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Volume XI,
Number 8
Oct.4,1989

Carrie

I‘AITCOAT an errr
INTERNAL NEWSLETTER

WOU CULLEUE 3S

Celebrating 20 Years

1968 - 1988

Are we putting all our eggs in one
basket? Are we tempting fate? What are
we leaving out? Does this mean we’ re
becoming elitist? What about access?
What about E.S.L.?

These were some of many questions
thrown at the five year planning
committee (referred to as the Delphic
Oracle by one cheeky speaker) at the _
forum held last week. Published asa.
draft, the document includes a broad
‘vision statement’ intended to provide
the College with a working plan upon
which to base future budget decisions.
“After all,” said Doug Jardine,
committee chair, “the budget is the
ultimate policy document.” Doug added
that “it will rule some things out and Me

The
Oracle
Speaks

.

si

some in, but does not have to be
considered a hard and fast directive.”

Whether hard, fast, or indifferent, the forum attracted
almost 50 people and was the site of some excited discussion
through the two hour meeting. What appeared to rile people
most were phrases like “excellence” and “first choice” sprinkled
through the nine-page document. What about access? What
about ESL? What about disadvantaged groups? What are we
leaving out? were some of the questions posed to the 14
member committee.

“Excellence and achievement” was one of the answers
provided by ARC coordinator Ruth d’Hollander, who reassured
the questioners that ESL, ARC, and other foundation programs
would not be left by the wayside in the College’s efforts to
become “first choice rather than second chance”. Penny Le
Couteur explained further that the College was choosing to be
selective rather than comprehensive in its approach. “We want
to be ahead of the community,” said the biology instructor.

“Basically, we formed this document out of what we are
already doing,” said Frank Gelin. “I don’t think it will change
things dramatically, but it will give us some direction.”

Everyone appeared to agree that the concept of a
community college has changed over the years, and that we can
no longer consider being all things to all people. “We will have

to put our eggs in some baskets,” said
communications instructor Crawford
Kilian. What those baskets will include
is not laid out in the document, though
it does present a variety of suggestions.

These 17 ‘opportunities’ which
include: university-college status, co-
op education, ElderCollege, and a
foreign expert training program,
appeared to be the cause of some of the
excitement and confusion, and were the
inspiration for a classic little speech by
Reid Gilbert. “The plan should be
sufficiently clear that we don’t need a
table of oracles to explain it to us,” said
the instructor. “At this point, the
document is open ended. Everyone
hears what they want to, like they did
at Delphi. Years away from now, we
could find ourselves ill-served, like

Oedipus, by the fates.” Reid sat down to the only round of
applause of the afternoon.

Doug pointed out that the 17 targets are there to provide
grounds for debate at the DACs and in Instructional Board.
““We want to leave as many choices as possible open to us, and
we want to exclude decisions that would limit our strategic
freedom,” added Crawford Kilian.

continued on page 3
Inside...

Got an

veel oe pein iia : information
Ward -------------------- .

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Exchange students ------------ 3 c st a
People 4 omings
Informed Choices --------------- 4 Let Public
Queen of the Lines ------------ --5 Relations know.
Faculty Development ----------- 6

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CAPILANO COLLEGE