The Mandate Change Six Questions to Answer

1. The Mandate ChangeSix Questions to Answer Mount Royal College

2. What is it that Mount Royal is trying to do anyhow? Why do we need another university in Alberta or Calgary? Why can’t Mount Royal simply stay a college that offers degrees? If Mount Royal becomes a university, how would it have to change? (a) How are colleges different than universities? (b) How would Mount Royal be a different university? How much will it cost? How would Mount Royal go about making this change take place? The Mandate ChangeSix Questions to Answer

3. Question 3 Why not a college that offers degrees?

4. TheOutcomesof the DegreeExperience The value of the degree does not simply come from the label – but from the usefulness of the credential in helping both employers and graduate or professional schools in sorting out “applicants”.

5. The “currency” or usefulness of the degree comes from.. (a) the outcomes… • With restrictive entry requirements, does a “presorting” of degree participants… a “triage” for employers. • With a general liberal arts or sciences component, a degree assures a level of “foundational” knowledge. • With discipline or applied or professional focus on top of (2) above, provides specialized knowledge. • In a scholarly environment, the degree experience ensures the acquisition of research skills. • Interaction with other learners and scholars/faculty develops reasoning, learning, communication and intellectual skills.

6. And (b) from the “Degree Experience” It has long been held that while the “curriculum” is important in achieving such degree outcomes that give it its value, it is equally important that the degree experience take place in a unique environment.

7. “Degree Experience” (con’t) AUCC 70%? of programming 70% of those teachers in university level programs have PhDs and a workload that reflects a balance of teaching / research / scholarship “Bi-cameralism” Investment in library • Primarily university level programs • Primarily “scholarly” (i.e. PhD) professors • Academically governed by scholars • Learning resources at the university level

8. Professional Baccalaureate from University 4-year Baccalaureate from College 4-year Applied from College 4-year Professional from College 4-year Baccalaureate from University 3-yearBaccalaureate from University 4-year Applied from University The “Degree Mobility” Spectrum Low Mobility High Mobility Future Employment Flexibility? Future Learning Flexibility? College = non-AUCC, provincial “Colleges Act” University = AUCC, provincial “Universities Act” Mobility = transferability to future study & varied employment

9. Question 3 Why not a college that offers degrees? • Answer: Mount Royal must be an “accredited” university to ensure that its degree graduates have the maximum mobility in both the workplace and in further study.

10. Question 4 We need more degrees and the preferable system would be for those degrees to come from a university. But what changes would be required at Mount Royal if it were to become a university? Two sub-questions to answer this question: • Generally, how are universities different than colleges? and • How will Mount Royal be different as a university? Three primary areas to examine: • Governance • Program Mix • Faculty

11. 1. Governance • A “bicameral” environment….a division of powers between a governing body and an academic body whereby the board manages the finance, plant and human resource (non academic) matters and the academic body manages the academic matters. • AUCC defines academic side as …”Authority vested in academic staff for decisions affecting academic programs… through ...appropriate elected body of academic staff.”

12. 2. PROGRAMComparison: MRC & University Status (1) These degrees would retain a workplace focus, however, the label would change under a university structure. (2) Other degrees includes professional degrees such as nursing, teacher education, business, etc.

13. 3. FACULTYComparison: MRC & University Status

14. THE NEW U?? • Governance: Established under Bill 43… traditionally bicameral. • Program: Primarily undergraduate university level but with an applied/workplace orientation. • Faculty: Workload and reward structure that includes a scholarly role but emphasizes instruction. • Delivery: Close faculty interaction at a time and mode that reflects learner needs.

15. Question 5 Contact with Professors + Scholarly Environment = Degree Environment How much will this cost? Three items require resource consideration: • Library • Faculty • Program delivery These three items are all reflected to the extra costs of achieving the environment most likely to produce “degree outputs “.

16. What Are the Steps? • Step 1: Get the mandate change • Step 2: Get AUCC “accreditation” • Step 3: Make a “new U”

17. The Message • Calgarians need access to degrees to ensure continued growth and prosperity – both individually and collectively. • Most valued (“mobile”) degrees can only be delivered in a university environment. • Mount Royal wants to become a university, but not a traditional university.

18. The Message (con’t) • The “New U” • Undergraduate only • Applied/workplace oriented • Faculty emphasis upon instruction • Delivery responsive to learner needs • Cost effective degree delivery • “Westjet U” • Accessible, affordable, efficient and client responsive

19. Undergraduate - Instructionally Focused University • No graduate activity • Role expectation for university-level faculty higher in teaching/instruction than research • Criteria for faculty promotion through ranks: 1st consideration  performance as instructor 2nd consideration  performance as scholar • Performance as scholar would use inclusive measure of scholarship (i.e., instructionally-related scholarship equally valued as traditional discipline, discovery or basis scholarship

20. What will distinguish MRU? • Roles & place of non-university programs & faculty • Blend of university & non-university programs • Workplace focus • Unique student mix