December 23, 2005 for immediate release

January

UNBC welcomed the first 25 students in the Northern Medical Program, anexpansion of the UBC Faculty of Medicine to educate physicians innorthern BC. Premier Gordon Campbell visited the students during thefirst week of classes and demonstrated the state-of-the-art technologylinking medical students across the province. At the end of the month,BC biotechnology leader Donald Rix, also a member of the UNBC Board ofGovernors, donated $3 million to further expand health research andeducation in northern BC.

February

Premier Campbell announced $31.8 million to build a new Teaching andLearning Centre on the Prince George campus and renovate the GeoffreyR. Weller Library. The TLC will house faculty offices, classrooms, andlabs. Construction began in the summer.

The results of the first-ever national study of rural nursing wereunveiled by Nursing professor Martha Macleod. The research documented adrop in the number of rural nurses, a problem foreseen to worsen as theaverage age of nurses continues to increase.

April

The UNBC Board of Governors approved a modest 2% increase in tuitionfees, bringing a typical tuition fee for a full-time undergraduatestudent to $4110 per year.

The Northern Medical Programs Trust attracted major donations from CN($300,000) and EnCana Corporation ($150,000). Other major contributionsduring the year were made by Alcan ($500,000) and BMO Bank of Montreal($150,000).The NMPT is a partnership between UNBC and northerncommunities to support medical students interested in practicing in theNorth.

Premier Campbell announced $20.5 million towards construction of theNorthern Sport Centre. The NSC is a partnership between the City ofPrince George and UNBC and the facility is expected to include agymnasium, indoor track, and indoor field, and services forhigh-performance athletes.

May

About 730 students graduated from UNBC during graduation celebrationsin Prince George, Terrace, New Aiyansh, Quesnel, and Fort St. John.Honorary degrees were also presented to former UNBC Chancellor GeorgePedersen and First Nations education advocate Mary Alice Danaher.

June

UNBC announced the completion of its $2 million Offshore Oil and Gasresearch program in Prince Rupert. The project resulted in theproduction of seven research publications and involved more communityinvolvement than any other study on the offshore oil and gas issue.

The number of Canada Research Chairs grew to eight, second-highestamong small universities in Canada. The CRC program was created by theGovernment of Canada and UNBC’s Chairs are leading world-class researchprograms on climate change, the mountain pine beetle, small-townissues, resource management, aboriginal self-determination, andenvironmental literature.

August

UNBC hosts a major aboriginal writers and storytellers festival, whichalso includes the second annual Poetry Train between Prince George andPrince Rupert. Fourteen writers, a dozen storytellers, performers, andvisual artists participated.

UNBC President Charles Jago was named a Member of the Order of Canada.

 
September

UNBC launched a masters-level Family Nurse Practitioner program,expanding offerings in the health sciences. The bachelor’s degreeprogram in Nursing was also added in Terrace, along with a new bridgingprogram designed to increase the number of aboriginal school teachers.

A survey led by Initiatives Prince George revealed that the localannual economic impact of the College and University is more than $700million.

A group of companies – including Western Industrial Contractors ofPrince George – was identified by the City and UNBC to design and buildthe Northern Sport Centre.

October

BMO Bank of Montreal donated its former downtown Prince George branchto UNBC for use as an additional location for staff offices andresearch space.

November

UNBC achieved its best-ever ranking in the annual Maclean’s magazineranking of Canadian universities, placing fourth in the “primarilyundergraduate” category – the best in western Canada.

December

Dr. Don Cozzetto, a native of British Columbia who has spent the past18 years at universities in the United States, was named as UNBC’sfourth president.  He will take over from Charles Jago in thesummer of 2006.