Vacancies in biology dept. impact course options

Vacant positions within Brandon Universitys department of biology are affecting its ability to offer courses popular with students, according to department chair Bill Paton.

Two positions currently vacant within the universitys biology department include an associate professor position and a physiology professor position. Although the university is currently seeking a new associate professor, theres no word yet on whether the physiology professor will be replaced, Paton said.

Budgetary restraints as well as a bigger focus on offering the courses students require for graduation could be why administration has yet to hire a replacement, Paton said.

If you cut courses, then students cant get the selection of courses that they would like and they go elsewhere, he said. For Brandon University to compete, we have to be attracting students from other parts of Manitoba, including Winnipeg.

Although physiology courses are popular with students, they arent required for graduation, he said, adding the two vacancies have also forced professors to step in to help offer the required courses. Along with physiology courses, an advanced human ecology course was also cancelled this year due to a lack of staff, he said.

Its a high-demand course, clearly by students in the pre-medical major, and it has been kind of something different that Brandon has had for many, many years, he said. In my experience, if students get disappointed, they tend to go to other universities, and its important for Brandon to keep what we can.

Paton, who joined BU in the fall of 1974, said student enrolment in the department of biology has always been steady. He said he also plans to retire in December and worries how the university will decide to replace his position.

In submitting these vacant positions, you have to spell out quite specifically all of the aspects of why the position is important, he said. Its unfortunate because Ive always felt this place has huge potential and the No. 1 thing we do is educate students.

BUs vice-president and academic provost Gervan Fearon said when positions open up within a faculty or department, its a good opportunity for the university to reflect on how it can help students in the future.

All departments, not just biology ... look at the courses that students need to complete in to order to be able to complete their degrees and look at the sequencing of those courses to meet student needs, he said. We cant offer every single course, but at the same time we try to be sensitive about the courses that are offered.

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Vacancies in biology dept. impact course options