Thompson Rivers University

Infobox University
name = Thompson Rivers University


motto = "Quansem Ilep" (To strive ahead)
established = Cariboo College(1970-1988); University College of the Cariboo (1988-2005); Renamed Thompson Rivers University April 1, 2005 - present
type = Public
chancellor = Nancy Greene Raine
president = Dr. Kathleen Scherf
provost = Dr. Mark D. Evered
city = flagicon|Canada Kamloops
state = British Columbia
country = Canada
campus = Urban
students = On Campus = 9,500 [http://www.campusstarter.com/profile.cfm?artid=25589 ] Distance Education =14,000 [http://www.campusstarter.com/profile.cfm?artid=25589 ]
faculty = 730 [http://www.campusstarter.com/profile.cfm?artid=25589 ]
nickname = TRU WolfPack
free_label = Sport Teams
free = Thompson Rivers WolfPack
affiliations = CIS,AUCC,IAU,CVU, CWUAA
website = http://www.tru.ca/
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Thompson Rivers University has its main campus in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada and a second campus in Williams Lake. TRU was formally inaugurated on April 1, 2005 and is the result of the merger of The University College of the Cariboo and British Columbia Open University. As of 2008, total enrollment at TRU is 23,500 students, With a total of 9500 students on campus, and an additional 14,000 students participating in BCOU distance education .

While TRU is a university, it does not grant doctorates, though it does grant Masters degrees for a few programs and baccalaureates for many. TRU has many two-year diploma programs, and some of these ladder into a corresponding baccalaureate. TRU also has many trades programs.

Nancy Greene Raine is the Chancellor of Thompson Rivers University.

History

Five community colleges were granted authority to offer baccalaureate degrees following a 1988 government initiative designed to increase access to degree programs in British Columbia. These 5 institutions - Fraser Valley, Kwantlen, Malaspina, Cariboo, Okanagan were renamed university colleges. Initially, they offered degrees under the aegis of one or more of the 3 provincial universities. In 1995 they were awarded the authority to offer degrees in their own right. [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0010058]

In 1995, the province of British Columbia enacted legislation changing the institution's name to University College of the Cariboo and allowing it to begin granting academic degrees and college diplomas. [ [http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2005-2009/2008OTP0096-000572.htm BC Ministry of Advanced Education] ] The University College of the Cariboo was a university college in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. UCC first began offering programs under the name Cariboo College in 1970 with government funding and support. In 1998 they began offering their first undergraduate degrees.

British Columbia Open University (BCOU) was created in 1978 to offer students flexible access to post-secondary distance education. It was a division of the Open Learning Agency. British Columbia Open University has improved geographical accessibility since 1888 through multiple campuses spread throughout the province and by offering distance education. [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0008242] BCOU was a public institution and a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. BCOU was also partners with other educational institutions, professional bodies, industry, and business, and was a founding member of the Canadian Virtual University. When BCOU became a part of Thompson Rivers University, it was renamed to TRU Open Learning (TRU-OL). BCOU's staff moved to the Kamloops campus.

Athletics and student government

The university will be represented in Canadian Interuniversity Sport by the TRU WolfPack.

Students at the former University College of the Cariboo are represented by the Thompson Rivers University Student Union (TRUSU), formerly the Cariboo Student Society. BCOU students did not previously have a students' union and may not be members of TRUSU.

Aboriginal

Thompson Rivers University provides services to Aboriginal people in more remote communities. Thompson Rivers University partnered with Cariboo Child Care Society to provide affordable daycare. Thompson Rivers University’s Aboriginal Tourism Certificate Program provides training in Aboriginal tourism to meet specific needs within Aboriginal communities. [ http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/cms-filesystem-action?file=pdfs/conferences/2007/aboriginal-rt-spring-report.pdf.]

Buildings and Features

The Carrel Library is at Thompson Rivers University.

Campus Radio Station

TRU has its very own FM radio station, CFBX, which is ran by the Kamloops Campus Community Radio Society with funding from the TRUSU.

Beginning in the 1980s, the campus radio station only broadcast on a closed circuit network that was limited to a few terminals around the campus. It was maintained by students and some staff as part of a media course at the school. In 1997, the Cariboo Student Society held a referendum asking student if they would be willing to pay an extra fee to the society in order to fund a radio station and the referendum passed with an 88% vote supporting the extra funding. In February 1998, Brant Zwicker was hired as a full time station manager and spend the next few years acquiring the necessary equipment from the local community in order to broadcast on air. In February 2001, the CRTC granted the license for the station and on April 1, 2001 the station went live on 92.5 FM. The station has been active since then with a wide variety of programming for all music tastes and also includes spoken work and documentary programming.

ee also

*List of universities in British Columbia
*Higher education in British Columbia
*Education in Canada

External links

* [http://www.tru.ca/ Thompson Rivers University]
* [http://www.cariboo.bc.ca/about_UCC/sub_pages/history.html UCC History]

References