As of April 1st, 2005 the new Thompson Rivers University, based in Kamloops, becomes BC’s newest provincial university. While the name and mandate as a unique and fully comprehensive university may be new, the tradition of excellence is based on more than fifty years of experience from two different institutions.
TRU, which now provides students across the province with new and expanded access to post-secondary options and university degree completion, was created on March 19, 2004 when the government of BC announced the University College of the Cariboo (UCC) in Kamloops would be given status as a full provincial university, effective April 2005.
At the same time, it announced the new university would assume full responsibility for all courses and programs of the BC Open University, located in Burnaby. In September 2004 the new university was officially named THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY, and new legislation was passed in February 2005 to officially create the university.
The TRU mandate includes the offering of a complete range of programs, from Masters and Bachelors degrees to diplomas, certificates, trades, apprenticeships and developmental programs. It also includes a provincial mandate to provide Open Learning access through distance education and flexible degree-completion options.
TRU will meet this mandate through the new Open Learning Division, which will continue to operate from the Burnaby Campus, the former home of the BC Open University, until it is relocated to the Kamloops campus, likely in the Fall of 2006.
As a provincial university, TRU also has a unique mandate to provide degree-completion access to graduates of two-year college diploma programs in BC and across Canada. Development work is also underway on extending flexible degree access to trades, vocational and apprenticeship graduates.
With the addition of the distance education and open learning components of the former Open University, TRU will offer every adult learner, high school and two-year college graduate the opportunity to become an outstanding and successful university graduate.
LEGAL NOTICE OF CHANGES
Notice of Change of Name
Effective April 1, 2005, we are changing our name from The University College of the Cariboo (UCC) to Thompson Rivers University (TRU). Our organization remains the same legal person and has all the legal rights and obligations as before the name change.
Notice of Change
BCOU is becoming part of Thompson Rivers University
Prior to April 1, 2005, the British Columbia Open University (“BCOU”) was a division of the British Columbia Open Learning Agency (“OLA”). As a result of a corporate restructuring, on April 1, 2005, BCOU becomes part of Thompson Rivers University (“TRU”). OLA continues to exist, but BCOU ceases being part of it. Many of the rights and obligations of the OLA in respect of BCOU are being assumed by TRU. Organizations that have contracts with BCOU which are being transferred to TRU will be contacted in this respect.
Any inquiries with regard to these legal changes should be directed to the office of the TRU University Counsel, located at the Kamloops campus.
