2008 Institutional Report

Reporting Institution

Okanagan College , Department of Geography & Earth and Environmental Science.

Representative

Dr. Terence Day

Changes

There have been many changes to our college and our department over the last three years. The Department of Earth and Environmental Science and the Department of Geography were both decimated by the transition from Okanagan University College to Okanagan College in 2005. All members of both departments except one decided to move to UBC Okanagan. This left only one permanent fulltime faculty member, Kathleen Jagger with a cross appointment between the two departments left after the transition. Subsequently, Leif Burge, Stephanie Bunclark, Terence Day and Stephen Doyle were hired in the Geography and Earth and Environmental Science departments. The departments were subsequently merged into one department called Geography & Earth and Environmental Science.

Programs/Courses

We teach Earth and Environmental Science Courses to first and second year Associate of Arts and Associate of Science students. We offer first year Earth and Environmental Science and Geography courses and a small selection of second year courses in our Salmon Arm, Kelowna , and Vernon campuses. Students transfer to university to complete their degrees. We began offering directed studies courses to allow students to gain wider experience while at the college. Student feedback on these courses has been positive. One directed studies student won a national student award for his project.

We have a special interest in field work, and this summer Stephen Doyle is leading a group of students to Arizona to participate in three courses collectively termed “Southwest Studies”. Next year Stephanie Bunclark will be leading a similar initiative to Vanuatu .

We are continuing to develop our environmental offerings, and have received provincial funding to consult with First Nations in this area.

Staffing

We currently have five fulltime permanent faculty members, and four sessional faculty members. Leif Burge continues as Chair. Kathleen Jagger is on maternity leave.

Enrolment Trends

Enrolments in Earth and Environmental Science have been respectable and increasing. This is related to the growth in the number of Arts students who take our courses for lab science credit. We expect that this trend will continue with the increase in the number of Arts students.

Facilities

We have acquired new lab and field equipment for granulometry, soil moisture, shear strength, snow sampling etc., and have upgraded our GIS.

A new learning center that will provide new faculty offices and much needed classroom space is currently under construction in Kelowna . Our Kelowna library will receive a makeover at the same time.

Issues/Challenges

The changing PSE system in BC makes strategic planning a challenge.