Showing 71 results

Dr. George C. Wootton served as principal of Douglas College from its inception in 1969 until 1979. Born in Saskatchewan and raised in British Columbia, Wootton graduated from North Vancouver High School and received his BSc, MASc, and PhD (in metallurgical engineering) from the University of British Columbia. Before his appointment to Douglas College, he worked for the Department of Mines in Ottawa, Atomic Energy Canada in Chalk River, and Seneca College in Toronto where served as Dean of Engineering.

During Wootton's tenure at Douglas College, satellite campuses were added in Delta, Langley, Maple Ridge, Port Moody, Coquitlam, Pitt meadows, and White Rock. His principalship saw the development of career programs in the area of psychiatric nursing, clinical health, child care, and community service work. Other programs initiated during this time were in the fields of criminal justice, women's studies, graphic arts, theatre, and environmental studies.

Wootton left Douglas College in 1979 to become director of the Vancouver Public Library.

Born in Vienna (ca. 1921), George Porges was a World War II veteran who came to Canada in 1951. He studied history in Montreal at Sir George William University, and later received his B.Ed and M.A. from the University of Alberta. He taught high school in Edmonton prior to joining the Department of Liberal Studies at the newly created Douglas College in 1970. Porges taught history as a regular faculty member until his retirement in 1988.

Porges died in 2004 at the age of 83.

Gerry Della Mattia joined Douglas College in May 1970 as Director of Admissions and began developing procedures and forms to admit and register students. In 1978 he was granted educational leave to pursue doctoral studies at the University of Oregon. When he returned in September 1980, he was appointed Acting Dean of Student Services pending the College split, and in 1981 became the Dean of Educational and Student Services for the new Douglas College. He continued in that capacity until 1988 when he took a leave of absence to work in the United Arab Emirates. As a senior member of a team of Canadian educators hired to establish a system of technical colleges for the country, he was responsible for the administration of central services for the college system. Upon his return to Douglas College in September of 1990, he assumed the newly created position of Dean of Human Resources and College Development. In 1993 he was appointed Executive Director of the Advanced Education Council of BC, where he remained until his retirement in 2000. From 2000 to 2005, following his retirement from active administration, he was an Adjunct Professor in the Centre for Policy Studies in Higher Education and Training at UBC. (Text from Douglas College: The First 40 Years.)

The Human Resources Committee was established in 1997 when the Finance, Facilities and Personnel Committee split into two separate entities. Its original mandate was to advise the College Board and administration on matters relating to personnel policies; to present recommendations, reports, and memoranda to the Board; to review recommendations related to specific personnel issues or initiatives; to examine proposals for budgeted and non-budgeted staff and faculty additions; and to advise on negotiations with faculty and staff.

In 2006, the Human Resources Committee's terms of reference were expanded to include greater detail related to negotiations advice. Additionally, the Committee was tasked with reviewing materials and recommendations related to the Professional Development Programs, the Health and Safety Committee, and excluded personnel.

As of 2022, the Human Resources Committee is the College Board's oldest standing committee. Its specific duties and responsibilities relate to executive appointments, compensation structure, succession planning and development, risk management, human resources, and more.

The I-CARE Literacy Program was first developed at Douglas College in 1978 as a pilot project funded by the Ministry of Education, after the College had identified literacy as one of its top priorities and hired regular literacy faculty in 1977. Its early success led to I-CARE being incorporated into the College's base funding structure. The program was developed "to help meet the literacy needs of adults who are unable or unwilling to enter a classroom situation because of work schedules, negative school experiences in the past or other such seasons."

Since its inception, I-CARE has offered one-on-one literacy education for members of the broader community, with tutors tailoring their sessions to each individual learner's needs and goals. Although some logistical and administrative details of the program have changed over the years, its overall structure has largely remained constant since the late 1970s: Volunteers receive literacy tutor training, are paired with a community member seeking literacy education, and commit to weekly sessions with their assign learner for one year. I-CARE's newsletter 'Breakthrough' was originally designed for tutors, however, it evolved into a resource for learners too. I-CARE also produces a monthly publication featuring the written work of learners called 'Writing For Our Future.'

Established in 1970 by Dr. Barry Leach, the Institute of Environmental Studies sought to encourage greater public engagement with environmental issues, particularly those impacting ecosystems in the “College Region.” One of its stated objectives was to disseminate the results of studies and projects to public and private groups so they might further “their own work towards a better use of the environment.” The Institute offered non-credit courses, published a series of Information Booklets and other monographs on a range of topics, hosted workshops and lecture series, and collaborated on conservation projects with civil society organizations like Ducks Unlimited, with which it operated an Environmental Study Centre in a conservation area called the Serpentine Fen. The Institute of Environmental Studies was based at the College’s Surrey campus. In 1981, when the College divided, the Institute became part of the newly formed Kwantlen College.

Kwantlen College was formed in 1981 as the result of a separation from Douglas College.

In June 1980, responding to the provincial government's desire for a "realignment of educational services" in the Douglas College region, the Board recommended the College be divided into two institutions. At the time, Douglas had eight campuses: New Westminster, Surrey, Richmond, Coquitlam, Langley, Maple Ridge, Agnes Street, and Newton Centre. The geographic dividing line would be the Fraser River, with those campuses north of the river remaining part of Douglas College and those south of the river forming a new institution. The name Kwantlen College was selected through a contest and was approved by Grand Chief Joe Gabriel of the Kwantlen First Nation.

In 1995, Kwantlen College became Kwantlen University College.

Lillian Zimmerman joined Douglas College in 1971 as a programmer for the Liberal Arts Division with the expressed desire to develop credit-free courses in the area of continuing education for women. Beginning in 1972, she worked with staff from the Counselling department to offer workshops and inter-disciplinary evening courses, which proved popular. In 1974, she was elected to the position of "Convenor" of Women's Studies at Douglas College. Zimmerman held this role until 1978 when she took a leave from College in order to complete a Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) from the University of British Columbia. Following her return to Douglas College, Zimmerman worked as a regular faculty member in Human Services and Community Programs. She became the Chair of Community Programs and Services in 1990 before retiring in 1991. Subsequent to her retirement from Douglas College, Zimmerman became a renowned advocate for the rights and dignity of middle-aged and older women. She was a Research Associate in Gender Issues at Simon Fraser University's Gerontology Research Centre, contributing significantly to the field and publishing multiple books on this topic including “Bag Lady or Powerhouse?: A Roadmap for Midlife (Boomer) Women” and “Did You Just Call Me Old Lady? A 90-Year-Old Tells Why Aging Is Positive.”

Margaretha Hoek first joined the College in 1975 as a sessional faculty member in the Counselling Department, where she taught a number of courses and workshops focused on the issues and experiences of women. In 1978, Hoek was hired as Coordinator of Programs for Women (at times the position was also referred to as Coordinator of Women's Studies). She held this position until 1985.