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University of Regina president pays a visit to Energy City By Norm Park normpark@estevanmercury.ca
She’s been on the job for eight years, has survived a 2013 upheaval that included a challenge and review of her role, but Vianne Timmons considers being the president of the University of Regina, “the best job in the world.” Timmons was in Estevan on Nov. 2 participating in the university’s community outreach program that would see her paying visits to several southeast communities as part of this year’s agenda. With over 300 Estevan and area students enrolled in classes at the U of R, this is no small impact on the city or the university. Besides a meeting with Lifestyles, Timmons attended an alumni social in the early evening and met with City of Estevan and Chamber of Commerce administrators and local business leaders for a noon luncheon. Timmons said the U of R boasts of an ambitious co-operative student program, the largest in Western Canada and Estevan businesses have benefitted from it, especially the oil businesses that regards the Regina institution’s engineering programs as very solid. “We get to learn what customized learning programs we can deliver to satisfy local businesses and markets, by making these visits,” Timmons said. Partnering with the provincial polytechnic and regional colleges also benefits all parties. She said, for instance, the U of Regina carries 110 course credit agreements with the polytechnic schools and the local college will soon be offering first-year university courses using Regina campus professors. The on-campus growth at the province’s southernmost university has been significant with an enrolment of over 14,400 students on campus, along with 2,500 staff. That’s an increase of over 2,500 students in just two years. There are over 2,000 international students and 11 per cent of the student population self-declared as
University of Regina president Vianne Timmons, visited Estevan as part of a community outreach program this week. First Nations students, not all necessarily enrolled in the First Nations University of Canada which shares the campus with the U of R from which the degrees are granted. Timmons said the First Nations University is on the cusp of reclaiming full administration credentials. Speaking about the challenges to her presidency, Timmons said she believed the opposition two years ago arose over the rapid and significant changes that she was having to impose on the campus due to financial pressures. She said she learned that some changes cannot be invoked quickly, because the participants needed time to reflect before reworking a strategic plan. An early retirement scheme to help reduce costs, resulted in a reduction of 30 eductors. She said about 60 were willing to engage in the opportunity, but, in the
end, the cuts didn’t have to be that drastic. Now with some programs restored and a grow-
But on the positive side, the campus has added 605 beds in a new dormitory that is nearly full and is giving
including over 800 from the Middle East, several hundred Chinese and other Asian students and hundreds
ing enrolment, there were still major financial problems since the increase in provincial funding this fall was just 0.5 per cent, which, in essence, translated into a cut of three to four per cent after taking into consideration the increase in students, inflation and programs. Endowments have also softened in the past year, a direct result of the declining economy, so add that to the pressures list.
students a full appreciation of life on campus. Besides petroleum and other engineering disciplines, the U of R is building a huge reputation as a deliverer of well-trained teachers and social workers. Plus, a new nursing program in concert with the University of Saskatchewan, is growing in popularity, said Timmons. Being an all inclusive campus means listening and trying to accommodate international students
more from African nations, as just a sample. “We also have a disabilities support program and include students with intellectual challenges who are welcomed on campus to monitor classes,” she added. Distance education is becoming a bigger feature and will be even more prominent once the regional colleges get back into the picture. “We have some students right on campus, who
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take some classes online because of scheduling conflicts. Most like face-to-face classes. We have intensive two and three-week courses in the summer, so we’ve become a 24/7, year round centre of learning,” she said. “Distance education saves space, but it is costly to deliver and salaries for the professors is non-negotiable,” she said with a smile. “But the saving on infrastructure helps.” A guaranteed job program introduced a couple of years ago, gained international attention and has worked wonderfully. If they don’t find work within a reasonable time span, they’re welcomed back, tuition-free in a guaranteed program. “We’ve had 1,400 participants and no one has come back yet,” she said. “Our first pillar at the U of R is student success. I think it’s working.”
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