Appendix: Briefing Note - Langford Education Awards Fund (Royal Roads University)

Summary

This briefing note outlines recommendations to City of Langford on the use of funds committed to the Langford Education Awards Fund at Royal Roads University (RRU), which is intended to remove financial barriers for local students registered in any program available at the new RRU Langford campus beginning 2024. Recommendations include:

1. That Royal Roads University allocate and disburse the annual $75K pledge payment from City of Langford per the Gift Agreement to each partnering post-secondary institution (Royal Roads University, University of Victoria, Camosun College, Justice Institute of BC) proportionately to their respective projected annual student enrolment numbers to programs available at the RRU Langford Campus.

2. That the Langford Education Awards eligibility criteria focus on students who: a. Are 26 years or younger.
   b. Have graduated from a high school in School District 62 and reside in the City of Langford.
   c. Are enrolled and are entering a Royal Roads University, University of Victoria, Camosun College, and/or Justice Institute of British Columbia program offered at the Royal Roads University Langford campus.
   d. Have demonstrated reasonable financial need.

   And that preference be given to students who self-identify as belonging to an under-represented group, including but not limited to: Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQQIA+, neuro-diverse, persons living with a visible or invisible disability, youth from care, and/or first in family to attend post-secondary; lived in Langford when graduated high school.

3. That the funds available provide student entrance awards with a maximum value of $10,000 to students as long as funds are available. Note that other student award value options are also presented in this briefing note for consideration by mayor and council.

Background

In September 2022, City of Langford approved and signed a Gift Agreement (Appendix A) with Royal Roads University, confirming a $375,000 pledge commitment ($75,000/year for five years) to establish the Langford Education Awards in support of students enrolled in any program at the new RRU Langford Campus.

Since then, RRU has worked with City of Langford staff Braden Hutchins and Donna Petrie to develop a draft terms of reference for the awards fund, to be brought forward to City of Langford mayor and council for discussion and approval.

Key Considerations

Annual Allocation & Disbursement to Post-Secondary Institution Partners

Per the gift agreement between City of Langford and Royal Roads University, pledge payments of $75K will be made annually by the City of Langford and received by Royal Roads University in April each year. At that point in time, Royal Roads will then allocate and disburse the annual $75K pledge payment to each partnering post-secondary institution (Royal Roads University, University of Victoria, Camosun College, Justice Institute of BC) proportionately to their projected annual student enrolment numbers to programs available at the RRU Langford Campus.

Example allocations (if enrolment varied across institutions):

• RRU: 75 students (30%): $22,500
• Camosun: 75 students (30%): $22,500
• UVic: 50 students (20%): $15,000
• JIBC: 50 students (20%): $15,000

This proportional disbursement approach allows for equitable access to available funding for all enrolled students.

The disbursement of funds from RRU to the participating post-secondary partners will be guided by individual letters of agreement between RRU and each partner, and will adhere to the final and approved fund Terms of Reference.

Langford Education Awards Eligibility Criteria

Discussions between City of Langford staff and RRU have led to the development of the following recommended award eligibility criterion, to be included in the final fund Terms of Reference (see Appendix B), which maximize benefit to:

• Students who:

  • Are 26 years or younger.
  • Have graduated from a high school in School District 62 and reside in the City of Langford.
  • Are enrolled and are entering a Royal Roads University, University of Victoria, Camosun College, and/or Justice Institute of British Columbia program offered at the Royal Roads University Langford campus.
  • Have demonstrated reasonable financial need.

• Preference given to students who self-identify as belonging to an under-represented group, including but not limited to: Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQQIA+, neuro-diverse, persons living with a visible or invisible disability, youth from care, and/or first in family to attend post-secondary; lived in Langford when graduated high school.

As the RRU Langford campus will also see enrolment from students residing in other West Shore communities, RRU hopes to leverage the City of Langford’s commitment to incentivize other municipalities to commit to the establishment of similar awards that benefit their residents as well.

Awards Value

As the City of Langford has identified removing financial barriers for local students and bridging the gap between high school graduation and life-long learning as their primary goals for this fund, RRU strongly recommends the funding be offered as entrance awards with a maximum value of $10,000. This offers each post-secondary partner the most flexibility to administer the awards based on their respective award infrastructure and to meet the demonstrated annual need of student applicants, which may fluctuate year over year. While the maximum value is set to $10,000, it would be up to each post-secondary institution to determine the award value allocated to each student commensurate with the number of applications received each year, and the financial needs expressed.

Alternatively, City of Langford may choose to limit the maximum value of these entrance awards to $5,000 or $2500 depending on preference, which may result in more students benefitting from funding; however, this approach may not address the financial barriers that some students face resulting in their ability to successfully complete their studies.

Recommendations

1. That Royal Roads University allocate and disburse the annual $75K pledge payment from City of Langford per the Gift Agreement (Appendix A) to each partnering post-secondary institution (Royal Roads University, University of Victoria, Camosun College, Justice Institute of BC) proportionately to their projected annual student enrolment numbers to programs available at the RRU Langford Campus.

2. That the Langford Education Awards eligibility criteria focus on students who: a. Are 26 years or younger.
   b. Have graduated from a high school in School District 62 and reside in the City of Langford.
   c. Are enrolled and are entering a Royal Roads University, University of Victoria, Camosun College, and/or Justice Institute of British Columbia program offered at the Royal Roads University Langford campus.
   d. Have demonstrated reasonable financial need.

   And that preference be given to students who self-identify as belonging to an under-represented group, including but not limited to: Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQQIA+, neuro-diverse, persons living with a visible or invisible disability, youth from care, and/or first in family to attend post-secondary; lived in Langford when graduated high school.

That the funds available provide student entrance awards with a maximum value of $10,000 to students as long as funds are available. Note that other student award value options are also presented in this briefing note for consideration by mayor and council.

Next Steps

• Braden Hutchins and Donna Petrie to develop staff report outlining recommendations enclosed in this briefing note for City of Langford mayor and council.
• Royal Roads University to present to City of Langford Community/Citizen Advisory Committee in April or May (timing tbc).
• Royal Roads University to present to City of Langford mayor and council for approval in June (timing tbc).