New facilities, programs could boost university enrolment by half
A1, Published Wednesday February 25th, 2009
By Jesse Robichaud
Times & Transcript Staff
Atlantic Baptist University's growth in recent years has been no secret, but plans to expand to accommodate more students and programs have been kept quiet until now.
This is a very early artist’s concept of what the campus could look like. The lower left shows a new teaching facility, upper left shows a new set of apartments and a new athletic facility at the extreme top left.
The university's directors met this weekend to agree upon a $22-million to $24-million plan to add a student residence, an arena, and a new administration and education building that will address the campus' current capacity constraints.
The university's vice-president for advancement, Ron Gaudet, said work could begin as soon as this summer.
"This is all about growing to meet a demand as opposed to a field of dreams," said Gaudet, noting that the university represents an anomaly in the Maritimes where most universities are facing shrinking enrolment numbers.
"In this region, there is actually a deficit in terms of post-secondary education offerings, and we have been against the wall for the past four years with 800 students."
The major expansion will include renovations to the existing education and administration building, and a pedway that will connect both buildings.
Gaudet said the expansion will allow the university to build a student body of between 1,000 and 1,200 students over the next five years. The five-year plan will add new programs, including degrees at the masters level, along with the necessary faculty and staff.
He said the first priority is building the new education and administration building, and the university would like to see construction begin this summer in order to open the new building by 2010.
"The first priority is to get the education building open because that allows us to make our student body more comfortable and allow us more space to take on more programs."
The campus was built 12 years ago with an intended capacity of about 450 students. The student population quickly grew from 200 students, and grew to about 800 students.
The campus currently houses about 130 students at its residence, and Gaudet said ABU would like to add another 50-room residence.
Gaudet said a private hockey school is already interested in leasing the arena during periods of the year, and he said the university is open to developing partnerships with recreation departments in Moncton, Riverview, and Dieppe.
"This is an area of Moncton that has no arena at this point, which is the fastest growing area of Moncton, so we would entertain taking with the city about how we could serve the need in Moncton North," said Gaudet.
The main intent of the new arena is to add "breadth and depth" to the small university's athletic programs, said Gaudet.
But while Gaudet noted it may be early to speak about sparking a rivalry with the Université de Moncton Aigles Bleus, he did admit that the possibility of a school hockey team would be intriguing.
And in academic terms, Gaudet insisted that Atlantic Baptist University sees itself as a complementary institution to l'Université de Moncton, rather than a competitor.
"What research in the region has indicated is that fewer anglophone adults are getting post-secondary education in this region than in other urban regions of Atlantic Canada," said Gaudet.
"We see it as a complementary role to that of UdeM, so the region will have a well-rounded offering."
Ed Barrett of Woodstock-based Barrett Corporation will chair a capital campaign, that will seek $7 million in donations from the private sector and donors.
Gaudet said the university's loyal alumni, and its relationships with local churches and the Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches will provide a strong base of support.
But although Atlantic Baptist University is a privately-funded institution that doesn't receive operational funding from the provincial or federal governments, negotiations regarding capital funding for the expansion have begun with both levels of government.
Gaudet said Atlantic Baptist University is looking for three-way funding arrangements for elements of the expansion that fit into government programs and spending priorities.
"We are very encouraged by the level of interest we have received," said Gaudet.
Gaudet said Atlantic Baptist University is encouraged by the so-called economic stimulus packages that have been announced by Ottawa and Fredericton, but he said funding requests were made long before the current worldwide economic crisis emerged.
"It is apparent the stimulus package is timely from our perspective," said Gaudet.
"We formally made requests long before the economy took a nose dive."
Gaudet said the university isn't daunted by the current economic situation, but it is taking it into account as it approaches private sector companies and individual donors.
"What our donors are saying is recognize this is a difficult time," said Gaudet.
"It just means the way we work with the private sector donors is we're going to have to give them the flexibility to provide support over a longer time period."
Prev
Linear Mode
