Campus Alberta West a Post‐Secondary Education Plan for Hinton Enhancing Opportunities for Educational Partnering
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Campus Alberta West A Post‐Secondary Education Plan for Hinton Enhancing Opportunities for Educational Partnering Yates, Thorn & Associates Inc. for the Town of Hinton ABSTRACT The development of a post‐secondary education institution to serve Hinton and the West Yellowhead Region is critical to the future economic growth of the region and to the well‐being of its citizens. This report outlines a strategic approach to the achievement of that objective, and documents how the current provincial post‐ secondary education restructuring plans make this the ‘right’ time for action. 2 Yates, Thorn & Associates Inc Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 INTRODUCTION 6 PROCESS 6 BACKGROUND 7 FINDINGS FROM THE CONTEXT REVIEW 7 FINDINGS FROM THE DEMOGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT 11 COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT OF ITS STRENGTHS AND OPPORTUNITIES 12 CHALLENGES 13 EXAMPLES OF SMALL REGIONAL COLLEGES 15 VISION 17 PROGRAM FOCUS 17 SUPPORT SERVICES 18 KEY QUESTIONS 20 WHAT IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE ORGANIZATIONAL ARRANGEMENT? 20 WHAT IS THE SUPPLY AND DEMAND FOR PROGRAMS AND COURSES? 21 WHERE IN HINTON SHOULD THE NEW FACILITY BE LOCATED? 29 WHAT SUPPORT CAN THE TOWN OF HINTON PROVIDE? 32 WHAT ARE THE CAPITAL COST PARAMETERS? 33 WHAT ARE THE OPERATING COST PARAMETERS? 34 THE VISION RESTATED 35 IMPLEMENTATION 37 SHORT TERM – THE NEXT SIX MONTHS 37 LONGER TERM 37 Hinton Post Secondary Plan – May 2009 3 Excerpt from a speech delivered by the Minister of Advanced Education and Technology at the civic dinner to recognize the 10th anniversary of Campus Alberta West Wow, what progress we in Alberta have made, and how proud I am to be in Hinton today. Why? Because the partnership that was forged in 2009 between the Municipality of Hinton and the Alberta government to radically expand post-secondary education opportunities for West Yellowhead has paid off big time. We have doubled post-secondary engagement for our high school graduates (as well as massively increasing high school graduation rates). Where once we were near the bottom of the provincial league table for these statistics, we are climbing up and by 2030 our goal is to be #1 in Canada. And we have done it through a partnership between your and my governments. Just look around you at this beautiful campus with its several buildings. We provided the capital funding, but the Municipality of Hinton provides those vital student support services which attract students and meet their needs such as for recreation, and childcare and family support services. I would also like to salute our industry partners: just think, every student here does on the job training of some sort in this and other West Yellowhead communities. I would also like to recognize my colleague from Sustainable Resource Development: the renovations to what used to be known as Hinton Training Centre have not only expanded their forestry training programs, but also made possible our shared accommodation services, our science faculty spaces and our research partnerships in forestry and environmental sciences. A superb achievement that has been the product of excellent foresight and dogged pursuit of that vision. 4 Yates, Thorn & Associates Inc Executive Summary The Town of Hinton is committed to strengthening the delivery of post-secondary education in Hinton and across the West Yellowhead region. Post-secondary education is currently delivered by the Yellowhead Region Education Consortium (YREC) which is an independent agency under the administrative control of Grant MacEwan College; it delivers a range of programs from multiple colleges from a leased building that it has occupied for the last 25 years. The Town of Hinton believe that post-secondary education is Alberta’s post-secondary critical to many aspects of the town’s growth, in particular facilities must be accessible to economic diversification and community enhancement, but Albertans throughout the also to the personal development of its citizens. In its province, providing enough endeavours to enhance post-secondary education it is acting student spaces for high on behalf of and has the full support of a broad group of demand programs as well as stakeholders. an adequate amount of student spaces for a diverse range of Hinton’s vision for a stronger post-secondary education programs across the province. presence and institution is built on strong foundations: its The fact that Alberta’s central position within the West Yellowhead region, its vibrant educational attainment rates economy, its long history of research and training as the are lower than the Canadian home of the Hinton Training Centre and the Foothills average continues to be a Research Institute, and its commitment to innovation challenge. Alberta’s post- especially related to environmental sustainability. secondary facilities must be designed and built to ensure In building the stronger presence, Hinton will need to that they meet the needs of overcome a number of challenges, but these are indeed the learners. very reason why a stronger presence is essential: its Alberta’s 20-Year Strategic geography and location at the gateway to the Rockies Capital Plan, page 49 disenfranchises its young people from the opportunities offered in Edmonton and Calgary, or at the very least imposes a severe financial burden not carried by residents in those centres; the resulting low post-secondary education participation rates are exacerbated by the strength of its economy; and the lack of a building which clearly says ’post-secondary education is important’ is a further discouragement to participation. Council’s interest in creating in Hinton, for the West Yellowhead region, Campus Alberta West, is also built on the provincial government’s current Campus Alberta initiative. This seeks to reposition education, especially post-secondary education, into the context of lifelong learning for everyone. This initiative seeks to improve the post-secondary education engagement and attainment of Albertans, which is on many scales the lowest of any Canadian province. It should also be noted that the lowest levels are found in the rural and northern areas of the province, including the West Yellowhead region. This report delivers a vision for post-secondary education in the West Yellowhead region. It looks at organizational issues, the courses and program bands on which Campus Alberta West should focus, and the possible locations for the new campus. It also discusses the business aspects: the capital and operating cost parameters, and the roles that the Town could play in developing and supporting the campus. It stresses that success, both in building the campus and supporting greater engagement by residents, will only occur if a partnership approach is adopted between the Town and its community and recreation services, and the province and its appointed steward for the region, NorQuest College. Hinton Post Secondary Plan – May 2009 5 The report concludes with a concise vision statement and a short and longer term implementation plan. Our vision is to create Campus Alberta West with a vibrant campus that delivers a range of programs critical to the future of Hinton and the West Yellowhead region: trades and technology, health professions, business, and eventually tourism and outdoor recreation, as well as university transfer programs and academic upgrading. The campus will be a partnership between AAET and the Town of Hinton, and will be under the stewardship of NorQuest College. It will be located in Hinton’s Learning to Leisure Corridor, and shared services will include recreation, childcare and family support, parking and transit. Local industry and employers will be partners in new approaches that blend work and learning. The new campus will include a new facility to replace the current YREC building, and will eventually share facilities and services with a renovated, expanded and enhanced Hinton Training Centre. The implementation plan identifies the following key steps that should be taken over the next year. The goal over the next six months should be to get provincial support for the plan. The following should be the steps in moving toward this goal: • Adoption of the Plan. • Building support within the West Yellowhead region. • Communicating with provincial agencies at both the political and bureaucratic levels. • Formation of stakeholders into an organizational framework. Once confirmation of support is obtained, the following steps will need to be undertaken: • Develop educational program in detail. • Develop relationship plan with Hinton Training Centre and Foothills Research Institute. • Move physical facility planning forward. 6 Yates, Thorn & Associates Inc Introduction The Town of Hinton, following broad consultative planning, both with local and regional stakeholders, has identified increasing post secondary education opportunities as a critical part of its growth plans, both economic growth, and personal and social growth of its residents. It has identified 2008/9 as an opportune time to move these ideas forward, given that the provincial government is currently redesigning its post secondary education system. The province has indicated that moving toward a structure that better supports lifelong learning for all Albertans is one of its fundamental goals. It has also indicated that community input is vital within this restructuring process and this Hinton-driven process will provide that community input to Alberta Advanced Education and Technology (AAET) and its partner delivery agents which are the community colleges whose programs