aaa ers Headlines/November 2, 1993 Speakers’ bureau one Changing Communities project One significant way in which UCFV interacts with its communities is through faculty, administration and staff sharing their expertise with community groups through speaking engagements. The Changing Communities committee has agreed to help to foster this practice by producing a speakers’ bureau brochure and organizing a system which community members can use to book speakers. The system will be a simple one: people interested in speaking will have their name and possible topics listed in the brochure, along with their work phone number and their home one as well if they choose. Community members will then phone the speaker of their choice and make arrangements. Whether the speaker gets paid an honorarium or not will depend on the established practice of the host organization, but hosts will be expected to cover travel expenses. Information Services will coordinate the project, sending questionnaires to all faculty, staff and administrators and compiling data collected in a brochure. Participation in the speakers’ bureau will be voluntary. The possiblity of storing the information on a database for other use within the university college will also be explored. Lecture series In other Changing Communities news, Sociology/Anthopology is in the process of organizing the Strengthening existing ties This year’s theme fits in with what UCFV already does as part of its mandate: work with its home communities to make them a better place. For instance, Continuing Education department recently co-hosted a forum on racism and cultural issues in Mission, and one on air quality in Matsqui. Student Activities also arranged all candidates’ meetings for the federal election at both its Abbotsford and Chilliwack campuses. Last year, the Geography department hosted a seminar series on the growth of suburbia and changing housing trends in the Fraser Valley. Many faculty and staff members also work with community groups on an informal basis. The goal this year is to strengthen the community ties, partly by hosting special events which focus on ways in which the Fraser Valley is changing. Symposium Another possibility is a Changing Communities symposium, to be held next spring or fall. Members of the community would be invited to participate in this symposium, which would examine ways in which the Fraser Valley is changing and steps that could be taken to ensure that the change is manageable. The Changing Communities working committee has no set membership roster, but stalwarts who have showed up for two president’s lecture series, which will see guest speakers addressing topics covering various ways in which the Fraser Valley is changing. The lectures will be held monthly throughout the fall and winter, and be hosted in turn by the Abbotsford and Chilliwack campuses and the Mission centre. meetings are Kevin Buswood, Peter Jones, Catherine McDonald, Anne Russell, and Sandy Tait. The committee welcomes suggestions about other events that could be arranged. To provide your ideas and input, contact one of the above-named individuals, or come to the next meeting on Fri., Nov. 5 at 2 p.m. in Chwk 103. Enthusiasm shown for environment studies concept A group of people from disciplines as diverse as anthropology, biology, agriculture, chemistry, philosophy, and continuing education gathered last week to discuss different ways of incorporating environmental studies into the curriculum at UCFV. 5 “Environmental education could happen on several levels,” says agriculture instructor Rose Morrison- Ives, who organized the meeting. “Through CE we can teach people about environmental citizenship. We could also offer a career/tech diploma of some sort, or a professional degree. Peter Jones has suggested that a combined arts/science degree might be the place for environmental studies.” Colin James of the University College of the Cariboo, who is chair of the provincial environmental studies articulation committee, will be a guest at the group’s next meeting on Monday, Nov. 29 at 3 p.m. in Abby A100. Anyone interested is welcome to attend. Morrison-Ives and chemistry instructor Peter Slade are both members of the provincial articulation committee for environmental studies. Group members will be doing some - research before the next meeting, looking at a recent ministry study on environmental training needs, and reviewing Red River Community College’s environmental policy, which covers the college’s role as a corporate citizen, its academic course offerings, and its community outreach commitment. Morrison-Ives is interested in seeing an interdisciplinary elective course on environmental issues offered at UCFV. She also stresses that community offerings should be a part of any environmental education initiative. “It’s fine to have people with specialized diplomas, but there’s also a real need for basic environmental literacy, such as where the sewage goes or what’s in automobile emissions, among the general public.” UCFYV is exploring the possibility of taking over responsibility for a parcel of Crown land on Harrison Lake which was logged in the 1930s. It features the site of an old logging camp, and remnants of an old trestle logging road. It reseeded itself naturally and is now a healthy second-growth forest. Various UCFYV disciplines, such as geography, biology, history, horticulture, anthropology, and sociology, could use the land as a “living lab” in which to explore past uses.