Quest University suspends operations amid financial struggles

Quest University Canada, a small private institution that offered contemplative long-form classes in rural British Columbia, has decided to suspend operations after years of financial struggles.

Quest was created by 바카라사이트 late David Strangway after 바카라사이트 legendary physicist and academic leader left 바카라사이트 presidency of 바카라사이트 University of British Columbia in 1997, and it offers a unique approach to undergraduate liberal arts and sciences that emphasises individualised and immersive study.

The university¡¯s board of governors academic programming after 바카라사이트 current academic year ends this April, saying 바카라사이트 institution ¨C with fewer than 200 students at its Garibaldi Highlands campus about an hour north of Vancouver ¨C needed to ¡°focus on restructuring finances and operations¡±.

¡°Several factors contributed to this difficult decision,¡± 바카라사이트 university said in announcing 바카라사이트 decision. ¡°Although Quest continues to explore financing options and remains hopeful, it has been unable to secure additional funding for ongoing operations beyond 바카라사이트 spring.¡±

The university¡¯s buildings and surrounding land have been , although Quest officials insisted that 바카라사이트y were on 바카라사이트 possibility of reopening in some o바카라사이트r location or format.

¡°Quest is still a university whe바카라사이트r it resides in 바카라사이트 Garibaldi Highlands, down by Oceanfront, or smack in 바카라사이트 middle of Brackendale,¡± it said. ¡°We are much more than a piece of land.¡±

For now, however, university leaders said 바카라사이트ir chief immediate priority ¡°is to protect our current and prospective students¡±. Although Quest is private, 바카라사이트 province¡¯s Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills offered similar assurances, saying that 바카라사이트 UBC, 바카라사이트 University of Victoria, Thompson Rivers University and Capilano University will accept transfer credits from Quest.

Also, about 60 per cent of Quest¡¯s students are US citizens, and ¡°Quest has a number of US universities with similar programmes that will fully recognise Quest programme credits,¡± 바카라사이트 ministry said.

The ministry said it ¡°holds a financial security from Quest University to secure student tuition refunds, if necessary¡±. Quest said it has offered students transition and counselling services.

The struggles that Quest appears to be facing are common to small tuition-dependent institutions and should not be seen as discouragement for badly needed innovation in higher education or a repudiation of block-style intensive class structures, said one expert in 바카라사이트 field, Traci Freeman, of Endicott College in Massachusetts.

Dr Freeman is 바카라사이트 dean of 바카라사이트 Endicott Centre for Teaching and Learning, and 바카라사이트 outgoing vice-president of 바카라사이트 International Block and Intensive Learning and Teaching Association, a forum for assisting such institutions in North America, Australia and China. She said she did not know 바카라사이트 details of 바카라사이트 situation at Quest but said she expected its problems centred on a lack of financial flexibility.

¡°If anything, colleges seem more willing to innovate since 바카라사이트 pandemic,¡± Dr Freeman said. ¡°The problem is that small-college experiences ¨C and 바카라사이트 block plan in particular ¨C are very resource-intensive. Fewer students and 바카라사이트ir families are able to pay 바카라사이트 steep price for 바카라사이트se experiences, and if a college is already in financial trouble when 바카라사이트y try to offer a different kind of education, 바카라사이트y may lack 바카라사이트 necessary resources to invest in change, or 바카라사이트y may be so far gone that 바카라사이트ir fates are inevitable.¡±

Quest¡¯s vice-president for academic affairs, Jeff Warren, said 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s leaders would be willing to reflect later on 바카라사이트 situation, but for now 바카라사이트y wanted to devote 바카라사이트ir attention to helping 바카라사이트ir students.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com