Sheila Reynolds
MetroValley News
Wednesday, August 20, 1997
Page 17
Although discussions on the location of Tech B.C. picked up after the legislation establishing the university (Bill 30) was passed July 30, a campus site has yet to be designated.
The provincial government had originally dedicated land in Cloverdale for the $100-million university, but Surrey-Whalley MLA Joan Smallwood has lobbied to relocate the school to Surrey City Centre, saying it would jump-start development in her riding.
Tech B.C. chair Ron Dickson says the university board's mandate is to consider all options. Including the concept of a main campus in Surrey central.
However, he maintains no matter what decision is made, the board wants to keep the Cloverdale land either to be developed as a secondary campus or for other university facilities.
He said if the board decides to utilize a second site, it would hopefully be a revenue-generating location.
"For instance," he said, "a science park facility where private research could be done in conjunction with the university could actually enhance the finances of the university as well as the academic and research work."
Many institutions, such as Simon Fraser University and B.C. Institute of Technology have developed multiple sites. Often, said Dickson, it is simply a matter of increasing access for students.
Dickson said the "squeeze on capital" the university faces makes cost a major consideration.
"We're going to try and find a way to get the best results from the least expenditure of public money. We have not made a decision not to build on Cloverdale...and have no intention of doing that unless and until we have a clear, viable option that is a better option for the university."
On a separate front, the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) and the Confederation of University Faculty Associations (CUFA) have begun an ad campaign to deter teachers applying for jobs at Tech B.C.
Advertisements in the Vancouver Sun and the Globe and Mall warn "that the legislation creating the institution does not offer protections for academic freedom and institutional autonomy contained in other university statutes."
Education minister Paul Ramsey has said he is unconcerned by the action and Dickson echoes those sentiments.
"Our assessment is that it won't have any effect on us recruiting top-notch academic people. It's not being raised as any sort of an obstacle."