Organizing for Uncertainty A Submission to Campus 2020: Thinking Ahead Greg Lee President, Capilano College September 2006 Organizing for Uncertainty A Submission to Campus 2020: Thinking Ahead I thank the Ministry of Advanced Education and the government for undertaking this comprehensive planning process on the future of B.C.’s post-secondary system. While there have been other studies undertaken in the past thirty years I believe this is the first that explicitly includes all of the different institutions in the scope of the exercise. It is my hope that this submission will act as a catalyst to encourage some significant innovative thinking about how best to organize to meet the challenges that face us. This submission is based on my experiences of thirty-five years as an individual working in the college system, twenty-eight which have been as a senior administrator. These are my opinions only and do not represent the position of Capilano College. Over my career, I have observed the effects of a variety of decisions on our system of higher education and have witnessed first hand the dynamics caused by competition and cooperation, by centralization and de-centralization, and by political realities and individual institutional aspirations. I do not believe there is any one perfect solution to the challenges facing us, but I do believe that the organization and structure of the system we set in place will have a significant impact on the future of post-secondary education in B.C. I will therefore give my perspective on the structural issues and organizational challenges that need to be addressed, and let others advocate for specific programs, for increased funding, or for special treatment for unique circumstances. If the system’s overall structure is as close to right as possible, these other issues will take care of themselves in due course. Our institutions have proven remarkably able to find ways to do the right things. Greg Lee President, Capilano College September 2006 Executive Summary The challenge facing government is to structure the B.C. post-secondary system to effectively address what are as yet undetermined shifts taking place in the world demographic, technologic, and economic. And government must undertake this task while building upon the assets we have built in British Columbia over the last 40 years in a constructive, positive and imaginative manner. B.C. has an enviable system of responsive and flexible post-secondary institutions, but there are both internal and external pressures to reorganize and redefine the institutions to better meet the needs of our citizens. All institutions cannot be the same - nor should they be. Given our geographic and fiscal realities a solution is needed that can ensure creativity and responsiveness, satisfy economic and non-economic objectives, promote regional access, and gain national and international acceptance and understanding. Our objective should be to maintain the advantages of local and regional responsiveness, enable our system to respond to the lifelong learning needs of the growing 25-29 year old cohort, provide quality faculty at the appropriate level, and increase the recognition and scope of the province’s post-secondary system for both domestic and international students. To meet these needs, the creation of several new Regional Universities, each created by a federation of currently existing independent institutions, is proposed. Regional Universities would have the mandate to grant only bachelors and masters degrees. Non-degree programs and the university studies transfer system would remain the responsibility of the individual institutions and therefore remain responsive to local needs. Major Research Universities would focus on research, graduate work and upper level courses and thus be able to attract the research faculty needed in the increasingly difficult academic labour market. 1 Background and Context The post-secondary system we now have in place is good, perhaps better than anywhere else in Canada. B.C. has a unique and very successful system of postsecondary education that has enabled students from around the province to pursue their goals, whatever they may be. Is access perfect and equal? Of course not, but that is a function our geography and is true of all public services. Our record however is much better than is generally recognized. Over forty years ago the first major expansion of post-secondary education in B.C. followed the publication of the MacDonald Report “Higher Education in British Columbia and a Plan for the Future”. MacDonald argued for an expansion both of two and four-year institutions, located throughout the province, to provide both academic transfer courses and career and vocational programming. He argued, obviously successfully, that the two-year institutions thus created should be multipurpose, focus on teaching, be parallel but not identical in structure to the university, and be autonomous. On this latter point, he was quite clear; strong institutions are developed when they have independence of action. The resulting creation of two new universities and a series of community colleges which had both an academic and a career focus initiated what, I believe, has proven to be the most flexible and innovative post secondary system in Canada. The linkages provided by a well articulated university studies transfer system and the innovation and responsiveness allowed by independent institutions has provided some of the benefits of both a centralized and a de-centralized system. The Diversity of the B.C. Post-secondary system has served students well The lack of truly comparable inter-provincial data has distorted the perception of how the B.C. post-secondary system has performed, but what data we have shows that it has worked remarkably well. The following charts show the most recent data for the entry of high school graduates into BC public post-secondary institutions from high school. (“Immediate and Delayed transitions from Secondary School Graduation to Post-Secondary Education in BC”. BC Ministry of Education, 2006) Immediate Entry of High School graduates to BC PostSecondary Institutions Universities University Studies - Colleges and University Colleges Non-University Studies - Colleges, Institutes, University Colleges 2003 2002 2001 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% High School Graduates 2 70% 80% 90% 100% Post-Secondary Participation of 2001-2002 High School Graduates Direct Entry One Year Delay Two Years Delay 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Universities University Studies Colleges and University Colleges Non-University Studies - Colleges, Institutes, University Colleges All Institutions This data indicates that over 50% of high school graduates go on to BC public postsecondary directly from high school and that within two years that figure reaches almost 70%. Further, almost all of the delayed entry occurs in the colleges, university-colleges and institutes. Longitudinal studies have also shown that the B.C. system is successful in providing for delayed access. A 1988-98 follow-up study of over 1000 high school graduates (Andres, Lesley. “Educational and Occupational Patterns of the Class of ‘88” A Ten Year Perspective, BCCAT, June 2002) found that very few individuals did not participate in post secondary education within ten years of high school graduation. From the study: B.C. High School Graduate Attendance at a Post-Secondary Institution (all jurisdictions) One year delay Five year delay Ten year delay 0% 20% 40% 60% High School Graduates 3 80% 100% From Andres report: “This finding suggests that the diversity of the B.C. postsecondary system, together with offerings in other jurisdictions, allow for some type of post-secondary experience for almost all high school graduates” I believe it is critical that the B.C. post-secondary system maintains this diversity. The Transfer System has worked to provide access to University Studies The system has also provided very good access to university studies through the B.C. transfer system. Between 30 and 40 percent of university enrolment is from students who have begun their studies at colleges and university-colleges. BC Council on Admissions and Transfer July 16, 2004 Transfer students have been successful Detailed studies have indicated that students do as well or better when they start at a college (Heslop, Joanne. “Alternative paths to SFU: A comparative Academic performance Study of BC College Transfer Students and BC Direct Entry Secondary School Students Admitted to SFU from 1992 to 1999”. BCCAT, October 2004). This study indicates that, when high school grades are used as a measure of relative ability, students do as well or better when transferring from a college a do direct entry students. Not surprisingly it is the average student who shows the greatest benefit from attending a college. A Comparison of student options – two provinces It is evident that the B.C. system has not only worked but has worked well. A major reason for this success is the integrated nature of almost all our institutions. The B.C. transfer system has not only kept institutions talking to each other and working together, it has allowed bridges to be built between the often separated worlds of academia and work. It has kept almost all of the institutions in constant touch and with common purpose. BCCAT has served not only as a very important 4 and useful articulation and admission organization but also as a forum where common issues are identified and discussed. There is no doubt that without the transfer mechanisms the B.C. post-secondary system would consist of isolated institutions and the opportunities for students would be much reduced. The relative isolation of those institutions outside the transfer system serves to illustrate this point. By way of demonstration, I offer two scenarios. The scenarios are not meant to discredit any institutions, but only to illustrate the flexibility the B.C. transfer system has provided students. Two students completing high school, one in B.C., the other in Ontario, both have modestly good, but not great, grades out of high school - say 70%. Both decide they wish to pursue a university degree. What are their options? Both apply to the major research institutions in their province, U of Toronto, Queens, Western and similar for Ontario; UBC, SFU, UVIC in B.C. They are not accepted at any. In Ontario, the student then applies for one of the many other universities and gets accepted. She (probably) moves away from home and goes to one of her second choices, and graduates from there. (I should add at this point that the education she may receive is very likely as good or better than her first choice, but this example is based upon choice and reputation). She has no exposure to other career alternatives that do not require a degree, and no opportunity to easily move between institutions. The B.C. student enrolls in his local college, undertakes one or two years of university (transfer) study, and, if he does moderately well, has his choice of which of the major universities he attends. He gets this choice by proving his capability. He does not have to leave home for the first two years – however appealing that prospect is to an 18-year-old. He also has exposure to a variety of alternative careers that do not require a degree. An excellent summary report on the many studies of the success of the B.C. Transfer system is contained in a report from BCCAT (“ Accountability of the BC Transfer System”. BCCAT, April 2005). The report concludes with a quotation from a recent publication by Britain’s Higher Education Policy Institute (Bekhradnia, Bahram. “Credit Accumulation and Transfer, and the Bologna Process: an Overview”. Higher Education Policy Institute, October 2004.) British Columbia has taken the Californian model and developed it into what is possibly the most extensive credit accumulation and transfer arrangement in the world. … The arrangements in British Columbia appear to have worked extremely well and to have had the desired effect of opening higher education to students who might not otherwise have been able to attend. I believe the B.C. post-secondary system must be structured in such a way that the university studies transfer option is maintained, indeed enhanced. 5 The Changing Role of Post-Secondary Education in a Rapidly Changing World Until the middle of the twentieth century higher education was reserved for only a small elite percentage of the population. Increasingly since the 1960s a greater percentage of the population has found it both desirable and necessary to continue their studies past high school. In fact, the evidence suggests that almost all high school graduates undertake some form of advanced education or training, albeit not always directly out of high school. The change from elite to mass education brings with it some challenges and some opportunities. All students are not seeking the same goals; some want to pursue an academic career while others wish to get preparation for employment in a wide variety of occupations in both the profit and not-for-profit sectors. The intellectual playing field has also been redefined. Traditional university education has focused on what to know and how to analyze, synthesize and integrate that knowledge to create more knowledge. In the context of both the rapidly expanding knowledge base and the communication technologies that now exist, postsecondary education has another equally important role - the teaching of how to use this vast array of knowledge. There is, and will remain, the world of academia which focuses on the creation of knowledge, but there is also the world of work which must use and deal holistically and contextually with the knowledge that is already created. Preparation for the changes in knowledge that will occur during any working career requires the explicit development of knowledge skills – the ability to find the right information and to communicate the results of that search in the context of the job at hand. There is a need for a wide range of both degree and non-degree credentials. Information and Communication Technologies Information and communication technology has not only changed the nature of our relationship with knowledge, it has changed the expectations and the abilities of students who come to our institutions. They are multi-tasking, always connected, expecting immediate response, and problem solving by trial and error; faculty recognize that students have changed as a result of growing up in a digital world. Whether it is thought to be good or bad, it is real. Our post-secondary system, not the students, must adapt. Students increasingly expect technology on time and as needed, and they expect to have many options or alternatives to find the information they need or to complete their tasks. They want flexibility in time, in the amount of work and in the delivery of educational services. Institutions are responding to these needs, either individually or in partnership. B.C. is on the cutting edge of an integrated online delivery consortium with BCcampus. The knowledge that BCcampus brings to online delivery is easily adaptable to integrate into on campus mixed mode courses. Institutions must be free to explore the possibilities that are available to them. Not all will choose the same path. 6 Globalization We also exist in a global context. The effect of globalization on post-secondary education has been both to increase the focus on economic development and make the provision of educational services a market in which institutions must compete. The stated intention of the government is to increase the number of international students, which brings with it some important considerations. The first consideration is, will they come? Given the geopolitics of today’s world and the increasing cost and inconvenience of travel, there may well be a reduction in the number of students seeking their education outside of their own country. Nevertheless, assuming that the demand will still be present, international students usually want either language training or a degree. The expectation of an international student for a degree program is that the institution granting it is a university. That is not to say it is impossible to attract international students without being designated a university, but it is much more difficult, and will likely get harder. The problem is made very much worse by the lack of any Canadian accreditation standard or process. There is a very strong argument for university status for those institutions that wish to attract foreign students. Demographics – faculty and students are getting older The number of high school graduates is declining and among the institutions the competition for students, to meet the coveted Ministry FTE target, is increasing. The number of students in the 18-21 year age group, the primary group for direct entry, is projected to decline to 1998 levels by 2020. 7 Whereas the 25 – 29 year old cohort, those that are more likely to require specific upgrading or further studies, will increase British Columbia - 25-29 800000 700000 600000 500000 400000 300000 200000 100000 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 0 BC Stats PEOPLE_30 Human Resources A very large numbers of faculty are about to retire, and the shortage of replacements, particularly at the PhD level, must be a consideration. This is a problem right across North America and PhD qualified faculty members are going to be very hard to attract. However the B.C. post-secondary system is organized, it must appeal to faculty and meet their needs. Our system must be designed to optimize the recruitment and use of PhD qualified research faculty. Our Current Conundrum Despite, or perhaps because of, its success, British Columbia finds itself in 2006 with a multitude of different institutions - all with different aspirations. The situation is confusing to students as they try to sort through the wide variety of institutional types, and from the international perspective, the range of institutions and the mandate and scope of each is almost undecipherable. • The one very large Medical-Doctoral research institution, UBC, has recently expanded in a California style model to the interior. A second major research institution, SFU, now has three campuses in the Lower Mainland. And these two are joining with BCIT and Emily Carr to create another Lower Mainland institutional complex. • A Special Purpose University has been created, among other things, to operate an Open University component, while simultaneously BCcampus works to organize all institutions into a matrix of flexible learning for the province. 8 • The three remaining university colleges are all struggling to become universities, perhaps special. BCIT has now redefined itself as a polytechnic institution, which in the most of the world equates to a university. • Emily Carr struggles to maintain itself as an institute in a market where true special purpose universities are the norm. • Colleges, in response to escalating educational requirements in the workplace, are granting more bachelors degrees in applied areas of study while, at the same time, responding to the non-degree technical and trades education that is required around the province. This complexity is not necessarily bad but it is confusing. As mentioned earlier, the creation of strong independent institutions with the ability to change and respond to the rapidly changing needs of both students and employers is a strength of the current system. We must find a way to organize our post-secondary system while still continuing to enable this creativity, because we cannot possibly predict what the next fifteen years will bring. Organization of Post-Secondary systems Canada, indeed the world, has many models for post-secondary systems. There are centrally controlled and highly directed systems, and decentralized, uncoordinated systems. There are strengths and weaknesses to either. Within highly regulated systems there can be centrally controlled but roughly equal institutions or there can be a large institution with satellite campuses. Completely decentralized systems are rare. There is usually some central agency that promotes coordination and cooperation – but it is often unable to require compliance. The idea of a more centrally coordinated system has great appeal to government, which is bureaucratic by its very nature. The advantage, of course, is that standardized processes and procedures can be implemented and measurement of standard outcomes monitored. However this comes at a price, since there is no doubt that a lack of autonomy can stifle creativity, through the bureaucracy if for no other reason. Decentralized autonomous institutions can make changes more rapidly, and thereby more quickly meet the changing needs of their communities. To recall the MacDonald Report, he was clear that strong institutions require autonomy, and subsequent events have proven him correct, as B.C. does have a remarkable number of strong institutions. As we try and assess what sort of post-secondary system we might need in 2020, the uncertainty about what we will have to confront in that time horizon would argue that we need our institutions to have the ability to innovate and change. 9 What might such an organizational model look like? How can we keep the independent nature of our institutions while at the same time create some of the centralized mechanisms that can provide coordination, national and international acceptance and quality assurance? The centralizing forces are most strongly needed around the issues of degree granting and research funding. Other issues such as developmental education, certificates or diplomas are primarily regional or community issues and the flexibility to adapt to meet those needs are best left to institutional creativity and entrepreneurial acumen. The exception to the latter is the apprenticeship training, which requires a central control of certification, but not necessarily delivery. There is such a model in development in Scotland. The University of the Highland and the Islands ( UHI Millennium Institute) is a federation of independent colleges and institutions that are creating a university to grant degrees and undertake research. The basic principle they declare is the following: “the central principle of governance should be the maximum delegation of functions and responsibilities to the college level” or restated, the goal is: “the minimum centralization of functions and responsibilities required to enable the University to prosper”. The UHI model does not fit exactly with our circumstance. We have for example, three, arguably four, major research institutions already in existence. This is probably sufficient for our relatively small population. But the concept, that the degree granting authority is centralized in a university federation while leaving the authority and responsibilities for all other institutional undertakings at the local level, is worth considering. A proposed solution: Regional Universities - degree granting federations of institutions B.C. should have two types of degree granting universities. The first, our traditional Research University, should focus on research, upper level and graduate level studies. These would be the institutions that would continue to provide third and fourth year for the large number of students who wish to complete their university studies at a major research institution. Enrolment at first and second year would be limited. Their research mandate and increased numbers of graduate students would develop the next generation of faculty for all post-secondary institutions. The second type of university should be focused on teaching and modeled as a federation of independent institutions whose degree granting authority resides with the university but whose other activities are independent. Such universities could be either provincial or regional in nature, but given the B.C. history of autonomous institutions and the recent development of new institutions in the province, a province-wide federation is probably not possible. 10 Therefore what is proposed is a system of several Regional Universities, each consisting of independent public institutions federated at the degree level. These Regional Universities would have the degree granting capability of the existing university colleges, i.e. to the Master’s level. There would be a regional Academic Council or Senate for the degree programs and only a modest central operation, whose purpose would be to manage the academic governance of the degrees being offered. Regional Universities would not have significant research responsibility, but locally appropriate applied research involving knowledge transfer, new applications and industry development would be encouraged as circumstances and funding allowed. Research would be an individual institution’s decision and responsibility and would depend upon the local support and need at each. The advantages of a Regional University system are many. The focus of the majority of institutions would remain on teaching not research. The focus of the Regional Universities would be on teaching. There should be well-supported world-class research in the Research Universities. While the province must support a strong research base, the extraordinary cost of leading edge research makes the concentration in a few research institutions almost compulsory. More graduate programs are required to produce the skilled researchers and teachers that the entire postsecondary system requires. The development of local applied research at the member institutions of Regional Universities would not be prohibited, and no doubt such would occur, but it would not be the focus of the institution. Regional independence and creativity is maintained The institutions would be independent in all activities but the granting of degrees. The flexibility that has been demonstrated over forty years would not be lost. The system would maintain our ability to be responsive to the needs of our communities. Our communities can be geographic or of special interests. Whether it is the retraining needs of the citizens of Cranbrook or the upgrading requirements of the Music Therapy practitioners, the system must be in a position to address their specific needs. Individual institutions must be able to be as creative in the future as they have in the past. Individual institutions need to be strong, and to have an ability to take quick independent action. We also need different attributes in the different areas of our institutions’ mandates. Response to a sudden skills shortage in a local industry needs to be addressed much more quickly than a change in focus of a degree program. We will be able to respond to the needs of that large 25 – 29 year old cohort, whose members may be looking for upgrading on a short-term or part-time basis. 11 The B.C. transfer system, which provides unique opportunities for students to move to major universities, would be maintained. Colleges would continue to provide, at their appropriate level of service, university transfer options that could still feed into third and fourth year at the Research Universities. No doubt some students would opt to stay for local degrees, or transfer to other institutions in a different Regional University, but the very successful transfer option to move to a major research institutions would be maintained. If, as proposed, the Research Universities focus on upper years, this would strengthen the regional programs at the second year level. Degree quality and international recognition is enhanced. The system should not only be high quality, it should be perceived as high quality both within and outside the province. B.C. has a relatively small population by international standards. Our complex system of independent institutions is not well understood in the rest of Canada, let alone internationally. There is potential for our structure to be perceived in such as way as to be damaging to the B.C. post-secondary system because of the large number of relatively small institutions offering degrees in specialized areas of study. The fact that Canada does not have an accreditation system makes this issue more difficult. A major consideration, and one that cannot be underestimated, is the perception of quality as evidenced by the nomenclature used to describe an institution. Universities are more prestigious than colleges or institutes, and university colleges are strangely suspect as an unknown hybrid, particularly when viewed from outside the country. As B.C. attempts to attract more international students, how we name and structure our institutions will be important. Community lobbying for a university status would be eliminated. All institutions would all be part of a university while maintaining their own identity. This structure would allow for expansion of programs to more advanced levels of certification as required but without requiring the potentially divisive political process of redefining the mandate of any institution or groups of institutions. Competition between institutions would be kept at a reasonable level. Some competition is necessary to keep the quality and creativity of the system, but excessive competition, for either students or dollars, diverts resources within the institutions from their primary focus – whether that is research or education. Major issues and costs of forced amalgamations are eliminated. It goes without saying that the system needs to be cost efficient. But so does the process of change. The cost of any changes must also be a consideration. 12 We start from where we are, and change can be expensive. There would, for example, be no forced amalgamation of post-secondary labour agreements and working conditions Because institutions remain independent, the current contracts would apply. Human Resource issues are reduced The majority of faculty at the colleges would continue to require only a Master’s degree and so the HR problem caused by the scarcity of PhD’s will be moderated. Coordination becomes a function of the structure, not centrally imposed. There will be increased regional coordination at the bachelor’s and master’s degree level by virtue of the degree granting federation. Inevitably this will grow to include other activities. The following diagram illustrates the concept, which is given more detail in Appendix 1. 13 One scenario for a B.C. Post-secondary system – Universities and Regional University institutional groupings The following groupings are given as examples. There are clearly other combinations, and equally clearly, the choices outlined below will not meet with unanimous approval. Some parts of the model do not work well because of the current structure. Indeed, there may be an argument for a different model for some parts of the province. An issue, no doubt, will be the role and place of the provincial institutes. I would argue that, at least for the smaller institutes, they should be included but that for BCIT in particular it might remain independent without creating any significant perturbations to the model. There is no doubt implementing any such model will require some political will. Consensus is unlikely. MODEL I Research Universities SFU UBC UNBC UVIC TRU Special Purpose Regional Universities Vancouver BCIT Capilano Douglas Emily Carr IIG Justice Institute Langara VCC Fraser Valley Fraser Valley Kwantlen Vancouver Island Camosun Malaspina North Island Royal Roads Interior College of Rockies New Caledonia Northwest Northern Lights Nicola Valley Okanogan Selkirk MODEL II Research Universities SFU UBC UNBC UVIC Special Purpose TRU BCIT Polytechnic Regional University Provincial Capilano Douglas Emily Carr IIG Justice Institute Langara VCC Fraser Valley Kwantlen Camosun Malaspina North Island Royal Roads College of Rockies New Caledonia Northwest Northern Lights Nicola Valley Okanogan Selkirk 14 Appendix 1 CONCEPT PAPER X REGIONAL UNIVERSITY (XRU) A B.C. degree-granting federation Summary Despite the expansion of degree-granting status there is continued pressure to create more special purpose universities from existing institutions. There is also a strong desire to maintain the independence of institutions to respond to local needs. This proposal suggests a federation to develop and deliver degree programs through a new entity, a Regional University, which uses a multi-college model such as that proposed in the University of Highlands and the Islands. An Academic Council would include representatives of all member institutions, and the degrees would be granted in both the name of the Regional University and the institution, as for example: Bachelor of Music Therapy, Vancouver Regional University, Capilano College X Regional University The XRU will have the formal degree-granting authority for its members, consisting of B.C. university-colleges, colleges and institutes Degrees would be granted at the Bachelor’s and Master’s level All members will get their authority to grant degrees through the XRU Purposes of the XRU 1. To allow university-colleges, colleges and institutes to offer degree programs without extensive changes in internal modes of operation. 2. To provide a level of credibility, through the establishment of XRU Academic Council, that would not be possible through individual institutions. 3. To provide a mechanism for ensuring that all new programs meet certain criteria of uniqueness, and that the new degree programs represent a set of alternative degree possibilities for the students of British Columbia 4. To enable further growth in degree granting institutions to occur in a coordinated fashion, ensuring that new programs complement other degree programs in the region. 5. To allow for a process of careful review and assessment of regional needs and to ensure that new degree programs are designed to meet those needs. i Mandate of the XRU 1. The XRU will provide the degree-granting authority for a federation of B.C. colleges and institutes at the baccalaureate and masters level 2. Degrees may be established which are delivered either in whole or in part by one or more member institutions. The Regional University will offer no programs itself only those offered through the institutions, which comprise the federation Governance of the XRU 1. The XRU will be enabled by appropriate legislation and will be governed accordingly. 2. The XRU will be governed by a Board with same authority as Boards established by the College and Institute Act. The composition of the Board will be one or two representative(s) from each participating institution. 3. The XRU will establish an Academic Council which must approve all new degree programs, and which is responsible for XRU academic matters. The powers of the Academic Council will be established to be those of Educational Councils. The composition of the Academic Council will be established to be: • Four (or 8 depending upon number of institutions) members appointed from the Educational Council or equivalent of each participating institutions, one (or 2) of who must be a student. • One (or 2) member(s) appointed by the Board of each participating institution • Four (or 8) members of the convocation selected by ballot • A Chancellor who will be elected by the Academic Council • A Vice-chancellor who will be the president of the University. Operation of the XRU 1. Funding for establishing a degree, and for operation of the degree programs, will be the responsibility of the individual federation members and determined by the them as part of their normal budgeting cycle. 2. There will be established a modest secretariat consisting of President and staff. Formal student registration and records will be maintained by the participating institutions. 3. All degrees must be submitted to the XRU Academic Council for approval before being granted. Other collaborations 1. No member institution is restricted from establishing any other collaborative arrangement with institutions outside the federation. ii