Showing posts with label Education - GPRC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Education - GPRC. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Very Cool Program Expansion at GPRC

GPRC Media Release:

Bachelor of Education Secondary now offered at GPRC

Meeting the demand for high school teachers in northern Alberta is the goal of a new pilot program this fall at GPRC. For the first time ever, the Bachelor of Education, Secondary, will be available in Grande Prairie through a collaboration of GPRC and the U of A, beginning with Year 3 in the fall of 2011. A series of information sessions are being planned to share specifics with prospective students.

The highly successful Teacher Education North (B Ed Elementary) collaboration has been paving the way for this announcement for more than ten years – over 150 elementary teachers now employed at schools throughout our region are alumni of the GPRC/U of A collaborative degree. Students have long been requesting the option of Secondary route degree completion at GPRC as well.

Area school districts have been working closely with government, GPRC and the U of A to facilitate this pilot project, and the great cooperation and effort of all the people involved is recognized as its major strength.

“We are fortunate to have wonderful partners who have made this pilot project possible,” says Susan Bansgrove, GPRC Vice-President Academics and Research. “It is a collaborative effort in every sense, and all partners are excited at the potential to increase access to needed education for learners in our northern and remote region.”

Peace Wapiti School District is excited about the recruitment opportunities that this pilot program represents, according to Superintendent Sheldon Rowe. “We expect that in the upcoming years, as a result of a considerable increase in retirements, we will be facing a significant and growing shortage of secondary teachers,” says Rowe. “This U of A program brokered by GPRC will help address this issue and also help insure that our new hires are very familiar with the advantages and disadvantages of teaching in rural northern Alberta. As a District we are always pleased to see additional locally available post secondary programs offered to our graduates.”

The pilot program will offer a general Bachelor of Education Secondary program, with majors in either English language arts or general science, and minors in English language arts, general science or math. Prospective students who have completed 60 credits of study may bring transcripts to GPRC for evaluation. It is hoped that a cohort of 20 students will soon be registered for the program, which begins in September, 2011.

“The opportunity for the University of Alberta to collaborate with GPRC in offering a pilot program in Secondary Education is ground breaking and extremely exciting,” says Fern Snart, Dean, Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta. “The Faculty of Education and GPRC have an excellent relationship based on a decade of delivering the Teacher Education North (TEN) Elementary Education program, and both institutions share a great pride in the many graduates who are adding strength to the teaching force in northern Alberta. We are confident that the Secondary graduates from this cohort will join the school systems with equal strength in two years, and we are delighted to have this opportunity.”

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For comment please contact:
Susan Bansgrove, VP Academics and Research
Grande Prairie Regional College
780-539-2867
sbansgrove@gprc.ab.ca

OR

Fern Snart, Dean
Faculty of Education
University of Alberta
780-492-3751
fern.snart@ualberta.ca

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Prestigious $2.3 million research award to GPRC

Grande Prairie Regional College is among the eleven colleges which will receive Federal funding from Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) to work with their communities and local businesses to get new innovations from campuses into the marketplace.  The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, today announced a total of nearly $15 Million to develop a number of diverse, environmentally-friendly technologies, and strengthen industry, community and academic relationships.  Grande Prairie Regional College has been awarded $2,300,000 for an environmental research initiative led by instructor and researcher Dr. Weixing Tan, which will be conducted through the Centre for Research and Innovation (CRI) at the College.  


This initiative, entitled Pollutants to Products (P2P), is among those selected for funding following a nation-wide peer-reviewed competition.  The College, and its industry partners and stakeholders, have dedicated the last decade and $1.5 million developing sustainable local solutions to environmental issues. One project studies carbon and pollutants capture by microalgae; another investigates enhancement of reforestation and carbon sequestration; and the other diverts wastewater from waterways to a poplar industrial fibre production. Each project contributes to a reduction of the region's wastes and harnesses natural processes to turn atmospheric pollutants to useful products.

"Grande Prairie Regional College is very proud to be among the colleges selected for this funding," says Susan Bansgrove, Vice-President Academic.  "Dr. Tan has long been recognized for his applied research in areas related to sustainable forestry practices and the environment.  These projects have been very important for our region, and have also provided enormous opportunities for our students in recent years."

"I am very pleased and honoured to receive this highly-prestigious award," says Tan.  "It is the great support and contributions from the College, local industries and communities that makes it a reality. This award provides additional excellent opportunities to involve students and faculty in applied research, which we have been doing for many years. The involvement of students really enhances their learning and provides significant motivation in terms of their study at GPRC."

A news conference will be hosted at GPRC Grande Prairie on November 9th 2010, to provide more in-depth information about the research project and its partners, as well as to celebrate the announcement of the grant.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Green Jobs for Earth Day!

What better way to cap off Earth Day 2010 by attending this FREE event discussing the potential of green jobs and the new green economy right here in Western Canada- I'll be there tonight, hope to see you there too!

RePower Alberta: Putting Power Back into the Hands of Albertans, the kick-off event for Albert’s first annual green jobs tour!

Albertans face a choice: Do we want to build a future with clean, efficient, sustainable electricity sources or do we want to continue using old, polluting systems that are becoming increasingly scarce and obsolete? Do we want to increase resiliency in our communities, diversify our economy, and create good green jobs that provide for our families and take care of our land? Voters are demanding economic stability and recognizing the environmental and economic cost of over dependence on the oil and gas industry. Your region has great potential for green jobs and renewable energy development in the new green economy. These economic gains can be made as we enter the new economic frontier of renewable energy, efficiency retrofits, green technology research and development and manufacturing.

When: Thursday, April 22 (Earth Day), 2010, 7:00pm
Where: Room D308, Grande Prairie Regional College
Cost: FREE

Speakers will include:

- Valerie V. Gilson, Executive Director of Peace Energy Cooperative
will be sharing the success story of the Peace Energy Cooperative and the great initiatives happening in Dawson Creek.

- Randyn Seibold, Entrepreneur, Renewable Recruits
will present on a report on the clean energy 'industry hot-spots' around Canada, and what some of the most sought-after professionals are.

- Yvonne Peterson, Industry & Continuing Ed Green Building Program, Fairview Campus
will give an introduction to the GPRC Fairview Campus and its Green Building Summer course cluster

- Sheryle Carlson, Associate Director of Sierra Club Prairie Chapter
will present on the RePower Alberta Campaign and give an overview of the renewable energy potential in the province, how our energy demands can be met by clean energy and create good green jobs, and some of the great initiatives taking place across Canada and the world.

Event Sponsored by:
- SPOC (Start Protecting Our Communities - Grande Prairie)
- Green Peace Canada
- Sierra Club of Canada - Prairie Chapter
- Solar Eden Project

Friday, March 26, 2010

Provincial Funding Cuts Hit GPRC

The impacts of the tight provincial budget haven't just hit funding for municipalities, it's also had an impact on post-secondary education in Alberta. I've mentioned before how reductions in provincial funding for municipalities have directly increased taxes in GP. The media release I received this morning notes how Grande Prairie Regional College is impacted. GPRC is an important part of our community both economically & socially and I think it's important that we lobby the province to provide a level of funding that will see the institution grow.


GPRC Media Release
March 25, 2010

Tight reins on spending at GPRC in New Budget Year

The core values of Grande Prairie Regional College have been the guiding principles during budget planning for the coming year, according to Board Chair Michael O’Connor. The quality of education for students, and the protection of the people employed by the institution were the factors at front of mind while the College adjusted its budget in response to the reduced operating grant from the Government of Alberta for the budget year 2010-2011, which begins July 1.

“The Administration of our College has presented a lean and efficient strategy which keeps the institution strong and growing – on both campuses,” says O’Connor.

In February, the Alberta Government budget announcement included a 6% reduction in the operating grants across the post-secondary system in Alberta. For GPRC, the impact is a 4.7% ($2.0 Million) reduction in its annual operating grant. The announcement had been anticipated by GPRC in the light of current economic realities, and a strategy was presented by Administration and reviewed by the GPRC Board of Governors today. A final budget will come forward for approval at the May meeting of the Board.

The reduction has been addressed through a number of measures. People across the institution were asked to identify cost reductions in their departments. “We have made reductions people felt they could live with in the short term,” explains Don Gnatiuk, President and CEO of the College. “The savings came equally from across the organization, and we are very proud of our people for stepping forward to help find this solution.” Some of the shortfall has been met by applying operation contingency funds.

“This budget is tight, no question,” says Gnatiuk. “We are running very lean in order to protect our people, and to continue to provide our students with top quality education. There is limited contingency funding in our strategy, but it is designed to keep our institution strong and growing – our future is exciting.”

Among the strategies suggested to institutions by Advanced Education and Technology is the review of low-enrolment programs, which the College is doing. Other implications of the reduction include a possible capping of classes and programs. The current practice has been to add sections as needed to meet demand, which adds cost. There may also be some impact on timetabling, according to Susan Bansgrove, Vice President Academic. “Class times may be less convenient in the short term as we conserve our resources and it is possible that not all courses will be offered every semester. Strategies for the coming year include close management of overtime and position vacancies. We are putting our energy and resources toward ensuring the best quality educational experience for our students – the dedication and commitment of our teaching faculty and support staff is unfaltering.”

An additional impact of the changing economy is in the Apprenticeship area. The demand for apprentices within industry in the Province has decreased dramatically over the past year, and the trades space commitments allocated by Alberta Industry Training has decreased accordingly. Some restructuring of trades program delivery will result from this decrease.

“This is a situation driven strictly by demand from industry,” explains Bansgrove. “Apprenticeship training is always cyclical, and change is expected whenever the economy shifts. At the moment, there are some 7,000 trades apprenticeship spaces unfilled across the system. The commitment levels for GPRC have been reduced in all trades but one, and we anticipate that a few trades positions will be affected as we rationalize these changes.”

The current tight budget has not deterred GPRC from its focus on the future. Capital projects have not been impacted by the reductions, and will continue as planned. “Our campuses are being steadily improved through the capital grants and funds which we have received,” explains Gnatiuk. “There are a number of exciting projects underway which not only strengthen post-secondary education in our region but which support and strengthen our local economy.”

The coming years are anticipated with optimism and enthusiasm by GPRC. “We are using this time to streamline our business, improve our processes and find new efficiencies,” says Gnatiuk. “We are preparing for the future, developing new programs, getting ready so that when the funding once again becomes available, we are ready to grow.”
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For further comment please contact:
Don Gnatiuk, President and CEO
Grande Prairie Regional College
780-539-2024
dgnatiuk@gprc.ab.ca

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

GPRC Dean Scott McAlpine Appointed President at Douglas College

Wow! I just received the following note from GPRC; Dr. Scott McAlpine will be leaving Grande Prairie to take on a positions as President of Douglas College in BC!

Scott has been a fixture in GP for quite a while and is probably one of the names I'd most associate with the college. More recently he's been heading up a lot of the action at the Centre for Research and Innovation.

Well Scott, congratulations - you'll be missed.

... and in related news a position has just opened up in GP; moderator for all future political forums.


GPRC Media Release:

"It is with both pride and regret that Grande Prairie Regional College congratulates Dr. Scott McAlpine on his appointment as President of Douglas College in BC’s lower mainland.

Dr. McAlpine will assume the presidency of Douglas College in mid-August of this year, leaving GPRC and the Grande Prairie community after over 20 years of commitment to students, to the College, and to a wide range of community-building initiatives.

Since arriving at GPRC, Dr. McAlpine has been “the voice” of political commentary in this region, providing background and analysis to news media during every local, provincial or federal election, and offering insight into events throughout the world.

He taught political science classes on campus in Grande Prairie and was among the first instructors to engage students in more remote locations via video conference, and has always been a proponent of access to advanced education for students of our region. Dr. McAlpine served as Chair of Arts, Commerce and Education at GPRC from 1999 to 2005, when he was appointed Dean of Arts, Science and Education.

Dr. McAlpine has many strong connections with the greater Grande Prairie community, through work with the Chamber of Commerce, Community Futures (formerly SMEDA), South Peace Planning Council, School Boards and Canadian Parents for French, to name a few. As leader of the Integrated Research Unit at the College for several years, and a key player in the eventual establishment of the Centre for Research and Innovation (CRI) by the College and PREDA (Peace Region Economic Development Authority), McAlpine has contributed enormously to the research activities of this region.

Douglas College is a comprehensive post-secondary institution with some 8,000 full-time students in programs from upgrading to degree completion. Dr. McAlpine says Douglas College and GPRC have a similar commitment to students and to enhancing accessibility for learners. “That is one of the things that attracted me to Douglas,” he says. “It is all about excellence in instruction and access for learners. “This is a bittersweet moment in my career,” McAlpine says. “I am delighted at the opportunity now available to me at Douglas, and very much look forward to serving as President. I am, however, leaving GPRC at a time when there is great momentum at GPRC, a great energy in the community and in the current leadership team to open opportunities in education to the people of northern Alberta. I will miss being part of this community and this institution.”

Grande Prairie Regional College President Don Gnatiuk says the College is extremely proud to be sending an esteemed colleague to the top role at another institution. “We are very, very proud of Dr. Scott McAlpine. He has been a valued and honoured member of the GPRC team for over two decades, and we are proud that his experience here has helped prepare him for this leadership at Douglas College. We will greatly miss his contributions to our College and our community.”

Friday, February 15, 2008

Mountain Pine Beetle Training Centre at GPRC hosts forestry professionals

I've posted on the Pine Beetle before - the following news release from Grande Prairie Regional College shows that this continues to be an ongoing battle:

Gaining an understanding of mountain pine beetle infestation is important to foresters from Mexico to Saskatchewan - and the Alberta Mountain Pine Beetle Training Centre at Grande Prairie Regional College is providing that opportunity. The MPB Training Centre was established late in the summer of 2007 in collaboration with Alberta Sustainable Resource Development to provide training resources for the province, and news has been spreading wherever the mountain pine beetle is a potential pest.

National and international attention has been drawn to the Alberta Mountain Pine Beetle Training Centre, as foresters develop skills needed to identify, manage, and prevent infestations. On February 26 - 28 a group of 13 forestry professionals from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment will be trained at the Alberta Mountain Pine Beetle Training Centre. The current outbreak has not migrated as far east as Saskatchewan, but the Fire Management and Forest Protection Branch is taking a precautionary step.

GPRC was contracted to deliver this training for Alberta beginning in September of 2007, and has hired an instructor specifically to deliver the courses. The College was a considered an ideal place to hold the training for several reasons including our Training Forest, which is the largest in Canada. It offers a consistent location to hold the classes, it provides a common link between students and forestry contactors and it is in close proximity to where beetle control efforts will be concentrated.

The College has hired full time coordinator Leah Flaherty to deliver the program, funded through a contract with Alberta Sustainable Resource Development. The course involves both in-class theory and field work. Grande Prairie, with its wealth of surrounding boreal forest, including significant mountain pine beetle infestations, provides a natural training ground.

GPRC faculty member Dr. Weixing Tan, who has taught forestry at the College for several years, worked closely with ASRD to establish this training centre. “Working side-by-side with ASRD and forest companies, we are honoured to be part of important contributions towards the control of this least wanted” forest pest,” says Tan. “The mountain pine beetle has not only devastated lodgepole pine forests in BC and Alberta, but has also posed a potential threat to the pines across Canada.”

“GPRC is very pleased to be able to contribute in the education necessary to manage this threat to forestry in our region,” says President Don Gnatiuk. “It is part of our responsibility as the portal for education in our region to work with partners in government and industry to meet training and learning needs as they emerge.”

For More Information Contact:

Dr. Weixing Tan, Forestry Instructor
Grande Prairie Regional College
780-539-2793
wtan@gprc.ab.ca

or

Leah Flaherty, Coordinator
Alberta Mountain Pine Beetle Training Centre
Grande Prairie Regional College
780-539-2706
lflaherty@gprc.ab.ca

Thursday, April 26, 2007

On-Campus Housing Increased by 110 bedrooms: Official OpeningCeremonies Today

GPRC News release...

"On-Campus Housing Increased by 110 bedrooms: Official Opening Ceremonies Today

The official opening of Phase IV of the Student Village residence complex at Grande Prairie Regional College today means that a total of 369 students will have on-campus housing when they start classes in September 2007.

Phase IV has added 110 beds, including six bedrooms in suites which are wheelchair accessible, plus housing offices, mailroom and laundry room. The units will be fully completed by the end of June, and all spaces are already allocated to students enrolled for the Fall semester at GPRC.

"The Board of Governors is committed to removing barriers to post-secondary education for students of our region," says Chair Fletcher Bootle. "We recognize that finding suitable accommodation is a challenge for many students, and we are very pleased to have been able to add on-campus housing spaces regularly over the past several years."

Construction on Phase IV began last summer, adding to the series of townhouse-style units which has been steadily growing since 2001, complementing the Anderson Hall residence which was opened in 1983. All units are fully furnished, providing private bedrooms and shared bathroom, kitchen and living room.

Meeting the need for housing for students with families is another priority which GPRC is addressing this year. Five of the free-standing townhouse units at Anderson Hall will be converted to family housing, and available for occupancy September 1st 2007. The housing committee will place five of the more than 25 which have completed application documents in the family housing units, based upon need.

Meanwhile, on-campus housing will be bustling all summer with guests such as conference delegates, students from across the country coming to Grande Prairie for summer jobs, young athletes in our community to train in their sports, and GPRC students who are staying in their units over the summer due to employment in the community.

Grande Prairie Regional College, its students and their families, and the communities it serves are all delighted to declare Phase IV Student Village officially open.

Susan Thompson
Communications Assistant
Community Relations
Grande Prairie Regional College"

Monday, April 16, 2007

College Cancels Swim Program

The Grande Prairie Regional College (GPRC) just cancelled it's competitive swim team.

It sounds as though there were a few different influencing factors but lack of available space to run the program is specifically mentioned.

I think this goes to show that if you don't have the space (or enough time) available the community looses things one by one because of that lack of capacity.

Here's the media release:

April 16, 2007

GPRC Cuts its Wolves Swim Program

GPRC Wolves Athletics announces, with regret, that it is terminating its swim program. As a result, GPRC will no longer participate in the Swim Program of the Alberta Colleges Athletic Association (ACAC) effective immediately.

The Wolves Swim Program has operated in a partnership with the G.P. Piranhas Swim Club since 1996 and the program has produced some outstanding performances.

"The decision to terminate the program has been difficult," noted Leigh Goldie, Chair of the Department of PEAK. "We have seen some great successes, and know that in large part this success is due to the training done by the swimmers with the Piranhas Swim Club," Goldie added.

A review which was recently conducted has revealed that the number of
swimmers who participate exclusively through Wolves Athletics has diminished dramatically over the years. Wolves Swimming successes, of late, have been largely realized by Piranhas swimmers who attend GPRC.

The review has also identified concern with pressure on available facilities. Current available pool time cannot handle the demands of all the aquatic clubs. This factor limits any possible growth of the Wolves Swim Program as it is reliant on time available to the Piranhas Swim Club.

Another significant factor is the trend being experienced in the ACAC Swim Program. The number of colleges participating has diminished over the years and there is no indication that this trend will change. The fact that it is a one semester sport with no national championship further justifies the decision to opt out now.

GPRC Wolves Athletics is very appreciative of the partnership it has had with the G.P. Piranhas Swim Club. Their involvement has been key to the successes of the Wolves Swim Program. We wish the Piranhas continued success with their program.

For more information, please contact:
Francois Fournier
Athletic Director
GPRC

So, as I said there were lots of factors that went into the decision.

The meeting I'm about to go into at 2pm is looking at awarding the construction tender for the new Cultural Centre and I'm supporting moving ahead with it - I don't want to see our community atrophy because we don't have the capacity our residents are looking for.

Mobile Bill

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