Official Report of
DEBATES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY (Hansard)
MONDAY, JUNE 9, 1997
Afternoon
Volume 5, Number 17
Part 1
TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
OF BRITISH COLUMBIA ACT
Hon. P. Ramsey: This act establishes the Technical University of British Columbia as a degree-granting institution to provide improved post-secondary access in the Fraser Valley, and to provide the knowledge and skills that all British Columbians need to succeed in the global economy.
The act sets out the purposes of the university and its governance structure. The purposes of the university, as set out in this legislation, include: to offer certificate, diploma and degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels in applied technology and related professional fields; to conduct applied research and development; to provide continuing education that responds to the needs of the applied technologists and related professional fields; to collaborate and cooperate with other post-secondary institutions, business and labour with respect to education and applied research and development; and to create strong links with business and labour and to develop programs that are relevant to and at the forefront of industrial and professional initiative.
The act provides for a corporate governance model to enable the university to respond quickly to changing industry and community needs. It includes a board of governors, a president, who is chief executive officer of the university, and a university council. The board of governors and the president will have the duties and powers of the board of governors and the senate under the University Act. The president will consult with the university council on specified academic matters. The act also establishes program advisory committees for each program area, which will make recommendations to the head of the program area. Included in this legislation are consequential amendments to eight other acts.
Bill 30 introduced, read a first time and ordered to be placed on orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.