Georgian, Lakehead Unite

The Packet & Times -

It's the county that binds them, yet it's the rest of Canada they're reaching out to.

A new partnership between Georgian College and Lakehead University in Orillia was announced in the Georgian College Barrie campus library Thursday.

“We're geographically bound. It's a natural partnership,” Lakehead president Brian Stevenson said to the assembled crowd.

He credits Oro-Medonte Township Mayor Harry Hughes for their new union.

“We're bound by the township in between the two of us.”

Stevenson's pride in bringing university programs south to the Barrie campus adds up to seven universities that offer diplomas through the Barrie college.

With more than 75% of engineering students and 65% of business students determining mid-stream they'll require further university accreditation — and not being able to use their community college credits toward it — it has given rise to new concepts in education, said Stevenson.

 “I, myself, went to college first and then university,” he said. “Now, kids can transfer from across Canada to transition here between the two post-secondary levels of education. We're making that pathway easier for the students to get those credits and continue their education.”

As one of Georgian College president and CEO Brian Tamblyn's last great acts at the college, he signed the memorandum of understanding with Stevenson to seal the beginning of the new academic partnership.

While they were in talks for the past two years, Tamblyn acknowledged the college was stymied while the new health and wellness centre was being built.

“Since 2007, we haven't been able to add new partners until the Paul Sadlon Centre opened because this place was just jammed,” he laughed. “After putting everything on hold, we now have added a more than 3,000 student capacity. One of the advantages is that we can do this all without new buildings.”

Tamblyn and Stevenson stressed the course study, which will be determined later this fall, will be of a non-competitive nature with the other university programs offered.

During the last two days of his 13-year tenure, Tamblyn was jovial, acknowledging new president MaryLynn West-Moines would be well positioned to pull the new university partnership together.

“I'm so glad I could get this in before I retire.”

Simcoe North MPP Garfield Dunlop released a statement Thursday, saying, “I applaud both institutions for working together for the betterment of students. This is great news. Georgian has long partnered with universities and now that Lakehead has a campus in Orillia, it’s a perfect fit.”

Dunlop, who was on hand for the signing of the memorandum of understanding, added, “This new partnership not only bodes well for students; it also creates a positive impact for our local economy with increased educational opportunities in Simcoe County.”

With the promise of a new university partnership in Barrie, Barrie MPP Rod Jackson said he's pleased to be able to say no student in the area who wants to go to university will be denied.

Amid concerns a new university in town puts the Barrie Central Collegiate plans to become a university partner on hold, Jackson said he envisions Central becoming a satellite campus in the future.

“The province doesn't have the money to build a university right now,” Jackson said. “With this partnership, my goal is to make sure we're well positioned to be at the top of the list when they do. This is a good step towards making that happen.”

Student Katrina Sutton, 22, is a Barrie native who appreciates not having to travel out of her hometown to continue her studies.

Sutton said she's midway between finishing her college education in business administration, and will further her post-secondary education with a bachelor of science, in the area of human resources, at Lakehead.

“This new partnership creates many opportunities for students right here in Barrie,” said Sutton.