Amid images of frazzled high-voltage wires, Mr. Manzl in his column last week asks "what's happening up at Quest?" ["撸奶社区- a town fraught with questions," The Chief, April 24]. I am only too happy to reply.
To begin, however, a few corrections. Dr. Strangway, one of Quest's founders, has not "bailed," but has retired to Kelowna with his grandchildren and remains an active and enthusiastic supporter of the enterprise.
Second, Quest did not enter into an agreement with CIBT. Pursuant to a Letter of Intent signed last August, Sprott-Shaw spent several weeks on campus examining our administrative and recruitment operations and made a number of suggestions for efficiencies (several of which were subsequently implemented).
It was determined, following this exercise, that a contract between the two parties would not be mutually beneficial, and the Spott-Shaw team left campus, not with "undue haste" but obeying all 撸奶社区speed limits to the best of my knowledge.
Most importantly, enrolments have not "tapered off," but grew from the first-year class to the second by 10 per cent, and are on track to grow a further 30 per cent this year. Furthermore, returning student rates are consistent with our hope of retaining 85 per cent after year one and 75 per cent after year two; indeed, these rates compare very favourably to UBC (less than 60 per cent after year one) and the number-one-ranked small University in Canada, Mt. Allison (less than 50 per cent after the first year).
As to "what's happening," we have just hired faculty members to fill five new positions, and in each case landed our first choice from a total candidate pool numbering in the hundreds.
Our women's soccer team won the recent 75-team Soccerfest, and the men came in second, losing in overtime 1-0. We recently hosted a Professional Development Day for the corridor's high school counsellors, and will host another such day for teachers this month.
A highly professional student production of The Vagina Monologues raised $1,000 for the Howe Sound Women's Center, and we hosted the banquet for the International Biathalon Union coaches and officials after the recent IBU World Cup event. The Rotary will hold its annual weekend for District 5040 Inbound/Outbound Youth Exchange Conference here in two weeks, and the National Geographic Channel will be filming a series, The Known Universe on campus in mid-May. We concluded our eighth Block of the year yesterday, and begin the summer-term Blocks May 11.
In short, Quest continues to build its programs, enrolment, and employment (ten new positions will be added by September), and looks forward to working ever more closely with the 撸奶社区community.
I would like to extend a personal invitation to Mr. Manzl and any other Chief readers to visit the campus and find what our 107 Canadian, 32 American, and 27 students from 20 other countries have found: a highly innovative and deeply engaging institution which has much to offer the future of North American higher education as well as the local community.
David J. Helfand
President
Quest University Canada
