Old Sun college attendance up

Page 2

Attendance is up, and more classes than ever are being offered at the Old Sun Community College on the Blackfoot reserve, despite a 15 per cent budget cut by Indian and Northern Affairs and Canada Employment, said Old Sun president Marion Creery.

"Our enrollment in high school upgrading is the highest it has ever been," said Creery. "And we've even added some new programs."

New to the college this year is a glass working program, designed with hopes of providing apprenticeship training, and an agricultural course which works in conjunction with high school upgrading.

"We're developing an interesting agricultural program," said Creery. "We've taken on an agricultural coordinator to set up the program that will work in conjunction with the high school upgrading course."

"Students who take the agricultural course will be eligible to transfer to colleges such as the one in Olds," said Creery.

The course showing the greatest interest from students is the early childhood education program, which works side by side with Lethbridge Community College, said Creery.

"We are also offering, for the first time, a community health worker program," said Creery. "It's a good program and there is a definite demand for health workers," she adds.

But the college is feeling the economic crunch despite its numerous improvements. "We are under a lot of pressure," said Creery. "Our funding definitely limits the number of students we can afford to take in."

The program feeling the greatest drop in enrolled students is the Health Sciences program, first offered at Old Sun two years ago, but not because of budget cuts.

The program which was initially offered to increase the number of Natives working in the health sciences operates in conjunction with the University of Calgary.

The program was intended to serve not only Alberta's Natives but also those from the two territories.

"They, (the Yukon and Northwest Territories) have decided not to participate this year," said Creery. "They are planning to offer a similar program up there."

Creery said their decision was based on the low standings students were getting, largely blamed on homesickness.

"The students were just too far from home and it was difficult for them to adapt," said Creery.

A student housing block was built at the same time as the Health Sciences program, in order to accommodate those students coming from the north. Naturally, with the Territories withdrawal from the program student housing is running at minimum capacity.

"We definitely have the room to accommodate more students in the student housing," said Creery. "It's an excellent home. It's quiet and offers a good studying atmosphere."

With the first semester well under way, Creery could not say whether funding cuts would affect January's curriculum. "It's just a matter of wait and see."