September 3, 1996 For Immediate Release

The University of Northern British Columbia's 1996-97 academic year officially begins on Wednesday, September 4th. It marks the start of UNBC's third year of full operations.

Approximately 2700 students are expected to attend classes this semester (exact numbers are not yet available as registration is continuing) at the Prince George campus and UNBC's regional teaching centres. Some highlights:

• A new BA in Resource-based Tourism is being offered. The program will be unique in Canada and relates to those tourism activities and experiences that involve the natural and cultural environments, such as ecotourism and First Nations heritage sites.
• More than 40 UNBC courses will be offered in 14 communities outside of Prince George this semester. A majority will be offered face-to-face, with some offered via videoconferencing and audio conferencing.
• The two on-campus student residences are full with 550 students and a waiting list has been established. The off-campus housing registry still contains a number of available suites, but residents of Prince George with a suite available can still have it listed by calling the UNBC Housing Office at 960-6430.
• 65 International students are registered, more than any previous year, including exchange students from Sweden, Russia, and New Zealand.
• The most popular courses this semester are Microeconomics, General Chemistry, Computer Applications, and Ecology.
• The expected student headcount for this year is UNBC's highest. Last year, 2300 students registered, and 1400 took courses in the University's inaugural academic year in 1994-95.