“Lenten rose”
retires from
College

A fter 30 years of service, instructor

osemary Coupe retired this year
from Capilano College’s English
department. The following is an excerpt
from colleague Jean Clifford’s speech,
given at Rosemary’s farewell party in
May:

“Rosemary, Pierre (Coupey),
Beverley Reid and I all started at
Capilano College in 1970. The ’70s,
when Rosemary worked regularly on a
part-time basis, saw the birth of her
three small sons who have now grown
into three strong, tall, young men.

The early 1980s, a harsh time of
college cuts, meant almost losing
Rosemary, who briefly considered
joining the Open Learning University.
We begged her to give us a chance and
thankfully sections came through.

In the 1970s and ’80s, we discovered
Rosemary’s brilliant organizational
talents and deep devotion to student
writing. She was a co-organizer of a
huge Pacific North West conference
held at the University of British
Columbia and a co-organizer of a
Writing Across the Curriculum

Rosemary Coupe

conference, held on our campus.

In the later 1980s and 1990s with the
growth of her sons, Rosemary expanded
her personal interests to mountain
climbing, Scottish dancing, and
gardening. She has always been a model
of balance — giving devotedly to the
College, but sustaining a full private
life. These were also years of other
important public contributions to the
College made on innumerable
scholarship committees. As the first
paid convenor of the Writing Centre,

University

Rosemary worked tirelessly to build it.
She modelled what other convenors
could be.

When our department had fully
discovered her multiple organizational
talents, we insisted that she become
coordinator, and once again for three
years, Rosemary provided us with a
fine model of fairness and behind the
scenes hard work, training such future
celebrity coordinators as Tim Acton
himself.

Perhaps our best knowledge of
Rosemary’s public work comes in the
shape of The Capilano Guide, her
handbook much loved by students who
simply accept its clarity and detail.

Rosemary reminds me of a
hellebore, a Lenten rose, which
flowers quietly with a delicate and
subtle flower in late winter. A modest
but beautiful flower, it carries over
from the deep days of winter into
early spring, accompanying the louder
yellow and red tulips and purple
crocuses and providing a solid
background to their colourful noise. A
12-month plant, hellebores give a
solid foundation for the entire garden,
perhaps preferring a little more shade
than some of us would like, but
nonetheless spectacular in their quiet
way.

May your garden continue to
flourish, Rosemary, and may you
dance with joy.”

New agreement signed between
LGAS program and Athabasca

On hand to sign a new agreement in early June
with Athabasca University are, front row from
left: Bill Gibson, Capilano College vice-
president, Academic Affairs and Alan Davis,
Athabasca University, vice-president, Academic.
Back row, from left: Leslie Baker, instructor,
Legal Assistant program; Margot Spence,
project manager for LGAS distance education;
and, Donna Phillips, LGAS coordinator. The
agreement permits transfer credit of LGAS
programs and specified courses at Capilano
College to a number of baccalaureate degrees
offered through Athabasca University.

@nformer