R
rdaner
Guest
I very much hope the campus is somewhere near Stratford's lovely downtown. I'd also like to see an international competition for this one or at the least a good design from one of the more progressive Toronto firms. This is a good move for the Toronto region.
UW and Stratford explore possibility of liberal arts campus
WATERLOO, Ont. (Tuesday, October 17, 2006) -- The University of Waterloo, the City of Stratford and the Stratford Festival of Canada are taking the first steps toward opening a liberal arts college.
The three parties are signing a memorandum of agreement to explore the possibility. UW's senate was briefed on the project late yesterday afternoon and Stratford City Council approved the agreement at a special council meeting held at the same time.
The bulk of the details, including the programs offered and number of students, have yet to be determined. The parties envision the satellite campus would operate as a liberal arts college, offering co-op and regular programs in as-yet-to-be-determined academic and professional fields.
They will explore opportunities to acquire land in Stratford and to secure capital for construction; investigate options to fund and mount academic programs on the satellite campus; and draft a business plan within six months.
"We envision a number of exciting possibilities for this project, and look forward to working with the City of Stratford and the Stratford Festival to develop a campus that fits with this wonderful community," says UW president David Johnston. "My own vision includes an international student body attracted by a unique liberal arts curriculum with its roots in culture."
Work on the agreement began in May during the Southwest Economic Assembly, when Stratford mayor Dan Mathieson approached Johnston about exploring the possibility of a UW presence within Stratford. The city, as part of its economic development plans, wishes to partner with a post-secondary institution and assist in creating a satellite campus.
"We need to diversify our economic development portfolio in Stratford," says Mathieson. "With an aging population, we need to attract and retain young, great minds. A liberal arts college would be a wonderful addition in a city where culture is an important part of our economic mix."
In early June, UW provost Amit Chakma and Antoni Cimolino, then executive director (now general director) of the Stratford Festival, joined Mathieson and Johnston to discuss possibilities and options.
"The Stratford Festival and the University of Waterloo have a long history of collaboration over the nearly 50 years we have been neighbours," says Cimolino. "Both our festival and the university aspire to excellence, and both enrich the lives of those who live in Southern Ontario. I look forward to our discussions about how we can work together to further and enhance our collective missions."
Ken Coates, UW's new dean of arts, was brought in to explore what kind of liberal arts course offerings might complement and enhance the university's current strengths on a distinct Stratford campus. In the 1990s, Coates was founding vice-president academic of the University of Northern British Columbia, the first university built from the ground up in Canada since the 1970s. He will continue to explore the options for Stratford and, following this announcement, begin wider consultation.
UW and Stratford explore possibility of liberal arts campus
WATERLOO, Ont. (Tuesday, October 17, 2006) -- The University of Waterloo, the City of Stratford and the Stratford Festival of Canada are taking the first steps toward opening a liberal arts college.
The three parties are signing a memorandum of agreement to explore the possibility. UW's senate was briefed on the project late yesterday afternoon and Stratford City Council approved the agreement at a special council meeting held at the same time.
The bulk of the details, including the programs offered and number of students, have yet to be determined. The parties envision the satellite campus would operate as a liberal arts college, offering co-op and regular programs in as-yet-to-be-determined academic and professional fields.
They will explore opportunities to acquire land in Stratford and to secure capital for construction; investigate options to fund and mount academic programs on the satellite campus; and draft a business plan within six months.
"We envision a number of exciting possibilities for this project, and look forward to working with the City of Stratford and the Stratford Festival to develop a campus that fits with this wonderful community," says UW president David Johnston. "My own vision includes an international student body attracted by a unique liberal arts curriculum with its roots in culture."
Work on the agreement began in May during the Southwest Economic Assembly, when Stratford mayor Dan Mathieson approached Johnston about exploring the possibility of a UW presence within Stratford. The city, as part of its economic development plans, wishes to partner with a post-secondary institution and assist in creating a satellite campus.
"We need to diversify our economic development portfolio in Stratford," says Mathieson. "With an aging population, we need to attract and retain young, great minds. A liberal arts college would be a wonderful addition in a city where culture is an important part of our economic mix."
In early June, UW provost Amit Chakma and Antoni Cimolino, then executive director (now general director) of the Stratford Festival, joined Mathieson and Johnston to discuss possibilities and options.
"The Stratford Festival and the University of Waterloo have a long history of collaboration over the nearly 50 years we have been neighbours," says Cimolino. "Both our festival and the university aspire to excellence, and both enrich the lives of those who live in Southern Ontario. I look forward to our discussions about how we can work together to further and enhance our collective missions."
Ken Coates, UW's new dean of arts, was brought in to explore what kind of liberal arts course offerings might complement and enhance the university's current strengths on a distinct Stratford campus. In the 1990s, Coates was founding vice-president academic of the University of Northern British Columbia, the first university built from the ground up in Canada since the 1970s. He will continue to explore the options for Stratford and, following this announcement, begin wider consultation.