But unless the public opens its cheque book this is the avenue for survival for the great universities. Gerry Pond, the president of NBTel who is a recent government appointment to the University of New Brunswick board of governors, says corporate Canada has a lot to contribute. NBTel is also a donor and advise-giver in the academic realm at the University of New Brunswick. In addition to a cash donation to the multimedia development centre, it has worked with the US-based company Genesis to develop courses in a field of computer technology. NBTel is also providing funding and expertise in the development and delivery of courses in electronic commerce.
Story says the business language and relationship are very telling.
They are part of the process of moving from a publicly-funded and owned system to a private one. Attracting top decision makers from corporate sector to the helm of Canadian universities isn't about privatizing the system, but rather making it more efficient and cost-effective, says Tom O'Neill, president of Price Waterhouse and governor at Queen's University. On the Queen's board, O'Neill is joined by the chief executive officers from TransCanada PipeLines, American Airlines, Warner-Lambert Company and Amarok Holdings. We made it a minimum to make it less reliant on funding, so if we lost it all it would hurt but it wouldn't kill us. But critics say this is too convenient a strategy from executives of corporations which stand to benefit from the opening up of the university market.