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• For Information

S94-49

Office of the

VICE-PRESIDENT FOR HARBOUR CENTRE

AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS

Memorandum

To: ?

Jock Munro, Chair, Senate Committee on Academic Planning

From:

SCAP/Harbour Centre Sub Committee

Blaney (Chair), E. Alderson, R. Barrow, B. Clayman,

D'Auria, K. Heinrich, JL Hoegg, R. Marteniuk,

C. Smart, S. Wade, (W. Gill, Secretary)

Date: ?

April 11, 1994

Report of the SCAP/Harbour Centre Sub Committee

The SCAP/HC committee has reviewed Harbour Centre's

programs and has recommended specific planning initiatives. Our report

• also was given to all Deans, the President, Ministry officials and the President

of BCIT for comment (Ministry and BCIT responses are attached as Appendix

E).

Because it has been some time since our committee has reported

to SCAP, whose membership has changed over the past two years, our report

provides background to Harbour Centre's development and includes several

appendices.

Key recommendations for planning initiatives are underlined

and principally concern:

Inter-institutional collaboration.

The development of preliminary proposals for graduate programs.

The development of preliminary proposals for a distinctive

undergraduate program.

The need to secure developmental funding for science programs.

We also discuss current and planned initiatives for professional

development and liberal studies non-credit programming, as well as the

potential of an international conference centre.

Jock Munro ?

-2-

April 11, 1994

Funding, of course, will be critical and central to much of what

we might like to develop at Harbour Centre. Nonetheless, the committee

believes more systematic planning ought to go forward. We may find

ourselves at a time when funds are available, but with plans too preliminary

to take advantage of the opportunity. Further, some of the programs

of special government grants, program revenue, some reallocation of

resources and private gifts. To take advantage of any such possibilities we

need more specific plans than we now have. Once developed, preliminary

proposals for programs will be submitted to SCAP for consideration.

The SCAP/Harbour Centre Committee would be pleased to

discuss this report with SCM'.

JPB/kgs

Enclosure

SCAP

HARBOUR CENTRE REPORT

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AT ?

HARBOUR CENTRE

APRIL 1994

0 ?

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AT HARBOUR CENTRE

A. PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

Among institutions of higher education, Simon Fraser

University at Harbour Centre has established itself as a leader in advanced,

mid-career education. In a time of unprecedented change and international

competition, knowledge has become each country's principal resource.

Investment in the skills, attitudes and education of its people of all ages is our

country's principal challenge. A critical part of this challenge must be met by

those who discover and make things, sell things, create and communicate

ideas, manage resources, provide services and frame public policies and

programs. These experienced, educated workers must continue to improve

what they do, and continue to develop their "high-end" intellectual skills.

Simon Fraser University at Harbour Centre's mission is to serve these people

and their organizations.

The President's Strategic Plan: Challenge 2001, submitted by Simon

Fraser University to the Ministry of Advanced Education, Training and

Technology in 1991, proposes a substantial expansion of programs and facilities

for the University's Harbour Centre campus (Appendix A). The Plan projects

2700 FTE's by 2000/2001, from a base of 700 FTE's today. Many of those FTE's are

projected at the graduate level. A concomitant increase also is expected in non-

credit, professional development and liberal studies programs. To accommodate

such growth, an expansion of space also is proposed. Since submitting this plan

to the Ministry, some of our planning assumptions, particularly in regard to

available funding, are being re-examined. For the University, including Harbour

Centre, a new strategic planning process is underway. What SFIJ's downtown

campus will become over the next few years will depend on the University,

community and Government support, the strength of our proposals, and the

leadership given to various parts of the plan. As with any organization,

including universities and their component programs, Harbour Centre will in

large part become what we commit ourselves to create.

The Harbour Centre campus is the city's only university centre

and, prior to its creation, Vancouver was the only city of its size and

importance in North America without a university presence in its downtown

core. In just five years, the importance of having such a centre in the heart of

the city has been demonstrated. Approximately 40,000 persons used its

programs and services in the last year. At the most nodal point of the

regional transit network, and in the centre of very significant residential and

commercial development over the next ten to twenty years, the role of

Harbour Centre as a vital urban campus cannot but be enhanced, should we

choose such a direction.

Moreover, the Harbour Centre campus has raised Simon

Fraser's profile within the community and has strengthened the perception

. ?

of SF0 as an institution committed to innovation and access to high quality

academic programs and services. Simon Fraser University has developed

several distinct niches, and lifelong, mid-career education is clearly one of

them. Further development and continuous improvement of our niches

will contribute to Simon Fraser University's reputation, locally and

nationally, as an "excellent" university.

For these and other reasons, the SCAP/Harbour Centre

Committee will continue to discuss whether the Harbour Centre campus

should change and grow and, if so, in which direction and with what

character. The purpose of this document is to advance our discussion toward

decisions about what to plan. An anticipated outcome of the committee's

deliberation will be our request for preliminary proposals (rationale, purpose,

program themes, intended clientele) for programs considered appropriate for

development at Harbour Centre. Specific proposals and their potential for

thematic integration would then be reviewed by the committee, with our

recommendations being forwarded to the Senate Committee on Academic

Planning.

B. MISSION AND PROGRAMS OF SFUIHC

1. Mission

As approved by the University Senate

(Senate Paper S88-33),

the

overall educational mission of Simon Fraser University at Harbour Centre is

advanced recurring education. Our mandate is to provide access to mid-

career programs for adults with previous post secondary education or

experience, or both. This mission defines the goals of intended learners as

much as it defines the levels and kinds of programs. It asserts the need for

access to programs designed specifically to help adults either to return to, or in

some cases begin, university education. The mission further assumes that

access and participation will be recurring or indeed concurrent, as citizens

seek to learn throughout life to achieve societal, career or individual

intellectual goals. Our challenge has been to determine the types of programs

to be offered at Harbour Centre which would serve the defined mission and

clientele while at the same time advancing the University's overall interests.

In the first stage of Harbour Centre development, this challenge largely has

been met by initiatives from academic departments and faculties and through

the guidance of the SCAP/Harbour Centre Committee.

A key factor in programming has been the unique location of the

Harbour Centre campus in the core of British Columbia's principal urban,

national and international centre. Situated within the province's highest

concentration of business, professional, cultural and governmental

enterprises, a criterion for proposing and approving programs is that they

would be strengthened by being located in an urban centre with proximity not

only to intended students but, as well, to special community resources.

Further, the campus is intended to be not only in the city, but also of the city,

and thus be responsive to the character, resources, potential and aspirations of

a major urban centre.

•

Simon Fraser University at Harbour Centre has been established

as a satellite campus of the University, under the assumption that in order to

achieve its mandate the campus must include not only instructional space

and appropriate program services but, also, distinctive programming, resident

faculty and appropriate research centres. While community resources and

sessional faculty have an important instructional role to play at the Harbour

Centre campus, it has been assumed that without resident faculty who will

provide leadership, a research presence and continuity, we will be unable to

achieve the campus stature we seek. Progress has been made in this regard,

but through new and distinctive programs we must achieve a yet stronger

faculty and research presence.

The programs at Harbour Centre are provided by home campus

academic departments, and all appointments in support of Harbour Centre

programs are made by those departments. This policy has served us well and

should continue. Dozens of program proposals have been made by or have

been invited from departments through the SCAP/Harbour Centre

Committee. In the course of our work it has been assumed that programs

will be most successful if their development is organic and have strong

faculty/ departmental interest—that is, where there are natural champions for

particular programs. In the next round of program proposal review,

however, it is expected that the committee will more vigorously seek

program integration and coherence.

On April 1, 1992, the SCAP/Harbour Centre Committee formally

reviewed current programs and the Senate-approved "Mission and Program

Development Guidelines". The committee endorsed this statement as a

platform for further program development, with the following specific

observations:

Advanced recurring education was confirmed as the

primary focus, with specific and appropriate research

activities being an essential part of this mission.

Departmental and Faculty leadership will continue to

be the key to future program development.

There is a need for a greater presence of science

programs.

There is need for more cultural programming.

Harbour Centre as a vehicle for serving college and

institute (especially BC1T) graduates needs

consideration.

There is a need to make expert knowledge more

available to the concerned citizen.

There is some benefit in providing Simon Fraser

students with an opportunity to study at both

campuses, hence, completely distinctive programs are

not necessarily desirable.

Periodically current programs ought to be evaluated.

9. Further attention needs to be given by the Committee

to the question of thematic linkages and how we can

foster collaboration among program centres.

Current and Developing Programs

Currently two graduate programs (EMBA, MA Liberal Studies)

and fourteen degree credit Certificate and Diploma Programs are offered. In

the 1992-93 year, 201 undergraduate and over 30 graduate credit courses were

offered with an enrollment of over 5,300, or 526 undergraduate FTE's and 207

graduate FTE's. Some 300 semester-length and short courses in thirty

different non-credit professional development and general education

programs enrolled over 5,000 persons. Another 8,000 to 10,000 persons

attended public lectures, seminars, exhibitions, concerts and other events

arranged by the university, often in collaboration with community

organizations.

A summary of the status of Harbour Centre programs is

provided by Appendix B.

The more prominent programs associated with Harbour Centre

are the following:

Executive MBA (evening and weekend modules)

MA (Liberal Studies) and the Liberal Studies Community Programs

Certificate and Diploma Programs (14 areas including general degree

completion opportunities)

4. David See-Chai Lam Centre for International Communication

(languages, cross-cultural communication, international business)

Gerontology Diploma Program and Research Centre

The Writing and Publishing Program

7. The Arts and Design Program

Professional/Executive/Management Development Programs

Tourism Professional Development

10. Fellows and Professional Certificate Programs (14)

11. Actuarial Science Program

12.

Centre for North American Business Studies

13. The City Program

14.

Conference Services (to external groups).

While many of the above programs themselves have a research

component, the campus also is the location of several research specific

centres, including the Economic Growth Project of the Canadian Institute for

Advanced Research, the Centre for Policy Research on Science and

Technology and the Institute for Canadian Urban Research Studies.

Increasingly, the Harbour Centre campus is being used by

university departments as a place for departmental retreats, B.C. university

and college meetings, seminars with visiting faculty, and consultations with

community organizations. Further, many organizations within the

community are making substantial use of the Harbour Centre campus for

their own educational programs and meetings (providing, as well, an

• ?

important source of revenue). A list of some of the external groups which

have rented and used Harbour Centre facilities is provided by Appendix C.

While some progress has been made, the initial goal of

developing a distinctive undergraduate program (and additional graduate

programs) at Harbour Centre was prevented by the need to accommodate

university-wide enrollment increases for the Ministry's Access program,

which was initiated as the new campus opened. Further, the prospect of

designated faculty support for Harbour Centre programs did not materialize,

due in part to the pressures to serve increased enrollments in home campus

programs. During this period, however, several thematic program areas

emerged: management of organizations and technological development,

economic, political and public policy studies, communication and

intercultural education, urban studies, liberal and cultural studies, education

for public responsibility along with related research activity. The

international context of most programs is prominent. Linkages among some

programs also are occurring, but more could be done to plan and encourage

such work. For example, 20% of EMBA students are from the health

professions, and a large number of M.Ed. students also are from this group.

BCIT graduates seek further studies in public health, some in our

Gerontology program. Connections among such interests and programs

should be investigated.

. ?

C. ORGANIZATION AND FUNDING

The

organizational and funding model outlined in the 1989

Mission and Program Development Guidelines statement

(Senate Paper S88-

33), has been followed. An important and manifestly desirable aspect of that

model is that all programs developed and offered at Harbour Centre are the

responsibility of the appropriate academic department at the home campus.

Departmental/Faculty ownership of programs has proven to be an incentive

to program development, as well as an assurance of program quality. All

support services (Registrar, Information, IMC, Library), though largely funded

by the Office of the Vice-President for Harbour Centre, report to the main

campus unit. The Executive Director of Harbour Centre coordinates all

such

services, and provides for the management and development of the facility.

D. TRENDS AND CONTEXT FOR PLANNING

There are several contextual conditions which impinge on the

overall planning for universities in British Columbia, and some have

particular relevance to our thinking about program development at Harbour

Centre.

1. The Knowledge-Based Society.

Many highly regarded reports have affirmed that, more than

anything else, a country's economic prospects and social/cultural welfare will

depend on what its citizens can do, know, and care about. Economies have

. ?

transcended political jurisdictions, and knowledge has become any country's

most critical capital.

All

such reports emphasize the importance of learning

throughout one's career (lifetime learning). While the essential task of

universities remains the same - to be the prime source of intellectual

development for society - the context for their work has changed

dramatically. Citizens' need for access to advanced learning is recurring and,

indeed, the more an individual achieves in advanced studies, the more the

community depends on that person to maintain their currency.

The Special Characteristics of Simon Fraser University.

Simon Fraser University can claim special features: emphasis

on the core and foundation disciplines of the arts and sciences,

interdisciplinary programs, innovative approaches to program development,

accessibility and leadership in research. Among Canadian universities,

Simon Fraser University also is an acknowledged leader in lifelong education

programs and in providing access to adults throughout our community.

Harbour Centre is but one manifestation of that role, but an important one in

helping to differentiate a position for the University in relation to the others

of British Columbia. Building on the resources of our faculty and

programming staff, Simon Fraser University has become the leader

advanced recurring education within British Columbia.

Given the importance of this work in today's world, and given

the advantage that niche building can provide, it would seem appropriate for

Simon Fraser University to learn how to improve and, where appropriate,

enhance and expand its work in this field, as well as in the others where it has

demonstrated special strengths.

Trends in Higher Education.

Dr. Stuart Smith's Report to the AUCC recommends that

universities enlarge their commitment to teaching and learning and that they

be seen to be more open and accountable to the public. The major elements

of this report are receiving some attention from the universities, but

considerable interest from Provincial Ministries responsible for advanced

education. The recommendation receiving special Ministry attention is

regarding teaching and learning is interpreted by Ministries as being but a

component of public accountability.

For the most part, the public does not see what the universities

do. Research, especially, is often viewed as abstruse and esoteric—particularly

pure or basic research. Clearly, universities must not only explain their

research role, but must find even more effective ways to communicate how

critical such work is and how it serves the knowledge-based society. This will

be a major challenge over the next ten years. So that our university may

secure public support and maintain or enhance its share of limited public

resources, for which there are many pressing claims, our response to

accountability demands will be at the top of our institutional agenda.

In both teaching and research, the university needs to forge a

closer relationship with those beyond the campus, so that the community

will better understand and support what we do. Moreover, the university

must be seen to be involved as much with the aggregation, interpretation,

dissemination, and application of existing knowledge as in its quest for new

•

knowledge. Both society's need for information and claims for public

accountability suggest such a response.

The Harbour Centre campus can help Simon Fraser University

to demonstrate the university's commitment to serving the community

which supports it. The activities of many departments can be featured there,

as well as on Burnaby Mountain. It is a convenient place to offer programs

directed to those who work and live in our community, and to pilot test

programs and show how our research resources and programs can deal with

community concerns and aspirations.

Harbour Centre is not the sole nor the primary instrument in

demonstrating our accountability, but it is a vehicle we are well positioned to

use, to our benefit as well as the community's.

4. ?

Special and Emerging Constituencies.

The change in traditional patterns of undergraduate and even

graduate attendance—from largely 18-24 year olds in full-time programs, to a

more diverse student body with many attending part-time, and at interrupted

periods—likely will continue. For financial, life-style, and career-change

reasons, our students will continue to define the schedules and places for

their studies, and we must continue to respond to this changing reality.

In graduate work (especially for the professional and the non-

research Masters degree) the impact of the opportunity costs of continuing

one's study is evident. There likely will be an increasing trend toward

deferred or interrupted study, as shown now by the demand for the EMBA

and MA in Liberal Studies. In addition to continuing and expanding interest

in short-term, intensive professional development and liberal studies (non-

credit) programs, there are four emerging constituencies for both full and

part-time credit study:

(a)

The Baccalaureate Degree Holder

Our metropolitan region has one of the highest concentrations of

first degree holders in Canada—not just graduates from British

Columbian universities, but also those persons who have emigrated from

other parts of Canada and elsewhere. These degrees—in arts, science, and

some professional fields—are, in their technical components, out of date

several years after graduation. Further, and more importantly, it seems

most persons after several years of work find themselves in, or wishing to

be in, careers or public responsibilities that require further, and often

different, advanced studies. Graduate study at the Masters level—in

programs expressly designed for persons who desire both updating and

career change—may be one of the most important advanced education

needs of our community. In the two previously given examples (EMBA,

• MALS), and in other, especially American locations, the demand is

significant. Potential areas for graduate program development at Harbour

Centre will be outlined in the next section.

(b) ?

The BCIT and College Graduate

Over the past ten years when seeking advice from Greater

Vancouver employers about the kinds of programs we ought to offer at

Harbour Centre, no other recommendation has been given with such

emphasis and frequency: offer degree completion programs for BCIT

graduates. Those giving us this advice observe that BCIT graduates are

among the very best employees (many say the best) but that over time in

an organization, as they reach middle management, their having only

technical training limits their potential contributions. We are told that

they need and desire opportunities to complete a degree which is more

educational than technical, more general than specialist, and that the

universities, in some uncomplicated way, ought to serve those persons.

The Deans of Arts and Business Administration concur with this

observation but add that any such program designed to meet the needs of

the BC1T graduates ought to serve, as well, graduates of the specialized and

technical programs of the colleges. BCIT's downtown presence, and its

plans for enriched downtown programs and a permanent campus,

provide a good opportunity for an SFU-BCIT partnership in addressing

this need.

Many in the work force entered without degree completion. Our

evening degree completion programs on the main campus, the DISC

program, and part-time access to day programs have been serving this

need for years. The Harbour Centre campus also provides for many such

persons an ideal location for degree completion studies, perhaps in a few

well defined areas such that the programs may be provided both efficiently

and with predictability. Many American studies have shown that, with

increasing distance between home or workplace and an educational

institution, students are less likely to complete bachelor's level education.

Harbour Centre's location should increase the probability of degree

completion studies for those who work or live in the urban centre.

Clearly, any program designed to meet the degree completion needs of

BCIT and college graduates should, as well, be designed to meet the

interests of other degree completion students.

Education For Competence.

A general concern in much of the current higher education

literature is that education is too fragmented— . -that it often is either technical

or liberal, but rarely integrated. Education for competence, many claim,

requires an inextricable mix of liberal education and professional expertise.

Those who argue this point urge that recurrent education for competence

should include the technical skills of a liberal education—education that

enhances critical awareness, assists in applying knowledge to everyday life,

and strengthens a personal sense of power when dealing with complex

situations. Often, proponents of this view suggest that a liberal education is

best undertaken at the end of one's first degree, rather than at the beginning.

Previous discussions in the SCAP/Harbour Centre Committee have focused

on this concern, and it often has been mentioned by individuals in the

•

community who have been consulted about programs offered downtown. A

recent Angus Reid survey of senior Canadian CEO's reports that 78% of those

responding believed in the importance of maintaining liberal arts

programming in all career development programs. A potential proposal

6. The Urban Region.

Vancouver is quite unlike most North American cities. It is a

desirable place not only to work, but to live. It is not divided by freeways,

and access to water and parks may be unrivaled. Its residential population

will grow by some 40,000 over the next twenty years with the Coal Harbour,

Downtown South, and Concord Pacific developments. No urban core in

North American is undergoing such a rapid transformation towards a mixed

residential and business city, with some 60,000 new jobs predicted to be added

in the next two decades. The opportunities for creating one of the most

interesting and livable cities in North America are quite phenomenal. At

the core of this development is Simon Fraser University's downtown

campus. We should ensure that the campus is not only in the city (which is

convenient), but also of the city, and thus participates in the city's future. An

urban university is defined not only by its location, but also by its philosophy

and programs, its interactive relationships, and a commitment to interaction

that permeates the campus.

Simon Fraser University at Harbour Centre can contribute

. ?

intellectual leadership when addressing city and regional needs. Issues such

as the multicultural city, transportation, public safety, the disadvantaged,

regional planning, internationalism, cultural amenities, and access to the full

intellectual riches contained within a major city should be concerns of Simon

Fraser University at Harbour Centre. Our downtown campus has a great

opportunity here to play a catalytic role, and arguably also has the

responsibility to do so.

Collaboration With Other Educational Institutions.

Throughout the development of the Harbour Centre campus

and programs, and indeed in the creation of SFU's first downtown presence

over ten years ago, SFU planners have worked to ensure complementarity

and, where appropriate, collaboration with other educati9nal institutions. In

the early 1980's, joint committees of Vancouver Community College, British

Columbia Institute of Technology, and Capilano College worked out

understandings regarding the respective roles of these institutions. The

continuing education units of both UBC and SFU consulted on program

specialization and potential redundancy. Program differentiation and

complementarity, more than program collaboration, were sought and

maintained. At the level of particular programs (business, the arts, etc), this

kind of attention to differentiation continues. BCIT Downtown and SITU

Harbour Centre in particular have continued an open dialogue on programs

and facilities. And SF0, through formal consortium work, collaborates with

the Open Learning Agency.

In spite of a good record of program differentiation, program

collaboration on specific needs and issues should be given more attention. At

both program and institutional levels, discussions towards this end should be

initiated.

E. HARBOUR CENTRE PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

With consideration to our mission and context, and information

and suggestions from faculty, the community, and other constituencies about

program development priorities and opportunities, the following outline of

program development options is presented for discussion. Of first

importance for discussion and decision is the general nature or thrust chosen

for program development. Given consensus about our general approach to

program development, particular program options should be selected for

further developmental work and subsequent Committee deliberation and

recommendations to SCAP.

The three categories of program development which have

guided our thinking to date are the following:

(1)

Graduate Programs for the Urban Professions

(2)

Undergraduate Programs for Special Constituencies

(3)

Seminar/Short Course Programs for Professional Development,

Liberal Studies, and Education for Public Responsibility.

1. Graduate Programs for the Urban Professions

The two such programs now established at Harbour Centre—the

EMBA and MA (Liberal Studies)—are judged by faculty and students as

successful. They are designed especially for the adult student with a degree

and experience, and a preference to combine study with a career. An

appropriate expansion of such programs would focus and strengthen our

Harbour Centre mission. Moreover, these programs build on Simon Fraser

University's established features of strong interdisciplinary programs, access,

and responsiveness to the community's concerns and aspirations. Serving

important learning needs, such programs would establish mutually beneficial

relationships with various business, professional and cultural sectors and

would likely enroll current and potential community leaders. Research

opportunities in association with community organizations should be good,

and distinctive programs should attract excellent tenure track and adjunct

faculty.

A major American study commissioned by the Council of

Graduate Schools 1 '

on Masters degrees found that most American students

earning Masters degrees consider their degrees terminal, professional

program work, and not a step to a doctorate. These degrees are viewed as

especially appropriate education for the interdisciplinarity and

Conrad, Clifton F. / Jennifer G. Haworth and Susan B. Millar

A Silent Success: Master's Education in the United States

Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1993.

• ?

professionalization of work, and generally for the need to further one's

qualifications in a dynamic career environment. The degrees are highly

valued by students and their employers, and neither consider them to be the

poor cousins of doctoral programs. (The report, among its recommendations,

suggests that there ought to be both Masters and pre-Doctoral degrees.) Most

American Masters degrees were found to be in professional and in

interdisciplinarity areas, and these programs made very effective use of

adjunct faculty and guest lecturers. Masters degree holders found their

education sharpened their ability to connect theory and practice, refined their

analytical and communication skills, and helped them develop a "big

picture" perspective of their field. Employers said that most Masters degree

graduates were far more competent and confident than employees who had

only Bachelor degrees, and that they brought a fresh perspective to the

workplace. Both employers and graduates credited the multidisciplinary and

interdisciplinary of many Masters programs with educating graduates who

were often more directly responsive to "the real world" problems than

graduates of traditional, discipline-based Doctoral programs.

It is worth noting that the character of the Masters degrees

described in the above study reflects much of what SFU has emphasized and

has done well in its interdisciplinary, Co-op, internship and part-time studies

degree programs.

A number and variety of professional Masters and other

graduate programs have been suggested for development at Harbour Centre.

These are listed below:

(a)

Masters of Health Administration. (Faculty of Business

Administration is currently considering this area)

(b) Graduate Program in Design. (Preliminary report completed by E.

Alderson)

(c)

Masters in Manufacturing Management. (Investigation of this as a

potential program is supported by S. Shapiro, R. Marteniuk, and J.

Cavers)

(d)

MA (International Business). (Frequent suggestion from community

groups.)

(e)

MA (Economic Policy). (This has been informally discussed over

several years in Economics and most recently was suggested by

Richard Lipsey, who indicated that Richard Harris is particularly

interested in a program that would have a policy focus, for which

there are strong faculty at Simon Fraser University. Dr. Lipsey

proposed two streams, one for those with a first degree in Economics,

and one for those who do not.)

(f)

MA (Gerontology). (Proposal currently at the Senate Committee

stage.)

(g)

MA in Public Management. (This has been discussed by the Dean of

Business Administration and Continuing Studies for some time and

non-credit programs have been developed in this area.)

(h)

Masters of Science in Software Design and Management. (Now

under consideration by the Western Graduate Deans as a consortium

project).

(i) Executive Masters of Science and Technology. (Analogous to EMBA

in concept and design. A similar program at Penn State aims to

broaden the skills of technical professionals by educating them in the

tools they need to succeed in management. The curriculum includes

advanced technology, environmental studies, business and

economics.)

(j)

School of Urban and Public Affairs to offer a BA in urban studies, a

Masters in City Planning for professional accreditation, and an MA in

urban studies as a non-professional interdisciplinary program.

(k)

LLM, MA or Ph.D. in International and Comparative Criminal Law

and Criminal Justice Policy. (Initial consideration jointly with UBC

and the Society for the Reform of Criminal Law.)

(1) Doctor of Education. (An alternate weekend program currently

under consideration and in the planning stage in the Faculty of

Education.)

There has been some discussion of an MA (Social Sciences) that

would be analogous to the MA (Liberal Studies). For some time such a

program for an urban audience has been offered by the University of Chicago.

Also, an environmental studies option at Harbour Centre has been suggested.

Even without further explication of these proposals, there clearly

is considerable overlap in curricula and possibly intended clientele. Further,

there may be greater need for some programs than others, and some may

have stronger, more interested faculty champions than others. And each will

have its own resource requirements and funding potential.

To assist further committee consideration of the above

suggestions, it is proposed that the Chair of SCAP/HC Committee, in

These statements would include preliminary comment on program rationale,

intended clientele, general curricula, collaborative possibilities with other

institutions, and resource requirements, availability, and potential. These

statements of interest, upon review by the Vice-President, Academic and

Deans would be put before the SCAP/HC Committee, with a view to:

(a)

selecting those for further developmental work

(b)

identifying, if even in a very preliminary fashion, areas of potential

curricular linkages

(c)

identifying areas where programs ought to be considered, but for

which we have no statements of interest

(d)

devising a plan for the coordinated development of program

proposals.

(e)

considering resource requirements and potential funding sources.

•

It is anticipated that out of this consultative planning process

several proposals will emerge as priorities for development, with others

scheduled for further consideration or later development. Program funding

will be a critical consideration at this decision point.

At the conclusion of this planning phase a status report will be

forwarded to the Senate Committee on Academic Planning.

2. Undergraduate Programs for Special Constituencies

Fourteen certificate and diploma programs currently are offered

at Harbour Centre. These programs permit concentrated studies, but they also

provide opportunities to complete some or all of the requirements for degree

study which previously was interrupted. Also, some students enroll in these

programs to begin credit study after some absence from school. These

opportunities for those who work and live in the downtown area should be

continued.

Since the inception of Harbour Centre programs, it has been the

view of most committee members that the Harbour Centre mandate and

presence in the community would be strengthened if the campus had one or

two distinctive undergraduate programs designed for special constituencies

for which the downtown location would be most appropriate. Two such

programs are offered for consideration:

(a)

A degree completion program for BCIT and college graduates.

As discussed above, the need for such programs has been voiced

broadly and persistently, and our Ministry clearly has interest in a ?

university response to this need. Deans Shapiro and Alderson

support consideration of such a program. Dr. Shapiro has proposed

for examination a "School of Career Studies" that would be free-

standing, if necessary, and which would offer a special degree in

Business Administration for college and institute graduates. The

Ministry of Skills, Training and Labour, could very well be interested

in funding a study of the degree completion needs and interests of

BCIT and college graduates.

(b)

Business and Liberal Arts Degree.

According to an article in the journal, Metropolitan

Universities, one of the most successful new degree programs

developed for an urban clientele is the Business and Liberal Arts

(BALA) degree at Queens College, New York. This program is led by

a community-activist President, Shirley Strum Kenny. Her objective

was to create a degree that would help graduates secure jobs, but at the

same time provide the "survival and intellectual skills" which are

provided by a liberal arts education. As the title of this degree

suggests, it integrates business and the liberal arts, with co-op

education/internship requirements. The program at Queen's College

was developed with extensive community consultation and support.

The program aims, as a first priority, to develop excellent writing and

speaking skills, as well as the competence to analyze problems and

make decisions.

Such a program at Harbour Centre, developed in consultation

with the community, could have the following features:

(i)

Integration of liberal arts and business

(ii) Demonstration of a high level of communication competence

(iii)

Co-op/internship program component

(iv) International focus, e.g. a required foreign language

(v)

Structured curriculum.

(vii) An active and involved community advisory committee.

It is proposed that the SCAP/HC Committee strike a small

working group to investigate further the appro

priateness

and feasibilit

such a degree program at Harbour Centre, and how it might be integrated

with a program that would serve BCIT and college graduates. (The Report on

Part-Time Studies and actions in regard to it by SCAP may be the vehicle for

this proposed investigation.)

Professional Development and Liberal Studies Programs (Non-Credit)

These programs at Harbour Centre have a good foundation and

the Dean of Continuing Studies, in consultation with Faculty Deans, has

proposed priorities for future development, including significant expansion

of liberal arts programming which would recognize the particular interests of

a highly educated urban audience. The Dean of Arts recently established a

committee to encourage such program initiatives within the Faculty of Arts.

The new Executive Management Development Program forms

the centerpiece for program development in the business area. The existing

programs in cross cultural communication and strategic business practice will

be revised to complement it. An advanced version of the program is in the

planning stage as is a professional development program for EMBA alumni.

Two other developments being contemplated are a series of short courses in

business strategy and policy, and an extension of the work already begun in

customized contract education for business.

Relative to their prominence in the University and their

importance in the community, science programs are the least well developed

at Harbour Centre. A special appointment or secondment may be necessary to

make any substantial progress with such developments. It is proposed that

every effort be made by the Chair of SCAP/HC and the Deans of Science and

Applied Sciences to secure program development funding for science

programs.

Clearly, the initiation of new graduate programs and

undergraduate programs as suggested above would provide the resources and

rationale for non-credit program development in those fields. A Health

Administration Graduate Degree, for example, would provide a focus for

professional development seminars and short courses and would indeed help

position, and attract students to, the credit program.

Areas now being considered for development include the

A special initiative with development funding will be required to

achieve any prominent presence of science at Harbour Centre.

(b)

Communication Skills.

Communications programs are a real strength at Harbour Centre and a

strength on which we probably ought to build, given the importance of

various means of communication within the local and global communities.

Various proposals are under development, including a Summer Institute in

Communications for recent graduates.

(c)

International and Multicultural Programs.

We have had considerable success with several international programs

over the last two years but additional emphasis should both serve a need and

help position Harbour Centre as a place for international and multicultural

education. International. visitors should augment many of Simon Fraser

University's programs. A specially designed conference centre for

international meetings is under development.

(d)

Education for Public Responsibility.

No university in Canada does what should be done in educating

working citizens for public leadership and informed decision-making. We

have done some work, but the funding of such programs solely from revenue

has proven impractical. Further development of the City Program, a ?

component of this area, is underway and external, foundation funding is

. ?

being sought. In the area of public policy programs, our science departments

could play a prominent role.

(e)

Career Planning Centre.

Career development advice is a service which many current and

prospective students of all ages seek, yet no such service, at the university-

level, is provided within the city. Many urban American universities offer

such a service on a cost-recovery basis. A career planning service at Harbour

Centre should be investigated.

(f)

Program Development Centre.

This Centre would assist organizations in the planning, organization

and evaluation of their own training programs, with the object of having

organizations undertake greater responsibility for their job-related education

and training. It has been proposed by the Dean of Continuing Studies that the

feasibility of establishing such a Centre be determined.

(g)

International Conference Centre.

The gift of a heritage bank building across the street from Harbour

Centre provides us with an opportunity to build one of the best international

conference centres on this continent. A concept paper on this Centre is

provided as Appendix D. Private funding of this Centre is being sought.

(h)

Education and Career Development Research Centre.

Decisions about the appropriateness, effectiveness and practicality of

our educational programs ought to be as informed as possible. it is proposed

that funding be sought for a three-year pilot project directed to an enhanced

understanding of program needs and the effectiveness of particular programs

and methodologies.

(i)

Computing Science and Technology

Harbour Centre provides a central venue and technical facilities to

respond to the needs of computing professionals for frequent updating and

further education. A proposal for a program of

Advanced Study in Computer

Science is

being prepared by the School of Computing Science.

(j)

Language Programs

With increasing numbers of educated immigrants settling in the Lower

Mainland and increasing numbers of visa and/or immigrant students in

British Columbia, the demand for Advanced English as a Second Language

instruction exceeds its provision. A number of successful courses and

programs currently based at Harbour Centre incorporate English language

components, such as the Immigrant Women in Science Program and the

Advanced Interpreter Education Program. An

English Language and Culture

Program for Non-Native Speakers of English,

intended for immigrant

professionals in business, technology and other fields is being considered.

(k)

Law and Criminal Justice

Over the years, the School of Criminology has made a particular

commitment to the provision of a range of continuing education programs in

the area of criminal justice. SFU at Harbour Centre's downtown location,

with proximity to the concentration of community expertise in this field,

provides a particular opportunity to develop established, regularly offered

programs for senior and mid-level professionals in justice.

(1)

Liberal Arts for Executives and Professionals

Inquiries are frequent from senior executives and professionals about

opportunities to explore ideas and issues in an intellectually stimulating

environment. A few universities, such as Brandeis, Chicago, and Stanford,

offer programs in the liberal arts aimed at the special needs and structured to

meet the time constraints of executives and professionals. Simon Fraser has

the opportunity to create a program distinctive to Vancouver at the Harbour

Centre campus. In response to local inquiries, a series of issues seminars for

executives and professionals is being developed jointly by the Faculties of

Arts and Business Administration. A liberal arts program for teachers, setting

fundamental issues in context, is being considered.

(m) Summer Programs

Summer offers a distinct time period to concentrate and market certain

kinds of programs. In particular, intensive Summer

Institutes,

both credit and

non-credit, in a range of areas should be explored.

Appendix A

Excerpt from W.G. Saywell (1991)

Challenge 2001: The President's

Strategic Plan.

Simon Fraser University, pp. 16- 19.

4.8 Simon Fraser University at Harbour Centre

Simon Fraser University will complete the

development of its Harbour Centre campus

and will maintain its leading role as the primary

provider of recurrent education

the Vancouver

city core.

Today's society is a knowledge-based society. More than yesterday, but less

than tomorrow, we must compete in a global community of ideas, markets and

• cultures. The speed with which the corpus of knowledge is now changing means

that recurrent education will assume ever increasing significance. Recent studies

indicate that half the knowledge received by students graduating in today's

professional programs will be obsolete within five years. Also within five years, 50

percent of the current workforce will either be employed in jobs different to those

they now hold or will be doing the same jobs in radically different ways. Over 80

percent of the professional workforce going into the next century are already adults.

These accelerating changes, along with the challenges presented higher education by

an aging population and by a society enjoying greater access to leisure time,

underline the high priority recurrent education must be given across the spectrum

of academic programs.

Simon Fraser University has acquired a national reputation for its place at the

vanguard of recurrent education and we shall continue to provide leadership by

offering unique programs that reach out to the community. Particular attention

will be given to developing access to part-time graduate study. Existing programs,

such as the weekend Executive MBA, will expand to allow improved access for

individuals who reside outside the Lower Mainland. Collaboration with the Open

Learning Agency will evolve into an increasingly effective partnership. Most

important of all, the Harbour Centre campus, assisted by funding from the Access

Program, will have a major impact on extending adult recurrent education in

British Columbia.

The Harbour Centre campus has won national acclaim as a model inner-

urban centre of higher education. Conceived from a belief that formal education is

changing from a full-time commitment over four years to a part-time commitment

over a lifetime, the programs at Harbour Centre provide opportunities for on-going

learning throughout an individual's life and career.

While Simon Fraser at Harbour Centre offers access to the disciplines and

knowledge base present at the Burnaby Mountain campus, Harbour Centre has its

own distinctive mission. The downtown campus is specifically designed to address

the recurring education needs of individuals who through previous education,

intellectual growth or experience have already established the necessary foundations

for advanced learning. A 1989 document prepared for the Senate Committee on

Academic Planning (SCAP) helps define the program focus at Harbour Centre:

"Universities, beyond their "traditional" clientele, have for years

served adults in two ways: first through offering non-credit

self-development and personal enrichment courses on any

variety of topics studied at university; and second, through the

provision of opportunities to start or complete a university

degree. These continue to be important needs. But with

accelerating change a third need has emerged - that of pro-

viding opportunities for adults possessing fundamental

competence to return to university in order to keep up with

evolving circumstances and conditions - much as university

faculty members seek sabbaticals or specialized seminars to

maintain their currency, vigour and competence. It is this

third, emergent need, that we should primarily address in

our programs at Harbour Centre."

In 1990, approximately 20,000 adult learners benefited from access to Harbour

Centre programs and services. While the selection of learning opportunities is

already impressive (Appendix

W),

it will continue to expand: recently approved

research and teaching programs range from from the Latin American Business

Resource Centre to the Centre for Policy Research on Science and Technology, from

the Masters of Arts in Liberal Studies to actuarial mathematics. While most of the

credit courses offered at Harbour Centre are selected and designed for recurrent

learners enrolled in entry-level, certificate and diploma programs, students

following a degree completion path at the Burnaby campus may elect to take some

of their course requirements at the downtown facility. In the decade ahead, Harbour

Centre will develop new programs of recurrent education as well as relieve some

enrolment pressure on Burnaby Mountain. Combined undergraduate and graduate

enrolments will rise to 1400 in 1995/96, and to 2700 FTE in 2000/01.

In just two years, Simon Fraser University at Harbour Centre has become the

locus for intellectual and cultural activity, technical assistance and economic

renewal in the surrounding community. Aside from serving the people and

organizations that are concentrated in the city core, it also calls on their expertise to

assist in delivering its teaching and research programs. The quality and scope of

downtown campus programming has confirmed the University's leadership in

recurrent education and community access. As an added benefit, Harbour Centre's

success has contributed positively to Simon Fraser's overall reputation and has

strengthened public support for its innovative programming.

Planning Strategy

(a) ?

The University will consolidate its leadership in the delivery of urban-

based, recurrent education by expanding its facilities and programs at

the Harbour Centre campus.

19.

(b)

New programs will be developed largely at the graduate level for urban

professionals and, within an international context, in fields such as

publishing, criminal justice

administration,

computing science and

entrepreneurial studies.

0 ?

Appendix B

Simon Fraser University at Harbour Centre

Program Status November 1993

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Appendix C

Corporate and Government Use of Facilities

Simon Fraser University at Harbour Centre

1993-1994

A &

W Food Services ?

Canada Mortgage and Housing

Abramson, Deverall and Associates

Canadian Academy of Musical Arts

ACCIS-Graduate Workforce Professionals

Canadian Association of Journalists

Air Resources, BC Environment

Alzheimers Society

Architectural Institute of BC

Asia Pacific Foundation

Association of BC Professional Foresters

Association of Book Publishers of BC

sociation of Professional Engineers

Association of Record Managers

Auspex Systems

Bank of Nova Scotia

BC Arbitration and Mediation

BC Biotech Alliance

BC Central Credit Union

BC Centre for International Education

BC Children's Hospital

BC Data Management Association

BC Gas

BC Housing

BC Hydro

BC Ministry of Energy Mines

BC Real Estate Association

BC Technology Industries Association

BC Trade, High Tech. Branch

0ovar-Concord Environmental

Canadian Information Processing Society

Canadian Institute of Marketing

Canadian University of Overseas

City of North Vancouver

City of Vancouver - Planning Department

City of Vancouver Police Department

Coast Guard

College of Psychologists

Colliers, MacAulay, Nicolls

Cominco

Community Airport Newcomers Network

Concert Industries Ltd.

Connor Development Services

Consulting RDNs Practice Group

Continuing Legal Education

Continuing Studies - UBC

Control Plus

Council of Forest Industries

Court Services

-2-

Canada Customs

Health and Welfare Canada

Human Resource Management

Industry & Science Canada

InfoBild

Infomart/Dialog

INSINC

Institute of Certified Management Accounts

Insurance Corporation of BC

International Briefing Associates

Internet Exploration Group

Jack Webster Foundation

Japan Travel Bureau

Johnson Management

Justice Institute of BC

Kelly Production Services

Leadership Vancouver

Life Underwriter's Association of Canada

Liquor Distribution Branch

Literacy BC

Lorax

Maxwell Energy Corp.

McKim, Baker, Loveck, BBDO

MDRU, Geological Sciences

Mead Data Centre

Micromedia /Dialog

Microsoft

Ministry of Education

CP Rail

Ministry of Energy, Mines & Resources

Ministry of Forests, Integrated Resources Br.

Ministry of Health

Ministry of Skills Training and Labour

Ministry of Social Services

MK Wong & Associates

Mortgage Network of Canada

MRDU, UBC Geological Studies

National Academy of Older Canadians

National Wireless Communication Research

Netframe Systems

New Star Books

Office and Technical Employee Union

Open Learning Agency

OTC Management Inc.

Outcomes Working Group

Pacific Forest Products

Pacific Rim Institute of Travel

Paradigm Training International

Peace Arch Community Services: ADEPT

Peat Marwick Thorne

Personal Workstations

Preswitt Manufacturing

Price Waterhouse

Progressive Conservative Party

Project Management Institute

Public Service Commission

Public Works & Government Services

Real Estate Foundation

Registered Nurses Association

Registrars Office, UBC

Appendix D

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE

0 ?

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE

The single greatest challenge facing managers in the developed countries of the

world is to raise the productivity of knowledge and service workers. This

challenge, which will dominate the management agenda for the next several

decades, will ultimately determine the competitive performance of

organizations. Even more important, it will determine the very fabric of society

and the quality of life in every industrialized nation.

Peter F. Drucker

Among institutions of higher education, Simon Fraser University at

Harbour Centre has established itself as a leader in advanced, mid-career

education.

In a time of unprecedented change and international competition,

knowledge has become each country's principal resource. Investment in the

skills, attitudes and education of its people of all ages is Canada's principal

challenge. A critical part of this challenge must be met by those who discover

and make things, sell things, create and communicate ideas, manage

resources, provide services, and frame public policies and programs. These

experienced, educated workers must continue to improve what they do.

Simon Fraser University at Harbour Centre's mission is to serve these

• ?

people and their organizations.

The University has set certain priorities for program development at

Harbour Centre. These include communication and cross-cultural education,

management of organizations and technological development, liberal studies,

urban and public policy studies, education for public responsibility,

all within

an international context.

We see increased demand for international exchanges in a global

economy, for intensive, advanced training programs and for more attention

to expert and public consultation in public policy formulation. We also see

the need to enhance the productivity and effectiveness of these exchanges,

training programs and consultations.

As we develop and enrich our university's downtown programs, to

better serve all our constituencies, we seek to establish an International

Conference Centre that will serve the specialized needs of advanced-level

meetings.

AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE

Vancouver is one of the best cities in the world in which to meet, but it

lacks the kind of conference centre where the facility itself enhances truly

interactive meetings.

We propose, therefore, to create a superb new facility: the Simon Fraser

University International Conference Centre, in the heart of downtown

Vancouver. The city is an ideal setting for a sophisticated, world-class

conference centre.

The centre will be dedicated to highly productive meetings. Some

examples would include government policy sessions, advanced management

training, association conferences, research seminars, policy, product and

program announcements, national and international meetings, and forums

for public dialogue and consultation.

The site is the heritage Toronto Dominion Bank building, designed by

Somerville and Putnam in 1920, at Hastings and Seymour Street. The exterior

of the building will be preserved and refurbished; the interior will be

converted into a "building within a building," providing outstanding

meeting space.

In both design and operation the centre will meet the specialized

requirements of conferences, enhancing maximum participant interaction.

The centre will have the following characteristics:

• A main elliptical, tiered conference room for groups of up to

150 with all-day, comfortable seating, full-table work space,

and ease of personal access.

• Adjacent seminar, display and reception rooms to

accommodate an equal number.

• Fully interactive communication capability (including

simultaneous interpretation) with variable lighting, direct

and private access to telephones, facsimile machines and

consultation spaces.

• Full accessibility for the disabled.

• State-of-the-art instructional media and communication

technology for

all

audio, video, graphic and computer-based

presentations, including international telecommunications.

• A professional conference staff committed to client-centred

program planning and organization.

• Integrated access to a hotel designed to respond to the specific

needs of participants.

• Comprehensive security arrangements.

• Full facilities for the media.

tCl

•

An initial design concept for the project and a preliminary model of

the conversion have been prepared by award-winning architects and

planners, Aitken Wreglesworth Associates.

THE MARKET

A 1990 report on North American meetings and conventions

concluded that "University-affiliated conference centres are the fastest

growing segment of the (meeting) industry." Such centres, most of them in

the eastern United States, combine the strengths of professional program

development capabilities with outstanding meeting rooms and international-

standard accommodation.

Advanced-level conference and training sessions are intense activities.

Conference participants expect a comfortable and efficient work environment

that promotes effective use of their time. Features would include generous

table space, simultaneous interpretation, full-day work comfort in a room

designed for face-to-face communication, space for small group work sessions

and discussions, and world-connected instructional and communication

technology.

Hotel space must serve multiple purposes, from weddings to

conventions. Hotels generally cannot provide dedicated, specialized meeting

services to mid-sized groups of 100-150 people gathering for several days of

focussed work. These groups usually require privacy, security and extensive

technical and administrative support.

University space generally is designed for short-term instruction,

and even SFU's Harbour Centre facility, which is the best in Vancouver, does

not provide meeting space suitably equipped for international-level meetings.

Such space must be designed and operated so that all energies can focus, for

sustained periods, on the tasks at hand.

The International Conference Centre will give Vancouver such a

facility. It will be unique in the Pacific Northwest, and among the best in the

world.

Vancouver's reputation as a great place for meetings continues to

grow. It is an ideal setting for a sophisticated, interactive conference centre. Its

moderate climate, convenient international transportation links and safe,

clean environment enhance the city's assets.

Despite a world recession, the number of visitors and conference

delegates to visit Vancouver in 1992 exceeded the record level set in 1986,

Expo Year. A specialized facility of the kind proposed here will complement

existing space and serve many of the meetings now scheduled for Vancouver.

It also will attract many conferences that would be located elsewhere.

The heritage bank building is ideally suited to the design of an

international conference centre, and the university has the resources and skill

to manage it. The centre will provide university faculties and community

organizations with new opportunities to plan and promote the kind of

meetings this special facility will serve.

The Harbour Centre campus has already proven that well-designed

facilities attract and promote new ventures. The proposed International

Conference Centre will do the same.

BENEFITS

Harvard political economist, Robert Reich, in his study

The Work

of Nations,

describes the new global economy whose main capital is knowledge: "Each

nation's primary assets will be its citizens' skills and insights." Relevant

public amenities, he argues, are required to meet this challenge, and among

these are an appealing natural/urban environment, an international airport,

world-class universities and good meeting places. In combination, these

provide knowledge and ready access to the rest of the world.

Vancouver has most of these requirements, plus excellent

instructional facilities and hotels, but it has no dedicated space for intensive,

interactive and international conferences.

The International Conference Centre will fill this gap. It will also

become an important part of the intellectual life of Vancouver and British

Columbia.

It will provide the university with the space to plan and hold

significant regional, national and international meetings. Business, cultural,

labour and special interest groups will have a place specially designed for

interactive planning, education and consultations. Governments will have a

place to hold provincial, national and international meetings where they can

be linked with their constituencies and the rest of the world through

technology and simultaneous language interpretation.

The centre will contribute to Vancouver's overall capacity to host

events of national and international importance, and will provide the most

productive environment available in which to conduct international

exchanges, policy deliberations and research seminars. Knowledge-based

industry, already attracted by our natural environment and excellent

universities, will see the International Conference Centre as an additional

incentive for locating in the Greater Vancouver Region.

IMPLEMENTATION

Allied Holdings, through its principal, Mr. Peter Eng, has declared the

Hastings and Seymour heritage bank building as a gift to Simon Fraser

University. In consultation with potential users, the City of Vancouver and

the Province of British Columbia, Simon Fraser and Aitken Wreglesworth

Associates will design the International Conference Centre so that it may

achieve the objectives set for it. Estimates for conversion, including seismic

upgrading, plus costs of furnishings and instructional and language

interpretation equipment are $7 million. In addition, $5 million will be

sought as an endowment whose income will help offset operating costs.

These funds will be secured through a private fund-development campaign.

Plans for this campaign already are underway.

Operating costs will be met through revenues and endowment income.

Preliminary estimates developed by a business plan indicate this is feasible.

Detailed operational plans will be developed in consultation with the

university community and with the Government of British Columbia.

INSTI7UIE OF TECHNOLOGY

3700 Wi/llngdonAi.enue

Bumaby. British Columbia

Canada V5G3H2

Tel. (604) 434-5734

1994 January 4

Dr. Jack P. Blaney

Vice President for Harbour Centre

Simon Fraser University

Burnaby, British Columbia

V5A1S6

Appendix E

Dear Dr. Blaney:

subject: Comments on the document

entitled:

Program

Development at Harbour Centre

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on your draft document. Please accept my

apologies for the delayed response.

As you know BCIT is actively pursuing the development of a new downtown centre. This

will provide a significant opportunity to increase the level of our current activities in the

downtown area, to expand our range of activities where warranted by demand, and to

building linkages and partnerships with professional associations, industry and

education/training institutions.

It's clear that SFU Harbour Centre and BCIT Downtown will have opportunities to work

together as we provide education and training options for a broad spectrum of clients. It's

my belief that the needs of that diverse clientele will be met through offerings by our

institutions which complement each other.

I would like to address some specific items in your document.

On page

(page 13/14, as well) there are references to consideration of Harbour

Centre as "a vehicle for serving college and institute (especially BCIT) graduates

." We support and encourage this activity and would like to promote discussions

which will seek to assure that opportunities for students will be defined so as to be

smooth and efficient for them. In addition, and as you know, BCIT's proposed

Bachelor of Technology degree will provide a balance of specialized technology

skills with liberal education components. SF0 is certain to play a role in this

process since liberal education courses can be taken through B.C. colleges,

universities and the Open University. (One condition for liberal education course

acceptability will be that the courses are to be eligible for credit transfer to any of

those institutions).

Discussions are already underway between members of our institutions regarding

the possibility of a gerontology laboratory (j)age 7) at BCIT Downtown. While the

state of this option is quite preliminary, it does represent the kind of relationship

which fosters collaboration.

The "special characteristics of SF0" and their manifestation through Harbour

Centre (page 10) are mentioned in the context of

niche

building. BCIT has a tight

focus on its

niche

as well, one that we believe can emerge in the downtown

environment in a complementary fashion to the education/training options offered

through Harbour Centre.

Your assessment of the unique and positive evolution of the Vancouver urban core

(page 15/16) is shared by us. When you note that SFU at Harbour Centre "can

contribute intellectual leadership when addressing city and regional needs..." we

would add that BCIT is prepared to join in and foster practical and applied

leadership within the same framework, working jointly with others.

As you begin to explore the range of graduate programs suggested for Harbour

Centre (page 19) it would be worthwhile to consider discussions with BCIT

regarding its proposed Bachelor of Technology program areas. The working

world of today and tomorrow is requiring consideration of recurring education and

those who will leave BCIT with a degree will not be excepted. Those graduates

working and living in the Vancouver urban area may seek the resources of SFU

Harbour Centre in the future and our efforts should combine to maximize

opportunities for their success.

We have found your document to be very interesting and informative. It has clearly

articulated the importance the S PU's position in the downtown area and has suggested

some initiatives which are certain to be very valuable. With the advent of a new BC1T

Downtown within the next few years, and its expanding set of offerings, we feel there are

opportunities open to SFU and us for further exploration. Working together to meet the

needs of a "learning society" in urban Vancouver should prove beneficial to all.

Thanks again for the occasion to comment on your document.

Gerald A. Moss, PhD

Vice President, Student Services and

Educational Support

cc:

John Watson, President

Brian Gillespie, Vice President, Education

Ray Walton, Acting Vice President, Education

Neil Howard, Executive Director, Marketing and Development

Province of

December 1, 1993 

Dr. Jack P. Blaney 

Vice-President for Harbour Centre 

and External Relations 

Simon Fraser University 

Burnaby, British Columbia 

V5A 1S6 

Dear Dr. Blaney: 

Thank you for your letter of October 4, 1993, and the 

draft paper outlining potential program developments at 

Simon Fraser University (SFU) at Harbour Centre. My 

apologies for the tardiness of this response. 

S ?

I have reviewed the document and would like to offer the 

following comments on it. 

First, the reference to the Smith Report and the need for 

greater public accountability on the part of universities 

is timely and consistent with 'government expectations. 

SFU Harbour Centre is particularly well placed to 

demonstrate how the research and teaching functions of an 

adaptable an'd service-oriented institution serve the 

community which supports it. 

I note that the paper also stresses the need for degree 

opportunities for British Columbia Institute of 

Technology (BCIT) graduates and those from specialized 

and technical college programs. .Developrnent of a 

laddered program with SFU Harbour Centre-with an emphasis 

on business skills is certainly one possible approach to 

address this issue. It should be noted, however, that 

BCIT has expressed strong interest in attaining 

independent degree granting status. 

/2

-2-S

Harbour Centre's evening degree completion program is a 

sound idea which will clearly contribute toward improved 

degree completion rates. In addition, the program is 

consistent with the Ministry's emphasis on recognition of 

prior learning, lifelong learning and innovative 

approaches to post-secondary education. 

Education for competence is another concept given a high 

priority by government. As part of the "Skills 

Initiative", the government is stressing the importance 

of educational programs that prepare students for 

employment in an increasingly technical and knowledge- 

based economy. 

.Finally, the emphasis that SFU Harbour Centre places on 

collaboration with other educational institutions is also 

commendable. The Ministry is certainly supportive of 

SFU's intention to pursue program collaborations. 

Laddering and bridging programs have both been very, 

successful among other institutions and represent a 

logical direction for Harbour Centre. 

I trust you find these comments useful. Thank you again 

for sharing the draft paper and please accept my sincere 

best wishes for the continued success of SFU Harbour 

Centre. 

Yours sincerely, 

Shell Harvey 

Assistant Deputy Minister 

Universities, Colleges 

and Institutes 

cc: Dr. John N. Munro, Vice President/Academic 