The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
When it comes to post-secondary education, Northern Manitoba has a familiar ritual. Each summer, scores of young people make the costly move to Winnipeg, Brandon or Saskatoon to carve out their futures by enrolling in university. It's been that way for decades, but now times are changing. Next month, the University College of the North will open its doors to students in search of educational opportunities in their own backyard. With main campuses in The Pas and Thompson and regional centres spread across the North, including Flin Flon, UCN, as its name indicates, will combine both college and university courses. "One of our main goals is to try to offer as many programs as possible here in our community," said Dan Reagan, director of the Flin Flon regional centre based in the former armoury building. "This makes post-secondary education possible for people who cannot leave home for various reasons ? they have a family or can't afford it." Perfecting the new university will be a gradual process. Initially, UCN may not appear overly different from Keewatin Community College, which it absorbed earlier this year. Flin Flon Superintendent of Schools Blaine Veitch, a member of the new institution's interim governing council, said the university portion of UCN will likely start out small. "We're going to begin with a general studies type [university] program, degrees in arts and sciences," he said. But over time, the plan is to have the university options grow by utilizing distance education methods as well as in-person instruction. The method by which a course is delivered will depend on the level of enrollment. "If there's enough interest here to offer a first year biology course, then the UCN will try to provide that here on site with a face-to-face instructor," said Veitch. The programs to be available during UCN's inaugural year will appeal to a broad range of students. Courses include business administration, computer applications, applied counselling, educational assistant training and level 1 carpentry. "There are more courses than people think," said Reagan. "You think of Keewatin Community College, people think it's a small operation. But when you take a look at the different programs we offer, it's actually ? I wouldn't say overly ambitious ? but it's certainly one that we're quite pleased is growing." The North's small, scattered population base will limit the types of courses UCN can offer. Students seeking a professional degree in fields such as law, for example, will most likely still have to move to the city. The type of population also necessitates that towns work together. The level 1 carpentry course planned for Flin Flon, for instance, is inviting students from a handful of smaller communities just to fill 15 spaces. "It's through that type of cooperative venture that we can offer that type of course," said Reagan. "If we were to offer that course just to Flin Flon students, we would never have enough students to fill it to make us able to do it." Throughout its growth, faculty members from Manitoba's big three universities in Winnipeg and Brandon will guide UCN staff as they develop an institution tailored to the North. That hasn't stopped some from criticizing the new university, saying it won't be of the same quality as its big city counterparts. "Like any new university, whether it's in Northern Manitoba or pick a place in the world, until you are able to produce graduates and people are able to see the quality of those people, I guess there will be questions about it," said Veitch. "I firmly believe that this university has all the strengths of the people of the North and will produce high-quality graduates." For more information on enrolling in the University College of the North, phone 687-1562.
