World

Premier Campbell: Magical Fairy for Universities

by Barry ORegan | April 30, 2008 at 05:24 am

884 views | 17 Recommendations | 9 comments

Opinion
Barry Artiste, Now Public Contributor

Well Premier Gordon "Pixie Dust" Campbell is at it again.
As I reported last week on one recently Certified College turned magically into a University in British Columbia. This newly certified University was offering "Homer Simpson and his Family" as a certified University Credit course.

The Premier Gordon "Pixie Dust" Campbell is at it again "Flitting to and fro" furiously waving his "Magical Fairy Wand" and wherever the "Pixie Dust" lands, Voila, it is magically transformed into a honest to goodness provincially certified Canadian University!!

One media reporter stated that the Premier's zeal in granting questionable institutions University status, made a wrong turn into a Daycare, and magically turned it into a University.

Some took exception to my story last week, whereby I stated British Columbia Universities certified by the Premier of this Province will turn British Columbia into another Costa Rican Diploma Mill, certainly validates my story last week.

But then that reader stated in my story, that Homer Simpson today is just as relevant as Shakespeare was in the past. I guess this reader never tried to apply for a Masters Degree with a Bachelor's Degree in Homer Simpson to a Performing Arts University?

University Graduates from real Universities such as SFU, Royal Roads and UBC amongst other REAL Universities must be upset that their hard work and university status from higher learning Ivy league Institutions in this province may be seen now by employers as a joke, when one cannot differeniate now between what is a legitimate century Ivy League Institution and what is perceived "politically vote grubbing mandated diploma mill" by a man in a Fairy Dress.

http://www.nowpublic.com/world/bc-university-offering-simpsons-sociology-doh

Vaughn Palmer, Vancouver SunPublished: Wednesday, April 30, 2008
VICTORIA - For a few days, Premier Gordon Campbell appeared to be playing a game of "Zap! You're a university."

On April 21 he travelled to Abbotsford and transformed the former University College of the Fraser Valley into the full-fledged University of the Fraser Valley.

Next day he was in Surrey to do the same for a redesignated Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

There followed stops in Nanaimo -- Vancouver Island University, then North Vancouver -- Capilano University, and finally, on Monday of this week, he gave his blessing to the Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver.Five universities in the space of a week.

That's as many as previous provincial governments had managed to spawn in 150 years.

0 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend Sign In or Join to post comments

Mikasi

at 05:51 on April 30th, 2008

Can I minor in Family Guy??? If so, I may send them a check.

Jordan Yerman

at 06:01 on April 30th, 2008

I'd go wherever Brian went. He seems pretty smart.

Butseriouslyfolks, Emily Carr is indeed a college, where you go to study one particular thing (design), and then enter into the trade for which you studied. Colleges are more industry-focused than universities; indeed, if I was hiring a plumber or an electrician, I'd hire someone who went to a technical college, not someone who studied a bit of architecture freshman year. Same thing with a designer: Emily Carr College sounds more formidable to me than Emily Carr University.

Barry ORegan

at 06:07 on April 30th, 2008

Thanks for the comments Guys, don't get me wrong, I am a fanatic for the Simpsons as well as Family Guy, but as a University Course? What right or left thinking employer would hire you? Unless they were thinking of going Bankrupt soon after. Imagine if you will someone who manages your stock portfolio, or god fobid run our country with those credentials? All I am saying is if one is going to grant University status, you need a benchmark in able to do so. It certainly looks like the Benchmark used here was made in Wood Shop!

Jarrett Martineau

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 08:43 on April 30th, 2008

Barry, I've gotta give this one to you for the photos of Gordon "Pixie Dust" Campbell alone. Brilliant!

Barry ORegan

at 08:58 on April 30th, 2008

I took this photo when I found him flying around my neighbourhood, trying to bestow University Status on my Garden Shed. hahahahahaha

azzayindia

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 19:41 on April 30th, 2008

Barry Artiste, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Barry ORegan

at 21:57 on April 30th, 2008

Thanks Assay, much appreciated

Barbara McPherson

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 16:20 on May 7th, 2008

Barry Artiste, I like this story. It's good stuff. Malaspina College does good work, maybe outstanding work. Their chef training is world class. I don't understand how valuable, courses like this and heavy duty mechanics as well as adult basic education fit into a university. There is no shame in maintaining college status when you do an excellent job, but there sure is if you run a second class university.