Effective September 1, the UCFV storefront centre in Agassiz is located in the school district's continuing education centre on Cheam Avenue. UCFV will refer to its new location as its Agassiz Centre.

Previously, UCFV contracted with Agassiz Community Services to provide a point of contact for UCFV inquiries from the local population, including Agassiz, Harrison Hot Springs, outlying areas, and nearby First Nations reserves.

The new partnership will offer several advantages.

As was the case in the previous location, all UCFV literature, such as calendars, brochures, timetables, program guides, admissions guides, continuing education booklets, and information sheets will be available.

But additionally, members of the public will be able to use, free of charge, computers in the school district lab to seek out information about university college programs and services on various pages on the UCFV website, including the online calendar.

The computers will also be available for people who want to take online courses from UCFV but who don't have access to a computer at home. UCFV is offering 14 online courses this semester. It's now possible to earn a two-year associate of arts degree studying online via computer.

The teaching assistant in the centre, Jeanne Chanowski, has received special training from UCFV Student Services staff. She's now ready to field questions, provide basic information about UCFV programs and services, and refer others to the appropriate UCFV resource. A UCFV student will also be hired on a part-time basis to provide information about UCFV and help students who are taking online courses or using computers to seek information about UCFV.

The partnership with the School District will also ease the transition to post-secondary education for students taking upgrading through the Continuing Education arm of School District #78, in that they will be able to learn about UCFV programs and services right at their place of study.

"This partnership provides a significant improvement in access and equity to post-secondary education services for citizens in the communities of Agassiz and Harrison Hot Springs," says Steve Fachler, SD #78's administrative officer for alternative programs..

"We're very pleased to be able to improve our presence in the Agassiz area through this partnership with the school district," says Dean Jackie Snodgrass, the UCFV administrator responsible for the eastern region. "It's a step in the right direction."

UCFV hopes to be able to offer additional hours of service at the centre in the future. Agassiz community members will also be able to use the centre computers to register online once UCFV's registration process is computerized next year.

An open house is planned for later this fall, but the public is invited to drop in to find out more about UCFV any time that the centre is open (8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday to Friday).

The Agassiz Centre is located in the school district's continuing education centre at 7110 Cheam Ave. The phone number is 604-796-9496. The fax number is 604-796-9467.