialogue on New Options for Higher Education in Latin America – Lessons from the Community College Experience was hosted by the Inter-American Development Bank and the Harvard Graduate School of Education in cooperation with ACCC and the American Association of Community Colleges. The Canadian International Development Agency provided financial support for the event. ACCC‘s key role in the dialogue included a presentation by ACCC President Gerald Brown and Gail Mellow, President of La Guardia Community College entitled, "What are Community Colleges?"The Inter-American Development Bank is encouraging Latin American countries to improve their workforce skills development by funding colleges rather than universities. The policy-level dialogue was therefore designed to: create an awareness of options, review evidence gathered from various studies, highlight successful strategies, encourage networking among stakeholders, create a "demand-driven" approach and build momentum. Over 100 leaders from government, business and higher education in all Latin American countries participated and learned how the Canadian and American community college models can be adapted to the Latin American context. 5th CPN Presidents’ Academy Aponsored by the College Presidents’ Network (CPN), the
fifth Presidents’ Academy was held at Mont-Tremblant, Québec, July 15-20, 2000. A
bi-annual event, the Presidents’ Academy consists of a six-day professional
development experience exclusively targeting college and institute Presidents, Chief
Executive Officers and Directors General. This year’s Academy was structured to
maximize the opportunities for practising Presidents to interact with their peers, capture
the wisdom of those experienced in the role and assist those new to the role. The program
was built on the results of a professional development survey conducted in the fall of
1999, through which the majority of Presidents indicated an interest in the topic of
institutional renewal.Chaired by Dr. Brian Desbiens, President of Sir Sandford Fleming
College, this year’s Academy attracted 33 participants with the theme of Change
Leadership in the New Economy. Presentations included: colleges in the new economy,
organizational renewal, sustaining renewal through financial planning, sustaining renewal
through communication strategies and best practices as well as the personal challenges of
leadership.The Canada Foundation for Innovation
Funds College ResearchOn July 26, 2000, Dr. David Strangway, President and Chief
Executive Officer of the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) announced an additional
investment of $8.5 million for 21 projects in 15 institutions under the College Research
Development Fund. Established in May, 1998, the Fund was designed to assist Canadian
colleges and institutes to develop and strengthen their research infrastructure. ACCC member institutions receiving funding in this year’s
competition are: Cégep de l’Abitibi-Temiscamingue, Fanshawe College, Institut de
technologie agro-alimentaire de La Pocatière, Collège de Maisonneuve, Niagara College,
College of the North Atlantic, Olds College, Sheridan Colllege, Sir Sandford Fleming
College, and Vanier College. A list of approved projects is available on the CFI
website at: www.innovation.ca. For more
information, contact Anne Brazeau-Monnet, Government Relations Officer at tel.: (613)
746-2222, ext. 3104 or email: abrazeau-monnet@accc.ca.Colleges included in NSERC Funding
Program As a result of aggressive lobbying by ACCC to enable its
members’ participation in federally-funded research programs, the Natural Sciences
and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) announced in December, 1999 that it had revised
its policy and mission statement to include college and institute participation in project
research programs. Under the revised policy, researchers from those colleges and
institutes that have been declared eligible by NSERC can participate in project research
programs, as co-applicants with university professors.In order to inform ACCC members about the changes to NSERC
project research funding, ACCC and NSERC co-hosted two national seminars in Ottawa on
February 11, 2000 followed by regional information sessions held throughout the year
across Canada. These sessions provided college and institute representatives with a better
understanding of NSERC project research programs, outlined the modified eligibility
criteria and promoted college and institute partnerships with universities, governments
and the private sector. Visit ftp://www.accc.ca/nserc.ppt to download the session presentation, or contact Anne Brazeau-Monnet, Government Relations
Officer at tel.: (613) 746-2222, ext. 3104 or e-mail: abrazeau-monnet@accc.ca.Sector Council ActivityACCC will host a national seminar February 22-23, 2001 focusing
on how colleges and institutes can work more effectively with National Sector Councils to
meet the rapidly-changing training needs of industry and educate the large number of
skilled employees which will be needed in the future. Executive Directors of approximately
20 Sector Councils, members of the ACCC Sectoral Affinity Groups and other
college/institute staff will be invited to participate in the event.The Secretariat has been working with a number of sector
councils on various initiatives, including: the development of an inventory of all police
education and training courses in Canada and an examination of the issues of
transferability, accreditation and new delivery and funding models with the Canadian
Police College; the exploration of the joint organization of a national consultation of
education and training resources in the fisheries sector with the Seafood and Fish
Harvester Sector Councils; and, the establishment of strong links between college and
institute faculty and two automotive sector councils with the Canadian Association of
Motor Power Educators.ACCC has established new list serves and affinity groups in
support of its relationship with various sector councils. More than 25 affinity group list
serves are now available to staff from member institutions at www.accc.ca/networking. For more information,
contact Paul Brennan, Manager, Constituency and External Relations at tel.: (613)
746-2222, ext. 3132, or email: pbrennan@accc.ca.ACCC Annual ConferencesThe ACCC Annual Conference, held May 29-31, 2000 in Whitehorse,
Yukon was a huge success. Over 700 delegates experienced northern hospitality at its best.
The theme, "Reaching Out - Reaching In: Building Success on our Traditions for the
New Millennium" was evident in the various workshops and keynote presentations by
Mary Jane Jim, Audrey McLaughlin, Lois Moorcroft and John Ralston Saul. ACCC congratulates
Yukon College, Nunavut Arctic College and Aurora College for their enthusiasm and
commitment in hosting the Conference.The 2001 Annual Conference will take place May 27-29 in Windsor,
Ontario, hosted by St. Clair College. Reflecting the theme of Accountability/Mobility -
Path to the Future, sessions will focus on the need for greater collective accountability
among colleges and institutes and the facilitation of student mobility. For more
information, visit www.accc.ca/conf2001, or
contact the Conferences and Awards Office at tel.: (613) 746-5916, fax: (613) 746-6174 or
email: gmulhall@accc.ca.Board Chairs and Vice-Chairs SymposiumThe Second Symposium for College and Institute Board Chairs and
Vice-Chairs was held in Québec City, October 13-15, 2000. The roles of Board Chairs and
Vice-Chairs are vital as institutions adjust to dramatically shifting funding, community
and economic landscapes. As such, the Symposium was timely and well-received. Chaired by Bill Kondro, Chair, Lakeland College Board of
Directors and member of the ACCC Board of Directors and Executive Committee, the symposium
attracted delegates from across the country. Participants explored a variety of topics
including the Chair as leader in setting strategic direction, approaches to policy
governance and the Board Chair/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) relationship. Leading the CEO
evaluation process; the community relations role of the Chair; influencing the
provincial/territorial agenda and the role of Board Chairs and ACCC in influencing the
national agenda were also addressed. For more information, please contact Terry Anne Boyles,
Vice-President, Member Services and Public Policy at tel.: (613) 746-2222, ext. 2853 or
email: taboyles@accc.ca.2nd Women in Leadership SymposiumAs women attain leadership positions throughout the college and
institute system, it is essential that they have access to relevant professional
development opportunities. As such, the 2nd Women in College Leadership Symposium was
hosted by Nova Scotia Community College in Halifax from October 19-21. The Symposium looked at defining leadership in order to
acknowledge and value those characteristics that women bring to leadership roles.
Sixty-five participants were assigned the task of examining the leader within; assessing
their own skills, knowledge and attitudes; identifying those skills and traits that need
to be developed; and, creating a plan of action. Feedback indicated that the Symposium was
an excellent opportunity for confidence building, experience sharing and networking.
Georgian College will host the 3rd Symposium, October 12-14, 2001 at the Kempenfelt
Conference Centre, Barrie, Ontario. For more information, contact Terry Anne Boyles,
Vice-President, Member Services and Public Policy at tel.: (613) 746-2222, ext. 2853 or
email: taboyles@accc.ca.Congratulations to 1999-2000 ACCC Awards
of Excellence RecipientsThe ACCC Awards Program recognizes and promotes excellence in
teaching, programming and leadership within Canadian colleges and institutes. Featuring a
national and international scope, the Awards showcase the extraordinary contribution of
individuals to their college and institute communities. The following recipients for
1999-2000 were honoured at the ACCC Annual Conference in Whitehorse:Leadership Excellence Conference of Commonwealth Ministers of Education The Conference of Commonwealth Ministers of Education was held November 27-30, 2000 in Halifax. The main working theme, Education in a Global Era: Challenges to Equity, Opportunities for Diversity, focused on the need for educational diversity to meet the expanding range of challenges confronting education in the new millennium. Sub-themes provided ministers with the opportunity for reflection and discussion on issues such as: accessibility; social and economic development; enhancing cultural integrity; and, strengthening quality and promoting mobility. A parallel symposium entitled "Commonwealth Knowledge Solutions" and a trade fair were held November 26-29, in conjunction with the Conference.ACCC worked closely with the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada on the organization of the Conference in Halifax. Jean-Denis Asselin, Chair of the Board of Directors and Jean-Robert Vaillancourt, Vice-President of Partnerships attended the Conference as official observers and President Gerry Brown was a member of the official Canadian delegation. ACCC coordinated a theme session on Education and Skills Development at the parallel symposium, with Gerry Brown serving as moderator. Along with the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics, the Association also hosted one of two receptions for the Commonwealth ministers and their delegations. As a participant in the trade fair, ACCC provided delegates with information on member institutions and Canadian college expertise in national and international education and training projects.
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