Olds College (OC) vice-chair Earl Kinsella says the institution may be missing out on a population segment that could provide more students: aboriginal people.
During an OC board meeting, Kinsella noted that the college's policy includes dealing with “the community at large.”
“But how far do you carry ‘the community at large' and are we doing that,” he asked. “What is the community at large?”
Specifically, Kinsella said he and a colleague have wondered if the college has been “really reaching out to the native community as much as maybe we should?”
He conceded there are no aboriginal communities near the college. However, “that doesn't mean we shouldn't be reaching out further.”
Kinsella said he had talked to a member of the Siksika Nation.
“She was quite impressed with the college and said, ‘well encourage more to come.' So maybe our community needs to be defined better,” Kinsella said.
“That's a good piece of feedback,” said Jason Dewling, the college's vice-president, academic and research.
He agreed that the phrase “the community at large” needs to be defined more precisely.
“We're going to get together and hash that one out in more detail,” Dewling said.
"How far do you carry 'the community at large' and are we doing that? What is the community at large?"EARL KINSELLAVICE-CHAIROLDS COLLEGE BOARD OF GOVERNORS
