n
r
m
.
m
See
FOfsun'
by
Fiona
Grisswell
October
2004
I
News
Ralph
Troschke:
New
Man
on
Campus
A
new
chapter
is
being
written
in
the
history
of
the
college
with
the
appointment
of
Ralph
Jroschke
as
College
President.
This
follows
the
retirement
of
President
Terry
Weninger,
effective
August
30,
2004.
Prior
to
accepting
the
position
at
CNC,
Mr.
Troschke
served
in
the
position
of
Vice-
jPresident
in
charge
of
Student
&
College
Services
at
Portage
College
in
Lac
La
Biche,
Alberta.
Mr.
Troschke
comes
to
CNC
well
qualified
Ilfor
the
position
he
has
taken
on.
He
has
held
var
ious
positions
in
post-secondary
education
in
4three
provinces,
in
addition
to
holding
the
position
pfof
Head
of
Business
Studies
and
Communication
Technology
with
the
Higher
Colleges
of
Technology,
Abu
Dhabi
Men's
College,
Abu
Dhabi,
United
Arab
Emirates.
He
obviously
has
a
love
of
learning.
In
fact,
he
laughingly
said
that
if
he
were
independently
wealthy
he
would
become
fa
professional
student.
Not
a
bad
recommenda
tion
from
a
student
s
perspective.
The
change
in
leadership
raises
questions
about
the
future
of
the
college.
Not
in
terms
of
viability
but
rather
what
vision
does
the
new
president
hold
for
CNC.
Troschke
emphasizes
the
importance
of
being
a
community
college.
He
praises
his
predecessor
tlfor
having
done
a
good
job
in
building
a
strong
link
between
college
and
city.
He
backs
up
this
statement
by
recounting
a
casual
conversation
he
held
with
a
man
m
Pnor
to.taKing
up
II
m
the
reins
of
the
col-
A
a
jock
ir
in
;n
high
h;h
school,
chi
'
,,
.
,
.
the
president
discovered
a
love
of
learning
that
slowly
displaced
exercise
during
his
university
years
Jhis
priorities.
lege.
This
man
believed
the
college
to
be
the
main
economic
driver
in
our
community.
The
president
says
it
is
important
to
main
tain
this
link
and
goes
on
to
lay
out
i
ne
nrsi
inciuaesmoving
me
conege
nrm-
ly
into
the
21stCentury.
This
process
includes
tackling
issues
such
as
student
recruitment.
Second,
he
says
that
B.C.
being
what
it
is,
there
will
always
be
labor-management
tension.
He
envisions
a
more
open
and
improved
form
of
internal
communication.
This
process
will
be
aided
by
what
he
terms
a
Strategic
Planning
Process
set
to
take
place
over
the
next
two
years.
In
essence,
the
new
president
sees
this
as
an
open,
transparent
process
where
students,
staff,
and
community
all
participate.
Mr.
Troschke
believes
it
is
important,
particularly
from
a
community
standpoint,
that
people
are
able
to
see
their
comments
have
been
listened
to
and
not
just
Klfiled
away.
The
president
faces
a
steep
learning
curve
as
he
attempts
to
get
an
understanding
of
the
college,
its
workings
and
the
issues
that
it
faces.
He
says
that
by
wearing
this
process
for
the
next
two
years
he
will
be
better
equipped
to
implement
positive
changes
based
on
the
input
of
all
involved
with
the
college.
After
all,
"it
can't
just
be
Ralph's
idea."
The
issues
facing
the
college
are
signifi
cant.
Cuts
in
government
funding
have
forced
tuition
increases
at
CNC
and
UNBC.
Mr.
Troschke
believes
the
college
has
been
harder
hit
by
these
cuts
due
to
social
economic
factors.
College
is
more
affordable
for
those
coming
from
low
income
and
single
parent
homes.
In
the
past,
the
receipt
of
a
student
loan
has
done
much
to
ease
the
burden
of
attaining
a
post-secondary
education.
This
year
however,
the
elimination
of
grants
in
the
student
loan
program
has
had
the
effect
of
nearly
doubling
the
amount
some
students
must
pay
back
at
the
end
of
their
education.
At
the
present
time
it
is
uncertain
as
to
when
or
if
additional
tuition
increases
will
be
announced.
Troschke
does
say
that,
specific
to
CNC,
he
can
see
increases
of
2-3
being
more
reflective
of
the
future,
rather
than
the
30
experienced
in
recent
years.
A
related
issue
to
that
of
decreased
government
funding
for
post-secondary
education
is
that
of
student
enrollment
and
retention.
The
president
says
this
will
receive
top
priority
in
the
future
months.
Programs
such
as
WRIT
have
been
suspended
for
the
2004-2005
academic
year
due
to
low
enrollment
numbers.
When
asked
if
improved
advertising
and
marketing
of
the
college
would
have
an
effect
on
numbers,
Mr.
Troschke
indicated
that
these
areas
are
under
review.
The
first
step
in
this
process
is
the
hiring
of
Steve
Raper,
the
new
Recruitment
&
Enrollment
Services
manager.
The
second
step
comes
through
renewal
and
revitalizationl
"In
order
to
sell
a
product,
it
is
necessary
for
that
product
to
be
viable"
states
the
president.
He
went
on
to
use
the
college
website
as
an
example.
While
there
is
nothing
actually
wrong
with
the
site,
he
believes
that
some
changes
could
benefit
the
college
as
a
whole.
He
mentioned
the
possibility
of
a
new
logo
design;
a
fresh
look
that
grabs
the
attention
of
young
people
shopping
for
a
post-secondary
institution.
There
is
also
a
lack
of
consistency
in
design
between
the
various
campus
sites.
Except
for
the
college
coat
of
arms,
there
is
little
to
identify
some
of
the
sites
as
being
a
part
of
CNC.
Listening
to
Mr.
Troschke
talk
about
his
vision
for
the
future
it
is
obvious
he
already
feels
a
sense
of
quiet
pride
in
being
associated
In
2001,
he
ran
his
witn
the
Colle9e
of
first
triathlon,
!'-
haS
hl9h
PralSe
f0r
t
u
-i
u
u
it
followed
by
a
half
tnose
sucn
as
Mr.
Ironman
in
2002
Weninger
who
came
and
the
before
him
while
Canadian
Ironman
admitting
he
faces
a
in
200?
9e
learnin9
curve
as
he
settles
into
his
position.
This
is
perhaps
made
easier
by
what
he
says
is
the
genuine
greeting
he
has
had
from
the
staff
of
the
college.
Added
to
this
is
the
feeling
of
welcome
he
and
his
family
have
experienced
as
they
settle
into
the
community.
A
grin
breaks
out
as
he
mentions
that
the
kids
are
adapting
well;
at
the
time
of
this
interview,
one
of
them
was
getting
set
for
her
first
swim
practice
with
the
Barracudas.
The
mention
of
family
raises
questions
about
the
man
behind
the
position.
A
Google
background
search
on
Mr.
Troschke
revealed
a
beautiful
photo
essay
of
his
time
spent
in
the
United
Arab
Emirates.
He
created
this
display,
Arabian
Sands,
as
part
of
a
multicultural
exhibit
when
living
in
Fort
McMurray.
A
more
well
known
fact
is
Mr.
Troschke's
background
as
a
marathon
runner.
Some
people
admit
to
being
intrigued
at
the
notion
of
an
Ironman
athlete
and
college
president
all
being
part
of
the
same
package.
A
jock
in
high
school,
the
president
discovered
a
love
of
learning
that
slowly
displaced
exercise
during
his
university
years.
The
years
following
university
were
consumed
with
launching
his
career;
until
he
turned
28
and
a
visit
to
the
bathroom
scale
prompted
him
to
get
back
into
shape.
He
recalls
his
first
5
km
run
in
years
as
being
somewhat
less
than
satisfying.
The
next
seven
years
were
spent
participating
in
"general
fitness
stuff."
It
was
through
these
activities
that
he
met
his
future
wife.
Mr.
Troschke
describes
himself
as
very
much
a
list-and-goal
type
of
person,
which
is
how
he
eventually
came
to
the
realization
that
he
needed
a
goal
in
order
to
keep
his
exercise
on
track.
At
one
point
in
his
past
he
had
attended
the
type
of
seminar
where
you
are
required
to
make
a
list
of
ten
things
you
want
to
do
before
you
die.
Around
the
time
he
was
searching
for
his
exercise
goal,
he
came
across
the
list.
He
says
that
although
he
had
accomplished
many
of
the
items,
one
unfulfilled
goal
caught
his
attention:
to
run
a
marathon.
The
decision
to
enter
a
marathon
came
on
January
1
,
1
998.
Eight
months
later
saw
him'
put
that
resolution
into
practice
when
he
ran
the
Fort
McMurray
Marathon.
This
might
have
been
the
end
of
his
running
career
if
he
had
not
won
a
draw
for
an
all
expenses
paid
trip
to
the
Vancouver
Marathon
four
weeks
later.
He
went
on
to
run
6
more
marathons
over
the
next
three
years
and
an
Ultra
marathon.
He
got
interested
in
triathlons
through
a
nephew
who
raced.
Mr.
Troschke
enjoys
cycling
and
says
that
he
would
much
rather
spend
time
training
in
a
warm
pool
that
outside
in
-40
degree
weather.
In
2001
,
he
ran
his
first
triathlon,
followed
by:
a
half
Ironman
in
2002
and
the
Canadian
Ironman
in
2003.
It
must
take
a
huge
commitment
to
train
for
athletic
events
such
as
these.
Given
the
level
of
commitment
necessary
for
an
individual
to
hold
down
a
position
such
as
Mr.
Troschke's,
maybe
the
leap
from
Ironman
athlete
to
college
president
isn't
such
a
puzzle
after
all.
Change
is
inevitable
whenever
there
is
a
change
in
leadership
within
an
organization.
Whether
or
not
that
change
is
positive
depends
in
large
part
on
the
dedication
and
vision
of
the
new
leader.
In
the
case
of
Ralph
Troschke
it
appears
that
the
college
is
in
good
hands.