Despite operating in Kelowna since its founding in 1963, and working with the city on many projects over the years, Okanagan College has signed a memorandum of Understanding with the City of Kelowna to “cement the relationship and reinforce the value of ongoing collaboration.”
The MOU, signed Monday at Kelowna city hall by college president Jim Hamilton and Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran, is aimed at enhancing the relationship between the college and the city, says a city staff report to council. It specifically talks about areas of future collaboration such as:
• Applied research, learning and innovation
• Land use, infrastructure and campus planning
• Community involvement and volunteerism
• Operation, programming and services
• Sustainability practices and programs
In his remarks, Hamilton pointed to the long history the city and college share working together, noting city involvement with a number of recent building projects on campus such as the college’s student learning centre and its new trades centre.
The MOU is described as a non-binding agreement between the two parties that will live on indefinitely and be managed by designated liaisons between the city and college. The MOU will be reviewed every five years.