Laurentian University to acquire Huntington's gerontology program

Laurentian University and Huntington University have negotiated terms following the severance of their federated relationship last week. As part of the agreement, Laurentian has acquired a program developed at Huntington.

Huntington's gerontology program will be delivered online within Laurentian's Faculty of Arts starting in the fall.

A spokesperson for Laurentian, Isabelle Bourgeault-Tass, says it is exclusively a transfer of course materials. Existing students will remain in the program and new students can enrol.

In a news release, Laurentian says no programs and courses at Huntington will be accepted as credits for a Laurentian degree after this term, and says all students currently enrolled at Huntington will be offered a path to graduate through programs and courses at Laurentian.

Thechair of the gerontology department at Huntington,Krishnan Venkataraman, says he's still processing the news.

"I don't know more than anything that's stated.So at the moment, the only communication is that the program has been transferred over. I haven't received official communication from Huntington University regarding this, so I don't know my own status or the status of my colleagues in the department," he says.

"In a sense, it will come as a welcome relief for many students because they will not be switched over to any other program. I think it will be good in that sense."

Venkataraman saysenrolment in the online gerontology course hasbeen robust, and applicants come from across the province, as well as Canada. The course sees roughly 1,000 registrations each year.

For Laurentian to take over the program is a "financially prudent decision,"Venkataramansays, adding that's because it is already prepared and ready to go.

"So it can be administered with relatively minimal effort. And the return on investment is pretty good."

Venkataraman notes that creating the online course has been"adouble-edged sword, right from the beginning."

"Therewasn't an online program even two years ago. We did this because we were facing what appeared to be an enrolment challenge, maybe six or seven years ago," he said.

It is hardto think of them as going away andbeing run by somebody else- Krishnan Venkataraman,Huntington University gerontology department chair

"We knew we would connect with the students that were interested in this program [by creating an online course]. Butwe were always aware of the fact that there was the potential for this program to move, with or without us."

Venkataramansays he and his colleagues are attached to the courses they've created.

"[The courses] are, in a sense, my babies, right?And maybe it's very cliche, very cheesy. Havewe been compensated? For sure. But it is hardto think of them as going away andbeing run by somebody else."

He says hewishesthe provincial government wouldstep in and provide fundingto support the university's programs, "so we didn't have to make these kinds of negotiations. That's what I would have liked to have seen."