THUNDER BAY –Moira McPherson says she’s still not happy with the decision to sever the Northern Ontario School of Medicine from Lakehead and Laurentian universities.
But what’s done is done and now it’s time to face the future, said the Lakehead University president.
“Though we continue to have grave concerns about the means by which this decision was made – without consultation with our university, senate, faculty and staff, nor with healthcare providers, Indigenous communities, and regional business leaders – we know we must now turn our attention to the future,” McPherson said in a release.
“There are still many important details that need to be explored as the government moves its agenda forward. Lakehead is committed to engaging in productive and collaborative consultations; however we will continue to uphold a position that does not undermine our University, nor the thriving academic environment we have worked so hard to grow.”
The Ontario government on Thursday passed Bill 276, which paves the way for the medical school’s independence.
Minister of Colleges and Universities Ross Romano said the bill presents a major opportunity for Northern Ontario to build and expand a pair of independent universities of its own.
The Universite d’Hearst also gains independence through the legislation.
“In the short term, this means that the two universities will be able to continue to offer their high-quality education to the communities of Hearst, Timmins, Kapuskaing, Sudbury and Thunder Bay,” Romano said in a release.
“Longer-term, it means with new legislative authority, the institutions will be able to explore new opportunities to offer more degrees and programs subject to review by the Post-Secondary Education Quality Assessment Board, explore new partnerships across Northern Ontario and ultimately improve and expand the education that they provide today.”
McPherson said since the province first made public the plan, without proper consultation, officials at both Lakehead and Laurentian have warned about the impact the legislation will have to program accreditations, taxpayer costs and existing research, university and community partnerships.
“At the same time, we have also put forward innovative solutions that would have maintained and strengthened access to high-quality education and research in Northern Ontario through a continued partnership between Lakehead and NOSM. We are thankful to the thousands who have come forward to voice their opinions,” McPherson said.
Romano said the province will work with the two universities in the coming months, along with the communities and stakeholders, to determine how both NOSM and Hearst will operate in the future.
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