Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Not to be confused with Kwantlen First Nation.

Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Motto	Through Tireless Effort, Knowledge, and Understanding
Established	1981
Type	Public
Chancellor	Arvinder Singh Bubber [1]
President	Dr. John McKendry (Pro tem) [2]
Provost	Dr. Anne Lavack [3]
Students	11,000 full-time, 6,000 part-time
Location	Richmond, Surrey, Cloverdale, Langley, British Columbia, Canada
Campus	Urban, Suburb
Colours	Firebrick      White
Athletics	PACWEST, CCAA
Nickname	KPU
Mascot	Eagles
Affiliations	AUCC, IAU, ACCC, ACU, CBIE, CUP
Website	kwantlen.ca

Kwantlen Polytechnic University (commonly abbreviated to Kwantlen, previously known as Kwantlen University College) is a public degree-granting undergraduate polytechnic university with four campuses located in the South Fraser region of British Columbia’s Lower Mainland. Kwantlen began operation as Kwantlen Polytechnic University on September 1, 2008.^[4]

History

Beginnings

Kwantlen College was formed in 1981, by a separation of the South Fraser campus from Douglas College. There were more than 200 suggestions in a contest to name the new South Fraser region college. The winning entry “Kwantlen” was submitted by Stan McKinnon. “Kwantlen” comes from the name of the Kwantlen First Nation in whose traditional territory the university is located. Chief Joe Gabriel of the Kwantlen First Nation gave permission for the college to use the Kwantlen name.^[5][6]

Following a provincial government initiative designed to increase access to degree programs in British Columbia, begun in 1988, five community colleges were granted authority to offer baccalaureate degrees. These five institutions— Cariboo, Fraser Valley, Kwantlen, Malaspina, and Okanagan—were renamed university colleges. Initially, they offered degrees under the aegis of one or more of the three provincial universities. In 1995 they were awarded the authority to offer degrees in their own right. ^[7] Also in 1995, the province of British Columbia enacted legislation changing the institution's name to Kwantlen University College. ^[8]

Expansion and growth

Transition to university

Kwantlen Polytechnic University - Richmond Campus

In 2005, Kwantlen University College began a campaign to convince elected officials at the municipal and provincial levels, and various key community leaders, to support its efforts to become a university. Removing "college" from its official name would require approval from the government of British Columbia. In its case for the university status, Kwantlen's administrators claimed the change to Kwantlen University would:

• Enhance Kwantlen's ability to help British Columbia become the best educated, most literate jurisdiction in North America; and
• Bring multiple benefits to the fastest growing region in BC and help BC achieve long-term growth and prosperity.^[9]

In 2007, Murray Coell, Minister of Advanced Education and Minister responsible for Research and Technology was joined by special advisor Geoff Plant, to release the Campus 2020 report that recommends Kwantlen University College become Kwantlen University.^[10]

On April 22, 2008, British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell announced that Kwantlen University would become Kwantlen Polytechnic University.^[11] On April 22, 2008, the Provincial Government announced its intention to amend the University Act at the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia to make Kwantlen a polytechnic university, in recognition of its "versatility in providing academic, trades and horticultural training."^[12] The legislation renaming the University College to University received Royal Assent on May 29 2008.^[13]

AUCC membership

On October 24, 2008, Kwantlen became a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC).^[14]

Although the AUCC is not an official government accreditation body, its standardized membership benchmarks and requirements for members serves to ease a student's ability to transfer from undergraduate to graduate programs across Canada and the world.

Campus

Campus locations

The campuses of Kwantlen are located at:

• Surrey Campus: 12666 72 Avenue, Surrey, BC^[15]
• Richmond Campus: 8771 Lansdowne Road, Richmond, BC
• Cloverdale Campus: 5500 180 Street, Surrey, BC
• Langley Campus: 20901 Langley Bypass, Langley, BC

Academics

Kwantlen is composed of faculties in the Humanities and Social Sciences as well as a Division of Science and Mathematics. It has a School of Business, a Faculty of Design, a Faculty of Health Studies, a School of Horticulture, a Faculty of Trades and Technology, and a College of Qualifying Studies. Most of these divisions offer both bachelors degrees and certificates. By September 2011 Kwantlen will offer bachelors degrees in key areas of arts and sciences such as: anthropology, Asian Studies, creative writing, English, history, journalism, music, philosophy, policy studies, psychology, sociology, and visual arts. A bachelors degree in biology is in the works. Applied degrees are offered in fields such as business, criminology, design, horticulture, journalism, nursing, and information technology. ^[16]

Libraries

Kwantlen has a library on each of its four campuses. The main library is on the Surrey campus. Smaller collections are available in Richmond, Langley, and Cloverdale. Books are freely delivered between campuses. The collections of the Kwantlen libraries total about 190,000 print monographs, nearly 1000 print journal subscriptions, and access to over 100 different on-line databases.^[17]

Student enrolment

For the 2006 academic year, Kwantlen had an enrolment of more than 18,000 students.^[18] Kwantlen's region (Richmond, Delta, Surrey, White Rock and Langley) has a population of over 775,000,^[19] and to serve it the BC provincial government funds 8,500 full-time equivalent student spaces (FTEs). A 1999 Ministry of Advanced Education study found the rate of participation in post secondary education in Kwantlen’s region (22%) to be lower than the provincial average.^[20]

Faculty and employees

Faculty and staff employees number over 1,400.^[21] While some faculty are also involved in research, their primary role is undergraduate education. In 2011, for the fifth time in a row, Kwantlen Polytechnic University was named one of Canada's Top 100 Employers, as published in Maclean's magazine.^[22]

Cooperative education

Several diploma or degree programs in Kwantlen offer cooperative education.^[23] Such programs include dedicated work-placement semesters that match their field of study, in addition to regular studies.

Program transferability

Kwantlen offers many transferable courses to other educational institutions, which often lead to direct transfers into second-year or third-year studies at other post secondary institutions. To aid in this, Kwantlen is a part of the BC Transfer Guide Website, an online resource for planning and understanding transfer in the BC post-secondary education system.

New program development

Additional major and minor programs are under development in anthropology, business, fine arts and geography.^[24]

Other programs

CELTA at Kwantlen

Kwantlen offers CELTA the Cambridge Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults - one of the most widely recognized certification in the world.^[25]

Student life

In 2005, Kwantlen launched an interactive component of the official Kwantlen website called The Digital Cafe, which features a number of promotional videos, music and blogs by Kwantlen students and photographs that highlight Kwantlen programs as well as student life on campus.^[26]

Kwantlen Student Association

The Kwantlen Student Association (KSA) is an elected student body that contributes to community life, and allocates student funds to social, cultural and entertainment programs for students. Through the KSA students and other members of the Kwantlen community are also eligible for special discounts including bus and train passes, discount movie tickets and other seasonal offers.^[27]

History

The Kwantlen Student Association was founded as the Kwantlen College Student Society under the Society Act of British Columbia in August 1981 after the opening of Kwantlen College after it split from Douglas College. The Association's first Annual General Meeting was held on February 26, 1982.^[28] At this meeting, the Society changed its name to the Kwantlen College Student Association, and amended its constitution to provide services to its membership, and to "preserve, protect and enhance the concept of a multi-campus" institution.^[29]

Affiliation with the CFS

Since the early 1980s the KSA has also been affiliated with the Canadian Federation of Students as one of its founding members. For a brief period of time in the late 1990s, the KSA was the only Student Association in Canada to have held membership within both the Canadian Federation of Students and the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations at the same time.^{[citation needed]}

2008 membership referendum

In March 2008, the Kwantlen Student Association (KSA) organized a referendum to disaffiliate from the CFS. In 2007, Global Television in British Columbia ran stories alleging corruption within the Douglas Students' Union, local 18 of the CFS. The report focused on a $500,000 payment to the students' union's health insurance provider by the Canadian Federation of Students - British Columbia. It appeared to link the actions of the CFS-BC with CFS' national office and staff.^[30] This negative media coverage of the CFS was one of the reasons listed by the KSA for calling the disaffiliation referendum. The KSA also criticized the financial transparency of CFS-BC and argued that the CFS was ineffective at lobbying for students.^[31]. During the referendum campaign, the KSA also released a leaked document reportedly authored by "CFS-BC" which named several CFS staff members as active members in the anti-defederation campaign. The KSA alleged that this was the "smoking gun" proving that the "Federation seeks to place CFS supporters in key staff positions in all of its member students’ unions" ^[32]

The Canadian Federation of Students petitioned the BC Supreme Court to postpone the Kwantlen referendum. According to CFS national chairperson Amanda Aziz, the lawsuit was launched when Kwantlen Students Association hired the independent elections administrator Schiffner Consultants to run the referendum after a period of deadlock on the Referendum Oversight Committee.^[33] The KSA chairperson, Laura Anderson, claimed that the Federation was "afraid of facing the students" and was attempting to stall the referendum.^[34]. Three weeks after the disaffiliation votes at SFSS and UVGSS, Kwantlen students voted to remain members of the CFS.^[35]

Governance structure

Membership

The highest authority within the Kwantlen Student Association lies with the membership (who are the students of Kwantlen Polytechnic University). Membership is mandatory.

Members exercise their authority through special and general resolutions at general meetings as well as through elections and referendums. Ultimately, the membership delegates its authority over the day to day operations of the society to an elected Board of Directors (Council), which is bound to operate under a Constitution and a set of Bylaws.^[36]

Constitution

The Kwantlen Student Association's first constitution was adopted on August 10, 1981,^{[citation needed]} and the society at that time was known as the Kwantlen College Student Society or KCSS.

Minor amendments to the constitution were later made in 1982, and the society also changed its name to the Kwantlen College Student Association or KCSA.^{[citation needed]}

The Kwantlen Student Association's current constitution was adopted by the membership on April 25, 1995,^{[citation needed]} and the society also changed its name to its current name, the Kwantlen Student Association otherwise simply known as the KSA.

Council

Each year in February Kwantlen students may run for and elect a Council to a one year term of office that spans April 1 to March 31.^[37]

Council consists of the five executive members as well as elected officials from each Kwantlen campus. Council has also created a number of non-voting seats.^[38]

Council is responsible for, and exercises full control over the affairs of the Society while the executive members assist with the management of the day to day operations of the society. Council holds regularly scheduled meetings at least twice each month, excluding the months of July, August and December.^[39]

The membership also allows Council to create Regulations, which are described as being "...those operational rules and regulations" that help govern the day to day operations of the society. Finally, the membership allows Council to create Policies, which represent positions, views or opinions that the society may take from time to time on various issues Council feels are relevant to the membership.^[40]

Standing Committees

Standing Committees of Council assist the executive members in shaping the general direction of the Society, as well as advising Council on a variety of issues relevant to students.

Member services

The KSA operates a cafe, a fitness centre and a social justice centre on campus. It employs an ombudsperson, distributes day planners, and provides advocacy services as well as funding for campus clubs, events, conferences, and political special interest groups. Through the KSA, students and other members of the Kwantlen community are also eligible for special discounts including bus and train passes, discount movie tickets, and other seasonal offers. Finally, full time students who do not have comparable coverage elsewhere, are automatically eligible to receive benefits from a health and dental plan.

KSA fees

All Kwantlen students as members are charged fees collected by the polytechnic university on behalf of the KSA as per the Section 27.1 requirements under the University Act.^[41]

Locations

The organization's main office is located at the Surrey Campus of Kwantlen Polytechnic University. The society also has offices and provides services at Kwantlen's three satellite campuses in Cloverdale, Langley and Richmond. The KSA does not own a student union building.

The Runner

The Runner is the institution's independent student newspaper. It is a member of the Canadian University Press.^[42]. Since early 2009^[43], The Runner has added to Kwantlen student life by providing the community with "a freely distributed, year-round, multi-campus, student-owned, student-run news and campus culture publication".^[44]

It receives some of its funds from the Kwantlen Student Association under a levy; however, it is run as separate, autonomous incorporated B.C. non-profit society, Polytechnic Ink Publishing Society (PIPS), with its own Kwantlen student board of directors.

See also

• List of universities in British Columbia
• Higher education in British Columbia
• Education in Canada
• Canadian Interuniversity Sport
• Canadian government scientific research organizations
• Canadian university scientific research organizations
• Canadian industrial research and development organizations

References

1. ^ New Chancellor for Kwantlen Polytechnic University
2. ^ [1]
3. ^ [2]
4. ^ An Overview of B.C.'s Public Post-secondary Institutions
5. ^ About Kwantlen
6. ^ 1981 Chronology
7. ^ University College
8. ^ BC Ministry of Advanced Education
9. ^ University Expansion Proposal
10. ^ "Campus 2020: thinking ahead: the report". Geoffery P. Plant. http://www.campus2020.ca/media/Campus2020-ThinkingAhead-TheReport.pdf. Retrieved 2007-08-19. 
11. ^ "PROVINCE TO ESTABLISH KWANTLEN POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY". Government of BC. http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2005-2009/2008OTP0098-000585.htm. Retrieved 2008-04-23. 
12. ^ Colley, Ted (April 22, 2008). "Kwantlen granted full university status". Surrey Now. Canwest Publishing. Retrieved on: September 6, 2008
13. ^ Queen's Printer, Victoria. Votes and Proceedings of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia 4th Session, 38th Parliament, May 29, 2008. Retrieved on: September 6, 2008
14. ^ Pires, D. (October 26, 2008). Kwantlen accepted by national universities association. Kwantlen Chronicle. Retrieved on: October 25, 2008
15. ^ Campus Locations & Information
16. ^ "Degrees Offered". Kwantlen Polytechnic University. http://www.kwantlen.bc.ca/degrees.html. Retrieved 2011-03-21. 
17. ^ "About Kwantlen Library". Kwantlen Polytechnic University. http://www.kwantlen.bc.ca/library/services/aboutkwantlenlibrary.html. Retrieved 2011-03-22. 
18. ^ "January 2007 REGISTRANT COUNTS BY ACADEMIC YEAR". Kwantlen Office of Institutional Analysis & Planning. http://plaza.kwantlen.ca/sites/instanalplan.nsf/files/01.%20ACYEAR%202004%20-%202006%20REGISTRANT%20COUNTS.pdf/$FILE/01.%20ACYEAR%202004%20-%202006%20REGISTRANT%20COUNTS.pdf. Retrieved 2007-08-19. 
19. ^ "2006 Community Profiles". Statistics Canada. http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/profiles/community/Index.cfm?Lang=E. Retrieved 2007-08-20. 
20. ^ Kwantlen University College (April, 2004). Service Plan 2006/07 - 2007/08. Retrieved on: September 6, 2008.
21. ^ About Kwantlen: Facts
22. ^ "Reasons for Selection, 2007 Canada's Top 100 Employers". http://www.eluta.ca/einfo?en=Kwantlen+University+College&ri=900bed943a4046936040e294626b21e7&rk=1480ce72be3c16d0a4729e53f358666a. 
23. ^ Co-operative Education at Kwantlen
24. ^ Kwantlen Governance: Degree Programs Under Development Status Report
25. ^ CELTA
26. ^ Kwantlen Polytechnic: Digital Cafe
27. ^ "KSA Mission Statement". Kwantlen University College Student Association. Archived from the original on 2007-07-01. http://web.archive.org/web/20070701120621/http://www.kusa.ca/regulations#a1-5. Retrieved 2007-08-15. 
28. ^ "Kwantlen College Student Society 1st Annual General Meeting Agenda" (PDF). August 29, 2009. http://kusa.ca/files/pdf/2151.pdf 
29. ^ "Kwantlen College Student Society 1st Annual General Meeting Minutes" (PDF). August 29, 2009. http://kusa.ca/files/pdf/2152.pdf 
30. ^ "CFS Corruption 3" (video). dailymotion.org. http://www.dailymotion.com/student3. Retrieved 2007-10-06 
31. ^ kwantlen student association | www.cfstruth.ca
32. ^ "Canadian Federation of Students Secret War Plans Revealed" (PDF). February 4, 2008. http://www.cfstruth.ca/documents/2008_02_04_ksa_media_release.pdf. 
33. ^ "David Karp "CFS goes to BC Supreme Court to delay Kwantlen referendum"". The Gateway. March 19, 2008. http://www.thegatewayonline.ca/cfs-goes-to-bc-supreme-court-to-delay-kwantlen-referendum-20080319-2372.html. Retrieved 2008-08-17. 
34. ^ Laura Anderson, "MEDIA RELEASE // Canadian Federation of Students files BC Supreme Court Petition to halt Student Referendum" Kwantlen Student Association's 'Defederation' Campaign, <http://www.cfstruth.ca/>
35. ^ Erin Millar (2008-04-11). "Kwantlen votes to stay in the CFS". Macleans OnCampus. http://oncampus.macleans.ca/education/2008/04/11/kwantlen-votes-to-stay-in-the-cfs/. Retrieved 2008-08-17. 
36. ^ "Society Act, Part 2 — Changes in Constitution and Bylaws". Queen's Printer, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. http://www.qp.gov.bc.ca/statreg/stat/S/96433_01.htm#part2. Retrieved 2007-08-19. 
37. ^ "Article 8: Elections, KSA Bylaws". Kwantlen University College Student Association. http://kusa.ca/index.php?pid=147#a8. Retrieved 2007-08-15. 
38. ^ "Article 5: Council, KSA Bylaws". Kwantlen University College Student Association. http://kusa.ca/index.php?pid=147#a8. Retrieved 2007-08-19. 
39. ^ "Article 12: Meetings Of Council, KSA Bylaws". Kwantlen University College Student Association. http://kusa.ca/index.php?pid=147#a12. Retrieved 2007-08-15. 
40. ^ "Article 1: Interpretation, KSA Bylaws". Kwantlen University College Student Association. http://kusa.ca/index.php?pid=147#a1. Retrieved 2007-08-19. 
41. ^ "Section 27.1, University Act BC". BC Bylaws. http://www.bclaws.ca/Recon/document/freeside/--%20U%20--/University%20Act%20%20RSBC%201996%20%20c.%20468/00_96468_01.xml#section27.1. Retrieved 2009-08-22. ^{[dead link]}
42. ^ http://cup.ca/members
43. ^ http://www.kwantlenchronicle.ca/2008/10/student-newspaper-scheduled-to-hit-newsstands-in-january/
44. ^ http://kusa.ca/files/File/results_of_election_and_referenda.pdf

External links

• Kwantlen Polytechnic University Official Website
• Kwantlen Faculty Association Website
• Kwantlen Student Association Website
• The Runner Website