For years, not every student who has wanted to attend UCFV has been able to get the courses they want. This situation is about to improve as the University College of the Fraser Valley announces it is adding more than 2,100 extra seats in courses where the demand is highest – in first-year programs.

 “Our mandate is to serve the needs of the Fraser Valley region. The changes mean more new students will be able to get started on their post-secondary education,” says UCFV President Dr. Skip Bassford. “We are also looking at introducing several other changes that will improve access for new students, and assist current students to complete their programs in a timely manner. To that end, the university’s senior management has begun to look at ways of facilitating and increasing enrolment.”

 Bassford says that since UCFV became a degree-granting institution in 1991, the percentage of new students coming to UCFV each year directly from high school has increased significantly. Last fall, more than two-thirds of all new students who enrolled at UCFV were within one year of completing high school.

 “We expect this trend to continue,” says Bassford, “and the good news is that we can now respond to this demand better than ever. With the 2,100 new seats being introduced this fall, we expect to be able to accommodate hundreds of additional first-year students.” Most of the new seats at UCFV will be in courses that are the basic requirements for numerous programs, in courses such as English, psychology, history, and mathematics.

 “The fact of the matter is that more and more students, and their parents, recognize that a university degree is becoming the entry-level requirement for many good careers. It is our job at UCFV to ensure that as many students as possible have the opportunity to complete their undergraduate degrees.

 “As well, as more students recognize the quality of the post-secondary education they can get at UCFV, more will make us their first choice after high school,” says Bassford.

 “People are beginning to realize that UCFV is more than a university in many ways, and we have much more to offer. Take class size. UCFV continues to offer much smaller class sizes than traditional universities. Our students have a real advantage in getting to know their professors and getting individual attention when they need it. They also have many opportunities to get involved in learning projects such as research activities, which are only available to students in masters-level programs at other universities.

 “In fact, UCFV graduates are doing as well or better than graduates from any university in B.C. when it comes to finding excellent jobs or proceeding with further professional studies or higher education.”

 Bassford says senior management has identified other advantages that attract students to UCFV. These include the lower cost of tuition at UCFV compared with most larger universities and the significantly higher cost of living in the cities where most of the big universities exist.

 “UCFV is in the process of introducing a number of other changes that will improve student access and provide even more options,” says Bassford. “We are planning for a full third semester over the summer months, which will open up more space for students and enable more students to complete their programs in a shorter time.

 “At the same time, we are reviewing our admissions requirements and procedures. We will make a number of changes that will ensure that more top students get the courses and programs they want, here at their regional university,” says Bassford. “We will also continue to ensure that mature students are able to access the post-secondary education they need.”

 In examining enrolment patterns at UCFV and elsewhere, Bassford and his colleagues have discovered that more students than ever are coming directly to UCFV with the intention of completing a four-year degree. UCFV now offers 12 bachelor’s degrees with numerous specialty options for majors and minors. UCFV also continues to offer more than 60 other programs in everything from upgrading and trades training, to academic and applied certificate and diploma programs.

 UCFV also realizes that students look beyond the classroom for learning opportunities at universities. Over the past three years, UCFV has turned its attention to providing more campus-life opportunities and extra-curricular activities for students. Some of these assist new students with their chance of academic success, such as an extensive orientation program. Others assist students during their studies, such as free writing and math centres for individual help.

 New student developments at UCFV include the establishment of extracurricular athletics at all levels, and numerous clubs and student associations offer everything from computers to photography to rock climbing. A well-equipped student centre has also opened on the Chilliwack campus.

 The next major facilities development at UCFV will be campus residences and an expansion to the gymnasium and fitness facilities on the Abbotsford campus.

 “Our job is to try to provide access to as many students as possible,” says Bassford. “We’re confident that with the anticipated support of the provincial government and the changes that we will implement over the coming year, many more students will be off to a great start at UCFV.”

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