Collegiality
How Things Work at Capilano College
Why this document?
Comments made during the first round of the Collegial Task Force have led me to believe
that there is a need to review some of the history of how the management and govemance
of our college evolved. By doing this I would like to try to put into perspective the current
review of the collegial process, and to provide my perspective on collegiality.
There has been a very rapid pace of change over the last few years, much of it out of our
control - but not all. We have made some strategic choices and taken some actions that
have contributed to this change that we all feel.
History
When we started, there was the new and largely untested concept of a Community College
whose major role was seen to be, at least by the North Shore and Howe Sound residents, to
offer first and second year university transfer courses. Given the demographics of the
college this was probably to be expected, and in fact the tremendous success of this part of
the college curriculum carried the college for many years and still comprises the largest
program area. The college was new, the faculty were new and the energy was unlimited.
But some of the early administration, and Board, were stuck in a high school extension or
"Grade 13" mentality. The College was, after all, a creation of three school districts and
they appointed half of the Board. In these early years even the curriculum was reviewed by
the Board and changes required a Board motion - albeit in most cases pro-forma. Faculty
members, particularly thosefi^eshfromuniversities where the debates of the sixties had
raged, found the govemance stifling. The vehicle used to attain and retain a voice in the
management and govemance of the college was the faculty union.
The labour history of the college, the disputes over management stmcture, the distinction
between credit and non-credit courses - all of these issues are part of the baggage we carry
from those early days.
There were many issues of stmggle and conflict throughout the eighties. Many of us may
have forgotten, or never realized, that Capilano gained a province wide reputation as the
College at the forefront of labour conflict.
Fortunately some maturity set in and both the administration and the union recognized that,
although there would always be issues and areas of conflict, working cooperatively would
most benefit the college and the people who study and work here.
Two Cultures, One Result
The excellence of the College was quite quickly recognized in the academic studies area.
Academic departments established the processes and procedures that enabled them to
manage their operations and to deliver their courses. So very early in the College's history
the operation of the Academic programs was established within guidelines that were
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understood by both faculty and the administration and which, by and large, encouraged
academic independence and responsibility at the department or division level.
In the rapidly developing career and vocational areas of the college, the program diversity
and differing expectations resulted in a much less uniform style of operations. Faculty
numbers were small in the specialized programs and this resulted in much more flexible
operating procedures. The program units were given significant responsibility both within
the college and with industry representatives to develop new ideas that did not have to meet
the needs of he universities. Both the administration and the faculty union tolerated this
situation because of the innovation and the lack of conflict within the programs. It was a
form of benign neglect that resulted in strong program ownership by the faculty and quite
independent operating units.
The result is that all departments in all areas of the College were, and are, very independent
entities.
So who runs this place anyhow?
The reality is that everyone does. The full time equivalent persons in the faculty
administrative complement (coordinators) outnumber the exempt educational administrators
by a factor of three to one and by a factor of six or seven to one in headcount. The teaching
areas are fundamentally independent units for the purposes of the courses and programs
they offer. The smooth functioning of these areas depends upon the staff and the faculty
arriving at appropriate decisions and actions which advance their goals within the context
of the College's Mission and policies. The exempt administration, to a large extent, should
be involved only when there are matters which span departments (and on which there is no
consensus) or involve contractual matters or resource allocation.
All of our actions are restricted by the College policies that are themselves derived from the
Board or Education Council. When the question "Who runs this place? " is asked, what is
really meant, I think, is who is accountable for the actions. Accountability is complex and
is either derived from legislation, from delegation, or by contractual agreement. In the
College, all of these types of accountability exist.
Legislative Framework
When the College was started the legislation essentially gave all authority to the Board
(unlike the Universities Act which had a Senate). Initially the local School Boards and the
Government appointed the Board. The faculty was not unionized. The removal of local
School Board representation did not change the govemance stmcture significantly. With
unionization the Board entered into legal agreements with the faculty, and thereby agreed
to specific processes, but essentially the Board retained the legislative authority and
responsibility for all College operations. Much of this authority was formally delegated to
the President by Board policy, (constrained of course by Board resolutions and specific
policy). This delegation by the Board to the administration, through the President, remains
in effect, modified from time to time by different Boards.
What was changed by legislation is the scope of the Board's authority and how that
authority is to be exercised. The change to the College and Institutes Act, which created the
Education Councils (as well as broadening the representation on the Board) delegated
some of the Board's former authority to the new Council. Furthermore it required that the
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processes by which many ot the tormer Board policy prerogatives are exercised also
involve this new body. From an operational perspective, the President, and hence the
administration, now had two bodies which delegated their respective authorities as they
saw fit. The authority to act, and to be accountable, however remains to the President,
restricted by policies and by legal contracts, such as collective agreements. Much of the
Board's legislative responsibility to consult and then act, on a wide range of operational
policies, is also delegated to the President, and hence to the administration.
The administration of the College is through the Executive Management and the other
administrators. Coordinators are administrators and the Deans and the Deans Advisory
Committees, as well as the many College wide committees, are part of the administrative
structure. DAC advice and recommendations are part of the administrative process. For
administrative efficiency some administrative recommendations go from DAC directly to
sub committees of the Education Council, but these are delegated administrative actions.
The members of the Board or the Education Council are not appointed or elected as
representatives of any constituency or administrative group. Rather their task is to establish
policies within which the College Mission is to be carried out by the administration,
including the DACs. The advice of the administration, including the advice of DAC, may
well be, in fact one would hope should be, considered as important. But it should be clear
that the Board or the Education Council are the govemance bodies.
Because the govemance bodies have the final authority, it is important that they ensure that
the policy advice of the appropriate stakeholders is considered and that this consultation is
done in a collegial manner.
Our Complex Environment
There are other factors in addition to our newly complicated legislative framework that
contribute to making our working environment complex. We have as a result of the faculty
collective agreement, which determines both principles and processes by which faculty
share in the management of the institution, created operational requirements that often strain
our administrative capacity. Our government and Ministry reporting requirements have
increased dramatically. Financial accountability in the public sector is a high profile issue.
In many cases these administrative demands can be met only if we have standardized
processes and procedures or else we increase the number of persons whose task it is to
collect and massage the required data. Our budget has not provided for increased staffing,
so we rely heavily on process being followed, on consistency and observation of timelines
by all levels of administration. When this does not occur, there is significant stress placed
on those who are accountable for the correctness of our actions.
Strategic Direction, Independence of Action and Accountability
In recognition of the financial realities which have faced and continue to face the College,
the Strategic Directions included increasing the development of altemative funding sources.
Such a direction requires that the units of the college that are responding to this direction be
able to respond quickly, and have considerable independence of action. In fact this concept
is embedded within the strategic directions document. The College has created a flat
administrative stmcture and has delegated specific responsibilities to the faculty areas. The
mandate to develop altemative funding has been given to the departments.
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With the added responsibility has come a limited torm ot accountability. Limited because
many of the traditional accountability measures, such as budget, extemal contracts etc. are
still by Board policy the responsibility of the President, and by extension the
administration. The nature of the faculty contractual relationship is such that accountability
for faculty administrative actions that result in college liability is minimal.
Defining Collegiality
We have, in our own unique way, defined a Collegial Model in our faculty collective
agreement. It speaks to decisions being made in the appropriate functional areas, to
consultation, and to working collectively to serve the needs of the College Community. It
recognizes that the Board, or the Education Council, cannot give away its authority without
appropriate accountability by carefully defining the areas in which decisions can be made
by different segments of the administration, including coordinators. It does not
unfortunately speak to the manner of working collectively - to the nature of the interactions
or to the value and the respect each member of the collective team should have for each
other.
The Three C's - CoUegiality, Consultation and Conflict
Collegiality is related to the interaction of the formal govemance and administrative
structures with the people who must work within the established policies and regulations.
Although the formal powers of the President are quite encompassing, he or she would soon
bring the institution grinding to a halt by acting in a dictatorial or arbitrary manner.
Coordinators, who are the administrators with whom faculty interact most directly, have to
act coUegially not only within their area but also with other administrators if they are to
accomplish their objectives.
Conflict is normal. Conflict does not mean there is no collegiality. One can be collegial and
disagree.
Collegiality is not consultation. One can consult, receive advice and accept advice, or not,
without being collegial. Governments do this all the time. Collegial consultation requires
that the manner of interaction is mutually respectful. Collegiality may mean that no
consultation is necessary because the perspectives on any particular issue are well
understood or because there is no realistic option within the timelines for action. In a
collegial environment there is a measure of tmst that the correct action has been taken.
Disagreement does not mean lack of collegiality or lack of consultation. Ultimately, in
many situations a decision has to be taken. Lack of consensus is not a lack of collegiality.
Different perspectives will result in different conclusions but the decision must be made by
whomever is accountable.
Collegiality does mean respect - respect for both the person and the process. If either is
abused, collegiality breaks down because arguably the most important component of a
collegial relationship is trust. If trust is in place, then responsibility can be delegated without
formally delegating accountability, and actions without formal consultation can be taken
that are not seen as inappropriate. Collegiality is the recognition of everyone's role in a
complex management and govemance structure. Collegiality is tmsting and valuing other
peoples' judgments and acting appropriately in a manner that engenders the trust of others.
Tmst however must be eamed and sustained and this is best accomplished by respecting
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both the person and the process.
Collegiality exists when everyone can trust and respect that the actions of others will be self
directed, responsible and within the established processes and policies of the institution. If
our action, or lack of action, causes problems in the very complex environment we have
created for ourselves, then collegiality will suffer because trust will disappear.
What's next?
We have evolved a special and effective method of managing the diverse interests of
Capilano College. The Collegial Model has worked and still works, - but in some areas
more effectively than in others. However, like all evolutionary processes it must continue to
grow and change. The current review of our collegial processes is intended to ensure that
we conduct our affairs in the best possible manner. I look forward to the results of our
work.

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