The Fort Garry Campus (main campus) is showing signs of age and lack of funding. Appearing to lack the corporate funding of the University of Calgary, the U of M student centre, which is home to UMSU (University of Manitoba Student Union ) and the Student Services, along with being locked into a 70’s mall kitsch is showing signs of wear and tear. While that may seem like a moot point, it has something to do with the overall mood of the student body.
The tuition has been kept low for Canadian students in the hope of maintaining enrollment. Most students live off campus,within easy range of bus or car. The campus is surrounded on several sides by relatively affordable accommodation. There are less than 1500 students living in university residences.
Ken says that one development he notices is that many students are having to take on an ever increasing job load in order to pay for their university. It affects the spare time that they have to contribute to extra-curricular activities. They have to make their stay on campus short and efficient, which does not promote a sense of campus community.
Another development of note relates to, well, “arguing”. He noted that previously his students would vigorously debate each other over all kinds of issues. He hears much less of it. In querying his students about it, they responded along the lines of “What’s the point?” , “ Why bother..?”, “It doesn’t really matter” or the catchall..” Whatever..!?. He laments the loss of a passionate exchange of ideas in a civil manner.
Ken is not alone in this observation. When it is believed that one cannot arrive at truth, or if one can it doesn’t really make a difference, it leads to the death of rational discourse. As G.K. Chesterton would argue, it often hides itself behind the respectable veil of ‘tolerance’, which is often little more than timidity and laziness. Allan Bloom in his book “The Closing of the American Mind”, would call it the “openness of indifference”, which, ironically, leads to the closing of the mind.
One more point of interest, for me, was his description of discussions he had with his core group. Some of his key students begged him not to “program” them. This is because they had been programmed from birth, having to run between school, extra-curricular lessons and activities. They just wanted to hang out. I think this is where Ken’s laid back chaplaincy style works well. He provides students, along with faculty and staff the opportunity to approach him on their own schedule. He accommodates himself to their needs.
He does some intentional programming. One of these is activities is “Chewy Tuesdays” where students can come, make and eat lunch in his office. Another activity is where he facilitates U of M students, of whatever ilk, to prepare peanut butter ( yes, peanuts!!) and jam sandwiches for homeless shelters. They literally make thousands of them. Not only does it serve a good cause, but it gives Ken a chance to interact with a broader cross section of the campus community.
Finally, Ken is the senior statesman of a chaplaincy group that includes Ukranian Catholic, Lutheran and Mennonite. The United Church, which has historically had a strong presence on Canadian campuses withdrew its chaplain a number of years ago. The chaplains seem to get along well and have much better space than many of their colleagues on other Canadian campuses. They are located in the Student Centre. While they are not front and centre, they are easily accessed.
My next post will look at a District intiative to complement the foundational work that Ken has done on this campus.
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