September 7, 2002 For Immediate Release

The Board of Governors for the University of Northern British Columbia will be holding a public meeting in Dawson Creek later this week and visiting Tumbler Ridge.

The public meeting of the Board will be held Friday, September 13th at 2pm in the dining room at Northern Lights College. Items on the agenda include a preliminary enrolment report for the fall semester, an update on the University's new Strategic Academic Plan, a report from the Regional Operations department, an update on construction of a new building to house the Northern Medical Program, and approval of the Northern Medical Programs Trust. The media and local residents are welcome to attend.

"The Northern Medical Programs Trust will provide an opportunity for northern BC communities to manage funds that will assist in the training and retention of health professionals in the North," says Board Chair Alice Downing. "So far, 18 northern BC communities - including Dawson Creek, Tumbler Ridge, Taylor, and Prince George - have pledged to raise money locally based on their populations."

That evening, there will be a reception with regional leaders and members of local UNBC advisory committees.

On Saturday, September 14, members of the Board and senior UNBC administration will be visiting Tumbler Ridge to meet with the mayor, local council members, and medical officials. There will also be a presentation in the afternoon of UNBC research being undertaken in the region. The presentation will be led by Greg Halseth, a Canada Research Chair in small-town studies who has conducted research in Tumbler Ridge as part of a national study on rural communities.