Advanced Education and Literacy Manitoba

What is COPSE?

The Council on Post-Secondary Education is the provincial agency that works to promote excellence and cooperation within the post-secondary education sector to meet the diverse educational needs of Manitobans. Created by an Act of the Manitoba Legislature in November 1996, the Council commenced its operation in April 1997. The Council facilitates the coordination and integration of post-secondary services and facilities, reviews and approves university and college programming, develops policy, and promotes fiscal responsibility and accountability in the post-secondary system.

A major responsibility of Council is the allocation of funds to the province's severn public post-secondary institutions, comprising the University of Manitoba, the University of Winnipeg, Brandon University, Red River College, Assiniboine Community College, University College of the North, and Le Collège Universitaire de Saint-Boniface, which includes École technique et professionnelle. The Council also distributes grants to private religious institutions, which include Steinbach Bible College, Providence College and Seminary, William and Catherine Booth College, and the Canadian Mennonite University. A grant is also provided to the Winnipeg Technical College.

The Council acts as an intermediary between the post-secondary institutions and the government, and is composed of eleven members including a chairperson. Reporting to the Council is a staff Secretariat of thirteen provincial civil servants. The Secretariat undertakes activities and projects designed to fulfill the mandate of the Council and to meet the goals established by the Council and Manitoba Advanced Education and Literacy. The Secretariat also works in consultation with the universities and colleges to support the Council members in the development of policy and financial accountability.

Mandate

The mandate of the Council on Post-Secondary Education, as stipulated in The Council on Post-Secondary Education Act, is:

" . . . to plan and co-ordinate the development of a post-secondary education system in the province that promotes excellence in and accessibility to education, supports the co-ordination and integration of services and facilities, and promotes fiscal responsibility."

Priorities and Objectives

The following are COPSE’s priorities and objectives for the three-year duration of the strategic plan:

Priority 1: Strengthen Accessibility to Post-Secondary Education

Throughout the next three years, COPSE will work with colleges and universities to develop actions to improve accessibility in post-secondary education and continue to strengthen the capacity of institutions through capital and programming improvements. 

Priority 2: Lead the System

By the end of 2010/11, and working with post-secondary institutions, students, government and other stakeholders, COPSE will establish a vision and direction for the post-secondary system and a process for ongoing review

By March 2011, COPSE will define its intermediary role, its relationship to the government and the post-secondary institutions.

Priority 3: Improve System Coordination

COPSE will continue to work with Manitoba’s institutions to create a more coordinated system of credit transfer and articulation agreements that will include a searchable credit transfer website by March 2012.

By March 2011, and working with the post-secondary institutions, COPSE will establish and manage a permanent working group of government and institutional stakeholders to discuss formulation of a Quality Assurance process for Manitoba.

By March 2013, COPSE will develop an accountability framework to support its program approval process, as well as a performance measurement framework for the post-secondary system.

Council Members

Roles and Responsibilities

Chair of Council (23 KB)
Vice-chair of Council (21 KB)
Council Members (20 KB)

Chair of Council

Mr. James Allum, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.

• Senior Consultant in Strategic Management in the CAO Secretariat for the City of Winnipeg
• B.A. and M.A. from Trent University, Ph.D. from Queen’s University
• First student to graduate from Trent’s Frost Centre for Canadian Heritage and Development Studies Program
• Winner of Governor General’s Gold Medal for Academic Achievement in 1988
• Taught part-time in Department of History at University of Winnipeg from 1999 – 2006
• Served as Chair of the Manitoba Heritage Council from 2002-2006
• Former member of the Riverview Community Club
• Hockey Convenor for Riverview in the Pembina Trail Hockey Association
• Organized the Connecting Communities Project in 2003 – a clothing and equipment drive for residents in the Turtle Island neighbourhood
• Two-time candidate for the federal NDP in Winnipeg South Centre in 2000 and 2004
• Served as President of the Manitoba NDP from 2005-2007
• Married, with 3 children

Vice-Chair of Council

Ms. Maureen Brown

• Elected council member in the community of Opaskwayak Cree Nation
• Member of Norman Regional Parent Child Coalition
• School Board member of Opaskwayak Educational Authority
• Currently working in the Social field
• Keynote Speaker on Aboriginal issues
• Advocate and Restorative Justice mediator
• Mother of 3 children, former homeschooler

Council Members

Mr. Ross Wedlake

• retired teacher / administrator ; 33 years in the River East and Winnipeg School Divisions
• graduate of the University of Manitoba, B.A. and B. Ed.
• 15 years experience developing and teaching alternative education (at-risk students and off-campus programs)
• ex-vice Principal of St. John’s High School
• member of the Manitoba Basketball Hall of Fame
• long-time basketball coach at high school and college levels
• experienced at presentations to in-services and school staffs
• married ; 3 adult children

Dr. Pandelis G. Halamandaris

• BA (1958), The American University at Cairo, Egypt
• MS and Ph.D. (1968), Indiana University, USA
• Research Associate (1967-68), Indiana University (funded US Office of Education)
• Research Director, Commission on Reading, MTS (1968-73)
• Associate Professor at BU (1969-1975), Professor at BU (1975-1999)
• Initiator and Director of the project: Indian Métis Projects for Action in Careers through Teacher Education (IMPACTE)-1971-73
• Director of International Development Projects at Brandon U.( Malawi, Swaziland, Baltic countries, scholarships for women, etc)
• Ed.D. (HC) (2001), University of Swaziland, Swaziland
• Professor Emeritus (2001), Brandon University Faculty of Education
• Deputy Director of the University of Manitoba Centre for Hellenic Civilization (2001-)
• CIDA consultant on Primary Education (1998-)
• Taught/lectured UM, Department of Ed. Guyana, University of Athens, Malawi Institute of Ed., University of Swaziland, Virginia State, Visiting Scholar University of London Institute of Education, Brandon U.
• Evaluator for the Greek Ministry of Education-projects.

Mr. Howard Almdal, MA

• Master of Arts (1999) University of Winnipeg & University of Manitoba (Modern History)
• Bachelor of Arts (1993) University of Manitoba (Political Studies)
• Regional Manager for BMO Financial Group, based in Winnipeg
• A Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute
• Served on University of Manitoba Board of Governors (1992-1994), U of M Senate (1992), various positions with the University of Manitoba Students' Union (UMSU) and the U of M Graduate Students' Association
• Member of the Animal Care Committee at the National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease (2001-2003, Health Canada and Canadian Food Inspection Agency)
• Actively involved with the Winnipeg Humane Society since 1999
• Married with two children, living in Winnipeg

Mr. Felix Walker

• Former band councilor
• Former board member of Nelson House Education Authority
• Former Aboriginal Student Commissioner, Brandon University Students' Union
• Interested in advancement of Aboriginal education initiatives and in broad economic policy development that enhances both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities and regions

Ms. Carol A. Phillips

• A cultural executive with a long and successful career of developing sustainable arts programs and choreographing administrative transformation
• Provided valuable directorship and innovative programming at the Winnipeg Art Gallery, the Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery (Regina), the Banff Centre for the Arts, and most recently, the Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art in Winnipeg
• International projects include brokering agreements with Europe and Latin America, and a six-year term chairing the Subcommission for Culture and the World Decade for Cultural Development for the Canadian Commission for UNESCO
• Awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Medal in 2002
• Appointed Executive Director of the Winnipeg Arts Council in August 2006

Ms. Trish Ward, B. Ed. M.Ed.

• Manager of Community Initiatives, River East Transcona School Division
• Chair, ‘Early Childhood Matters’ Parent-Child Coalition, River East and Transcona communities
• Past President, Manitoba Council for Exceptional Children (MCEC)
• Experienced classroom teacher, special education teacher, resource teacher, school counselor, and sessional university instructor

Mr. Tayeb Meridji, B.A., M.Sc.

• Labour Market Developer, Success Skills Centre (2000 - )
• Bilingual Francophone with firsthand knowledge of immigrant experience
• Experience as instructor in K-12 and post-secondary sector; Extensive board experience
• Chairperson (Board of Referees), HRSDC Canada (1995 - )
• Enrollment Officer, Heritage Scholarship Trust Plan (1999 – 2000)
• Consultant/Speaker Multiperception in Cross Cultural Groups (1988-1998)
• Extensive teaching and volunteer experience

Ms. Carolyn Frost, B.A., LL.B.

• Practicing lawyer with Duboff, Edwards, Haight and Schachter
• Received call to Bar in 2002
• Undergraduate degree from Queen's University
• Law degree from the University of Manitoba
• Active volunteer at the Winnipeg Art Gallery among others

Council Staff

Sid Rogers
Secretary
(204) 945-1840

Raymond Karasevich, M.P.A.
Director, Institutional Relations
(204) 945-5452

Vacant
Manager, Strategic Initiatives
(204) 945-8564

Dan Smith, Ph.D.
Manager, Policy Development and Analysis
(204) 945-4720

Kim Browning, M. Ed.
Senior Policy Analyst
(204) 945-0746

Carlos Matias, CGA
A/Financial Officer
(204) 945-1839

Melissa Weavers, B.HEc.
Policy Analyst
(204) 945-4779

Josh Watt, M.P.A.
Senior Program Analyst
(204) 945-8597

Kitty Leong
Statistical Analyst
(204) 945-0277

Pauline Gagnon
Accounting Clerk
(204) 945-1836

Janie Trudel
Administrative Assistant
(204) 945-1833

Patricia Ferris
Executive Secretary
(204) 945-1835