Community keeps our campus busy

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 23/07/2022 (1177 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As July starts to wind down and we enjoy the warmer (and occasionally dryer) days, it is reasonable to assume that universities are taking a break, as most public schools do. People often ask me how I’m enjoying my summer off, or words to that effect.

And while it is certainly quieter in the summer months, and many people do schedule their vacations when fewer students are around, in truth universities and colleges are quite active all year round.

Last Friday, my wife Kris and I attended a graduation dinner for BU’s Program for the Education of Native Teachers, or PENT. It was a wonderful evening of celebration. About 75 PENT students were on campus for a large part of June and July to attend in-person classes. Several things struck me that evening, our first held face-to-face since 2019’s celebrations.

For one, the level of pride and accomplishment was infectious. The number of family and friends per grad was astounding. In addition, we had graduates from 2020 and 2021 attend as well, having missed the opportunity for a public celebration during their senior year.

So it was a big night in more ways than one, but I made sure to take the opportunity to speak to superintendents of northern school districts, all of whom praised BU for running PENT and who told me about the need for more “northern teachers.” They are thrilled with the quality of our graduates, but the real challenge for PENT over the coming years will be meeting the demand for quantity.

Of course, PENT is not the only activity on campus during the summer. Many students are getting a head start on their next academic year through spring and summer term courses. These are high-intensity courses where students get the same amount of instruction on a compressed schedule — several hours a day, four days a week. This can be extremely rewarding for focused students.

For even younger learners, our Mini U is returning to full operations and is welcoming back new future students. While highly popular, I’m told there are still some spaces available in some programs, so as they say in the old Shamwow commercials: “Act now while quantities last!” It is great to see young energetic bodies around campus, in the Healthy Living Centre and in classrooms and labs.

New this year is the amount of activity in our residences. We are thrilled to be hosting air cadets during their summer training. We have also held back space and are working through logistics with the local Ukrainian community to provide short-term housing solutions for arriving refugees.

On the faculty side, this is a very busy time for research and fieldwork, as well as for preparing courses ahead of the fall term. And while our fiscal year does not begin until April 1, preparing a budget for board approval is a four-season occupation. We administrators are kept busy with our pencils. Meanwhile, staff often tackle larger projects and upgrading during the summer months. Physical Plant, for example, is updating offices and the grounds.

Of particular note is the new ceremonial fire pit between Clark Hall and the Douglas Knowles building. The grounds crew also did a wonderful job of sprucing up the west side of the School of Music building, complete with a park bench. Once again, I remind you that Brandon University is yours to enjoy — everyone is welcome to drop by campus and see how we are making innovative use of spaces to encourage gatherings.

Speaking of community, my political scientist hat already has me eyeing the fall municipal election (I may be alone in this). So far, I am a little disappointed in the number of candidates running for office. Just like our PENT students, the problem rests in quantity, not quality. Brandon is fortunate to have thoughtful and energetic councillors, but so far most are running unopposed, including the mayor’s chair. Brandon would be better served if we were able to hear a variety of differing policy planks and to choose based on where candidates stand on issues.

For me, elections are about the debate of ideas, and how various candidates seek to solve the political, economic and social challenges we face as a community. They are also about the work ethic of our elected officials. I am a relatively non-partisan person. In federal and provincial elections, I vote for the person over the party.

According to most studies of voting behaviour, that places me in the minority, where party and leader are the key factors in deciding how one will mark their ballot. The lack of choice limits the options one has when they step behind the ballot “curtain.”

Voting studies also tell us that turnout is lower when incumbents run unopposed. Couple this fact with the knowledge that municipal elections tend to have lower turnout than federal and provincial contests, and we run the risk of having a very low participation rate this fall. This is unfortunate, as we have a number of pressing issues facing us as a community. I have studied too many elections to believe that mandates regularly occur during elections.

However, a higher voter turnout reminds elected officials that the public is keenly following political decisions and share the interest of those individuals who sacrifice their time (and often family) to serve us. So even though it is months away, remember to take an interest in the election and be sure to vote. It is your responsibility to be an informed part of the democratic process.

On a personal note, there will be no “Degrees of Success” column next month. On the day my column would normally appear, Kris and I will be in Ontario for our eldest son’s wedding. Angus and Michelle are a lovely couple with a bright future ahead of them. This proud papa will be beaming with joy watching them commit to each other. To me, this is the best degree of success possible.

See you in September!