Education Council (also known as EdCo) is an internal governance body of as required by the . Education Council considers curriculum and educational policies relating to students, standards, planning and operations.
In carrying out the business of Education Council, members exercise their best individual judgment in accordance with the Mission, Vision, Values and Strategic Directions. All eligible members vote freely on all issues considered by Education Council regardless of their association with a particular portfolio/area of the institution.
Council meets on a monthly basis except during July and August. During the summer, and other breaks, the Operations Standing Committee deals with matters requiring action. The Operations Standing Committee is subject to the authority of Education Council and its work is reviewed and ratified by Council.
Other Education Council Standing Committees provide in-depth curriculum (the CPR committees), academic policy (ARP), and calendar review (CCC). These standing committees make recommendations to Education Council and Council relies on its standing committees to ensure appropriate program area expertise as well as the independent perspective provided by additional members from outside the program area. All standing committees report directly to Education Council.
In December 2005, the Education Council officially took over from an Interim Education Council in place during the transition from Okanagan University College (OUC) to .
Education Council has its roots in the Okanagan University College Education Council. The OUC Education Council met for the first time in February of 1995 following substantial changes to the College and Institute Act of British Columbia (“the Act ”). These changes to the Act included the establishment of a bicameral system of institutional governance in which the Board of Governors and Education Council were assigned roles and responsibilities.
OUC Education Council met monthly on a regular basis from February 1995 until April 2005. On March 17, 2004, the BC government announced the 2005 dissolution of OUC and the institution was placed under the control of a government-appointed Public Trustee.
The South Kelowna, Vernon, Penticton, and Salmon Arm campuses of OUC became the new and the Interim Education Council was formed with faculty, staff and students elected to the former OUC Education Council and moving to . To ensure representation from all regions and representative groups, a small number of volunteers were also named to the Interim Education Council. These members, as well as administrators named by the President, met from May to November of 2005.
Following elections, the formally-constituted Education Council began work on December 7, 2005.
The bylaws under which Education Council operates are available.
While some members of Education Council are appointed, others are elected. Faculty (10 seats) and support staff (two seats) elections take place in the spring; student (four seats) elections take place in the fall. The Election rules are available online.
Members of the 2024-2025 Education Council
Under the province’s , an Education Council consists of 20 voting members, representing the following areas:
(a) 10 faculty members, elected by the faculty
(b) Four students, elected by the students
(c) Two support staff, elected by the support staff
(d) Four educational administrators, appointed by the College’s President
Chair - Jillian Garrett
Vice-Chair - Leanne Mallory
Faculty Representation
Arts – Jillian Garrett
Business – Brenda Ridgeley
Foundational Programs - Christopher Torrie
Health & Social Development – Brett Wade
Science/Technology – Morgan Martin
Trades – Kelly Brochu
Shuswap Revelstoke – Bryan White
North Okanagan – Leanne Mallory
Central Okanagan – Sean Johnston
South Okanagan Similkameen – Eva Gavaris
Student Representation
Shuswap Revelstoke – Kaelah Riley
North Okanagan – vacant
Central Okanagan – Samreet Kaur
South Okanagan Similkameen – vacant
Staff Representation
Support Staff - Kristine Wickner
Support Staff - Michelle Somerville
Educational Administrators
Provost and Vice President, Academic – Samantha Lenci
Associate Dean, Arts and Foundational – Chris Newitt
Special Advisor to the President (in-community program design) – Joan Ragsdale
Associate Dean, Trades & Apprenticeship – Danny Marques
Non-voting Members
President – Neil Fassina
Registrar and Secretary to Education Council – Inga Wheeler
Board of Governors representative – Cindy Battersby
Indigenous Advisor - Rhea Dupuis
Approved Items, Agendas and Minutes
Please note that Education Council is in an advisory role to the Board of Governors and many of the items approved by Education Council also require Board of Governors approval before they can be implemented.
The current can be viewed on the online, with regular meetings quarterly in March, May, September, and December. Please consult with the Education Council Secretary should you have any questions about the process or lead time required for full approval of an item.
Education Council Meeting Schedule
2024/2025 Financial Year
September
Meeting:
September 12, 2024
Submission Deadline:
August 21, 2024
Location:
Kelowna
October
Meeting:
October 3, 2024
Submission Deadline:
September 18, 2024
Location:
Kelowna
November
Meeting:
November 7, 2024
Submission Deadline:
October 23, 2024
Location:
Kelowna
December
Meeting:
December 5, 2024
Submission Deadline:
November 20, 2024
Location:
Online
January
Meeting:
January 9, 2025
Submission Deadline:
December 18, 2024
Location:
Online
Possible Board Approval Month:
March
February
Meeting:
February 6, 2025
Submission Deadline:
January 22, 2025
Location:
Online
Possible Board Approval Month:
March
March
Meeting:
March 6, 2025
Submission Deadline:
February 19, 2025
Location:
Kelowna
Possible Board Approval Month:
May
April
Meeting:
April 3, 2025
Submission Deadline:
March 19, 2025
Location:
Kelowna
Possible Board Approval Month:
May
May
Meeting:
May 1, 2025
Submission Deadline:
April 16, 2025
Location:
Penticton
Possible Board Approval Month:
September
June
Meeting:
June 5, 2025
Submission Deadline:
May 21, 2025
Location:
Vernon
Possible Board Approval Month:
September
Standing Committees
Please check the subcommittee meeting agenda to ensure the subcommittee meeting dates or times have not changed from the schedule.