UNews - Academic

First-year registrations up from Lethbridge and Calgary students

trevor.kenney — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 15:19:23 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will begin its 47th academic year with approximately 11 per cent more first-year students – a number which could increase as the final three weeks of registration take place before the start of the school year in September.

To date, 1,116 students just out of high school students are registered to begin classes this fall, attending the U of L from across Alberta, Canada and from around the world.

"We are very pleased to see increases in our high school student enrolments, as it reflects the great work our recruitment team has done over the past year to encourage students to choose the U of L, and Lethbridge, for their post-secondary education experience," said Dr. Andy Hakin, the U of L's Provost and Vice-President Academic.

"At this time last year, we recorded 1,002 new high school students. An additional 114 students might not seem like a huge number, but to us it says that more people are recognizing and valuing what the U of L has to offer in terms of our first-rate academic programs and excellent student experience."

Hakin said the number of students from Calgary continues to increase, alongside students from the immediate Lethbridge area.

"To date, our registrations from students living in Calgary are up nearly 35 per cent over this time last year, and we are also experiencing a 16 per cent increase over last year in local high school students choosing to attend the U of L.

Hakin said recruitment staff members have been following up with students who have been admitted but have not yet formally registered, and are also checking on international students who may be delayed by visa challenges caused by a Canadian foreign service worker strike at international visa processing centres.

"Even with the visa approval issues, we are ahead of last year by more than 40 per cent (or 20 students). We are hopeful that we can help those few remaining international students attend once current visa challenges are resolved."

Hakin said that these initial statistics indicate the institution is on track to meet its fall registration targets, and anticipates that the U of L will host approximately 8,300 students in the fall.

"A formal enrolment figure is released following a mid-September deadline, to ensure an accurate count of students who have registered late, added courses, or changed programs. These numbers give us a lot of encouragement and enthusiasm as we begin the new school year. We are delighted to be the destination of choice for so many new students."

Combined degrees introduced

trevor.kenney — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:58:34 +0000

Three ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge faculties are collaborating on two new, innovative combined degree programs that will bring a management focus to Health Sciences (Public Health) and Fine Arts (New Media).

Open to all current or incoming students beginning in September, 2012 these first-in-Canada degrees are designed to bring the best of all three groups' academic and career-related processes together so students can earn a Bachelor of Management and either a Bachelor of Fine Arts, New Media or a Bachelor of Health Sciences in Public Health.

Graduates would be granted two degrees after meeting the requirements of both programs.

"This is a great example of our faculty members recognizing an opportunity, driven in part by requests from our students, to bring added value to three completely different degree programs," says Dr. Andy Hakin, the U of L's Vice-President, Academic and Provost.

"Cross-campus collaboration happens in many places at the U of L, formally and informally, and these new combined degrees show the type of creativity, innovation and co-operation that helps our students achieve their full potential. I commend the Management, Fine Arts and Health Sciences teams that put these programs together."

Co-operative and applied study opportunities are available in all three faculties so students can further enhance their skills and work experiences in Canada or internationally.

As well, merit-based and entrance scholarships are available in Management, Public Health and Fine Arts.

For Dr. Bob Ellis, the Dean of the Faculty of Management, the chance to work with his colleagues in two different degree streams was an opportunity that further reinforces his interest in collaboration.

"We have excellent programs in our respective Faculties, and graduates of these dual degree programs will possess exceptional knowledge and skills that employers will seek out," says Ellis.

FINE ARTS/MANAGEMENT

The dual Fine Arts/Management degrees combine new media, film and video production, art, drama, and music with marketing, information technology, and management practice.

"The B.F.A. (New Media)/B.Mgt. combined degrees makes graduates even more competitive in the marketplace, giving them skills in interactive technologies, marketing in digital media and social networking sites, as well as business and people management," says Dr. Desmond Rochfort, the Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts.

"This unique combination of business and new media expertise opens up more professional opportunities for our fine arts students, and also for those management students who are looking to add the creativity of new media to their degrees."

HEALTH SCIENCES/MANAGEMENT

The combined Public Health/Management degree will see students taking courses in ethics, psychology, ecology of health and disease, human geography and addictions, combined with finance, organizational behavior, global management and labour relations, among other courses.

"Given that policy and administration are key streams of Public Health, an option to combine the B.H.Sc. (Public Health) degree with a Management degree provides an excellent opportunity for students to gain knowledge in both areas," says Dr. Christopher Hosgood, the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences.

"By focusing the skills of management in the field of public health, graduates will be able to seek opportunities in administrative positions in a variety of areas of public health practice. Our program is developing a good track record of placing students with employers upon graduation, in public, private, and not-for-profit sectors that require specialists in public health who know how to manage people and resources and understand strategic and policy issues."

Williams earns interim appointment

trevor.kenney — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:43:22 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors has confirmed the appointment of Lorne Williams as the Interim Assistant Dean of Northern Campuses, effective May 1.

Reporting to the Vice-President Academic and Provost, and working closely with the faculties and the School of Graduate Studies on campus, Williams will provide a voice at Dean's Council and a perspective on the U of L's presence in Calgary and Edmonton.

Currently, more than 1,000 students are enrolled in the two locations, which have been in operation since 1996. Courses are taught primarily in the evenings and on weekends and geared to working professionals.

"We are pleased to have Lorne move into this new position, given his long-term service to the U of L, and his excellent work as a past director and current faculty member of our Calgary campus," says Dr. Andy Hakin, the U of L's Vice-President, Academic and Provost. "The U of L is committed to serving students in Calgary and Edmonton, and this new position will provide more resources for those campuses as we move to take advantage of future opportunities."

Williams moves to this new position with more than 20 years of U of L experience, including more than a decade of work in the Calgary market as a director, instructor and co-ordinator at the U of L Calgary campus. During his time there, he won six teaching awards.

As well, Williams has served on the Faculty Association executive, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Senate, the executive of the Alumni Association, and was recently inducted into the U of L Alumni Honour Society.

Williams spent nearly 15 years in managerial positions in the housing and hospitality business units at the U of L and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary, while furthering his education with four degrees: A Bachelor of Arts, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary; a Bachelor of Management, U of L; a Master of Arts, Leadership and Training, Royal Roads ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ; and a Master of Education, U of L.

He also consults widely on team building, leadership and corporate culture for public, private and not-for-profit organizations of all sizes. Personally, he invests volunteer time with the Calgary Board of Education, Kamp Kiwanis and Scouts Canada.

Before arriving at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Williams helped administer the Olympic Village during the 1988 Winter Olympic games and worked in the political arena for several years, serving two Prime Ministers and a provincial Premier in Calgary and Ottawa.

"I'm excited to work with the Directors, staff and faculty members in Calgary and Edmonton as we move ahead," says Williams. "We have a number of opportunities to take advantage of as we reinforce our presence in Calgary and Edmonton, and I am looking forward to bringing more of the U of L further north."

Hunt ready for Registrar's role

trevor.kenney — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 22:12:14 +0000

Don Hunt is no stranger to change, in fact he has embraced it his entire life. So, as Hunt takes over the role of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Registrar with an eye on moving the office forward, don't be surprised if a little bit of change is in the forecast.

"This is a young institution, everything is changing right now, there's a lot of turnover in some relatively senior positions so for me, this is the perfect opportunity to come in," says Hunt.

Most recently from Cleveland, Ohio, Hunt is from here, there and everywhere. Born in East St. Louis, Ill., he's lived in nine different U.S. states, a host of foreign countries and now Canada. Part of his wanderlust can be attributed to his eight-year career in the U.S. military but the majority is Hunt's innate desire to experience life and seek out new challenges.

Don Hunt is excited about the opportunities he sees as the new ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Registrar.

"Mostly it was just exploring, getting my feet wet and enjoying life," he says. "It's one of the reasons I was not afraid to jump the border and try something new by coming to Canada."

Hunt joined the military directly out of high school, seeking a means to get to college. He began a bachelor's degree in business administration while still serving, with a future goal of becoming an accountant. It became a lesson in patience and perseverance for Hunt as he continued to try and satisfy his degree requirements while taking classes at various colleges related to where he was stationed.

"It took me 18 years to get my first degree," says Hunt, who worked in the accounting field long before he had his accreditation. "Eventually I had gotten too far in the industry to go back and do a CPA program because I would have had to start again as an intern – and that just didn't make sense."

After transitioning to the technology side of the accounting business, Hunt started working for a tech company that designed software for accounting purposes. One arm of the business was to install and then service systems in higher educational settings, and after completing a master's degree in technology, Hunt jumped at the opportunity to work in higher education. His first look at the work of a registrar was an interim appointment at Cleveland State ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. Less than a year later he found a permanent home as deputy registrar at another Cleveland school, Case Western Reserve, and another career path was born.

"It was great to see what life was like on the other side of the fence," says Hunt. "I had always thought it would be nice to see a project through, rather than go in, implement a system and then move on to the next client. This time I actually had the opportunity to implement something and stay to see it through."

After four-plus years at Case Western, Hunt sought a head registrar's role and put no limits on his search parameters.

"In our industry, registrars are generally a terminal position. Because of what you need to be responsible for, the academic records of the institution, having that historical knowledge lends itself to people staying in that role," says Hunt. "Opportunities pop up and they won't be there for another 10 to 15 years so you really have to be ready to take on the opportunity wherever it presents itself. I didn't limit myself."

The U of L was one opportunity that emerged, along with positions in the UK and Australia.

"What sold me was the vision for the institution as both (Vice-President, Academic) Andy Hakin and (President) Mike Mahon laid it out," says Hunt. "The idea of where the institution wants to go as a whole, moving to a very customer-centred, destination university – all those things I could get behind."

He sees the Registrar's Office as an excellent opportunity for advancing those ideals.

"When you look at this operation, it's really in its infancy," says Hunt. "We are still manually driven where there is technology available that we already own. Let's put this technology in place and see how we can increase our self-service portfolio. Let's put in the tools to minimize the workload, not only for my staff, but also for faculty and students. Let's clear all the hoops they have to go through."

Hunt knows all too well what it's like to jump through hoops, and he's determined to use that experience to minimize that process for everyone else.

GET THE FACTS

· Hunt's highest rank in the military was corporal. He served in Germany, the U.S. and during both the Grenada and Honduras conflicts.

· A tennis enthusiast, Hunt is also looking to play squash and racquetball this winter and adds, "I'll even give curling a go, why not?"

· In addition to his bachelor's degree in business administration, he also has a master's degree in technology, both from ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Maryland ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ College.

· One of his first orders of business will be to reduce student traffic to the Registrar's Office. "That front counter gets way too much traffic, realistically, for today's times. Students expect self service 24/7, and so why not make it as available to them as possible?"

ULSU to honour excellence in teaching

trevor.kenney — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 17:57:29 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union (ULSU) would like to formally recognize and honour teaching excellence at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

The Students' Union aims to do this by introducing the Teaching Excellence Award, allowing students an avenue for nominating a professor, sessional staff member or lab instructor who has shown outstanding efforts to increase the learning experience of their students.

"The Students' Union wants to recognize those individuals at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ who have had an impact on their students' academic career," says Taz Kassam, ULSU President. "We want to encourage all undergraduate students who have had an exceptional instructor in the 2010-2011 academic year to nominate these well deserved instructors for the Teaching Excellence Award."

The award is based solely on teaching excellence and will be presented to three instructors that meet the award criteria. All undergraduate students are eligible to nominate an instructor for the honour. A student who wishes to nominate an instructor will be required to complete a letter of support outlining how the nominee has demonstrated excellence in teaching. The nomination deadline is Feb. 28, 2011.

All nominations will be handed to a selection committee consisting of, the ULSU Vice-president Academic, five members of the ULSU General Assembly, and three students-at-large. The selection committee will then conduct additional research on each candidate, and in March the committee will decide which candidates will be receiving the award.

The winners will be formally recognized on Apr. 7, 2011 as part of the ULSU Last Lecture event.

"This is the first year that the Students' Union has offered this award to honour outstanding instructors at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, and we want to give students an opportunity to acknowledge their appreciation for the impact these individuals have on their students," says Kassam.

Students can visit www.ulsu.ca to download a nomination form and drop it off at the Students' Union Office by 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 28.

For a full look at the January issue of the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Tuition rates a point of advocacy for students

trevor.kenney — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 20:53:46 +0000

Deficits, funding shortfalls and tuition hikes are all common words floating around the hallways of Alberta's post-secondary institutions the past few months.

During the Ralph Klein era, Alberta saw tuition fees hit an all-time high, which led to a new tuition fee policy in 2006. In November of that year, the Government of Alberta implemented the Tuition Fees Regulation initiative. This policy indicates that tuition cannot escalate above the rate of inflation measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta wants to see tuition rates calculated by 'market modifiers' which means that tuition for professional and graduate programs such as medicine, dentistry, law, business, pharmacy and engineering will experience grave increases.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students are fortunate that their administration has chosen not to go down that path.

"President Bill Cade stated explicitly at the Oct. 9 Town Hall Meeting that the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge would not pursue any differential increases," says Alex Massé, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union (ULSU) Vice President Academic. "In fact, he portrays the idea of raising tuition for professional programs as ridiculous."

Thus far, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students are safe from a major tuition hike for the 2010/2011 year; although, there are no guarantees of this continuing.

"The U of L administration has made it clear that they will not be seeking any increases beyond the CPI cap for the next academic year, but the government has told students that the regulation could be opened for amendment for a period of two to five years, and we have no guarantee that the U of L will not seek differential increases in future years," says Massé.

"When the cap was implemented, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta used 2004 as the base year from which increases would be calculated," adds Massé. "The U of A argues that they should be able to recalculate the base rates because they weren't given an opportunity in 2006 to adjust their professional programs to market value."

This comes at a time when the U of A is facing a $60 million deficit, along with most institutions across the province that are experiencing funding shortfalls. The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology has proposed a 40 per cent tuition hike for all programs; however, Doug Horner, Alberta Minister of Advanced Education and Technology, rejected this proposal.

"Horner let the PSE institutions know that the Ministry would accept proposals similar to the U of A's: they have to be justified and they have to be aimed only at specific programs," says Massé. "But, we do not believe that any differential tuition increases are justified."

According to Massé, if differential tuition increases are allowed to come into effect it could mean that some students will be forced to enter into a discipline of study based on their financial means over their ability or ambition.

"This means the government will be stifling the potential of many of the best and brightest prospective students," says Massé.

Advocacy is one of the mandates of the ULSU, and it works hard on all levels of government to lobby for the needs of students.

"The ULSU will work extensively with the Council of Alberta ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Students to send a strong message directly to the Government of Alberta, the bottom line being that right now student employment is at a record low and requests for student aid are at a record high, and this is the worst time for the government to allow large tuition increases," says Massé. "Depending on how things go over the next few weeks, we will certainly consider active student campaigns and media events to hammer that message home."

Tuition rates a point of advocacy for students

trevor.kenney — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:46:45 +0000

Deficits, funding shortfalls and tuition hikes are all common words floating around the hallways of Alberta's post-secondary institutions the past few months.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students are fortunate that their administration has chosen not to go down that path.

Thus far, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students are safe from a major tuition hike for the 2010/2011 year; although, there are no guarantees of this continuing.

"Horner let the PSE institutions know that the Ministry would accept proposals similar to the
U of A's: they have to be justified and they have to be aimed only at specific programs," says Massé. "But, we do not believe that any differential tuition increases are justified."

"This means the government will be stifling the potential of many of the best and brightest prospective students," says Massé.

Advocacy is one of the mandates of the ULSU, and it works hard on all levels of government to lobby for the needs of students.

Fall numbers hit record high

trevor.kenney — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:39:12 +0000

There are a few hundred more students buying pizza, renting apartments and contributing to the Lethbridge economy thanks to an increase in attendance at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

With all final enrolment numbers confirmed, the student tally rests at 8,243 students, a 3.5 per cent increase (or 284 students) over last year's 7,959 headcount. This sets another record attendance standard which, for U of L officials, is both a milestone to be celebrated and a future challenge.

"There is no question that we find an increase in the number of people who return to school when the economy is tough," says U of L's Vice-President, Academic and Provost,
Dr. Andy Hakin.
"We believe that number for us, is small compared to the number of students who have chosen to transfer to the U of L, who have entered degree programs straight out of high school, or who are joining our School of Graduate Studies as either master's or doctoral candidates to work with our world-class researchers. U of L recruiters and student support personnel have done a tremendous job of attracting new students and making the U of L a comfortable and satisfying experience."

Hakin adds the future holds many student recruitment challenges.

"We don't stop here. We are working on ways to tell the U of L story to people outside Alberta, and outside Canada. We've developed specialized programs in areas such as public health and the fine arts that are attracting people from coast to coast. The word is spreading and, as we continue to evolve into a comprehensive academic and research university, we fully expect our master's and doctoral programming to grow as well."

Indeed, the big recruitment success story this year is enrolment in the School of Graduate Studies, which experienced a dramatic 33 per cent increase over last year (347 in 2008 vs. 519 in 2009, or 172 additional students).

Dr. Jo-Anne Fiske, the Dean of Graduate Studies, says the increased enrolment reflects a new direction prescribed in the U of L's strategic plan of continuing to grow a comprehensive university.

"We are seeing master's and doctoral degree candidates come to Lethbridge from literally around the world," Fiske says. "They are attracted by our researchers, who are working in every type of research area imaginable, from anthropology to zoology. Our research environment offers them a lot of personal attention, freedom and the chance to teach and build their skills in many different ways."

Additionally, Fiske says that a big benefit to U of L undergraduates looking to continue their education is they can see their futures as graduate studies candidates quickly, and close to home.

"With the quality and diversity of researchers and professors here who supervise master's and doctoral candidates, we have an increasing number of U of L undergrads who choose to follow through with their graduate education here, rather than having to leave the community. We are committed to building the knowledge-based economy that the province of Alberta aspires to and deserves."

Enrolment numbers a positive sign

trevor.kenney — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:03:58 +0000

There are a few hundred more students buying pizza, renting apartments and contributing to the Lethbridge economy thanks to an increase in attendance at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

With all final enrolment numbers confirmed, the student tally rests at 8,243 students, a 3.5 per cent increase (or 284 students) over last year's 7,959 headcount. This sets another record attendance standard which, for U of L officials, is both a milestone to be celebrated and a future challenge.

"There is no question that we find an increase in the number of people who return to school when the economy is tough," says U of L's Vice-President, Academic and Provost, Dr. Andy Hakin.
"We believe that number for us, is small compared to the number of students who have chosen to transfer to the U of L, who have entered degree programs straight out of high school, or who are joining our School of Graduate Studies as either master's or doctoral candidates to work with our world-class researchers. U of L recruiters and student support personnel have done a tremendous job of attracting new students and making the U of L a comfortable and satisfying experience."

Hakin adds the future holds many student recruitment challenges.

"We don't stop here. We are working on ways to tell the U of L story to people outside Alberta, and outside Canada. We've developed specialized programs in areas such as public health and the fine arts that are attracting people from coast to coast. The word is spreading and, as we continue to evolve into a comprehensive academic and research university, we fully expect our master's and doctoral programming to grow as well."

Indeed, the big recruitment success story this year is enrolment in the School of Graduate Studies, which experienced a dramatic 33 per cent increase over last year (347 in 2008 vs. 519 in 2009, or 172 additional students).

Dr. Jo-Anne Fiske, the Dean of Graduate Studies, says the increased enrolment reflects a new direction prescribed in the U of L's strategic plan of continuing to grow a comprehensive university.

"We are seeing master's and doctoral degree candidates come to Lethbridge from literally around the world," Fiske says. "They are attracted by our researchers, who are working in every type of research area imaginable, from anthropology to zoology. Our research environment offers them a lot of personal attention, freedom and the chance to teach and build their skills in many different ways."

Additionally, Fiske says that a big benefit to U of L undergraduates looking to continue their education is they can see their futures as graduate studies candidates quickly, and close to home.

"With the quality and diversity of researchers and professors here who supervise master's and doctoral candidates, we have an increasing number of U of L undergrads who choose to follow through with their graduate education here, rather than having to leave the community. We are committed to building the knowledge-based economy that the province of Alberta aspires to and deserves."

Student ill with tuberculosis

trevor.kenney — Sat, 30 May 2009 04:16:47 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is co-operating fully with Alberta Health Services Public Health officials to help connect them with students and members of the campus community who may have been in contact with a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge student living off campus who was recently diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB).

The student supervised one exam near the end of the school term, and was in limited contact with an estimated 75 students.

The U of L Registrar's Office has provided a complete list of names and contact information to public health officials so they can contact those individuals.

Public Health officials have contacted the student's roommates and immediate contacts on campus as well, and they are in the process of being assessed.

"We moved swiftly to co-operate with public health officials when they contacted us Thursday," says U of L Vice-President, Academic,
Dr. Andy Hakin.

"We are very grateful the student is receiving treatment and is recovering. At the same time, we are also concerned about the well-being of our students and employees on campus, so we are working quickly to ensure that public health officials can contact them to determine their level of exposure."

The case poses no risk to the general population.

As a special note to the campus community, only those individuals directly contacted by Alberta Health officials are affected. Freedom of Information and Privacy guidelines preclude releasing any information that would identify the student.

Only those individuals deemed to be in close contact with the ill person will be advised to have a TB skin test to help determine whether or not they are affected.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by a bacteria called mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria can infect any body organ, but it only spreads to other people when it infects the lungs.

People may have a cough lasting longer than 3 weeks, fever, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, night sweats and constant tiredness.

A person can get TB when someone with TB coughs, sneezes or talks, placing the TB bacteria in the air. Another person may breathe in the bacteria.

An average healthy person needs to spend several hours a day over a few months with an infected person to get TB. In some cases the infection may be passed on in less time.

In most people exposed to TB the body seals off the infection. Only 10 per cent of people exposed to TB will develop an active disease.

Students or any member of the public with a concern about this illness can contact the Alberta Health Link hotline at 1-866-408-5465.

UNews - Academic

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