TITLE
PRESENTATION BY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE LAURENTIAN STUDENTS’ UNION REGARDING THE FUTURE OF LAURENTIAN STUDENTS.
Mr. James Westman of Laurentian Students’ Union provided a presentation concerning the future of the Laurentian students. Mr. Westman discussed the following topics:
• The discontinuance of university programs, with the exception of the Social Services Program by Laurentian University and the notice provided to affected students;
• The options provided to students for completing their university programs and the personal circumstances of some students that impact their ability to benefit from the proposed options;
• The request to Laurentian University to allow programs to remain in Barrie until 2019;
• The Town Hall meeting held by Laurentian University to discuss the elimination of the university programs from Georgian College;
• The actions undertaken by the Laurentian Students’ Union in objection to the decision to discontinue the programs at Georgian College;
• The impacts of the faculty possibly leaving to pursue other opportunities and these impacts potentially being lessened if the additional year of programs were provided at Georgian College; and
• The request to the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities to provide for transitional funding so that students can remain in Barrie for the duration of their programs.
In closing, Mr. Westman requested that City Council support in the Student Union’s request to Laurentian University to allow the university programs to continue to 2019 or for the City to provide for transitional funding in order for students to complete their four year programs in Barrie. He requested that Council’s support be communicated to Laurentian University and the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.
Members of Council asked a number of questions of the presenter and City staff and received responses.