Dental & Counselling Programs Face CNC Board
The CNC Board of Governors – photo 250News
Prince George, B.C. – The College of New Caledonia’s dental program and counselling services took centre stage at this afternoon’s Board of Governor’s meeting.
During a presentation to the Board, dental instructor Heather Brown said staff members were “shocked and blind-sided” by the proposal to suspend intakes.
CNC dental instructor Heather Brown
In front of a standing room only audience, she defended the program and argued the Board should leave it alone, pointing to its longevity (46 years for the dental assisting program, 28 years for dental hygiene), and success rate (100% pass rate on national board exams).
She also said “students educated in northern B.C. stay in northern B.C.,” noting 88% of the school’s graduates are employed north of 100 Mile House.
Carole Whitmer, founder of the hygiene program, said “we are at a crossroads, and we strongly suggest other actions.”
Those include trimming the number of vice-presidents at the college from “three down to 1.”
The CNC Board has also proposed restructuring its counselling services department, something counsellor Tammy Skomorowski said would be a great mistake.
“We provide services to everyone on campus. Crisis response, trauma support and suicide risk assessment,” she said. “15% of CNC students access counselling appointments and 1,163 appointments were booked at the school’s Quesnel and Prince George campuses last year.”
She said cuts would mean longer waitlists for students accessing counselling and increased liability issues to the college and the risk of costly litigation.
The Board has proposed suspending and cutting certain programs as it grapples with a $2.8 million deficit.
The Board of Governors will vote on the proposed cuts at its next meeting April 24.
Comments
I am aware that part time hygiene are paid about 50% ABOVE the rate in private offices…maybe there are reasonable cost savings in staffing payrolls.
Question for bc2413 –> when you refer to ‘p/t hygiene’; are you referring to hygienists or dental hygienist instructors.
Big difference between some one instructing hygienists versus performing the duties of a dental hygienists.
The discussion should be about the employment rate of grads, the pass rate of grads, the number of applicants and the demand in the North for these type of occupations. When the programs were created many years ago, dentists and related service providers were in full support and active in securing the programs. What is the position of practicing northern dental professionals
If the program fulfills a demonstrated need and has a high application rate, then run it. If the graduates are no longer in demand locally and the program is running with below capacity enrollments, then maybe it is time to let it go.
As far as I’m aware every dentist’s office in town has petitions available to sign to keep this program running (what I was told when asked where to sign). I don’t think they have those there because they think the program isn’t worthwhile. I also don’t think they have an enrolment issue. I can’t find great info on it, but I found a news article from as little as 2.5 years ago stating they’d increased their numbers that year and were looking for more patients – patients who without the college may not be able to get their teeth cleaned. The program has an excellent reputation. Students get consistently high marks on national exams. I think it would be a shame for the community to lose it.
Apparently several local dentists were present to support the program and four gave speeches. I really don’t understand why this program is on the chopping block. Everyone seems to love it.
Reply to anotherside…my comments refer to hygienists who usually work in private practice but also work part time at the cnc clinic where they oversee and instruct students…I was told that a lady dentist who spoke at the forum today said she would forego the $64.00 per hour she was paid on a part time basis to do work in the same clinic. I suspect her cnc income is below her private practice hourly net.
The dental programs have only failed to fill twice in the past decade and on those two occasions, were short of filling by less than a half-dozen seats. Also, from what I gathered today, the time it takes to locate practicum placement sites around town is a fraction today compared to a few years ago. There is a need, the program fills, and the success rate of the college students taking these two programs is near perfect. The dental community came out in numbers today to support the faculty and urge the board to not make these cuts. Makes no sense to drop it.
Keep in mind that this isn’t simply CNC Prince George getting whacked.
This is the entire northern region.
It is all part of the ongoing Christy Clark/B.C. Liberal decimation of the B.C. education system from public school to college level.
The cuts across the region accelerated after the arrival of the lastest CNC president and it is obvious what his priority is.
And why he was chosen for the job.
These people are not educators…they are bean counters and financial hitmen with a specific job in mind…despite how they like to advertise themselves.
Cutbacks on every level, except at the upper levels of administration…as always.
Vanderhoof, Fraser Lake, Fort St.James, Mackenzie, Burns lake…they are all about one fincancial cutback from complete closure.
So underfunded that they have little to offer.
Protect you local and regional colleges or lose them.
Stand up for education…something our B.C. Liberal government cares very little about, as they have proven many times.
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