Thompson Rivers University

Thompson Rivers University is a university located in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. It offers students a broad range of courses, career streams, and the ability to ladder credits from diploma programs into full degrees. The enabling legislation is the Thompson Rivers University Act. While the main campus is located in Kamloops there is a second campus in Williams Lake, BC Canada. Nancy Greene Raine is the Chancellor of TRU. The university press, The Omega, is a member of Canadian University Press. TRU will also be commencing Canada's newest law school in September 2011.

Programs
Courses are both textbook based and hands-on experience through class and group projects. These hands-on projects can involve community groups, businesses, and non-profit organizations.

Study Abroad options allow students opportunities to travel while earning education credits through any of 30 countries. Some of the disciplines offering Study Abroad: Arts, business, computing science, nursing, and tourism are some of the options.

Students wanting paid work experience in their field of studies have opportunities to do so through the Co-operative Education Program.

TRU's Graduate Studies include: Master's of Business Administration, Master's of Education, Master's of Environmental Science, and a Master's of Nursing through the University of British Columbia.

Other education options include baccalaureates, two-year diploma programs, trades training, certificates, Continuing Studies, Teaching English as a Second Language, University Preparation, and Adult Basic Education

History
Founded in 1970, TRU has experienced an evolution from its initial days as a community college known as Cariboo College to today where students have the choice of Bachelor's Degrees and three Master's Degrees — Master's of Business Administration, Master's of Education, Master's of Environmental Science. TRU's Distance and Online Division (TRU-OL) has evolved in recent years through the BC government's initiated merger with BC Open Learning.

Five community colleges were granted authority to offer baccalaureate degrees following a 1988 government initiative designed to increase access to degree programs in British Columbia. These 5 institutions - University of the Fraser Valley, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Vancouver Island University and Okanagan University College were renamed university colleges. Initially, they offered degrees under the aegis of one or more of the 3 provincial universities. In 1995 they were awarded the authority to offer degrees in their own right.

Meanwhile, British Columbia Open University (BCOU) was created in 1978 to offer students access to post-secondary distance education. It was a division of the Open Learning Agency. BCOU allowed for more geographical accessibility since 1988 through multiple campuses spread throughout the province and by offering distance education. BCOU was a public institution and a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. BCOU was also partners with other educational institutions, professional bodies, industry, and business, and was a founding member of the Canadian Virtual University. One such partner is the Vancouver Academy of Music.

In 1995, the province of British Columbia enacted legislation changing the institution's name to University College of the Cariboo and allowing it to begin granting academic degrees and college diplomas. UCC was a university college in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. UCC first began offering programs under the name Cariboo College in 1970 with government funding and support. In 1998 they began offering their first undergraduate degrees.

The name Thompson Rivers University came into being on April 1, 2005 and with the change, came the designation of being a full-degree granting university by the Government of British Columbia. As part of the agreement, all courses and programs administered by the former British Columbia Open University (BCOU) also became part of the new university under the Open Learning Division. On July 1, 2007, all TRU, Open Learning (TRU-OL) operations relocated from Burnaby, BC to the BC Centre for Open Learning building, which is located on the Kamloops campus.

Thompson Rivers University was established by the Thompson Rivers University Act.

Learn more about the Thompson Rivers University name and its significance to the region.

Aboriginal services
TRU provides services to Aboriginal people in more remote communities. Thompson Rivers University’s Aboriginal Tourism Certificate provides training in Aboriginal tourism to meet specific needs within Aboriginal communities.

TRU-OL is assisting community-based First Nations Learning Centres across the province of BC. At these learning centres, First Nations students study Adult Basic Education upgrading courses and programs, business and other college-level courses, and some university-level courses.

TRU is located in Secwepemc Territory, and over 700 self-identified Aboriginal students attend TRU. The Aboriginal Coordinator and the Aboriginal Transitions Planner provide a range of support services to all Aboriginal, First Nation, Inuit, and Metis students. TRU has stated among its strategic goals to become the University of Choice for B.C.'s Aboriginal students.

Space for enhanced Aboriginal programs and services will also be included in the new $32-million House of Learning and a new “Gathering House” in the form of a traditional pit house, will provide space for displays and ceremonies.

The Gathering Place is a resource centre for Aboriginal students. It’s also the place to socialize, study, or find Elder support. The Gathering Place is also home to the First Nations Student Association. The Gathering Place will be moving into the now-under-construction House of Learning (HOL). HOL is scheduled to be complete Fall 2010.

Thompson Rivers University, Open Learning (TRU-OL)
Thompson Rivers University, Open Learning (TRU-OL) (formerly Open Learning Agency) is one of Canada's leading distance education providers and helped found the Canadian Virtual University, operating in collaboration with other educational institutions and professional, industry, and business associations. Most of the over 400 courses offered through TRU-OL can be taken anytime at an individually-determined pace and are offered continually. TRU-OL also offers enrollment into more than 57 programs which can be completed through distance and online learning. Students have access to programs including: adult secondary school completion; certificates and diplomas, including advanced and post-baccalaureate; associate degrees; and bachelor's degrees.

Thompson Rivers University, Open Learning (TRU-OL) also offers Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR), which awards credit for knowledge achieved through work and life experience.

Mobile Web
Thompson Rivers University is the first University in British Columbia to develop and release a mobile website (http://m.tru.ca). This website enables students to access live computer lab usage information which will help to guide them to available computers, on campus, during peak computer lab times. Useful to all is also the access to current news, events and sports updates. The mobile website enables visitors and new students to better navigate the campus through its maps section, as well as various information links such as food services, wireless printing and security.

Athletics
TRU offers varsity sports (nine teams in six sports). Thompson Rivers WolfPack varsity sports teams include:

Women — badminton, basketball, volleyball, soccer. Basketball and volleyball compete in Canadian Interuniversity Sport Canada West Conference and soccer in the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association BC Conference.

Men — badminton, baseball, basketball, golf, volleyball, hockey, soccer. Basketball and volleyball compete in Canadian Interuniversity Sport Canada West Conference and badminton and soccer in the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association BC Conference. Baseball competes in Canadian College Baseball Conference.

Also, the Thompson Rivers Wolfpack Cheerleading team is available as both a Spirit Squad and a competitive team as of Fall 2009. Though available as a co-ed team, it was an all girl team until fall of 2009 when one male student, Duncan Ireland, made the team as the first male cheerleader at Thompson Rivers University.

Facilities - Hillside Stadium, Tournament Capital Center, NorBorck Stadium.

Recreation
An on-campus gymnasium allows for fitness classes and intramural recreation opportunities. Additionally, TRU is located next to the City of Kamloops' Hillside Stadium and Tournament Capital Center, which students can use for a fee of $420 per year.

Student Representation
The Thompson Rivers University Students' Union (TRUSU) advocates for students on a range of issues from affordable and quality post-secondary education to academic rights, and affordable public transit. TRUSU provides a number of services on campus from the UPASS and health and dental plan, to an online book exchange and campus coffee shop. In addition, TRUSU organizes social events and lectures throughout the year. Every student enrolled in a course at Thompson Rivers University is a member of the Students’ Union.

Students at Thompson Rivers University are also members of the Canadian Federation of Students (Local 15). This body advocates for high quality and affordable post-secondary education at a national and provincial level in addition to providing money saving services such as Studentsaver, Travel CUTS, and the International Student Identity Card (ISIC).

Daycare
Onsite daycare services are offered through Cariboo Child Care and operated by the Cariboo Child Care Society. Priority is given to children of TRU students and staff.

Buildings and features
The main buildings include the Clocktower, Old Main, Arts and Education, International Building, Campus Activity Centre, BC Centre for Open Learning (BCCOL), Culinary Arts, and the Library.

Ground has been broken for the $32-million House of Learning, which will be the new home of the library, Aboriginal programs and services, and student commons designed to promote group work and interaction. The project has been approved by TRU to be built to LEED Gold Certified eco-friendly standards and has a target completion date of Winter 2010.

Accolades is a restaurant that has meals prepared by students from the Culinary Arts program and is staffed by students from the Tourism program.

Campus radio station
CFBXCFBX is Kamloops's Campus & Community radio station and can be heard at 92.5 FM or online via streaming audio. Overseen by the Kamloops Campus Community Radio Society, CFBX receives most of its annual funding through TRU student fees. Other funding sources include on-air advertising, KCCRS membership dues, donations, and fundraising projects. CFBX offers programming in languages other than English. African, German, Italian, Pan-Asian, South American, and South East Asian are all offered.