2007-09-17_Supplemental Agenda--Dossier de l'ordre du jour supplémentaire
City of Saint John
Common Council Meeting
Monday, September 17, 2007
Supplemental Agenda
Presentation - UNBSJ Resolution
City of Saint John
Seance du conseil communal
Le lundi 17 September 2007
l'ordre du jour supplementaire
Presentation - Resolution de l'UNBSJ
Whereas the demise of UNB-SJ would make Saint John, --the largest Anglophone city in
our province, ----the only city in Canada of its size without a university!
Whereas over the past forty years and indeed today ----taxpayers, local government,
families and corporations have invested in UNB SAINT JOHN--- (specifically),---- time,
expertise, and financial assistance to build and retain its status as a highly recognized
institute of higher learning
Whereas the present growth and vitality of our city will only be sustained long term with
the presence of UNB-SJ as an essential component of our social, cultural and economic
fabric
Whereas the city stands to lose our dedicated medical school, without UNB-SJ with its
existing strong science and arts programs, graduate faculty and research capabilities, as
securing a partner medical school would be next to impossible with only a polytech
institute
Whereas our city needs UNB-SJ to educate people for non-industrial jobs and without it,
there would be a cumulative effect of the following:
(A) The retirement of our baby boomer business, economic" social, cultural,
education and health care personnel etc.
(B) Decreased numbers of local university trained professionals who tend to
stay in Saint John
(C) Decreased immigration of young families and prospective leaders who tend
to select homes in a city with a university
All of which would see a city that has flourished, left without this essential group of
professionals who are needed to complement the highly valued and much needed
graduates of NBCC
Whereas UNB-SJ has afforded our high numbers of single parents, low and middle
income,--youth and mature students --the only affordable means of securing
undergraduate degrees and many master's courses on site
Be it resolved:
That the Mayor and Common Council send a letter to the Premier and Minister of
post-secondary education stating that UNB-Saint John should remain intact as an
institution of higher learning
And further be it resolved that alternatives be explored that build on the strengths
of our two fine educational institutions, NBCC and UNB-SJ with the immediate
establishment of a Mayor's task force comprised of stakeholders in greater Saint
John region