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Council on Post-Secondary Education (COPSE)

About COPSE

What is COPSE? | Mandate | Goals | Council Members | Staff

What is COPSE?

The Council on Post-Secondary Education is the provincial agency that works to promote excellence and cooperation within the post-secondary education sector to meet the diverse educational needs of Manitobans. Created by an Act of the Manitoba Legislature in November 1996, the Council commenced its operation in April 1997. The Council facilitates the coordination and integration of post-secondary services and facilities, reviews and approves university and college programming, develops policy, and promotes fiscal responsibility and accountability in the post-secondary system.

A major responsibility of Council is the allocation of funds to the province's seven public post-secondary institutions, comprising the University of Manitoba, the University of Winnipeg, Brandon University, Red River College, Assiniboine Community College, University College of the North, Collège Universitaire de Saint-Boniface and École technique et professionnelle. The Council also distributes grants to private religious institutions, which include Steinbach Bible College, Providence College and Seminary, William and Catherine Booth College, and the Canadian Mennonite University. A grant is also provided to the Winnipeg Technical College.

The Council acts as an intermediary between the post-secondary institutions and the government, and is composed of eleven members including a chairperson. Reporting to the Council is a staff Secretariat of ten provincial civil servants. The Secretariat undertakes activities and projects designed to fulfill the mandate of the Council and to meet the goals established by the Council and Manitoba Advanced Education and Training. The Secretariat also works in consultation with the universities and colleges to support the Council members in the development of policy and financial accountability.

Mandate

The mandate of the Council on Post-Secondary Education, as stipulated in The Council on Post-Secondary Education Act, is:

" . . . to plan and co-ordinate the development of a post-secondary education system in the province that promotes excellence in and accessibility to education, supports the co-ordination and integration of services and facilities, and promotes fiscal responsibility."

Goals

Act as a catalyst to improve accessibility to post-secondary education in Manitoba, and specifically for Aboriginal Manitobans and other under-represented groups.
Act as a catalyst to improve retention and graduation in post-secondary education.
Promote post-secondary education in Manitoba as a system.
Facilitate mechanisms to promote sustainable infrastructure in post-secondary education in Manitoba.
Improve the Council’s interaction with the post-secondary community.
Develop and implement new accountability mechanisms for the post-secondary system.

Additional information is available in The Council on Post-Secondary Education Act.

Council Members

Roles and Responsibilities

Chair of Council (54 KB)
Vice-Chair of Council (53 KB)
Council Members (55 KB)

Chair of Council

Mr. James Allum, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.

Senior Consultant in Strategic Management in the CAO Secretariat for the City of Winnipeg
B.A. and M.A. from Trent University, Ph.D. from Queen’s University
First student to graduate from Trent’s Frost Centre for Canadian Heritage and Development Studies Program
Winner of Governor General’s Gold Medal for Academic Achievement in 1988
Taught part-time in Department of History at University of Winnipeg from 1999 – 2006
Served as Chair of the Manitoba Heritage Council from 2002-2006
Former member of the Riverview Community Club
Hockey Convenor for Riverview in the Pembina Trail Hockey Association
Organized the Connecting Communities Project in 2003 – a clothing and equipment drive for residents in the Turtle Island neighbourhood
Two-time candidate for the federal NDP in Winnipeg South Centre in 2000 and 2004
Served as President of the Manitoba NDP from 2005-2007
Married, with 3 children

Vice-Chair of Council

Ms. Maureen Brown

Elected council member in the community of Opaskwayak Cree Nation
Member of Norman Regional Parent Child Coalition
School Board member of Opaskwayak Educational Authority
Currently working in the Social field
Keynote Speaker on Aboriginal issues
Advocate and Restorative Justice mediator
Mother of 3 children, former homeschooler

Council Members

Mr. Ross Wedlake

retired teacher / administrator ; 33 years in the River East and Winnipeg School Divisions
graduate of the University of Manitoba, B.A. and B. Ed.
15 years experience developing and teaching alternative education (at-risk students and off-campus programs)
ex-vice Principal of St. John’s High School
member of the Manitoba Basketball Hall of Fame
long-time basketball coach at high school and college levels
experienced at presentations to in-services and school staffs
married ; 3 adult children

Dr. Pandelis G. Halamandaris

BA (1958), The American University at Cairo, Egypt
MS and Ph.D. (1968), Indiana University, USA
Research Associate (1967-68), Indiana University (funded US Office of Education)
Research Director, Commission on Reading, MTS (1968-73)
Associate Professor at BU (1969-1975), Professor at BU (1975-1999)
Initiator and Director of the project: Indian Métis Projects for Action in Careers through Teacher Education (IMPACTE)-1971-73
Director of International Development Projects at Brandon U.( Malawi, Swaziland, Baltic countries, scholarships for women, etc)
Ed.D. (HC) (2001), University of Swaziland, Swaziland
Professor Emeritus (2001), Brandon University Faculty of Education
Deputy Director of the University of Manitoba Centre for Hellenic Civilization (2001-)
CIDA consultant on Primary Education (1998-)
Taught/lectured UM, Department of Ed. Guyana, University of Athens, Malawi Institute of Ed., University of Swaziland, Virginia State, Visiting Scholar University of London Institute of Education, Brandon U.
Evaluator for the Greek Ministry of Education-projects.

Mr. Howard Almdal, MA

Master of Arts (1999) University of Winnipeg & University of Manitoba (Modern History)
Bachelor of Arts (1993) University of Manitoba (Political Studies)
Regional Manager for BMO Financial Group, based in Winnipeg
A Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute
Served on University of Manitoba Board of Governors (1992-1994), U of M Senate (1992), various positions with the University of Manitoba Students' Union (UMSU) and the U of M Graduate Students' Association
Member of the Animal Care Committee at the National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease (2001-2003, Health Canada and Canadian Food Inspection Agency)
Actively involved with the Winnipeg Humane Society since 1999
Married with two children, living in Winnipeg

Mr. Felix Walker

Former band councilor
Former board member of Nelson House Education Authority
Former Aboriginal Student Commissioner, Brandon University Students' Union
Interested in advancement of Aboriginal education initiatives and in broad economic policy development that enhances both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities and regions

Ms. Carol A. Phillips

A cultural executive with a long and successful career of developing sustainable arts programs and choreographing administrative transformation
Provided valuable directorship and innovative programming at the Winnipeg Art Gallery, the Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery (Regina), the Banff Centre for the Arts, and most recently, the Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art in Winnipeg
International projects include brokering agreements with Europe and Latin America, and a six-year term chairing the Subcommission for Culture and the World Decade for Cultural Development for the Canadian Commission for UNESCO
Awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Medal in 2002
Appointed Executive Director of the Winnipeg Arts Council in August 2006

Ms. Trish Ward, B. Ed. M.Ed.

Manager of Community Initiatives, River East Transcona School Division
Chair, ‘Early Childhood Matters’ Parent-Child Coalition, River East and Transcona communities
Past President, Manitoba Council for Exceptional Children (MCEC)
Experienced classroom teacher, special education teacher, resource teacher, school counselor, and sessional university instructor

Mrs. Rita Lécuyer, B.Sc.H.Ec., M.Ed. (Psych)

25 years of experience in workshop facilitation and training in the areas of human development and leadership for various organizations in the community as well as for the Department of Culture, Heritage and Citizenship, Éducation permanente [continuing education] at the CUSB, the Public Service Commission and the Centre de Pastorale de Saint-Boniface
15 years of experience in counselling acquired while working at the Clinique Youville, Employment Projects for Women, Pluri-elles MB. Inc., and in private practise
Developed and coordinated two programs on labour market reintegration: Évolution (for Pluri-elles) and Women in New Growth Services (for Employment Projects for Women)
Retired

Ms. Carolyn Frost, B.A., LL.B.

Practicing lawyer with Duboff, Edwards, Haight and Schachter
Received call to Bar in 2002
Undergraduate degree from Queen's University
Law degree from the University of Manitoba
Active volunteer at the Winnipeg Art Gallery among others

Ms. Darlene Hendler, B.S.W, M.S.W., R.S.W.

Social worker/ family therapist specializing in eating disorders at the Health Sciences Center - Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Undergraduate degree from the University of Manitoba in 1986
Graduate degree also from the University of Manitoba in 1997
Board Member at KLINIC
Manitoba institute of registered social workers member
Former teacher
Three adult children

Staff

Sid Rogers
Secretary
(204) 945-1840

Margaret McDonald, CGA
Financial Officer
(204) 945-1838

Vacant
Manager, University Relations
(204) 945-4779

Dan Smith, Ph.D. (Cand.)
Senior Policy Analyst
(204) 945-4720

Kim Browning, M. Ed.
Policy Analyst
(204) 945-0746

Ray Karasevich, M.P.A.
Manager, College Relations
(204) 945-5452

Carlos Matias, B.Comm.(Hons.)
Program Analyst
(204) 945-1839

Josh Watt, M.P.A.
Program Analyst, Universities and Colleges
(204) 945-8597

Kitty Leong
Statistical Analyst
(204) 945-0277

Christine Laroche
Accounting Clerk
(204) 945-8564

Monique Racine
Administrative Assistant
(204) 945-1833

Patricia Ferris
Administrative Secretary
(204) 945-1835