Update June 6, 2022
Proposed Location for the Yellowknife Campus of Aurora College Polytechnic University - Tin Can Hill
The Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce is a strong proponent of the Aurora College transformation project. Our board members are closely tracking the progression made by the Aurora College Transformation team and its meeting of critical milestones. We eagerly await the results of the Facilities Master Plan set to be released this summer and we are happy to see the project moving forward with the selection of a location for the Yellowknife campus.
We support creating a sustainable polytechnic institution with relevant programming to meet local labour needs, to capture more Northern and Arctic research dollars, and attract international and southern students. We believe the selection of Tin Can Hill as the location for the Yellowknife campus is a positive step toward meeting these goals.
Although not located in the downtown core, Tin Can Hill’s proximity to the downtown provides for a central distinct campus model that is attractive to prospective students while not being so separate so as to isolate those students from the city’s amenities. We believe this location will create a meaningful opportunity for the city and business community and is a step in the right direction toward further downtown revitalization efforts.
We recognize that Tin Can Hill is a treasured part of Yellowknife, enjoyed by many Yellowknifers in a recreational manner. In this vein we are encouraged that the MOU recognizes a desire on the part of the GNWT and Aurora College to “preserve and enhance the natural setting and support a safe and health community” and that the project proponents “will strive to create opportunities for the surrounding community to access the Lands in a manner consistent with historic uses”. There are many examples of university campuses across our country that utilize and enhance their outdoor space and there is no reason Aurora College’s Yellowknife campus would not seek to do the same.
The Tin Can Hill location provides opportunity for future expansion and growth while creating an attractive “destination” campus for prospective students in the near term. This location is an opportunity to encourage northern students to stay in the north and study at the post-secondary level while attracting students from southern cities. The economic benefits of creating an aesthetically attractive campus in close proximity to the downtown and community amenities cannot be understated.
The influx of students, educators and research dollars into Yellowknife will follow meaningful and relevant program delivery. Creating a beautiful campus where this learning can take place is also an important component of Aurora College’s future success. The selection of Tin Can Hill as the location for the Yellowknife campus is a solid foundation on which to enact the goals of Aurora College’s transformation – to increase access to quality post-secondary education opportunities for Northerners and to foster growth of research that is beneficial to our communities and people.
We are pleased to offer our support to the City of Yellowknife, the GNWT and Aurora College in the selection of Tin Can Hill as the best place for the Yellowknife campus of a truly transformed polytechnic university.
View our formal letter to the City of Yellowknife at Aurora College Yellowknife Campus Location -YK-Chambers-Official-Position
Update November 13, 2020
View the response we received from The Honourable R.J. Simpson, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment here.
Update November 5, 2020
The GNWT has released their Initial Areas of Teaching and Research Specialization for the Polytechnic University.
View the report here.
The GNWT has released their Aurora College Transformation Implementation Plan.
View the report here.
Polytechnic University Areas of Teaching and Research Specialization
Submitted September 25, 2020
For the polytechnic institution to be successful, appropriate policies supported by clear frameworks must be in place for the creation, review, and elimination of academic programming. As outlined in the Aurora College Foundational Review, Aurora College does not have frameworks for developing new programs or reviewing current programs, there are no policies around suspension / elimination of programming, and the policies that exist for program creation / review are outdated and largely ignored (46-47, 53).
We recommend that the GNWT create a Development of New Programming Framework and an Academic Programming Review Framework, based on the recommendations of the Aurora College Foundational Review. As part of this process, the GNWT should create policies and procedures that support these frameworks and define how the polytechnic university will make decisions around programming.
We are concerned that instead of creating a sustainable polytechnic institution with relevant programming to meet local labour needs, to capture more Northern and Arctic research dollars, and attract international and southern students, the GNWT is prescribing areas of specialization that will make it difficult for the new polytechnic institution to grow and adapt to market needs.
View our full submission to the Honourable R.J. Simpson, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment here.
Resources:
View the GNWT's Discussion Paper, Polytechnic University Areas of Teaching and Research Specialization here.
Aurora College & Polytechnic University Governance
Submitted September 14, 2020
Our primary interest is ensuring the polytechnic institution can operate as an arm’s length institution, free from political interference.
We do have some concerns with the proposed Board structure, where 8 of the 12 positions (a 2/3 majority) will be appointed by the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment and the only criteria appears to be the competency matrix. Furthermore, it appears that the Minister could appoint additional positions at their discretion (“any additional members with expertise that would contribute to the operation of Aurora College”).
We support a competency-based approach but believe further eligibility requirements should be in place to ensure the Board’s success and political independence.
We recommend:
- A defined minimum and maximum number of Board positions;
- An updated competency matrix that includes a stronger focus on economics, business, employment and labor market needs;
- That at least two Board positions be reserved for business and industry representatives;
- That individuals employed in the public service be ineligible to participate on the Board; and,
- An open, transparent and merit-based appointment process.
View our full submission to the Honourable R.J. Simpson, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment here.
Resources:
View the GNWT's Discussion Paper, Aurora College and Polytechnic University Governance here.
Post Secondary Education In Yellowknife
Update October 6, 2020
During a Governance and Priorities Committee meeting, Council adopted the City's response to the findings and recommendations of the University Feasibility and Benefits Study.
You can view the City's response, as part of the GPC meeting package here.
You can view the City of Yellowknife's governance submission here.
You can view the City of Yellowknife's areas of specialization submission here.
Update September 29, 2020
Aurora College, Collège Nordique Francophone and Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning have formalized their commitment to working together with an MOU.
"Through collaboration, NWT post-secondary institutions will have an increased ability to enrich their communities by exploring cooperative opportunities in increasing student success, support increased access to post-secondary programs, and enhancing the responsiveness of NWT post-secondary institutions to the needs of the labour market both Territorial wide, and within smaller communities.
The MOU between Aurora College, Collège Nordique Francophone, and Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning, will support this collaboration by promoting the opportunity for co-location, program transferability, student mobility, research ventures, student-centred supports, and promotion of high quality and relevant programming."
Download the backgrounder as a PDF here.
Vote Growth Platform- September 2019
During our 2019 annual membership survey, we asked our membership if they support a University in Yellowknife. 74.5% of respondents agreed that a University would be a positive addition to the City of Yellowknife, while 14.5% disagreed. The remaining 11% were not sure how they felt or did not provide feedback.
Based on the results of the commissioned studies and engagement with our membership, the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce’s formal position on post-secondary transformation is:
- We support the transition of Aurora College to a polytechnic institution;
- We believe the main campus and head office should be based in Yellowknife;
- We believe that the focus should be on a bricks-and-mortar institution;
- We believe that there are opportunities for the Fort Smith and Inuvik campuses to offer specialized programming;
- We believe that legislation should be in place to support other public and private institutions.
View our Vote Growth platform in full here, or visit our dedicated webpage with more information about the Vote Growth platform here.
Submission to the City of Yellowknife - June 17, 2019
The Yellowknife Chamber's formal position is that post-secondary transformation in the NWT is needed and that the head office of any post-secondary institution should be based in Yellowknife.
We are pleased to offer our support to the City of Yellowknife, for the GNWT to establish a clear post-secondary vision and to advance a polytechnic university in Yellowknife.
View our full submission to Mayor Rebecca Alty here.
Resources:
View the GNWT's Aurora College Foundational Review, published May 4, 2018 here.
View the GNWT's Response to the Aurora College Foundational Review here.
View the City of Yellowknife's University Feasibility and Benefits Study, published January 2019 here.