This is an archive of news stories and research from the National Union of Public and General Employees. Please see our new site - https://nupge.ca - for the most current information.
The BCGEU continues to raise questions about the process and financial wisdom behind the Campbell government’s decision to move the B.C. Open University, currently headquartered in Burnaby, to new facilities yet to be built in Kamloops.
VANCOUVER (29 March 2004) – The B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union continues to raise questions about the process and financial wisdom behind the Campbell government’s decision to move the B.C. Open University, currently headquartered in Burnaby, to new facilities that have yet to be built in Kamloops.
BCGEU President George Heyman warned, “Taxpayers should be very concerned about the unnecessary expense of moving this well-established distance education facility.”
Heyman asked Premier Campbell to explain whether his government had offered the University College of the Cariboo major funding incentives to take over operating BCOU, when UCC had not responded to the government’s original request for expressions of interest.
Heyman said that this transition will cause disruption for students and staff, but it will not significantly change the types of distance degree-granting services or access BCOU already offers to students province-wide. “B.C. taxpayers need to be assured that there are sound financial reasons behind this move, and that they are not needlessly shelling out more money to pay for a political decision to relocate this institution,” he said.
Kamloops area residents have been able, since 1979, to get a bachelor's degree via distance education with the BCOU located in the Lower Mainland. “That's what distance education is all about,” Heyman noted.
“Our members welcomed the news that this core program will continue to exist, following the government’s earlier announcement that it was closing the parent Open Learning Agency,” Heyman said.
“But they do not see the sense in taxpayers having to foot the bill for brand new buildings, moving trainloads of files, computers and equipment, relocating current staff and their families, and training new staff to replace those who do not move to Kamloops. There also continues to be the outstanding issue of how much the Campbell government is paying in bloated severances to non-union and executive staff, during this process.”
Finance Minister Gary Collins recently promised a speedy investigation into why the government has already paid out well over $3 million in severances at the Open Learning Agency, but has yet to release his findings.
The legal transfer of BCOU to UCC is due to be competed by April 1, 2005, just before the next provincial election in May. The final physical transfer of staff and systems is due to be completed by April 2007.