The decision-making process

Windsor Star

Thursday, January 24, 2008

The University of Windsor's $110-million Centre of Engineering Innovation promises to bolster the reputation of both the school and community as a focal point for research and development in Canada. When the school's doors open in 2010, there should also be significant spinoffs in terms of job creation and investment for the area. There's no question of this important project's value.

What has been an ongoing issue is the location of the campus, which will house 1,800 students and faculty members. And, at the very least, the decision this week by the university's board of governors to build the centre on campus -- as opposed to downtown -- comes as a great disappointment.

As we have pointed out, the case for building the engineering school downtown was both clear and compelling. A core site would strengthen the school's bond with the city, bolster the image of both, while dramatically and dynamically transforming the core.

Certainly, no one had worked harder to convince the university of the core's benefits than Larry Horwitz, the indefatigable head of the Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association. As he said after the decision: The university has "missed out on a vision."

"I think they missed out on a having a showpiece of a facility on the river. I think they missed out on fundraising opportunities. If something is new and unique, people are more inclined to be a (financial) part of that," said Horwitz.

The arguments against the downtown, as expressed after the board of governors' meeting, were considerably less than compelling: It might be inconvenient for students. It would mean foregoing a chance to make the university look more attractive to prospective students. It would eliminate the "on-campus experience."

Criticism was also levelled at the city for not providing a specific offer. But there was a framework for serious negotiations, of which the university's administrators approved. It's regrettable the board of governors couldn't even endorse that course of action.

Another issue is the board's secretive decision-making process. This far-reaching decision was made behind closed doors. The university made no concerted effort to consult the community on the engineering school site. This, despite the fact that the university is a public body funded with public money. Certainly, the board has a mandate to consider the interests of students and faculty, but it can't ignore its broader responsibilities to the city and region that are attached to spending public money.

The board must spend money to achieve maximum efficiency and impact. The downtown campus offered that opportunity, particularly at a time when the local economy is hurting and the university had a chance to do something to significantly bolster the city's core and image. The fact is that successful universities -- like Waterloo and Sir Wilfrid Laurier just up the road -- are embracing downtown campuses. Satellite campuses help struggling cores, and they have a positive impact on both commercial and residential development, as well as job creation.

Just a few days ago, the University of Alberta and city of Edmonton proudly opened an $86.5-million downtown campus with university president Indira Samarasekera calling the project "a physical symbol of the university's strong tie to the community and our commitment to community engagement and citizenship that underpins our vision." That is an important statement.

We celebrate the decision to build the Centre of Engineering Innovation and look forward to its contributions to the community's well-being. The problem is a decision-making process at the board of governors' level that could have made this project mean so much more.

© The Windsor Star 2008

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