by Lexey Burns, Editor-in-Chief
Marie Josée Berger, Provost and Vice President of Laurentian, says that the Cambrian College and St-Lawrence collaborated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSCN) program is detaching from Laurentian University.
“These programming changes will not have any impact on students, their studies, or their experience,” Berger said.
“We have every confidence that next-generation nurses will continue to choose Laurentian as their destination of choice for their studies and student experience.”
Alysha MacEwen, a second-year BSCN student said she thinks “it’s a really good idea for sudbury [sic] to have the 2 options.”
MacEwen said that if both institutions offer the program, the students can choose between Cambrian or Laurentian, depending on their learning style.
“I’m personally a hands-on learner and the way the Cambrian is going to alter the program is to really enhance the education and application of hands-on skills,” she said.
The university said they wish their “former partners at Cambrian College and St-Lawrence College the very best as they undertake the development of their programs.”
Céline Larivière, Laurentian’s Dean of Health said in an email that “the provincial government implemented a change in policy allowing all colleges to offer baccalaureate nursing degree programs autonomously. Prior to this, Colleges needed to be in a partnership with a university in order to offer an undergraduate degree in nursing.”
“This is no longer the case,” Larivière said that colleges have been long advocating for stand alone programs.
“The request for dissolution of the current partnership between Laurentian and Cambrian was initiated by Cambrian.”
Laurentian and Cambrian were partners along with 3 other colleges—Cambrian, Sault, Northern, and St. Lawrence.
Larivière said that the dissolution process began in early 2020. Cambrian initiated the process before the CCAA process began, so this decision has “nothing to do with Laurentian’s current financial situation.”
Larivière said that the nursing students currently completing Laurentian’s 4-year nursing program will continue to provide the best education possible to prepare them so a successful career in nursing.
“As for students who eventually register for the stand alone nursing program at Cambrian, it is advisable to contact a Cambrian representative who will be better positioned to describe the longer-term benefits of the college program,” she said.
More to follow on how the university will proceed with the separation.