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News Release

May 15, 2006

Regional Colleges Renamed

The regional agricultural colleges at Alfred, Kemptville and Ridgetown will sport new names to reflect their membership within the University of Guelph community.

The campuses, which have been part of the the University's Ontario Agricultural College since 1997, will now be known as Université de Guelph - Campus d'Alfred, University of Guelph - Kemptville Campus, and University of Guelph - Ridgetown Campus.

The name change was formally announced in Alfred by Leona Dombrowsky, Ontario’s minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “I want to congratulate the three campuses as they officially change names to reflect their closer relationship with the University of Guelph,” she said.

With the name change, each campus will adopt a new graphic logo that integrates the campus name with the University’s distinctive identifier.

“Today’s announcement reinforces the integral role of the three regional campuses in the delivery of education, research and outreach programs for Ontario’s agri-food and rural sectors,” said University of Guelph president Alastair Summerlee. “It also supports the University’s vision of developing regional innovation centres as part of our multi-campus strategy.”

In addition to diploma, certificate and continuing education programs currently offered, the University will introduce degree programming at regional campuses beginning in September 2006. Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Bio-Resource Management will spend the first two years of their four-year program at one of the regional campuses, then complete their studies at the main campus in Guelph.

“Today’s announcement recognizes the evolution of the three regional campuses,” said OAC dean Craig Pearson. “They will become increasingly important access points for undergraduate and technical programs. The name change recognizes their national and in some cases, international reputations for applied research for the benefit of Ontario.”

He added that each of these campuses has a long history, unique culture and distinct mandate, with strong ties to their local community. Likewise, OAC has a 130-year tradition of excellence and a reputation as a global leader in life sciences education and research for food, agriculture, the environment and rural communities.

“Officially establishing the colleges as branches of the University of Guelph honours these unique histories and our joint commitment to continuing this tradition of excellence in a unified manner,” Pearson said.

U of G took over the research and education programs at the three regional campuses, as well as at other research facilities previously overseen by OMAFRA, in 1997 as part of the Enhanced Partnership agreement with the ministry. The regional campuses, as well as 14 other agricultural research stations, are managed by the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario.