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University College of the North turns 15

University College of the North (UCN) celebrated the 15 th anniversary of its founding July 1 and the Northern Manitoba post-secondary institution offered over 50 per cent more programs in 2018-19 than it did in its inaugural year while also reaching
University College of the North president Doug Lauvstad, seen here during the Thompson campus gradua
University College of the North president Doug Lauvstad, seen here during the Thompson campus graduation ceremony June 27, said finishing the school year with the highest-enrolment count ever was the perfect gift to mark the 15th anniversary of UCN’s establishment July 1.

University College of the North (UCN) celebrated the 15th anniversary of its founding July 1 and the Northern Manitoba post-secondary institution offered over 50 per cent more programs in 2018-19 than it did in its inaugural year while also reaching its highest enrolment levels ever.

The University College of the North Act was passed by the Manitoba legislature June 1, 2004 and took effect a month later. The institution replaced Keewatin Community College, which was founded in 1967 and held its last Thompson campus graduation ceremony June 18, 2004.

In the academic year that just ended, UCN offered 46 certificate, degree and diploma programs to 3,100 students in Thompson, The Pas and 20 other Northern Manitoba communities, 13 of which are the site of UCN post-secondary access centres, training centres or workforce development centres.

“I can think of no better way to celebrate our 15th anniversary than finishing the 2018/19 academic year with the highest enrolment achieved since UCN was founded,” said Doug Lauvstad, UCN’s president and vice-chancellor, in a June 28 press release. “UCN’s commitment to education close to home is stronger than ever, and I commend the dedication of our recruiters, faculty and staff members who have worked tirelessly to ensure that more northerners than ever are benefiting from the high quality education offered by UCN, regardless of where they live. After 15 years of service, UCN is well positioned to play a leadership role in strengthening the cultural, social, and economic vibrancy in Northern Manitoba.”

“In its 15th year, UCN is delivering certificate, diploma and degree programs to more northerners than ever before and has engaged in meaningful partnerships throughout the north,” said governing council chairperson Cam Mateika.  “I’m very proud of the work that we are doing to provide training and education opportunities for Northern Manitobans.”

Then-advanced training and education minister Diane Gifford appointed a 12-member interim council to oversee the establishment of UCN in June 2004. It included current UCN chancellor Edwin Jebb and Martha Jonasson of the UCN elders’ council was present at a press conference in Thompson when UCN was established, having served as a member of the UCN elders’ consultation group.

The interim council had the duties of both an academic and a governing body for the first two years of UCN’s existence and was responsible for appointing the institution’s first president and overseeing its operations.

UCN’s 84,400-square-foot Thompson campus with 15 distance-learning classrooms, a 12-bed nursing lab with clinical simulation capabilities and a 73-space childcare facility officially opened in May 2014. Jebb, by then a few years into his role as chancellor, said at that time that it was the biggest single investment the provincial government had ever made in Northern Manitoba apart from Manitoba Hydro dams. It was expected that the new campus would increase program capacity in Thompson from 342 to 510 students.

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