July 30, 1996
(Education)

Stephenville selected as provincial college headquarters location

The Minister of Education, Roger Grimes, announced today that Stephenville has been chosen as the headquarters site for the provincial college system.

The current college system consists of five regional colleges with headquarters located at St. John's, Clarenville, Grand Falls-Windsor, Stephenville, and Happy Valley-Goose Bay, each with the same mandate but different levels of programs and resources.

On April 29, 1996, the minister stated that the current five regional colleges would be merged to form a single provincial college governed by a single provincial board and administered by a single headquarter's executive office resulting in savings of $3.5 million to the province.

"The selection of Stephenville was made after a thorough review and consideration of all existing locations as possible headquarters sites," said Mr. Grimes. "This will enable the college to operate from a current location to service the 19 campus locations throughout the island and Labrador and signifies government's commitment to rural Newfoundland and the college's role in servicing rural communities."

In the provincial college particular campuses will take on a provincial coordinating role for specialized areas of programming. The special emphasis that has been placed on the development and delivery of technology programming will be maintained. The St. John's Campus of the college will take the lead role for coordinating the technology programs and assisting other campuses with their delivery.

The new college system will be technology driven with the main computer and technical support personnel located at Cabot College in St. John's. All data, financial information and student registration will be entered at the various campus sites throughout the province and be available to the college headquarters through the computer system.

"We are totally confident that the end result will be an efficient and provincially focussed public college system committed to providing quality training programs, effective student services, and community and continuing education services to assist individuals and communities to meet their educational and economic aspirations," said Mr. Grimes.

In addition to the naming of the headquarters location, a new college president and provincial board of directors has been appointed. "I am pleased that Dr. Ron Sparkes, currently the head of the Labrador College, has accepted our offer to serve as president of the new college. Dr. Sparkes has a solid background in organizational change, administration, public policy and educational services," said Mr. Grimes.

"The new provincial board of directors is an exceptional mix of experienced board members with representation from throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. I am confident that this group, under the chairmanship of Mr. Vince Withers, will provide the leadership necessary to establish the new provincial college organization. The remaining board members are: Shirley Frost, Terry Goodyear, Corwin Mills, Bernice Hollett, Robert Hall, Bruce Patey, Donna Rideout, Donna McCullough, Arthur Crocker, and Janet Kelly. A student and a faculty representative will be appointed shortly to bring the board to its full complement.

"I expect Mr. Withers to call a meeting of the board at the earliest opportunity to begin the mandate of the new board. The first steps for the board through the president will be the selection of the senior administration and support staff for the headquarters operation.

"These announcements today mark the beginning of the implementation of the new provincial college. The months ahead will see a further unfolding of the restructuring. I am deeply grateful to all board members for their commitment and offer them my full support," concluded the minister.

Contact: Carl Cooper, (709) 729-0048 or 5040.

BACKGROUNDER
RESTRUCTURING COLLEGE SYSTEM

• On April 29, 1996, the Minister of Education announced that the current five regional colleges - Cabot, Eastern, Central Newfoundland, Westviking, and Labrador - would be merged to form a single provincial college governed by a single provincial board and administered by a single headquarter's executive office.

  The current five colleges have headquarters locations in St. John's, Clarenville, Grand Falls-Windsor, Stephenville and Happy Valley- Goose Bay.

  These colleges currently have responsibility for a number of campus locations. These campus locations are the centres for the delivery of programs, student services, and community and continuing education efforts throughout the province. The headquarters provides policy, planning and support services to the college and its campus locations. The Board of Governors is appointed by government - reports to the minister - and provides direction to the college executive. There are currently five boards of governors in place - one for each college.

  The merger of the colleges to create one board, one college executive, and one headquarters location, will provide the college with single provincial direction from the single board, single provincial policy, planning and support to the campuses for the delivery of the educational services, and a central site from which the college executive - president and senior directors - will operate.

  This measure will result in considerable cost savings to the province in operating the public colleges. The result will be an efficient and provincially-focused public college system committed to providing quality training programs, effective student services, and community and continuing education services throughout the province to assist individuals and communities to meet their educational and economic aspirations.

  The headquarters executive office for the provincial college will be located at Stephenville. This will permit the college to operate from a current location to service the 19 campus locations throughout the island and in Labrador.

  The new provincial board for the college will be chaired by Vince Withers. Shirley Frost, Terry Goodyear, Corwin Mills, Bernice Hollett, Robert Hall, Bruce Patey, Donna Rideout, Donna McCullough, Arthur Crocker, and Janet Kelly will serve on the board. These people are experienced board members and will provide the leadership necessary to evolve a provincial college. A student and faculty representative will be appointed shortly to bring the board to its full complement.

  The president for the college will be Dr. Ron Sparkes. This individual has a solid background in organizational change, administration, public policy and educational services. The leadership of Dr. Sparkes, in conjunction with the board and the Department of Education, will ensure the evolution of the new college as a provincial and national leader in post-secondary education - sensitive to the needs of students, business and industry, and communities.

  These announcements today mark the beginning of the implementation of the new provincial college. The months ahead will see the further unfolding of the restructuring.