College fears for program

By Amanda Stephenson, Medicine Hat News

astephenson@medicinehatnews.com

Dozens of aspiring teachers in Medicine Hat are facing an uncertain future in light of news that Medicine Hat College is in danger of losing its on-campus education degree program.

The collaborative education degree completion program, offered in partnership with the University of Alberta, has been a source of pride for Medicine Hat College since its introduction in 2004.

Thirty-two Medicine Hat College students are accepted every second year into the third year of the University of Alberta’s education program. Courses are delivered on the Medicine Hat campus, but students graduate with a degree from the U of A.

Mark Keller, director of college advancement, says the Medicine Hat College was informed in late March that due to budget constraints, the University of Alberta is considering discontinuing the program as of 2012.

“We are still working with the University of Alberta to find out if this is a done deal, or are there corrective actions that can be taken,” Keller says.

“Are there ways of looking at the financial model that can make it more doable from the university’s perspective?”

Keller says if the degree program is eliminated, students will still be able to begin their education degrees at Medicine Hat College. Currently, there are between 150-160 students at the college taking university transfer courses with the goal of finishing an education degree at another institution.

However, Keller acknowledges there are students on campus right now who are taking courses with the aim of being admitted into the on-campus education degree completion program in 2012.

“Those are the students we’re concerned about, because we need to make sure they’re provided with the best information we can give, so they can make decisions about their educational future,” Keller says.

One of those students is Savanna Holland, who wanted to take the education degree program in Medicine Hat because it would allow her to save money by living with her parents.

“If I can’t finish this here, I don’t know whether I will,” Holland says. “I don’t know where I would get the money to live in Lethbridge.”

Holland says because registration for the fall semester starts on Friday, she is now rushing to come up with a class schedule that will meet the needs of the U of A’s program as well as the University of Lethbridge as a backup.

Jennifer Karpiuk is two weeks away from completing her education degree through the Medicine Hat program. She says if the program is eliminated, it will put an end to the aspirations of many people who would like to further their education, but are unable to relocate.

“We have children, and it just wasn’t feasible to move,” Karpiuk says of her own situation. “The idea of being able to stay here, stay in my community, and finish my degree was perfect.”

Karpiuk is currently wrapping up her practicum at River Heights Elementary School in Medicine Hat, a goal she says she never would have reached without a locally offered degree program.

“Honestly, I wouldn’t have been able to be a teacher without this program,” Karpiuk says.

A Facebook group called “Save the MHC/U of A Collaborative B.Ed Program” has been started and had 70 members as of noon on Tuesday

This article was published in the Medicine Hat News on April 7, 2010. Read the full article on the MedicineHatNews.com website.