Guelph-Humber’s expanding future
The submission is in. As of Sept. 26, 2014 Humber College and the University of Guelph have drafted a plan to add to their partnerships that is the University of Guelph-Humber.
In a joint bid to the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) under the ministry’s Major Capacity Expansion Initiative, there are hopes of answering Ontario’s increasing demand for post-secondary education. The school is not only looking to expand in size and numbers, but also in terms of institutional differentiation.
Representatives from the University of Guelph, Humber College and Guelph-Humber have met regularly to discuss possibilities in expanding academic programs, finances, student amenities and community engagement forming the Major Capacity Steering Committee.
The school is hoping to start putting plans into action in the next five to seven years. Plans include the possibility of a larger facilities, a growth in program offerings and even a new building to hold an almost doubled student population.
There is no final word up until now on which programs will be added to Guelph-Humber’s undergrad options, but what can be said is that such programs will continue to build on the strengths of our existing programs.
Moving ahead it looks as though further programs in communications, health and wellness and financial services could be making their way into Guelph-Humber. It is seeing as programs like these not only reflect the school’s strengths, but the needs of today’s economy, making them good guesses as to where the future of the school is headed.
Not only would this provide students with greater options in the coming years, but a greater support system. With a growing population, students can expect to also see an expansion in student offerings and student services along the lines of the new learning commons being added to Humber currently.
Since the school opened in 2002, Guelph-Humber has always been unique in offering both theoretical and knowledge based skills, which is why students graduate with both an honours degree from the University of Guelph and a diploma from Humber College. Humber’s Communications Director and member of the proposal committee, Andrew Leopold says it is the “work integrated learning” that makes Guelph-Humber’s undergraduate programs so appealing to students. It is what sets the school apart. These programs are career focused and provide students with the skills and knowledge to be job-ready after graduation.
“Not only is the school answering the call for exactly what people are looking for,” Don O’Leary, Vice President of Finance and Administration at the University of Guelph and fellow committee member says, “but it is in a great location and has an affordability that is also a current and growing attraction for students.” Since most of the school’s students live off-campus and travel back and forth to the Etobicoke location, the lack of commuting expenses are quite obviously a draw for many and will continue to be a draw for future students in a similar way.
There is no word yet on when the MTCU will announce its decision on the one out of 26 submissions to expand schools around the province, but with the student confirmations continuing to rise, Guelph-Humber’s future looks bright.
More information on the expansion can be viewed on both the Guelph-Humber and Humber College website.
About the Author
Taylor White is a third year Media Studies student at the University of Guelph-Humber.
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