UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
of the FRASER VALLEY

Heac

Volume 13, Number 3

March 10, 1999

New strategic plan gets the once-over at progress day

An institution doesn’t have to be gigantic
to be complex, and UCFV is certainly
complex. That’s one of the ways in which
President Skip Bassford summarized his
impressions of the university college at
the recent Strategic Planning Progress
Day on February 25. Over 200 people,
including employees, students, Board
members, and community members
attended the half-day session.

He stressed that a “living” strategic
plan is essential as the university-college
concept continues to evolve, and praised
faculty and staff for the high participation
rate in the planning process, in which
approximately one-third of UCFV
employees are involved.

“The four university colleges are just
beginning to understand what we’ve
created, and we believe that it’s
something that can really make a mark in
the next century,” Bassford noted.

Working groups have been
researching, discussing, and making
recommendations on a number of topics,
including program mix, program

delivery, the multicampus structure,
marketing and communications,
student life, institutional support,
partnerships, professional
development, and scholarship and PD.
The progress day was an opportunity
for the general UCFV community to
hear updates from and provide
feedback to the various working
groups.

Bassford said that two main themes
emerged from the working group
process: integration and learning.

“We need to do a better job of
integrating what we do across this
complex and diverse institution, to
continue to integrate the community
college and university concepts, and to
carry laddering further and to integrate
more thoroughly, in order to create
more choices and possibilities for
students,” Bassford said.

“‘We also have to foster better
integration of academic programs and
support services, of our various
campuses and geographic locations,

and with our communities,” he added.
“Ultimately, UCFV is a community of
partnerships.”

Speaking about the second theme,
learning, Bassford said that UCFV must
focus on being learner-centred.

“All partnerships at UCFV exist for the
purpose of learning. We have a very diverse
set of learners with different styles and
needs, and life possibilities. We must look at
more varied teaching modes, methods, times
and locations, and work toward being
available all year, all day, every week.”

Bassford added that UCFV also needs to
provide better support to students outside the
classroom.

“We need more support and better
facilities for student life.”

On the strategic plan in general, Bassford
remarked that it will be a “fascinating plan,
but difficult to implement. It will lead to an
exciting time here, and a good future.”

Now that the working groups have
reported to the UCFV community at large,
they will put together a final submission for

Please see next page.

Opening night of Richard Ill, this
year’s Shakespeare production at
UCFV Theatre, is this Friday,

March 12. Tickets for all performances

are on sale now. Call 795-2814.

Pictured: Chandra Goodey, Marcus
Lawrence, and Lindsay Cuff.